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

[CTBob]

Sweeeet!!! Lookin' excellent, Steve!

…And in response to what you posted (re: the neat FC7 440-4 'Cuda in the ebay sales section of this site): "It was built the day before my purple 340 shaker cuda. (I wonder if they built them in color batches?)"

The answer is "Yes!" It was more efficient that way. Same-color cars (Dodge/Plymouth) were scheduled to be painted in batches, which is why, when removing an interior, sometimes you'll see evidence (dusting+) of another color, because that was the first car in the new batch of the next selected color. They, usually cleaned out the spray gun somewhere in the interior. The reason they did this was because they didn't want to waste valuable finish paint. As an example, when the batch of FC7 Purple cars, in which your car & the 'Cuda-For-Sale were included, was completed, if the next selected color was B5 Blue, the first cars in the Blue batch would probably have some purple on the interior metal (such as the floor pan). (As many of us know, that area didn't USUALLY get a whole heck of a lot of coverage, however, as they say, "your mileage may vary.")

[njsteve]

Thanks for the confirmation, Bob!

I tried to install the shifter/column interlock hardware yesterday but I figured out that I have to remove the clutch cross bar to do it as the bellhousing mounted bracket for the interlock cross bar actually has a hole that the clutch crossbar ball-stud goes through. Ugh! That will take a bit more time this weekend. I also had to make my own .610 wide, thin, plastic bushing for the large hole in the column lever that engages with the rod to the interlock cross bar. Anyone have an actual part number for that particular weird bushing? Since the cotter pin hole is so close to the rod's shoulder, the bushing has to be rather thin for it to slip over the end of the rod but still allow for a thin washer and then the cotter pin to access the hole. You cant just use a grommet on th elever - the rod end won't protrude far enough out to insert a cotter pin or clip.

[CTBob]

You're welcome, Steve! Glad that I was able to help!

In regard to your search for the elusive bushing, perhaps I can assist (however, I'm not certain). I checked Ye Olde '70/-71 Parts Catalogues (Aug./Sept/(& primarily)Dec. '70 Edition -&- the Jan. '72 Final Printing. (The Final Edition sometimes contains additional illustrations, & information (as well as superseded part numbers) which can be helpful, however, the photo depictions for the assemblies were the same in both.)

The sole illustration which shows steering column lock assembly parts is for 3-speed man. w/o console only. (The 4-speed shows no such column lock parts.)

The only Barracuda/Challenger steering column illustration is for auto trans. (I did not include the illustration for manual column shift A & B-body.)

…And, you know me! "Mr. Specific!" I work best with parts-catalog-descriptions.

After you take a look at this, give me a call. Perhaps we can figure this out, and, if there are p.n.s (and, no pesky "Not Serviced" notes) help may be on the way! (There's always hope!)

[njsteve]

The four speed interlock was only used on 1970 models. They got rid of it for 71. So it may be hard to find a parts breakdown. I looked in my old parts book under item 36, section 19-46-13 grommet and came up wih 1553304 grommet and 1553305 bushing? As indicated, there is not really any listings other than "column shifted manual 3 speed" indicated.

Here's some interweb photos to show what it looks like. The problem is that the length of the section of the rod that goes through the bushing is not long enough to go through that bushing and grommet and still allow for a clip to go through the hole. Very strange. I might just stick with my hand-hewn plastic bushing for the moment just to get it mocked up.

Once I get the contraption in tomorrow I will be able to actually see what end of that rod goes into the column lever. It really seems that it bends one particular way in order to reach the bell crank (with the small tipped end on top) but who knows, I could be wrong...stay tuned.

[njsteve]

Well it looks like it was right about being wrong.

After finally getting the bellhousing mounted bracket installed (after completely removing the clutch cross shaft) and then reinstalling the clutch cross shaft and then the shifter/column interlock cross shaft, I could see that I had identified the wrong end of the linkage arm as the one that engages the column lever.

One of the problems you run into when referencing factory "catch-all" diagrams is that they don't show all the possible permutations of the parts. Nowhere in the books do they show a diagram with both the clutch cross shaft bracketry and column lock out bracketry combined into one picture. And the linkage arms they show aren't necessarily in the right position in real life as in the diagram - the "flipped" arm being a prime example. If I tried to install it in the orientation shown in the diagram, (with the small end up), it runs right into the clutch cross shaft and never reaches its corresponding mounting arm.

So, once I got the lever flipped over, I could see the longer "nub" would actually clear a regular grommet and sleeve on the lever. So I got that all installed using some old GM grommet and it works great. You place the shifter in reverse and turn the key off and remove it, and the column locks the shifter in the reverse location. Until the key is turned to the run position, the shifter will not be operable.

So now I guess I can hunt down the Mopar factory 1553304 grommet and 1553305 sleeve in order to be "matching part number correct."

[big gear head]

Be sure to measure the backlash BEFORE you disassemble it so you will know how to set it when you put it back together. Also do a pattern check with gear marking compound before you take it apart, and take pictures of the pattern. That way you will know if the pinion depth changed when you installed the new bearings.

[njsteve]

Setting up rear end gears is a magic that I don't have the skill (or tools) for. I will bring them to the local guys in town that set up my other rear ends. They did a great job with the Pontiac 10-bolts I had them do.

[njsteve]

Turns out the guys that I was going to have set up the gears closed up shop and retired earlier this year. So I will be bring the parts to Bontempo Brothers Competition (BBC) Speed Shop in Linden, NJ. Great shop, right out of the 1970’s. It’s just a much longer drive than my earlier choice. I had them do the 10-bolt from my 1972 Trans Am, fifteen years ago.

https://www.racingjunk.com/Services/...OP-SHOP.html#1

[sixt9rsx33]

Its great that you have those guys a drive away. Car looks fantastic!

[CTBob]

Hello, everyone!

Since I’m kinda’ “new to the dance” here (so to speak), I read the thread in it’s entirety (so I wouldn’t be from “The Department Of Redundancy Department"*). Yes! All 91 pages! Wow! Interesting! Insightful! Fascinating! Cool! …And, an absolute tribute to the voluminous & stellar work of Dave -&- Steve (as well as the input of all fellow enthusiasts)! (*With credit to The Firesign Theatre.)

To paraphrase the 1972 Alka-Seltzer commercial, “I can’t believe I read that whole thing.” For the renewed amusement of those who remember, and, the first-time fun of those who do not, here’s da link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFKifpMtlNs

I took notes along the way, and, believe that I can contribute some helpful commentary on a few different things. I’ll try to present 1, or, 2 at a time, as my schedule allows.