20 years wondering no more

-
Penstarpurist

Penstarpurist

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2016
Messages
1,313
Reaction score
630
Location
Salem
Hello all, my first post on this great forum. Over the past 20+ years my wife and I have has a vast array of great mopars, '71 charger, 69 roadrunner, dart sports, dusters, and a '71 cuda. We have had to pass them along for one reason or another. Being young, broke or needing new windows in our home. The one car of course that has always stood above the rest was my wife's '71 cuda. Hemi oarnge, bucket seats, 4:10 posi, floor shift automatic, 440 bulge hood. It had the typical electrical gremlins. My wife daily drove that car 80 miles round trip to work. With the occasional lights just going out or wipers not working, to date was obviously the coolest car we had in our stable. With the milage she had to travel, wanting a home with regret she sold the car. Well that was 20 years ago at least and not a day went by that we wondered where it ended up and what shape it was still in. Two weeks ago both my sons, my wide and I were up in Portland Oregon hauling home a plymouth fury project for my oldest son. We are sitting in traffic, with the car hauler loaded up and my youngest son says, hey there is a bright orange cuda sitting in that driveway. My wife looks over and explodes with giddy laughter and yells omg, it's our old cuda. I look over and sure enough sitting in front of a little garage is a bright hemi oarnge cuda with the same liscence plate that was on it. It looked like the day it left us. All the way home she regaled all the memories and journeys we has in that car. I begged her to let me go back and knock on the door, at the very least to talk with the owner, drool over it. And of course pull out my wallet and ask is it for sale. She said, no, not now, the boys are looking to go to trade school to become auto techs. Everyday that has passed to that point we gave wondered and wanted it back. I will go back to where we saw it, I have to bring that car home if there is ever a possibility it's for sale. It's been a dream, that now may have a good ending. Lol. If the current owner is willing to let it go.
 
I will for sure, so many years have gone by that we have always wondered, this chapter never fully finished. It screams fate to me, of all the places we have traveled always looking in this field or that driveway praying it would pop up. Now at this time in our lives, when we have a stable home and future to show up out of the blue. It has got to be a sign. Lol. At least that's what I'm going to tell myself until it comes home.
 
Same license plate?
Wouldn't the plates have gotten transferred to whatever you replaced it with?
 
Great story but I hate to say it, You are probably going to have to pay at least 5 times more than what you sold it for 20 years ago...
 
i never get to see them that got sold again , its like the edge of the earth thing , i guess . lol . glad someone is taking care of one of yours you released .
 
In oregon you can transfer original plates with new owners. Just have to transfer all the paperwork end of it as it stayed in the issuing state. And yeah, the thought of the very increased value of the cuda is definitely a factor lol. I don't expect any amount of sentimental value is going to get the now owner to see the physical value any less. Lol, and that's if it can even be bought from him.
 
I had a '68 Coronet that i sold in 1991 to buy a Honda Civic(commuting...gas mileage). 5 years later, I found it in a wrecking yard in Sacramento. T-boned and completely destroyed...made me sad. Loved that car.

Good to know your Cuda is still around and in good shape. Even if you don't get it back.
 
Dang, I'm not sure what is worse, not ever knowing what happened to it or seeing it like that. Did you grab any memorabilia off of it? Like an emblem or glove box door?
 
Still have the DODGE emblems off the front grille and the front license plate. : )
 
Penstarpurist said:
In oregon you can transfer original plates with new owners. Just have to transfer all the paperwork end of it as it stayed in the issuing state. And yeah, the thought of the very increased value of the cuda is definitely a factor lol. I don't expect any amount of sentimental value is going to get the now owner to see the physical value any less. Lol, and that's if it can even be bought from him.
Click to expand...
IT IS A SIGN FROM GOD THAT YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING YOUR LIFE RIGHT. WHAT IS THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? ALL HE CAN DO IS SAY NO. I THINK ONCE HE HAS HEARD THE HISTORY OF THE CAR, IT MAY SOFTEN HIS HEART. ESPECIALLY IF YOU CAN SHOW HIM SOME PHOTOS OF YOURSELF AND THE CAR. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR JOURNEY. BRIAN
 
Thanks scampman for those words of encouragement! I will for sure make the effort, it's only 40 miles from my home. It would be an awesome gift to my wife. As I thought more about the car, it was not only my wife's first muscle car. It was her first car ever, we met young, and she was my high school sweetheart. Lol, the biggest challenge other than getting it bought if he has no intention of letting it go, will be keeping my boys from nagging their mom to hand the keys to them! 1969reddart, I'm glad to hear you got something that you can remember your coronet by. I'm sure it will keep the memories solid in your heart.
 
Agree with R4sedan/Larry. There WAS that chance to see your car again after what, 20 years?
Even if he doesnt sell, it would be good to keep in touch.
Take the bride along in a push up bra for negotiating tactics.
Good luck and welcome aboard!
 
Yeah, I have thought about it everyday since seeing it. The hard part of stopping then, was driving a 4 door dually, pulling a car hauler loaded down, 4 people and a 160 lb great dane. Lol, plus downtown portland is a bear to negotiate thru traffic in a compact car let alone all we has going on. It was tough to pull away from the light, seeing it sit there in all its beauty. But, the weekend is here, no car hauling to do and cam head back that way to see if I can at least strike up a conversation with the new owner. And see how many memories we can stir up.
 
No kidding you have got to go back ! Forget the trade school, if they choose the dealership route they will be sent to factory training classes .... for free !
 
Well now that you've given me a directions to go and a story to tell. You better get there before I do!!! Just Kidding. I guess that's why I've never sold any of my cars. Yet. I just have to stop collecting new one's.
 
Give him your name and phone number and tell him to keep it in the glove box. People's situations change all the time, and he ever wants to sell it, he will know how to contact you.
 
Was the Chevy rear end just a one year option?
 
I may be wrong on the gear ratio, am I missing something though? Did mopar not have a 4:10 gear ratio? I know I am running the chevy 4:11 Richmond set up in our 400bb duster. But just doing a quick research on the Web shows there being a 4:10 sure grip as an option in these years for the 8 3/4. I may be wrong, and if so my apologies. And as I did state before, it has been 20+ years and probably 20,000+ beers ago. So it's possible my memory is fuzzy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top