Fletcher's Customs: Project Mean Green!! [Archive]

fletcherscustoms

03-14-2008, 07:25 AM

Well for the first time I get to be a part of one of those car guy dreams!! Finding a all original car sitting in a barn for over 18 years. Local guy advised of a car sitting in a Chicken farm barn for years, he picked it up and I bought it from him. Car sat unmolested for years down here in South GA, nothing like blowing the dust off a all original, all there 1970 Challenger!!! Its all there every piece of trim, interior, 440, automatic car. Solid as the day it left the factory!! Only missing piece is the carb!! The original keys in the ignition and all that jazz!!! Car is a mess and will be nice project to start with, hell I dunno what to do with a solid car!!

Future plans:
hope for a SEMA debut!!!!

Exterior:
HOK Limetime pearl with flat black stripes
19x10/20x12 Forgeline SP3 Wheels
Nitto Tires
Wilwood brakes
Full shaved exterior
Plus some extras

interior:
Full cage
Aftermarket seats, column , etc
Full Rockford Fosgate Stereo

Suspension:
Front:C6 Vette
Rear: moser Dana 60 and custom 3 link
Hydraboost brake booster

Frame:
Full 1.5" DOM round tube bumper to bumper

Engine:

Ok plans change!!

426 Aluminum headed Hemi from World Products, shooting fo 600 RWHP backed by a TKO 5 speed

Lots of other goodies along the way!!

More pics coming this weekend, going to pick it up in a few hours, and give it a bath!! She'll be torn down and media blasted this weekend.

monza

03-14-2008, 07:36 AM

Oh wow... love the barn finds, very cool. Project sounds great, must say it'll be interesting to see a burn out powered by Veggie oil!!

Autokraft

03-14-2008, 07:45 AM

That was a nice score no doubt:thumbsup:

Vegas69

03-14-2008, 07:51 AM

Hate to say it....but that one may need to go all original???

fletcherscustoms

03-14-2008, 07:54 AM

Original is almost a 4 letter word to me!! lol:beavis:

I thought about that!! I really did, but I find it easier to cut it up than restore it. Man I have issues!!:cheers:

XcYZ

03-14-2008, 10:05 AM

Man, that's awesome. Congrats on the score. You need to keep us up to speed on the progress.

:cheers:

Hdesign

03-14-2008, 10:09 AM

Wow, nice score Chad!:thumbsup:

slenning

03-14-2008, 10:10 AM

Very cool Chad, What a find!!! Congrats and keep the pics coming of course. :yes:

fletcherscustoms

03-14-2008, 10:11 AM

Its gonna be a long road ahead, for sure. We got a busy weekend planned already. The plan is buy Sunday night for it to be completly stripped, media blasted, and on the frame table to start cutting it up!! Ben Hermance is handling the rendering for it as usual for me. I am hoping this car will cause some ruckus around the industry being Veggie oil powered and all. nothing like lighting em up with thick black smoke pouring out the back

fletcherscustoms

03-14-2008, 10:38 AM

12v cummins is gonna be a tight fit vertically, might have to get creative with the hood.

good luck:thumbsup:

btw... i would leave it stock... why ruin a "solid" car... there are plenty of junk cars out there to hack up... just my $.02

yeah I've been doing some measuring on a donor 12 v this morning. gonna need some setback, and a dry sump setup to clear the hood.

As far as leaving it stock, got asked this morning by a big mopar guy the same thing. I told him just think your original mopar just increased in value!! Cause now there is one less.

I tell you what I want cut it up if someone will give me $15K for it, and I'll go buy a junker. But better hurry the knife comes out in the morning.

James OLC

03-14-2008, 11:24 AM

Great score and looks like a really cool project. :thumbsup:

It's nice to know that barn finds still exist.

I can hear the restoration fanatic / hypocrit in the background now - "please don't cut up that original car, it needs to be restored, cloned as a Hemi car and I have to get to BJ in January" (tongue in cheek).

ProdigyCustoms

03-14-2008, 07:57 PM

OK, were ready. Still have you credit card on file!

