My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support...

My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/19/10 03:30 AM

Hey gang..
Well, as most of you know already, I have another C500... Well, I'm getting closer to getting her fired up, but wanted to take care of this beforehand. The lower core support was damaged during shipment, so I've undertaken the task of replacing it. I sold some misc. parts and bought the AMD core support section. Man, it's a nice piece. This is my VERY FIRST attempt at anything to do with body repair.
So, I wired wheeled the support to find the spot welds and then had at it with my grinder. Guess there's more efficient ways of doing this, but it was all the same cool to me. I was able to get the one side freed tonight. I'll mess with the other side soon. I know it looks rather crude. I also took some measurements before the original piece went bye-bye..

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/19/10 03:30 AM

With the new AMD support on the ground..

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/19/10 03:31 AM

Taken some measurements before it's all off..

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/19/10 03:45 AM

Houston, we have separation....

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Posted By: FJ5_Fish

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/19/10 04:37 AM

You go AB!

Posted By: chargervert

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/19/10 04:24 PM

Troy,The grinder is fine to grind the spot welds that you can reach with it. Only grind through the top layer,not both peices. Use a good sharp drill bit to drill the spot welds that you cannot get the grinder into. Only drill through the peice that you are removing. You can duplicate the spot welds,with plug welds. You will have to drill 1/4 inch holes in the new peice in the same spots as the original peice was spot welded. After you gring the welds,you can duplicate the spot welds by dressing them with a small amount of body filler. Before the body filler cures completely,use the eraser of a number two pencil and press it into the filler to recreate the look of the original spot welds. If you have access to a good spot welder,then you would not need to drill and plug weld the piece. It still ticks me off that the crossmember was damaged that day by the guy that supposedly does car shipping for a living,who doesn't know where to put the hook!

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/19/10 07:17 PM

Hey Pete.
Thanks for the advice.. I made sure that any grinding didn't go beyond the support crossmember. On this one side, mission accomplished. I'll grind way the residual spot weld on the framerail and core support to make it smooth. I'll attempt the other side today, just got back from church.

Posted By: CrazyD

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 12:46 AM

Factory piece looks fairly straight in first picture, what was the damage?

Posted By: anlauto

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 12:50 AM

Bondo Spot welds...What will they think of next

Posted By: chargervert

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 01:07 AM

Quote:

Bondo Spot welds...What will they think of next

Thats probably what is holding that barrel car together! One good bump,and it will come apart at the seems!

Posted By: anlauto

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 02:07 AM

This coming from a guy who has a Charger with no roof

Posted By: chargervert

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 05:07 AM

That was built a dozen years ago,and it's still in one peice!

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 05:14 AM

Finally got the complete unit out and spot welds ground down. Test fitted the new unit and it fits wonderfully. Now I'll wait for my friend to come over with the welder and he can teach me that... I was sort of proud of myself on this one. Felt good to have taken out the old piece and get the new one positioned.

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 05:15 AM

New piece positioned..

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 05:15 AM

Finally..

Posted By: chargervert

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 05:18 AM

Looks good Troy! Looks like a nice fitting peice from AMD.

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/20/10 02:07 PM

Thanks Pete.. Now I see why everyone loves the AMD products.
I'm going to position the radiator in the car prior to tack-welding it in place, just to make sure clearances at the bottom aren't an issue.

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/24/10 10:53 PM

Did a little more today..

1. Drilled out some holes for the plug welding to simulate the spot welds.

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/24/10 10:54 PM

2. Passenger side positioned and held in place with some sheetmetal screws. I'll drill out the plug holes in the front later on..

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/24/10 10:54 PM

3. Driver's side positioned.

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/24/10 10:55 PM

4. From the underside.

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Posted By: chargervert

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/25/10 03:14 PM

Looks great Troy. Those AMD peices are sweet.

Posted By: PAINT IT BLACK

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 06:31 AM

Looks great Troy. Man if I lived a little closer, I'd bring my rig out there and school you on welding. I know you'd get a kick out of it. An afternoon of practice and you'll want your own welder for sure.

Posted By: sixbbl69

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 03:08 PM

you don't have to be to smart to put fake spot welds on a car. with a Linco spot welder it will look and be right.if i were you i would buy another part and do it right.

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 03:35 PM

Quote:

you don't have to be to smart to put fake spot welds on a car. with a Linco spot welder it will look and be right.if i were you i would buy another part and do it right.

