Out of hibernation...the start of a new restoration.

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MoparMike1974

FABO Gold Member
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Sorry its not an A body but here is my cuda that I have owned for about 20 years. It spent the past 4 or 5 years buried in one of my 40' connex boxes. After three days of moving stuff I was finally able to get it back in the daylight. Im happy to finally get started on it after all this time.
She is getting cloned as a 71 with shaker hood. 440 4 speed, dana, six pack.

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This is a 74 318 car, nothing fancy. Its getting the correct side markers, tail panel/lights and front clip for a 71. Those fenders in the pic are the originals that I had stamped for gills by Tony Dagostino many years ago. Since the fenders and grills are available now I decided to go the full 71 route with it.
 
I actually dig the later tail lights, but that ain't gonna work as a " 71 tribute" I've had 2 Challengers, a rust free, 71 383 auto (except for front passenger floor pan) and a rotted up 74, I got burnt on. The 71 I should have mothballed, the stupidity of youth, in the early 90s... that , and the 68 Coronet hurt the most... I'm sure you will do a great job! Keep sneaking in Pics! When i did my 66 Sat, I learned alot here, as it was my first 340...
 
WOW man go to it

This is the remains of a 70 Cuda I had for a short time in the Navy. It had been some sort of oval track car, OR the guy who sold it to me CLAIMED it had run and set a record at Pikes Peak. I know and remember nothing about the car except it was red and white, and I got it in the early 70's so IF it had run there it had to have been early on after it was manufactured.

It was a hemi car, all stripped with a sloppy cage, 8 3/4 --5.xx gear. I put a 440 in, with estimated 11:1CR, 67 heads, torker and 850 DP. I ran some huge unknown mechanical cam about 5:50 lift and "somewhere around 300 duration"I was "short time" at Miramar--about to get "out" soon and had little time to sort it out. I did not know it at the time but it had gathered clutch disc material and packed it between the PP and clutch cover, and the clutch would not release clean. Last I ran it I actually launched in 2nd gear and shifted WITHOUT THE CLUTCH so maybe 1/2 second to shift. It ran best of 11.80 at Carlsbad. I had "the then" Jones/ Motrola tach and it twisted over 7300 through the lights.
This was summer/ 73 -- early spring of 74----I was discharged in late May 74

I trailered it home--loaded up with parts and all my "stuff" behind the 70 RR then with a 340 swapped in. I later sold it to a friend of mine "rolling body." This photo came from him---sitting in front of his house in about 75-76--WHERE HE STILL LIVES TODAY

He sold the car to a guy in Spokane, I have no idea what happened to the thing

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The house today. The window to the right was once the garage, so the "now" garage was added


He had owned a 69 Super Bee 440 6pack, sold it some years later, nowadays has another clone, with a 572. He also owns a Hellcat

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I'll be following. I'm a sucker for E Body Cudas.
 
If you guys are interested I will keep the thread running as I make progress. Got it up on the lift yesterday for a good inspection. Looks like It will need a driver side front frame rail. Its not terrible but I have a minty set from an old dirt track car. Other sheet metal will be quarters, trunk extensions, fenders, hood, inner fenders, rocker panels and full floor pans. Most of the car is very solid, most of the work will be the cowl which has multiple problem areas.
Im also adding weld in frame connectors, mini tub and torque boxes.
 
Would love to see the dirt car, too!

I cut up that car many years ago. My cousin used to use E bodies on the dirt track! I got two or three of his old race cars. I will dig around and see if I can find some pics. They were basically a shell when I got them.
 
It took some searching but I found one pic of the dirt track car. RIP, it will donate a frame rail and cowl pieces for my car.
Its a shame, this car had very little rust in it. Front frame rails are in excellent condition.

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