Finally got my M-Code Cuda

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jimharvard

JimHarvard
FABO Gold Member
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Location
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After searching for some 5 years, I finally found a M-Code 69 Barracuda Fastback to add to my collection. I had a chance to buy one off of "Big Block Dave" here on FABO but I screwed around too much and ended up making him mad (which was entirely my fault). At any rate, my M-Code is on its way down to American Metal Direct (AMD) Installation shop in Cleveland, Georgia to have the entire rear floor pan replaced. This car has had a rough life having been converted into a fully tubed drag car by someone in New England. The car was on Ebay two years ago from a guy in Massachusetts and it had a 426 Hemi and full race prep - tubed, roll bar, slicks, cut out wheel wells, etc. I tried to buy it without the drive line but the guy wouldn't sell. Then about two months ago the car showed up again on Ebay this time being in Oklahoma and having the Hemi replaced with a 440. The latest owner was a great guy with a race shop and garage and a long history of racing Mopars with some of the biggest names in racing. He agreed to pull the 440 and all the race stuff and sell me the car as a roller. We completed the deal and he took off everything he wanted. The car should arrive at AMD's shop next week.

I have great plans for this "M-Code." It's NOT going to be a trailer queen "museum piece" (not that there's anything wrong with those cars) but a driver. I'm going to build it in a way that i wish Plymouth would have done in 69. The car will look like all the OEM 69 M-Codes but will have the A12 69 "and a half" special Road Runner drive train - a 4 speed, 440 six-pack motor, the big dana with a 4:10, front discs with the large rear drums. Plymouth could have built this car with all these parts "off the shelf." If there had been a "race only" 69 Barracuda like the "race only" A12 Road Runner, I'll bet they would have sold a bunch of them and I'll bet they would have been deadly at the strip as the Cuda is a little lighter than the Road Runner.

AMD doesn't think they will have the car done for about a month so I'll spend that time rounding up various parts. One other thing I'm going to add - I'm going to make the "A56" M-Code hood scoops functional as "ram air" devices. Since the A12 Road Runner had the black lift off fiberglass hood with the massive "Ramchargers" hood scoop, my "special" M-Code will HAVE to have "ram air."

I'm looking forward to doing this car. After its done, I hope I can convince Mopar Muscle or some other mag. to do a feature on "the M-Code that Plymouth should have built."

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Wow, Sir! Ambitious build. Congrats to you for your find. I'll be watching this.
 
hey clifftt...

thanks for the encouraging words. i've followed barracuda prices for over 8 years now. this car will be my 4th barracuda. it is very hard to find the right combination of decent car to start with; not too much "major" repairs; reasonable selling price; and final value after the car is done. so far i've been able to find cars that i could sell at any time and break even or make a little profit. when it comes to M-Code 69 Cudas, it has been VERY hard to find a car in the price range and condition i set as pre-conditions. as i said, it took 5 years - but i did find one that will not break the bank in restoring. it does help that i have a complete shop and was a body man myself for many years. the only way you can avoid dropping $50-60k on restoring these cars is if you can do all or most of the work yourself. if you're the type that wants a "collector car" but really can't do much work yourself - well, then you need a VERY big checkbook.

like i said, i'm looking forward to doing this car. i think it's going to be B5 Blue with black stripes and black interior. i like that combination. i'll post pictures on FABO as the project advances.
 
will be cool no doubt..... I also like the fresh air idea! keep us all posted on progress. congrats on the find and purchase.
 
CONGRATS!!! I believe I got the vin# of this car when it was on ebay in Mass. for my M-code 'cuda registry.

According to Plymouth you could make the scoops functional with a little bit of Aunties vacuum cleaner hose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I still have the #'s matching white FB if anyone interested.....
 

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Congrats on the find. Cant wait to see it done. Love those big block barracudas.
 
One of my favorites, can't wait to see more done and the progress pics.........
 
Glad for you Jim,

Looks closer to a 68 SS as is.

Not my cup off tea for an M-Code, but not my cash either! AMD will do a nice job with it!

Best of luck with your car and dreams!

Will you visit during the work? If so I would like to drive the 383 up and visit. The shop is about 45 from me.
 
hey 69383...

the car is a real M-Code car with "M-Code" VIN on the dash and title. this car was raced in Super Stock for a number of years. it's hard for me to understand why someone would take a rare M-Code and cut it up for a drag car but that's what happened to this car. i had the guy i just bought it from take the 4 link race suspension out of the rear and weld in an old mopar diff and springs just so the car was a roller. the entire under side of this car was altered for drag racing. AMD is putting the front and rear floor pans back to OEM configuration with stock rear suspension and stock inner wheel wells.

i may go down to AMD's facility in Cleveland, GA once they have done some work to the car. if i do, i'll let you know.

i like 383's also - one of my other cars is a numbers' matching 69 383 4sp fastback formula s car. i also have two 68 formula s cars - one of which, a 340 4sp fastback i finished last year. i'm going to work on the 69 383 car while AMD is working on the M-Code car.

