Finally Restoring My 1970 ‘Cuda

[cashmoneyerick]

Hello Everyone —

After owning the car for about two years and letting it sit, I've finally registered the car under my name and am ready to start the restoration project. Luckily, I reconnected with an old friend who does body work for a living and will be helping me (I'm clueless when it comes to car work).

The current plan is we are stripping the car to prepare for body work. We do not know whether to start with the front or back and we can use all the tips we can get.

The car is originally a 340, but all I have to identify it was the vin, so I have no idea what the extra options were.

For everyone whose done the complete restoration process please comment any thing you think would be worth knowing.

I will post pics regularly and I've also started an Instagram account to post pics on there if you would like to follow the account [SuperSlimey_70Cuda].

For now, I'll leave you on how it looked before we started stripping it and after day 1. Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nsmall]

Take tons of pics and label everything well.  Stay organized.  Work while sober.

https://forum.e-bodies.org/cuda-and-challenger-general-discussion-roseville-moparts/2/breaking-a-car-down-for-media-blasting-tips-for-a-rookie/517/;nowap

[Lemontwist]

Great Project.  First the best way to strip a car is to label all the parts and put them in bags. Once you get the car apart I would recommend sending it out to a professional who will dip the car to strip the paint and any fillers.  You will know when you get it back from the dip what sheet metal will need to be replaced. The cowl area is pretty rough.  When you repair or replace it make sure you save the VIN number on the drivers side top

[nsmall]

I had my car media blasted.  No regrets.  Tons of time and extra money spent, but there is Zero fear of whats "under the paint"

[xx88man]

Cool project...who knows maybe you will find the build sheet when you are taking it apart. If you do you will be able to figure out what options came on the car. If not....build it the way you want it!  I have a 70 Cuda I hope to start restoring in the next year as well

[340challconvert]

Nice Cuda Project
Looking forward to seeing what you do with the car!

[cashmoneyerick]

So the plan is to remove everything, we are trying our best to label everything and keep everything together and then have it media blasted.
Does anyone know of a place in the SF Bay area and also an idea of the price to get it media blasted?

Sorry guys, but I am a newbie, so excuse me if I sound very clueless at times.

[7212Mopar]

  from the Bay Area. Two members here in the Bay Area built their Cuda from the ground up. Try PM Topcat and HP-Cuda. They might know where to send you. Have fun.

[Chryco Psycho]

Buy lots of Baggies & totes , too many pictures are never enough !!
Do you have acces to a rotisserie or dollies to move it around
I would drop the steering column , torsion bars , trans mount , driveshaft  & split the upper ball joints Pull the rad hoses & rad & shroud out  , disconnect the brake hoses , throttle cable & wiring  & drop the K frame out with the engine & trans.
The rear is just as easy , drop out the leaf springs , shocks & diff , then pull the brake &  fuel lines & tank
Interior can be done forst or last
Make sure to keep the hardware separated & marked where they go

[nsmall]

 

I paid $1,300ish to have my car media blasted in SoCal.

Keep asking questions.

make sure you take your car to a shop you absolutely trust as it doesn't take long for media Blaster to destroy a car.

[Dakota]

 

Don't sweat asking the questions.   I've been working on my car for over 6 years now and am still seeking help from the gurus on this forum.

My nickel's worth of advice on your project is to make decisions early about what you're going to do with the car in terms of modifications. Adding subframe connectors, for example, is a good way to stiffen the frame for improved handling.   They are a lot easier to add while the car is stripped down then adding them in later.  Similarly, when you get to the fuel system, are you going to go with a carb or make the jump to electronic fuel injection (EFI)?  The direction on the fuel system may have an impact on the fuel tank you buy (some, like the Tanks Inc version, are configured for an electric fuel pump in the tank versus using the mechanical fuel pump on the engine).  Dang near anything can be done (or re-done) given enough time and money, so the more homework you do in advance, the more better off you will be.  There are a number of restoration threads on this site that are a terrific source of ideas and guidance:  https://forum.e-bodies.org/your-restoration-project-roseville-moparts/10/

I would echo the advice from @TX9AAR about sticking to working on a few subsystems at a time.   I didn't do that and ended up eventually taking my entire car apart which has filled up shelves and floor space with parts around my house such that my wife is probably pushing me harder that I am about getting the car finished just to recover the space.

If you haven't done so already, download a copy of the service manual for your car as this provides useful reference information:  https://www.e-bodies.org/resources/service-manuals-parts-catalogs-tsb/

Good luck on your project and keep the questions coming!

[Shoooter]

great project, I'm looking for one just like that! keep the progress pictures coming

[HP_Cuda]

Since you are in the Richmond area it looks like you may go where I will send another project to in Oakland.

Myers Sandblasting - which has good reviews on Yelp. They cannot epoxy prime your car afterwards but there are several body shops nearby that can do it for ya.

I also found:

S&B Sodablast which is in Santa Rosa though.

[cashmoneyerick]

Since you are in the Richmond area it looks like you may go where I will send another project to in Oakland.

Myers Sandblasting - which has good reviews on Yelp. They cannot epoxy prime your car afterwards but there are several body shops nearby that can do it for ya.

I also found:

S&B Sodablast which is in Santa Rosa though.

Great thank you. I believe I'll take it there. Need to find a place where they can epoxy prime it afterwards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cashmoneyerick]

Just some updates on the current progress.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk