Wanna see my Taiwan Cuda ?????

[moparstuart]

Our hobby considers this more appropriate & original than swapping a VIN tag. 

well at least you can aprreciate all the work he has done , and he didnt take the easy way out and just  swap a vin

[Charger_Fan]

Holy crap, I had no idea they were repopping that many 'Cuda pieces!

Great looking work.

[HKCharger]

damn fine work.

[Old Moparz]

I should have bought that welder instead of the bigger camping trailer.   


Very nice work lilwendal.   

[LilRedDave]

That is looking great. So what are the spec's on the Cuda? And how hard was it to get the one piece floor in?

[4cruzin]

WOW looking great!!   

[lilwendal]

Thanks everyone!!  I've been working on it for a couple months.  Been slower than I like but a new job has kept me away from the car more than usual. Now that I've got a grasp on the new position I'm back on the Cuda.
Its a real Cuda 383 4 speed car FC7 In Violet with alot of nice extras.  The car really was not in that bad of shape and retains all its original rust free frames, rockers and crossmembers.  It was just the outer sheetmetal.  I couple small holes in the floorboards that could have been patched. This is a keeper for me so I wanted no splices and the new metal they have out now permits me to go that route.  Later it became more of an obssesion...Changing metal that could have been salvaged for new metal just to have the new metal on.  So Now I'm at unless the original metal is 100% rust free it got new metal.
Body work will be a breeze.  No welded seams to dress on the quarters.  Clean floor boards.
The one piece floor boards for floor and trunk are the only way to go now.  If I could have all those hours back spent stich welding floor pans to the trans hump seams.... And joining the two piece trunk floors.  Not to mention the overall appearance of the one piece.  Great stuff
Even at the added time required to pull the tail panel is less than it takes to join the two piece trunk floor seam and results in a better job.
The fenders.  The originals are fairly solid but have been beat up pretty good.  So at this point I'll spend the 1000.00 for 2 fenders that are ready to shoot then 40 hours it would take me to get these original fenders straight.
I know alot of people gripe about repop metal on these cars but I can definetly say the stuff they are reproducing now is 200% better then the stuff a couple years ago.  Quality, Correctness, Metal thickness/composition, and fit.

[hemi-hampton]

Did all this sheet metal come from AMD?  LEON.

[lilwendal]

Mixed.  AMD and some Goodmark.  The AMD is a better product on all pieces I've seen.  Unfortunately some of their metal was not available when I was ready so I went with Goodmark.  AMD is better with the correctness and complete factor.  Like the floor panels having all the correct brackets and tabs.    On the Goodmark pieces I had to transfer everything over.The quarters are Goodmark and there are some small differences from original that I had to address.
The AMD cowl is stamped for the later model cuda and has some stampings that would not have been on the 70 cowl.
But overall small issues with a complex part

[69 OUR/TEA]

Looks like you are doing a great job lilwendal !!!!!! After the car that I am doing right now is finished I have to do a friends AAR,and the way it is looking I might have to do full 1/4's,roof skin,and possibly fenders,so I am very interested in watching this thread.Keep up the good work and keep us posted on progress!!!!

[Charger_Fan]

Don't want this thread to sink down too far...

[CHRGR SE]

More pics! 

[68RRFlyer]

Excellent job wendal!~~!!!!    You did exactly, and I mean EXACTLY what I just got done doing to my 68 Road Runner.  We should go to an import show after we're both done!!  Nice work!!

Cheers 

[71RT4ME]

Any new updates on the Cuda progress ?
I am a metalwork junkie. I love replacing rusty metal with fresh stuff !

[BlueSS454]

Very nice work  .  I wish they had those panels available when we were doing the one sitting in my garage.

[Mike DC]

We're gonna get our long-wished-for reproduction Chargers, they're just gonna come one piece at a time.


The Cuda looks great overall. 
It'll end up being a nice item when it's done.  And you sure as heck won't have to worry about rust starting to bubble up under the paint later on. 


It's not like these cars had great quality control from the factory to begin with either.  The repro panels are always gonna pose a few issues, but there aren't many NOS pieces that go on 100% clean either.  Even most of the bolt-on pieces need block sanding & shimming to fit right. 

 

[PocketThunder]

Holy Crap!!!!!! 

I sold a 70 barracuda that needed all of the work you're doing and then some.. 

[WingCharger]

I wonder if the demand for mopars will every reach the point they start restamping bodies like they are doing with Camaro's and Mustang's? That is just crazy.

[Harlow]

I wonder if the demand for mopars will every reach the point they start restamping bodies like they are doing with Camaro's and Mustang's? That is just crazy.

I don't see anything wrong with the reproduction bodies. Eventually all the original/salvageable bodies are going to be either too far gone or all bought/restored. I think the reproduction bodies get titled as kit cars? As long as its not misrepresented as a true original camaro, mustang etc.. I think its a great idea.

[charger01]

YOU SIR ARE MY HERO   That is incredible.  Nice to see someone take the time to fix a car that by any other means is just a junk parts car.

[CB]

  that is just awesome work!!! 
CB

[timmy]

look good

[Mike DC]

I'm not gonna be 100% sold on the repro bodies until they make the metal right.


AMD is admittedly sounding better than Goodmark.  But if they're gonna make an entire shell including the subframe rails & rocker structures, playtime is over for metal quality IMHO.  (I mean, some original stick-shifted 440 or Hemi cars are capable of buckling their own quarters with NEARLY STOCK tire sizes.)

No cutting corners down any farther than stock metal when we're talking whole shells.  It needs to be as stiff and strong (not only just as thick) as the O.E. stuff.  No more asterisks.   

 

[lilwendal]

I'm not gonna be 100% sold on the repro bodies until they make the metal right.


AMD is admittedly sounding better than Goodmark.  But if they're gonna make an entire shell including the subframe rails & rocker structures, playtime is over for metal quality IMHO.  (I mean, some original stick-shifted 440 or Hemi cars are capable of buckling their own quarters with NEARLY STOCK tire sizes.)

No cutting corners down any farther than stock metal when we're talking whole shells.  It needs to be as stiff and strong (not only just as thick) as the O.E. stuff.  No more asterisks.   

 

Mike....I'm with  you on that statement there.  Its nice to know there are replacement frames and crossmembers available out there but as long as the original structural parts continue to be readibly available thats the way I go.
Desert Valley...Texas  Acres.... Have a huge supply of these items priced at or below the repop  pieces.
True these are unibodies with floorpans and quarters also playing into the structural rigidity of the car.....But their role not as great as the frames,rockers, and cross members.

I've been metal working these old cars for a while now and there is a noticable difference in the quality of the metal with AMD now the the stuff just a couple of years ago.  Knowing this metal is originating overseas I'd bet the Cuda the metal composition is inferior to 40 year old detriot. But there has been an improvemet.
Any resto welder can agree to that.

[Lowprofile]

Top notch work!  I wish i had that skill. 

I second that! Really nice job bro! Can't wait to see the finished car.