70 Challenger

[rb70383]

We I have been asking various questions here and there to help me plan the direction I want to go. Well most of the major decisions are made. Just gotta start tearing into it. So today I rolled it out washed it off and now it has assumed the normal PT project car stance.

Well any project will uncover problems. Off course the first is when i got it on jackstands. The left rear jackstand is not touching the frame. No cave in damage at the frame. Measured the door gaps while on the ground and the only ones that changed were the front tops. Doors still open and close just as easily. So the body seems solid and only the front clip shifted.



Any ideas on how to level the car? Even with only 3 stands touching car is rock solid. I want to make sure the car is square before i weld in the subframe connectors.

[WS6]

We need more Mopars on this site. Glad you're posting up your car. What are the plans overall?

[y5e06]

If this is a project you'll be spending some serious coin on, and you suspect frame issues, it may very well be worth it to take it to a quality frame shop and have everything checked out and make sure squared up.

If you don't suspect issues w/ the car it may very well be your garage floor. It is not as if they are precision surfaces.... with identical jack stand settings & locations I have to run a 1/2" plywood under one of my rear stands to contact fame solidly at all four instead of just three

[LeighP]

I agree...take it down off the stands and take it to a shop with a frame rack....they can measure it and maybe tweak the body a little if needed. Good fast way to get it right before you start.

[rb70383]

I found my 4' level and front to back side to side is level however diagonal it wasn't. I am thinking of getting a laser level to check the floor and shim the jacks as needed. The wife and I did decide that if the floor leveling does not help it will go to a frame shop to make sure it is square.


As far as plans, XV chassis stiffening, hotchkis UCA's and possible their sway bar kit as well. Firmfeel stage 2 box with the longer idler and pitman arms. We just picked up a slap stick shifter for it, and since it is staying auto, I will try my hand at fiberglass and build a center console with for it. I want to improve the handling but maintain a lot the stock style suspension. Engine wise we are keeping the 451 and putting Eddy heads on it as well as a megasquirt EFI.

Nothing special but just enough for what we want.

[LeighP]

Cool plan....I'm also looking at doing a custom "one off" centre console for my 71 Firebird....I thought about doing it in two parts and running it full length from front to the rear bulkhead...since Firebirds don't have a seat covering the rear hump.
Good luck with the project...I'll have to keep watch on this as I'm not too knowledgeable with Mopars in general...I could learn a few things.

[MoparCar]

I have a 71 Challenger I'm building also. Same thing with the jackstands-one corner is high. I do blame this on the floor mostly. Everything measures true. If you have a self leveling laser level set it at corner of the garage and swing the level to all corners where the jackstands are and measure to the floor. I bet it's the floor also.

Keep us posted.
Wes

[67autocross]

Don't bother with the stage 2 Firm Feel box it still has to much power assist, go with the stage 3.

I found my 4' level and front to back side to side is level however diagonal it wasn't. I am thinking of getting a laser level to check the floor and shim the jacks as needed. The wife and I did decide that if the floor leveling does not help it will go to a frame shop to make sure it is square.


As far as plans, XV chassis stiffening, hotchkis UCA's and possible their sway bar kit as well. Firmfeel stage 2 box with the longer idler and pitman arms. We just picked up a slap stick shifter for it, and since it is staying auto, I will try my hand at fiberglass and build a center console with for it. I want to improve the handling but maintain a lot the stock style suspension. Engine wise we are keeping the 451 and putting Eddy heads on it as well as a megasquirt EFI.

Nothing special but just enough for what we want.

[rb70383]

Thanks for the input. Well I pulled some measurements from the factory points and the car is square within 1/4 of itself. Went looking for a laser level and didnt find one that would do what I needed. I did recheck the door gaps and looking it over, the gaps that really changed match up with the driver rear sagging. So I am going with an uneven floor. I wont do any major welding/repair until the jacks are level. I would post pix but nothing major just pulling the rear valence off, and dropping the tank. So far everything that came off was on the list to get replaced.

[dusterbd13]

i bought the stage 3 box for my duster. the only better steering box i have ever driven was a custom lee unit on a winston cup car (dont ask)

the best money ive spent on my car.

good luch with the challenger. and the garage floor being uneven is normal, as well a the 1/4 off on tolerances. ive seen cars that have never been hit, with relatively low milage, be about 1/2 off. mopars quality control back then sucked.

let us know how you do the megasquirt. ive been thinking about it for mine.
Michael

[rb70383]

Got a quick question, I am leveling the front to rear using the sill plates. What is a good reference for side to side?

[MoparCar]

I'm sure there are other spots, but I put about a 2" square stock spacer on each sill and then a long level/bar across sill to sill. This will space the level up and over the driveshaft tunnel. Front frame rails are similiar. Currently I have my truck pan out so I can level across the frame rails. All the other areas are basically curved.

Wes

[dusterbd13]

you can also use the kickup over the rear axle. at least on a duster you can.

[rb70383]

I got the car level front to back. Had to raise the rear jack stands up one notch and add 3/16 steel under the left rear stand. Doors close easy now. I used the front of the rad support and the rear trunk gutter for side to side. I will try the other ideas as well to double check. Work continues.

[Hotchkis]

rb70383 -

What a great project car.
I'm glad to hear you are looking into the Hotchkis E-body suspension parts for your build.

We have lots of shop and track time on our 70 challenger, so we'd be happy to talk with you if you have any questions about control arms, steering components or sub frame connectors.




Hotchkis Challenger on Jay Leno's Garage

[rb70383]

Thanks. Life has gotten in the way recently. Holidays, daughters birthday, repairing the daily drivers as well. Lol
Hotchkis, ur challenger is pretty much what we are aiming for. Had the idea in my head and came across ur car and finally saw what I was planning. Off the wall question, where did u get the inside yellow headlights? Before I ever saw yours I grabbed a pair of yellow foglights from a mercedes and was planning on replacing the high beams with those.

I haven't cometely ignored the project. I have at least been paper building it. During reasearch I have been able to replan some areas and cut about 2 grand off of the total. Just wish it would have put 2 grand in my hand now. Lol slower start than I would like but I don't want to rush it and have to redo somethings. Project is rolling just a slow start.