E-Bodies.org Cuda Challenger Forum

E-Bodies Cuda & Challenger (sponsor: ROSEVILLE MOPARTS) => Your Restoration project (ROSEVILLE MOPARTS) => Topic started by: wes473 on February 14, 2021, 03:43:47 AM

Title: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on February 14, 2021, 03:43:47 AM
Well last summer was a great year for classic cars for my dad and I, so we cashed out and found my dream car... It was a long drive straight down to NE, but it was really worth it. We had great views and had the chance to meet up with an old friend on the way back. :cheers:

Thanks for some great advice along the way, I'm starting all the bits needed to start driving here ASAP...  :burnout: with all that freetime that comes with a toddler and our beautiful newborn  :rofl:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: larry4406 on February 14, 2021, 05:31:29 AM
Interesting - bench seat and column shift!  Don't see that often.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: anlauto on February 14, 2021, 06:46:46 AM
Neat car, what are your plans for it... :bigthumb:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: RUNCHARGER on February 14, 2021, 07:40:05 AM
Neat car. Going to get it driving safe and drive it for awhile? I know I would for a season anyway.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: cudamadd on February 14, 2021, 12:13:31 PM
I like the colour combination . Congratulations on your new ride  :australia:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on February 14, 2021, 03:29:17 PM
So far with all the car flipping I've done, I've learned cars are way more fun to drive than to fix.  :thinking:

The great thing of this car is I can roughly drive it as is or do some tasteful modification swap or do a full restoration. Currently plans are to do a fix as I go and then put a non numbers matching drivetrain and in and have a lot of fun. Talking big Hwy cruises/trips and dirt MT/ID roads. :burnout: Something I can  fix with my kiddos  around and have fun driving them around go get ice cream and not worry about ice cream or scratches. For the moment, most of the fixes I plan on doing are going to be minor tune-up related mandatory stuff until I can do a proper swap when the time comes ready. Which leads me to a successful cart hunt today, found a 70 Challenger front end complete K member that I plan on completely rebuilding with performance bushings ball joints and heavy torsion bars (PST) that I got over Christmas. Along with a power Big OEM disc brakes conversion(dr diff and ebay booster).  :wrenching:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: cudamadd on February 14, 2021, 09:13:49 PM
I like the picture of the little  guy sitting on the guard and it looks like he is enjoying himself  checking out the parts . Please keep the pics coming cheers   :australia:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: usraptor on February 16, 2021, 04:21:23 PM
Congrats! Looking forward to watching your progress on this.  :banana:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on February 16, 2021, 07:31:23 PM
 :cheers: thanks for the encouragement guys! Anybody can appreciate a finished car but it's nice to rub shoulders with guys that appreciate the process to get there!
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: Dakota on February 17, 2021, 02:05:50 AM
This will be one of those "it's not the destination, it's the journey" kind of things.   Great to see you getting the kiddos involved - nothing but good comes from that.   Good luck on your project.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: xx88man on February 17, 2021, 05:39:06 AM
 :iagree:  Congrats on finding an awesome project and having a great family to share it with!!
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: CudaMoparRay on February 17, 2021, 05:08:38 PM
Good luck with your project.....love those bench seats  :bigthumb:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on February 19, 2021, 08:44:18 PM
I've always wanted to try these, so I finally got one! I've wrestled through wiring before and thought this would be a good investment
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: usraptor on February 20, 2021, 03:57:14 PM
Believe me, you'll use that wiring diagram more than you think! :bigthumb:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: MoparCarGuy on March 03, 2021, 06:02:25 PM
Congratulations on finding your Cuda!  And with a bench/bucket front seat!

To my surprise, I was saving your fender tag photo and found I had the very next VIN was in my collection of fender tag photos. And amazingly the Vehicle Order Number (VON) is the very next number as well. I believe this means your car was for the same dealership and the VON is the pre-printed number from the pad of order forms that dealership had on hand.

Sorry for the Photobucket bar across the 425413 tag but here is what it shows:
BS23: Plymouth Barracuda Special, 'Cuda 2 Door Hardtop
N0B: 383 330HP OR 335HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL
1970
Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA

425413:   Sequence number  (which is one number after your VIN of 425412)

E63:    383 cid 4 barrel V8 H.P. 335hp
D32:    Heavy Duty Automatic Transmission
EF8:    Dark Green Metallic (Dodge), Ivy Green Metallic (Plymouth) Exterior Color
H4F8:    Trim - High, Vinyl Split Bench Seat, Green
000:    Full Door Panels
720:    Build Date: July 20
132045:   Vehicle Order Number (which is one number after your VON of 132044)

