1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration

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Offline 76orangewagon

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1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« on: October 20, 2016 - 07:16:56 PM »
                                                                           

                                                                        71 N96 Cuda’ build


 
      Welcome to my build thread this car is a 1971 340 Cuda that left the factory with a 4 speed, Shaker hood, EV2 Tor-red paint and Billboard stripe. Although it look nice on the top side (that’s a $400 Maaco paint job from 1990) it needs some real attention underneath. The floor and trunk pans are very solid (It was a factory undercoated car) but both front frame rails have rusted through spots and the left rear frame has been patched and will need replaced. After taking inventory of the car and doing some research with the help of a few members from this site, there are lots of little things that need changed or added back on but I will take some liberties and leave some of the incorrect parts on for sentimental reasons. 
      Here’s a quick background on this car, I purchased this car in the spring of 1990 after regrettably getting out of the Air Force. When I found the car it was wearing a fresh paint job with 1970 fenders and was missing the billboard stripe,  it was set up as a street racer with a hopped up 1968 383 and a 4.56 gear. I sold the motor and traded the fenders for a set of correct 1971 fenders, built a late coded 1970 340 motor, spent $400 on a Maaco paint job as mentioned earlier, put the Billboard stripe back on, added a Rallye dash and 71’ style Gull wing. The 15” x 7” rallye wheels, 3.55 suregrip, LD340 intake, exhaust manifolds and tail panel trim were all removed from an AAR Cuda parts car that I found while stationed in Florida and that my dad ended up buying and then traded me for my 1968 Road Runner. I sold the 1971 Cuda’ after about a year or so due to financial reasons and immediately regretted it although I knew it was the best choice at the time. After about 8 years (1999) I tracked down the guy I sold it to and said if you ever want to sell it let me know, throughout the years since then I would stop to see if he still had the car and show him I was still interested. Fast forward to this year...the day after this year’s Mopar Nationals to be exact(Monday, August 15th) and I get the call I’ve wanted but never really thought I’d get. After this year’s show he said he really has lost interest in the car and that he’s never going do anything with it and if I was still interested in buying it. Here’s the cool part, the car has sat for almost 26 years with only 457 put on the odometer since I sold it. The car is exactly the same as when I sold it with the exception of a clutch, master cylinder, gas tank and carburetor change.
       I will eventually do a complete teardown and rotisserie restoration and put the Cuda back close to original, but for now I just want to drive it for a season. I first have to fix some transmissions issues created by the previous owner, I have a rebuilt 1971 833 transmission built by Passon performance to replace the 1968 transmission that’s in it now and a correct Hurst rebuilt shifter mechanism, I noticed the wrong length clutch pivot fork (too Long) was installed and as a result the driver’s side head pipe is half hammered shut to try to make it work correctly (which, it does not). The wiring is a total mess, half the wires to the headlights and road lamps have been cut so new M& H wiring harnesses are on order as well. I just had the hood hinges rebuilt by Rick @ Restorick. I also plan on removing several brackets and small parts over the winter to have Stephan at S.F. Restoration restore them. I would love to totally dismantle the Cuda immediately but I just finished an expensive and extensive 6 year build and promised the wife I would give it some time before I jumped back in. My wife likes to remind me that the last build was the reason she didn't get to go on a few family vacations. So with that promise made I will hold off on a full blown restoration but I don’t think I said I wouldn’t but some parts here and there.   




Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2016 - 07:22:29 PM »
Here's a few more...The bottom 3 pictures are from 26 years ago when I owned it the first time.

Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2016 - 04:00:58 PM »
Looks like someone added 1968-69 B body HD leaf springs (2539795 & 2539965) back in the day. So it looks like I will on the hunt for the correct 044 springs and swap them out instead of simply rebuilding these. I found a few more little surprises underneath. Definitely will be adding a right side trunk extension since the lower half is totally missing!!!! WTF. In the third picture you can see the side marker housing showing from the bottom (circled).
« Last Edit: October 30, 2016 - 04:18:36 PM by 76orangewagon »

Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2016 - 04:13:17 PM »
On a positive note my correct type 1971 transmission rebuilt by Passon Performance showed up and after an order to Brewers for all new everything else (shifter rods, linkage, clutch fork, ect...).Hopefully next week it will all be back together and drivable until the big teardown.

