|
My Cuda Project Part II...now at Bruning Auto Design
Well it finally looks like my car is back on track, so I figured I would start a new update thread.
The car is now up at Bruning Auto Design, so hopefully I can put this bad experience behind me and move on... For those of you that dont know already....my car was also at Race Rods at the same time Tony's car was there. We both got screwed pretty bad. For those of you that want to get the whole story, here you go.... https://lateral-g.net/forums/show...t=cuda+project https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=16185 https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=16771 I got the car back in July 2008 and to put it lightly it wasnt good.... so I put out feelers for other shops and started to salvage what I could myself. I started off by finnishing up the XV motorsports SFC's...overall decent pieces but they didnt fit that great...had to "massage" the floorboards to get a tight fit.... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2352.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2353.jpg |
Given production line tolerances and nearly 40 years of use & abuse on the car, I'd say the profile of the SFC's to the floor is pretty darn good and would expect to have to do a little bit of massaging.
Sounds like the car is in good hands now! |
Next was the XV motorsports front lower rad support brace..... rather than a thin piece of sheetmetal like stock, this is a full bent square tube....much beefier.... I dropped it down just alittle to allow for more radiator space too
Then it was on to the front and rear torque boxes....same thing....needed alot of tweaking to get them to fit nice and tight before welding. These are made by Auto Rust Tech and are not "factory correct" in style but are much thicker than original http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2288.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2362.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2476.jpg Next on my list was cleaning up alot of the crappy work Chris left behind that I thought I could salvage. He did some real crappy lap welds in several areas, so I closed up the gaps and finnished those areas... Here's a nice example of his work.. http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2378.jpg |
And another.... look at that big frickin hole.....it was worse on the other side..so I had to make some small patches...nice work..
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2379.jpg After closing up the gaps and finnishing the lap weld.. http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2381.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2470.jpg Then I had to finnish the trans tunnel...same thing...crappy lap welds with huge gaps... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2474.jpg Then I narrowed the rear seat alittle to clear the minitubs.... everything is just tacked together for now, until I'm sure how it will all fit... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2550.jpg |
More examples of stellar work.....
Chris fixed the driver side rocker but left a huge ass gap... nice... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2188.jpg Filled the firewall and warped the **** out of it in the process.... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2487.jpg Inner fenderwells......the design I wanted but really bad execution...warped all to hell... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2301.jpg So then I moved on to some other stuff.... Steering column mock up... of course I had to take my $65 billet mount and cut it to fit the dash opening....its always fun to cut up brand new stuff http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2581.jpg Vintage Air bulkhead mounted in the fenderwell so I can hide everything http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2576.jpg |
The mock up 6.1 HEMI sitting in place.... very temporary.....still not sure what I'm doing on the motor... I think the turbo budget went out the window.....maybe procharger ...maybe Kenny Bell twin screw....or NA with a "Hilborn" style stacked injection kit...we'll see...
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2866.jpg That pretty much sums up the big stuff..... TJ, Tim and Gloria from Bruning were nice enough to come look at the car on the way to SEMA and then pick it up on the way back. That gave them a chance to look at the car first hand and give me a "status report" and estimate for work and then saved me time and $$ to haul it up to them. Its in good hands now...... I'm sure TJ will drop in and I'll keep the updates coming. I also wanted to thank Mike from MuscleRodz and Mario (DOOM) for their offers... |
Some of the links are acting wierd..
here are the front torque boxes and rad cross brace.. http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2288.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...I/IMG_2360.jpg |
Looks pretty good Ned, Looks like you did some pretty decent work yourself. :yes:
And you picked a top notch shop in Bruning Auto Design. :thumbsup: |
Looking forward to seeing the car Ned, :)
|
you'll be happy with the quality of work that comes out of Bruning Auto Design.
|
Glad to hear Ned, TJ and Tim are top notch! Can't wait to see progress pix!!!
