73 Road Race Cuda

[AU6pack]

You've done most of the hard stuff, can't wait to see it running

X 2 

[70chall440]

X 2 

I agree, I need to get it together if no other reason than to give all of these parts a home  Ive got parts on top of parts... Need to have a big yard sale afterward... LOL or buy another Ebody... 

[70chall440]

Started actually working on the Cuda finally  Since EVERYTHING has to get done, it took me a little time to decide what to do. One thing that has been bothering me for a long time is one of the rear window regulators was broken when I got the car. Fortunately all of the parts were present but I wasn't sure if it could be repaired; well yesterday I decided to investigate it and happily it could (as was) be repaired.

For anyone interested, what happens with these is that over time the rivets break and then the gear inside gets out of line with the regulator. I ended up taking the good side apart so I could see how it all worked. Once I figured out that the window shaft had come out of the circular part, fixing it was simple. The shaft is "swaged" into this piece by a machine during manufacturing but I am sure over time things loosen up and then if a rivet gives way all the force of trying to roll the window up or down is then transferred to the union between the shaft and circular piece.

The repair was 2 fold; reswage the corners of the square component of the shaft using a small chisel (to get some material to fold over) and then I tacked 2 sides with a TIG. Put it all back together, re-riveted both of them and they are done. Now I need to find some sticky grease to put in there; don't know what the factory used but whatever it is it has lasted 40+ years (more or less). 

[70chall440]

Next thing I decided to do was fix the damage I inflicted on the car when I was grinding a piece of metal that got away from me and skipped across the car... 

Had to do a little sanding and a little filling and then lay some paint on the area. I have learned (the hard way) that it is difficult if not impossible to try and paint just a small area without causing more pain and time in the end as you tend to burn through the surrounding area when trying to blend in the repair. Therefore I tend to paint a much larger area and then blend it all in; the edges tend to not require much work as the new paint is faded into it. Anyway, despite the small areas to be repaired, still take considerable time and effort to do. Ended up giving it 4 coats (probably more than needed) but this green is a bit translucent and pretty easy to sand through which results in white "spots" from the primer underneath. I will let it cure for a while until I wet sand and buff it.

[70chall440]

Next will be putting everything under the hood back in, then on to wiring, etc...

[redo1973]

Glad to hear things have worked out well for you. Looking forward to your next stages.  I'm in assembly but numerous little gremlins keep distracting me.  Looks like you figured out a solution for the four barrel large air cleaner?  I'm thinking of fabricating one.

[73440]

@70chall440
Saturday I put a long scratch in the rear quarter thru the billboard down to metal when backing into the garage too close to the bike.
What brand and color paint did you use, mine is same color. I could probably get by for now with black to match billboard but thinking of taking the billboard off.

[70chall440]

Glad to hear things have worked out well for you. Looking forward to your next stages.  I'm in assembly but numerous little gremlins keep distracting me.  Looks like you figured out a solution for the four barrel large air cleaner?  I'm thinking of fabricating one.

Right now I am using a A12 (lift off hood Roadrunner) 6 pack air cleaner fiberglass base. I would like a TA/AAR base but have too many other things to deal with at the moment. I am not sure anyone is still making fiberglass versions of the TA/AAR base.

[70chall440]

@70chall440
Saturday I put a long scratch in the rear quarter thru the billboard down to metal when backing into the garage too close to the bike.
What brand and color paint did you use, mine is same color. I could probably get by for now with black to match billboard but thinking of taking the billboard off.

I am using TC Global paint, I bought it online. I will admit up front that it is not the same as Mopar Sublime. Before I installed the engine, I had painted the engine compartment with some actual sublime I was given by a friend who ran a resto shop. When I painted the car I masked off the engine compartment believing I didn't need to paint it. When I unmasked it, the difference was very noticeable so I had to repaint the engine bay.

Evidentially there are many shades of lime green/sublime etc out there so getting a match may be an issue. When I was getting read to paint this car, I had ordered a gallon of "sublime" from Eastwood, then I realized I would need at least 2 gallons, however Eastwood discontinued the color and I was stuck with the one gallon (which I still have). I then went online and found the TC Global product and purchased it.

If you are going to remove the billboard and repair the quarter AND it is Mopar sublime, I would highly recommend you go to a automotive paint store and have them mix the right color (the color formula is online I believe but a good paint store will have the formula). You are going to need at least pint but probably safer to get a quart at least.

[73440]

Thanks, I have access to the paint codes ,, but agree with you that to match what is actually on the car and not knowing what it was paintd with, will need to have the actual paint matched.

With 5 manufacturors , color differences are possible , http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?color=Lime%20Light&tditzler=2128&rows=50

[70chall440]

I believe that some high end paint shops can scan or take a picture of a color and match it.

[70chall440]

Well like most things with this car, 1 step forward and 2 backward. While I was fixing the 3 dings in the quarter, I shot some paint into the back window channel or more accurately onto the narrow flat area just behind the back window because there was what looked like a scratch along it. Well no good intention goes unpunished... today while I was wet sanding the quarter I noticed what looked like a blemish, kind of like the paint had shrunk or something. Basically there was a somewhat circular line in the middle of the ductchman panel. After sanding it a while of course I burned through the paint so.... I had to sand the entire panel had to sanded and repainted. What I discovered was that when I painted the top of the panel, it was too thick and caused a shadow or a line. Anyway, I hope the painting is over...

[YellowThumper]

Sucks but someone has to finish these things.

I would tell you to stop looking so close at it. But I know you cannot...

[70chall440]

I must have felt your comments telepathically... I arrived at that conclusion today after buffing on it for about 4 hours and finding this dark line/area. This is the problem with sublime or translucent colors; the more you put on the darker they become. I have no idea how you blend a repair outside of painting an entire section. It was worse originally, but I wet sanded for along time with 1500 then 2000, then went to rubbing compound and then to polishing compound. I am a bit hesitant to try it again in fear of sanding through it or some place and requiring more painting (which I am very tired of). Unless someone can tell me how to overcome this, I am electing not to walk on that side of the car 

[Cazbah362]

So - generally knowing your (our) personality types, avoiding the passenger side will only last a few days.  Great car(s), and I enjoy your threads, I look forward to seeing the passenger side blend/repaint.