Читать книгу Project Charger - Larry Lyles - Страница 9

PHOTO 1: The door glass seal strip also uses a spring clip. To remove the strip, gently pry the strip inward using the door trim removal tool then lift the strip straight up to remove it from the door.

CHAPTER FOUR

Exterior Teardown

My Charger is looking more and more as though a bomb went off under it. But on the other hand, as the hard years are slowly peeled away and the basis for a bona fide project vehicle is carefully revealed, the Charger is actually beginning to look like something with a little promise. My next step is to begin tearing down the exterior.

Complete Door Teardown

I’ll start by finishing the teardown on the door. With all the glass removed from the door the outside door handle, lock cylinder, and latch assembly can be removed. Note the condition of these parts on the master checklist then store them away. Removing these parts frees the door to swing open at will, which can be an inconvenience, but if that becomes a problem I’ll slap a strip of masking tape across the door edge to hold it shut.

The mirror, belt moldings, and window seal strips can also be removed. The mirror comes off by removing a screw located on the outside of the door and a bolt that is inside the door cavity. The door belt moldings are attached using the same type of metal spring clips found on the upper door trim panel. I remove them using the door panel tool used to remove the door trim panels. The window seal strips on the Charger are clipped to the door frame and are best removed by prying each strip inward, and then lifting the strip straight up to free it from the door.

Remove Grille

To restore the grille assembly to its original condition, I find it needs nothing more than a little paint and a few screws. All I have to do is get the grille assembly off the car in one piece. On most vehicles, the first order of business would be to remove the bumper. Getting the bumper out of the way allows access to any grille-mounting screws that might be hidden behind it and also prevents you from damaging or scratching the grille assembly once you are ready to remove it. However, this particular model of Charger with its wraparound bumper design dictates removing the grille assembly along with the bumper, and then disassembling the entire unit on the bench. But before this unit can come off the car, I need to get those what-the-heck-is-holding-it-now parts out of the way.

First to go is the headlamp door actuator motor, which is mounted to the center grille-mounting bracket. Remove the motor and the actuator rod, which runs through the motor and out to each headlamp door, to free the bumper assembly from the center grille-mounting bracket. To do this, unplug the motor, remove the retainer clips that are at each end of the actuator rod, and remove the motor and actuator rod as a unit.

You can now remove the four bolts holding the bumper assembly in place on the vehicle and slide the bumper forward and off the vehicle. There are two bolts on each side of the bumper assembly, located on the mounting brackets near the core support on the frame rails or unibody frame structure.

The Charger has a valance panel in the way, plus two additional bumper bolts that can be found by looking up from underneath each end of the bumper. These bolts are attached to brackets running out to the forward inner structure of each fender. The purpose of the brackets is for bumper-to-fender alignment, and they must be unbolted from the bumper before it can be removed.

The valance panel is bolted to each fender (five bolts per fender) along the bottom of the core support and to the center grille-mounting bracket. Notice the parking lamps are found in the valance and must be unplugged before the panel is removed. Remove the lamps from the valance after you remove the panel from the car.

Getting the valance panel off the car gives me better access to the two bumper-to-fender bracket bolts. I remove these bolts first and then remove the four bolts holding the bumper mounting brackets to the frame rails. This procedure requires two people—one to remove the bolts and a second to support the bumper while it is slid forward and off the vehicle.

PHOTO 2: This valance panel has seen better days. But then what 30-year-old valance panel hasn’t seen better days? Despite the major damage we will eventually repair this panel.

PHOTO 3: Here is the right fender with the bumper assembly removed. The J-shaped bracket is attached to the bumper and must be unbolted before the bumper can be removed from the car. Access to the bolt is from underneath with the valance panel removed.

PHOTO 4: The bumper mounting bolts are found near the core support on the outside of each frame rail.

PHOTO 5: With all of the bumper retainer bolts removed the bumper assembly can be slid forward and off the car. Having two people for this step really helps: one to remove the bolts, the other to remove the bumper.

PHOTO 6: Bumper teardown begins with the bumper mounting brackets. There are two of these Y-shaped assemblies on the bumper, one on the right and one on the left.

PHOTO 7: You can access the small bolts holding the headlamp doors in place through this small hole on the grille mounting panel.

Since I’m talking about the valance panel, take a close look at the condition of this one. Under normal circumstances I would remove and trash this panel. However, valance panels for 1970 Chargers are hard to come by. Despite the major damage to this one, I decide to repair it. I’ll show you how later.

With the bumper assembly removed from the car and placed face down on the workbench, I can begin disassembly. I remove the bumper mounting brackets first, and label each one’s location (right/left, inner/outer) as it’s being removed.

