Ok. I’m not criticizing but if you would have taken it to a competent body shop with a frame machine that could have been pulled out easily. Pull on the frame end pulling the kinks out of the frame section and at the same time pulling (lengthening)the quarter panel allowing you to straighten the quarter panel with ease. This is pretty basic stuff in collision work. Again just saying

@UncleTonysGarage

Жыл бұрын

Just sayin, doing it that way would have required major disassembly of the car, locating a shop willing to do a pull on a vintage car like this, a few thousand dollars to pay for the work and a couple of days worth of time preparing and transporting the car to and from the shop, plus reassembly. My way took 4 hours and cost me less than twenty bucks worth of welding wire and filler. But, I do see your point......

@bluemule3891

Жыл бұрын

@@UncleTonysGarage With respect, I disagree with the following. 1. It would nor require "major" disassembly, maybe the trunk lid and doors, rear glass, not major. The pull is straightforward and is commonly done on rear end damage. 2. Vintage would be sitting on the green at Amelia Island, the charger is just a car. Nothing about the car would prevent a simple pull. 3. Cost, under a grand. Allow me to clarify, never cut or weld a frame. It's simple, unless someone has specialized training, they should not be doing this. Porosity, crystallization, the alloy of the weld material, penetration, goodness gracious sooooo much can go wrong, the frame is the foundation of the car, you have to have a good foundation, nuff said Blue Mule

I just retired from the Collision repair trade after 45 years, just working on my own Hot Rods now. very impressive Uncle Tony.

There is a book called "The key to metal bumping" that was originally published in the 30's, gives a step by step guide on how to analyze damage and work the damage out in reverse of how it occured. Totally worth the read for situations like this one.

The gauges are such a cool feature on first gen Chargers. It would be a shame to not get them working. Heck, you just fixed frame damage! Don't give up on the gauges.

@waderobinson4911

Жыл бұрын

Agreed was thinking the same thing when he opened the door even in its broken state they look alsome black on black somthing about it is clean looking 👌 gorgeous

@chuckthebull

Жыл бұрын

If I lived closer I would sort those gauges out for him..I have 40 years experience in electronics and that type of technologies.. It's used alot in vintage music gear for some of its digital displays.

My thoughts would be weld the cut on the frame and then plate it. As far as the sheet metal I'd try tacking nails and pulling the creases out. Also heat shrinking the metal may help to get rid of some of the creases.

@tonenuff

Жыл бұрын

Good advice 👍🏼

@modelnutty6503

Жыл бұрын

heat+cold+pressure can do lots

@whatyoumakeofit6635

Жыл бұрын

Yep yep. He can get a tack gun from harbor freight and do a video

@outlawbillionairez9780

Жыл бұрын

That's probably what Kiwi will tell him. 👍

@johnnyshd8250

Жыл бұрын

Never straightened a frame, have you ?

The rest of that quarter can be worked with a stud welder and a very little bit of plastic! Great job!

The electroluminescent dash is one of the defining features of that car. You can do it Tony!!!!!

I'd personally have to have the guages that were put in that car working mostly because it's old aircraft technology that they used and it's one of a kind guage set. They look so badass when they are on at night.

@shaunclifton5281

Жыл бұрын

100% 👍 They look so killer. Please avoid the Coronet dash at All cost.

Great solution Tony! My first car was a '66, straight, rust-free Charger I bought in '73 for $350. The car was pristine except for the hideaway headlights and AC not working. I sold it 2 years later when I went to college. What a waste, I should have kept the damn car and not gone to college. Hindsight is 20-20.

There's really smart you let the car do the work for you. Yes you cut you hammered and you did work you brainstorm the whole thing. But you're allowed the car to reset itself instead of forcing it. I don't think there's anybody in the comments now saying you need to take it to kiwi or somebody else. I had an officer in the army tell me son a good soldier doesn't know all the answer but he knows where to go to get them. Sounds like that's what you done congratulations. I'm glad it worked out so easily relatively speaking. I knew you would get it but I figured I'd take more time and work.

