Author Topic: 74 Cuda Resurection..Finshed...  (Read 6660 times)

Offline CUDA JAS

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74 Cuda Resurection..Finshed...
« on: February 19, 2008 - 11:26:56 PM »
Well, this really isn't a restoration thread, but more of a resurection thread.

I bought my 74 cuda in 1991 and fixed it up with my dad over the next few years.  I drove it daily for the fall of 92 and summer of 93.  My dad and I hit the local shows (won a lot) and had a great time.  Dad and I did everything on the car ourselves except the front end work.

I rebuilt the motor my self in highschool shop class (360 with a eddy torker cam and intake, holly 750 vac sec, but other than that basically stock, even the bore).

In the fall of 93, the car came of the road for some engine work (spun a bearing) and life happened.  Fast forward to many years and the car has sat in storage for too long. I now have a wife and 2 kids and a car that needs a lot of work, and a garage to do it all in.

I just ordered all of the parts I need to makie the car road worthy again.  The goal is to have it on the road for my 34th birthday (May 20).

Here are a couple pics.  The car is not as good as the pics look and is in need of a body and pint job, but that wont come untill next year at the earliest.

My to do list is as follow:

rebuild the engine harness (all the wires are fubar);
MAD alt gauge bypass;
new master cylider;
new brake flex hoses
new wheel cylinders
rebuild calipers;
new fuel tank and sender;
replace tranny mount;
new carpet and underpading (old house carpet in there now); and
replace drivers floor.

CRAP I have a lot to do.

There are a few other odds and ends, but not big things.

I also have a few non essential things that i am working on, rally guages, painting/fixign interior panels etc.

So with any luck, a lot of time and a little patience, I should meet my goal and the family and I will be cruseing all summer long.

I will try to keep future posts a little shorter.
 
« Last Edit: August 12, 2008 - 11:26:06 AM by CUDA JAS »
74 'cuda 360/727



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Offline Topcat

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2008 - 11:48:07 PM »
Have fun on your resto journey.  :2thumbs:

Mike, Fremont, CA.


Offline 4Cruizn

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2008 - 01:01:17 AM »
I like the flare of that car!!  Cool!   :smokin:

Offline Topcat

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2008 - 01:09:30 AM »
Is that a chevy wheel on the front?
Mike, Fremont, CA.


Offline hezzel

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2008 - 06:02:14 AM »
Good luck in your small resto and hope you will drive it this summer  :2thumbs:
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Offline hemiken

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2008 - 06:45:31 AM »
 :clapping: You will have to keep your post shorter if you are going to have this done by May 20 buddy, good luck..................... :woohoo:
1970 Barracuda   (O^--^===|===^--^O)
1971 Barracuda   (O O {]{]{]|[}[}[} O O)
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Offline IMNCARN82

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2008 - 08:01:36 AM »
Won't take long...The closer it gets,the faster it goes. ;D  WELCOME to the resto. section. Nice looking project! My little upgrade needs to be done for my B-day...may 31 st.  I'm on a mission. Good Luck!! Keep us posted! Lots of great info. around here. :wave:
'73 340 5 speed,RMS,BAER,... "Supercuda" (O[   ]||||[   ]O)  
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Offline ViperMan

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2008 - 01:14:14 PM »
I gotta say, I like the paint.  Not crazy about pink and purple, but I really like the style of it.  The only thing that seems odd is the blue "stripe" seems like it's too low - below the seam of the pink and purple...  It seems like it should lay over top of that seem to make it a smooth transition.  But a good wet sanding and a fresh coat of clear - that would look sizzling!!

 :ylsuper:

Jeff
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Offline CUDA JAS

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2008 - 08:09:45 PM »
Thanks guys.  The paint is definatley dated, but I still love the looks of it.  I wish the car were as in good of shape as it looks.  In reality it needs a lot of body work.  But I will clean the paint up and drive it as is for now.