Next to go are the headlamp doors. With the actuator motor and the actuator rod already removed, the doors open and close freely. When the doors are opened just enough to expose the bolts through small access ports in the grille frame, I find the retainer bolts. (See the pointer in the center of photo 7.) I remove the bolts and slide the doors free of the grille assembly.

The grille is bolted to a grille surround panel, which is mounted to the bumper. A variety of bolts and screws attach the grille. Remove the bolts and screws, turn the entire bumper assembly over, and carefully lift the grille out.

The grille surround panel goes next. I turn the bumper assembly back over and remove all of the remaining bolts. Note: These bolts are stove-bolt-head-type bumper bolts and are only accessible after the grille has been removed from the surround panel. The surround should lift free of the bumper once the bolts are removed. I leave the surround intact for now. I then set the surround panel aside along with the bumper mounting brackets, and photograph them. I will disassemble and refinish these parts later.

I will remove the fenders in the very near future, so now is the time to go ahead and remove the headlamp bucket assemblies. Each bucket assembly is mounted in a specific location. I mark each assembly as I remove it (right/left, inner/outer). I do leave the adjustment/retainer screws in place because I determine that it would be almost impossible to remove these items now with the fenders still on the car, without breaking them. Since they are made of plastic and are old and brittle, I will replace them with new ones later on; but for now I prefer to have them intact.

Remove Tail Lamps

I begin by unplugging the lamp sockets from the tail lamp assemblies. I inspect the sockets for rust, broken wires, and anything else that might be wrong with this part of the wiring. Then I remove all of the bulbs and store them where they won’t be broken. I’ll be replacing the bulbs with new ones later, so the only reason for keeping them is to get an accurate count of how many 1157, 1156, and 1895 bulbs I’ll need when I start putting the Charger back together.

PHOTO 8: With the bolts removed, I slightly turn the headlamp doors.

PHOTO 9: The plastic grille is inset into the bumper assembly and must be removed from the front side. With the screws and small bolts removed, the grille will come right out.

PHOTO 10: Removing the grille exposes the grille surround panel bolts. After removal, place the bumper face down and lift out the grille surround panel.

PHOTO 11: Which is which and how does it go? We’re not ready to break these components apart yet, but having a photograph of the entire unit will be helpful once these pieces are broken apart for refinishing.

PHOTO 12: The headlamp mounting panels are actually part of the fenders and not part of the core support. Removing the headlamp bucket assemblies is as simple as unscrewing the retainer spring and sliding the assemblies out of the adjustment screws.

PHOTO 13: As long as we are tearing down the bumper assembly we might as well remove the rubber bumper-to-fender filler. Also notice I have already removed the vibration damper as well as the bumper-to-fender bracket.

The tail lamp mounting bolts are inside the trunk. I remove the bolts, lift out the assemblies, and inspect both lens and housings for cracks. The cracked housing can be repaired and the reflective coating can be replaced using the Eastwood Company Reflective Aluminum paint #10005Z. A cracked lens must be replaced, so be sure to note the condition of all these parts on your master checklist before storing them.

In addition to the tail lamp assemblies, the Charger also has a tail lamp bezel that covers the entire rear body panel. Today this bezel is referred to as a finish panel. It’s bolted from the inside. I remove the bezel and note the condition of the panel on the checklist as good with a note that it needs to be polished and then refinished to remove a number of small scratches.

I also remove the front and rear side marker lamps as well as the backup lamps. I note the condition of each of the lamps on the master checklist, and then store them to be cleaned, polished, and refinished later.

Remove Moldings

Fortunately, from the standpoint of having to replace damaged moldings, the Charger has relatively few exterior moldings. I’ve already removed the door and quarter panel belt moldings as well as the moldings around the windshield and back glass. This leaves only the left and right quarter-to-sail panel trim moldings to remove.

Quarter-to-sail panel trim moldings are two-piece V-shaped moldings that wrap around each sail panel to separate the painted area of the quarter panel from the vinyl roof cover. Each molding is bolted and clipped on using plastic clips. The bolts can be found by crawling inside the trunk and looking up.

With the speed nuts removed, I like to use the door trim panel tool to gently pry the moldings free of the plastic clips. The right outer molding on my Charger is broken. I add it to the master checklist as well as to the salvage parts list in the hopes of finding a used one later on.

The drip moldings, not to be confused with the quarter-to-sail panel trim moldings, are narrow chrome covers found over the drip channels running along the sides of the roof panel. There are at least two drip moldings per side. Note: Drip moldings are fragile—very fragile—and if they are not removed correctly, they could easily be destroyed.

PHOTO 14: The tail lamps come out of the Charger as complete assemblies. You can find the mounting bolts by looking inside the trunk. Once you remove the bolts, you can remove the lamps from inside the trunk as well.

PHOTO 15: After I remove the tail lamps, I can remove the chrome bezel surrounding the lamp assemblies. The attachment bolts are found inside the trunk, but the bezel is removed from the outside.