i'd love to see your car. big block cudas are the best!!

take care.

jim coster
pittsburgh, pa
 
hey 69383...

the car is a real M-Code car with "M-Code" VIN on the dash and title. this car was raced in Super Stock for a number of years. it's hard for me to understand why someone would take a rare M-Code and cut it up for a drag car but that's what happened to this car. i had the guy i just bought it from take the 4 link race suspension out of the rear and weld in an old mopar diff and springs just so the car was a roller. the entire under side of this car was altered for drag racing. AMD is putting the front and rear floor pans back to OEM configuration with stock rear suspension and stock inner wheel wells.

i may go down to AMD's facility in Cleveland, GA once they have done some work to the car. if i do, i'll let you know.

i like 383's also - one of my other cars is a numbers' matching 69 383 4sp fastback formula s car. i also have two 68 formula s cars - one of which, a 340 4sp fastback i finished last year. i'm going to work on the 69 383 car while AMD is working on the M-Code car.

i'd love to see your car. big block cudas are the best!!

take care.

jim coster
pittsburgh, pa

Cool, I would love to see the car while it is here in Georgia.

All the new metal on my car is AMD and the shop that did the work has some ties to the folks in Cleveland.
 
Congrats on getting the Cuda. I can't remember if it was here, or on Moparts....but someone had a brand new A- body spec Dana 60 complete with disc brakes for sale. The AMD folks will do a good job on your car. :prayer:
 
Niiiice!!! Congrats on snatching up another piece of your life's puzzle, an important piece it is!! Share with us the progress, and we'll try our best on to drool on the screen!!!��
 
Just a quick question, I assume the m code 69 cudas had 8 3/4's not Dana's?

I had a chance to buy a m code in Vancouver in the 80's. Yellow fastback. Some years later I am fairly certain it was in a Mopar magazine restored. Oh well.
 
hey dave...

you're right - the 340 and 383 formula S cudas automatic and 4 speeds and the "automatic only" 69 M-Code Cudas were equipped with 8 3/4 chrysler rear axles. the 440 and hemi 4 speed B body cars came with 9 3/4 Dana differentials.

i'm going to build my M-Code like "what Plymouth should have built" - a 69 M-Code Cuda with the 69 1/2 A12 Roadrunner drive train - 440 six pack, 4 speed and 4:10 "Dana 60" rear axle. this car could have been built with off the shelf parts available at the time. the articles i've read on M-Code Cudas say that Chrysler didn't want to put a 4 speed in those cars because they felt they would be torn up too quickly. the A12 Roadrunners were almost bullet proof so i think if the Cudas would have had the A12 parts, they would have been reliable also. more importantly, the 69 Roadrunner weighed a little over 3400 lbs - the 69 Cuda came in around 3100 lbs. with a little shaving here and there, you could have gotten a 69 M-Code Cuda down to 3000 lbs or less which would have made it much faster than the A12 Roadrunner. Ronnie Sox did his famous drag test of a "stock" A12 4 speed in 1969 and got it down to 13.00 seconds flat in the 1/4. six pack 69 Roadrunners were capable of high 11's low 12's all day long with good tuning, headers and slicks. putting the A12 drive train in a 69 M-Code Cuda probably would get you into the mid-low 12's right out of the box. with a few mods, an A12/M-Code probably would have been an 11 second street machine you could drive every day.

i'm not building my M-Code to be a drag racer - that's what it was and i'm bringing it back from that world to the world of stock. however, once i put the A12 components in it, i'm pretty sure it's going to be one hell of a fun car to drive to the local car cruises.
 
I like your thinking and where your going with the car Jim.
I have two 68 fastbacks. One with a Hemi and the other I am setting up with a
440 six pack, 18-spline & Dana. My six pack car will be just for the street.
Looks like your starting with a nice car and a "M" to boot.
Sadly I've managed to scrape both my barracudas from the bottom of the barracuda barrel and
they will continue to feel more like rat rods for a good while yet.
You can't have to many BB barracudas. Nice collection you got going.
 
I think I would leave the customizing and "what Plymouth should have built" for a slant M code clone. I mean whatever makes you happy is the only thing that matters. Just not my style for a rare car.
 
yes BB cudas are so cool! like a fool, I passed on a #'s m code car for sale back bout '97 or8. rebuilt engine on a stand, rust free original straight complete car but someone stole the hood scoops off. owned by original owner up in n w Mo. $10000 was asking price and I thought too high. maybe it was ?
he ma mopar built only one M code 4 speed cuda, and it was around st louis, BUT we know how that goes, probably owner conversion!
I bought a 67 383 cuda out in oaklnad ca in mid 90's. drove it back to Mo!! the owner had restored it and put he said 10,000 mi on it, most fun I ever had with my clothes on!!!! guy back home saw it and actually started crying, he had wanted one all his life, I let him have it ( for small profit!)..
I regress. look forward to seeing progress of this beast!!! love the 6 pack idea too!!!!
 
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