Supercuda's on the way back...after18 years!
So fellow FABO members... Its been three years since I completed this Restomod restoration of my 68 Cuda and I thought I'd share how the car is performing with the upgrades I selected with much help, advice and encouragement of the members on here. For anyone new reading this and is considering joining, do so. It is by far the best thing I did when deciding to resurrect my car and the amount of information available here for anything A-Body related is absolutely incredible !
So far, I have had very few hiccups that included a failed new orange box ignition module. Replaced with a Blue Box 7500 and its perfect . Also , had a few electrical problems including tachometer failing, erratic gas guage, and loss of temp and oil pressure gauge. Sent the cluster to Mr.Heater Box and had all the gauges recalibrated, Speedo re-zeroed, and installed an EVR. Problems solved and BTW gas guage reads perfect with a repopped sending unit with a 1/2 " feed. I installed the complete RMS suspension system including the Alterkation front components with WildWood manual brakes. power rack and pinion steering and and the Streetlynx rear setup. Had a very annoying squeak that I spent hours chasing. It turned out to be the way one of the springs on one of the rear Viking coil over assemblies was seated. Also had another knocking chassis noise that was being caused bt the TTI tail pipe being too close to the gas tank and hitting in when it flexed a little.
Now for a really weird one! I changed out the Brad Penn break-in oil after about 1000 miles and changed the filter and added 5W 40 Synthetic . The valvetrain immediately produced a loud knocking noise. Initially I thought it was a rod knock so I got a stethoscope and narrowed it down to a defective lifter. Replaced it, reassembled, same noise but different lifter! Cut the filter apart, no metal so, in desperation, I changed the filter and oil to 5-w30 regular oil. Problem solved! Still trying to figure this out!
Also, I am going to change the rear end ratio from 3.91 to 3.55's and use a 489 case I have as I want to do more highway driving and I'm spinning at 3300 at 55 mph . I'm running a 4-speed and was going to upgrade to a Passon 5-speed but I'm getting cold feet as there is a lot of commentary on why its taking so long to supply. Might just go with a Gear vendors unit.
Only other issue was paint cracking at one spot on the drivers quarter where it attaches to the roof. Body man is going to repair over the winter.
Best upgrades in my opinion? The RMS suspension , Car rides and handles like a dream ! What a pleasure to drive now! Also, the Daniel Stern headlamp upgrade. My eyes aren't as good as they used to be and this upgrade helps tremendously when night cruising. The Rallye seat upgrade for the Legendary seat covers. It helps keep me planted in the seat when hard cornering instead of sliding all over the place.
3600 miles so far and I'm so glad I did this !! For the others on this site who are doing this, keep going. There's no better feeling than taking that first drive in something you built yourself!!