69 Cuda resto

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Sure bkd, come on over anytime!!! Anyone else for that matter. I post pics as I make progress. Unfortunately my schedule keeps me from working on it alot lately. It'll probably just get worse as I am going to start traveling again. I will be sure to start a thread of pics of me representing FABO with my hat wherever I go....lol.

We did invest in a pinch welder, though, in hopes that it'll help us do some of the spot welding.
 
Bill and all watching this............it's just too BAD that AMD dropped the ball when my friend and i were going to let them borrow our NOS sheet metal to make reproductions. Parts like the trunk drops, rear of fender splash panels, fenders, coupe quarter panels, ect. They make so much stuff for Dusters???? Yeah thats nice to see the fastback quarters now, but why do them without drunk drops???? By their ad in MCG mag it doesn't sound like they're going to do coupe or convertable quarters.....it says you can modify the fasbacks???????????.........show me how to do that one!!!!!!!!!

Even if you look at the AMD trunk pan it isn't correct for '67-'69. It's the '70 and up style with the different shape filler pipe hole and i'm going to guess the spare tire well is bigger also?
 
I don't know where my dad got the trunk pan. I don't think it was AMD as it didn't come with the black primer. It also didn't come with a filler neck hole. It does seem to be about a half inch too narrow at the front...it doesn't line up flush with the inner wheelhouse. I've yet too take a really good look yet but maybe it's correct and the extensions mate to the inner wheelhouse also. I know one thing, my meager fabrication skills will be put to the test getting my extensions to work...lol. I WILL make them succomb to my desires!!!!!!
 
Hi I am getting ready to replace the front frame rails with the help of some friends soon on my 68 Barracuda convertible. I am real interested in seeing how you replace your clip. I have bought a clip similar to what you have. I actually have it stored down the road from you in West Chester. I am located in Colerain Township which is not to far from you. You have made a lot of progress in a short amout of time. Keep up the good work.
 
Hi I am getting ready to replace the front frame rails with the help of some friends soon on my 68 Barracuda convertible. I am real interested in seeing how you replace your clip. I have bought a clip similar to what you have. I actually have it stored down the road from you in West Chester. I am located in Colerain Township which is not to far from you. You have made a lot of progress in a short amout of time. Keep up the good work.


We've decided not to replace the clip ourselves. It's one thing to weld in some sheet metal but, quite another to replace major structural parts. We're gonna find a frame shop to install it for us. We don't trust our welding skills or our ability to get it straight.

BBDAVE has some good pics of a front clip replacement and he is more than willing to give good advice.

I'm back from my latest trip so hopefully I'll have some pics of progress this weekend!!
 
Great progress it will be nice once you finish it.
Would you be willing to sell the dimple for the gas cap? If you are gettin new 1/4's
 
Great progress it will be nice once you finish it.
Would you be willing to sell the dimple for the gas cap? If you are gettin new 1/4's


not real sure what you mean by "the dimple for the gas cap". I'm assuming you're talking about where the filler neck attaches to the 1/4. Sell it? Hell I'll give you the portion of the 1/4 we cut out. Just pay shipping.
 
Makes my job look simple
 

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WOW, I can't believe how long it's been since I got a chance to work on the car. I finally finished welding and grinding on the trunk pan so today I started fitting the left wheelhouse and trunk extension. The extensions are for a Dart or Duster ( I forget) so I knew it was gonna take some modifications on my part. I seem to have gotten everything fit pretty good. Now I still have to lengthen the extensions. I think what I'm gonna do is, after I weld them in, I'll temp fit the quarters and make a pattern out of cardboard for the extension on the extensions and then just weld in the extra metal that's needed.

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I looked at AMD again and they didn't have the extensions. Besides, never having done fab work before (or ANY body work for that matter), I'm having fun making everything fit together. My philosophy is that it's only metal....it WILL succombe to my whims!!!
 
Today I got a good 4 hours of work in on the car. My time was spent mainly taking care of some surface rust issues on the trunk and behind the quarters in preperation for instaliing the rest of the rear end. I went ahead and chemically treated the trunk pan and sprayed it with some etch primer. Yes, was rattle can, I realize this isn't ideal, but I had to lay something down for some type of protection. After I get the wheelhouses and trunk extensions installed I will lay down the epoxy primer. I plan on using PPG Value PRO primer system. I also got some seam sealer down along the back weld line.

