70's Era 'Bird Resto...... (!!FINISHED!!)

[hemi68charger]

Man,, what a nice job !!!!! 

[CornDogsCharger]

I know it might be hard to imagine, judging from the last pictures that I posted, but the Superbird is supposed to make it's first show this coming weekend.  I always manage to get behind when it comes to posting pictures.  The car is pretty much done now.  I have been thrashing on it since last week.  My boss plans on taking it to the Goodguys show in Nashville, TN.  From what I've heard, they plan on about 4-5000 cars there this weekend.  If anyone here is fairly local, it would be a great show to go to.  I'm not gonna be able to make it though   Let me know if anyone plans to go.

Justin
"CornDog"

[Ghoste]

How are you both dealing with the pressure from the MCG rant?   He does know the prediction about being shunned at all wing car shows right? 

[jonw29]

what are those clips with wingnuts that your are using to hold the patch panels in place?

FYI Eastwood $$$$ 4 @30.00,Harbor freight 10 @ 5.00.JW

[FJ5WING]

How are you both dealing with the pressure from the MCG rant?   He does know the prediction about being shunned at all wing car shows right? 

I dont get the rag anymore, couldnt stand the direction it took a few years ago.

what did they have to bitch about now?

[Ghoste]

The short story is that they went on a bit of a crusade about not leaving the car unrestored.

[CornDogsCharger]

How are you both dealing with the pressure from the MCG rant?   He does know the prediction about being shunned at all wing car shows right? 

Umm, good I guess.  I'm not sure if he even knows about the articles.  If he does, he hasn't said anything to me about it or even acted like he knew.  Me, it doesn't bother me.  I don't have a dog in that race.  I just did the work.  Like it said in the follow-up article.... if I didn't do it, he would have just gotten someone else to do what he wanted.  Regardless of what people might think... the car DID need to be restored.  Whether it was back to original or back as a custom paint 70's theme car... it still had major rust issues that needed attention.  Honestly, I don't think he will be shunned at shows for his decision.  The car was restored very nicely and I think everyone will be happy with the finished product. 

Justin
"CornDog"

[Ghoste]

I don't think so either.  I was an early proponent for keeping it "as was" until I saw the pics you were posting of the rust issues.  At that point to me it becomes pretty fair game to do whatever you want with the car.  Everyone will have a different opinion on it I'm sure but that one is mine.

[jonw29]

Top Shelf restoration IMO.Good work CDC.JW

[PocketThunder]

The car was restored very nicely and I think everyone will be happy with the finished product. 

Justin
"CornDog"

Ofcourse you would say that!           j/k     

[CornDogsCharger]

The car was restored very nicely and I think everyone will be happy with the finished product. 

Justin
"CornDog"

Ofcourse you would say that!           j/k     

haha.... well let me rephrase that then... this was a "no expense spared" restoration....  which automatically makes it nice there haha.

I hate to say it but, looks like the car will not make it to the Goodguys show in Nashville this weekend.  Appearence, the car is 100% finished.... Function, the car is 99% finished.  The car has a brake booster issue right now.  It was such a let-down today.  EVERYTHING was finished cleaned up and ready to go, then the brake petal felt like a brick today.  After having the original booster "fixed" three times and then replacing it with a new booster, still no luck.  Time to play Dr. Diagnosis on the car.

Well, I'll have to play catch-up on the pictures.

Justin
"CornDog"

[mikepmcs]

rod out of adjustment?

[CornDogsCharger]

tried that

[mikepmcs]

My scenario was this.  No vac because of a mp cam....put in vac pump, plenty of vac.  Brakes worked but sometimes you would get a pedal like putting your foot in a brick wall and you had to put both feet on it to stop the car at idle even.  Then I change the cam and still keep the vac pump in there for whatever reason(too lazy to take it out)

I wrecked the car screwing around and the brakes did the hard pedal thing that day as well, contributing to me wrecking the car. So, since the front is tore apart, I take the vac pump out due to having plenty of vac with new cam......fast forward, took the booster out, was gonna put in a hemi booster, decided against it, was going manual, decided against it, checked original booster, appeared to be ok so I actually just put my old booster back in there opened up the lines and let it gravity bleed for a while, bled master, had to bleed right rear conventional.
Took the car out for the first time last saturday after over a year in the garage and the brakes worked like a champ. Go figure.

