RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Now I wait & see if the new arm is up to par or a sheet metal knock off???
Rusty's not very quiet cuda progress
- Thread starter mopar_man
- Start date
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I bought new loaded A-body UCAs from Dr Diff. The arms were heavy enough, I didn't notice any different in weight from the originals. There can't be too many places stamping out Mopar UCAs, right? So chances your UCAs are coming from the same Chinese plant.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
A lot of the front end rebuild kit came from Taiwan, considering the low mileage I will put on I hope they will outlast me or my ownership which ever comes first!
Made some progress on the mirrors , got a little dent better on the drivers remote, pass is close to paint ready.
? Is there any way to get these glass parts out without breaking them, I can see screws in there but can't get to them?
then I remember I have a pretty good(slightly pitted) chrome unit with good glass, what does it take to paint over chrome, that might get me a better mirror ?
Made some progress on the mirrors , got a little dent better on the drivers remote, pass is close to paint ready.
? Is there any way to get these glass parts out without breaking them, I can see screws in there but can't get to them?
then I remember I have a pretty good(slightly pitted) chrome unit with good glass, what does it take to paint over chrome, that might get me a better mirror ?
Last edited:
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I'm sure the parts I got from Dr Diff are the same, and I thought the same thing. Then as soon as I bolted it all up and put it on the ground the tie rod boots ripped. Didn't even get to drive it first.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Trunk rubber looks a little thinner than the one I got for the 73, but that may be a good thing, the 73' pushed up one corner of the lid. 
Roof rail pieces look pretty close to orig.
Roof rail pieces look pretty close to orig.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
I'm sure the parts I got from Dr Diff are the same, and I thought the same thing. Then as soon as I bolted it all up and put it on the ground the tie rod boots ripped. Didn't even get to drive it first.
Now that installs confidence in me!!!
Now that installs confidence in me!!!
restoman
The paint fumes have cleared so I'm
If I remember correctly, the mirrors are assembled with the glass installed last. The ones with a remote cable can be disassembled without breaking the glass, but it means un-crimping white metal the holds the cable housing in place. I've had minimal luck doing this.
I have taken some apart by accessing those screws, but putting them back together after paint is a massive headache!
Painting chrome... machine sand it with 120 - 180 grit until zero shine remains. Zero.
Wash it thoroughly with either Final Wipe (not wax n grease remover) or rubbing alcohol, put down a good coat of epoxy primer, then a couple coats of high-build primer if any repair work had to be done where sanding is required, then paint. You can paint right over the epoxy if high-build isn't needed, but follow recommended flash and topcoat times.
I have taken some apart by accessing those screws, but putting them back together after paint is a massive headache!
Painting chrome... machine sand it with 120 - 180 grit until zero shine remains. Zero.
Wash it thoroughly with either Final Wipe (not wax n grease remover) or rubbing alcohol, put down a good coat of epoxy primer, then a couple coats of high-build primer if any repair work had to be done where sanding is required, then paint. You can paint right over the epoxy if high-build isn't needed, but follow recommended flash and topcoat times.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Looks like I'll try with the glass in, on the chrome I'll start sanding a bit & see how terrible that job will be.
Thanks Resto your a fountain of good information!
Thanks Resto your a fountain of good information!
restoman
The paint fumes have cleared so I'm
Most people want to sand chrome with 80 grit, but since chrome is hard, 80 grit doesn't really abrade the whole surface. It's not a hard job, just awkward.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
So today I spent about 2 hours hand sanding on the chrome,180 then 220 grit, it's less shinny than the metal one so after a trip to the paint shop I'll see how the prime goes. 
then I pulled out the center caps & cleaned them up, one has some pitting on the chrome parts , not too terrible, now I have to shoot new black, taping these off is gonna take forever...........
then I pulled out the center caps & cleaned them up, one has some pitting on the chrome parts , not too terrible, now I have to shoot new black, taping these off is gonna take forever...........
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Hit the paint shop today & picked up the epoxy primer & cheated a bit bought a spray bomb with haedener so I could shoot the gas tank in the garage.
Got that done with 2 coats..................
Shot the black on the center caps & had enough of that clear for those too.......................
& cleaned up the mirrors, now I'm thinking of trying the air brush on these, not sure how thick epoxy primer is & if it will shoot well???
Got that done with 2 coats..................
Shot the black on the center caps & had enough of that clear for those too.......................
& cleaned up the mirrors, now I'm thinking of trying the air brush on these, not sure how thick epoxy primer is & if it will shoot well???
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Pretty good day, that's to say I didn't screw up anything!
The control arm arrived & looks ok & I actually ordered & received the right part!
BUT & there seems to always be a but, no grease fitting, I hope there standard I can use the one off the ball joint that came in the front end rebuild kit?
Center caps came out pretty good, amazingly my tape off job was pretty good, might try some buffing on the chrome parts when I set up for buffing the trim see if any of the pits get better?
By then the garage was warm enough to try the epoxy, mixed the smallest 1 to 1 cup I had & still wasted a bit of paint, mixing small amounts is a pain!
full air brush jar left, so I looked around for something to shoot it on, the ratty corner pieces popped out at me, so I shot those to see if I could seal in the aged areas?
Oh yea, it looked pretty thin when I was mixing so I tried without any extra reducer & it shot well.
these are scratched up pretty good, probably use the originals off the 73, with a little putty I could fix em up if I have to.
& finally 2 coats on the mirrors, will try the blue tomorrow.
The control arm arrived & looks ok & I actually ordered & received the right part!
BUT & there seems to always be a but, no grease fitting, I hope there standard I can use the one off the ball joint that came in the front end rebuild kit?