EF8:    Dark Green Metallic (Dodge), Ivy Green Metallic (Plymouth) Top Color
A21:    Elastomeric Colored Front Bumper Package
A62:    Rallye Instrument Cluster Package
G36:    OS Dual Racing Mirrors
J45:      Hood Tie Down Pins
J54:     Sport Hood

L34:    Road Lights
M21:    Roof drip rail moldings
M25:    Wide sill moldings
M31:    Belt Moldings
M88:    Decklid Moldings Treatment
N41:    Dual Exhaust

N42:    Chrome Exhaust Tips
N85:    Tachometer
R11:    Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
Y05:    Build to USA Specs
EN1:    End of Sales Codes

I just thought it was very interesting to see a VIN and VON in sequence and the same Scheduled Production Date (SPD) of 720 (July 20, 1970). Good luck on your find.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: anlauto on March 03, 2021, 06:31:44 PM
I restored two Challengers with sequential VINs and VONs .....it was a complete fluke that they ended up with the same guy, he bought them not knowing....has to be pretty rare to find two sequential cars 50 years after they were born :alan2cents:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: ec_co on March 03, 2021, 07:09:19 PM
both pretty much at the end of the '70 production run too. pretty cool  :bigthumb:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: MoparCarGuy on March 03, 2021, 07:13:31 PM
Wes473,
I forgot to add that the H4 interiors seem to have been installed in quite a few of the Barracuda/Cuda models during the month of July 1970. Probably using up all of the seats left in stock on the assembly line as best they could.

BS23N0B425413 has the bucket/bench but in F8 Dark Green.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on March 05, 2021, 04:41:34 AM
Well that's some luck! Where's my sister Cuda at now?  8)

Yeah I wasn't so sure about the split bench until I saw it in person, I love it. It's getting reupholstered as we speak!
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on March 05, 2021, 04:56:38 AM
I needed to sort through some parts, so here's a glamor picture of the new front end goodies I'm going to throw in while rebuilding the spare K member. Crazy how fast cash goes on parts.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: Dakota on March 05, 2021, 05:41:27 AM
Quote from: wes473 on March 05, 2021, 04:56:38 AM
Crazy how fast cash goes on parts.

Yup.    :takemymoney:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on March 11, 2021, 06:02:51 AM
Transmission thoughts...  :burnout: I like shifting so I've started collecting my thoughts on conversions... feel free to chime in, it'll be a while before I do one/some of these. (Reminder, I have a 383 mag/727 comlumn/3.23 8-3/4 cuda)

Needs: shift, od ratio(rear end or od trans), keep the split bench seat(this may remove options).
Wants(realistic): Hydro clutch, low od trans for hwy cruising

Engine: Ill be swapping to preserve original goods, so should I stay 383/RB or go modern hemi swap... small blocks are easier to swap trans with...

current finalists are (In budget order):
-Manual 727/hwy gears
-used ar5/dakota bellhousing(small block?)/fun gears
-used a833od/fun gears
-used viper t56/fun gears
...small $gap for pro conversions (brewers, SS etc)...
-used a833/ hwy gear
-a833 passion od/fun gears
-tkx/fun gears
-t56/fun gears
.... big $ gap ...
-modern hemi/t6060/fun gears


ref: https://forum.e-bodies.org/engine-transmission-and-rear-end/4/manual-transmission-options/13858/msg240881#msg240881
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/viper-t56-install.85042/
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/a-833-the-ultimate-mopar-4-speed-fix-get-overdrive-and-strength/
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1970-plymouth-barracuda-392-hemi-restomod/
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on March 22, 2021, 02:02:29 AM
 :wrenching: Update, got her out  of the barn under her own power! Carb was locked up, over winter but got her going on old gas even. Then the starter died ha!  :bricks: Till my next visit... Then new starter, battery and maybe my seat will be ready from upholstery :banana:
Also my kiddo and I spent 15 min airing up tires, he loved it.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: YellowThumper on March 24, 2021, 02:59:58 PM
Very cool. Good to see their interest.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: RUNCHARGER on March 24, 2021, 03:18:19 PM
Easiest/cheapest OD man trans is still the Passon OD A833 swap.  Are you going to be driving the car this year by the look of it?
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on March 25, 2021, 12:20:58 PM
Quote from: RUNCHARGER on March 24, 2021, 03:18:19 PM
Easiest/cheapest OD man trans is still the Passon OD A833 swap.  Are you going to be driving the car this year by the look of it?
The passion O/D is a great option however for its $3,200 price tag plus swap cost I could be looking at the tkx 5-speed with a middle gear and the lower overdrive gear, plus I'd be able to go hydraulic clutch. On the other hand passion O/D is much more period correct.  :dunno:

Yeah I'm hoping to get it usable this year(summer?), get through basics and some interior. Probably won't be doing the front end upgrades until next winter with how busy life is on top of rebuilding my '85 4Runner.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on April 19, 2021, 01:07:13 AM
Made some progress!!
I spent some quality time under her while not breaking the nose cone on the 2nd mini-starter, thank God for the easy maintenance with exhaust manifolds. :bricks: The terminals are SUPER close/rubbing the block(pictured) so I removed the extention block and then zip tied rubber over the two (+) connections to hopefully never meet the(-) block(not pictured)...

