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PHOTO 1: Both doors on the Charger need to be realigned to fit before the car is raised on the jack stands. We use the alignment bar to tweak the doors into alignment.

CHAPTER TWO

Teardown Begins

The first step of actual hands-on work is to clean out the car. A lot of debris can accumulate in a 30-year-old car, and every bit of it needs to be removed to expose what lies underneath, that being the vehicle itself. I clean out the interior and the trunk area first, tossing out everything that’s not tied down or associated with the car itself. Note: If you happen onto the manufacturer’s vehicle build sheet (normally found under the back seat), which lists the build date, model, and every option that came on the vehicle; or if you find the owner’s manual or any other documents that might pertain to the history of the vehicle, keep them. They may come in handy later on.

Once I’ve cleaned out the vehicle, I take a walk around it looking for anything that might cause me bodily harm such as loose moldings, broken glass, dangling mirrors, or dangling windshield wipers. I remove all of these (even if they are in good condition), label them, and add them to the master checklist before I store them away. A damaged wheel-opening molding can be your worst enemy when it comes to causing bodily harm. This comes off and goes straight into the trashcan. Now I can work on the vehicle without worrying about being “bitten” by it.

Working Height

Ergonomics dictate obtaining a proper working height to prevent injury and fatigue. This is doubly true when working on an old car. The best way to reach a proper working height is to raise the vehicle using adjustable jack stands. This gets the car up off the floor and puts most of the working area high enough so you don’t have to stoop and bend to work on the car. A good working height is one where you can sit on the door scuff plate the same way you would sit in a comfortable chair, feet on the floor, knees slightly bent.

Before raising the car to working height, I adjust the doors. Most 30-year-old car doors sag, and since the Charger is a unibody vehicle I want both doors to fit as best they can. Using the door adjustment bar seen in photo 2, I tweak the doors to realign them. Note: You may find some door hinges so worn that you will not be able to adjust the doors to fit properly. In that case, adjust each door as much as possible before proceeding to the next step. You might try squirting a little WD-40 on the hinges and latch mechanism as well.

Any time a vehicle is elevated off the ground, each wheel should be supported to ensure proper weight distribution. At most repair shops, vehicles are raised using a drive-on lift, instead of the four points lifting system used when rotating tires, so the vehicle’s weight is distributed equally at all four corners, ensuring safety and vehicle stability. If you don’t have a drive-on lift, position a jack stand just inside each wheel to support the suspension and keep the vehicle stable.

For our purposes, however, positioning the jack stands inside each wheel won’t work because we will be removing the entire suspension system at some point, leaving nowhere to place the stands. Instead, let’s talk unitized body construction methods for a moment. All unitized body vehicles, including the Charger, begin life at four points on a building jig. These four points are the strongest and most balanced places on the car’s structure. That is why we will place the jack stands here. Illustration 1 is a generic model, but the principals of construction are the same for most unitized body vehicles. Each vehicle supporting point appears on the illustration as a symbol.

On the Charger, the boxed frame rails are welded directly to the floor pan. At the front of the vehicle, these boxed rails extend all the way to the core support, with the core support and the inner fender aprons welded directly to the rails. At the rear of the vehicle, the boxed rails begin just under the back seat, curve up and over the differential, and extend all the way to the rear body panel. The floor pan is welded to the boxed rails, as is the rear body panel.

ILLUSTRATION 1: This is a generic model, but it shows the basic principles of construction for most unitized body vehicles.

PHOTO 2: You never know what you will find when you clean out your project vehicle. Among all the clutter in the trunk we found a Cragar SS mag wheel, which is definitely a rare find.

PHOTO 3: All we really want is a little room to work. The Charger is raised approximately 18 inches off the floor (measured from rocker pinch weld to the floor) via the jack stands. The pads under the stands are made from 3/4 MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard). They eliminate the metal to concrete contact between the stands and the floor, reducing the chances of the Charger slipping off the stands.

Using similar principles, I can see how to suspend my Charger. For the front suspension, the Charger uses a bolt-on engine cradle, or K-frame, which also serves as the mounting points for the lower suspension arms. The upper control arms are bolted to the unitized structure of the vehicle.