Wheels / tires, Brakes, Stereo, Steering, Got ya covered again

I know you will make it purdy, seen what you can do. Not sure about that diesel, but dare to be different!

fletcherscustoms

03-14-2008, 08:03 PM

Well guys you can calm down!! The car is home and it is not a original 440 car!!! I have yet to run the numbers but it appears its not orginal. Got it home with only a few problems, managed some how to lose a strap that was holding down the hood that then managed to rip off the original attenae, and leave a nice dent and crease in the passenger fender right on the body line. It'll be fun fix. Got it in the shop and hit it in a few crucial spots with the DA and as my luck would have found some filler. There are a few pits and tiny holes in both of the lower quarters in front and rear of the wheel. No biggie, looks like full quarters want be needed jsut some welding and little small patches. Trunk is a little different its full of fiber glass, but its going in the trash anyway. Car seems to be also originally red as thats the color under the blue. Overall I am still happy with the purchase. I'll get some pics up tomorrow during the tear down.

fletcherscustoms

03-14-2008, 08:39 PM

Yeah I am thinking the Cummins is gonna be a lot of fun!!! But I want to be different, everyone has a hemi or viper motor. I jsut want to build a badboy car that gets me attention and gets me a name in the industry, So lets throw a 700 HP, 1200 ft lbs torque diesel in it!!!

ok numbers have been ran!!! Good new for the mopar folks who didn't want me to cut up a original car!

Well its not a 440 car thats for sure!!

VIN shows:
1970 Challenger, 2 door hardtop, 225 CI V6, built in Hamtrack, MI

Fender tag shows:
US specs, 2nd production line, Bright REd paint, Black interior with buckets, Drip rail molding, Belt and hood chrome molding, Music Master AM radio, SE molding group, 225 CI 145HP V6, 3 speed auto tranny

So can I cut it up now??

fletcherscustoms

03-15-2008, 07:25 PM

What a night!!!! Been working since about 6 PM on the car. She is completely gutted and nothing but a shell now. Found some stuf I am not real happy with, but I guess its to be expected for a 38 yr old car. Seems she was a 70's or 80's repaint, and 440 installation. Found some filler, rust and ghetto metal fixes in the back glass surround area. All in all just playing with the DA I am very happy with the condition. Maybe 10 1/16th inch rust holes in the quarters, a few in the lower driver fender, and about 4 inches of pitting and repair needed in the lower rear window area. Other than that its solid.
All I got to say is Dodge could have had a much faster car back then if the doors didn't weight 200 lbs each, and have 150 lb hood. Tomorrow the motor and tranny comes out ad the rest of the interior. My buddy will be here after luch tomorrow with his mobile media blast system to blast the car. She'll be in bare metal tomorrow and ready for cutting!!

Vegas69

03-15-2008, 08:35 PM

If it's not original, cut away!

fletcherscustoms

03-16-2008, 06:24 PM

Wow what a day!!! Started this morning, finishing the stripping and getting out the motor and tranny. My buddy mike showed up after unch with his mobile media blaster setup, and we got busy. A couple hours later we had a clean , paint free car. But boy was there some surprises to be found. For the first time out of all the cars I have ever bought, I got the shaft and they didn't even lube it up. Once all the bondo was stripped , we had swiss cheese lower quarters. Seems that somewhere back in the 80's did the motor swap, and did some ghetto bondo work on the quarters, that continually spread under the paint. Well b 4 we were done blasting ,and by 6 it was sitting naked with no roof or quarters. So looks like in the morning I'll be headed to Goodmark for quarters, roof, and rear filler panel. With the calibur of car I am wanting to build I think full quarters and roof, will be much more professional and a whole lot better. I got a ton of pics I'll post up in the morning when I get in the office.

fletcherscustoms

03-17-2008, 09:22 AM

Alright you guys wanted pics here they are!! Spent the morning loading 45 or so pics from the camera and resizing them for the net. Here they are in all there glory

Well here is how the weekend went

Saturday I had this and was happy
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/complete.jpg

Started stripping and ended up like this
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/passquarter.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/driverquarter.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/interior.jpg

fletcherscustoms

03-17-2008, 09:25 AM

By sunday morning it was a shell. After Church my buddy Mike showed up with his mobile media blasting setup. Time to get dirty and down to business.
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/blasting4.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/blasting3.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/blasting2.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/blasting.jpg

fletcherscustoms

03-17-2008, 09:28 AM

Well by 4 we were down blasting and had found a lot of awesome old repairs. I did not get the car I though I did. She is pretty bad case, but will be done

Windshield area
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/windshieldrust2.jpg

Trunk gutter area
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/trunkrailrust.jpg

Driver Rocker
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/driverrocker.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/driverquarterrust.jpg

fletcherscustoms

03-17-2008, 09:29 AM

Quarters!!

