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Progress moving forward as the final parts come in, but it'll slow down again. I'll be in training the entire month of December so Crusty's fire up will be delayed until next month. :frown:
But fear not! They'll still be updates on minor things that need to be done!:wink: Here we see the correct Road Lamps bezel installed as well as the correct rear speaker knob and bezel that I finally found. I was missing thev retaining nut (I'm missing a lot of nuts! Or it's that screws? :hmmm:) Also, I had the correct dual point Prestolite distributor rebuilt and restored and that's headed this way! Gas tank is in and the emergency brake cables are installed. Let's see... front emergency brake cable, shocks, a few things in the engine bay along with the tires mounted and she should fire right up! :headbang: More to come.... sometime soon! :dunno::smile: Cheers:beers: Dave |
Heading along a break-neck speed once again there Dave. Last thing I remembered was the shop being built, the car listed then pulled back, and now I see all this progress in a very short time frame. You da man, and it's lookin' like a fun little project.
Hats Off... https://img.pngio.com/speedy-gonzale...es-400_249.png |
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The break neck speed is slowing down, but should resume early next year! :frown: Training is taking up the entire month and since the job does have priority (unless someone wants to pay me to do all of this work! :headbang:) so a month or so break isn't all that bad, really.
Brakes are done on the back and what about the front you say? :hmmm:Oh, you know how that goes. Seized and rounded off bolt heads on unreachable wheel cylinder bolts means the whole brake backing plate on both front wheels needs to come off. :thumbsdown: headed home for three days and that'll be done shortly. When Mopars got Ralleye or Road wheels, the face of the drums were painted red. I have the factory bulletin explaining that, but can't find it on my phone. The red paint was supposed to be on the outer face of the brake drum and should not be touching the studs. But we're all understanding the cars we're built by humans and sometimes those rules weren't really followed exactly. Here's the remnants of the red paint on one of my drums. More to come! Cam break -in is immmammmamnent!:eek2: Cheers:beers: Dave |
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Yes, they were very precise when they did the red ;).
Here are the drums from my 12,000 mile 'Bird. They were really painted heavy. I have seen many with less coverage as well. The wheels were put on while the paint was still wet and the back of them often showed red paint and drips as well. |
Wow, Jim. :shocked::shocked: That’s amazing!!! Thanks for posting those pics up! I’m anxious to get the car on the road soon.
Cheers:beers: Dave |
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It’s getting closer! My training is wrapped up and I have some more time to finish up some loose ends. But my main focus will be to get the 51 Ford truck back to it’s owner next month. Meanwhile, brakes are done, and of course, that just couldn’t go smoothly:rolleyes2:. Seized bolts in the front wheel cylinders made for a quick (long) front backing plate removal and drill out of the old bolts. Which wasn’t overly bad minus the added 4hrs it took to do a :30 minute job:rolleyes2:. But hey? When has anything you’ve ever done on a car gone exactly according to your original time estimates?
New F70 rubber from Rusty is mounted up! Last items are under the hood with a master cylinder bench bleed and then install, distributor wires, and wiper motor/linkage, then the front windshield. That should do it! More to come!!!:3gears: Cheers:beers: Dave |
Handsome steed and looking loverly with its rich patina, Dave. Keep having fun with your 32 or so projects you have going on!!!:laugh:
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Ha! Thanks Samitron! BTW, why weren’t you at MCACN and are you coming next year?
Happy New Year! Cheers Dave |
You are a great source of entertainment (and even edumacation)! No excuse for my absence this year, but I’ll be there with bells on next year!!:biggthumpup:
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Thanks, Sam! Yes, my entertainment quotient is directly proportional to my lack of integrity and imaginative vocabulary. Sort of like figuring out the hydroplaning speed of a tire....it’s that precise!:tongue:
See you next year! Cheers Dave |
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Shouldn't the depth of the water count as well? Very cool. I done math stuff and it's only the second day of the year. I should rest now. |
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Phil |
Dave, do you have a close up photo of the dealer decal/badge on the tail panel? Is it a foil sticker? I had the original foil sticker from my Charger reproduced years ago. I think ECS Automotive did it for me back then but I imagine you can probably do it on your own printer at home nowadays.
