'68 "Spring Special" Inner Plastic Grill detail Tips/results, (cont. from 7/18/18)

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HMBCUDA

HMBCUDA

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I didn't have a chance to post sooner, but wanted to share what I ended up using and showing the results. started out looking like this...50 yrs of crud on the chrome tips...this is after i cleaned them with Dawn and a tooth brush...not so good...
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I did more research on the web and one solution/suggestion made sense to me..."Treat it like PAINT" so....I thought I would try detail spray and a clay bar...(1" balls of clay bar)
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Hmmm...getting some results...
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seems to be working!
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After many hours of elbow grease and a few cold Beers...
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...They turned out fairly decent...not perfect, but much better! PS: I was able to get the white paint over spray off with a q-tip dipped in Acetone, nothing else worked. It took some of the black paint off though, and I still have to touch that area up.
 
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If it is chrome... I wonder if a product called Flitz polish would work. I recently used to polish up chrome bumper/ mirrors/ wheel moldings/ door handles... and works very well! Careful with paint (on bezels etc) I think it would pull it right off.
 
Look on the back of the grilles and "CHROME" is molded into the plastic. The whole thing was chromed before the black was painted.
Also included the red tape on the deck lid between the trim strips.
 
Murray said:
Which models had the chrome finish- not all had it? Just curious, but good job.
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68 Barracuda’s with the Sport Special trim option. They all have the Maroon trunk lid tape stripe between the upper and lower moldings.

It’s often incorrectly called “Spring Special”

But it is actually called Sport Special.
 
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autoxcuda said:
68 Barracuda’s with the Sport Special trim option. They all have the Maroon trunk lid tape stripe between the upper and lower moldings.

It’s often incorrectly called “Spring Special”

But it is actually called Sport Special.
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Here the details on the Sport Special option. It changes a little from Coupe compared to Fastback, and Convertible

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Here a coupe optioned with “Sport Special”

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I don't remember this option. I was there in 1968 when I ordered my cuda. So these were all automatic's and had smaller D70 tires w/ white stripe. It seems to show both side accent stripe and custom sill mldg together. This is the "shark gill" mldg we know today? Strange to see both together on a car. Thanks for the info.
 
Murray said:
I don't remember this option. I was there in 1968 when I ordered my cuda. So these were all automatic's and had smaller D70 tires w/ white stripe. It seems to show both side accent stripe and custom sill mldg together. This is the "shark gill" mldg we know today? Strange to see both together on a car. Thanks for the info.
Click to expand...

I read it that IF automatic is ordered then it’s console on the floor as opposed to column auto.

Says coupe are D70. But fastbacks and conv are E70.

Now if it’s a 340 car, that standard size should over ride.

Custom sill molding/gill-spear came with this package only IF it was a coupe.

You can of course get the custom molding separate. My 340-S coupe has separately ordered custom sill and white side stripe per tag.
 
HMBCUDA said:
...They turned out fairly decent...not perfect, but much better! PS: I was able to get the white paint over spray off with a q-tip dipped in Acetone, nothing else worked. It took some of the black paint off though, and I still have to touch that area up.
Click to expand...

So just some detail spray and a clay bar cleaned them up like that? I realize it still took awhile, but turned out pretty nice!! Nice work!!
 
71DodgeDemon said:
If it is chrome... I wonder if a product called Flitz polish would work. I recently used to polish up chrome bumper/ mirrors/ wheel moldings/ door handles... and works very well! Careful with paint (on bezels etc) I think it would pull it right off.
Click to expand...
not sure...i stayed away from metal type polish...my thought and others on the web, that "plastic chrome" should be treated like paint. I'm not sure of the factory process It may very well be real chrome, but i didn't take the chance. Happy with how the clay bar worked.
 
Fast Forward to October...If anyone stumbles upon this post and wants to know what i ended up using and how the Sport Special grill turned out...

Used all this stuff...washed and scrubbed w toothbrush, then again with pipe cleaners, then scrubbed w/clay bar & Mothers, removed white over spray with acetone, but it removed some of the original black paint. During this process i discovered the Lt grill was all but broken in half...used West system's G/Flex to repair all the cracks and JB Weld to fill in the missing chunk. Masked and protected area's I didn't want to repaint. Painted Flat black. Used Cleaner Wax/make-up Q-tips(lots!)/micro fiber towels to clean/polish and brighten original paint to match repainted areas.

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MrJLR said:
Damn....that came out NICE!


