67/68/69 cuda dilemma

[moparmat2000]

Next project. A bit more unFucking on this thing. The RH framerail inboard flange was bludgeoned downward just like the LH one was. I am assuming that was the old race car owners idea of fitting a bigger radiator in this thing. Thankfully he didnt destroy the rest of the radiator support to install it.

This side of the car is solid, since the battery tray isnt on this side. I determined it's not worth pulling the inner fender apron out just to sandblast mating flanges since it's that decent, however when I straightened the bent flange back up it was pretty rough. My overflow bottle bracket wont sit flat. I made a determination to cut out just the bad bent and straightened section, and weld in a new flat section. As such I did not weld the lower radiator support at the upper two drill holes I made to attach it. A picture is worth 1,000 words or so they say. See pix below.

 

[mopowers]

The Dorman replacement Hyundai Tiburon overflow bottle setup with a NOS hyundai Tiburon mounting bracket mounted to a 1" piece of square tube.

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That looks killer. Are those Hyundai overflow bottle a recovery-style tank, or just a catch can? Also, does it have an attachment point at the top, or just the mount bracket at the bottom? Thanks!

 

[moparmat2000]

Thanks on the Kudos. I actually got the idea for the hyundai tank on here. It's a recovery type tank. Has a tube inside that goes to the bottom. The recovery tank was $2.99 on closeout at rockauto The NOS bracket was about $5 from Hyundai. Only an attach point at the bottom. Its actually pretty stable in the one bracket. I supposed you could put a cushioned P clamp around the neck of the bottle and bolt that to the radiator support with a tubular standoff.

 

[mopowers]

Thanks on the Kudos. I actually got the idea for the hyundai tank on here. It's a recovery type tank. Has a tube inside that goes to the bottom. The recovery tank was $2.99 on closeout at rockauto The NOS bracket was about $5 from Hyundai. Only an attach point at the bottom. Its actually pretty stable in the one bracket. I supposed you could put a cushioned P clamp around the neck of the bottle and bolt that to the radiator support with a tubular standoff.

This is great info! I may grab one for my 66 Dart since I need something that attaches to the frame rail instead of the core support. Thanks sir.

 

[moparmat2000]

Your welcome. Get the Dorman bottle. The hose fits in from the side of the cap. The NOS hyundai tank cap the hose fits in from the top straight down. The dorman one looks much better and more compact that way IMHO. I can get you the Hyundai mount bracket PN# tomorrow if you want.

 

[mopowers]

Your welcome. Get the Dorman bottle. The hose fits in from the side of the cap. The NOS hyundai tank cap the hose fits in from the top straight down. The dorman one looks much better and more compact that way IMHO. I can get you the Hyundai mount bracket PN# tomorrow if you want.

That's be awesome! I'd be putting mine on the driver's side though, so maybe the Hyundai on would be the way to go? Is the cap the only difference? So so muddle your thread btw. Hope you don't mind.

 

[moparmat2000]

Cap is the only difference. The cap is a snap on cap. It does rotate so you can still use the dorman tank on the LH side if that's the side you prefer. Will get the mount bracket PN tomorrow. Look up the bottle for a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon.

 

[mopowers]

Great to know. Thank you.

 

[moparmat2000]

Tiburon bottle bracket #

 

[moparmat2000]

I had done some sandblasting work as a favor for a guy I'm friends with who's into MoPars. Anyways after bringing some blasted parts back to him I asked what he had in the way of a "free eighteen" or in a substantially reduced price 318 short block. Ask and you will recieve. Went and picked it up today. A free 1977 vintage 318 short block. Not sure if 318willrun will like my thread when we get into the rebuilding aspect. It's going to be a 9.7-1 CR teener with a 600 AVS, 68 340 cam, 68 340 exhaust manifolds, and GM HEI fired chrysler distributor. Gonna be a nice engine. For now when I get to it, we will take it apart and the block will be a mock block for the 42RH trans. Everybody who's gonna say, dump it, put a 360 in it. Please dont. The plan for my sons car has always been a performance minded 318. It's going to have plenty of power and with the gearing it will be plenty of fun for a teenager. Ya cant beat free. Plus dont overlook those 1968-1972 teeners either. You can get those cheap to free if the one who has it doesnt know what they have. They have really thick casting walls. Most will take an overbore to 4.010" and be turned into a vaunted 340 albeit without the 340 casting numbers on the block.

 

[moparmat2000]

Well we got started on tearing down the rest of the Free Eighteen. Cam and lifters are out. Lifters are cupped, cam is a stocker, or appears to be. It had a nice slightly used double roller timing chain in it without any slop. I will keep that for a possible future project. The timing cover has no corrosion issues and should clean right up in the sand blast cabinet. I need to get an oil slinger if that's used in 318s since there isnt one there. Anybody know if teeners use a slinger ring? And it looks like whoever did the timing chain used the bolt to run the balancer back in. The washer for the harmonic balancer bolt is chewed to ****. I will need another. Hes having fun though.

 

[mosleyme]

Well we got started on tearing down the rest of the Free Eighteen. Cam and lifters are out. Lifters are cupped, cam is a stocker, or appears to be. It had a nice slightly used double roller timing chain in it without any slop. I will keep that for a possible future project. The timing cover has no corrosion issues and should clean right up in the sand blast cabinet. I need to get an oil slinger if that's used in 318s since there isnt one there. Anybody know if teeners use a slinger ring? And it looks like whoever did the timing chain used the bolt to run the balancer back in. The washer for the harmonic balancer bolt is chewed to ****. I will need another. Hes having fun though.