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/passquarterrust.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/passquarterrust2.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/driverquarterrust2.jpg

fletcherscustoms

03-17-2008, 09:33 AM

So now what do I do!! Well I am already in the whole on the car, and already started this crap so lets take it the next step. With the Caliber of car I am wanting to build I felt it a true nessescity to replace all teh sheetmetal. Quarters, roof, filler, and upper firewall are on order. So basically this is how the car sits as of last night at 7 PM. There are still a few hundered spot welds to drill out to get teh flanges or the quarters off, but was able to find that most of the inner structure is perfect.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/stripped3.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/stripped.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/noroof.jpg

Mike Hall

03-17-2008, 10:35 AM

Did I say you could put pictuers of me on the net? :D

Guess what I found today while looking for something my my little storage building? I found 6 bags of glass that I did not even know I had. :lol:

Mike

tjbruning

03-17-2008, 10:36 AM

If it's not original, cut away!

we started with an original 426 HEMI car......... was that bad? :_paranoid

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

fletcherscustoms

03-17-2008, 12:31 PM

fletcherscustoms

03-17-2008, 06:24 PM

Back to real life, Goodmark has more of my money now. Both full quarters, roof skin, rear filler, tail pan, and lower rear valance or on order from them and will be here wednesday. And it back to work on it!! Anyone know where to pick up a driver side rocker??

Frank at Prodigy is getting more of my money also. Ordering a dana 60, tires, and 14" wilwood 6 piston setup from him. As well as picked up Project Prodigy's Forgeline SP3's from him today also. Car should be nice with a 19x11 fronts with a 295 and rear 20x12 with a 335 tires, black center and inner hoop with chromed outer.

The steel business has more o my money now also. Just placed a order today for 15 stick of 1.5" DOM .120" wall tubing to start the chassis.

I have never been so excited about a car in my life. Now just to pick up a sponsor or someone that wants to give me a spot at SEMA. That's right if I get a spot, she'll be sitting in Vegas this November!!

fletcherscustoms

03-18-2008, 05:35 PM

Well as much as I hate to say it, plans change!!! After picking up the junk 12 valve Cummins yesterday, it proves what I and everyone else though its not gonna happen. I mean I could do it, but 1200 plus pounds in the front of a car totally kills the pro touring vibe!!

So the new plan is a World Products 426 Hemi backed by a TKO 5 speed. Shooting for 600 RWHP using a Fast EFI system or something similiar.

badmatt

03-18-2008, 06:38 PM

Blake Foster

03-18-2008, 09:09 PM

MAN ............. you suck!:bow:

fletcherscustoms

03-24-2008, 12:17 PM

Well it was a busy Saturday. Spent all day fighting new sheetmetal and getting it on the car. Replaced both Quarters with Goodmark pieces, roof from AMD (American Metal Direct), and the rear filler from Goodmark. Went together surprisingly smooth. Everything fit like it should. The roof is great, thicker than stock, great fit, etc, couldn't be happier. I'll get some pictures posted up tomorrow. Also picked up some needed parts that I am awaiting delivery on. Picked up a complete C5 suspension with lower crossmember for $800, 10 stick 1.5 DOM, and some other odds and ends. Car will be on the frame table by weeks end.

fletcherscustoms

03-26-2008, 07:44 AM

Few pics of the quarters on

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/quarters3.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/quarters2.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/quarters1.jpg

Mike Hall

03-26-2008, 11:44 AM

Looking good. At least you will know for sure you have a solid car now.

Mike

KPC67

03-26-2008, 05:34 PM

All this new sheet metal for these mopars is so cool. I Cant wait untill they come out with superbee quarters.:unibrow: The car looks great, keep it up!

fletcherscustoms

04-07-2008, 12:49 PM

Another busy weekend!!! Spent Saturday and Sunday gutting the car. Never figured it would take so long to completly cut out all teh unwanted stuff, but keep the needed pieces. Parts are also showing up, C5 suspension is here, 15 sticks of DOM is on the floor, Forgeline shipped my wheels today, have my 426 mock up block. Things are going good.

Chassis construction will begin this week once the wheels get here.

Big pile os scrap metal
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/PILEOFMETAL.jpg

Gutted
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/GUTTED2.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/GUTTED.jpg

C5 suspension
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/C5SETUP.jpg

1FastBrick

04-10-2008, 09:13 PM

:thumbsup: The way all cars should be done. Thats how I did my 55 all new sheet metal on the exterior. I couldn't be happier with how my turned out and If I did it all over I would still do it the same way. :cheers: Cant wait to see the progress.

fletcherscustoms

04-14-2008, 10:53 AM

Well I spent a good majority of this weekend, building rockers. Spent friday evening patching the outer rocker rust areas, and banging out a few dents and dings. Then Saturday designed, built and installed the new inner rocker structure. Teh new innner rockers are made from 3/16 plate steel, the was broke with a 1.5 inch lip that is attached to the inner portion of the lower lip of teh original rocker where there used to be a pinch weld. They then extend upwards 4" and are then tied back into the upper area right below the upper pinch weld. This gave the car a ton of strength, and some sturdy mounting points for the new frame. All I can do now is hurry up and wait, as the wheels, brakes, and tranny are all riding around on the brown truck somwhere. once the wheels arrive I'll mock them up, take some measurements and start fabbing a chassis. I hop eto have this thing on the ground by end of next month.

awr68

04-14-2008, 11:24 AM

Great progress!! Get some rest, once that brown truck arrives...it's on!! :thumbsup:

fletcherscustoms

04-16-2008, 11:35 AM

Wheels are here!!!!! Time to start fabbing the chassis tonight!!

