Dean N
Member
Hi, Folks. I’m Dean (obviously) and I have been away from Mopars for ~28 years, coincidently the exact age of my eldest offspring. I bought the ‘Cuda in October ’89, drove it for a year or so, then started working on it, then started really working on it, then somehow my wife got pregnant, then we decided to pack up and move, so all the work stopped. I began working on it again, but then noticed little bubbles popping up under the paint where a vinyl top once was. There was a repaint and color change by the previous owner. Work stopped again as I didn’t want to build a “rust bucket”.
The ‘Cuda has been stored in a state of disassembly since 1992, always covered but not always indoors. Sadly, I forget how it all came apart, so this is going to be challenging. I do have a set of Service Manuals, so that will help. I figure I need to do something with this car and get some enjoyment out of it before I die, so the time to do so has now come. FWIW, the initiative to do so was from watching many episodes of Roadkill Garage recently.
There is Good, Bad, and Ugly. In reverse order:
UGLY: The body is straight enough, but that is mostly thanks to liberally applied body filler before the repaint. The trunk is rotted out, as I recall, and patched with fiberglass. As to those bubbles popping up under the paint where the vinyl top was, they are now popping up everywhere, and I can not afford to have it properly tended to. Definitely a 30’ car, viewing it from 50’ is even better. I am not going to do anything about it at this time.
BAD: I removed lots of stuff… LOTS. The engine compartment is basically bare except for a rusty “new” master cylinder mounted to a spotless booster with what appears to be new gaskets/seals. No brake or fuel lines or hoses. Calipers are sealed, just externally rusty. Forget the status of the rear brakes. There is nothing on or in the dash except the new in 1992 dash pad. There is virtually no wiring in the car. The instrument cluster was redone to facilitate a compliment of Autometer gauges.
GOOD: Most of that stuff I removed is in boxes, and I had purchased a lot of little restoration parts before packing it in. The instrument cluster was redone to facilitate a compliment of Autometer gauges. (Listed in both the BAD and GOOD categories, choose your position on it. ) The 340+0.040 engine is freshly rebuilt (well, fresh in 1992) by Dick Landy Industries and has been stored indoors since built. As I recall Robert, dick’s son, used later model swirl port heads to massage. I will check the casting numbers. It is complete pan to air filter, though after 30 years of sitting compressed, I will put in a new set of valve springs, and I will check the pliability of the seals. The 727 was done by A-1 Transmission back in the Marv Ripes days, at the suggestion of Dick. The front and rear seals on it look fine, though I will have to consider the 10” 3400 converter that I bought from A-1. That might be fine for 1/4s, but I just want a driver, so I am considering a 2000 or 2400 to go with the 3.55’s. It was built with a mild cam to run on pump gas and most likely pass smog, so I don’t think a 3400 is necessary, but I would like some input on that from those with experience. The interior parts are in very good shape.
GOAL: Put it together as “cost effectively” as possible and just drive it. I will let the subsequent owner decided what to do with the body. I will run the carb setup to begin with (tuning carbs will come back to me, I hope), but when funds allow I prefer fuel injection.
Thanks all, in advance, for your future help.
Dean
The ‘Cuda has been stored in a state of disassembly since 1992, always covered but not always indoors. Sadly, I forget how it all came apart, so this is going to be challenging. I do have a set of Service Manuals, so that will help. I figure I need to do something with this car and get some enjoyment out of it before I die, so the time to do so has now come. FWIW, the initiative to do so was from watching many episodes of Roadkill Garage recently.
There is Good, Bad, and Ugly. In reverse order:UGLY: The body is straight enough, but that is mostly thanks to liberally applied body filler before the repaint. The trunk is rotted out, as I recall, and patched with fiberglass. As to those bubbles popping up under the paint where the vinyl top was, they are now popping up everywhere, and I can not afford to have it properly tended to. Definitely a 30’ car, viewing it from 50’ is even better. I am not going to do anything about it at this time.
BAD: I removed lots of stuff… LOTS. The engine compartment is basically bare except for a rusty “new” master cylinder mounted to a spotless booster with what appears to be new gaskets/seals. No brake or fuel lines or hoses. Calipers are sealed, just externally rusty. Forget the status of the rear brakes. There is nothing on or in the dash except the new in 1992 dash pad. There is virtually no wiring in the car. The instrument cluster was redone to facilitate a compliment of Autometer gauges.
GOOD: Most of that stuff I removed is in boxes, and I had purchased a lot of little restoration parts before packing it in. The instrument cluster was redone to facilitate a compliment of Autometer gauges. (Listed in both the BAD and GOOD categories, choose your position on it.
) The 340+0.040 engine is freshly rebuilt (well, fresh in 1992) by Dick Landy Industries and has been stored indoors since built. As I recall Robert, dick’s son, used later model swirl port heads to massage. I will check the casting numbers. It is complete pan to air filter, though after 30 years of sitting compressed, I will put in a new set of valve springs, and I will check the pliability of the seals. The 727 was done by A-1 Transmission back in the Marv Ripes days, at the suggestion of Dick. The front and rear seals on it look fine, though I will have to consider the 10” 3400 converter that I bought from A-1. That might be fine for 1/4s, but I just want a driver, so I am considering a 2000 or 2400 to go with the 3.55’s. It was built with a mild cam to run on pump gas and most likely pass smog, so I don’t think a 3400 is necessary, but I would like some input on that from those with experience. The interior parts are in very good shape.GOAL: Put it together as “cost effectively” as possible and just drive it. I will let the subsequent owner decided what to do with the body. I will run the carb setup to begin with (tuning carbs will come back to me, I hope), but when funds allow I prefer fuel injection.
Thanks all, in advance, for your future help.
Dean
to FEBO from New Jersey
