With the red drums in evidence - it could have either 14 or 15" Rallye wheels....or 14" Road wheels.
Is the original spare in it? If it has a space saver then it was more than likely 15" Rallye wheels.

I'll ask around on Shaker Emblems....check Ebay...but be careful!

Have a look at Barry Washington's site....lots of good info.

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/...racuda0032.jpg

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/...ries%20(3).jpg

Jim, yeah, good info. I talked to Barry a few times. His site is a great source of info. No original spare in there, which leads to debate on the wheels. And the spare tire mounting stud is long gone which would have indicated if it were space saver or steel wheel based on its mounting positon. :hmmm: But..... two 14" Ralleye wheels on the car are dated 3-23-70 and Crusty's SPD is 4-30-70, so good chance they are original to the car. Speedo gear is for 3.23 F70x14, which adds to the 14" conclusion. I do have past owner info I can contact and see if they may recall. Second owner had the car from mid seventies on, so he might know. But James is a pretty good sleuth and think he'd have already tried to figure it out and his conclusion is 14" Ralleyes with full sized spare. But I'll keep digging! I'm thinking it's 14" Ralleye as well.:laugh:

She's on her way here! Picked up last night and should be rolling to TX tomorrow or Saturday!!! And so it begins.....:laugh:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

PS: Yes... bubble shouldn't be black!:tongue:

Man will that ever be cool when you’re finished with it.

Crusty got here yesterday and of course, I wasn't home. But, Kelly took delivery for me and happy to report, the new project is in the shop waiting for me to get home! :headbang:

Unfortunately for now, I'll just have to sit there and make engine noises like James used to do until I start on it next year. :frown: More to come.....:burnout:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

So....very....cool!:worship:

I can imagine how great that is gonna look with that purple color all done. Really looking forward to seeing the maestro get to work.

Thanks guys! Maestro? Maybe of a one-man-band!:wink: Or is that the guy that stands on the corner and twirls "New Homes! Turn Here!!" signs when it's 100 outside?:laugh::hmmm::biggthumpup: But thanks for the confidence boost my friend! Much appreciated!:biggthumpup:

That'll be the vision when done, Lee! Looked over it yesterday. Nothing that I didn't already know: trunk floor (on a Mopar? Really!?:wink:) some cowl work, floor patches, lower rear quarter patches. Surprisingly, the rear window channel is solid!

The 340 is fully rebuilt and ready to be completed when the time comes. It's sitting in DP so it'll be protected while it sits. Drips, bare oil pan bottom, sprayed over water pump bypass hose to come!!:scholar:

Regardless of the motor not running...I sat in the car and made some engine sounds. Didn't want to start on the first try, then the battery died. :confused2: But after a jump, she fired right up!:headbang:

Cheers
Dave

I'll patiently wait for this.. Maybe at a future SCR event.?. Just sayin'..

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/SpotlessKl...ne-max-1mb.gif

Nope.

The 1970 'Cuda came standard with the 383 Magnum. You could order the 340 as a no charge option. As you can see from the production numbers the 340 NC option was more popular than the standard 383 Magnum:

https://s15.postimg.cc/xa3q60dsb/screenshot_6487.png

There is an almost 100 pound difference between the 340 and the 383: 525 versus 620.

Love it!

Well, I can't leave well enough alone, so I decided to hold an "Undercoating Removal " party and invited all my friends! Strangely, nobody showed up. I'm not sure if its because people hate to remove undercoating, or despite my idea of myself...I really don't have any friends:dunno:. But, just like my entire high school tenure, I didn't let that bother me. :cool2:

Crusty being an undercoated car really helped save those floors. Luckily, no rot despite their rather crappy appearance. I mainly wanted to start documenting all of the factory overspray pattern from the rocker panels inward, as well as the dip gray primer. Under the driver's side, a sample of just about as mint as you can get 1970 FC7 In Violet!:headbang:

I swept all that mass into a pile that was yyyeeeewge! So big in fact that for comparison and scale, I positioned a 426 Hemi I had laying around next to it, then got the ladder out to take an aerial shot. I'm telling ya! Yyyyyeeewwge!:shocked:

Ok... maybe it's not that big, but it'll be doubley that big (doubley??:hmmm:) after I get into the wheel wells and rear floor transition panel.