Wheel Specs

Forgeline SP3 with Nitto tires

Front
19x10 with 285's
Rear
20x13 with 345's

I'll get a ton of pics tonight

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/DSC02288.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/DSC02287.jpg

fletcherscustoms

04-18-2008, 06:07 AM

Wheels are under the car fo mockup and measuring. Found out I am going to have to narrow the front C5 suspension 4.5 inches to accomodate the 19x11 fronts. Setup right now at 4.75" ride height to bottom of front rocker and 5.25" at rear of rocker. Thank God for air ride technoligies shock waves!!!
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels2.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels3.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels4.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels5.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels6.jpg

fletcherscustoms

04-18-2008, 06:09 AM

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels8.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels10.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels11.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/wheels12.jpg

GHOSTDANCER

04-19-2008, 04:20 AM

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

tgvettes

04-19-2008, 07:23 AM

major bad ass:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Tonny

waynieZ

04-19-2008, 09:56 AM

Looks Good keep the up dates comming.
Wayne

awr68

04-19-2008, 10:30 AM

Sweet! I like that you coated the inner hoops!! :thumbsup:

fletcherscustoms

04-20-2008, 06:10 PM

Well this weekend was a bust! Between family time yesterday and dinner with friends, I never even sat foot in the shop. And today got some rest, and then a buddy called wanting to go try out his new boat. So we dropped in the family pond and fished from 3 till 8. Managed to land a few 2 poud large mouths, and I hooked a monster the broke the line a few foot from the boat. Oh wel enough fish stories. I'll be back on it hard this week

fletcherscustoms

04-23-2008, 12:49 PM

Ben Hermance is doing the rendering for the car. And being the guy he is gave me a sneak peek of it and I thought I would share.He also teased me with a few other color selections, that made the decision to go green even harder

The final color
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/green_black.jpg

Couple others he did
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/70challengerred.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/blue_black.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/fletcherscustoms/orange_black.jpg

byndbad914

04-24-2008, 08:03 PM

not knockin' the green, cuz I like green and it looks good in the rendering, but...

oddly enough IMO the red looks great with the overall shape/features on the car to me... and keep in mind I don't typically like red cars so that is saying something. There is just something to the shape that makes the green look slightly "bloated" whereas the red somehow tones it down (why doesn't that work with dresses?? Gotta be a skinny chick if she is wearing red...)

first glance, gut shot the red really caught my eye, so without over-analyzing it I would consider red.

All four look great to me actually (blue my least favorite) so I can see why you are having a hard choice. Isn't it great to have some a-hole like me come in and throw a monkey wrench into your already noted, "...that made the decision to go green even harder" :unibrow:

The copper color looks good too, but WAY too many cars are being painted copper lately - it is almost dare to be different to stay with a color like red, green, orange these days hahaha. (i.e. Bad Penny looks awesome and I saw it at SEMA, but last year there were at least 15 other copper colored cars at that show)

G-Body

04-25-2008, 02:51 PM

This is an easy answer just look at that rear quarter!
"Just like Henry Ford said you can have it in any color as long as its black"
With those wheels shwinggggggggg

JohnC

08-02-2008, 07:05 AM

Anything new? pics? ...just wondering. very cool project.

fathomgreen69ss

08-02-2008, 10:12 AM

Green all the way! It's so nostalgic of the crazy muscle car colors that Dodge used back in the day. The color could be your carryover from the old to the modern.

waynieZ

08-02-2008, 08:12 PM

I like them all but the orange is my favorite. Nice progress

fletcherscustoms

08-04-2008, 05:07 AM

I got a long way to go. the car has been on hold for about 60 days while I dealt with some things. I'm looking forward to starting again this week.

fletcherscustoms

10-06-2008, 10:10 AM

well work has began again. Front suspension is mocked and ready for the new chassis. Waiting on FRank at Prodigy to get me my brakes and rear and it'll be full speed ahead.

JohnC

10-06-2008, 10:22 AM

well work has began again. Front suspension is mocked and ready for the new chassis. Waiting on FRank at Prodigy to get me my brakes and rear and it'll be full speed ahead.

Sounds great! Look forward to some pics!

Are you happy with the 345/25/20 tire choice? My 71 cuda project may use the same rear tire. Just wondering if it looks right for our e-body projects. A lot of people are pushing me towards or recommending the 335/30/20 Michilen PS2. Current and future pics of your car should help me with my decision. Thanks.

John