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Yes, LA came with them.
Mopar Performance Oil Slinger

 

[moparmat2000]

A little more research and it's a bit more aggressive cam than the melling SPD-22 68 340 cam I bought. Also found marks on the pistons where the exhaust valves and pistons smacked. Not sure if this was the result of too big a cam in a stock flat top piston equipped engine, or the original chain jumped time and they had a little valve smacking, and whoever owned it did a quick n dirty cam, lifter, and timing chain kit to it and kept driving it. I know this isnt the right way to check a cam, but I wanted to see how much taller the one lobe on the one we pulled out was at peak compared to what I bought. About .025" taller. Not sure how that equates to total lift. It will be going .030" over with KB167s it's currently a stock bore.

 

[mygasser]

to get total lift first measure the base circle diameter (90 degrees from where you measured the lobe)and take that from the lobe height (as you show it measured). times that by the rocker arm ratio you're using (1.5?) to get total valve lift.
neil.

 

[moparmat2000]

mygasser , I dont plan on using it, dont have all of the pieces for the the top end yet to verify anything. Dont really care. Was more of a curiosity as to what it was since theres no markings. I have the 68 340 cam I am using, was just curious as this thing we pulled out was taller by .025" on the peak of the lobes. Its smoked, the lifters are cupped. Prob never broken in correctly. I am betting its a generic chevy grind summit cam and lifter kit. Its headed into the scrap trailer along with the smoked lifters, and a 318 balancer with the rubber isolator dryrotting and peeling apart. The rods and pistons will be headed that way too after I get a 4 corner piston to deck height measurement then pull em out.

 

[moparmat2000]

Havent done much since the middle of january. Spent a week in N.J. caring for my folks after a car wreck. Come back, and dealing with coolant leak on wife's caravan. Got that fixed. Now I got to clean up the shop.

When I was gone on my trip, I did order some LED H4 drop in bulbs for the Hella eurospec light housings for the Cuda. They were only about $12 for the pair off evilbay. They have a 50,000 hour lifespan. This equates to 5.75 years of continuous operation lol. These will last my lifetime and my sons lifetime. Beam pattern is the same tested as the H4 halogen bulbs with a slightly whiter color, but no voltage drop on my meter compared to the halogen H4s. This means likely very little to no amperage draw either. Thus no stress on the wiring or relays needed. The nice part is the LED technology, and old skool housings, and not that LED googly eyed bullshit and lighted halo ring crap that you see everywhere.

 

[moparmat2000]

Bottom end still needs to come apart, however today i decided to rotary file off the casting parting lines and flash. Not really needed for a mild 318, but this imparts stress risers and just looks like ***. Plus I cleaned up the drains in the lifter valley. We will run a Milodon valley pan so if this thing bends a pushrod we wont push out a lifter that will kill oil pressure or lodge itself in the cam lobes. $35 its cheap assurance. I will also be doing the oiling mods as well before she goes for a swim in the hot tank.

 

[Sublime one]

Just a super cool thread all the way around. Have a blast with your boy. You are creating memories of a lifetime.

 

[moparmat2000]

Thsnk you!! I hope people reading this thread can get some ideas or tech tips on stuff. This car is an absolute mess, so theres lots more to come.

 

[moparmat2000]

Got a bit more done today. K frame is now officially converted from 1967 slant sux to 1969 V8. The RH forward framerail repair is trimmed to exact size, and holes located for the overflow bracket mount. Will be tack welding 1/4-20 nuts to the backside of the repair piece before final installation.

 

[moparmat2000]

RH rail looked like this before I started the repair. Pic is of the LH one but both were crudely bent down

 

[moparmat2000]

Did the wiring for the electric washer setup in place of the manual foot pump which didnt work anyways. Going to have it route with the high beam switch behind the kick panel. Car is staying 2 speed wiper, but I think this will be a cool plug n play mod. Wires are wrapped in the non sticky vinyl wrap like the factory would have done.

 

[moparmat2000]

Going to mod the torsion bar crossmember and make a trans mount for the O/D trans before I put the floor pan in. Got the block mocked up for this. When I took the 318 short block apart the #2 and #4 mains were shot, crank was trashed, plus it was already .020" under. My buddy who gave me the "free eighteen" , sold me a forged 340 crank fresh cut .010" on the mains and .020" on the rods for $100. Damn near a gift. I will be taking the rotating assembly to my machinest to get it balanced. Then when I'm done mocking up the trans mount, I will pull the block back out and take it to him for hot tanking, boring, and decking.

 

[moparmat2000]

A bit on the torsion bar crossmember butchery. The strap I am making is the same thickness as the crossmember. Once its burned in, I would like to double strap it on the inside, cut the excess off below it, and grind the exterior side smooth. Then I will locate the additional holes and weld in the tube spacers for the crossmember mount bolts. Between all this, additional welds holding it to the floorpan, and a heavy duty trans mount bolted in, this should be plenty strong. Was a lot of work tweaking and bending this stuff to make it fit.

Tech tip if you use your vise with the jaws open between 1/8"-1/4" you can feed the metal in and make slight bends every 1/8" or so and get a decent radius. That's exactly what I did. Also note, I am leaving part of the right angle edge at the front side of the crossmember all the way around. Really no need to cut that all the way out. Leaving it makes the crossmember stronger than cutting it all out, and making the whole thing a flat strap. And the gratuitous final pic of the scrap headed for the scrap trailer.

 

[moparmat2000]

Got a bit ambitious tonight. I just needed to get it welded in, and get the excess part of the crossmember cut out. I got a fair bit of grinding to do tomorrow, and a little bit of welding touch up to do here and there.