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1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers #492052
10/08/09 08:59 PM
10/08/09 08:59 PM
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1A1A1A1A1 Offline OP
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Hello moparts folks! This website is great, lots of good info here. I bought this car a few months ago. This car is originally from Ohio, and sold in 2002 to a guy in West Virginia. In 2008 it sold on ebay, and I bought it from a dealership in the Toronto area this past summer. I thought I was getting a nice driver when I bought it, and for the price I paid I thought it was a good deal. As it turned out this car had major sub frame rot from mice nests in the frame rails and torsion bar mount. I have paid a local restoration shop 120 hours replacing the rear frame rails, floor, and torsion bar mount (AMD stuff is really good!). I will post some progress pics as i have time.

Last edited by 73TX9Chally340; 10/17/09 05:22 PM.
Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492053
10/08/09 10:48 PM
10/08/09 10:48 PM
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Iowa
burdar Offline
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Well, the roof and windsheild look pretty nice.

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: burdar] #492054
10/10/09 01:44 AM
10/10/09 01:44 AM
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California
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awesome

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492055
10/10/09 02:05 AM
10/10/09 02:05 AM

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I hope you enjoyed the snow today! My dad lives there and sent me a pic today of the snow, I think you Manitobans are going to have a long winter.

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492056
10/17/09 05:38 PM
10/17/09 05:38 PM
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Sorry about the first post, I didn't know how to resize my pics smaller for uploading. Here is another pic of the rear. These pics were taken a few months ago. The car is a good 5 footer? Looks good in the photos though. Shockingly rotten underneath however.

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492057
10/17/09 06:08 PM
10/17/09 06:08 PM
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The pic is of the driver side front frame rail. The floor should be attached to the frame rails. Here you can is a gap. ??? So the floor needs to be replaced. And we might as well do the torsion bar mount that is swiss cheese as well.

Last edited by 73TX9Chally340; 10/17/09 06:13 PM.
Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492058
10/17/09 06:23 PM
10/17/09 06:23 PM
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Here is a pic of the passenger side rear frame rail. You can see more rot around the e-brake cable bracket. The other frame rail is in similar shape. Based on the pic seen here, would you replace both rear frame rail with replacement rails from AMD, or attempt some sort of repair job, cutting out rust/rot and patching in new steel? Keep in mind I'm not looking for a trailer queen, just a nice fair weather driver.

Replace or repair rear frame rails?
multiple choice, up to 2 choices
Votes accepted starting: 10/17/09 05:16 PM
You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.
Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492059
10/17/09 09:32 PM
10/17/09 09:32 PM

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I think that if you have rot in a few locations chances are more of the inside of the rails are rusting out and thinning the metal. I had this problem on my front rails and ended taking them right out. AMD sells them for about $350 bucks each and for what it's worth I would replace them even with a nice driver quality car you will be happier that you did. If the rot is in a small area and the rest looks solid then a fix would suffice.

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: ] #492060
10/18/09 09:44 AM
10/18/09 09:44 AM
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Thanks for the advice Robert. 91% of the people who voted last night, (ok, only 11 people) voted to replace them. This is exactly what we did, eventhough a couple of the shops that I took the car to in town, said we didn't need to. My wife even new better!

Now, next problem. The AMD front frame rails are not available yet, and I don't think I want to use anything but AMD. My experience with AMD rear frame rails was outstanding. They look and feel exactly like the orignals (minus all the rust of course!). So I either wait until they are available, or do a patch job on the front frame rails. I'll post some photos of those shortly.

I just love this pic. Here you can see a previous attempt to repair with safety frame rail caps. This was an earlier attempt to repair all the damage caused by the nasty mouse nest seen in the photo!

5552202-rearframe.jpg (84 downloads)
Last edited by 73TX9Chally340; 10/18/09 09:59 AM.
Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492061
10/18/09 11:47 AM
10/18/09 11:47 AM
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Here is a pic of the floor boards. For reasons that aren't entirely clear to me, we replaced the floor. All I can say is that the floor was repaired very poorly in the past, and the floor was not connected to the front frame rails. I haven't quite figured this out yet. But oh well... no use in trying to solve this mystery. Do I need to say this?; This is the "before" photo.

Last edited by 73TX9Chally340; 10/18/09 11:49 AM.
Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492062
10/18/09 12:34 PM
10/18/09 12:34 PM
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Iowa - a member of the rustbel...
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How are the body panels? I hope they were done right, not full of if so once you get those frame/floor pcs repaired you'll have a nice lookin car

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492063
10/18/09 06:55 PM
10/18/09 06:55 PM

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Quote:

Thanks for the advice Robert. 91% of the people who voted last night, (ok, only 11 people) voted to replace them. This is exactly what we did, eventhough a couple of the shops that I took the car to in town, said we didn't need to. My wife even new better!

Now, next problem. The AMD front frame rails are not available yet, and I don't think I want to use anything but AMD. My experience with AMD rear frame rails was outstanding. They look and feel exactly like the orignals (minus all the rust of course!). So I either wait until they are available, or do a patch job on the front frame rails. I'll post some photos of those shortly.

I just love this pic. Here you can see a previous attempt to repair with safety frame rail caps. This was an earlier attempt to repair all the damage caused by the nasty mouse nest seen in the photo!



Smart man you are! Me personally I hate seeing really bad mickey mouse fix it jobs and by doing it right your car is worth just that much more.

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: ] #492064
10/19/09 07:52 AM
10/19/09 07:52 AM
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I hope there isn't alot of bondo in the car. My plan is to enjoy the hemi orange paint as it is. At some point in the future, or as long as the paint holds out (it really does look good) I will return the car to the factory colour, TX9 - black.

Here the shop has removed the RH rear frame rail, and the AMD replacement rails have arrived. Don't they look good!

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492065
10/19/09 07:59 AM
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Here you can see the orginal paint, and also some blue paint fom a previous life.

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492066
10/19/09 08:00 PM
10/19/09 08:00 PM

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With a little patience and the right tools not a big deal to replace the frame rails front or back.

Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: ] #492067
10/19/09 09:09 PM
10/19/09 09:09 PM
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Here is a pic of the inside of the car with the welds cut out.

5555393-Aug26,2009002.jpg (158 downloads)
Re: 1973 TX9 Challenger #'s matching numbers [Re: 1A1A1A1A1] #492068
10/24/09 07:46 AM
10/24/09 07:46 AM
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AMD parts arrived. New floor, torsion bar mount and rear frame rails.







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