The Willomet Charger

[AgDieseler]

Quick photoless update:
The rockers are now entirely free from the subframe crossmembers, and I'm 9/10 of the way to templating and building the first 4x3x.120 inner rocker. I took several reference measurements on the unibody before the two critical cuts, and everything is where it's supposed to be. It's a lot stronger than I originally thought, though I'm glad I braced the snot out of it.

Had a new project roll into the shop, so I'll be working this one in the evenings for the next few weeks.

David

 

[1-ton]

I have loved the 1968 to 1970 Dodge Charger since I was kid. I am old enough to remember when the 1968 Dodge Charger first came off the assembly line. I had the chance to ride in some brand new off the lot Dodge Chargers back in those days. I have tried to buy A Dodge Charger several times in my life, but every single time the deal fell through.

1. First time: A friend of mine had a 1968 Dodge Charger that was factory Yellow with Black vinyl roof and Black interior. It had a 383 4-Barrel with an Automatic. It had bucket seats, center console shift, and full gauge package. The engine it was blown, and he was about to get kicked out of his apartment. He had no place to put the car. I said if he could make it just one more week, I would give him $800 for the car. I came back exactly 5-days later with the $800, and the car was gone. He said he had sold it to a junk-yard for $100.

2. Second time: An old lady had a 1969 Dodge Charger that was Brown with a light Brown vinyl roof, and light Brown interior. It had a 383 2-Barrel with an Automatic, bench seat, column shift, and dummy lights. I showed up with the $800 she was asking for the car, and another guy showed 10-minutes before me, and bought it.

3. Third time. A guy had a 1969 Dodge Charger SE. It was Tan with light Tan vinyl roof, and light Tan interoir. It had a 440 4-Barrel with a 727-Auto. The SE was a full luxury package model, and had bucket seats, center console shift, full gauge package, air conditioning. I showed up with the $1200 he was asking. He then changed his mind, and said he did not want to sell it anymore.

 

[AgDieseler]

I have loved the 1968 to 1970 Dodge Charger since I was kid.

Same here. There was a driveway-bound 69 RT in the neighborhood, and it always looked good to me. I first saw it when I was 9, and I was hooked on the factory wide body and long sail pillars.

...5-days later...He said he had sold it to a junk-yard for $100...

Too many stories out there just like this. It's hard to know for certain when to keep a car, but if Ertyl and Revell are making models of said car, you should think hard before sending it to the crusher.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

There’s a break in client projects, so I’ll have a few rise and shine sessions to work on my junk.

The driver rocker is sectioned, but the PO did such damage to the rear of it (indicative of the car seeing a forklift) that I’ll have to pause and bend some 16ga to repair. You can also see where I filled some rust pockmarks.



David

 

[JoshHefnerX]

What'd you fill in those pockmarks with, just a quick tack of the mig gun? If so is that causing any heat distortion?

 

[AgDieseler]

What'd you fill in those pockmarks with, just a quick tack of the mig gun? If so is that causing any heat distortion?

Quick hit using .023 wire (1 or 2 spots at a time), then individual grinding with a fresh roloc disc. It's a part of a folded and stressed surface, and if you go slow and use an occasional air quench, it doesn't distort. The 16ga structural parts are much more forgiving than the 18ga body panels.

David

 

[JoshHefnerX]

Didn't realize that was 16ga.

 

[AgDieseler]

Hard to get a good photo, but this is what I’m replacing.


Decent fit, still needs some tweaking, and the internal braces should bring it into shape.

Rest of the car won’t matter if these rockers aren’t rigid as hell.

That’s it for tonight.

David

 

[Bent77]

 

[AgDieseler]

Fine fitting this morning. The simplified shape eliminates the original convoluted voids at the bottom in favor of a straight seam that will easily mate to the new inner rockers.





David

 

[AgDieseler]

Evening, gents.

The repair panel is fit and ready to weld. I’ll have to bump one transition after the first set of tacks, but it all measures up like the original.


Weld through primer is in place at the seam.


I flanged about 1/8” too deep, but it will puddle and fill just fine. Normally I would butt weld with a 1/16” gap, but I was concerned about getting too much heat on that thin corner.


For the mopar unibody nuts - this is the only taper, and there are no convoluted reliefs. Still plenty of room for the rear quarter to nest.


The shop is swept, and .023 wire is loaded for the morning.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

Welded with blending underway. Still have some pin holes to fill before calling it done, and I have one more piece of detail to add to this rocker patch before it’s done.


David

 

[AgDieseler]

Welded. Blended.

I used a different order of operations to minimize distortion, and with good results. Tacks are spaced like normal, and ground individually. Takes longer, but I hardly had to use any hammer and dolly. Also, I’m glad I flanged the upper connection, but it made for an odd weld pull. Just had to adjust and clamp some square tube behind it to keep it flat and straight. I’ll probably butt weld the other side.


Now, to build a cap for the end.


David

 

[Bent77]

Ima fan of the KISS template

 

[AgDieseler]

Large day with family. This is about all I could manage to get done with the hour I had early this morning.




David

 

[Bent77]

Dykem. It’s one of my favorite words

 

[AgDieseler]

Dykem. It’s one of my favorite words

I’ve been using the spray a lot lately. Handy dandy.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

Managed to squeeze in some work before we handed out candy. We stopped counting at 500 kids.

There are a lot of small boogered up spots like this. Just for documentation, here’s what I do to patch them.




I try to leave the patch protruding from the edge by just the slightest bit so I can file everything flat and even later.


I turn down the heat and speed to finish for the very end welds.






I spend a lot of time of small details like this that won’t show, but I look at it as preparation for when I have to do it on quarters and sail pillars and other visible surfaces.

Also, I’ve had a few questions on IG about blending welds. Lots of good info on there from people that are more experienced, and my method is just what I’ve developed using the tools on hand. Assuming good patch fit and weld technique, here’s what I do.

On 16ga panels like this one (especially with structural bends), I weld two or three tacks in a row with groupings spaced at 4”-6”, let it cool, and then grind to just proud using a 36 grit roloc, then blend to nearly smooth using a 50 or 80. On 18ga and thinner material, I grind each tack individually after burning it in to keep the heat down - this avoids a lot of post grind bumping and saves time. After coming back to fill and grind pinholes, I lightly file to flatten what’s left of the weld, and use a fresh 36 or 40 grit disc on my DA and level the weld to the rear of the work. 16ga is fairly forgiving, while 18ga will punish you for the slightest impatience.

Lots of time is applied at each step - resisting the urge to settle for good enough, filling all pin holes, taking my time.

End cap started.


David

 

[AgDieseler]

Front end cap.


Still need to fit/file/trim the rocker before burning it in.


David

 

[skunked]

very nice work David.