Here we go again. How often have you said that when starting another project? In the Bolig household, it seems that statement is made far too often, but again, we work on cars for the enjoyment, right?
We got many replies about the '73 Charger when we first introduced it. Many said to get it done as soon as possible, and others said we're nuts. As true as the latter may be from time to time, that wasn't our motivation in this instance.
For years, post-'70 cars have been overlooked, but now are finally getting noticed. Another thing to keep in mind: Since the cars that others consider collectible are most times out of reach, this is the perfect platform a Young Gun can use to get into a Mopar. Completely redesigned in 1971, the Charger was actually shorter than its predecessor, but became slightly wider. Our version is a '73 model, definitely not built during the Performance Years. One thing that did surprise us about this car was the production numbers. In 1973, there were a lot of Chargers built, but only 40 of them had the 400HP and four-speed combination-this is one of them. Lucky for our Young Gun, the car actually has some sort of a pedigree. Since the original engine and transmission are long gone, that gives us a little flexibility with the restoration.
Not all project cars are found...
Not all project cars are found in a barn or garage. The Charger we're starting with spent the last 15 or so years sitting on a hill in the weeds. Before we brought the car home, we pulled it off the hill to make sure that it was worth restoring.
When you need a place to work,...
When you need a place to work, a portable carport may be just the thing.
The first thing we needed to do was to get the car stripped to see what we have to work with. With the garage full, we were relegated to working on the car under a portable canopy in the backyard. It could've be worse; the yard could've been muddy. We gutted the interior and removed all the exterior pieces (doors, fenders, bumpers, wiring, and windshield). While removing the interior, we found some rust inside that we will need to address, but nothing that can't be fixed. Some of the rust on the exterior of the body may be a little harder to fix, but we'll show you that later.
So we're underway. The Young Guns Charger has secured its place in line for rebuilding, and you can now see what we are starting with.
First on the agenda: gut the...
First on the agenda: gut the interior.
After gutting the interior...
After gutting the interior and giving the floor a good cleaning, we realized it wasn't in THAT bad of shape. The driver-side front, however, does need some help.
Before we could fix the floorpan,...
Before we could fix the floorpan, we needed to remove the shifter tunnel. We used a die grinder to cut the welds.
With the shifter hump gone,...
With the shifter hump gone, we placed the new floorpan from Auto Body Specialties in place, and traced around it so we know where to cut. We also went under the car and marked the framerail and torsion support, so we know where to drill our holes to weld the pan to the frame.
After you get the new pan...
After you get the new pan outlined on the floor, you can begin cutting the old floor out. Remember, cut to the inside of the line about an inch so you have metal left to weld the new floor to. If you have the patience and the talent, you can cut the old floor in a way that the new panel will fit snug, and then you can butt-weld the gap closed. If you're like us and doing it in the backyard, you do what you can.
After you cut the old floorpan...
After you cut the old floorpan edges, it still won't come out. You need to drill the spot welds that hold the floor metal to the frame and the rocker panel. Drill bits like these from Blair Equipment are a must-have.
While we were tracing the...
While we were tracing the cut-edge for the new pan, we also marked the framerails underneath so we could drill the holes that get fill-welded.
Before you begin welding the...
Before you begin welding the new pan in place, there are a few things you should do. The first is to make sure rust doesn't return. We cleaned the inside of the framerail and coated it with POR-15
Before welding, make sure...
Before welding, make sure the new pan fits snugly against the firewall seam and clamp it in place.
Before you begin welding the...
Before you begin welding the edges, make sure the new pan is tight against the framerail and then weld the drilled holes shut. The idea of the holes is to be able to weld the framerail to the pan.
After we got the holes fill-welded,...
After we got the holes fill-welded, we then focused on the pan edges. We started by using tack welds every 2 inches or so to keep things from warping. After making a couple of passes around the perimeter, the spots become one seam.
With the pan welded in, it's...
With the pan welded in, it's time to work on putting the shifter hump back in place. We positioned the hump using the front edge and the passenger's side edges to locate it. By aligning the cut marks we made by removing the hump, it made an easy realignment. We then traced the hump's edge on the new pan.
Finally, just seal the edges...
Finally, just seal the edges with a seam sealer and give it a coat of primer.
Next step? Trim about an inch...
Next step? Trim about an inch towards the inside of the line.
After cutting the hump edge,...
After cutting the hump edge, it's time to tack it in place.