PHOTO 16: As long as we are removing lamps, now is the time to remove the back up lamps as well as all of the side marker lamps.

PHOTO 17: Mopar is known for installing emblems and moldings where they are impossible to remove. This Charger script emblem on the sail panel is no exception.

PHOTO 18: The Charger script retainer nuts are recessed behind the structural members of the sail panels and are only accessible after the interior trim is removed.

PHOTO 19: Again, Mopar doesn’t make it easy. The speed nuts attaching these two moldings are found by crawling inside the trunk and looking up. Additional plastic attachment clips are located along the length of the moldings. I use the door trim tool to release the plastic clips and remove the moldings.

PHOTO 20: Drip rail moldings are fragile, so take care when removing them. The clip side of the molding is released by once again using the door trim tool and a body hammer.

PHOTO 21: Hardtop vehicles will have this style of roof mounted weather stripping. The weather stripping lies in a channel and must be carefully pried out to prevent damaging it. Both the door glass and the quarter window roll up into this weather stripping.

PHOTO 22: After I remove the weather stripping, I unscrew the channel and remove it from the car. This channel, like the weather stripping, follows the roofline from the cowl post to the sail panel.

Look at a cross section of a drip molding, and you will see that it is C-shaped and therefore must be snapped into place. Release the clip side of the molding to remove it. The clip side has a slightly upturned edge and is always on the inside or bottom of the molding when the molding is mounted in place. I release the clip side of the drip molding with the door trim panel tool. The wide double prongs of the tool make it ideal for removing these moldings without damaging them. I lay the tool against the upturned inside edge of the molding and gently tap to push the molding out and off the drip channel. I note the condition of each of the drip moldings on the master checklist, label each one right or left, and store them safely away with the glass for safekeeping.

Remove Roof Rail Weather Strips

Roof rail weather strips are found along both sides of the roof panel, beginning at the bottom of the windshield pillar post and following the roofline all the way back and down the sail panel. The door glasses and the quarter windows roll up into these weather strips. The weather strips are attached with screws to the pillar post and then locked into place along the roofline via a weather strip channel. Occasionally these weather strips are glued along the length of the channel, so be careful when removing them. I use a flat-bladed screwdriver to gently pry the weather strips out of the channels. Then I work on removing the channels, which are held in place by a series of Phillips head screws running the length of each channel.

Remove Vinyl Top Cover

When I first began this project, I noticed green coloring showing through the black dye on the vinyl top. If for no other reason than that a previous owner had dyed the vinyl top black at some point in its life, I will replace the top. I could list off a few more reasons for replacing this top, but the one that concerns me the most is the hidden rust. Check photo 23. That’s what lay under the vinyl cover on my Charger—bad news just waiting to bite me.

Despite its condition, I treat the old vinyl roof cover on the Charger with the same respect I’ve treated every other part removed from the car and gently scrape it loose using a 1½-inch-wide putty knife, which is actually easier than it sounds; most old vinyl roof covers are held on just well enough to prevent them from flapping in the breeze. I start by working my way around the edges of the cover where it is tucked into the drip channels or rolled over an edge of metal, and gently pull the cover back an inch or so onto the roof panel. Once all the edges are loose, I can use the putty knife to separate and remove the rest of the cover from the roof panel.

You can see the old vinyl cover in photo 25. Doesn’t look like much, does it? Its only purpose now is to give me something to compare the new cover to once I receive it. I don’t want to start installing a new cover only to find it doesn’t fit. Saving the old cover prevents this possibility.

Remove Rear Bumper

Like everything else back here, the four bumper attachment bolts are inside the trunk compartment. Again, having extra hands for removal is a good idea. You also have to remove two additional bolts that hold the bumper guards to the rear body panel before removing the bumper.

The bolts from the rear bumper have chrome caps. The front bumper bolts, because they are hidden under the grille surround panel, do not. I inspect the rear, chrome-capped bolts for scratches, nicks, and chips, and note those that need to be replaced. Because the front bumper bolts are not chromed, I will clean them for reuse later.

With the bumper on the bench, I remove the mounting brackets and guards. The rear mounting brackets, like the front mounting brackets, are unfinished and, as a result, have a degree of surface rust on them.

As long as I’m working at the rear of my Charger, I also remove the quarter extensions. They are made of pot metal and require a little bit of TLC while being removed. Then I use my door trim tool to gently pry off the attachment speed nuts, which are inside the trunk compartment.

So what do we do with dented bumpers and bumper guards? In a word, rechrome.