You can spot weld pins onto the low spots and use a slide hammer to pull them out slowly

You saved yourself a bunch of work Uncle Tony by not replacing that quarter panel. Every good hammer and dolly man needs a Sawzall and lots of jacks. No one can say you don't know Jack! Looking forward to the car after painting and getting engine ready for the road trip.

@modelnutty6503

Жыл бұрын

I'm honestly very surprised how far how fast how well with this approach!

The electroluminescent dials will probably be an expensive pita, but they're just the coolest thing ever when they work. That's one of the few things I'd pay to have done on a car if I couldn't hack it.

Seeing this video hasn't changed my mind. The rail is still kinked which it would not be had I done it. Everything UT said about tension proved it to me. But I was going for perfection, as in a real show car. And it would have worked better but being there are so few real frame men left since the adaptation of the uni-body, plastic fenders, etc., hardly anyone knows how. BTW, I'd examine all the rail spot welds where it was crunched and manipulated (that includes floor and trunk and bracing and quarter spot welds). FYI, remember I said my father taught me? He was around when you still leaded body repairs and could do that too. I never learned leading, but I did learn frame work....and from the best. I used to bend the twin I-beams on the front of Ford pick ups to adjust the camber. And when a truck with it's kingpins rusted fast so you couldn't drive the truck in a straight line or turn the wheels without power steering. I replaced them too. The ones with plastic bushings (yes they froze up as well) were relatively easy but the ones with brass bushings could be a nightmare....lots of heat and an air hammer mainly, and a couple trade secrets. Never ruined a single I-beam, saved them all. Yes, I'm an old fart who talks too much.....but I do know whereof I speak.

Yes finally got on here

To the best of my knowledge Tony, the headlight pods failure to rotate for on/off (open/close) positions is historically due to the internal end of travel limit switches. The switches that were used were, I believe built on a phenolic board, which over time, heats up (as the electrical contacts wear) and distorts the mechanical alignment of the switch "sliding common (C) contact", so that the Common contact no longer makes any contact with either the NO (normally open) and the NC (normally closed) contact of the limit switch. This failure condition happens on both (yes, there are two (2) switches per headlamp pod, if I remember correctly) of the limit switches which creates an open connection for the drive motor, thereby preventing the headlamp pod from moving in either direction. I would check these headlamp pod motor limit switches prior to tearing into the interposing relay units behind the glovebox because the headlamp pod motor limit switches are exposed to the elements year round and are the usual points of failure. This is not to say that there may not also be a bad relay, however the relays are in a controlled environment, whilst the headlamp pod motors are under 365 days per year thermal cycling stress, combined with water, ice, etc.... I'm sure you get my drift. Nice job on straightening the driver's rear quarter section of the Charger Tony! Thanks for the video sir. (Edited due to typographical error)

yeah that dash lighting system really packed a punch. I learned the hard way. Glad to see a great survivor still being cared for

Uncle Tony, I just KNEW you'd figure it out!! This why I love this channel; Tony has forgotten more about Mopars than I ever knew!!! Nice fix!!!

Great job, perfect solution. Lost art. Nobody wants to keep learning because they think they no everything. I'm 60 this year I still learn thing everyday. Make my job easier why not.

You may be able to cut out the kinked section of frame rail, hammer and dolly it on the bench, weld it back in. I've done it on a Benz. Couldn't see it afterwards. Get a shrinking disc for your angle grinder to get the ripples out of the quarter. They work great.

@lawrenceveinotte

Жыл бұрын

That was my thought as well, remove a section of frame, pretty much everyone uses the 1/2" belt grinders to remove the spot welds, bing bang boom, Bobs your uncle lol i watch guys do this on new vehicles almost daily.

In 1978 I was 18 years old, I saw a Charger for sale in the local newspaper it was a 1967 Charger 440 Magnum 4 speed and had 28,000 miles, in perfect condition. Not knowing cars at the time..... I thought all chargers look the same and I was thinking it looked like a 1968 which I loved that style. When I showed up and found that fastback with the drop down back seat that looked more like a station wagon than street racer, I was incredibly disappointed. The guy wanted 600 dollars, but upon seen my dissatisfaction immediately dropped the price to 400 dollars I thought about it and walked away. One of the biggest mistakes of my early life. I have over the years subscribed to 100's of KZread Channels, I just cleaned up that list down to a few...... Yours is one of my favorites keep up the good work!