Pffffllpppp.... friends... who needs 'em!:grin::thumbsdown::burnout:

Cheers
Dave

LOL....and here....we....go! :)

Dave did you just warm it up? My 300G looks like someone drove down a fresh asphalt road it is so bad underneath. I was thinking about trying that flooring removal material you can get it Sherwin-Williams

Ha! Thanks Bruce! But it's limited, really. But fear not! It'll be on like Donkey Kong next year for sure!

Bill, yes. Hand held propane torch and a paint scraper. In some areas...a plastic scraper where it was easy to remove to prevent gouging. Brake cleaner afterwards gets rid of the remaining residue.

Cheers
Dave

Dave...even piecemeal updates will do the trick. I really enjoy your posts!

Are you going to try to get a digital color match sampling of the virgin paint on the underside? It is so hard to get a modern accurate match of that color just from a formula.

I might try that, Steve. I'm curious to see how close that will come out. The good thing is with that undercoating on there is it's been 100% protected from everything, so it should zap pretty perfect with the laser gun. Might have to single stage this one instead of the BC/CC.

Cheers
Dave

Yes, go single stage. There is nothing like the original "sheen" that a single stage in these vintage colors versus the way-too-deep, glossy look of modern two stage paints.

Ha. Dave, I knew you couldn't stand to not do something on this car! Overall, it looks reasonably solid. Can't wait to see the restoration go forward!.

Yeah, I know it Phil! Kelly and I have a deal about the Cuda staying together, but nothing says I can't do stuff to it while it's still in one piece! :no::cool2:

More undercarriage and rear wheel well cleaning/scraping to follow. J55 Undercoating option is a pain to remove but it did save the floors and left a pretty friggin' sweet original color sample to boot!!. :biggthumpup:

Cheers
Dave

WOW I love the original purple/violet...

Dave - Contrary to the current urban myths - Shaker bubble could be black or argent in 1970. Lot's of examples of both on good, original cars :)

Good sleuthing on the speedo gear!

Vendor issues on the Challenger hoods. There were bulletins every month saying they will be available "next month".....they finally starting shipping them in April. Unlike it being standard on a Hemi-Cuda....it was always an option on the Hemi Challengers.

Good stuff, Jim. I have to go back in my notes, and a phone call to the second {and longest} owner of the car may settle whether it was a black or argent shaker bubble. I"m pretty sure it was argent, but I'll figure that one out! Can't wait to start on it!!!!

Cheers
Dave

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.

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.

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

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! :biggthumpup: And despite the Crusty Cuda being....well.....crusty:rolleyes2:...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! :shocked:

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!?:laugh::dunno: 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. :dunno:

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!!:biggthumpup: 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:rolleyes2:. 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! ":no:

Cheers
Dave

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. :grin:

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

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

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

R68GTO....are you asking me or Dave the OP?
On the pics I posted - the car was very clean and had zero surface rust - it was an easy one to see markings on. On a rusty car it comes down to very, very careful cleaning with mild cleaners. Spraying with WD40 or similar helps to see the markings better. Some are just too rusty to find much of anything.

Maybe Dave has a secret or two he can share....

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

Ryan W31

Thanks for the feedback....guess I was asking both! Will be undertaking my own project like this in a few months, don't want to screw it up.

That’s good stuff, Jim. Thanks for the pics! :biggthumpup: 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!!!:grin: 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...:hmmm::tongue:

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!!:smile:

Cheers

Dave

And hang a fluorescent Hendrix and Zeppelin poster near the area too.