Brad' second '70 Cuda and first (and last) restoration project

[70chall440]

Ahh, the grime is everywhere.  I was pulling undercoating from the horns and the grill.  The wiper mechanisms were a mess also.  Looks like you're getting closer.  That mirror shine of your paint is awesome.

I definitely understand what you are going through having had to remove the undercoating on my challenger and Cuda. It seems like that is the best sticking substance on earth... 

Mine is coming along slowly. I am getting ready to start the wiring.

[usraptr]

After spending the last several days cleaning up my bumper brackets, I set up my new Eastwood portable spray both to paint the brackets and some other small items.  While the concept of the spray booth is nice, ala camping tent with spring poles, in IMHO it's to short even thought I still got the tallest one they offer.  Also with the poles going on the outside of the fabric, there is nothing on the inside to hang/attach items to so you can spray them.  I cut down my improvised PVC home made spray both frame but it was still to tall, I didn't measure correctly, and when placed inside the booth the booth was about 6 inches off the floor.  Since I was just doing small items, I didn't bother taking it apart again and re-cutting.  I'll save that for another time.  But that being said, unless you under 5 foot tall you're going to have to bend over to go inside the booth and spray anything.  Not exactly user friendly.    At this point I'm wishing I would have saved my money and just put new plastic around the PVC framework I built and used in the past.  Moving on, after spraying the front bumper brackets, truck lid striker plate, both horns, the brackets that hold the hood pins and the front hood latch and spring, with primer I painted everything with Matrix black and then three coats of clear.  The trunk lid striker plate, horns, and bumper brackets came out good, but I ended up with fish eyes on one of the hood pin brackets and the hood latch.  I ran out of paint so I'll have to buy some more and then wet sand the fish eyes out of the hood pin bracket and re-paint   Last night I came across a better idea on the forum for the hood latch where I think if memory severs me you paint then brown and then a metallic gray or something similar to give them a factory look.  After searching all my parts bins I couldn't find the bolts to mount the front bumper brackets to the frame so I ordered some new repros.  I installed the horns and trunk lid striker and it was nice to finally be able to close my trunk.  Not sure if I got the horns orientated correctly.  If I've got them backwards, top to bottom, please let me know.

[70chall440]

 

[usraptr]

After reading several different posts on the subject it seems that although they look like black phosphate later in life, the hood latch assembly, spring and safety latch were originally a dark brownish color from the factory.  After experimenting with different colors I think I came up with a close match to OEM.  (At least my wife said it was as I have a problem with colors when it comes to different hues).  Of course it was hard to get a decent picture to capture what the color actually looks like.  I tired with and without a flash.  Anyway, I attached pics with and without flash so hopefully you'll get an idea.  The picture of the hood spring is the closest to what the latch and safety latch look like.  I also installed the wiper linkage today and even though it works correctly the linkage rubs on the cowl.  There's a separate post on that issue in the Electrical topics.  I also installed all the misc hood bumpers, guides, etc.  However, they really aren't picture worthy.

[larry4406]

Nice - what products did you use to simulate the brown phosphate?

[usraptr]

Larry first I sprayed them with Duplicolor red filler primer (FP102) and then while it was still relatively wet I sprayed it with Krylon Brushed Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze Satin.(51524)After it dried I lightly sprayed two more coats of the Bronze.

[usraptr]

Santa came early to our house and brought some new shoes for the 'Cuda.  She'll be riding in style when she goes for her maiden run next Spring.  Thanks Santa. In this case Mrs. Santa.  :-)

15" Polished America Racing Torque Thrust wheels. 7" on the front and 8" on the back

Tires
255/60 Front
275/60 Rear

[AARuFAST]

Can almost smell the fresh paint. SWEET

[70chall440]

They really pop with that black paint.

[redo1973]

That's coming along very nicely.

[usraptr]

After waiting a month to the day for my new grille spacers to arrive I finally got to install my restored grille today.  And with the help of my lovely wife, I also got the front bumper mounted.  So far all the "Plastex" plastic repairs have held and not cracked.  We'll have to wait until Spring to see how they'll hold up to road vibrations.  I had to take the lower valance or air shield off to mount the bumper brackets.  Not entirely necessary, it just made it a lot easier.  I decided to wait until the "Air shield" trim piece mounting hardware arrives to remount it.  I decided that as long as it's off the car, it will be much easier to attach.  Anyway, the front of the 'Cuda is actually starting to look like a car again.  Now I just need to buy some new mounting brackets for my running lights.

[70chall440]

Came out nice

[usraptr]

Haven't posted for a while but I have been busy.  Been working on restoring my shaker hood assembly and fabricating a new base plate to lower the assembly since with the new Holley intake I couldn't close the hood.  Since my shaker is an original N96 I didn't want to go cutting up the original center section for the base plate so  I ordered a fiberglass reproduction center section.  Then taking Mopar Dave's advice I bought a Holley drop air cleaner base and grafted it to the fiberglass center section.  I stripped the outer metal base plate, primed and painted it along with my hood pin mounting brackets.  I also took apart all the shaker doors, grills, etc, stripped them to bare metal and repainted them.  Stripping the paint off the metal outer baseplate with a wire wheel on an air grinder was quit the task with all the contours, bumps, curves, etc. but I finally got it done.  Here's some pics of the before and after.

[usraptr]

In addition to restoring the Shaker assembly, I've also been restoring the windshield stainless trim.  Have I mentioned lately how much I hate sanding, and sanding and sanding all the little nicks and imperfections out of 47 year old trim?      And then I get to polish it.  Oh, what fun.  Also, after digging out the windshield that I removed 9 years ago and put in storage I discovered it had a large rock chip right in the middle of the windshield.  I don't know how I missed that 9 years ago.   After verifying that the windshield was not original I ordered a new AMD windshield and it took three tries before I finally got one delivered that wasn't broken in shipping.    Anyway, finally got the new windshield installed last Sat with the help of my son and today I finished up polishing and installing all the SS trim around the windshield.  Boy it's really nice to finally have a windshield again.  May have to take the Cuda for its Maiden voyage around the neighborhood tomorrow.    Also, finished up painting the Shaker Bubble the correct Argent Silver.  I'm just waiting for the short shaker cable from Mopar Dave and then I'll reassemble the doors, etc.  I'm really trying t get it finished for one of the States largest car shows on May 19th.  It's going to be close but I think I'll make it.   It's been a long 9 years and I'm anxious to get it back on the road.

[70chall440]

Nice work.