Very nice. You are a motivator. I have no problem digging into an engine, but working and shaping metal gives me the creeps. Thanks for the confidence builder. You are a ROCK STAR!

I have a survivor 66 charger 383 auto. Classic industries has a dash bezel available, I replaced mine due to chrome peeling. You can also get a aftermarket modern voltage transformer for the electroluminescent lighting, you have to get it working properly, it is pretty special. At this time I have a dpdt toggle switch to operate the headlight motors, I do have to replace the micro switches at the headlights. Should be nice when your done, not a great deal around not like the second gen. I get lots thumbs up when out with it. Have fun. Mark.

@shaunclifton5281

Жыл бұрын

Cool !

I'll have nightmares thinking about that chassis cut Unk !

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Well done Uncle Tony: I never doubted your ability to repair this damage for s single second! I would have done it a little differently, but body repairs can be repaired using many different techniques-the main thing is to just do it, give it a go, and fix something that a common person can fix! ❤️❤️❤️🔧🤟🏻 What a great way to begin 2023🥳

Love to see that cluster lighting up again. They are a thing of beauty.

@shaunclifton5281

Жыл бұрын

They are Awesome 👌 No way would I give up and replace a first gen Charger dash with a boring Coronet dash.

....consult with KIWI....yesssss.

It'd be nice if you could save that dash.

JC Auto Restoration's Montana division will get those gauges sorted, anybody can throw Dakota Digital in there, but the factory setup is really something special

It’s 11:50pm MST time here. U tube requested I enter it? Love your channel Toni. Glad it worked out so easy for you. I have a 66 Charger all original, 56k original miles, all numbers matching, really cherry but not quite a show car. That said l wanted to tell you I had a 67 Coronet 440 that I crunched the grill and right front fender so I checked with the parts man at the Dodge dealership and he told me a Charger grill would fit because the Coronet and Charger shared the same front end. I ordered all the parts new because they were still available and took them to the body shop working on it. The body man confirmed what the parts man told me and installed the grill. When I picked the car up the headlights were out but didn’t rotate. Come to find out the wiring harness in the engine compartment was totally different. Ordered a harness and factory shop manual . When they arrived I plugged the new harness into the firewall and followed the wires and shop manual to each plug and swapped them. The new harness had the necessary connections for the headlights, motors and limiter switches on the grill. The wiring harness behind the dash was exactly the same except for 2 or 3 wires running to the relays. I got it all wired up, turned on the lights and one opened and one closed. Needless to say it took some time to figure out the problem was the plugs on the limiter switches were reversed. I got them correct and it worked perfectly. Instead of one lite on the dash to show they were opening and closing I wired one lite to each motor and one to indicate both were locked open locked open or closed. I also installed the hold open switch for at nite when you get in and out and don’t want the lites to constantly rotate. You already know about the relays behind the glove box. For what it’s worth the center one turns the power on to each relay on the right and left. Each one of those operates the respective motor. I’m the grill at the top and bottom of where the headlights stop are pretty small limiter switches that stop the lites open or closed and some how reverse the polarity to the motors to allow them to open or close. There is also an adjusting screw on the headlight door top and bottom so one can adjust them to line up with the correctly when open or closed. I probably didn’t tell you anything you already didn’t know but just in case I hope this will help. There is somewhere that repairs the electroluminescents on the internet or you might want to check with Mark Worman at Grave Yard Cars but I think it’s pretty pricey. You can get a replacement bezel on the internet also. Since you’re just building a driver you probably don’t want to bother with all that but it sure is beautiful at night. The Coronet dash will probably work but you’re going to have a lot of rewiring. If you don’t mind could you send me the phone number of the yard with the Coronet. I noticed the rear bumper is nice and has bumper guards. I dented mine and would just a soon replace it and get the bumper guards I don’t have. Thanks, I’ll be watching.

Appart from the good content - this really is a feel good channel. Always cheers me up.

This is awesome, Tony. Sorry to hear about how you can't get a car out of a junk yard in TN. So much else about that state is right - I will probably retire to there. I'm with you on the wood vs metal stuff. I hate working with wood. I was working on a deck I'm building today and a nail decided it had a better idea about which direction it wanted to go once it was half into a piece of wood and came out the side of the board. I'd try really hard to get that dash to work - It's a cool design.

