The Crusty Cuda: Whole lotta Shakin' (N96) Goin' on!

[njsteve]

I finished polishing up windshield stainless moldings today after sanding them over the past few weeks -using the sisal, then spiral wheel, then flappy wheel with the various compounds. Then I used blue painters tape to outline the entire painted border around the glass and marked the location of each clip with a sharpie. Then came the fingernail biting suspense of getting the moldings engaged without cracking the glass. I used a small rubber mallet and gently but firmly whapped the marked locations. It worked without issue.

I then tried to install the wiper blades but it seems I must have installed the wiper articulating arms backwards because it tried to go toward the cowl when starting. Luckily I didn't install the arms before I tested them. That's the next project.

[njsteve]

I was right. I had the rectangular arm that attaches to the motor, on upside down.

I guess I could have kept the arm in its present position and turned the car upside down but it was easier this way: I switched the arm so it was pointing north instead of south when in the parked position and the wipers work correctly now.

I love simple solutions to stupid mistakes. :-)

[big gear head]

Good thing you tested it before you put the arms on. How much damage would that have caused?

[njsteve]

It has stops built in to the cowl molding so it wouldnt move past the initial bump downwards.

[CTBob]

Hello, all!

I thought that everyone might be able to use some Christmas/Holiday cheer during this “challenging” year, so I’m sendin’ a little internal Chrysler wizardry yer way! (Hey! Hey!) ’Tis a December ’69-issued Dodge Division Christmasy card, featuring the “Star” of their lineup: the all-new ’70 Challenger R/T!!! Woohoo!

As you can see, ’tis a drop-top, with (the rare/controversial) shaker hood, and, sadly, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, & Blitzen sitting, forlorn, in the used car lot, along with Santa’s classic sleigh & accompanying note! (No Rudolph in sight!)

(I must credit my good friend (and, mega-MoPar fan) Rodney Eckinger for contributing this rare card to my classic Chrysler literature collection. Sadly, I don’t have a current phone for Rodney (of Elizabethtown, PA.), as his home phone, I recently found, is no longer valid, so if anyone knows him, and/or, how to get in touch with him, that would be great!)

I’m sending everyone greetings for a good/safe/enjoyable holiday!

[CTBob]

…And, since this is my first foray into "uploading an image territory," perhaps someone can correct, or, tell me how to correct, the topsy-turvy image(s), so it won't continue to occur. Any & all assistance would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

All the best,
Bob

[CTBob]

PS As a final note, although this was printed in mod-a-go-go 1969, as you can plainly see from the aesthetic of those wonderful Dodge Division guys, they clearly appear to be stuck in a 1959 time warp!

…And, I know, it ain’t a ‘Cuda, but it is an E-Body, a ’70, shaker-hooded, a drop-top, and, most importantly, the only known rendering (to my knowledge) of Santa in a Chally! Wheee!

[njsteve]

I rotated them for you Bob.

By the way, Bob, Rodney shows up as an active account on Facebook still in same town. (I know how you loathe that creation). I sent him a message for you. I'll see if he contacts me.

[njsteve]

I've spent the past week slowly assembling the front seats. It takes a lot of patience and hand strength to do all the pulling, hog ring plier-ing of around 800 hog rings (including 100 or so "duds" that had to be cut and removed), repositioning and strategically inserting of extra cotton material to get them to look correct over the original foam cushions. (the reproduction foam is not close enough to the original shape to spend the $300 on). A little more massaging with the heat gun should get the last of the wrinkles smoothed out. I have to do that on a separate day to make sure my hands are surgically clean. That is a "right out of the morning shower" sparkling clean, kind of job. If you have one speck of dirt on your hand, it will get on the white vinyl.

So here they are. Before and after...

I am currently working on the seat tracks, one of which self-destructed when I racked it too far forward. It threw the ball bearings out into low earth orbit. Luckily I had one left and was able to measure it at .310 (which is BTW, the same size as a 32 calibre shotgun pellet!). I was able to go to my local Home Depot and match it up to the .310 (5/16) ball bearings they sell individualy at .94 cents. Otherwise, I would have had to buy a can of 1000 of them from Amazon for $16. But then what the heck would I have done with all the leftovers? Hmmmm. Reminds me of that scene with Flounder from Animal House; "May I have 10,000 marbles please?"

[big gear head]

Looks great. I had to replace the foam in my seats 2 years ago because the original foam finally started turning to crumbs. Every time I got out of the car it looked like someone had been eating crackers in the back seat and got crumbs all over the floor.