68 Cuda fastback suspension rebuild...

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I was attempting to restore my steering column, and it turned out to be a pain in the *** for some reason...I didn't like it, and I needed help! LOL...But, it turned out alright I guess...

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Sandblasted and painted, not happy at all with how the paint came out, it chips super easy!

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I was missing a little plastic piece that clips in that hole to activate the reverse lights:

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So what I did was, I used an allen head bolt that was long enough, cut off the head, and used a jam nut at the bottom to hold it, and voila, when engaged in reverse, the lights work...

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Oh yea, I almost forgot! I used the lightweight 1 1/16" bore master cylinder, and made new brake lines...They WERE straight and the coils in the lines were PERFECT, but when I installed the steering column, they interfered with the column shift linkage, so I had to do a little bit of tweaking!

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Well, after I installed my rebuilt steering column, I was running into problems with the column shift linkage, so I said "screw it, I'm using a damn floor shifter!" Take note though, I have no idea on how to install an aftermarket floor shift unit, and didn't know what I was getting into...
 
So after doing some research, I found that the Cheetah SCS shifter is the best one to get, so a quick call to Summit, and it was here the next day!

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I can tell you right now, just by looking at this shifter, and playing with the shift pattern and going through the gate, it is a very high quality unit and will last a real long time! I am very excited to get this thing installed in the car!
 
Energy makes a short poly disk bump stop. Carefull installing them and make sure the bolt head square holds against the square cut in the lower control arm. If you hold the poly part with a pliers while you tighten the supplied nylock nut the poly can self destruct and untwist from the molded in bolt.

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autoxcuda said:
Energy makes a short poly disk bump stop. Carefull installing them and make sure the bolt head square holds against the square cut in the lower control arm. If you hold the poly part with a pliers while you tighten the supplied nylock nut the poly can self destruct and untwist from the molded in bolt.
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Yes, that's right, Steve. These little guys.

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Those would be better than what I have...
 
Do you have a 1 1/16" bore manual master or is it a 1 1/32"? I didn't know they made a 1 1/16".

I think the 1 1/32" I have is sort of pushing it. I often wonder what a 1" would be like. But I have a tight stock converter.

Someone drove my car recently with the same brake combo, sb A-body, and he though the 7/8" was sort of mushy. He liked the 1 1/32".
 
OK!! Well, guess I'm gonna have to wait and see!! All I need to do to get my car driving is install this floor shift unit. I'm also bidding on Ebay right now for a NON column shifted manual steering column. Just what I need! It ends tomorrow morning at 6am, so I'll be up early! Hope I make it, I really need a factory appearing floor shift column!
 
Nice work Mopardude, so you didn`t have to shorten the B-body rear end in length, just move the perches in and use wheels with deep backspacing?

You`re doing it up right, it should handle like a dream.
 
Longgone said:
Nice work Mopardude, so you didn`t have to shorten the B-body rear end in length, just move the perches in and use wheels with deep backspacing?

You`re doing it up right, it should handle like a dream.
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That is correct. No shortening what so ever to the B-body rear. All you gotta do is move the spring pads inward 1/2" each side. That's it! Simple! :)
 
mopardude318 said:
OK!! Well, guess I'm gonna have to wait and see!! All I need to do to get my car driving is install this floor shift unit. I'm also bidding on Ebay right now for a NON column shifted manual steering column. Just what I need! It ends tomorrow morning at 6am, so I'll be up early! Hope I make it, I really need a factory appearing floor shift column!
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What about just griding off the shifter bulkhead off the pot metal shifter sleeve. The backup light switch at the bottom of the column won't work without the colunmn shifter, so you can remove that too.

Don't know if you can get away with the shifter tube just being removed or not. Some previous owner changed over my Cuda and it still has the level at teh bottom of the shift tube.
 
autoxcuda said:
What about just griding off the shifter bulkhead off the pot metal shifter sleeve. The backup light switch at the bottom of the column won't work without the colunmn shifter, so you can remove that too.

Don't know if you can get away with the shifter tube just being removed or not. Some previous owner changed over my Cuda and it still has the level at teh bottom of the shift tube.
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I was thinking about modifying the one I have, but I wasn't sure how it would come out. I was already having problems with my column shift column...It would like...slip....Cant really describe it...The top (turn signal housing) would move slightly when you moved the lower shift housing in gear. Like the upper housing wasn't tight, even though it was, and it would slip and the gear indicator lever would read all funky, not accurately pointing to a gear....Does that make any sense?

And this was one of the reasons why I wanted to use a floor shifter, I got so damn irritated, I felt like throwing the column and doing a burnout on it...
 
pettybludart said:
Looks great Mopardude!Keep up the nice work and get that 408 outta your bedroom!LOL
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AAHHH HAHAHA!!!!! Yea!! I need to!!! It's been in there for over a year! I SO need to learn how to do body work! My dart needs some dings removed and a paint job! I am so lucky it had NO rust! Unlike this damn Barracuda!!! There is rust EVERYWHERE! All these suspension mods, and it still looks like a **** box!
 
HemiMark said:
Its not that simple is it? the b-body rear end is wider for sure.......

http://www.allpar.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=117913 check it out here.............
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Yes, but he's running high backspace rims to make up for the difference and not need spacers (or large spacers).


Mopardude318 wrote:
Rims I plan to use, Mustang Bullitt 17x8 & 5.72 backspace, had to also take them to a shop so they could put them on a lathe to hog out the centers so they would fit over the big mopar hubs:
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autoxcuda said:
Yes, but he's running high backspace rims to make up for the difference and not need spacers (or large spacers).
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Well, thats my point. It's not that simple. You either need to buy new rims with the correct back spacing or pay to have the housing shortened to A-body width 52 1/2 flange to flange......... 8)
 
I understand what you are saying about the width not being the same as an A-body to use the standard or stock wheels...HOWEVER, for guys that want to use the Mustang Buillitt rims that are 17x8 with 5.72 backspace, it IS that simple...Getting a hold of these style rims is very cheap and easy, as they are on millions of mustangs from 99-04. I bought my rims complete with TWO sets of tires for 3 hundred bucks off craigslist...
 
To add to that last post^^^^ this thread was spawned because of the Bullit rims application. Mopardude seemed to have gone quite a bit further into this than the rest of us and was kind enough to post all this info! Awesome thread man!
 
I saw a guys 72 Duster just today that had a B-body rear end that was not shortened. He`s doing the same thing you are, using the deep backspaced rims.
 
There is also a Dart running around here with the same set up. However it has rally wheels on it and it was a matter of careful choice of tire, and trimming the inside lip of the fender well. I didn't do it but it must work. I seen it! LOL

Longgone do you know Butch? It was his car he sold about 2 years ago. I think the car has changed hands quite a bit since. It was a very clean little dart. 73 I think.
Sorry to High jack the thread. I digress! LOL
 
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