started taking the Cuda apart

[leithal]

After sitting in the garage for a few months I have finally started tearing the Cuda down.  I will begin posting pics as I go.  The process will be slow as I have two little one to help out with so somedays will only allow 30 minutes of teardown time

[wagesofsin]

cool!!!

every minute i spend with my cars is like a little slice of heaven.
cant wait to see the progress.

 

[leithal]

"slice of heaven" I can agree even though rusted bolts cause me to use some unheavenly words.  Working on this project is actually a stress relief for me, a chance to get away from stress and work on a passion.  I have never done body work to speak of.  So, I will be taking my time to do some homework and do it right.  This is going to be a restomod/pro-touring car.
The quarters were already removed when I got the car as you seen in the pic.  Everything else looks to be there.  The interior came out fairly smooth, trim came out with no damage, and back glass no problem.  Unfortunately the windshield had a small crack at the bottom so it completely cracked when removing.  I'm not too upset after almost 40 years it had a lot of little marks and would have been replaced anyway.

[wagesofsin]

looks good, and somewhat familiar... 

[barracuda7199]

got some work ahead of you there.

[moparmaniac59]

Keep it up and before you know it you'll be driving it. It's a learning curve. I've never done body work or a tear down like that. Good luck. It must be very rewarding!! Looks like it must have seen some northern road salt from the holes in the floorboards and trunk!! Take your time and ask a lot of questions!! Good luck and keep us posted!!


                                               Matt B.

[leithal]

wagesofsin -  I posted my ebay purchase experience of this car back in August or so of last year.  Maybe that's why it seems familiar?

[wagesofsin]

wagesofsin -  I posted my ebay purchase experience of this car back in August or so of last year.  Maybe that's why it seems familiar?

actually, the big holes where the 1/4's are sposed to be was it for me....
i still have 1 just like that. 

[leithal]

Thanks for the encouraging words.  I picked up the car from a fella in Mass but don't know much about its history.  I will be ordering the full panels from the front to trunk and the rails this week.
Does anyone have tips on order of replacement?  I have heard to do the rear frame rails first?

[ragtopdodge]

Yes, do the rails 1st.

Pretty tricky.  The right way to do this is to biuld a frame jig before tearing everything apart to ensure everything is square when you put it back together.

Just take TONS Of measurements before doing your 1st cut.

[leithal]

The right way to do this is to biuld a frame jig before tearing everything apart to ensure everything is square when you put it back together.

Just take TONS Of measurements before doing your 1st cut.

Thanks and will do on the jig.  I was able to spend a couple of hours on the cuda today and removed the entire dash.  Had to stop there and will hopefully get a chance either tonight or tomorrow to remove the rest of the stuff mounted to the firewall. 

[leithal]

Didn't touch things for a couple of days due to some family stuff.  Yesterday I started removing things beginning with the interior light switch on the drivers door, bright switch, e-brake, speedo cable, and got stuck at the steering wheel.  Did a search and found out about the roll pin and tried several different things to knock it out.  Nothing seemed to work so I sprayed it down with penetrating lube and came back today with a 1/4 punch, borrowed from Dad.  Got it with 3 good wacks.
The right tool always seems to make a difference. 
I am seeing rust through in the cowl area but I am debating on buying the entire panels.  My issue is that I am not restoring to original and I plan to remove as much as possible from the engine compartment.  I will be welding closed as many holes has possible and smoothing things out. Why buy reproduction panels to modify them so much.
I was wondering if anyone has just glassed this area?  My rust-through seems to be confined to just a few areas.  So I was thinking of creating a fiberglass mold of the top area of the cowl, cut out the metal and bond the fiberglass to it.  Any thoughts?  Oh this photo shows just one area but it seems to have rust through in several spots along its length.  All rust through is along the curved area of the cowl.  I hope I'm making sense.

[ShelbyDogg]

I suggest not glassing it. A friend bought a Challenger Vert, the cowl was leaking so he decided to tear it down and rebuild it. Almost the whole cowl and top firewall was glassed due to rust.  Since you are going to smooth it anyway, why not weld (or pay someone) some metal in there. When it's openned up, you can paint inside the cowl before it gets closed back up.

[71ChallengerSE]

I have very similar rust in the same areas and to remedy the problem I removed the entire cowl. Unless the car doesn't have a speck of rust on it anywhere I would recomend to anyone restoring an e-body that they should remove the cowl because it gets rusty under there.