Fastback Resto

[harrytoes]

This fastback has been in and out of my entire life. My parents bought it new from the lot where my grandfather was head wrench. It's a 318 fastback nothing fancy. The car brought me home from the hospital when I was born (35 years ago). My mom drove until I got it high school. I was to interested in girls and sports to spend any time on the car. Man, nothing like laying in the back with the seat and trunk down staring at the stars to fire up a high school girl. The "motor heads" at school thought I was cool though. I went away to college and my sister drove through high school six years later. From what I've heard it saw many a good time. Needless to say the body was thrashed. Too many grocery store fender benders to list.

The engine was rebuilt about ten years ago not to many miles on the rebuild. I want to fire up the motor a little after the body work is done. New cam, switch to 4bbl, electronic ignition, and dual exhaust.

I have taken the body apart and am working my way towards the body shop.

 

[OldVart]

Glad you've been able to keep a piece of family and Mopar history. It looks like you have a very soild starting point. make sure you keep us updated and keep the pics coming as you progress.

 

[harrytoes]

Took some more paint yesterday. i thought I was a pro at the old wire wheel until the thing kicked back on me and gave me a black eye. Could have been a lot worse. Boy will I be glad when this part of the resto is done. I get my other body panels back from the stripper this weekend. I would have gone crazy trying to get rid of the paint on the underside of the hood.

I guess I am pretty lucky with the rust. Only a few spots and one big cancer on the quater.

 

[OldVart]

Be VERY careful with any electric or air tools, because they can cause you some very bad injuries. Anytime you're using any type of rotary type tool, ALWAYS wear eye protection, because it only take 1 little piece of wire from that wheel to take out an eye. I almost lost my left eye a few years ago, and I was wearing safety glasses plus a full face shield!! That little piece of metal got under the face shield, bounced around off my cheek bone, off the inside of the safety glasses, and stuck right dead center in my eyeball. Not much fun at the time, and a few months ago I had to have the lens replaced in that eye because it was just never right after that. Good luck and work safe.

 

[swedefish]

Nice project.
Awesome that your family kept the car since new, sure must be nice to know all of the history of the car.

 

[19duster74]

Nice project. I love the early Cudas because of the interiors and fold down back seat. Will be my next project car.

 

[harrytoes]

Just talked to the body guy. Worst case scenario $10K ouch. More likley seven or so. He wants to replace the quaters and the trunk floor. Where is the best place to get these.

 

[70Duster440]

Great project! Most sheetmetal is stamped out at the same Taiwan plant anymore so it doesn't really matter who you buy from other than price, service, and shipping rates. The shipping can be as much as the part! They're generally thinner than OEM and the body lines aren't as crisp. If you don't have to replace the entire quarter, then don't - get patch panels or fab what's needed.

Anyway, the main resto supply places (Year One, Paddock) sell skins at inflated prices. Other places to check would be: Goodmark, Shermans, and Auto Body Specialties. You should be able to find quarter skins and 1 or 2 piece trunk floors.

Good luck and take care of that shiner!

 

[harrytoes]

Ordered my sheetmetal today. 2 quarters and a trunk center for $650 including shipping. Got them from "cudamackdaddy" on ebay. I have my fingers crossed.

It goes off to the body shop sometime in the mext week. Have to wait for the rain to stop for awhile. It is down bare metal and the car is in the pacific northwest. It is getting new quarters, new trunk center, and lots of metal shaping. Then primed up and back to the original TT1 Avacado Green.

Can't wait to put down the grinder.

 

[harrytoes]

Not much has happened on my project but I do have a few more updates. The panels that I ordered from ebay came. They came to the shop and I was out of the country. The body shop said they looked like they had been beating with a sledge. They said the metal was thin and beat to hell.

Since I was out of the country I let the body guy make the decision. He sent them back and decided to straighten the quaters as best he could.

Well it's been in the shop for close to three months. Not much has been done. He is doing a good job just a little slow. The cars been with me for over thrity years so I guess I can wait a few months.

 

[harrytoes]

The body guy has been pretty slow he has worked on one quarter and the hood. Patience!!