@kyle8952

Жыл бұрын

He could still get the car out of the junkyard if the owner is cool - it's a very simple procedure. Simply jack up the VIN and slide the "spare parts" out from underneath it.

Only one thing to say- Brilliant!!!

Some good resources for these wonderful cars nowadays, headlight motors can be rebuilt, newer improved relays and limit switches, instrument cluster can be rebuilt and calibrated, new tailight lenses available etc

Tony... The complex curves and style lines of that 1/4 panel are your friends! Hammer -dolly work will have you looking like a champ. Using a floor jack in the inner quarter , is perfectly fine. Your observations of where the kinks and stress points is right on. Hammer the crowns and relieve the stress points.. that's all frame repair is. 49 years in the collision industry...

Way to go uncle Tony . This really gives us guys working in the driveway hope .

I really enjoy this kind of video with loads of practical applications. Thanks for sharing!

Congratulations. Looks great.

Thats amazing how straight it already is compared to where you started from - she wanted to be straight again . After you weld that cut up, grind it smooth and plate over it and weld that on and the repaired area will be stronger than the rest of the frame. Thats going to make such a fun daily when you are done , cant wait to follow the rest of this series.

Fantastic job, so satisfying to hear about ... these kind of jobs are usually very frustrating but you nailed it with your intellect not so much your time. Love it, Cheers

Fantastic Tony's collision repair

The panelescent lighting in the Chargers dash is a major attraction to 66 and 67's. Instrument specialties would be able to help with the cluster and dash. Dont short cut it. Fix the dash before you even think about paint. That original red looks great! Forget the gold re-spray. Good luck!

AFAIK any " Pull apart" or U Pull It ( same thing ) once a car enters the yard it cannot be sold. I think it is a law idk but they are all like that. My local one keeps the classic cars in a fenced area for sale and never put them out in the yard.

@scotcoon1186

Жыл бұрын

Might depend on then yard and the state. I had a clean title for my 90 Cummins I got from a junkyard. He bought it and it was rust free, so he parked it out front instead of parting it. A junkyard a few towns east puts easily fixable vehicles out front for sale. I imagine as long as they don't brand the title when they transfer it, they can resell it.

NICE. Great instincts.

You took the time to think about it logically where the metal would stretch and distort where you need it too

Save the dash if at all possible. Love the progress

Great job uncle tony NOT! Jean Hackman’s garage? BTW your body man friend was wrong even if you’re sectioning in another 1/4 /rear rail etc you still need to pull that whole area

Using gravity and weight and wedges. Nice! My favorite is first gen Chargers... Subbed.

Tony, you used the massive weight of the car as a corrective force. Beautiful. I did not think of it.

Thank you Uncle Tony for demonstrating the results logical thought and execution. The experts that commented on the last video about this subject should take notice...their way isn't the only way. Top work!!

I'm genuinely surprised and impressed that it worked so well. Hopefully you can get the dash and headlight doors figured out. Heck it needs new red paint now after all this!

and just to make the point again...every time you junk a car, keep the jack. One day you'll have a project like this where you can use jacks better than a come-along to pop something back into shape. Any time you buy another project, check for a jack that works (ie, if it's a GM product that uses a bumperjack, ask yourself if holding a 4,000 lb car up in the air by the rusty bumper bolts as 18 wheelers blow by you is a great way to spend the afternoon--I have a 1982 chevy S10 jack that seems to fit right into the holes in the frame yet slides under if you have stock height. some truck jacks will be tall enough if you've added series 70 tires and Hi Jacker shocks). OEM jacks can be a cheap tool from the boneyard, and you can probably "shop" for the perfect fit.