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I also treated the back cross member with a three part rust treatment. I'll let you know how it works out in 20 years,

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Treated some surface rust where the rear window goes and some on the rocker panel. Again, I'll hit this area with some etch primer and cover with some rattle can color I have on the way. Again, I realize this isn't ideal, but it's just a little surfave rust and it'll be hidden by the quarter.

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While I was doing all this my dad got the radiator apart. He was able to straighten out the top and bottom caps so hopefully our radiator guy will be able the build a new one using the original parts.

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Then I was able to start the modifaction of the other trunk extension

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who needs a work bench when you have a tiller!!!

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So, I found a local sheet metal retailer and got a couple pieces to finish the extensions. I needed to lengthen the drop downs so I welded a piece of metal on and temp installed the extension. With the quarter temp installed I was able to mark the contour so I could cut and bend the bottom lip. It all came out pretty well.

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Great skills you got. I think you do great progress. Keep the pictures coming.

Thanks for the kind words. As far as my skills go though, never having done anything like this I am finding skills I never thought I had. I'm really having a lot of fun with the fab work. I get a real sense of satisfaction making something from nothing or modifying what I have to make it work. I'm really glad my dad and I decided to delve into this.

As far as progress goes it's gona slow to a crawl agiain as I'm gonna be working the whole month of September, gone the first two weeks of October and continuing with my flying schedule after that. Gotta pay for the parts some how, I guess!! I was hoping to get the wheelhouse and trunk extension in this weekend but we decided to replace the rockers so I'll wait untill we have the new ones in place to fit it all together. Hopefully we'll at least get the trunk lid latch thingy installed on the trunk pan along with cutting the filler neck whole and welding in the partition base.
 
well, I went ahead and mocked up the rear end, made sure everything was good to go and welded in the drivers side trunk extension. After that I had enough time to start moding the other extension. The plan is to get the other extension on, sand it all down and lay down the primer.

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more to come in a few weeks
 
I'll get this out of the way right now before everyone starts telling me about how AMD now makes 67-69 trunk extensions. I was TDY a few weeks ago for two weeks. While on short TDYs you have no access to work e-mail. I got back, welded on the second trunk extension and went to work the next day. As I'm checking 2 weeks worth of garbage e-mails I notice one from Dante's Mopars; 'We now have 67-69 'Cuda trunk extensions!!'. I said to myself, 'Self, golly gee wilikers, all that time you and your dad spent making your own extensions seems to be for naught. Well, I least it was a good experience.' After they released me from the restraints they had to put me in to keep me from throwing my work computer across the room I called my dad and told him about it. We certainly had a good laugh about that one. So, that being said....I DON"T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT REPOPPED TRUNK EXTENSIONS, trust me I know.

So, today I went over, sanded off all the crap primer I put on to keep the rust down, cleaned, cleaned, and cleaned some more. I started with lacquer thinner, went to cheap wax/degreaser then finished off with PPG degreaser. I then had my first experience with painting. It went really well. I'm very happy with the results. I used PPG epoxy. We still have to weld in some pieces/parts but we wanted to get the majority of the surfaces primed before it got too cold.

What I started with

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After sanding with 80

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After seconding sanding with 180

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After first coat

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After second coat

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Now we're gonna finish up with the left side, to include a new rocker. Already have the old one out.
 
Hey AFBill!

Just finished looking thru your build thread. Really amazing stuff you are doing...and for the first time to boot!

Anyway wishing you and your family Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Ma Snart
 
afbill, thats some real nice fab work on those trunk extensions! Thats what I'm getting ready to do on my cuda when I install my 1/4 patches. I'm the same as you, new to all this metal fab work, but loving it. Keep up with the progress, your doing a great job. Jim
 
First of all I would like to thank everyone for their kiind words....thank you.

I haven't posted anything but we have been busy. We cut out the drivers side rockers and realized we were at a point were the front end needed to be put on. I got in touch with a local guy who does custom car work and he came over to look at the car. He suggested that we put on the doors and get the car straight before installing the front end. Two weeks later we put the driver side door on but the front end is bent so much (the a-pillar and cowel) and the door isn't sable because the rocker's gone we decided to re-evaluate. We decided it's probably best to but on the front end and then straighten the car. Why align the doors with a front end that's going to be replaced?

Aside from that I've been working on the grille surround and grilles in my basement,

I installed some bracing

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sanded

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ready for paint
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hanging in my "paint booth"
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speaking of my "paint booth". This is the half *** booth I built in my basement

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As you can imagine my house smelled like paint for two days. Jeanette, my wife, was not happy with me. The other day I upgraded my paint booth with more sheeting, a light and an exaust system


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from the outside it looks like I'm running a meth lab....lol

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