The red on red 1970 Cuda project

[Wayne]

An BIG update!

  First I bought new flashers and they fixed the turn signals and the hazards work.  The headlights work.   All that needed was to have the battery cables tightened on the battery.  I had them just hand pressed on.

  So on Sunday the 16..she fired right up!.  No issues at all.  She sounds real good.  Fuel pressure stabilized and I was able to get that set.  Checked voltage on the battery and the alternator is charging like it should.  The oil pressure gauge is at the 3/4 mark.  Water temp gauge is working and moved up once the motor warmed up.  Tach isn't working.  I need to check the wires on the back of the tach.  Not a lot of room there.  We'll see.

Made a short video this week.  I almost can't believe this car is running again.  Its been a ton of work.  I have a lot of appreciation for guys that do a complete restoration and the time that would take. 

Enjoy the video. 

[dodgemania]

oh man i love that sound..

[Wayne]

oh man i love that sound..

Thanks man!

[JS29]

Sounds healthy, Nice work. 

[usraptor]

Congrats on getting her running!    I know the feeling of that first start up. Nothing like it. 

[Brads70]

Looks very nice! No sweeter sound! 

[YellowThumper]

Awsome milestone for sure.

[Joegrapes]

Your car looks beautiful! One question, have you checked on your hood clearance with that manifold carburetor combination? It looks like it sits pretty high.  I'm using an Edelbrock Performer RPM on my 440 and I had to make a custom air cleaner just to get a minimum of clearance.

[Wayne]

thanks everyone!  What a great feeling it was! 

Your car looks beautiful! One question, have you checked on your hood clearance with that manifold carburetor combination? It looks like it sits pretty high.  I'm using an Edelbrock Performer RPM on my 440 and I had to make a custom air cleaner just to get a minimum of clearance.

Thank you, I appreciate it!

I know right!  Once the motor was in there I thought to myself that aint gona fit lol.  I knew it would based on the people running a 440 RB with the edelbrock air gap intake.  Which is fairly common and we know fits.  My low deck is .745" shorter than the RB.  the rpm air gap has a manifold height of 5.35".  The Trick flow is 5.75"  By the numbers my carb height should be .345" lower than an RB with the air gap. 

I have since put the hood on and everything fits with my drop base air cleaner and 3" element.  i am using the k/n air filter lid for better air flow in tight areas.  I checked hood clearance and I have 1/2".

[Joegrapes]

Good choice on the filter lid. Using a drop base air cleaner seems pretty restrictive without the filter lid.

[Wayne]

About a week ago we had another decent day and I decided to do a shakedown run down the street to check everything out.  Man, it has been a long time since I rode in her.

First thing I noticed before I pulled her out was the fuel pressure was on the high side...just over 8.  Pulled her out and checked the breaks in the driveway and they worked fine.  Clutch felt fine for now.  Tach doesn't work.    Pulled out and headed down the street.  The new steering box felt great.  Brakes worked....but man 4 wheel drums are scary!   The trunk lid was actually rattling.  The weatherstripping is shot which I new.  Its on the list.  Went up and down the street 3 times just soaking it all in.  Trans shifted great.  It wasn't running very smooth though.  It idled fine.  So....the one concern I had with this fuel system seems like its going to be a problem. 

The fuel tank sending unit I'm using has an electric pump in the tank.  Designed for efi and it has a return line that is 5/16".  the feed is 3/8".  My return line is 3/8" and then an adapter stepping down to 5/16" barb right before the tank.  The last thing you want with an electric fuel pump and a carb is any backpressure at the carb.  When I first fired up the car the fuel pressure was at 7.  Where the engine builder tuned it at. Since then its been just over 8 and the floats are high...  Decided to do a test.  I drained the carb and took the adapter off the back of the return line so I had straight 3/8" line into a gas can.  Fired up the car for a minute....checked the fuel pressure and sure enough now it was just under 6.  So that one fitting was causing a 2.5 psi pressure increase I was seeing at the carb... not good. 

Made a few calls and talked to Inline Radiator out of New York and he said he could update my assembly with a 3/8" return.     Perfect, this should solve those problems.  Pulled it out and shipped out a week ago and it should be done next week.

While that was out I decided to pull the gauge cluster and ship the whole unit out to Redline so he could go through them and update the gauges, and convert to a volt meter.  Although just before my parts arrived he had a big order come in so now it is going to be 4-6 weeks     Two weeks ago he told me 2 weeks.  Oh well.  I have some other projects to work on and that will put me into mid April which really isn't that bad.

I also had a trans leak.  Which surprised me as it didn't leak until I drove it.  Seemed to be leaking at or near the reverse light switch or just below it at a large nut.  Will have to investigate that too. 

Overall for a first shakedown run it went pretty well.  My neighbor came over and said it didn't sound quite stock.... No sir, no its not 

[Wayne]

Figured it was a good time to address the trunk weather stripping.  It was so compressed the deck lid rattled as the car went down the road.  Made another video of the process for those that are interested

[HEMICUDA]

Just watched your video of the deck lid weather stripping install, excellent job brother. I basically do the same thing, I like using paint sticks in between all my clamps so there isn't any "divots" in the rubber, those should go away over time.  What I would do next is lower the latch a little so the corners come down to utilize the outer rubber bumpers for deck lid height.

[anlauto]

With 3M weather-strip adhesive, I've never had to use any type of clamping method  Interesting 
You make great videos by the way

[Wayne]

Just watched your video of the deck lid weather stripping install, excellent job brother. I basically do the same thing, I like using paint sticks in between all my clamps so there isn't any "divots" in the rubber, those should go away over time.  What I would do next is lower the latch a little so the corners come down to utilize the outer rubber bumpers for deck lid height.

Thanks man I appreciate it!   Ahhh paint sticks would work well.  Thanks for the adjustment tips.  I will try that.

With 3M weather-strip adhesive, I've never had to use any type of clamping method  Interesting 
You make great videos by the way

I should of let the weatherstripping lay flat and unroll before using it right out of the package.  It definately had some memory to it which caused my issue of needing it be held in place. 

thanks for the compliment on the video. I hope people don't think I am trying to push them onto people.  I just enjoy doing them and the challenge of learning something new (making videos) and trying to get better at making them.