We purposely pu thte stripe (which is paint by the way) lower than the color break, wanted to give the illusion of a second stripe (hey it made sense in 93!)

Yes its a chevy wheel. I do have matching torque thrusts for the front.

Here are a fes pics of the crap I hope to work on this weekend.

74 'cuda 360/727



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Offline 74 340 4speed

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2008 - 12:53:57 PM »
My engine wiring harness looked like that when I started.  Replace all of that wiring with new stuff.  You'll be suprised how many problems new wiring will solve for you! :thumbsup:  I got mine from evans wiring. http://evanswiring.tripod.com/
Andy
1967 Camaro SS: 406 sbc 505 hp/506 ft lbs|4 speed|Posi|3.73s
1969 C/10  350|Turbo 350
1969 Dodge D300 318|4 speed|Dana|4.88s
1972Nova: 350|Turbo 350
1974 'Cuda: 340|4 speed|Dana 60|4.10s|posi
1999 Camaro SS: Auto|Longtube Headers|True Duals|TT2s
2013 Challenger R/T: 6 speed|Hurst with pistol grip|mopar performance exhaust|super track pak

Offline LAA66

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2008 - 01:23:16 PM »
 Looks like typical 30+ year old Chrysler wiring. :22yikes:

 How does the MAD by-pass you plan to use for the amp gauge work? I simply ran the heavy gauge wire from the alt to the starter relay. The amp gauge doesnt function right but it's safer for now. Also rewired the engine harness by soldering new color coded wires to the bulkhead connector. Not exactly pretty but it works well. I plan to buy all new just for good measure.

 Good luck with getting her back on the road again. :thumbsup:

Offline CUDA JAS

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2008 - 10:34:19 PM »
My engine wiring harness looked like that when I started.  Replace all of that wiring with new stuff.  You'll be suprised how many problems new wiring will solve for you! :thumbsup:  I got mine from evans wiring. http://evanswiring.tripod.com/


That is my plan, as much new wire as possible.  Most of the wires on the mopar specific plugs (distributer ECM etc.) are good and I will splice into them.  I am just using wire from MAD electrical for the harnes (not worried about correctness).


Here is a link to all the info on the MAD amp guage bypass.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

Jas

74 'cuda 360/727



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Offline CUDA JAS

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2008 - 01:57:21 PM »
Ok...weekend number 1 was a sucsess...sort of.

I managed to go and pick up all of the parts I ordered (i have them shipped to the US and go pick them up to save on shipping etc).  About a 3 hour round trip. Made it back in time to watch my daughters hockey game too!!

I spent a few hours working on the wiring harness.  I ran most of the wires and crimped them. Had to redo abunch cause I am stupid!  But I enjoyed doing it.

Still have a few to do this weekend, and them solder them all together and see if it will fire up!!

Will update with pics of the new harness on the weekend!
74 'cuda 360/727



Gearhead: car nut, automotive enthusiast, one who loves hot rods, muscle cars, hot trucks, burnin' rubber and neck snapping performance. 

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Offline MEK-Dangerfield

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2008 - 05:37:50 PM »
Sounds good!!   :jumping:  :jumping:  :jumping:

Mike

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Offline CUDA JAS

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Re: The Long Awaited Journey Begins
« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2008 - 08:57:12 PM »
OK, got the wiring harness and Amp guage bypass finished and installed last weekend, and no fire.  So, I spent the rest of the day traceing everything and tryign to figure it out.

So, a quick coil change (back to the huge) Accel super coil and wow, spark!!! So threw the plug back in and the car has never fired up that quick before!!!!!  Of course now I have to lengthen some of the coil wires because I was using a coil in the stock location.

Now on to the next project!!!
« Last Edit: April 14, 2008 - 09:57:22 PM by CUDA JAS »
74 'cuda 360/727



Gearhead: car nut, automotive enthusiast, one who loves hot rods, muscle cars, hot trucks, burnin' rubber and neck snapping performance. 

Just call me a gearhead!