Un-mothballing the Six Nine Cuda BB that I built almost 35 yrs ago

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My Dad was a watchmaker for 40 years. I remember him polishing watch pivots with diamond powder. Shoulda seen his pinewood derby entry! Do you repair clocks professionally?

I probably could but nah not enough time on my hands presently. Still working about 50 hrs a week building Prototype Completion tools for Deep Water Oil
 
Those Fenton wheels can be worth a good price, the period correct guys will pay up for them.

I have heard that, never really liked them and definitely have no attachment, as far as looks go their kinda like a Cragar S/S to me but much Rarer

..almost replaced them with Supertricks many years ago.
 
IF you decide to change the wheels out,I could be interested in the rear ones. But I think it helps make the car more period piece. Bob
 
IF you decide to change the wheels out,I could be interested in the rear ones. But I think it helps make the car more period piece. Bob
I bought a new set of 15x5 and 15x8 for my 64 Fairlane, I'm going for the look that was popular when I was in high school, early 70s. Low 11s weren't possible then with a 289 but are now.
 
Well, when I jacked up the cuda a few days ago the radiator started spewing coolant on the ground and after a quick look underneath I could see the damage where it got pushed up in the center (really pissed me off) which I have no recollection of doing and doubt i'll get to the bottom of as the one person that I think may have been responsible is longer with us. I was somewhat amazed it didn't start leaking until I jacked it up as this car has not been driven and been sitting many years. Pulled the radiator out today and it's kinda fugly, I used to live a few miles from a place in So.Cal that could do everything with radiators and I would have marched it right up there for an estimate but that few has turned into over 1500 miles so now what's a mother to do. I recall yanking this one out of a station wagon back in the day... good 26" 4 core and all. I'm looking at these guys 26" Big Block Mopar Radiator for a reasonable replacement ($219.00) and wonder if any of y'all have any experience with them or other leads, they seem a little more than the Champions and bout a hundred less than the FABO vender whose name I can't recall. I'm reading all this stuff about how the lower row count and bigger tube Diameter is the latest and greatest and not knocking it but honestly don't know.

If I had my druthers i'd honestly like the steel one back in there but at this point since the cars already a bit modded I technically don't give a chit and ain't willing to spend another $500 to get it that way. Obviously the number one priority is that it keeps the motor from overheating and running a close second would be not breaking the bank. 10 3/4:1 445 cu.in motor was doing ok with just a viscous fan and shroud in it's past life.

Thoughts?

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On a happier note than my damn F-ed up radiator, after calling around to local places to get my trans redone and getting quoted 1K-$1500 bucks I pulled the plug today on a new 727 from this guy I found on the web....Keith long 727Specialist Super Nice guy to talk to and really appears to know his trade.

After going thru all the threads on modifying a plate to fit my floor jack the other night I ended up just picking up a Horror Freight trans jack, I've got another trans to do soon and figured maybe i could use it on pumpkins for the 8 3/4 too though they do sit pretty well in my current floor jack.

Rest is God only knows why random pic's:

*1st Toolbox

* The 35 yr. old overflow bottle is finally getting retired and replaced with a Jaz

* The mini padlocks anti-theft device for the fibreglass hood I mentioned earlier

* The Black Friday new blower and the 4' high pile of leaves I blew around the Bird Bath so the Squirrrrrrrels and Birds would continue to know that i'm Nuts!




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Thats not gonna buff out! Might want to check a factory replacement from a big box like oreileys or auto zone. They have surprisingly affordable stock replacement rads.
 
Look at the reviews for the radiator you linked. There are a lot of red flags with warranty disputes. You may want to dig a little deeper.
 
Thats not gonna buff out! Might want to check a factory replacement from a big box like oreileys or auto zone. They have surprisingly affordable stock replacement rads.

I'll take a look at the reviews...Ugggghhh

I may take your advice and go the other direction at an Auto Parts Store if i can find a reasonable replacement

Going off the number on top I've been trying to Id mine and most Radiator ID links in the forum were dead until I found this one http://www.mopar1.us/radiator.txt Yay!

2949040 1969 C 26 383-2 BOTH A/C

A 69' C-Body could have been a Fury so that's what I'll ask for, most of the college kids working at Parts stores around me are pretty clueless and need a car to lookup
 
I think you're on a good track. Being able to keep your stock shroud is pretty cool. If it keeps your motor cool and fits, bonus. I tried to go that route with mine but the only one they had came with a big scar across the fins and runners so I passed. I have a champion in my cuda and they are a vendor on FABO so that may be another option to consider.
 
I loved reading your story, and sorry to hear about your Mom's passing. Very cool car im digging the anti flop turn buckle, I empathize with you on " things we did as kids" gaining patience with age has been a blessing. Glad you kept this ride.
 
I believe a good radiator shop could fix that. Maybe not the core, but the tanks for sure, as long as they are not rotted all to heck.
 
I have the same HF trans jack, grease the jack screw good before using it.
 
Well, when I jacked up the cuda a few days ago the radiator started spewing coolant on the ground and after a quick look underneath I could see the damage where it got pushed up in the center (really pissed me off) which I have no recollection of doing and doubt i'll get to the bottom of as the one person that I think may have been responsible is longer with us. I was somewhat amazed it didn't start leaking until I jacked it up as this car has not been driven and been sitting many years. Pulled the radiator out today and it's kinda fugly, I used to live a few miles from a place in So.Cal that could do everything with radiators and I would have marched it right up there for an estimate but that few has turned into over 1500 miles so now what's a mother to do. I recall yanking this one out of a station wagon back in the day... good 26" 4 core and all. I'm looking at these guys 26" Big Block Mopar Radiator for a reasonable replacement ($219.00) and wonder if any of y'all have any experience with them or other leads, they seem a little more than the Champions and bout a hundred less than the FABO vender whose name I can't recall. I'm reading all this stuff about how the lower row count and bigger tube Diameter is the latest and greatest and not knocking it but honestly don't know.