The forward jack stand placement points can be found in an area directly underneath the cowl structure near the rear of the front boxed frame rails. Find the rear jack stand placement points in an area directly forward and inboard of the rear suspension mounting points (spring hangers), which are located on outer reinforcing box rails between the rear box rails and the rocker panel structure.

Once the jack stands are in place with the vehicle lifted off the floor, there is the problem of overhang. To get a better idea of exactly what overhang is, try opening a door on your project vehicle once you have it positioned atop the jack stands. You will find the doors hard to open and almost impossible to close. This is a direct result of overhang, which happens when the weight of the engine puts stress on the unitized structure of the body itself. Of course, at a later point in the restoration process, we will be removing the engine, thus eliminating the problem of overhang, but, for now, we need to contend with the problem.

Correcting overhang is as simple as placing a hydraulic jack under the engine cradle and applying just enough upward pressure with the jacking ram to take the engine weight off the vehicle structure. You know you have compensated for overhang when the doors once again open and shut like they should. That is why it’s important to adjust the doors before placing the car up on jack stands. We need a reference point to know when we have alleviated the overhang. Leave the jack in place under the engine. Note: I prefer to use a 4-ton portable jacking ram to hold up the engine and relieve overhang. Once the jack is in place and I’ve compensated for overhang, I remove the hose and pump from the jacking ram to reduce the clutter beneath the vehicle.

Now it’s time to remove the tires and wheels and begin work. Having the vehicle supported by jack stands is relatively safe compared to supporting the vehicle with a floor jack. However, let’s take one more step toward safety by sliding the tires and wheels back under the vehicle at each brake drum. Should the unthinkable happen and the vehicle slip off the jack stands, the wheels will be there to catch the vehicle before it mashes you flat.

Lose the Liquids

I start work on the vehicle by first disconnecting the battery and then draining the engine, transmission, and radiator of all fluids. Disconnecting the battery is for safety, while draining the fluids prevents messes all over the floor later on. The engine and radiator drain simply enough—I just loosen the drain plugs and allow the fluids to run into a catch pan.

The automatic transmission (standard transmissions need not be drained) has to be treated a little differently, as most transmissions don’t have drain plugs. I place a large catch pan under the transmission and begin loosening the pan bolts.

The transmission pan is the large, flat pan located on the bottom of the transmission, attached with 12 to 14 bolts. Loosen all of the bolts at least two full revolutions and then, if necessary, pry the pan loose from the transmission housing using a flat-bladed screwdriver. Be careful not to damage the pan or the housing with the screwdriver. Some fluid may seep from the upper edges of the loosened pan at this point. Continue loosening the pan bolts one at a time, working around the pan from corner to corner. The pan will slowly drop, allowing the fluid to pour into the catch pan. Continue loosening the pan bolts until the fluid stops pouring from the transmission. At that point, remove the pan and allow any fluid left in the transmission to drain into the catch pan.

When the fluid is drained, I reinstall the pan on the transmission to prevent contamination of the inner workings of the transmission. Then I dispose of these fluids properly. Most cities have an automotive fluid disposal depot that will take the old fluids off your hands for a nominal fee. Check with your local sanitation department for details on how automotive fluids should be disposed of in your area.

Check the Underbody

The next step is to take a droplight and go under the vehicle to look for problems. First I check the brake system for leaks. Brake fluid on the back of a brake drum, tire, or wheel indicates a leak at the brake cylinder. Note any leaks you find on the master checklist.

Next, I look at the shock absorbers. Generally, these are removed and replaced with new ones. If you have leaking shocks, check with the manufacturer about warranty. Many shock absorber manufacturers offer lifetime replacement warranties covering shocks that spring a leak. If your shocks aren’t leaking, toss them in a box for later comparison with the new ones.

PHOTO 4: The unitized structure of the Charger requires a bolt-on engine cradle, which also houses the lower front suspension control arms. The upper control arms mount to the unitized structure. Since all of these components must eventually be removed from the Charger, this would be a poor location to place the jack stands.

Notice how I add everything to the master checklist? There are several things to add to the checklist while under the vehicle, so be sure to include all of them. As I said at the beginning of this book, it really doesn’t matter where you start working on your project vehicle, as long as you start somewhere. Everything I have done up until now has been preliminary work designed to make things easier later on or to call attention to problems I may encounter as I get deeper into the restoration process.

