440 Build Starts Today!

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Lookin' good!

[RDF]

Thanks Mike...finally got some time to work on it again and it feels good!

How are things with you?  Still got your jeep (I'm assuming you didn't get rid of the 'Cuda)?  I saw some youtube vids that you posted a while back with your jeep....looked like fun for sure!  What happened to your website?

[GoodysGotaCuda]

How are things with you?  Still got your jeep (I'm assuming you didn't get rid of the 'Cuda)?  I saw some youtube vids that you posted a while back with your jeep....looked like fun for sure!  What happened to your website?

Everything is great! Still in Texas, I have the Jeep and 'Cuda still. I'll be done with my Mechanical Engineering degree in Spring of 14...so there is light at the end of the tunnel on that front. The website I took down about two years ago, just ended up making a the same tech info into threads on the forum.

[RDF]

It's been 3 weeks since he's had my car and all is going well with it.  He's been sending me pix every week, so here's a few of the progress:

[RDF]

Got the car back over the xmas break...took him a little longer than anticipated but he got busy with his full-time job and could only work on my car on nights and weekends for a while.  Overall the car looks great, IMO.  A couple of small paint drips here and there (nothing too noticeable), but all-in-all, I'm a happy-camper!














The roof has some "striping" on it, but he said that would settle after a couple of weeks.  I was actually looking at it last night and they are almost gone, which is a good sign.  I also had him smooth out the rain drains on the rear quaters, near the window...seeing as how I shaved the markers and such, I thought it would look good as well.

I've since painted the trunk to match the rest of the car and am looking to get it in the shop to have the guy make my motor plate and shorten my drive shaft.  Once that's done, then it's rear rims (STILL need to figure out this backspacing issue) and a radiator....then I get to put it all back together!!

[usraptr]

Looks very nice!    Keep us posted on your progress.

[RDF]

Had to put the motor and transmission in this past weekend b/c my friend called and said he's ready to install the motor plate in it.  I found some cheap motor mounts on ebay and used to just to hold it in place for now.  I've gotta talk to him later today to get a solid day that I can drop it off.





Not much clearance for my headers on the driver's side at ALL!   


Once I get it back I will take the motor out again and paint the block the color I want.  Aaron Beck and I seem to be on the same page as to how we want our cars to look.....his car as given me some great ideas and tons of inspiration 

[A110235]

Man your car is looking pretty sharp!  Is it all going to be black, or are you going to do some stripes?

Kyle

[RDF]

Man your car is looking pretty sharp!  Is it all going to be black, or are you going to do some stripes?

Kyle

Thanks Kyle!  I'm hoping to get an AAR stripe down the side in a slightly darker black....it'll look nice! 

Here's some more pix from Saturday that my friend just sent me:

[RDF]

It's been a while but progress has been steady.  I ordered my rear rims from Stockton Wheels back in April and they just came in about a week ago.  Got them right down to the tire shop to get the sneakers put on them and mounted them on the car....15x10 with 6.5" backspacing....fits like a glove 

[ToxicWolf]

Your car looks great. Hope I see you around here someday.   

[RDF]

Your car looks great. Hope I see you around here someday.   

Thanks ToxicWolf.....getting the final pieces of this puzzle soon and then it'll be ready for assembly!

Just got the motor plate done this weekend.  I guy had surgery over the summer so he was out for a couple of months, but glad I was able to be first on his list when he went back to work:

On it's way home:


Motor Plate:


Brackets:



Now I have to take the engine out and the plate off and send it to get powder coated and painted.  Still up in the air on whether to paint it black or a dark grey.....my motor will be black with aluminum valve covers and chrome accessories so I was thinking more grey.....but we'll see.

[brads70]

I'd mount the alternator, water pump, power steering before you powercoat the motor plate . I don't think your done yet?

[RDF]

I'd mount the alternator, water pump, power steering before you powercoat the motor plate . I don't think your done yet?

Good catch Brad...I didn't think of the alternator, mainly because the guy I sent it to had a plastic 440 block that he uses to mock up things like this....I called him up and before I could say something to him, he knew what I was calling for, lol.  Going to take it off and send it back to have a small, half-moon arc cut out where the bottom of the alternator goes.   

Was also able to finally get the front 15" tires on this weekend, so that means my 14" rims will be for sale if anyone is interested.  I'll post pics and such in the for sale/trade section once I get a chance.  They are in decent shape, not showroom condition but suitable for a driver, that's for sure.

[RDF]

8 weeks post-op from shoulder surgery....I had a type 2 Slap Tear (Labrum torn off the bone about 60%) and a small rotator cuff tear as well, so I've been a bit sidelined as far as work on the 'Cuda goes.  BUT, I was smart enough to pull the motor 3 days before surgery so I could send out the motor plate to get cut for the alternator (thanks brads70  ) and when I felt good enough, paint the block.  Yesterday was a perfect day here in Fl so I felt good enough to drag it out and get it washed and painted:

All washed and ready to paint:


Wasn't sure at this point if I had enough paint to do the transmission so I taped it off for now:


I think it came out pretty good:






I really tried to focus on the main parts of the block that were going to be visible 99% of the time.  As you can see, I decided to coat the transmission while I had the extra paint.

I'm off for 4 days this coming weekend so it's definitely going in the car this weekend.  I'll try to get some pictures of the motor plate once it comes back from being powder coated