I can always tell in your stories when you have impressed yourself. It is awesome to listen to this video; your fire for this car has been re-ignited! It is a beautiful car, Uncle Tony. To hear your excitement about it re-fired is really inspiring. I think you are a F&$%ing genius for figuring out the bodywork on your own, and as you said, at the end of the day, you KEPT IT SIMPLE. Great job; I love watching your videos

Looks fantastic. Huge balls to take a sawzall to that thing. good on ya

Now you need a stud gun and a slide hammer. That will work out those low spots in no time. If you take your time you can get it nearly perfect. Barely a skim coat of filler needed. Personally I would weld some plates on the frame where you cut it. Not too big. Just enough to tie the two sections back together stronger

Excellent job with that! Outside the box thinking and a fantastic result.

We all have our moments... 🤣🤣🤣 Seriously though, you can heat shrink the areas you can't get behind. Heat, cool bucket of water with rags, and a shrinking hammer and you'd be amazed. I'd fish plate where that wrinkle is in that rail, just like they did when they did truck frames. My father taught me the heat shrink deal on cars with hail damage - his shop specialized in repairing hail damage, back then shops traded work so he took the hail damaged cars and also did complete clips - a new frame and one front total and one back total. They were literally as good as new (the reason for using a new frame) and sold real well.

Awesome! Love it when things work out! Love those early chargers.

DUDE! That's awesome! As far as the headlights and gauges go, there's good reliable hacks to deal with the headlight relays that people have figured out but not sure what the current state is with making the gauges work. Everyone I know that has these cars either hoards parts and crosses thier fingers everytime they turn on the lights or swaps the gauges out for something easier. It's a shame they're so problematic because, as I'm sure you know, they're BEAUTIFUL

A lot of times I've found that I can come up with a few different game plans for tackling a project until I get started and begin the process of working through the various steps. It's at that point you realize you just have to dig in and figure it out as you go. Many times what you think needs done ends up being totally different when you're actually doing it. Glad that quarter ended up being an easy fix!

Some cars need saving, your Charger is one of those cars. Doesn't have to be perfect like you said Tony, just be useful and fun. Good job. Common sense and experience for the win.

Fabulous job! Great job studying it out and coming up with valid solutions!

Nice fix UT! Never would of thought of attacking the repair that way! I bet when you heard the metal groan a big smile came across your face! 😆

Nice work UT. When you get it fixed please install tailpipes on it. Exhaust gasses will come into the interior via holes in the trunk floor. Not good.

@lordphullautosear

Жыл бұрын

Nah, just weld up the holes in the trunk floor and run headermufflers.

It's such a shame that Coronet couldn't be saved. Thanks for the info UT!

I hope you can salvage the electro luminescent cluster. One of the coolest and most unique features of a 1st gen.

@shaunclifton5281

Жыл бұрын

Agreed 100%

One thing I learned, Best body work practice...... Start with one that's already completely trash. When it doesn't matter, you can do whatever you want , interesting things seem to happen.

This is awesome brother. Great work man to just out think the problem 👍. Sometimes we all go through things that seem to big for us, but you talk to others and get some idears and then the problem was bigger in your head then it actually was, and look at where you are now brother. And now your viewers will get some inspiration for their own projects, you rock brother.

Unk, I understand what you have done and why you have done it. (And I am especially impressed by the sideways jack in the trunk -- of course you can build your own ram). So now I can do this if I need to. Thanks.

hi tony that guy at ColdWarMoters is unreal on bodywork , i seen his work unreal keep up the greart vids DBN in huntsville ,i have a 440 in a 29 ford that i built in the 1980s so i like mopars ! enjoy your channel alot !

You lucked out....that's what keeps us going

Looks great! Seeing this car years ago it didn't look as bad as I thought until you showed the extent it was pushed in. The after result looks amazing all things considered

Awesome job Tony...love to see the progress, like you said, can't make it any worse...I've been using jacks and hammers for years, it's amazing what a scissor jack, bottle jack, or any style jack can do...bumper jacks are awesome as well, just harder to come by...can't wait to see where this one goes...thank you for the content.

@steveib724

Жыл бұрын

Yes Yes me too idn let's keep an eye 👁 on it.needs alot of time to make really nice but Tony doesn't like he's car's too mint lol 👍

Well done. Looks 1,000 % better already

Us: Christmas decorations in our attic. Tony: '67 Coronet dashboard.

