67/68/69 cuda dilemma

[moparmat2000]

Also finally got the pinion out of the 8.8 rear. A Ford buddy of mine said one light smack and the pinion should practically fall out, and I would have to hold onto it as I was tapping it out. Well that wasnt gonna happen. Years ago water had gotten behind the pinion nut and past the splines on the yoke. There was minor surface rust between the pinion shaft and the fwd bearing. I set a piece of plywood and padding under the rear, pointed the pinion straight up. And used a 1/4" thick aluminum plate and a mini sledge to pound it out. I didn't want to bugger the threads on it since I wanted to reuse the gearset.

Anyways a little grey scotch brite pad, and some WD40 and I was able to scrub the surface rust off the pinion. I took the crush sleeve and measured its thickness, then pulled out a crush sleeve eliminator I purchased from Yukon gear. It comes with a bunch of different thickness shims to stack up to get the same thickness as the one pulled out. I feel this is the way to go. When I reassemble this, I plan on putting a bit of grease in the spline areas of the yoke, and a small amount of sealant behind the nut. Not expecting to go through any foot deep water with it, but just trying to correct the problem.

 

[moparmat2000]

Not a whole lot today. Did get the old outer races for the pinion knocked out after work today. Had some help from my buddy and the mini sledge. He was really pleased with himself when the last hit on each race made them clatter on the shop floor.

 

[moparmat2000]

Going to start cleaning this mess up tomorrow. I cleaned a little on the RH side by the bellhousing with lacquer thinner and a wire brush. Mocking things up will go much nicer with it not filthy. Need to get the last 2 of the races off the center gear carrier and get some new bearings pressed on. But wanted to clean this pig up first as its leaving little black crunchy grease bombs on the floor everywhere I move it to.

 

[moparmat2000]

I know I need to pull this thing apart for a freshen up, however I need to clean the 27 years of junk off it. We didnt do too bad so far today. We will do the rest tomorrow. My little buddy helped me scrape and scrub what we did today. Dont worry, we wore our PPE when scrubbing and cleaning.

 

[moparmat2000]

Finally done cleaning the exterior of this thing. What a pig. 27 years worth of baked on grease, pebbles and dirt. Well it was a ranch truck this thing was out of. Lived a ranch truck life. Mostly on dirt roads. At least when I take it apart now for a refresh I wont have chunks of crap falling inside it.
Also installed an A body shift lever and kickdown lever i got off a junkyard 70 dart.

 

[moparmat2000]

A little more work on the 8.8 . Got the bearings off the ring gear carrier. And cleaned up some raw casting flash to make it a little stronger. Will press the new bearings on tomorrow on a hydraulic press I have at work

 

[moparmat2000]

Carrier bearing install day today. Used shop press at work on lunch break. Kept the old inner races as tools to help seat the bearings on the carrier.

 

[moparmat2000]

Well now that I have some time, and other shop projects are done, we moved the cuda from the house garage, and back into the shop. First order of business is to get that 7.25 peggy out from under there. The 8.8 is not ready to go under there yet, however I figure if we get the 7.25 out from under there it will be motivation enough to getting that 8.8 assembled, fitted, and temp installed under there.

There may be parts off the 7.25 that people might need so I will not be tossing it in the scrap trailer just yet. Will pop the cover and see if its maybe a locker or has good ratio gears or something that somebody may need for an early commando car. Anyhow, heres the fun. Sonny was sure pleased with the outcome.

 

[IMFURYS]

Well now that I have some time, and other shop projects are done, we moved the cuda from the house garage, and back into the shop. First order of business is to get that 7.25 peggy out from under there. The 8.8 is not ready to go under there yet, however I figure if we get the 7.25 out from under there will be motivation enough to getting that 8.8 assembled, fitted, and temp installed under there.

There may be parts off the 7.25 that people might need so I will not be tossing it in the scrap trailer just yet. Will pop the cover and see if its maybe a locker or has good ratio gears or something that somebody may need for an early commando car. Anyhow, heres the fun. Sonny was sure pleased with the outcome.

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Awesome work Matt from what it looked like not too log ago. Just as glad to see you still have the car's owner/co-builder wrenching away.

 

[RAT ROD AL]

Looks good Matt. Wasn't that long ago mine was in primer also.

 

[moparmat2000]

Springs are off. 5 leaf units. Not sure if these are stock or not. This car was a 318 car when it was built. Wondering if these are heavy duty or stock.