Strip Interior

The real work begins with the interior. First, I take out the seats. After that, I remove the door trim and quarter trim. The garnish moldings go next, as well as the headliner, carpet, and seat belts. Be sure to tag the seat belts’ locations, even if you plan to replace them later. Believe me—sorting through a pile of seat belts trying to decide where each one goes can be a problem.

Remove Seats

The Charger’s front bucket seat attachment bolts are located under the car. I squirt them with WD-40 to make them easy to remove. Once I remove the bolts, I can lift the seats straight up and out of the vehicle. Note: On bench seat models, it’s best to remove the seat belts with the seats.

I remove the rear seat lower cushion by applying pressure against the lowermost portion of the front of the seat. This begins the release of the seat cushion from the “C”-type retainer clip mounted on the floor pan. Pushing the cushion back and up should release the seat and allow removal.

The upper cushion is usually suspended over the lower cushion. I push the upper cushion back and upward to release it from the hangers. Note: Some models may have attachment bolts located at the base of the upper cushion or may be secured to the body via the rear seat belt attachment points.

Remove Door and Quarter Trim

Aside from the usual array of screws holding the armrest and other trim pieces to the door, you may need to contend with special attachments on the window regulator knob as well as on the inside latch handle. If a screw isn’t visible at the center of either knob, a spring clip retainer, like the one in photo 8, probably holds it on. To remove this clip, you need the door handle tool used in photo 8. This tool slides behind the knob and pushes off the spring clip to release it.

The trim panel itself is attached either with screws (which are visible on the surface of the panel), metal spring-type clips, or possibly plastic clips. Photo 9 shows two different styles of metal clips along with a common type of plastic clip. A door panel tool is used to gently pry the trim panel from the door. Warning! Failure to use this tool (or a similar tool) can result in torn or broken trim panels.

The Charger has a two-piece trim panel setup for the doors and quarter trim areas. I remove the lower piece by prying free the metal clips located around the perimeter of the panel, and then slide the trim piece out of the garnish molding, separating the upper trim piece from the lower one. The upper trim piece is also clipped into place and once the clips are freed the trim piece lifts up and off the inner door structure. I remove the plastic dust shield located between the trim panel and the door facing and store it away.

Remove Garnish Moldings

A garnish molding is any molding in the interior of a vehicle. All other moldings, whether reveal, trim, belt, side, edge, or drip, are on the exterior of the vehicle. Most commonly, garnish moldings run the length of the headliner on each side of a vehicle, around the back glass, and around the windshield.

The best way to determine how garnish moldings are attached is to look for the screws, which are visible if they are holding the molding in place. If screws aren’t present along the face of the garnish molding, then either plastic or metal attachment clips are holding the molding in place. While you should treat any 30-year-old molding with care during removal, treat garnish moldings with special care since you must apply some degree of force to remove them from the vehicle. I use the door trim tool in photo 10 to gently pry the molding away from the body. I then use a light and look behind the molding to determine how it is attached before trying to remove it. I’d rather break a clip than a molding any day.

Remove Headliners

Older vehicles use bow-strung headliners. Removing the headliner means first removing all of the trim such as the sun visors, interior lamps, windshield glass garnish moldings, and back glass garnish moldings around the headliner. Remember that the moldings are old and can break easily. Take your time removing them and don’t worry about breaking the retainer clips, which you can always replace—and in most cases need replacing anyway. Don’t forget to tag and label each molding piece as you remove it.

As I mentioned, most headliners are bow-strung, meaning metal bows spanning the width of the roof panel support the headliner. Usually, the perimeter of the headliner is clipped into place and then glued to the body to hold the fabric taut. I begin by removing the clips and then gently pulling the edges of the headliner free of the adhesive. Once the edges are free, I grasp the center of each bow and carefully pull it downward to release the headliner.

The bows are made of spring steel and are installed with the spring bowed, or tensioned, upward. The ends of each bow are notched into small holes or retainer brackets in the sides of the roof structure. Once I pull the bow downward to release the tension, it slips right out.