Great seeing you guys last week!:D |
Huge improvements already, man.
|
looking good, deffanitly going to be a quality seeing the work they've already done, looking forward to watch this build!
|
All good to hear!! The Brunings do great work, it will be done 'right' this time!! And it's a fairly short drive to their shop, so I get to see the progress first hand!!
It was nice spending time with you and your wife at SEMA! |
Thanks for all the kind words guys... and also to Ned and Monet for your hospitality during our stay in Manteca (in addition to working with Bruning Auto Design on your Barracuda of course). :D
Ned definitely got the short end of the stick on this deal and we are excited to make things right. The pictures don't do the car justice... I will post before and after pictures throughout in Ned's build album in the gallery section of our website - www.bruningautodesign.com . This post will also be updated on a regular basis. Stay tuned... :cool: |
Looks like the cars in the right shop now.
You won't have to worry about the work your getting now thats for sure looking forward to seeing the updates Good for man, you made the right choice |
Congrats on gettin it rollin again, Ned. Where do cuda owners get billet hood hinges like you and terracuda did??
Again congrats! It's now in great hands....I'm jealous. |
Quote:
Quote:
I heard that XV has something in the works... http://www.garagescene.net/gallery2/...udasema_10.jpg |
Quote:
|
Ned you have PM
|
Quote:
|
glad to see your cars in good hands..... Tim and I used to work together and you will be extremely pleased with the quality of work that will be put into your car :thumbsup:
It's ashame the work that some individuals do and try to call themselves professionals. glad to see the project back on track. |
Your right Luke, it is a shame what some people call professional work
Tim will fix it the way it should have been done the first time. :) |
JohnC...yeah I was suprised the Terracuda was using stock hinges. Figured they would have made some one offs...
Anyway....I spoke to the guys at Ring Bros about 6-7 months ago and they are developing some for the Mopars. Talked to Mike Ring at SEMA and they are still in the works but unlikely to be released until summer...you know how that goes.... I spoke with Chris Fesler about 7 months ago too and he was interested in doing them too. I offered my stock hinges as templates and planned on sending them to him, but then got the impression the Ring Bros ones would be done soon, so just decided to wait. XV has had some on a couple of cars and when I talked to them about 6 months ago they also said they would be available soon.... Guess that just illustrates how hard it is to develope a product and bring it to market. Sounds easy but its a ton of R&D and up front costs....plus the Mopar market is just smaller so companies are more conservative about jumping into it. |
Time for some update pix.... you can find more at www.bruningautodesign.com in the gallery
I'm going to try and limit the number of "Chris crap work pix", but there are alot of them...... Nice door gap...Chris replaced the rocker and quarter on this side and left these nice gaps http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...rbefore013.jpg The spoiler....just wasnt done well....didnt blend or flow right...edge too thick...holes everywhere.... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...spoiler001.jpg Filled the door handles...warped all to hell.. http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...-before005.jpg Gaps were pretty bad... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...rgapafter1.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...gapbefore4.jpg |
Alot of the stuff he did was all warped.....he used MIG for most of it and just didnt control his heat well at all.... alot of the patches improved things but left big waves etc...
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...inbotch008.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...rbefore014.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...rbefore018.jpg |
Now on to the GOOD STUFF.....
Tim has been hard at work getting the body straight in metal as best possible without starting all over again... its a balance between having it turn out nice and not blowing my budget starting from scratch... so far things look SOOOOOOO much better... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...rmetalwork.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ssideafter.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ergapafter.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...intheworks.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...tmentafter.jpg |
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...inishafter.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...vedspoiler.jpg Gaps look way way better http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ergapafter.jpg Thankfully the old spoiler came off without too much destruction to the quarters etc... http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...inprogress.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...workinprog.jpg Dont musclecar just look wicked in bare metal !!!!! Things look great and Tim is doing awesome work... and pretty quick too.... Mike from Musclerodz got my new trunk lid sent out (thanks again Mike), so once that arrives, Tim will start the new spoiler..... Carter is gonna help me design some new inner fenders so once thats done those will be next..... I couldnt be happier with the guys at Bruning.... the one bad thing..... I have a feeling I'm gonna just keep adding projects to the list while its there... its addicting when you start modifying stuff... |
[QUOTE=DRJDVM's '69;I couldnt be happier with the guys at Bruning.... the one bad thing..... I have a feeling I'm gonna just keep adding projects to the list while its there... its addicting when you start modifying stuff...[/QUOTE]
Ned, now you know why my car has been there for the last several months!!! Metal work looks great.....as expected coming from Tim. Talked to him about doing a spoiler on my car too......looking forward to see what you guys come up with |
Good deal! Car looks better already! :thumbsup:
|
I'm happy for you, Ned. Car looks like it is turning around very nicely.:clap:
|
I was at Bruning the other day and had a chance to look at the Cuda.