 

[DartOS]

Check the length of the front hangers. If my memory serves me correctly, ( I can't remember if it was that Barracuda or a different one)I think those are Super Stock springs. May of been the heavy duties.

 

[moparmat2000]

Hi Rory. What do you mean length of the front hangers? From where to where do I measure? The front hangers appear exactly like any other stock hanger. The springs i planned on giving em a good clean up, a rattle can paint job, and new black color polyurethane bushings. I have a bunch of stuff like all the mounting hardware and front spring mounts soaking in evaporust right now. I redid a rear set of shackles and mounts for this one off a parts car awhile back.

Her *** sits up fairly high from looking at the latest pix but then again shes an empty shell right now. I will be removing the spring relocating kit boxes and fabbing up framerail sections to close it back in. The stock wheel openings are big enough for a 275 -60R15 no real need for a minitub.

 

[DartOS]

SS springs are shorter than stock leafs and requires a longer front hanger to center the axle in the wheel opening.

 

[moparmat2000]

Ok, I will compare them to the other pair I have off a stock 71 scamp. If the front hangers are stock. Is there another way to measure if they are SS springs? Maybe spring eye center to the locating pin?

 

[DartOS]

If the axle was centered, then the springs are probably HD leafs.
Y'al doing ok?

 

[moparmat2000]

Yeah. Everything going good here. How bout on your end? I picked up a 42RH overdrive transmission with a complete truck attached to it lol. Turned the back end of the truck into a trailer. Now I got space again in the shop, so we are getting right back on it. One of the next steps is getting that ford 8.8 under it and mocked up once we get the springs cleaned up and we rebush them. They are 5 leaf units. Not sure what stock for a 318 car is leaf wise. I am hoping what's under there is pretty decent. It had a peggy under there so I was thinking it was just slant 6 parts just temp bolted up.

 

[RAT ROD AL]

Springs are off. 5 leaf units. Not sure if these are stock or not. This car was a 318 car when it was built. Wondering if these are heavy duty or stock.

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Matt my 67 had a 7 1/4 and the springs had 5 leaf counting the short one on the bottom.
My 68 had six leaf . It had an 8 3/4 & 4 speed. I used these on my build. Rides nice and firm.

 

[moparmat2000]

Gonna prob use these over for now

 

[moparmat2000]

This afternoon was some more unfucking of this car. I wanted to get these tubs out and see how bad it really is underneath it all, we drilled out the all the pop rivets and jerked these wacky things out.

Lo and behold, the guy who butchered em in, cut the floor pan past the framerail flanges, then beat the outboard framerail flanges down flat against the framerail. Pretty brutal, but waaay better than I anticipated it was gonna look like under there. I was expecting that flange to be just cut off and that I would have to remake it and weld it onto the framerails. I will be unbending these and straightening them back out with a hammer and dolley.

My lil buddy is giving the thumbs down to the hacked in ****, and a big thumbs up to these being gone from this car. In the words of Mr. Mackey from South park "Aluminum tubs are bad Mkay"

 

[IMFURYS]

Wow Matt, that was assault and butchery in the first degree, lol.
Glad to see my buddy is still keeping you on track.

 

[moparmat2000]

Yep we assaulted it with the drill, to start to undo the butchery. It's pretty ugly in there.

 

[IMFURYS]

Yep we assaulted it with the drill, to start to undo the butchery. It's pretty ugly in there.

Just take out the ugly and it'll be pretty in there.

 

[moparmat2000]

Or so they say lol. I got to think about how to proceed from here. We still need to scrape the underside of the transition pan, and primer it to get it ready to install, then theres the removal of the old pan and the prep work involved with that. Again with the removal of the tubs I can see just what they butchered up, and will have to "sleep on it" for awhile. I am thinking the transition pan, inner wheel houses, and rear seat braces in that order will have to be done first.

 

[moparmat2000]

Well we tore into it a bit tonight. I was able to reshape the LH framerail flange. Got to patch it in a few spots. However considering it was crudely beaten flat against the framerail, I think it looks very good. Patrick started sanding on the nose. Once he strips it, we will squirt a little light grey epoxy primer on it. Tomorrow I will straighten the RH framerail flange, and will start to cut out transition pan. That actually goes in first on assembly, because the floorpan, and trunk floor overlap it.