THE BIG DOG BUILD (Scamp)

[BIG DOG]

Well I have decided to make a restoration thread to show some of my progress and to hopefully get me a bit more motivated. Like I said in my welcome post there are times I wished someone kicked me in the nuts hard when I said "I'm going to restore it"!
This has been a ongoing project that has stalled and started many different times over the last 10 yrs and I'm still miles away! And after looking at the projects that are here you won't likely get too aroused looking at my car ****!

Here is a picture of the 76 Scamp I had 25 years ago just before I put in a 360 and V8 running gear. Done right where it is sitting over the winter yes I was young and stupid! Did the body all up and drove the guts out of it was a really fun car .Can't find any pictures of it done blue with a tail stripe.

 

[BIG DOG]

So after visiting with another member from here (Grassy and his son) I decided to to start a build thread to hopefull get me more motivated as just talking to other Mopar guys gets me moving.

So here is the 74 Scamp I bought probably 12 years ago I didn't even have a digital camera then ! LOL . There are sight holes so you can check out the torsion bars and wheels as they do their thing. But the frame is about as mint as you could find around here and the quarters are all there and original.

 

[BIG DOG]

You southern guys don't realize how good you have it ! I look at the Biohazzard car and can't believe that there are cars still that good around . And my advise to anyone deciding to do this go as far south as you have to to get the best car you can to start with regardless of the extra cost!!

 

[BIG DOG]

So here are some pics of the frame and such car used to be cream colored and the paint was still on most of it.

 

[Dartnut]

You southern guys don't realize how good you have it ! I look at the Biohazzard car and can't believe that there are cars still that good around . And my advise to anyone deciding to do this go as far south as you have to to get the best car you can to start with regardless of the extra cost!!

Yeah, no kidding!
Can't wait for more!

 

[BIG DOG]

As I said there were some sight holes so I ordered DS floor pan, Complete trunk, and trunk extensions.












Yearone

 

[BIG DOG]

Here is stalled where it just become a shelf and holding area for other stuff.

 

[BIG DOG]

I have to make as much as I can to keep the cost down .So the next step was to get this so I could work on it . So I searched the net and combined a few ides to make a rotisserie. It has neumatic casters so I can wheel it ouside.

 

[BIG DOG]

So I got rid of the slant had the clifford setup with a 4 barrel and header. And got a replacement ....or two. 71 440 and a 400 with the nice GREEN highrise valve covers.

 

[Abodybomber]

Nice thread. Have a 72 Scamp ,in present limbo. Are you going B/Rb big block?

 

[BIG DOG]

Nice thread. Have a 72 Scamp ,in present limbo. Are you going B/Rb big block?

Don't have to make the final decision yet so it keeps changing RB this week B next .....RB this year B next.....:banghead:

 

[BIG DOG]

Once I got the motor and tranny out I put it up on the rotisserire to scrape loads of undercoat off and to take the rest of the drivetrain off.
All the bolts came apart really well and I used my block and tackle to pull the K Frame off the torsion bars.

 

[Abodybomber]

Don't have to make the final decision yet so it keeps changing RB this week B next .....RB this year B next.....:banghead:

All depends on your budget, and your fabrication skills. Rb's & headers,can get time involved & expensive. Do your homework first. A nice looking base,to start with. Good luck.

 

[BIG DOG]

And then I scraped lots of undercoat off of it .It was on thick in some places and the metal was great but right next to it the metal was gone . But overall pretty solid and the frame is very good!

 

[BIG DOG]

More of the same old rusty car pics!

 

[BIG DOG]

Then outside for some pressure washing.

 

[BIG DOG]

The damn undercoating that was put on this wouldn't hardly budge with the high pressure washer even with hot water it was stuck like **** to a shingle! So how was I going to strip this thing down to bare metal? Like I said before I have to make most of my stuff as I go so I decided to make a soda blaster .Well you try to find info on the inner workings of a soda blaster they may be there now but they were a well guarded secret 8-10 years ago! After about a few weeks of trial and error I was finally able to make a soda blaster and get it to work. (sorry not one picture of making it that I could find).

 

[BIG DOG]

I used baking soda from the farm store 40kg bags I wouldn't want to guess how many ! It would work excellent on panels that didn't have original paint on them good on most other places but it was a real Pain in the butt on the firewall and front rad support. They are pretty amazing though panels were like they were factory stamped and then you could see the blue heat ring on all the spot welds pretty cool.

 

[BIG DOG]

It however won't touch the rust and it doesn't like any type of thick undercoat or as you can see body filler . You have to scrape the undercoat down before you blast it and with the rust it was cut out or sand blasted.

 

[needsaresto]

Nice to see someone taking on such a tough project. Your bang on about southern cars being much cleaner. WAAAAAAAY easier..Up here in Canada they love to salt the roads in winter. By by sheet metal!

 

[KENTON]

Great pictures, thanks

 

[daredevil]

Great work and determination

 

[BIG DOG]

So next started cutting out the rust and replacing it . My inner fender tops were gone so I bent up some new ones . As you can see they needed to be notched and recessed so the fender nut will sit flush. And then the rear part has to sweep down. I think they turned out pretty good.

 

[Abodybomber]

I likely!

 

[BIG DOG]

Welded hammer dollied and filled with fiberglass once finished they will look factory.