Wow is all I can think of. Ned really got screwed on this whole deal at Race Rodz. Dare I say it more than I think Tony got screwed. Tony sent the car down there with the majority of the metal work done. Its clear that there was no sheet metal nor paint talent at Race Rodz. Check out Bruning's website and the Cuda's gallery. Kids at a high school with shop class could of done better. Sorry to put the car down Ned. I truly feel for you man. I know this is a bad time of year with it being Christmas and the economy the way it is, but maybe after the New Year we could all pitch in a bit and help Ned also like we did for Tony. |
Our Charger hinges are shipping now we are working on the Cuda right now and other dodge stuff as well. We are working on it and will have them for you guys very soon. they are all in the works
Quote:
|
Quote:
John |
Quote:
|
Quote:
Growing list of issues... -Wheel tubs were butchered; quarter panels damaged (warped) during the process -The spoiler and deck lid are beyond repair - new deck lid and spoiler in the works -All the patch work (door handles, marker lights, etc) were warped to hell - poor fitment, bird poo mig welds, not metal finished. -Hard stone grinding disc used on the quarter skins, firewall, tubs, so there are tons of thin areas with holes -Inner fenders had over a ½” of bow to them. Seams are lap welded, pieces scabbed over the suspension mounts, poor fitment at the subrails (filled void areas with weld). -Cowl patches butchered (previous patches cut out and replaced) -Firewall warped to hell from various patches that were poorly done (cut out and replaced) -Front core support wasn’t straightened out before the inner fenders were attached (straightened, ready for new inner fenders) -The car was bent upwards from the sub rails forward (snow plow effect). The front end relaxed over 1/2" once the inner fenders were cut out. -The tunnel was butchered. Ned worked on it quiet a bit, and we addressed the opening shape during the firewall fab process (smooth continuous radius). -The rocker replacement on the driver’s side needs to be replaced – bowed, fitment is terrible, lap welded on the bottom. -Weld seams at the qtr panel to sail panel flange had to be cut out and replaced. The panels weren't lined up before he went to town with the welder. The seams were then ground down with a hard disc, which created thing areas next to the weld. Impossible to metal work the area because of the over abundance of weld even if the metal wasn't so thin around it. -Driver's side quarter panel alignment at the deck lid was longer than the passenger side (corner structure wasn't supported correctly during the skin install). The shape didn't match either when looking at the car from the back. New pictures added to the gallery daily. I'm sure Ned will be posting additional pictures as well. http://www.bruningautodesign.com/gal...g2_itemId=5315 Also, big thank you to Mike from Muscle Rodz for helping Ned out with the new deck lid and patch panel. Ned mentioned that Mario (Doom) has also made a very generous donation when the car is ready for body/paint work. |
Quote:
|
Just let me know when your ready TJ!
Mario |
Ned, TJ, car looks so much better already...unbelievable how bad the previous work was...
When Ned and I dragged it home from Race-Rods we knew a lot of what we could see was done poorly, but had no idea there were things lurking beneath the surface that were this bad...Yikes! Ned thankfully you are in good hands now! :thumbsup: |
looking good
ned
glad to see your car making a come back.....nice work t.j. keep the updates coming tom |
| All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:34 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2026, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright Lateral-g.net