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Thread: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

  1. #1
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    91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    I bought a blue turbo shadow convertible years ago and always wanted to install an 89 CSX-VNT body/wing kit and put a T3 in it. But I always felt that car was so nice and original that it would be a shame to hack it up. Fast forward about 10 years and I come upon a twin to my car, only it's not a turbo model. And the bargain basement price of free made it a no brainer!

    So I decided to do another project, and am building this car into a convertible version sort of similar to the 90 prototype bonzai blue car. I'm using the shell of this car and installing everything (drivetrain, suspension, wiring, dash etc.) from a 91 spirit r/t into it. I'm also going to use the seats, door panels and body kit from an 89 CSX.

    The car has been sitting since I got it back in 2012. Here's some pics from back then:



    Here's a pic of the twins together (sold the turbo one last year):



    A couple weeks ago I got tired of looking at it, and here's what happened:



    Once the motor was pulled, I pulled the interior. I was hoping for no rust, but as you can tell from the spots on the core support above, this is a new england car, so here we go:



    Mostly just the drivers floor board. I can deal with that. What I couldn't deal with was the smell. With the whole interior out, I still gagged when I opened the doors to work on it. So I ripped apart the trunk, and bingo:



    Yup - that was the cause of the stench! Poor car. LOL!

    OK, with that out of the way, time to test my theory...



    Yup - bolts right in. Gotta have a factory oil pressure gauge with a T3 motor...LOL!

    OK, back to work. Stripped the engine bay and wire wheeled the rust on the core support (caused by a cheezy aftermarket hood lock system). Luckily it was only scale and no perforations.



    Oh, and look what I found when I stripped the cowl...more yummyness...



    After that nastyness was stripped out of there, it was time for the glass guy to come and remove the windshield so that I could see the horror hidden beneath...



    That was last Friday. Since then I've removed the entire undercarriage (suspension, k-frame, fuel and brake lines, and fuel tank). There's some scale in some spots, but no rot. I also cut out all the rot on the drivers floor and in the A pillar, and welded in new metal. Yesterday I marked up and shipped off all of the fuel and brake lines to have Right Stuff make duplicates. If there's interest, they can make a template for it and create a kit for us. I imagine that it would fit all the csx cars and ES models with the rear discs.

    I'm taking a break for the holiday weekend, but will be doing the filler/finish work on the engine compartment, floors and A pillar next week. I'm hoping to have them sprayed by next weekend so that I can start to reassemble!
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    Last edited by jonnyb; 05-28-2016 at 11:21 AM.

  2. #2
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor 2.216VTurbo's Avatar
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Dude, I'd say have that thing turned into rebar for Chinese skyscrapers but since there are probably less than 20 guys on this board with the skills and drive to fix all that and you're one of them, I say go for it! Respect Mr B, I'll be following along PM me if there are TIII specific parts you need, I'm getting out of them soon and parting with too many parts I've collected.

    AJ (no More Alan) 84 Rampage RT TIII/568 Quaife 87 GLHS dealer optioned Red 16V Masi/568/Quaife
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  3. #3
    Slugmobile & MeanMini Caretaker Turbo Mopar Contributor wheming's Avatar
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Jonny, that's going to be one awesome little ride when you are done. And you are doing a great thing by saving what many might consider a throw-away and making it destined for greatness!
    Wayne H.

    '91 Dodge Spirit ES 2.5L turbo 5spd
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  4. #4
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Was the glass guy able to remove the windshield without breaking it?

  5. #5
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Yes, but there was already a crack so it needed to be replaced anyway. It was a replacement windsheild and wasn't installed all that well, hence the leaks and rust issues. It made pulling it easy though...LOL!

  6. #6
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    OK - got all the rust spots fixed. Planning on completing the A pillar work tonight and painting the floors, engine compartment and trunk tomorrow morning.

    Engine compartment with all rust fixed and spot primed:


    Floor all fixed and spot primed:


    A pillar patched and temporarily primed - still need to do some tweaking of patch panels before doing filler work and final priming tonight:


    Stay tuned for some painted shots tomorrow!

    Jon
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  7. #7
    turbo addict Pat's Avatar
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Looking good!

  8. #8
    Slugmobile & MeanMini Caretaker Turbo Mopar Contributor wheming's Avatar
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Better hurry up if you are making SDAC in it... you can do it!
    Wayne H.

