Winter project

[challenger6pak]

I would go with the disc. It is more important to be able to stop than it is to be able to go.

 

[mmissile]

True. I got a forgotten lesson, when I went for a high-gear pass in my new, hemi road runner. Ordered the brakes an hour later.

 

[340challconvert]

Great engine build-Looking Good

Matt, your tear down and engine rebuild look great. That engine is a thing of beauty. How much of a bore with new pistons did you go with? On the trans rebuild, are you planning to beef up the internals a little?
Good luck with your work.
You have given me some of the incentive to get my A66 convertible back to the world of the living.

 

[DetMatt1]

The cylinders were worn pretty good so I had to go .030" over.
As far as the trans? It took me a while but I finally found a used 46 RE out of a '98 truck on the Craigslist for cheap. The internals are basically a 727 with some improvements over our old 727s so it will be donating some parts. The sun assembly has 5 planetary gears instead of 4 and there's room for one more clutch disc in both the front and rear clutch assemblies. (This is per my trans guy, I don't speak trans very well...)

 

[DetMatt1]

The first/reverse band is wasted which is a surprise.

 

[js29]

Good catch! it looked like it wasn't long for this world.

 

[Sixpaksteve]

Yes and I'd like to try to be as correct with it as I can.

Hi Dematt1, Steve here. I have a '70 Cuda so I've enjoyed reading your post.

Just curious.....your car has the blackout paint on the cowl, but should it also have the radiator support blacked-out like shown in this Chrysler Engineering Drawing? Somebody else added the bold text at the top of this drawing, but the original text and artwork is from Chrysler. My Cuda is F8 Green, so mine did not have this blackout treatment around the radiator. You'll notice under the NOTES section in the drawing that the dark painted E bodies were exempt from getting the black paint in this area.

Just thought I'd mention it since you obviously want to do a correct restoration. But please do some add'l research and try to find pics of original cars that were built at the same plant as yours and about at the same time.

 

[mmissile]

My F8 `cuda was blacked-out behind the grille from the factory. No absolutes on a production line.

 

[DetMatt1]

I'll make sure the blackout is done properly. Thanks for the info Steve.

 

[Sixpaksteve]

I'll make sure the blackout is done properly. Thanks for the info Steve.

You're welcome..... I'm curious to know what you end up learning about this detail for your specific car. My Cuda was scheduled to be built on Nov. 12, 1969 at the Hamtramck Plant and the date on that engineering document is Feb. 1969. The black-out painting directive could have changed in those months, or it could have been a plant-specific thing, or as MMISSLE correctly reminds us.... "No absolutes on a production line."

 

[MOPARMITCH]

My 70 is EB7 Jamaica, So I will give it the treatment.

 

[DetMatt1]

My 70 is EB7 Jamaica, So I will give it the treatment.

Yes Mitch but when?

 

[MOPARMITCH]

Yes Mitch but when?

Unfortunately , It is waiting it's turn. On the bench, you might say. Hopefully start on it this Spring.

 

[DetMatt1]

Hey, question for all you '71 owners. Is the top of the cowl supposed to be blacked out?

 

[challenger6pak]

The two I have here are not blacked out. Neither came with the center hood blackout. That may make a difference.

 

[DetMatt1]

Thanks Tod! I phoned a friend on this as well and it seems '70 was the only year that they blacked it out and the battery tray was sometimes body color and sometimes not.

 

[moparlee]

Matt, my '71 RT which I bought new back in the day does not have the cowl black out and the battery tray was painted body color.

 

[DetMatt1]

Thank you, decision's already been made. It became aparent that I was not going to be able to make time for this project this winter so I've hired a pro.

 

[DetMatt1]

I couldn't be more excited about the progress and its in the very capable hands of my friend Terry who does restoration work in his retirement from GM. I got a bit lucky that the hot rod he's building for himself is being delayed at the painters so he has some time to squeeze me in. By the way my vert is sharing his shop space with the '70 Hemi Cuda vert that he also built for himself about 6 years ago.
Here's the last pic from today.

 

[challenger6pak]

Matt, here is an untouched 71 Hemi. Build date Jan 15, 1971. It has a painted battery tray.