71 Cuda NZ

[anlauto]

Maybe the wire came off the steering wheel ?

[Tony 73]

Cheers Alan.

Think it was loose wire at firewall.

Horns going now.
Wipers working. My motor does not park so I must have put blade arms on in the incorrect position.
Steering box bolts very loose but tight now.
Have got some new correct size copper crush washers to solve weep issue on callipers .
Have got new lower ball joint 50% on.
Lucky ball joint picked up because I forgot that I had not put any grease in the wheel bearings, I had mocked up to get car moving to get it to painters . Very lucky.
Looking great for Tuesday retest

[Tony 73]

All items on list fixed  , Cuda ready for re check and then drive home , 4 mile, on her own steam. Super excited  but nervous also.

[Tony 73]

    Cuda is Legal 

Day started with drama when car ran out of fuel just before I was about to go down driveway to put on trailer.

Cuda flew through retest, put an extra 2 gallons of fuel in and headed for highway. Speed limit is 50 mph. Ran great and brakes pulled me up nicely, the exhaust drone at that speed is loader than expected, but all good. Will wait for traffic to lighten and will take wife out for spin when she gets home from work.

Big thanks  to all those  who helped me on  my journey, whether it be comments , watching  or helping solve problems , this forum has helped me so much.  Especially with me being overseas and half a day ahead of time.

Have put a personalised plate on the car that the wife won a few years back. I plan to buy off eBay a pair on 1971 Indiana plates that I can turn into personalised plates.

Still have a few small things to do; bill board stickers, correct wheel centres, tail panel badges, hood inserts, fog lamps. Great autumn /winter projects.

NZ travel restrictions are easing and plan to go to Mopar Nats or Carlisle sooner than later. If I strike it rich would be a dream to bring Cuda with me a cruise across USA.

Cheers
Tony

[dodj]

Congrats on getting it done!

If I strike it rich would be a dream to bring Cuda with me a cruise across USA.
Cheers
Tony

Three trips across the Pacific would certainly make that a well travelled 'cuda!

[usraptor]

Congrats on getting her legal!   You should be very proud!     Keep us posted of further updates.

[YellowThumper]

Congratulations on passing.
Time to enjoy all the hard work.

[cudamadd]

Well done .looks great enjoy her cheers

[Tony 73]

Thanks guys, appreciate the the comments 

Must get out for another test drive but been busy with Nephews 65 Valiant Safari, been doing this project at the same time, got the electrics sorted yesterday , as well as a wheel alignment. Today I fitting blast bit of tailgate chrome and making an Earth wire for horns. Got it booked in for a Warrant of Fitness at 2pm, if she passes we will renew the registration and be legal to cruise.

[RUNCHARGER]

Great job! Stateside guys don't know how easy they have it restoring these cars. I know well the feeling of sinking a year of work and big bux into a car that can't even legally be put into your own name let alone insured against fire or theft. It's a big relief getting the safety done and the car registered after all that dedication.

[Tony 73]

Cheers mate,
You do have to have all your ducks in a row thats for sure, clean title, bill of sale, importer, port of entry, repair certs.  BUT, all worth it when you drive on the road the first time  .

[dodj]

I think you did it in pretty good time as well. I'm used to getting parts I order within a week. I imagine you have plan purchases well ahead of time....or the car progress would stall....

[Tony 73]

Hi dodj,
Frieght times do vary, waited 3 months for my windshield clips. Parcels from Rockauto only take a week on average so that super fast. Ordered a new water pump last night.

Had 2 teething problems. Took cuda to the High school I work at to show fellow staff and interested students. Went great. When I got home, lifted the hood, noticed 2 pools of fuel at base of manifold, shit, quick clean up, then noticed it was weeping out of rear carb bottom metering block screws. I had just replaced the washes on all these a few days ago due to tiny weep from middle carb. Took carb off and upon inspection I had failed to remove the old flattened washer still in the recess  . Removed these, reassembled and problem solved . Messed up the manifold paint of course  .
Headed out for my 2nd outing of the day to visit a car mate. did notice the battery was a bit slow but no worries. Stopped for gas and shit, battery failed. Called a mate who came and jump started me. We noticed a pool of water under car, can't be me ?, but yes it was me, water pump weeping ar rear, my challenger had done this 6 months ago so I knew what it was.
Decided to get to where I was going, 1 mile away . A few car guys at my mates and all keen to check out the Cuda. They said they could jump me so stayed for an hour. Mistake of course. Getting dark and have to turn lights on to get home. Water leak minimal . Got 7 mile to get home through town and highway  type road. Car started to miss and lights got real dim. Realised electronic ignition and lights need power my battery did not have. Just made to to bottom of my road before car stalled . Got battery out of Challenger and got cuda back into the garage.
What was I thinking  won't do that again.
Checked my alternator output and it ONLY 11.7 , found my problem. Its a remanufacture one from Summit , only had 1 hr use . DAM not happy.
  Also my exhaust way too low so will have to cut a slot in pipe from manifold, bend and weld.

Did have fun  on the first outing and plenty of looks.

At the same time I was building my car I was restoring with help from nephews, their 1965 Valiant AP5.  was meant to be 6 month repaint and tidy up. Rust reared its ugly head and 4 years later it finished. Got it legal last Monday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FE8SM8abgc

[cudamadd]

Hay Tony that's great you have the cuda all gone and on the road . Your nephews AP5 wagon stayed a little longer they originally . I have had a couple AP5 in my time ,great cars so far ahead of over makes IMO . I have a mate who has a 66 dodge coronet race car and he's son has a black AP6 wagon race car twin turbo ,real hand full I believe. Black to your cuda great job followed  your build from start to finish . Once again we'll done 

[Tony 73]

Cheers cudamadd,

Solved my alt problem, I had a pigtail join off the run wire going through the Ballast resistor before it went to alt field terminal. Caused resistor to overheat which is why I had left that field wire off. All sorted, alt putting out 14.8.
New water pump due from Rockauto on Tuesday.
Went for very short ride today, the DRONE at 50 mph is really bad, will have to get new mufflers.