    '91 Dodge Spirit ES 2.5L turbo 5spd
    '05 PT GT 2.4T HO autostick (RIP)
    '89 Plymouth Acclaim 2.5L turbo auto, "Slugmobile" yes, THE Slugmobile!
    '89 Dodge Caravan SE 2.5L turbo auto, "Mean Mini" yes, Gus' Mean Mini! (Current best 11.699 @ 114.43 mph! - Oct 15th, 2022 Cecil County Dragway, MD)
    MeanMini dragracing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...URZLB1RxGYF6vw
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  9. #9
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    LOL - unfortunately no SDAC for me this year

    I did take the time off though, so the goal is to hopefully get it to the point where it's on all four wheels and has the motor installed by the time SDAC is over!

    Progress today: got all filler and primer done. Tomorrow morning I'll finish taping off and will spray engine bay, floor and spare tire well. Then it will be time to relax for the rest of the weekend!

    Stay tuned for more pics...

    Jon

  10. #10
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    I hate cars!

    - - - Updated - - -

    And weather forecasters! And New England weather! LOL!

    Pics will eventually follow to explain. LOL!

  11. #11
    Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff Turbo224's Avatar
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    In for the pics! Looks good so far

    ~Tyler Larsen~Salt Lake City~
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  12. #12
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    OK, 2 weeks and 27 hours of rework later, here she sits:




    The story behind my last post and the 27 hours of rework: I had the car all prepped and ready to paint and the weather forecaster said partly cloudy with a chance of showers in the afternoon. Unfortunately I am stuck painting the engine bay and floorpans outside. It was pretty cloudy in the morning and my gut told me not to spray, but I double checked the forecast and based on zero percent chance of precipitation before 4PM, I took a gamble and sprayed the car. That was mistake number 1.

    Mistake 2 was right after I shot the color coats. It was 9:30 AM and the sky was getting black and I should have stopped here, got all my coverings secure and then waited until it cleared up to continue. I probably could have done a quick scuff and shot another round or two of color before clearing. Instead I went ahead and shot the clear. It came out nice too!

    After I finished shooting it, I took a quick break and pulled out my phone to take some pics and I felt a drop of rain hit my hand! I turned around and looked at the car and saw a couple drops had already hit the engine bay and floors - they blew perfect sphere holes into the clear - right down to the color coat!

    With the cloudy weather I couldn't see well enough under my canopy, so I had temporarily moved it behind the car while I sprayed. I rushed to drag it back over the car, and right as I got it over the front of the car it broke! It collapsed right onto the core support and a-pillar/windshield surround. The clear was still fresh (maybe 5 minutes old) and the material stuck right into it and smeared it all over. I pealed it off and lifted it and tried to hold everything up with hopes that I would be able to sand the clear and maybe re-clear, but after what happened next, that hope disappeared.

    Right about the time I had everything steadied and figured I would wait it out holding the canopy up, the skies opened up and the wind picked up. A massive gust of wind ripped the remaining structure of the canopy apart and it came down on the car. I didn't want it to harden into the clear, so I ripped it off and just let it pour on the fresh paint. All my original prep work (23 hours) was for nothing - I stood there and watched as the paint job was destroyed.

    About 2 minutes later the rain stopped, the wind stopped and the skies cleared up. 30 minutes later the sun was back out. I watched the weather later that night and they talked about freak severe storms that happened in my area. They said "we would have never predicted that to happen so early in the day." Yeah, no kidding! LOL!

    I had to strip it all the way back down and didn't have the patience this time around and my prep work wasn't as good, so neither is the paint job. But does it really matter? The floor will be covered with carpet and most of the engine compartment will be covered too! LOL!

    Jon
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  13. #13
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Oh, and if anyone is wondering why I left the passenger fender on through all of this. Check this out:



    When they made the convertibles, they riveted steel to the frame and floors to provide structural support. Evidently, they must have thought these were throw away cars - they riveted the supports to the bottom of the fenders! You would think, OK, no big deal, just drill out the rivets. Well, drilling out the rivets only gets you 1/4th of the way there! Can you see how the riveted steel support goes up over the fender? Now, how the heck are you supposed to get to the 2 fender bolts in there to remove the fender? LOL!!!

    The drivers side fender was removed at some time in the past, and they did a good job of cutting out just enough of the support to get to the bolts. So I was able to get that one off. Here's a pic of the drivers side support cutout:



    I guess I'll be spraying the car with that fender on it when I get around to doing the body of the car, because I'm sure as heck not going to go through all that trouble to get the fender off! I can work around it...LOL!

