Restoration Update - Disassembly - Dec 2006
Chris has completed disassembly of the Hemi R/T. Everything that could be unbolted was unbolted. A dolly was constructed by Chris and his bodyman Rick Chupa making sure that each
part of the Hemi R/T was properly braced much like a full roll cage in a race car. The front dolly wheels were attached to the K-member from a parts car and then bolted in place
to ensure the structural integrity of the front end.
Clint Dawson of Central Sandblasting took care of sandblasting the Hemi R/T. The front end,
interior and entire underside were carefully blasted to remove the paint, undercoating and to expose the weak areas that had rusted out.
The roof and the tops of the quarters were not done to prevent warping. Notice how the back of the car was extensively braced since most of the trunk floor was removed for rust repair.
The Hemi R/T was sprayed in epoxy primer to prevent the bare metal from starting to rust. The NOS fender and valence along with the hood, doors and trunk lid were media blasted.
Rob at Little Shop in Aubigny (north of Morris) used a very delicate touch when media blasting the NOS fender and the other sheet metal parts. It will warp very easily if you are not careful.
Again everything was epoxy primed to prevent flash rust.
You can see the tourque boxes which were found only on Hemis and Convertibles. They were welded in by the factory to stiffen the chassis and prevent flexing under load.
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