The Willomet Charger

[AgDieseler]

AgDieseler submitted a new Build:

The Willomet Charger

The suburban is back running and rolling, so I'll document my moonlighting here. From the beginning...

I picked up this 70 R/T about three years ago. Since then, I've built out the shop in preparation to start this build. Note the Duramax intercooler hanging in the background. It has a new home...

View attachment 229937

It's fairly complete - interior, trim, mouldings, lights, glass, suspension, drivetrain - really a rolling shell with no engine or transmission; perfect for my purposes.

It arrived at the shop filled with three things: lots of parts, copious amounts of rat scat, and a rattlesnake that had taken up residence in the truck. No doubt it wanted to be close to a reliable meal. The snake didn't wait long to move out, and truthfully I only ever knew he was there from the shed skins in the corner of the shop and the trunk. I try not to hate things in nature, but snakes are different.

The interior was a biohazard, and I ordered the 3M mask and glove setup and got to cleaning the emptied car. I filled my shop vac several times and finished with a thorough rinse of the floor and inner door panels. It was funky.

Having never disassembled a Mopar, I started cataloging and bagging and tagging the screws, clips, brackets with detailed notes as to how they went together and where. The reprint service manual was a useful guide. I should also say that every project - garage, house, car - is a chance to work with friends and family. Here's a buddy helping me take out the suspension and get it loaded up in the body cart:

Disassembly would move along nicely from this elevated height:

The objective is to build a car that will drive across the country and perform competitively against whatever monochromatic German machine it might encounter, as well as more recent iterations of American pony cars; all and without sacrificing what makes these cars unique.

We'll keep the solid rear axle, and make upgrades to the unibody so our chassis is rigid and predictable. After a recent visit to Rad Rides, I'm all but set on building a new front suspension and losing the torsion bars. The hope is to deliver...

Read more about this build here...

 

[skunked]

been waiting for this one

 

[76zimmer]

Badass
A great year for Mopars!
Pro touring would be awesomer In a 70R/T, are you thinking new Hemi power?
Looking forward to this build David!

 

[blazinzuk]

Soooo.

I'm just gonna copy all your projects.

Mmmmkay

 

[AgDieseler]

been waiting for this one

Me too! Everytime I'm in the shop, I can't help but think of my to-do list on the car...

Badass
...are you thinking new Hemi power?

Arias does make a hemi head for my junkyard-sourced LQ4, but I'll probably go with factory ported LS3 heads. Sacred cows be damned.

Soooo.

I'm just gonna copy all your projects.

Mmmmkay

Save the Mopars from the preservationists. Build drivers.

David

 

[skunked]

ooooh I like this even more.

What trans?

 

[AgDieseler]

ooooh I like this even more.

What trans?

T56 Magnum is the plan. Easy to adapt, and well supported.

David

 

[GWeakland620]

Very cool. I'm in.

 

[AgDieseler]

The next several posts are all disassembly and discovery. Mainly, that this car was neglected and someone prescribed it way too much body filler.

I spent a good bit of time pulling the last of the underhood hardware, and took apart the driver door trim, and can now add at least a passenger rear quarter repair panel or skin to the AMD shopping list.

Quick shot at what happens when you stitch too quickly over rust, and try to cover it up.

Interestingly, it looks like both rear quarters are leaded smooth to the roof skin. These would be the original quarters.

Finally, I can't stand throwing out parts; even the useless ones. Here's a repurposed vacuum canister:

Next: still, more sanding.

David

 

[tRustyK5]

My dear wife loves those big Mopars, as do I. I love your plans for it too and will be following this closely.

 

[AgDieseler]

Oh yeah, door glass is expensive. So I was extremely careful removing it.

Pulled the passenger door glass last night. It doesn't have much structure without the window crank installed.

Got the passenger quarter glass out, and in the process learned why we don't see rear quarter windows anymore - what an intricate mechanical system.

Sanded the majority of the passengerquarter and door, leaving behind only the non-bodyfillered sections.

Also pulled the trunk lid and rear bumper and found more hack-job body work. The PO must have blasted or stitch welded without pausing, because there's a serious warp in the rear deck filler panel.

And while our state fair is still a couple of months away, the 3/4" bondo sculpture artistry on the rear valence corners was impressive. Blue ribbon.

The spares for the truck happened to be out, so I had some fun.

Going slow, taking notes.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

All this sanding is building toward a general media blasting for the interior and wherever my grinder doesn't reach.

Pull the trunk torsion bars, driver door and quarter glass, and a lot of miscellaneous bits as I did my once-over to make sure everything is removed. Still need to pull the rear glass frame, but that's about it for mechanical. The shop that will be doing the work recommended scraping any undercoating/sound deadener and seam sealer. In an effort to save a few bucks, I'm sanding the large panels myself.

Quick note - I learned I was accidentally brand loyal. All 3M abrasive products:

I did take a minute to organize; can't think straight if parts and tools are strewn about - work space reflects the mind space. Glass is packed and window mechanisms are carefully labeled and diagramed so I can put this back together a few years from now:

It doesn't look like much, but the door and hood represent about 5 hours of continuous sanding with the 3M pads and 80 grit on the DA. For the hood, it's the first time the steel has seen light in 45 years:

Note the damage. I think someone slammed down a heavy box or something:

Trunk isn't too bad with the same hack rust repair; looks like it can be patched:

Handy at the end of the day, I like the integrated b-body beer holder:

David

 

[GWeakland620]

Road kill! haha

 

[AgDieseler]

My dear wife loves those big Mopars, as do I. I love your plans for it too and will be following this closely.

Thank you. I'm excited to get back at it.

My wife actually found my first hot rod project - a 55 2 ton first series - which I eventually sold to pay for the Charger.


David

 

[Big Ray]

I'm in! can't wait to see what you do with this.

 

[KirsL]

Thank you. I'm excited to get back at it.

My wife actually found my first hot rod project - a 55 2 ton first series - which I eventually sold to pay for the Charger.
View attachment 213610

David

Nice! Always cool to see another classic saved. That 55 is pretty cool too.

 

[blazinzuk]

I've actually been keeping my eye out for a dart to do up.

My first car was a dart. I've owned 4 or 5.

Cepts I don't want the cool dart. I wanna do a 64 or 65

 

[Bent77]

Looking forward to seeing your work on this one as well!

 

[tRustyK5]

I've actually been keeping my eye out for a dart to do up.

My first car was a dart. I've owned 4 or 5.

Cepts I don't want the cool dart. I wanna do a 64 or 65

My first Dart was a '72 Swinger, then had a '75 and last was a '68 Dart GT. I'll say the '72 was my favorite...

 

[Chevy305]

Cool project, love the attention to detail and the organization. A clean garage is a happy garage