1970-71 grille interchangable?

[dan2071]

Hey guys, new to the boards. I have a chance to get a 1970 cuda project car, but I want to swap the grille out for a 71 style. Is this a straight forward swap, or do i need to change fenders, valances or anything else? for that matter is it a fairly simple swap for all 70-74 cudas? I did a search but came up with nothing

[67vertman]

It is NOT a straight forward swap, you will need 71 headlight buckets, front valance, valance filler as well as other parts.  It can be done but how much $$$ do you want to spend doing it?
 
71 grills arnt cheap either.

[dan2071]

Project might be an understatement. the cuda used to be a circle track car, so its already gutted. No grille, the hood is trash, and most of the front is missing right now anyways. I know it always comes down to how much you want to spend but to be honest the 71 style is my dream car. My main concern at this point is can i keep the fenders, and the rad. support??

[4Cruizn]

Yes the fenders and rad support should not be an issue.  Cuda fenders work on all years.     

[dan2071]

cool, thanks guys.

[TorOrange]

Hey Dan are you buying the one with no grill, light blue no glass for 1200 ? Curious thats all.

[hotrod98]

The 70 fender buckets will have to be modified to accept the four-headlamp style bolt in mount. You will need the headlamp mounts, four of the small headlamp setups, a 71 header, the complete grille assembly of course, the valance, the valance insert, both turn signals and all of the small supports.
Be prepared to spend around $3500 or more if you can find a decent used grille for 2K or less. Mike Ross has most of the 71 parts that you will need at BE&A parts. You probably won't find many used parts since they've pretty well dried up.
Now to complete the 71 Cuda transformation you will need a fender gill setup, a set of tail moldings and a set of 71 taillights. At least the taillights will bolt right in to the 70 tail panel.
 

[Chryco Psycho]

don't forget that the headr panel that holds the grille is unique to 71 as well
 I love the 70 & would not swap it out

[dan2071]

 Thanks for all the input guys. Chryco Psycho I do like the 70 too but the 71 style is the car I've dreamed of since I was 12! thanks for the advice on taillights too hotrod98 I Love the 72 and later round tail lights so i was planning to go with those too, kind of a hybrid to create the ultimate cuda in my eyes.

MeanGreen, if its the one in Post Falls, Idaho with the Chrysler symbol on the beat up hood thats it.

But unfortunately I got a little ahead of myself... I finally got out the to look at the car today, and its far to gone to restore. The entire front clip was fabbed with steel tubing, the body is a solid piece (no doors) and the interior consists of a racing seat, shifter and a full roll cage. about the only thing that was still 'Cuda was the deck lid and maybe the quarters. Long story short a race car is about all you can make out of it now.

So Im back to square one, anyone out there with a '70-74 cuda project in eastern washington/north idaho?

[HP2]

Any time you find a circle burner for sale, they are usually pretty toasted. If you can score it cheap enouhgm it might be nice to have the the frame rails and such, but only if you plan on making another race car out of it.

Having looked at that unit specifically, I think the only good street pieces left on it would be the a pilers and the roof. Figure 8 cars lead a rough life.

[hotrod98]

I could never bring myself to cut up an e-body to build a stock car. I would however, build a drag car since they are easily converted back to the street. After owning and driving dragsters most of my life, I'm finally racing a door car. My 71 factory sassy grass green Barracuda has a built 360, race prepped tranny and a super stock spring setup in the back. Leaves hard and straight. It's over at the speed shop getting a six point cage installed in it now. It's still driven on the street so it's obviously not been hacked on very much. In fact, I hated drilling two holes in the core support to mount the required overflow bottle.
I'll be running in the street class so this will officially be the slowest drag car that I've ever driven.