Buy another AMD support and a Lenco Spot Welder? That's about a $1000 investment........ Or, are you referring to a Lincoln Spot welder? Either way, I'll do the plug welding method and smooth out the excess on the flat part of the support panel and leave the dimple.

Posted By: chargervert

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 03:53 PM

Troy,It's just a lower core support,not the Mona Lisa. It's not a hack job to use a small amount of filler to dress the plug welds,after grinding them,and dimple them with a pencil eraser to have the correct appearance. This isn't rocket science,like some here would like you to believe. The plug welds will be plenty strong enough.

Posted By: sixbbl69

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 08:29 PM

don't do it right.just throw it together that seems to be the norm.all you need is a

degree in body work.

Posted By: chargervert

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 08:55 PM

I have built two Charger convertibles from scratch,and saved a totaled Challenger convertible,that required replacing everything from the tortion bar crossmember forward,plus rear quarter panels,outer wheelwells,trunk extentions,trunk floor,frame rail ends,floor pans,rocker panels,and half the cowl. I'don't do too bad with a welder. The 500 Troy is working on was slated to be one of my projects,until I read Troys wanted add here on Moparts,for a 69 Charger 500.

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 09:06 PM

Quote:

don't do it right.just throw it together that seems to be the norm.all you need is a degree in body work.

That seems to be the norm? Dude, did you not see the sort of work I did on my '68 Hemi Charger R/T? I'm not trying to create a work to rival Michelangelo. My gut reaction is to not say anything, but that was uncalled for... I don't have a bottomless pit of cash.. I'm happy to "just" save it and have fun. Guess my "Joe Dirt" look it'll have for a while won't live up to your standards or approval.

Posted By: JohnRR

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 09:22 PM

Quote:

Quote:

don't do it right.just throw it together that seems to be the norm.all you need is a degree in body work.

That seems to be the norm? Dude, did you not see the sort of work I did on my '68 Hemi Charger R/T? I'm not trying to create a work to rival Michelangelo. My gut reaction is to not say anything, but that was uncalled for... I don't have a bottomless pit of cash.. I'm happy to "just" save it and have fun. Guess my "Joe Dirt" look it'll have for a while won't live up to your standards or approval.

sixbarrel is just

Posted By: JDMopar

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 09:33 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

don't do it right.just throw it together that seems to be the norm.all you need is a degree in body work.

That seems to be the norm? Dude, did you not see the sort of work I did on my '68 Hemi Charger R/T? I'm not trying to create a work to rival Michelangelo. My gut reaction is to not say anything, but that was uncalled for... I don't have a bottomless pit of cash.. I'm happy to "just" save it and have fun. Guess my "Joe Dirt" look it'll have for a while won't live up to your standards or approval.

sixbarrel is just ..... AS USUAL!

There.....fixed it!

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/27/10 11:08 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

don't do it right.just throw it together that seems to be the norm.all you need is a degree in body work.

That seems to be the norm? Dude, did you not see the sort of work I did on my '68 Hemi Charger R/T? I'm not trying to create a work to rival Michelangelo. My gut reaction is to not say anything, but that was uncalled for... I don't have a bottomless pit of cash.. I'm happy to "just" save it and have fun. Guess my "Joe Dirt" look it'll have for a while won't live up to your standards or approval.

sixbarrel is just ..... AS USUAL!

There.....fixed it!

Ah.. OK, don't recall his banter in the past... I'll take a little seasoning in the pot that's being stirred then... I'll just jump in my parts-getting-Daytona to retrieve some items I need for the Charger 500..... Ahhhh, such is the life....

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/31/10 05:52 PM

Got the panel in Tuesday with the help of a friend with a MIG welder. Drilled out the holes in the new AMD panel in the same places as the original spot welds. We welded her up, I'll grind down smooth and then either get a round dremel grinding wheel to create the spot weld look or get one of those hand-held spot welder guns. With the panels being in place with good thorough welds, the spot welding gun will give me the dimple I'm looking for. At least, in theory I'm hoping so......

Fit was great........ Thanks AMD..

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/31/10 05:52 PM

Other side.

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/31/10 05:53 PM

Welded up...

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: My '69 C500, replacement of the lower core support... - 12/31/10 05:53 PM

Other side...

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