Just outside Louisville, KY. I keep meticulous records of the cars I restore-here is this one's. (Part 1)
We bought the 1970 AAR Cuda from Ft Myers Florida as a numbers matching restored CUDA. The engine pad matches the VIN, dash VIN, and fender tags. There was no build sheet and when we removed the rear seat there was no build sheet. We have pictures of the entire tear down and repaint of the CUDA. The car appears to have been professionally restored by a top shop, completed at the top of the price market in late 2007 and then neglected mechanically for many years until we bought it. Luckily the car was stored inside so that physically it was still excellent when we received it, and we have repaired all of the issues with NOS Mopar parts.
Keys, locks, handles & ignition switch
When we received the car the driver door would not lock, the trunk did not close correctly and none of the keys matched. We purchased new OEM Chrysler lock cylinders and replaced the trunk, glove & console locks with key matched units while adjusting the trunk lock to properly close. We then replaced both door cylinders and found the lock to mechanism rod on the driver door was broken, which we replaced with a new OEM rod. We then replaced the ignition key cylinder so that doors and ignition keys all matched and finally purchased new Chrysler key blanks and had the keys matched as original in 1970. Now one key fits the trunk and glove box and console, and 1 separate key fits the doors and ignition, as originally made. Replaced turn signal switch and ignition switch while apart. We did not retain old parts. We replaced the console lid with NOS and repaired the non-functioning latch mechanism on the console lid (It had been installed backwards).
Hoses and belts
When we received the car the hoses were not MOPAR hoses, used incorrect worm clamps and the after-market water pump leaked. We found a rebuilt OEM Mopar date correct water pump and replaced it and the bypass hose, replacing all worm clamps with correct Chrysler clamps. We also removed & flushed the radiator and installed new antifreeze. We did not retain old parts.
Wheels and tires
When we received the car it had incorrect rear wheels and new Goodrich Radial T/A’s. We purchased 2 correct rear wheels and 4 new Goodyear Polyglas GT tires and another set of original wheels. We have retained all old wheel and tire sets and trim rings.
Neutral Start
When we purchased the car the back-up lights did not work, the switch leaked and the car was inconsistent on starting. We found an incorrect neutral start switch and replaced with OEM, and found a multiply spliced and bypassed neutral start wiring harness so we replaced the wiring harness with new OEM neutral start wiring harness and found the bulb in the console shifter was both missing and the wiring not hooked up, We replaced the bulb with a new LED bulb and attached the wiring to the harness. We did not retain the old parts. Everything now functions correctly.
Fog lamps
When we purchased the cars the fog lamps had incorrect and multiply spliced wiring. We purchased new OEM wiring harness for the fog lamps, removed and cleaned the lamps and installed a new wiring harness and a new NOS fog lamp relay. Everything now functions correctly.
Radio Antenna
When we purchased the car the radio antenna was loose in the right rear fender. We found that the special AAR antenna mounting bracket was missing and installed a new OEM mount bracket.
Radio
When we purchased the car it had a missing dash speaker, non-functional rear package tray speakers and a non-functional 1972 AM/FM radio. The car was originally delivered with an AM Music Master radio. We found a date-correct AM radio on EBay, purchased it and then sent it to Ward’s Classic car repair in Alabama for rebuilding. We then also sent out the incorrect 1972 AM/FM radio to Ward’s and also had it rebuilt. We installed new rear package tray speakers but were unable to install a new dash speaker because it requires dash pad removal. We decided to re-install the rebuilt AM/FM radio and have not installed the newly rebuilt correct AM Music Master, but have kept it on the shelf. We did not retain any old after-market parts except the refurbished correct AM radio.
Dash Wiring harness and gauges
When we purchased the car it had a rally dash with mostly non-functional gauges and a rat’s nest of wiring with multiple splices, non-functional wipers, incorrect plugs, loose wires and bad connections. We removed the existing rally dash and sent it to Performance Car Graphics in Florida for rebuild. We also ordered a new dash wiring harness for a rally dash. At that point we determined that the car was not originally built with a rally dash, but rather with a non-rally dash. We decided to stick with the rally dash and if we ever sold the car to provide this information to the purchaser. When we received the rebuilt rally dash back we installed all new LED dash lights and light bar LED lights, the new wiring harness, a new speedometer cable to fix the old damaged one, a new fog lamp relay, a new key-in buzzer, and a new parking brake switch to replace the old broken one. We had PCG rebuild the headlight switch, wiper switch and dash dimmer, rebuild all gauges and speedometer, and replace the clock with a quartz clock and new adjusting knobs. The car still has a light bar for a non-rally dash (3 bulbs) while we are trying to obtain a light bar for a rally dash (4 bulbs) but they are a 1 year only product and difficult to find.
When we installed the new dash and switches we found that the rally dash wiring harness did not plug in correctly to the wiper switch. At this point we determined that rally dash cars had a variable speed wiper motor and 3 speed switch, but that non-rally dashes had a 2 speed motor and switch and a manual foot-pump headlight washer. Because this Cuda was originally a standard dash, 2-speed wiper system the rally dash 3-speed harness, switch and motor would not work. Since we were going with the rally dash and new wiring we decided not to splice the new harness, so we ordered a new OEM 3 speed switch and a new NOS variable speed motor, arm and attachment as well as an electric washer pump, bottle, hoses and nozzle sprayers. We have retained all old parts. Thus what was originally a non-rally dash with AM radio and 2 speed wiper with manual foot pump has been converted with correct wiring and gauges & switches to a rally dash, AM/FM radio and variable speed wiper system with an electric washer. We do not have a non-rally dash cluster as it did not come with the car when we bought it.
The horn had been non-functional since purchase. Replacing the interior wiring harness at least got power to the firewall and proved the relay worked. We then went to the engine side-no broken wires, but 1 of 2 horns were inoperative, and the 45 year old wire would not carry a load and was frayed from heat on the inside of the wiring we presume. Using the old connector ends we replaced about 8’ of wire, re-wrapped the wiring harness and attached 2 nos matching horns to solve the horn issue. We did not retain old wiring! The horns now both correctly function.