Chroming Preparation

I tour Plains Electro-Plating, in Lubbock, Texas, the company that does all my chrome plating. At first glance, Plains Electro-Plating appears to be the final resting place for old bumpers. The lot out back is a glistening sea of bent and twisted bumpers just waiting for their chance at a new life. Inside, rooms are filled with bundles, barrels, and packages loaded with moldings, grilles, brackets, and emblems from every conceivable car ever made. Motorcycle parts control one portion of a room, while another corner is dedicated to things needing plating that we would never consider in need of plating. Certainly I am impressed by the array of items that can be plated into beauty. What I’ve really come to see, though, is the “how” part of the business, which starts with photographs and a computer.

PHOTO 23: How many reasons do you need to remove a worn vinyl top cover? How about rust?

PHOTO 24: Once all of the edges are free, you can remove the old cover by using a 1½ inch wide putty knife to separate the cover from the roof panel.

PHOTO 25: I roll up the old cover and put it away for now. Because of the odd shape of the Charger roof and sail panels, I keep this cover for comparison with the new one.

PHOTO 26: You can find the bolts for the rear bumper inside the trunk. Two additional bolts are located at the bottom of each guard. Having an extra hand during removal can be a big help.

PHOTO 27: As long as we are here, now is a good time to remove the quarter extensions. The attachment bolts are inside the trunk. Remove these pot metal extensions with care, as they are easily broken.

PHOTO 28: A true professional at the art of bumper restoration repairs the front bumper for the Charger.

PHOTO 29: After repairing, the first step in the plating process is a thorough cleaning. Here the bumper is being dipped into a vat of degreaser. From this point on no human hands will touch the piece being chrome plated.

PHOTO 30: Is it chrome yet? A bumper hangs suspended in the electrically charged vat filled with the chroming solution. The foamy solution is actually the color of emeralds.

PHOTO 31: Each piece receiving chrome plating is inspected, polished, and packaged for delivery.

Technicians at Plains Electro-Plating lay out and photograph the bumpers or other parts requiring repair and chrome plating as soon as the parts arrive. Just as in restoration work, photographs tell it all. After being photographed, the parts are each assigned a work order and are entered into a computerized tracking system. Then a person issues each part a tag with a computer-generated work order number along with a short description of the type of work that it needs. I watch someone tag and note my Charger’s bumpers as it is in need of repair and chrome plating.

The next stop is the straightening room. Here, I am treated to the expertise of a man who has repaired bumpers for more than 40 years. Being a novice myself, having a mere 20-something years of experience repairing metal, I marvel at the way the bumpers are hammered, heated, and twisted back into shape. In less than 10 minutes, my Charger’s bumpers are repaired and ready for the next phase, grinding.

Hammers leave tracks, but technicians remove all traces of those tracks before the chrome plate goes on. Much like finish-sanding plastic body filler, the bumpers are first ground with a 50 grit grinding disc to smooth the surface of the metal and remove all signs of the hammer. After that, it is on to 90 grit, then finally, 120 grit.

At this point, the bumpers appear ready to be chrome plated, but the straightening and grinding process is only half of the preparation. Next comes the sanding and polishing. Emery wheels beginning with 150 grit and graduating up to 220 grit accomplish this task.

The final step in the sanding and polishing process is the burlap wheel. This coarse cloth wheel does little in the way of cutting metal, but what it does do is add a slight gloss that really defines any imperfections that may be left. Technicians return any imperfections that they find to the emery wheels for removal.

Rechroming

Many parts come to Plains Electro-Plating with little more damage than scratched, chipped, or rusted chrome plating. For those parts, the first step in the chroming process is to remove all traces of the old chrome plate. Technicians accomplish this by dipping the parts into a vat that electrochemically removes the old chrome.

After that, the parts move through an array of electrically charged chemical vats beginning with a thorough cleaning and degreasing to remove all traces of contaminants. Once this process begins, no human hands are allowed to touch the parts.

Next, technicians dip the clean parts into another vat that electrochemically coats them with a layer of nickel. The nickel acts much like a prime coat does in automotive painting, giving the chrome, which will be applied over the nickel plate, a proper surface to adhere to.

After that, technicians dip the nickel-clad parts into the chroming vat for a few minutes, where the electrochemical chroming process takes place. When the parts come out of the vat, they are covered with a copper-colored residue left from the electrochemical process. Technicians wash off this residue to expose the bright chrome plating underneath.

Ever notice the layer of polish on fresh chrome work? I thought this was simply residue left from putting the shine on the piece. Wrong. Technicians leave the polish on chrome-plated parts partly to help protect them during packing and shipping. But the technician’s primary purpose for applying the polish is for quality control. If something goes wrong during the chrome-plating process and the parts fail to be completely plated, an application of polish turns non-chrome-plated areas a brassy red color. Thanks to my visit with the technicians at Plains Electro-Plating, this is something I’ll know to watch for from now on: brass coloring on chrome indicates a poor job of chrome plating.