Countdown to January 2024. My Canadian 73 Cuda project. Need lots of advice!

[Swamp Donkey]

As previously mentioned in my newbie intro post, I have had my car for around 25 years.  Bought it when I was 18 and drove it for a year and parked it.  Did not want to drive it until it was fixed up!  25 years later, married with children I can start my dream car project.  I'm a 1974 model and I'm determined to get the car done before/for my 50th birthday.  I'm 43 1/2 years young right now for those that don't want to do the math.

I've already got about a thousand questions like:
- Who in Western Canada 🇨🇦 should do the bodywork.  Let me know if you "know a guy"
- If a modern hemi swap is the way to go, or build my 340 to around 500 hp. 
- If the 73 340 block is even up to the 500hp task. 
- What kind of aftermarket front suspension to go with. 
- 4 link the rear, or leaf spring relocation. 
- Should I buy a rotisserie and try and do some of the dirty work on the underside of the car myself.
- Where did or do all my fellow Canadians get all their parts from?  I just ordered a 149 USD item, and by the time it got here, it was $330 dollars.  I'm sure all of my fellow Canadians are familiar with that.

I currently have a budget of 1000 CAD per month to get this project done.  Started saving this January and now have 7,000 saved up.  So by next summer, I should have around 20,000 to get the bodywork started.  Total budget should be around the 84,000 dollar mark.  Of course that is our funny Canadian money which does not go very far now.

Car patiently waiting for me to do something with it.


Trunk floor seems to be in good shape.


Here's the motor.


Fender tag, because some people like those things. 


Build sheet, for those who are interested.


Current state of floorboards.  Still seems very solid to me.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AARuFAST]

one year ago you would have at least 5 replies.  seems everyone has joined the other e-body site.

Not any better. I haven't joined,----  won't.
You can search and find the info on here.  Unfortunate you are in Canada.

[jimynick]

I'm in Ontario and can't speak to who in the west to recommend. Even if you went new hemi, there's few that make 500hp and the 340 block is up to it, just not the reciprocating assembly. There're Canadian engine builders who you could look up and get quotes from and failing that, get yourself a US mailing address if you're anywhere near the border and send your stuff there for your pick up. Your projected use of the car dictates using a aftermarket frt suspension, but if it's to be a cruiser and not a autocross or track car, the OEM stuff can be made to work. Check out Firm Feel. A 4 bar rear suspension is in the same category as the front and Dr.Diff sells spring relocation kits to relocate the springs for a bit more tire. As for the rotisserie, if you're able to buy one and mount the car (usually after stripping the running gear out of it), then anything you do will save you money and a lot of it is just plain grunt work that you don't need to spend $75 per hour to have someone else do. I bought some of my parts via Ebay and some from Mopar Dave who's a parts department manager at Roseville Chrysler outside of Detroit. He can and will ship stuff anywhere you desire and he's a good guy. Tell him you're a member and there's a discount available as well. If you're paying more than double the US price, then something's wrong, as even with our lousy money, it shouldn't be that rich. You also shouldn't have to spend $84k to re-do this thing either. Where abouts are you?

[Swamp Donkey]

I'm from Fort St John BC.   I'm nowhere near the US border.  It's about an 18 hour drive to the border!  I have been trying to do quite a bit of research on what I want to do with the car by reading on this forum.  It's just that I am in the middle of nowhere it seems and I have been out of the car loop for quite some time.  I am going to a car show in a nearby town,  in early July and will start quizzing some of the locals to get a lead or two on engine builders and body guys.  In theory, time is on my side right now and I have a bit of time to ask some questions and get the right guy for the job.  Another member here, fat cat has given me a lead on a body guy.  I will try an  gather a few  more body guys and talk to them and make my 1st big decision.  I think the worst part about me is that I overthink every decision if I can even make a decision!

[70chall440]

Two types of advice I will give you;

first - think about what you want the finished product to be and what you want it to do. This seems simple enough as most would say quickly that they want the car to be relatively flawless, exceptionally reliable, very fast, handle like a modern car, brake better than a modern car and be comfortable to drive. Now, you have to splash a dose of reality onto this and get your mind around the fact that while the car be made to be far better than it was when new, it will not be "as good" or "better" than a new car in every respect; not without huge money (read far more than you probably willing to spend). That said and the point of what I am saying is that you have to develop a reality based concept of what the project is and will be and more importantly what you are willing to accept. Once you can get a relatively good concept of the what the project is, you can then develop a solid plan to move forward with purpose. Bottom line is that you need to "never lose sight of the project" and try not to let yourself get sucked down rabbit holes that equate to time and money. It will still happen, but if you have some footing in what you want the car to be, it will help keep you out of major "rabbit holes"..

Second and probably more to your question and concern; what to do and how to do it. In this area my first piece if advice would be more in the lines of guidance; you need to make the foundation of the car solid and square before anything else (just like building a house). You can disassemble to the car (taking car to bag and tag everything); determine what needs repair structurally and take care of that first and foremost. From there you can move onto suspension, drive train, etc. Paint and body should be last after you have settled (and pre-fit) almost everything else.

For suspension there are several choices which have been suggested already. On my 73 Road Race Cuda, I stuck with the factory front suspension design and used Firm Feel components throughout. You can go with a tubular K frame (stay away from Magnum Force) if you have the money, but understand that virtually nothing is "bolt in". The vast majority of this build can be done by you, it isn't rocket science or magic. As for the rear suspension, I build my own triangulated 4 link as there weren't any on the market at the time. I would look at Hotchkiss or perhaps one of the bolt in kits (everything should be mocked up at least once).

As for the engine; yes you can get 500hp out of a 340, however I would offer that getting power out of a modern hemi is easier, they are lighter and they are more reliable overall. I am strong advocate of EFI no matter what you do; but if I do another car it will be a modern hemi drop in and go. I grew up on these cars back in the day and have come to realize that while they are great cars/engines they really don't compare to modern drive trains.

Lastly - try and break the project into segments and think about each one separately and thoroughly. Make decisions based on research and the project objective. It is supposed to be fun and it can be, it is up to you to manage the project to what you want.

as an FYI; I was one of the ones who went to the other site and returned here because I was tired of the purists and "in my XX years of restoring these cars"... comments. Some great people and a lot of expertise there but I like it here better.

good luck