Jeff
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Thanks! Yes, was worth all the effort, Like yours...mine was "built" not bought...going to need help with my brake & suspension upgrade, no room to work in my small rented garage, & not allowed to work on cars in driveway. Have all the parts, waiting for a "mopar friendly" shop in Santa Rosa, Ca. to have an opening so i can get it in, and drive-able again...my 4 wheel drum brakes are locking up and I can't do more than drive it around the block...not good.
Dan
 
HMBCUDA said:
Thanks! Yes, was worth all the effort, Like yours...mine was "built" not bought...going to need help with my brake & suspension upgrade, no room to work in my small rented garage, & not allowed to work on cars in driveway. Have all the parts, waiting for a "mopar friendly" shop in Santa Rosa, Ca. to have an opening so i can get it in, and drive-able again...my 4 wheel drum brakes are locking up and I can't do more than drive it around the block...not good.
Dan
Click to expand...
Are you going to upgrade to disk brakes in the front????
Well WELL worth it.....

Jeff
 
MrJLR said:
Are you going to upgrade to disk brakes in the front????
Well WELL worth it.....

Jeff
Click to expand...
Yes...decided on Dr. Diff front and rear disc kits, w/ lg bolt pattern, 12" front, 11" rear. going a bit over board with the suspension, brake and steering upgrade, but she's going to handle, steer, and stop like a new car.

My dilemma now are wheels...like to go with 17" x 8" year one rally's (think they would look great), but they are made for E-Bodies, the backspace offered may not be enough to clear the wheel well openings, at least with taller tires sizes...don't like the low profile look. Only other rims I've seen on our cuda's that look good, (to me), are the Torq Thrust 2's (the affordable ones are Made in China, Boooo!), think I could go up to 4-3/4" back space with them, and taller tires. I wont know exactly how much back space i need until everything is assembled.

I will post my results on the wheel back space required with these kits and our '67-'69 cuda style. I searched the posts about what other FABO's members have on there cars, but didn't find much/anything on what backspace was used when converting to Dr. Disc 4 wheel kits and 17" wheels. might not be a heck of a lot of people that have done it. Most people I believe, have, Formula S's and want to restore them to stock. Mine started out as a 318 car, so upgrading is a no harm no foul thing...if it was a "S" I would think twice.

Dan
 
HMBCUDA said:
Yes...decided on Dr. Diff front and rear disc kits, w/ lg bolt pattern, 12" front, 11" rear. going a bit over board with the suspension, brake and steering upgrade, but she's going to handle, steer, and stop like a new car.

My dilemma now are wheels...like to go with 17" x 8" year one rally's (think they would look great), but they are made for E-Bodies, the backspace offered may not be enough to clear the wheel well openings, at least with taller tires sizes...don't like the low profile look. Only other rims I've seen on our cuda's that look good, (to me), are the Torq Thrust 2's (the affordable ones are Made in China, Boooo!), think I could go up to 4-3/4" back space with them, and taller tires. I wont know exactly how much back space i need until everything is assembled.

I will post my results on the wheel back space required with these kits and our '67-'69 cuda style. I searched the posts about what other FABO's members have on there cars, but didn't find much/anything on what backspace was used when converting to Dr. Disc 4 wheel kits and 17" wheels. might not be a heck of a lot of people that have done it. Most people I believe, have, Formula S's and want to restore them to stock. Mine started out as a 318 car, so upgrading is a no harm no foul thing...if it was a "S" I would think twice.

Dan
Click to expand...

My car is a 340 Formla S. Numbers motor (under bench now) and original fender tag....all the mods you mention are bolt on anyways.

For the backspacing, just ask Dr Diff if the brakes move the rim mounting surface inward or outward and how much from a stock 73-76 large bolt disk setup. Have you asked him?

For a 73-76 large bolt disk swap, you can run 5.25” backspace most of the time a little more.
245/45/17 17x8 with 5.25” backspace will work up front.

In rear with large bolt axle swap and factory drums: 245/45/17 17x8 with 4.75” backspacing will work. Or you can run 5.25” like front with 1/2” billet spacer.
 
autoxcuda said:
My car is a 340 Formla S. Numbers motor (under bench now) and original fender tag....all the mods you mention are bolt on anyways.

For the backspacing, just ask Dr Diff if the brakes move the rim mounting surface inward or outward and how much from a stock 73-76 large bolt disk setup. Have you asked him?

For a 73-76 large bolt disk swap, you can run 5.25” backspace most of the time a little more.
245/45/17 17x8 with 5.25” backspace will work up front.

In rear with large bolt axle swap and factory drums: 245/45/17 17x8 with 4.75” backspacing will work. Or you can run 5.25” like front with 1/2” billet spacer.
Click to expand...

OK, Thank You! Didn't really want to bother Cass with this, but he's cool, and probably would not mind.
 
HMBCUDA said:
OK, Thank You! Didn't really want to bother Cass with this, but he's cool, and probably would not mind.
Click to expand...

This type of customer service and specific knowledge is WHY you buy from Cass and not summit, jegs, master power brakes, willwood, etc.
 
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