If I had my druthers i'd honestly like the steel one back in there but at this point since the cars already a bit modded I technically don't give a chit and ain't willing to spend another $500 to get it that way. Obviously the number one priority is that it keeps the motor from overheating and running a close second would be not breaking the bank. 10 3/4:1 445 cu.in motor was doing ok with just a viscous fan and shroud in it's past life.

Thoughts?

'



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Shoulda tried a griffin ----------
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---------hasn`t leaked in about 7ish yrs .
 
If that's a numbers radiator, I would endeavor to find someone who could repair it. I believe it can be done.
 
Rusty,
I kinda thought the same as you and brought it to a shop that's been around forever but they said the Lower tank was too damaged to repair and with the upward shift throughout the entire Rad that it really wouldn't be economically in my best interests to attempt repairing it. I did end up getting a China Rad from them that was for a C-Body fairly cheap $225 but it interfered with my clutch fan and I ended up taking it back (figured out later I could have used it).

With cost still a factor and after reading a bunch of catalogs I found there is no shortage of Rad manufacturers but after talking with just (Glen-Ray, Griffin, Cold Case, Champion) I was kind of leaning towards an Aluminum with dual 1 1/4" rows but these are all 3" Thick and I wanted to avoid the additional cost of electric fans, controllers and custom shroud.
*Griffin would have had me close to $1500 with Spals
* Glen-Ray was about $850 for OEM style Brass
* Champion had too many unhappy campers so that nixed them
*Cold Case with Fans was about $650

Still at a loss for a Rad that would clear my Clutch Fan and could utilize my OEM shroud when I chanced across a FABO thread that mentioned a compact Hayden Clutch Fan #2725 that was about .455 shorter than the Mopar one I had ...Hot Dang!

Mopar Clutch Fan (Eaton)# 4095704 + 5 Blade Fan # 4140063 = 3.125 OAL
Hayden #2725 + above Fan = 2.670 OAL

3.125
-2.670
.455 Shorter


Ordered the Cold Case MOP757A/ $378.00 from Summit since their free shipping pretty much nullified the FABO Vendor discount but it arrived slightly damaged with a bent up mounting tab (Cheap Lightweight Cardboard Packaging) but I've got it straightened out and still going to use since Cold Case states a Life-Time Leak guarantee.

Started to put it in today but only got the clutch fan on and got sidetracked on a bent lower valance, and where to relocate my trans cooler.

Hope to get it fitted next weekend.

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Haven't updated my 69' project thread alot but i've been keeping after it and trying like to Hell to stay on course and remain as frugal as one can when working on a classic car.

After pulling the original Kelsey Hayes 4-Piston Calipers apart it was obvious that it was a good thing I did and though they miraculously weren't leaking they surely were in really bad shape and Someone else and myself almost had me talked into different front brakes ANNND getting rid of the Hooker Fenderwells and putting some chassis exit TTI's on the car.

At around $165 each for China re-mans of which they only could get a passenger side ,PLUS my K-H Cores I decided Hell No to Them, I'll try and rebuild them. After giving them a good cleaning they looked even worse but in reality there was only one spot in the piston bore that had a bit of pitting so I proceeded to make up Two custom semi-soft wheels to clean up the O-Ring and Boot retention Grooves as well as hone the bore ever so slightly. Then off to the Dry-Hone and Back to a Lil more polishing.
While waiting on a pair of New Caliper Boot kit's and Rear Wheel Cylinders I ordered from Summit, I taped off the bores and applied a coat of Silver Caliper Paint w/ Ceramic (whoa) that I found at O'Reillys and they actually came out pretty good. After spending damn near Five hours installing the Boots and Seals I can say with certainty that I'd hate to do that for a living as it was a PITA getting some of the pistons past those O-Rings. I had initially tried a bit of brake fluid to lube them but later went to just a touch of dielectric grease I had sitting nearby which helped....I Think.
I still ended up tearing one of the boots and reused one of the old ones that was still actually fine....Ha!

Almost completely done with the Calipers rebuild it was Literally the Last Screw on the Pad Tensioner that twisted off .....Ughhhh!

The Ol' back the screw out with a Centerpunch trick didn't work and the chisel didn't fare much better so time to for the 1st time try this Craftsman deal the Ol' lady got me for Xmas a couple of years ago...Literally like a couple of months before they boarded up my local Sears.

Took me about a half hour to figure out how the damned thing worked but it did the job and got the screw out so I can't complain.

Next weekend mayyyybe I'll finish up the brake job if I don't go back on the Radiator project, but still gotta clean out the lines, install the MC and rear wheel cylinders and gonna take a good gander inside the Line-Loc and Proportioning valve.


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I know this sites got it's daily regulars and then there's those of us that float in and out and some just fly under the radar all the time.

Still been working on this car and its getting close to being streetable again soon..Changed a bunch of directions since my last post in this thread in January:

*Going from Fenderwells to under chassis
*Rollcage
*Lots of exterior new parts
*Big brake swap
*New Hood
*new 727 and converter
*New Gauges
*New Carpet and deadener
*New Cold case with Dual fans
*Fresh fully reworked heads
*New wheels (Old school Fenton's - Mopar Steelies)
*New Seats In---Furrburger seats out
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And to think this started out as a low budget just get it running again project..

A Bazillion dollars in parts later, we just painted it black Thursday and calling it the Murder Cuda
 
Glad to see you making progress. Each change I see makes it a little bit nicer! Rock on.
 
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