Remove Carpet

Before the carpet comes out, I unscrew and remove the kick panels and scuff plates. I make sure that each piece is labeled as I remove it.

Remove the package tray if you haven’t already, and store it where it won’t get damaged. Most package trays are made of fiberboard. They break easily and once broken become trash instead of package trays.

The console goes next. The only problem here is the shifter. Manual shifters have a rubber boot attached to the console while automatic shifters may have only a plastic slide bar to hide the underworkings of the shifter. In either case, removing the shift knob usually frees the shifter from the console. The front and rear of the console are screwed to the floor pan. Look inside the storage compartment or the ashtray on the console to find the rearmost attachment screws and then look along the sides or under the shifter faceplate for the forward attachment screws. Once the screws are removed, the console lifts up and over the shifter. Don’t worry about removing the shifter from the vehicle at this time—you’ll do that later.

PHOTO 5: Seat removal begins by detaching the front bucket seats. The driver’s seat is in rough condition to say the least. The mounting bolts for the seats must be removed from underneath the vehicle.

PHOTO 6: This is the “C” retainer clip mounted to the floor pan under the back seat. The seat can only be removed by pushing it back to free it from the clip then lifting it up and out.

PHOTO 7: The rear upper seat cushion is hung from this clip. Remove the seat by pushing it back and up to free it from the clip.

PHOTO 8: A more commonly found type of window regulator knob retainer is the spring clip. The tool shown with this clip is necessary to remove this type of clip. The tool slips behind the regulator knob to push the retainer clip free of the knob and release the knob from the regulator.

PHOTO 9: Here are three different trim panel retainer clips and the tool I use to remove them. The clip on the far left was used to retain the upper door trim panel on the Charger and is still used today on many vehicles. The center clip was used on the lower door trim panel and is rarely used today. The right clip is a plastic clip found on most vehicles today. It can be used in place of either of the metal clips.

PHOTO 10: I remove the upper trim piece using the same tool while being careful to gently pry each clip free of the doorframe and not damage the trim piece. Once freed, the trim piece can be lifted up and off the doorframe.

PHOTO 11: To remove the headliner, all of the metal clips holding it in place must be removed. We will reuse the clips when we are ready to reinstall the new headliner.

PHOTO 12: With the retainer clips removed we begin working our way around the perimeter of the headliner, pulling it free of the adhesive holding it in place, leaving nothing but the bows that hold the headliner in place.

PHOTO 13: To remove the headliner, gently grasp the bow and pull it down. Since the bow is actually a spring, it will pop down and come free of the retainer clips found along each side of the roof assembly.

PHOTO 14: The kick panels go next. Notice I wear protective gloves to protect myself against “bites” from parts.

PHOTO 15: The scuff plates come out next. I label them and store them with similar parts.

PHOTO 16: Why is it consoles are always full of junk? This one was no exception. The unit comes out in one piece thanks to two bolts located inside this compartment, plus two more located under the shifter.

You may have to remove the accelerator pedal to free the carpet. The bolts holding the pedal in place are located either in front of the pedal, behind the pedal, or underneath the vehicle. The ones in my Charger are located under the car. The carpet should be ready to come out now.

Hopefully you find a pristine floor pan under the carpet just waiting for a fresh coat of paint. I find some rust under the dash area on the driver’s side of the car. Fortunately, it is minor and will not require any sheet metal replacement. If you find rust in your vehicle, it may be time to pull out the sheet metal source catalog and place an order.

Now we are at a point where the only things left to remove from the interior are the glass, dash, and a few small trim clips. I remove, label, and store away the tiny trim clips, including the mounting clips for the roof-mounted seat belts and the headliner retainer clips. I’m leaving the dash until later.

Next we will tackle the removal of the windshield, back glass, door glasses, and quarter windows along with their associated components, as well as the belt moldings, latches, and exterior handles on the doors.

PHOTO 17: Finally, I remove the carpet. In this case the padding comes out with the carpet. I separate them later, as I will need to use the padding as a pattern when cutting out the replacement padding to put under the new carpet.

PHOTO 18: The interior of the Charger is mostly gutted, and the floor pan shows very few signs of rust. I will remove the shifter mechanism, glass, and dash later.