Center caps came out pretty good, amazingly my tape off job was pretty good, might try some buffing on the chrome parts when I set up for buffing the trim see if any of the pits get better?
By then the garage was warm enough to try the epoxy, mixed the smallest 1 to 1 cup I had & still wasted a bit of paint, mixing small amounts is a pain!
full air brush jar left, so I looked around for something to shoot it on, the ratty corner pieces popped out at me, so I shot those to see if I could seal in the aged areas?
Oh yea, it looked pretty thin when I was mixing so I tried without any extra reducer & it shot well.
these are scratched up pretty good, probably use the originals off the 73, with a little putty I could fix em up if I have to.
& finally 2 coats on the mirrors, will try the blue tomorrow.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Another brain fart, what about black mirrors, gonna have the black tail panel, black scoops & black on the center caps, maybe a black hockey stripe??????? What you guys think?
b-body-bob
Well-known member
They are standard but there are a couple of different sizes. The one you have should work, but if not you can get them at any parts store, and Harbor Freight sells a kit of various sizes and shapes.
SAE Grease Fitting Assortment, 50 Piece
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Any other votes for black, going out in a while, I guess if I don't like the black in the end I can always do it again, after all everything else has been done 2 or 3 times!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
This car is gonna make me cry!
Nothing goes right, while I was waiting for the garage to warm up I figured the paint on the glove box door had enough days to set, so I tried to put the new lock in, wellllllll I can't figure it out, the part you depress to get it in is not accessable when on the door, & after jiggling that around a while I pulled the old one out, now the new depress tab is bigger that the old, fully depressed it still sticks up a bit & the hole it goes into is round, no cutout to jiggle around?
fully depressed
Old one is flush............
The place it goes in, now this is out in the open, once you put the pieces on the door you can't get to the lever?
So I pack that up & start shooting the mirrors, old metal painted one went on good, the chrome one did not
So I figured I had to sand might as well shoot some prime, well disaster #2...................
So tomorrow I start restripping that one, the other has 2 coats of satin clear & I hope is good to go!
One baby step forward & 2 giant steps back!!!
Nothing goes right, while I was waiting for the garage to warm up I figured the paint on the glove box door had enough days to set, so I tried to put the new lock in, wellllllll I can't figure it out, the part you depress to get it in is not accessable when on the door, & after jiggling that around a while I pulled the old one out, now the new depress tab is bigger that the old, fully depressed it still sticks up a bit & the hole it goes into is round, no cutout to jiggle around?
fully depressed
Old one is flush............
The place it goes in, now this is out in the open, once you put the pieces on the door you can't get to the lever?
So I pack that up & start shooting the mirrors, old metal painted one went on good, the chrome one did not
So I figured I had to sand might as well shoot some prime, well disaster #2...................
So tomorrow I start restripping that one, the other has 2 coats of satin clear & I hope is good to go!
One baby step forward & 2 giant steps back!!!
Attachments
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Hit that mirror with 180, 220 & then 360, I hope it will take the epoxy now I shot 3 coats & will wait a few days sand a little & then try the black AGAIN! 
So I study the lock a bit & think if I make a notch off to the side on that ring I can get the tab past that & wiggle it in place???
Well it did go in but again just short of releasing that pin inside, then I couldn't get it out!
It finally popped that outer ring off & came out.
With all the grinding on the pin it finally popped out & that pesky little spring too. So It's now fubar so I kept messing with it, no matter what I did , even ground off the bottom metal tab ,maybe that was bottoming out?
With all that & no tab in, it seemed to bottom out just short of where that pin would release, maybe it was made wrong, I'm just at a loss on this one.
So now I have to see if I can find a non locking one, otherwise I have to buy the whole set again to have them keyed the same???
So I study the lock a bit & think if I make a notch off to the side on that ring I can get the tab past that & wiggle it in place???
Well it did go in but again just short of releasing that pin inside, then I couldn't get it out!
It finally popped that outer ring off & came out.
With all the grinding on the pin it finally popped out & that pesky little spring too. So It's now fubar so I kept messing with it, no matter what I did , even ground off the bottom metal tab ,maybe that was bottoming out?
With all that & no tab in, it seemed to bottom out just short of where that pin would release, maybe it was made wrong, I'm just at a loss on this one.
So now I have to see if I can find a non locking one, otherwise I have to buy the whole set again to have them keyed the same???
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
anyone know what car from the 70's had glove box handle with NO key, they just had a pin hole. figure if I mess that up at least I don't have another whole set to trash?
One of the videos I watched had both keted & keyless but they didn't mention what car it was off?
One of the videos I watched had both keted & keyless but they didn't mention what car it was off?
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
I need a break from everything I touch messing up, while I was trying to put the lock in the glove box door I really wasn't happy with the paint, so down it went again, thought I had it ready for paint, shot 3 coats on & still picking up a prime spot & a couple of sanding scratches, will see if that's enough to sand that stuff out & still have a black base???
Black mirror I can live with, a couple of little dirt spots, except for the part of the glass that was cleaned bars it would be "good enough"
So far the epoxy looks good see what happens in a couple of days, plan is a light sanding with 600 & then shoot the black?
I wish I could get outside & rebuild something, have the gas tank ready for install & the front end to rebuild, I need something that at least looks like progress!
Black mirror I can live with, a couple of little dirt spots, except for the part of the glass that was cleaned bars it would be "good enough"
So far the epoxy looks good see what happens in a couple of days, plan is a light sanding with 600 & then shoot the black?
I wish I could get outside & rebuild something, have the gas tank ready for install & the front end to rebuild, I need something that at least looks like progress!