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

[firstgenaddict]

With your spray outs for color matching...
the biggest thing you will probably find is how the metallic "lays out" in lacquer VS Base Clear...
The way it lays changes the color sometimes directly & sometimes on a 45 degree sideshift.
With metallics if you see changes VS original on side shifts they make metallic pigment which will stay the same viewed directly and darken OR lighten the side shift
OR
Stay the same on the side shift YET go lighter OR darker on the direct.

When you roll it over on the rotisserie - get the color scanned by the paint supplier.
Spray out a minimum amount on your card CLEAR it then check... UNDER FULL SPECTRUM LIGHT...

If it doesn't match then figure out where the problem is... side - direct - color - etc and get the appropriate tints and a good gram scale

Pour off your scanned (known mix) into 4 jars jars, make every jar the same amount BY USING A GRAM SCALE.
Example:
PROBLEM ~ too dark side shift -
I would make up 4 jars with 50 grams of mix color -
JAR 1. add .5 grams of the lightening side shift - 1% - spray out... too light,
JAR 2 add .25 gram - spray out - - too dark --- split the difference.
JAR 3 add .375 grams - spray out ---

This is how I did the last 3 and matched the original Lemans Blue, Cortez Silver, and original Light Copper Metallic.

As you can see by the photo of the Cortez Silver... 2.5 g 806J / 432.8 g of code mixed = somewhere just over 0.5% per volume.

The jagged line down the center is a ripped tape line.

LEFT ORIGINAL Code 69 Cowl sides 1969 SS Camaro 12C ---------------------- RIGHT Chromabase spray out clear coated - for match.

[firstgenaddict]

IF one of the jars with tint does not match, it should not be modified to attempt to achieve the match. Adding an accurate amount of tint to a sample of which the volume is not ACCURATELY weighed will not yield a duplicable result.

I should have posted a photo of the end result... here it is.

[A12pilot]

Wow! What an incredibly insightful post! Thank you very much for that information. With a relocation coming, when I'm ready to paint, I'll be searching for a new supply house for the paint materials and hoping the guy with the scanner can get a good match. Excellent info!

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

With a promise to Kelly that I'd keep the car together until the new Casa del Fuega Molnariano is complete, I've been doing some digging for my favorite thing: markings! And despite the Crusty Cuda being....well.....crusty...I found a bunch! Knowing where to look is half the battle and having done so many Mopars before, I sniffed them out like a fart on an airplane!

Rear axle has the date code under the large side support rib, and under the carrier is the paint slashes that indicate the ratio. My car, from all indications, says 3.23 Open. That's backed up with 3 black stripes under the keel of the axle 3rd member. Had this of been a Sure Grip, there would have been an orange stripe there as well. Driver's side axle tube has a three digit axle code that would match the Broadcast sheet code. Only the "0" is visible in mine, which for a 3.23 open would be "073". There will also be a date/ inspector stamp on this tube too. Mine is all but gone. The 3rd member assembly date looks like "21D" but I'm not positive on that yet. April 21st would correspond to my SPD of 4-30. Still researching that. There are other missing markings on the axle which would be a large "E" or "FE" on the back of the axle carrier along with a circle and an "X", "/", or nothing, through it. I've seen all three on both open and sure grip axles with all combinations. Some say the circle with the x through it means sure grip. Having seen examples of that on non-sure grip cars, and no written documentation saying that's what it means, not buying it. Whoda thunk anyone would really care about these anyway!? My filler plug shows a red paint daub. Can't make out pinion markings yet and until the axle is out, not sure what's on top.

Rear axle brake backing plate shows a yellow daub on the retainer spring mount rivet. Torsion bars show two aluminum daubs on the left side, one aluminum daub on the right coding them to 779/778 respectively (also stamped on the end of the t-bars). That's the standard S13 HD suspension for the 340 Cudas. Drips on the t-bars facing up shows how they were dipped in paint so they could be facing anyway when installed. Small details!! Lower control arm adjusters have orange/left and blue/right daubs on the ends. This is the first Mopar that I've seen two different colors. Mine are mostly the same color on both. Driver's side arm also has an inspection mark on the large joining rivet.

Transmission markings: 696 for 340 4spd, an orange swipe over the casting number. The red paint isn't anything. Back in the day, someone painted the axle white and the transmission red and that's remnants of that color. Two white blops are on the shifter mounts and another on the lower shifter gear stud. So freaking cooooool!!!

That's the update here. Tune in next time for more progress updates like, "I know, sweety, but it is in one piece! It's just that all the pieces aren't in one piece! "

Cheers
Dave

[John Brown]

Maybe a black light would bring out those hard to see faded paint numbers and markings. I'm no expert on that, but I do play one on TV.

[RS_COPO_Canuck]

Hey Dave.
Just for reference - Here are some pics of my AAR. This is what was on my 8-3/4. We took pics and tracings of the original and duplicated all the markings exactly. It was a very clean Oregon car. I will try and find the pics we took before the restoration.
I have some engine pics too if you want to see them. Other than the extra 2 holes at the top of the intake - lol, and some intake brackets and fuel lines....everything on a 340-4 will be the same.
Cheers,
Jim

[m22mike]

Nice detail work, looks outstanding. Sometimes I think we should drive the cars upside down to show off our efforts....

[R68GTO]

Don't want to hijack this awesome thread but what is your proven method for uncovering those markings without removing them?

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Originally Posted by m22mike

Nice detail work, looks outstanding. Sometimes I think we should drive the cars upside down to show off our efforts....

Let’s figure this out, mine is pretty underneath :-)

Ryan W31

[A12pilot]

That’s good stuff, Jim. Thanks for the pics! Yes...we’ll be having many discussions once I really dig into it.

Secret? Me??? Are you kidding? All my knowledge comes from those before me!!! I can share that Oxyclean, Simple Green, and as Jim stated, WD-40 are some tools in my kit bag along with several old toothbrushes. Now, I can’t stress this enough, don’t confuse yer new teethbrushes with them old ones! I’m just gonna leave it at that...

I do like the black light idea for these marking on the carrier. That may help a lot in deciphering those markings. Plus, I’ll wear some matching white accent pieces on my clothes for some really cool action shots!!

Cheers

Dave