Why the Challenger or Cuda?

[JH27N0B]

was around 1983 i happened by there. and yea his rep was in the toilet, but that car was in my heart!!

remember seeing a chevelle named murphys law around then?

No, the only Chebbie that I remember from back then was a red '68 Camaro SS convertible with a 427 in it!
Other than that, I recall a 70 Challenger with a 440 6 pack and a '69 A12 car type hood scoop owned by a guy named Mark Vince who moved to NM IIRC, a FC7 AAR owned by a guy named Jim, and a red T/A like mine owned by a guy who still owns his car and is restoring it.
The red T/A's owner is a Glenview fireman, and one day he went on a call to a house that was vacant, and had been set on fire by some vagrants living in it. In the garage was the FC7 AAR.  The house was the AAR owners parents place, and the owner was in jail on some drug charges.  He never found out what happened with the car.

[magicr]

In 1981 I was on my way to check out a 1968 Camaro that was for sale. (Up until that point I considered myself a Chevy guy). Called the guy on the phone went over to his house and when I got there another guy was already there looking at the car. So I decided to go get something to drink and come back. Came back about an hour later and the guy was still there. I said screw it and went home.

I opened up the newspaper want ads and found a 1970 Challenger for sale for $1400.00. I said what the heck I'll just take a look at it for fun. It was BEAUTIFUL. It was that copper tone color,  with matching leather interior, cream colored vinyl roof, 383 auto, cruise, full wheel covers with white wall tires, with 55,000 miles. The guy who I bought it from was the original owner, and he came down to $1200.00. (Back then Mopars were not that desirable in this area.)

Big mistake was that I sold it 1 year later, bigger mistake is that I had a chance to buy it back in 1997 for $5500.00 and turned it down. But there was a reason, in 1996 I found a 1973 B5 blue Challenger Rallye for $1500.00 dollars, and I had to make a choice.

My 17 year old son (who owns a 71 Dart) and I are Mopar lovers through and through.


I sure am glad the test drive of the Camaro didn't happen. 

[Bluemonster71RT]

Great stories people! keep em comming. Fun reads

[CUDA JAS]

my story is somewhat similar:

My dad is a body man (runs his own body shop now).  Back in the day pops worked on the side out or our garage at home. There were always cars in and out of our place.  I do not have any memories of muscel cars, mosty corvettes to be honest (which I still love today). 

Pops had a 75 vette that he bought wrecked in 76 (man was it hit hard).  It sat in our garage, fixed, but never painted. My brother and I got in troubel more times than you can count for playing in that thing (loved the 4 speed).  I always remeber how clean the engien bay was on that car.

Pops had a 40 ford in the backyard for years that he was going to hot rod.  He never did get entiher of those cars done.

One of my earliest memories was my dad brining his stone stock 29 Chev to my kindergarten class (I was 5) and giveing each and every kid a ride around the block (the long way).  I had a girl tell me in high school that she always remebered that day.

There were other cars over the years.  Basically I just grew up around cars.

In 91, my dad said it was time to start looking for a car of my own, so we stared lookimg at the auto trader for old muscle cars, hey what else would a 17 year gear head want.  We spent some great weekends together going to look at cars (man there were some duds).  I was actually looking for a 67 -69 firebird, but we could not find any that were anywhere close to good. 

I had looked at a 70 cuda over the summer, but pops said no way as it had glass fenders on it, and was probably a rust bucket.  I really liked the look of the car.  Just real agressive. A guy I knew, the local mopar guy, said he new of a 74 cuda that was for sale just out of town.  So we wnet and looked at the 74, it was dented to hell (hail storm maybe) but was a good southern car, with not much rust at all.  I fell in love with it.  It was just a great looking car. So the guy, who's wife was about to have a baby, made us a goood deal and we bought it.  This was the first Mopar in our family that I can think of.  I caught heck at every trun from my brother for buying a DODGE (duh its a plymouth).

That was Oct 91.  I spent the next few years tinkering with it, along with my dad and we got everythign just right in the spring of 93.  I dove that car every day that summer.  My dad and I went to a car show almost every weekend.  Took home a bunch of tropies too.  That was proably the best time I have ever spoent with my dad (man what great memories).

Soon after that summer the car went into storage, and for variosu reason over the years stayed in storage untill last year.

Spent all winter and summer putting back on the road last year.  First big trip was down to see my dad (2 hrs away) and take him for a spin.  Boy was he surprised to see me in the Cuda!


Well, maybe that is the stroy of whay I love, and will never sell, my ebody, but also how I came to love the cars in general.  I would jump at the chance to buy another one in the future.


 
Jas