    Jon
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  14. #14
    turbo addict Pat's Avatar
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Looks good to me! What kind of paint did you use?

  15. #15
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor 2.216VTurbo's Avatar
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    I have no reason to doubt your timing claims JB but how did you get all that work done in 27 hours One fast body guy Bro. What did you do with the A pillars and drip rail rot you showed us, is that to be dealt with next? Rain showers or not, it looks great in the pics

    AJ (no More Alan) 84 Rampage RT TIII/568 Quaife 87 GLHS dealer optioned Red 16V Masi/568/Quaife
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  16. #16
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Quote Originally Posted by Pat View Post
    Looks good to me! What kind of paint did you use?
    Same paint that's on the van

    It's a lower line (SW Dimension), but it sprays decent and the clear is pretty darn durable once it hardens!

  17. #17
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Quote Originally Posted by 2.216VTurbo View Post
    I have no reason to doubt your timing claims JB but how did you get all that work done in 27 hours One fast body guy Bro. What did you do with the A pillars and drip rail rot you showed us, is that to be dealt with next? Rain showers or not, it looks great in the pics
    All that rot was fixed weeks ago. Check the pics in post from June 10. And the latest photo shows the painted A pillar. Late night beer drinking at SDAC causing you to miss the obvious? LOL!

    The second time around was about 15 hours was stripping the mess off and only about 10 hours of prep and primer. Definitely way less time spent on it than the first time around where I put about 20 hours into prep and primer AND I was working with a fairly decent factory finish. So yes, the results this second time around are definitely not as nice. Oh well!!!

    I'll post up some pics later tonight of what rain on freshly sprayed clear coat looks like. I debated on leaving it as is, but I guess I wasn't in the mood of starting a new paint trend...LOL!

    Jon

  18. #18
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Quote Originally Posted by wheming View Post
    Jonny, that's going to be one awesome little ride when you are done. And you are doing a great thing by saving what many might consider a throw-away and making it destined for greatness!
    I was just reading through the thread and getting ready to post more pics, and caught the fact that you said "throw-away". Too funny that I used that same phrase when I posted about the fenders. Saw Mean Mini make the quick 8 today - good job!

    Here's the pics of what the rain did to the fresh paint the first time around. The prep work for that first time was much easier (clean and scuff factory paint, fill some divets/nicks and then prime/sand), but I spent more time on it and I was really happy with it. The second time around, not so much. I spent more time stripping the paint off than doing the actual finishing work and the results aren't nearly as good. In case you can't tell, this almost broke me and granted Alan's rebar wish...LOL!

    OK - now for the pics of rain destruction! First pic - rain spots in battery area and chips of paint on frame rail from collapsed canopy frame.


    I'm not planning on painting the body until after I get it running and driving, but there was some rot on drivers rocker. So I patched that up and blended some paint in and then cleared the whole rocker, but alas, it was turned into psychedelic bubble fun. LOL!


    And the best for last! Here's what happens when a cheapo cabana crashes into a freshly painted and rained on clear coat. Ain't she perdi?


    That will be the last time I try to do any major spraying outside. Time to sell some cars, or build another garage!

    Jon
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  19. #19
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Finished grinding/sanding the underside of the car today. Hoping to have it all sealed up by this weekend so I can start putting everything back together. I already have all new brake and fuel lines, new fuel tank/walboro pump/hanger assembly, new koni's and the spirit r/t rear suspension ready to go in! The goal is to have it back on 4 wheels and get the new windshield installed by next weekend.

    Jon

  20. #20
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    Re: 91 Shadow R/T Convertible

    Got the underside of the car all sealed up and took a nice long weekend off and enjoyed the Independence holiday. This week I've made decent progress, but as always, it's going slower than I'd hoped.

    I installed all new brake and fuel lines, the new fuel tank/fuel pump assembly, and the Spirit R/T rear end this week. I had redone all the brakes and suspension on the Spirit R/T only a few months/thousand miles before it had the oil pump failure, so I thought it would just go in without much work. Nope! The pads had disintegrated in storage and the new rotors looked rough as well. So I pulled them off to replace them and of course the ebrake shoes fell apart too. LOL!

    I'm hoping to finish up the brakes tonight. Then the rear of the car will be all buttoned up and I'll start to work my way forward (install ebrake cables, heat shields, hang the exhaust and then install the front kframe assembly). I'll upload some pics of the progress tonight.

    Jon

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