I need to hurry up and sell my Firebird so I can buy a timeshare on your Cuda. ;-) |
I’ll post one up, Steve. There’s actually a shadow of, I think, the original dealer sticker there as well. The one you see is the second, used car lot dealer sticker I believe. I’ll confirm and post up!:biggthumpup:
Timeshares are being offered right now for pennies on the peso. :hmmm: But once mechanical independence is confirmed, this fantastic fiduciary facade will start floundering and fade into a fleeting fishy fallacy and become a fabulous financial flop! So best to send in your deposit post-haste!!!:bs::dunno: I’m not quite sure what I just typed.....:hmmm: Cheers:beers: Dave |
Just a quick update; tomorrow is cam break-in day! This thing hasn’t run since 1978! More to come tomorrow......in video form!:burnout:
Cheers:beers: Dave |
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Welp, cam break in was successful....sort of. First step was to wire everything up, which you'd think would be easy. I mean, eight wires, right? Wrong! Despite being date coded correct and all that, they're about an inch short on every plug. But as one can see by the expression on my face, I didn't let that stop me! :no:
Once that was done, everthing was primed and I was ready to fire! My film crew wasn't available so you'll have to take my word that it went well.... sort of. But here is why my posts are so awesome....I love talking about my downfalls as much as I do my successes! So what do I mean by "sort of'? After the 20 minutes or so running, I let it cool down and added more antifreeze, changed the oil and filter, and was ready to fire it back up. Cam break in done! Like I said, I was ready, but the mighty 340 wasn't. :dunno: I couldn't get it to start or stay idling without a lot of popping and misfiring. Hmmm.....but at 2600rpm or so, smooth as silk during break in. :hmmm: So what's the deal? I screwed with the timing and got it running, but it wasn't right. So what's one to do now? Sell the car and buy a Hellcat? Quit the hobby and become a recluse? Shake my first in the air and say "Damn you, car!!".:biggthumpup: I chose to do the latter, then pulled the plugs to figure out what the heck was going on. I found #7 and #6 not firing. So I then decided to check the plug wires. They checked ok on ohms. I thought with them shorter than required, maybe they pulled away from the contacts on either the cap or plug? That was true with #7, but not #6. I shoved them in tight and tried it again. Once I had it idling, the slightest move of the distributor to set timing was met with stumbling, popping, and a stall. So seems the freshly rebuilt dual point dizzy is to blame in conjunction with two of the plug wires. Jam on down to the parts house and grab a single point distributor and a set of plug wires. First try, fires right up, idles great, no issues. :biggthumpup: So diagnosis? Condensor bad or dual points not set correctly, after checking the continuity of #7 and #6 plug wires, determine both are weak. Chinese crap parts 1...... original Chrysler parts 0. :thumbsdown: So Crusty is alive! She hasn't had a running engine since 1978!!:3gears: Brake bleeding and a new yoke for the driveshaft and I'll be cruising! Cheers Dave |
Interesting. personally, i'd've just spliced yr short dizzy wires. simple, quick, and fraught with surprises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!
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Video of it running!!!! cONGRATS!
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Progress forward! Brakes are serviced, new ignition switch installed, and the emergency brake assembly is back in. Last items are the windshield, trim, and all the Shaker junk to go back on under the hood. I should be driving around this weekend!:biggthumpup:
Don't you worry Big D, video of that to follow! :3gears: Cheers:beers: Dave |
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Welp, like everything else automotively planned, it all went up in smoke. Coincidentally, I did receive another text from Phil!:biggthumpup:
So right now I can't figure out what the deal is and why it won't stay running more than a few minutes, then not start after it dies, so it's best to just walk away in disgust.....yet again.:dunno: I was ready to back her out and go for her maiden voyage on my birthday, but that'll have to wait until later on this month. By the time I get back I'll have the glass installed and she'll be done! That is, if I can ever get her running more than a few minutes. :mad2: She sure looks good though! :3gears: Cheers:beers: Dave |
You know I have a voodoo doll of your car with a pin stuck right through the distributor where the ground wire connects to the base plate.
I am waiting for you to give up, and ship her to me. ;-) By the way. Try starting it and holding the key in the impossible position between run and the starter engaging. I had a Superbird that fried the power feed to the ignition switch in numerous places between the alternator and the under dash area and grounded itself out intermittently. The only way to keep it running was to hold the key past "run" and just before "crank" in order to limp it home. Also my old 70 Charger would have a random "no-power" anomaly on occasion when the power feed male terminal inside the main bulkhead connector at the firewall would separate from the opposing female connector on the engine compartment side. A good yank and tug would fix it...(but don't quote me on that one). |
Ha! I knew it! It was YOU all along, Steve-O!:bs::tongue:
Well, remember, everything is new on the electrical front and tight (all harnesses, switches, relays, etc). No tuggin’ and yankin’ needed on anything!:dunno: Also, went through two distributors, two carburetors, two ballasts, two voltage regulators. What’s happening is she’ll fire right up and run smoothly for about two minutes. Not a pop, not a miss, nothing. Then out of nowhere it’ll start running rough, acting like it’s got some huge cam in it. Really lumpy. I’ll reach in and bump the butterflys a bit and it’ll smooth out when it hits 2000rpms or so, then after a few seconds, right back to stumbling and stalling while at that setting. After it dies, it won’t start again no matter what I do.:no: Perfectly good running engine for a few minutes and then rough running, and then dead. It’s perplexing...perplexing I tells ya!!!!:shocked: I’ve got 5 months until the Super Car Reunion to get her running good!:tongue: Cheers:beers: Dave |
I'm going to take a wild ass guess . . . would the problem stem from the cam not being properly installed?
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Sounds like a fuel issue to me.
