71 Cuda I've been working on

[rUNCHARGER]

This is an original 71 340 Cuda I've been working on. A friend who originally redid the car bought it back about 4 years ago. After trying to get the 340 to run (I never worked on the small block) he ordered an aluminum 572 and had me install it last year. This year he decided to upgrade a few things so he had me install an OD 4 speed (sadly the original automatic floor was absolutely mint but it's not my car), dual disc clutch, 1350 driveshaft, aluminum Dana 60, Wilwood 4 wheel discs and fuel injection. I spent hours tweaking the TTI headers so they don't hit (like in about 15 places, no kidding!), I had to cut off the perches on the aluminum Dana 60 built in Florida as they were tigged in the wrong spot, Trans guy sent the wrong clutch, finally sent the clutch fork a week ago and never did send the 3-4 rod (my friend paid for the differential and trans setup in January). It's been ugly and I'm tired of working on it but I should be firing it up early next week I hope.

Sheldon

[dodj]

That's a lot of nice parts!

[70chall440]

very nice. Looks like it will be a beast.

[rUNCHARGER]

Yes, it was nasty last year with the automatic and carbs. Personally I think it will be very hard to drive with the stick and I would have built a better automatic and convertor for it but this is an easy way to get overdrive I suppose.
I started it up today and I have to say I will never buy another carb ever. This FITech was a breeze to install and do the initial program. It is self learning very fast and is so much crisper than the carbs it's unreal. I just have to build a 3-4 shift rod as the one from Passon hasn't arrived and we'll be driving the car tomorrow.

Sheldon

[brads70]

VERY nice!    I'm curious as to longevity of the aluminum Dana. 

http://baxtekmoto.com/?product=test5

[rUNCHARGER]

He: I'm curious about the longevity of everything. Greg could break a tank. Also I've just about begged him to put subframe connectors in the car but he doesn't think he needs them until he runs a set of slicks. Not my call I guess.
I just have to hook up the fuel vent and cut up the shaker to drop it 1/2" tomorrow and I'm done. Makes me happy as 71 Cuda's are not my favorite car and this has drug out this time. I ended up welding up my own 3-4 shift rod today as we want to drive it, not wait for parts.

Sheldon

[Chryco Psycho]

 

[70chall440]

Most definitely going to need subframe connectors.

[anlauto]

Shame a guy is doing that to an original 340 71 Cuda

[rUNCHARGER]

Well: It is and it isn't. How many guys drive their precious original 340 Cuda's every day they can in the good to fairly good weather? Greg doesn't store the car away and not even bring it out to Mopar shows like so many guys do. He drives it as much as he can and truly enjoys it.
I know what you mean though Alan and I wouldn't do it if I owned it but I do applaud him for using and enjoying it all the time. That's why it got the injection, OD 4 speed and better brakes, so it is more enjoyable to drive and gets more distance to a tank of fuel on the 3 hour trip to Vancouver or the 5 hour trip to Seattle, if you see this car on a trailer you know he broke something.
The way Greg looks at it, it wasn't original, he restored it about 15 years ago in the 340 configuration and it was boring as heck to drive. So if he changes his mind he can pull the stuff out and restore it back to original configuration again.
I waited to the last minute to cut into the original passenger compartment floor though, the trunk floor was a two piece and quite detectable so I had no trouble cutting it up.

Sheldon

[gyman98]

Any tips for the dual FiTech injection?  I ordered my kit (30061) on Thursday and plan on using their sump kit too

[rUNCHARGER]

Not really: It is so simple it's crazy. Just follow the super uncomplicated instructions and plug everything in. We had trouble getting it to idle but ended up adding some initial advance (it idled sort of okay before with the carbs though) and that was sorted out. The camshaft has 106 lobe centres and 110 would be better with the injection but it's working pretty good. We'll dyno it shortly and are hoping for more than what it had with the carbs.
Honestly, I'm done with carbs unless it's the correct # on a concours car. If I buy another car that I'm going to drive at all, I'll inject it. This new pump fuel is just not carb friendly anymore and if you like driving them more than wrenching them injection is it.

Sheldon

[1 Wild R/T]

Any reason you didn't just bolt in a Tanks Inc efi tank?  No cutting of the floor, just bolt in a new tank...

gyman98 you should read more about the  FiTech Command Center before you lock into that direction...Sure it's easy but I've read of to many issues with it, the FiTech injection gets great reviews, the Command Center not so much... The Tanks Inc tank with the pump & sending unit can be had for $100 more...

[rUNCHARGER]

Greg looked into the bolt-in tank and figured the fuel pump wasn't big enough for our setup. I also could have spaced the tank down a bit and the lines and wires would have been tight up there but we figured we wanted it accessible from the top without having to drop the tank to hook up the lines etc. The in tank pump is the way to go. With the carbs we got tired of hearing the electric pump whir away. We don't hear the in tank pump at all with the engine running and the pump runs cooler. The fuel command center might be alright but the cost is close enough to an in tank pump that I would just do it the way the factories do it in 2016.
One thing I'm not crazy about is because of the shape of the Cuda gas tank we put the pump in the front. the pump has a tray that keeps the fuel around the pump and pickup but I still would have liked to have built a sump at the back so the bottom of the tank was level from front to back and installed the pump in the rear. He'll probably want to take gas cans to the track and make sure it has a full tank before every run when he gets sticky tires on it.

Sheldon

[gyman98]

Thanks 1 wild r/t. I'll do some more reading,  I hadn't heard anything bad about the command Center before