[CornDogsCharger]

the car has a very mild cam and when we called Comp Cams and ordered the cam, we told them that we HAD to have vacuum... so they special ground one for us.  We disconnected the vacuum hose from the check valve and put a pump on it, which gave us 25psi, whcih was more than enough..... still nothing.  I'll try again tomorrow

Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

The engine was actually in really good shape.  From what we could tell, the engine had never been torn apart.  The block didn't even need to be bored.  We sent it out and had everything checked out and honed.  One of the pistons had a crack in it so we went ahead and installed a new set.  The heads were cleaned up a little and gasket matched.  The engine is mostly stock with only a mild cam and roller tip rockers.  The complete engine was painted with Roger Gibson's Hemi Orange.





All of the frontend was completely rebuilt and everything was powdercoated.

[maxwellwedge]

Hey Justin,
Doesn't that paint look authentic?
Wait till you fire it up and smell the sweet aroma of that paint burning off the exhaust manifolds. It's better than the "smell of Napalm in the morning".

   

[CornDogsCharger]

The 18 spline 4 speed transmission was taken apart and checked out for wear.  Everything looked pretty good with the exception of one bearing, so it was replaced.  Here are a few pictures that show some of the original markings and paint dobs that were applied to the tranny.  In the third picture you can see what appears to be a 75 or 76 stamped on the side.  I haven't re-applied the marking yet because I wanted to do a little more research on it and then do it correctly afterwards.

Justin
"CornDog"  

[CornDogsCharger]

Hey Justin,
Doesn't that paint look authentic?
Wait till you fire it up and smell the sweet aroma of that paint burning off the exhaust manifolds. It's better than the "smell of Napalm in the morning".

   

Actually, we've already fired it up.  I'm just trying to catch up the post.  The smell is definately something one-of-a-kind

Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

Home at last!!

[mikepmcs]

Looks incredible.

BTW I say it's a 76.

[CornDogsCharger]

When I took apart the car, I removed this replacement Niehoff voltage regulator.  If you notice, this is the same style as the original Chrysler units with the round bump in the lower right corner.  I stripped the paint from the regulator and painted it semi gloss black.  We had a stamp made with the right date code and part number.  After practicing MANY times, the finshed product turned out nice.

Justin
"CornDog"

[CornDogsCharger]

The three original carbs were sent off to Florida to be restored back to original appearance.  I can not recall the name of the company at this time but I think they did an AWESOME job.  The plating looks amazing.  Any part that needed replacing, they would replace it with an original correct part.  A set of date coded plug wres were installed as well as correct coded alternator and power steering belts.  Still waiting to get a correct dual point tan distributor cap.  We got the correct style wheels and tires and I painted the backs of the wheels black like they should be.

Justin
"CornDog"

[maxwellwedge]

The 18 spline 4 speed transmission was taken apart and checked out for wear.  Everything looked pretty good with the exception of one bearing, so it was replaced.  Here are a few pictures that show some of the original markings and paint dobs that were applied to the tranny.  In the third picture you can see what appears to be a 75 or 76 stamped on the side.  I haven't re-applied the marking yet because I wanted to do a little more research on it and then do it correctly afterwards.

Justin
"CornDog"  

It should be 676 (70 B-Body 18 Spline) This code will be on your build sheet as well - if you have one. Here is a pic of a 70 E-Body 18 Spline 677. I am not sure the color of the stamp on the B-Body but this shade of blue was correct for the E-Body. Both should have lime (FJ5) swatches across the casting numbers etc.

[maxwellwedge]

BTW - Your throttle spring on a 70 6BBL should be painted Orange.  Looks good! And good job putting the negative cable under the throttle return bracket.