Cuda SRT8 392 Gen.III Hemi

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Hellcat Cuda

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Here's a build thread for my 1969 Cuda. The original build intent of my car was going to be a 440/automatic NHRA B/SA Stock Eliminator race car. Once I fully realized how expensive it is to be competitive in Stock Eliminator, I decided to build an A12 type 440-6 4 speed Cuda (something the factory never built). In '04, I fell in love with the new Gen3 Hemis and bought one of the first 5.7 Mopar Performance crate motors to be released. THEN, the 6.1 SRT cars came out and it was love all over again!

The final goal and "theme" for my car is to build a '69 Cuda SRT8, as if that car was available back then. It is also getting a few mods from that concept, as if I'd bought the car new in '69 and on "day 2" put full length headers, big wheels and tires, etc. on the car.

At first, I was absolutely intent on not cutting up the car. I found that all the aftermarket stuff available for these conversions back in '04-05 was crap and NOTHING fit the way it was supposed to. Not much has changed there, even today. I accepted that and started some fairly extensive cutting and fabrication. I don't regret my decisions, as I'm now going to have my dream car, exactly the way I want it, without compromise. No rubbing, rattling, etc of mis-matched, crappy fit aftermarket stuff. I've either custom made things myself, or highly modified any aftermarket stuff I've bought. This car will reasonably look like it was engineered by the factory. Obviously, most of us Mopar affectionados will know it's a conversion, but the typical Chevy guy will likely think it came this way from the factory! LOL

I sold my 5.7 MP crate motor in favor of a new 6.1 engine. The TKO500 I bought for the 5.7 was also sold in favor of a TKO600. All the rage now seems to be going with 6 speeds, but I think I'll be just fine with 5. However, when all the stroker components came out for these engines, I started yearning for more HP, as I was concerned I may get bored (!?!) with the stock, 425HP. After much research and talking with many pros, I decided against a 426 stroker and went with the 392.

The engine as you see it below, was pulled out after this final "mockup" shot and sent back to BES Racing for a custom build with ported heads and intake manifold, 11 to 1 custom pistons and a custom cam. I told Tony that I wanted at least 500-525HP and his response was, "oh, it will be WELL NORTH of that". I think I'll be satisfied.

All fab work is done now and body work was done a long time ago. I have just a skosh more prep to do and I'll bring it to the spray booth. Other than new parts I've bought and the BES 392 build, I'm doing all the work on this car myself, including the paint. I'm an older "coot" with many of my younger years spent doing this kind of work for other people. It's time that I do one for myself to enjoy. Hope you enjoy the pics I'll post and the progress as I go forward. Sorry for the long winded intro... :)
 

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Here's some shots of the BES 392 blueprinted stroker build.
  • Balancing the Scat 3.795 crank
  • Custom Ross 11:1 pistons (4.065 bore) w/ Manley H-beam rods
  • Degreeing the custom cam spec'd by Tony
  • Long block with CNC ported / hand finished heads
 

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  • BES 392 pistons and rods.JPG
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I would have liked to go with a stock, 7qt. rear sump truck pan, but it would have sat too low, the lowest point under the car. I'd heard and seen so much "bad" about the conversion oil pans available (and got nothing but "attitude" from the guy at Milodon), so I made a mock-up pan in ABS plastic and had Moroso make a custom pan for me. They do awesome work. Like a piece of artwork actually. Reasonably priced too. I ended up with an 8qt. pan and it sits about 1" higher than the headers and AlterK crossmember.
 

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  • Oil pan mockup to Moroso 02.JPG
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I took out the stock trunk floor with spare tire well and fabbed up a flat floor for a new, 22 gallon gas tank. I worked out a side profile for the tank and also the width dimensions and had Rick's Hot Rod Shop make me a tank. The thing is beautiful. Expensive piece, but included a high volume, built in Walbro fuel pump for the EFI. My spare tire will be up inside the rear luggage area like the old Shelby GT350s.
 

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Absolutely. What I try to do is for "general" stuff that does not need so much detail, I go 600 X____ at the largest side, IE wide or tall. If more detail is needed, either post a cropped closeup, or go on up to 800X_____ in the widest dimension. Your photo, here, is 667x 500 pixels, so you "had" a ways to go to 800 if need had been there

Don't forget, as I did, that after time, the "EDIT" button goes away.

...............and I can't wait to see more
 
67Dart273,
Thanks for the response. I'll have to get my butt movin' and start resizing and posting....

