The Crusty Cuda: Whole lotta Shakin' (N96) Goin' on!

[R68GTO]

Wow, what a transformation! Creativity at its finest.

[njsteve]

Thanks. I couldnt see paying somebody $300 to $400 to do this exact process on a perfectly fine wheel that needed no structural repairs.

Total material cost was $6 for the paint marker set and $6 for the satin clear. (I borrowed the 10 year old can of Minwax Walnut stain from my wife's woodworking supplies - I probably used less than a couple tablespoons in total)

[big gear head]

That looks great.

[njsteve]

The NOS ignition switch arrived today. Here is the comparison. Repro on the left and NOS on the right. There really is no comparison.

None of the terminals on the repro are in the same locations as the NOS unit. All of them are loose and not securely riveted. Look at the brown wire at the top of the repro switch on the left. It is so loose that the terminal rotates and touches the large black wire's terminal. I bet you that had to be the internal short right there.

[CTBob]

Whatta pair o' comparos! Stellar creative/innovative wheel resto, Steve! (…And, economical, too!)

…And, cheap/dangerous attempt-at-a-part vs. gennie original! (I can hear SCTV's Count Floyd now! "Ooh… Scary!)

Well, I'm sending wishes to one & all on the Forum for a Happy Thanksgiving. Be well. Stay safe.

[njsteve]

Happy TurkeyDay to you too, Bob

Got the new igntion switch/harness back in. I also swapped back the reproduction key switch with the original key switch as well. 1970 used a brushed finish on the key bezel. No one reproduces it and they just tell you to swap it for the 71 to 74 chrome bezeled unit. No thanks. Also, the darn key required a tug of war to get it to come out every time. Even after I ran the key through the wire brush several times. That can get pretty annoying when the key-in buzzer is going non-stop.

I then reassembled the column and installed the steering wheel. All nice and new looking.

Oh, and it even starts with the key now. Like it's supposed to.

All the dash lights and gauge lights work.

Things still on the list: The gas gauge is still reading empty even though I ran a ground wire, aligator clipped from the tank to the frame, and the fog lights aren't getting power. Gotta install the windshield and align the front end (doing that myself with the contraption I bought). Oh, and seats would be nice. I pulled a calf muscle pressing the clutch in while sitting flat on the floor.

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

I am loving every post!!!

This car is going to be amazing!!!

Ryan W31

[scuncio]

Nice work. As I get older, I’ve become downright disgusted with the quality of repop/modern “old car parts” in general. Just today I bought some 50 year old 1157 bulbs on eBay because the Sylvania replacements have shorter pins that don’t engage properly in the sockets. I’d rather look a little harder for old stock, which is still quite easy to find, and rarely more expensive than the junk you find at auto zone.

[njsteve]

The Boy and I installed the windshield today.

I had him watch around 30 seconds (about as mush as either of us could tolerate) of a Graveyard Cars episode where they had a couple glass guys install the windshield on a 71 Limelight Green 'cuda (and randomly dubbed in a 70 Challenger install during the scene for no apparent reason other than it was also Limelight).

We then wandered out to the garage, stuck the four suction cups on the glass and plunked it in place. I had already placed the 5/16" butyl tape in place last night. It all went in uneventfully.

It took a few hours for the weight of the glass to gradually settle down and seal all the way around. I had to stick in the rubber blocks as well as some wooden shims to keep it fromm drooping down but it seems to be holding now.

The AMD glass is nice and thick, like an original windshield. It even has a Chrysler logo in the center like the originals do.

Sorry for the blurry photo. I did some black friday shopping today for new phones for the wife and the boy. So I can get one of their more modern hand-me-downs when they come in.

[RS_COPO_Canuck]

I bet those don't rattle in 2nd gear at 3500 RPM