Started on this project late October.Its a 70 barracuda shell that had been parted a couple times and was headed for the crusher before I stepped in.The floors were pretty good,the front frame rails/torsion bar crossmember were rust free,but from the 1/4's back was really bad.My buddy told me if I thoght I could do something with it I could have it.I had already bought a complete but rough 70 gran coupe a couple years ago and had been looking for a solid uni-body to build up.Back in 2003 my loving wife allowed me to buy my dream car,a local one owner A12 bee.After I got the car bought she told me since I had my dream car she now wanted her dream car too.Long before we met she had a yellow '78 Z-28 four speed that I knew she was very fond of so I figured that was what she would want again.Boy was I wrong! She said she wanted a cuda! She said it had to be black and a 4-speed.Everything else was up to me.I thought great
now I have to build the most expensive mopar there is.I told her I could do it but I would have to build it.After buying the bee we couldn't afford a decent car to start with so I'm doing the best I can.
Once I got the shell home and finished taking off what little parts there were left I decided the best way to save the car would be to tub it.I have never been a big fan of pro street cars but I thought if I built it to look like a 70-71 era pro-stock car I would have something refreshingly different.I ran the idea by a couple of my good car buddies(not all of who are mopar guys and who I suspected would tell me I'm nuts)and they were surprisingly excited about the project.We then hit my vintage magazine collection to get ideas on the parts we would need to get the right "look".
First key piece(s) I found was a set of Cragar Super Tricks in Ohio.They are 15x14 rear and 15X3 front.The rear wheels are a little wider than what I wanted but these wheels aren't exactly easy to find so I bought them.My uncle had a Lakewood scattershield he wasn't going to use and gave it to me.Dug out some old Cal Custom valve covers I picked up years ago.Bought a tunnel ram off e-bay.Bought a Stewart Warner cable drive tach as well as a Moroso cable driven rev limiter.Converted a 68 b-body four speed to an e-body with a tail housing change.Traded for a good running steel crank 440.Guy that gave me the car also gave me a set of little used Hoooker super comp headers.So without writing a couple more pages you guys can see I've tried to do this as cheaply as possible but still end up with something cool.
As far as the body goes we have installed a Chris Alston rear clip(ladder bar style) but the car will ride on leaf springs.Replaced:left front floor pan(barely needed it),top half of of cowl,left inner fender, and roof skin.Still need to be replaced:tail light panel,both quarters(skins)and maybe front fenders if the goodmark ones come out in the next year or so. This my first post so go easy on me!