MoparDaddy,
It's now a 6.4 . I like the stock, 6.1 coil wire covers, but will probably find something non-descript for it, as I don't care for the newer 6.4 covers at all...
 
I'm excited to see this... You will have tons of fun in it! I know I did!
 
Mopardude, I'm up in the East Bay, near San Ramon...

USCG Charger, "I know I (DID?)" That sounds past tense. Don't tell me you SOLD it?
 
67Dart273,
Thanks for the response. I'll have to get my butt movin' and start resizing and posting....

MoparDaddy,
It's now a 6.4 I like the stock, 6.1 coil wire covers, but will probably find something non-descript for it, as I don't care for the newer 6.4 covers at all...

Threw me way off when it said 6.1 on the motor and you said 392 lol
 
Nah buddy... It's all good! These things come and go like our breath. I'm currently finishing up a LS3 67 Nova with T56. Pro- touring build. I'll get another Mopar for sure.
 
That pil pan is friggin cool!!!!!! I want one, how many kids will I need to give up, lol!!!
 
Nah buddy... It's all good! These things come and go like our breath. I'm currently finishing up a LS3 67 Nova with T56. Pro- touring build. I'll get another Mopar for sure.

Hah, to be young again! When I was young and had a shop building cars, an old man told me "ya know, each car you build takes a little life out of ya". He was right. I've sold my Lil Red Express Truck because it's all I can do to get this Cuda done, let alone start another project. I can't wait to finish it so I can enjoy driving it instead of building it...
 
That pil pan is friggin cool!!!!!! I want one, how many kids will I need to give up, lol!!!

Ain't she purdy? Moroso makes front sump pans for the LX / LC Hemi cars, so they already had the thick rails ready to go. They'd never had somebody send them such a detailed mock-up pan like I did. I just wanted to make sure I got exactly what I wanted so it would clear everything around it, yet maximize the volume within the surrounding limitations. Their production pan for the LXs was something like $550 with the pickup and my "custom" unit was like $50 LESS. Probably the best quality, no hassle piece I've bought for my car. The welder is a real master at TIGing. I HIGHLY recommend Moroso now...
 
Awesome,

The car looks epic from what we can see. Cant wait to see more... I bet that your "mock-up" is the nicest they have seen. Mine would have been cardboard, duct tape and popsicle sticks...

JOE
 
Ain't she purdy? Moroso makes front sump pans for the LX / LC Hemi cars, so they already had the thick rails ready to go. They'd never had somebody send them such a detailed mock-up pan like I did. I just wanted to make sure I got exactly what I wanted so it would clear everything around it, yet maximize the volume within the surrounding limitations. Their production pan for the LXs was something like $550 with the pickup and my "custom" unit was like $50 LESS. Probably the best quality, no hassle piece I've bought for my car. The welder is a real master at TIGing. I HIGHLY recommend Moroso now...

Did they build you a pickup tube for it as well? That's a good price for a custom pan
 
damn what a cool project! that oil pan is neat! do they have a part number for that one now?
 
Glad to see a Gen III engine project.
Keep us up to date on you project.
 
Joeboy, Thanks for the nice comments. More pics to come...

rjsjea, The price included modifying my pickup. He first quoted me over the phone and I thought he was "low balling" me. I called again once they'd received my mockup pan and the price didn't change. I'm VERY pleased with Moroso! How's your Demon coming along? Do you have a build thread here?

Mopardude, Yeah, I LOVE the oil pan. How's your Dart coming along? Do you have a build thread here?
 
Originally, I ordered up TTI's headers and engine mount brackets for my stock K member. I wanted a simple bolt-in conversion, with no cutting of my very clean, no rust "California car". (I bought it when it was 10 years old and have stored it inside ever since.)

The TTI conversion pieces didn't fit worth CRAP! I called them about this and they said "gee, we've never had any OTHER complaints". Yeah, right. The alternator virtually touched the frame flange on the pass. side; the header hit the torsion bar on the driver side to the point you could not get the T-bar into the control arm socket. Plus, not only was it offset to the pass. side (like any old Mopar), it was also CROOKED. Looked like hell.

Per TTI's suggestions, I tried shimming the mounts in all types of configurations, but it just got worse. It raised the engine higher in the front; it sat ****-eyed and the shims made it harder to get the biscuit studs / bolts in the holes. I decided to "bite the bullit" and purchase an AlterKtion kit. In hind sight, I do have an excellent solution for fitting the TTI kit with a stock K member, for anyone who may be interested.
 

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