Offline anlauto

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2016 - 04:27:39 PM »
So pretty on the outside, but a real mess underneath, I just restored a 1971 440+6 Cuda like that.....What a shame on how these things were fixed back in the day. :'(
I've taught you everything you know.....but I haven't taught you everything I know !
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Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2016 - 04:40:38 PM »
So pretty on the outside, but a real mess underneath, I just restored a 1971 440+6 Cuda like that.....What a shame on how these things were fixed back in the day. :'(

I was aware of some of the issues from when I owned it 26 years ago but I didn't know there was this much. Not really a big deal in regards to repairing it although I'm anxious to see what's really under the frame bracing. Hopefully its salvageable instead of replacing the entire rail, 3 out of 4 have patches.   

Offline anlauto

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2016 - 04:53:41 PM »
It's been said several times before....The car is worth a proper full ground up restoration, but it would be one of passion, because once you get it stripped apart...they don't get any better. That car should be 100% stripped apart and blasted, or just left as is and enjoyed.....no in between as I see it.
I've taught you everything you know.....but I haven't taught you everything I know !
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Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2016 - 07:39:04 PM »
It's been said several times before....The car is worth a proper full ground up restoration, but it would be one of passion, because once you get it stripped apart...they don't get any better. That car should be 100% stripped apart and blasted, or just left as is and enjoyed.....no in between as I see it.

Trust me that is the plan I'm not going to remove the band aids before I totally tear it down. I want to get the transmission fixed and enjoy it next year before the tear down then I'll take a peak under the angle iron so it can be blasted clean for the evaluation and repair. Through some research I going to assume that Detroit Eaton Spring is my best bet for replacement springs since there wrong, weak and being helped out by air shocks which need to go bye-bye.

Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2016 - 08:07:33 PM »
A few missing key components showed up today from Dave Wise at MMC Detroit.

Offline Challenger in NC

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2016 - 08:08:26 AM »
On a positive note my correct type 1971 transmission rebuilt by Passon Performance showed up and after an order to Brewers for all new everything else (shifter rods, linkage, clutch fork, ect...).Hopefully next week it will all be back together and drivable until the big teardown.


Stunning car with some cool options. You must be so glad that you were able to repurchase the car.

That's quite the shipping container Passon is using to package their transmissions, must be something new. Mine came in a wooden crate last year. Was Passon not able to get you all the parts for the transmission that you needed so you went with Brewers?

Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2016 - 07:21:40 PM »

Stunning car with some cool options. You must be so glad that you were able to repurchase the car.

That's quite the shipping container Passon is using to package their transmissions, must be something new. Mine came in a wooden crate last year. Was Passon not able to get you all the parts for the transmission that you needed so you went with Brewers?

There is a $70 crate charge I get back when I return the shipping container, It's pretty neat for storage. I never asked Jamie if he could supply all the parts, I'm sure he could have but never asked.

Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2016 - 07:58:10 PM »
I just thought that I would post some pictures of my Emergency brake pedal I had Rod @ SMS Restoration restore. I   received it back in about a week and it looks awesome!!!  I also got the new Transmission installed and everything works perfect with all new linkage. Here are some before and after pictures. Enjoy

« Last Edit: December 09, 2016 - 08:03:53 PM by 76orangewagon »

Offline 76orangewagon

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Re: 1971 N96 340 Cuda' Restoration
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2017 - 04:50:32 PM »
So I'm fixing some problem issues in the car so it is safe to drive this summer before I totally strip it and give a full rotisserie restoration, and found some part numbers and tags I thought I would post in case there of interest to anyone looking for little details. First is part number 3442638 found on the back side of the passenger side headlight bracket looks like it also had a Red Oxide primer. The second was on the upper part of back seat, funny thing is I had that  seat in and out several times 27 years ago when I  first owned the car it and never noticed it. it was sewn to the fabric, once I removed it and taped it all together I reinstalled it for now (till the restoration) along with a copy of the broadcast sheet,  I will try to have it remade and sewn back in properly when I have the seats redone. FYI...I had the seat out to run a new wiring harness to the rear, just like all the front so everything works properly. Enjoy 
« Last Edit: February 17, 2017 - 05:03:26 PM by 76orangewagon »