Is your gas cap "Vented"? New fuel pump? I had that problem on a 440-4....ended up being the Carter carb.....but you have tried two carbs already....Hmmmm |
Couple "sound" shots:
Ignition, increased resistant when heated up:coil/ballast resistor.what do the plugs look like ? Fouled? Starving for fuel? Whats fuel pressure when it starts stumbling? Vacuum leak? Controlled port opening? Just some thoughts. |
I have not read the full post.. But has the engine been Dynoed or on a run stand? Did you mark the pushrods and made sure that they are all spinning. If not the cam will go flat. Anyway if the engine has never ran on its own. I would start by taking the car out of the equation, Run a power lead direct from the Battery with a new ballast resister to the coil. See if it will keep running.. start there, if having the same problem then add a gallon fuel can direct to the fuel pump... Now it will be simple to start looking for the problem...
Coil, Resister, carb,fuel pump,.. Mopars also run there power through the amp gauge.. Also does it have the mopar electric ignition box?? I have had many problems with them. |
How about a porous or cracked casting in the carb body? Once it heats up, the crack opens and the vacuum leak or fuel dump begins. Do you have another carb to throw on there in a one-minute-pit stop swap, the next time it dies? And also running it off a gas can and an electric fuel pump, and not the fuel tank itself.
Sounds kind of like the old Qaudrajet problem with the leaky lead plugs in the bottom - when the carb heats up, the leak begins and it floods the engine out and no-restarting for a while. |
I was going to make 2 of the suggestions that have already been made. The electric fuel pump with a gas can will eliminate the fuel system on the car, and running a hot wire to the coil will eliminate the ignition switch.
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New ignition switch, all new wiring everywhere, new fuel lines/ sender, tank , and no cap on it right now so venting isn't a problem, new fuel pump, cam installed correctly (would not run smoothly ever if this was the case, but good suggestion Lee), swaping both carbs do the same thing.
With the now clear fuel filter on it I can verify it's getting fuel. I'm going to try Ken's suggestion when I get back and take the car out of the equation. There's got to be a short somewhere that's doing this. I also had this: just placing the key in the ignition switch, not turning it on... just slightly putting the key in....causes the horn relay to click and the ALT idiot light to go on showing me that yes, I'm an idiot! :dunno: This initially happened with the door open, and I'd push the door jamb switch in and it would turn the light out. Releasing it would cause the relay to click and the light to go on. I disconnected the door jamb switches and this stopped the light coming on and the click. Before that I disconnected the horns, alternator, ballast, coil...all one at a time you see if any was causing a short. Same results. :hmmm: It's a stumper men......:mad2: Cheers Dave |
If its like a GM when the key is inserted with the door open the horn relay with buzz. If you here a clicking then it might be that the contacts are stuck and not allowing it to make the "buzzing" sound.
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Maybe put a volt meter on the coil and see what's going on through the cycle.
If all else fails, hang an Aztec worship doll over the engine. |
Just make sure that it's not this
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5a/42...3768e613c8.jpg |
See, that’s what I was actually getting ready to do, Jim! The Aztec worship doll, that is.:biggthumpup:
Man....I love that episode!:grin: Cheers:beers: Dave |
As the risk of being that guy who has not read the thread in detail and repeating something you have done or was suggested....................have you monitored the voltage coming into the ballast resistor?
It is possible the circuit is getting heated up and dropping voltage. Just a thought. I can appreciate your frustration. The problem seems so simple in nature (as these are simple cars) but you get so pissed off that you are ready to throw the kitchen sink at it and get away from the basics to diagnose. My apologies if I have repeated something Keep you chin up. You do nice work Dave and are a real asset to this site! Tim |
Thanks, Tim. No apologies necessary my friend. I’ve monitored that voltage and didn’t notice any drops but have not monitored it when it stumbles and dies. As soon as I say to myself, “Welp, seems that’s not the problem...” and disconnect things then (chugga chugga wheeze).:( I’m going to recheck this again when I get back though just to confirm it. That is, if I can get it started again!:scholar:
Been researching some more and not really finding any other info comparable to what’s going on with my car. I’m going to start back again with voltage monitoring and possibly some sort of short in my new harness somewhere. I’ll get this. Then ROAST those F70s ‘till they go “poof” :biggthumpup::biggthumpup: Cheers:beers: Dave |
You mentioned that the engine and dash harnesses were new, I think?
Remember when I restored the 1972 Trans Am? I bought a brand new wiring harness from M&H Harnesses and it turned out they left out the resistance wire that was supposed to be there for reducing the voltage to the points. Turned out it was punching 13+ volts in to the points at all times, and frying them and the condenser after about five minutes of running. Once they gave me a new harness it worked fine - and they even warrantied the harness two years after I bought it. Did you buy the engine harness for the 340 with electronic ignition or with points ignition? Could be a similar issue with incompatible wiring. Do you have the part # handy? IIRC, the Cuda uses the firewall-mounted ballast resistor to do the same thing. I always carried a half dozen around in my glove box because they would go bad - either totally fried or heat related partial failures. You may have to go with a baker's dozen of them. |
Not much of a mopar guy but does it have the heat crossover in the intake ? Had the same problem with a SBC & ended up being percolation of the fuel in the bowls & would boil over due to today's less than stellar fuel. Had the same symptoms also . Blocked off the heat passages & all was good after that .
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Got any extra intakes? |
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