71 'Cuda restoration project

[cudamadd]

Wow 1st great photos .   Bringing her back to life would be  fantastic and so rewarding . So much work  just a great job so far Awsome .

[anlauto]

I should have bought that car...

  

[Challenger in NC]

Some cool options on that car.

[HemiTunis]

Thanks for the replies!

I noticed something today when I got my trunk floor pan. AMD has two different ones, one for 70 and one for 71-74. The difference is the hole where you access the rear shock mounts.

I did get the 70 trunk pan, by accident, so should I use that or the 'correct' 71-74 pan?

Alan or someone else that knows these cars, what is that bracket hanging down on from the passenger side frame rail shown in one of the pictures I posted yesterday?

[anlauto]

Couldn't find the bracket picture you're asking about, but most likely the "tie down" bracket, these were sometimes removed at the dealer.

Depending on build date, some 71's ended up with a 70 trunk floor

[HemiTunis]

Cool, thanks for the information Alan!
Yes, it must have been a tie down bracket.

[AARTA340]

What is the SPD of the car? I have a 71 Gran Coupe, SPD 802, early production car. It has the 70 trunk, 70 doors. Those are the two main leftovers I have seen so far. I ended up and ordered the 70 Trunk Pan and will keep pictures of the original as well. On the GC, they are supposed to have the Crest over the lock. Somehow it slipped out the door without one, oops. Seeing your progress is an incentive to pick up the pace for me when I get back home. 

[HemiTunis]

AARTA340: My car has a SPD of 203. Nice to know that others have the 70 trunk pan as well. I will use the 70 pan and do like you and document everything before I remove it and try to restore it back to the same car as it left the assembly line. When I'm done it should be possible without any major surgery to bring it back to 100% original.

I'm glad I can inspire someone!

[anlauto]

With all the modifications you're planning, why do you care what the trunk floor looks like ?

[Amazzen]

Is this a stock bracket hanging down on the passenger side?

I don't think this is OEM. I also vote to put in the 1970 floor pan since it looks original; Also fitting that you ordered it in error... Sometimes - 2 wrongs DO make a right!

Another ambitious project that seems to have found a good home... continued success!

[anlauto]

If that was the bracket you were asking about, then it's ABSOLUTELY NOT FACTORY

[HemiTunis]

Yes, that was the bracket. Good, then I can thow that rusted piece of @$!! in the pile.

My intention with this restoration is to bring the car back to what it once was. The only change to the body will be sub frame connectors and rear torque boxes. The hemi configuration is basically a bolt in swap.

Alan, I don't understand why you of all people question why I want to have the same model of trunk pan as it had from factory? Think of this as a concourse restoration almost till the end, only to stumble and fall by putting another engine in the car. The matching motor is long gone and building low comp 383-good-for-nothing-turd, which would be factory correct, didn't seem like a good idea.

[anlauto]

Frame connectors, torque boxes, Hemi's, 5spd, fuel injection....ALL those destroy the originality of a really cool car.

I get the "my car---build it as I want" mentality, and if that's your intention then go for it , build a car you can drive the wheels off of and have a blast...


What I don't get, is why worry about date codes and trunk floor details if it's just going to be another modified Hemi clone ?

[HemiTunis]

I understand exactly what you are saying. The reasoning for all of this, is that I want to have the possibility to go back to stock. Obviously it will not be 100 % stock as it is missing its motor, but apart from that I can put it back to stock. If I didn't care at all about that, I would have bought a 72-74 and clone that into a Hemi car.

So, I want it stock everywhere it counts (body) and that includes the trunk pan. I hope this made sence, even though you don't like the modifications I have planned.

[anlauto]

Just like Harvey's....."Have it your way" 

"stock" frame connectors and all