@wheels-n-tires1846

Жыл бұрын

That's funny and I have a total tie-in!!!! In high school I drove a nice 68 Charger, and was "into it", so started collecting parts, stripping a half dozen local wrecks. My senior year mom and dad were both miffed at me because I'd buried all the Christmas stuff in the attic with Charger parts, and they had to spend hours to get to them. I was gone doing preenlistment paperwork, physical, etc for the Navy, so they had to do it without me LOL...

I would love to see the body work and paint done.

I never would’ve imagined it would be that easy. Thanks.

I always thought that the original charger ( along with early T-Birds ) had the coolest interiors of the day.

I was scared to death when I replaced the inner fender on my Satellite. But, I figured it can't get worse. And, you hit the nail on the head, if you screw up, just fix it.

UT. I admire your love for old cars. Your long learned knowledge. Your patience and skills for bringing these cars back.

Great work.

Well, that was easy. Well on the way. Congratulations! Happy new year ❤️

Right on Tony! ;)

I would do same thing, your the man!

WIN!!!

@uncle Tony’s garage Don’t forget to measure and check the body’s datum points before welding back up. Measurements usually found in a factory manual Confirms car’s chassis is straight and square before repair is completed 👍🏻

yes I'd recommended/agreed about farming it to an experienced frame+body guy, but gotta admit you got fantastic results right out the gate with DIY !! yes the rear wheel well etc is right in the way of body dolly peening etc, but it can be sliced out to do the work then glued (mig) back in after. *you got this!* still may need to push barely past straight for working it, frame welds cooling and contracting have a 4 ft boom behind em to the rear bumper.

@jeffrobodine8579

Жыл бұрын

Kiwi?

Great job Tony! Peace

Glad it worked out for you ... Their are so many ways of doing stuff it will make your head spin ... The floor on the bed of my truck is toast from salt spray from the brine they use for ice removal... But the sides of the bed are fine inside & out side ... If I piece in a floor for the bed do it in sections... I can make a spot so I can fix the fuel pump with out dropping the gas tank ...

1967Monaco have almost the Same Panel ☝️😎

Great job 👏 That's what I love about you. You're just a genuine car guy that's real!

More's the pity on the Coronet. I had a 66 440, 440 and it was a sweet car. That'd be a sports car in N.Y., just like the Newport. Right Uncle Tony? Ah yes, a BFH. A mans second best friend after a good dog! That's some sweet work. Totally badass. Gotta admit you inspire me man.

You a smart man, Uncle Tony! Sometimes it just takes some thinking and the idea comes n it’s own! Thanks for the before and after photos. The Charger is going to work out fine! Congrats on this part of the project.

Congrats Uncle T. on the win & thx 4 taking us to school. Always enjoy the way U explain things.

Well that was super simple! Congrats Uncle Tony!

Great work you made it seem so easy !! Honestly looked like a panel off job and new frame rail

The thing is that if you would of tackled this 20years ago. The now 20 years of experience you now have would of probably had you cutting up that car more than you wanted. But now its done. Great work.

Not gonna lie UT I'm impressed.... you did one hell of a job straightening that quarter panel out and saved yourself a lotta work and money, well done! looking forward to seeing whats next 👍👍

Congratulations Tony! Every once in awhile something works out perfect ( or semi-perfect)

I wonder if there's a way to light your gauge cluster with LED lights. They're pretty cheap and easy to work with now. And there would be a lot less wires behind the dash. I'm guessing it would be really expensive to get it working with the original setup. So maybe there's an option. Hope that helps

@jonellwanger7258

Жыл бұрын

I have done this. And it’s a pain. Super bright, right in your face. Gives a glare and makes it harder to see out the windshield. Have to wire in a dimmer switch, I ended up taking out the lights from my fuel gauge, water temp, and volt meter. Left the oil speed and tach. It’s better but still bright. Look up the old challengers, they had lights the shown ON TO the gauges. Looks pretty cool!

@phoenixrising4573

Жыл бұрын

@@jonellwanger7258 You have to add diffusers to keep it from being so harsh.

@williamallen7836

Жыл бұрын

@@phoenixrising4573 or build a proper driver circuit. It will keep the LEDS alive, and not die an early death as well.

@markritchey9224

Жыл бұрын

I have a 66 with full function electro luminescence working. LED is not even close.