Looking to read up on a 1970 'Cuda

[Fooch]

My dad ordered a 1970 340 Plymouth 'Cuda from the factory back in 1970. He has had it ever since. It has never seen snow(tough to say being from Pennsylvania) and has only seen rain for a second when he got caught out one day when it started raining and he actually pulled over to cover it and walk home lol. He actually un-installed the windshield wipers just incase he ever bumped teh switch, he did not want them rubbing the windshield. That is how particular he has been with the car his whole life. It has a little over 30k original miles.

I've followed in his footsteps and am a car nut. But all my cars are newer, I'm a new generation of gearhead compared to my dad who used to be a mechanic. I know the in and outs of most new cars, but I wasn't around when these cars were coming out and I'm not 100% familiar with the E-bodies.

The reason I posted this is that the 'Cuda will be passed on to me. And I want to help my dad out now. This car is his baby but it has not moved under it's own power in over 15+ years. The reason being is when they started having kids(3), time and money ran out and the car has just been sitting in the garage.

All the kids are out of the house and I'm the only other car nut in the family and I want him to get off his butt and get back to working on the Cuda. It's in perfect shape except the paint is shot from being a Lead based paint and it started cracking on the roof(dad and his brother repainted it in '71). I am finally in a financial situation good enough to help him out and make it sort of a father son project. I want it up and running for him to ride around in it again. Every fathers day or christmas I buy him little things like torque converters(last fathers day). He finally showed interest and went out and got a quote on repainting the whole car(if we stripped it) and he got $3k and I told him I'd pay half if he got started.

But I need to read up on this car. I want to know everything there is to know. Can anyone refer me to any books, sites, threads here, etc. that could help me get a better understanding of the car? I'm talking from trims, options, size of the rear end, engine specs, etc. Everything I can learn.  Or even a repair manual or something.

Thanks. Great site by the way. I've been wandering around it for a little while.

[Alaskan_TA]

Cool story & welcome. 

You can visit the HH library here;

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

Just start clicking on the blue Plymouth emblems in the 1970 column & read all the Cuda / Barracuda stuff, there is quite a bit of info there.

[Fooch]

Cool story & welcome. 

You can visit the HH library here;

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

Just start clicking on the blue Plymouth emblems in the 1970 column & read all the Cuda / Barracuda stuff, there is quite a bit of info there.

Cool, thanks. I'll start reading up on it.

[70 383 SE]

To bad alot more kids would have that kind of respect for their parents now-a-days  Good for you .  Should be good for your dad and bring back alot of memories for him and bring you two even closer together. And when you finally get the car it will make you feel good that you worked on it together and it will have a huge sentamental value.

[Fooch]

To bad alot more kids would have that kind of respect for their parents now-a-days  Good for you .  Should be good for your dad and bring back alot of memories for him and bring you two even closer together. And when you finally get the car it will make you feel good that you worked on it together and it will have a huge sentamental value.

Yeah that's pretty much how I see it. I will never get rid of this car. I want to keep it going through the family for as long as I can. I could be homeless and still probably not bare to get rid of the Cuda. It's made it through a lot of tough times financially but he never gave it up. I plan on doing the same.

[71340RT]

Welcome to the site and good luck getting the Cuda painted and back on the road. My 16 year old son has really showed a interest in these old mopar cars and I just bought a Challenger to be a father son project. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress getting the 70 Cuda painted.

[hooD]

   Welcome to the site with a great story!  So your dad is the original owner....very cool.  Do you have any old or current pictures?  We'd sure like to see some. 

[Fooch]

  Welcome to the site with a great story!  So your dad is the original owner....very cool.  Do you have any old or current pictures?  We'd sure like to see some.

Yeah he's the original owner. Here are some pictures.

[Oldschool]

Welcome aboard....         That is a great story....        

[70shaker6pk]

Its great that your dad bought it new and still has it after all these years, must feel great!