Then my dad n I added new plugs (AC delco's @ .042 gap), trimed / mounted some new wires on a newer cap/rotor, new battery / cables, as well as added the new MSD coil(that I gave him for his vette and we never installed lol). All I can say is WOW she likes the new pixie power! Fired right up like she was EFI... :burnout:

My boy n I cruised for the first time in her!!! You don't need seats for a memorable time, even tho it was only cruising up and down the short dirt road under 25mph... :unitedstates:


Also I think I've solidified how to start my path of transmissions options (see screenshot), start with a manual auto for ease, then decide for full 3 pedal conversion or continue towards gaining an auto(manuel) o/d....
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: YellowThumper on April 20, 2021, 09:09:11 AM
Very cool. Doesn't matter how little the first drive is. It is still monumental for furthering the process.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: RUNCHARGER on April 20, 2021, 03:59:39 PM
Running and driving is a big deal even if there are issues. It's kind of like the car is now alive.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: usraptor on April 20, 2021, 04:22:08 PM
Cool!   :woohoo: Your boy will remember that first drive for a lifetime!  :cool: :cooldance:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on May 31, 2021, 12:01:31 AM
 :burnout:  Well I made some progress, new shoes and cleaned out the interior! Hopefully my screwed to 2x4's toyota seat (very temporary) will get me in the local parade tomorrow.  :banana:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: RUNCHARGER on May 31, 2021, 07:25:53 AM
Car looks great, love the wheels on there.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on June 02, 2021, 02:16:39 AM
Thanks @RUNCHARGER (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/runcharger_192), I went back and forth for a bit until I settled on some American Racing black center Torq Thrusts with Coopers.

Well I made the parade and so did the car, brakes worked, and I didn't overheat! 8) it was great turnout for the parade and then the other Mopar there was a show quality numbers matching 69 Roadrunner Hemi.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: cudamadd on June 02, 2021, 02:44:08 AM
Great stuff  cheers :australia:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: 70 Top Banana on June 08, 2021, 06:52:14 PM
Good stuff and I like the new wheels. I have set of Ansen Top Eliminators that are the same as a torque thrust. They are dated August 69. I am planning on restoring them (I will do the work) and putting them on a 70 cuda. Good luck with the car!
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on July 15, 2021, 07:13:29 PM
 :burnout: Well I was able to achieve my goal of making it through the big annual car show here, on the other hand I have proceeded to cook my transmission in the cruise... :dunno:

I found a local guy that's very Mopar friendly to rebuild it and should be getting that changed out soon as I get done getting my 4Runner ready for a off road party... I'm not busy at all with two kids to Chase and Car Projects to feed lol.
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on July 15, 2021, 07:54:41 PM
Also have another update, or well more of a teaser for the interior colors and overall color scheme of the 'Cuda.  :banana: :banana: :banana:
Here's the before and after, I found a pretty great upholstery guy who's very reasonable $ too.  :takemymoney: Although his timelines have been unpredictable....
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: wes473 on December 27, 2021, 02:23:37 AM
Hello friends,
I hope everyone has enjoyed the Christmas season! It's been a minute since I've posted, so now that the weather is back to garage season...
With some lovely new Xmas gifts of inspiration(see attached) from my bride, I'm evaluating my plan of attack on the cuda as I get back to wrenching on her. I'm thinking about starting 2 fronts of the project at the same time, or at lease the floor patching with the mechanical out of the way.

1) Get her back to running - drop out the drive-train/k member and rebuild(727 is cooked/ rear main went so I'll probably reseal the engine if its out, although it runs great as is so perhaps a minimal kit/ rebuild and beef up the old K from last xmas kit.) Feel free to share your k member drop tips and favorite Engines gasket kits etc.

2) Interior solid and nice-ish - Fix floors, install interior components (Section in new panels removing swiss, prime, paint as possible but not show quality required, install new carpet, seats, door pannels and headliner. )

Cheers! :cheers:
Title: Re: '70 fish
Post by: usraptor on December 27, 2021, 09:02:21 AM
While you've got the interior out you might want to think about applying some sound deadener to the floors.  It would cut down on both cabin heat and noise.  Also, SEM makes a variety of good spray paints for the interior plastic pieces.  Just clean well and use adhesion promotor first.  :twothumbsup: