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    Author Topic: Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)  (Read 23931 times)

    Offline bored

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    Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « on: August 30, 2015 - 01:43:39 AM »
    Good day, everyone!
    My name is Michael, I live in sunny/rainy Costa Rica.

    I've been reading this forum for quite a while, probably 2 years or something like this. A lot of you guys have done great jobs restoring your Mopars, I've truly enjoyed every hour I spent reading restoration topics, browsing pages with pictures of both finished and unfinished projects.
    I've picked up a couple of ideas from several threads here on Cuda-Challenger, and I believe my own project wouldn't be possible without your work and you sharing information. So I would like to thank every one of you guys!

    Ok, here is my story: about three years ago I decided to buy and restore a classic muscle to be my weekend driver. I was especially interested in only 6 production years, from 70 to 75. I always liked Barracudas, but it was very hard to find a good deal. My second choice was Duster, and I almost bought one already restored, but at the very last moment I hesitated and got out of the deal. Something didn't feel right and there I realized that the only car I wanted was Barracuda. Esthetically I liked 72 more than 70 or 71, so I started to search. After some months I found a good deal on eBay: 72 'Cuda, rebuilt 440 motor from a 70 RoadRunner, A833 4 speed manual, fair amount of rust, and the car was running.

    Here are the pictures of it from eBay:



     
    « Last Edit: August 30, 2015 - 01:41:26 PM by bored »
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    Offline bored

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    Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #1 on: August 30, 2015 - 02:13:55 AM »
    After 2 or 3 phone conversations with the seller called Rob (it turned out he was selling this car for his friend, I think his name was Craig Balmer) during which I asked a lot of questions, we agreed on the price and Rob offered to me to deliver the car to Miami. At that moment I already had arranged an ocean freight to Port Moin in Costa Rica.

    4 or 6 weeks of waiting passed and I got my "new" car. Oh, how exited and happy I was!!
    « Last Edit: September 01, 2015 - 10:20:02 PM by bored »
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    Offline bored

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    Re: Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #2 on: August 30, 2015 - 02:21:16 AM »
    There were dents and scratches, some rust I was aware of, dead battery and a lot of dust. I managed to fire it up and drove it around the customs lot. The engine was strong and the car mean.
    Awesome!

    Stay tuned, I will be posting much more pictures soon!
    « Last Edit: September 01, 2015 - 10:20:18 PM by bored »
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    Offline drewcrane

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    Re: Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #3 on: August 30, 2015 - 02:34:22 AM »
    Very cool car and even cooler story, keep us posted :2thumbs: :2thumbs: :2thumbs:
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    Offline bored

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    Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #4 on: August 30, 2015 - 05:11:23 AM »
    When almost all of the first excitement worn off, the question arose - what am I going to do with all this?
    So my idea from the beginning was to repare all the mechanics, fix everything that do not work and make the car drivable - check for leaks, change all liquids, grease everything that need to be greased, check for faults in electric system, etc. I did not want to park the car and start some profound restoration - my idea was fixing it bit by bit and enjoying driving it every weekend.

    So I started with small things, like cleaning the carb and changing jets more suitable for our altitude...
    « Last Edit: September 01, 2015 - 10:20:36 PM by bored »
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    Offline bored

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    Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #5 on: August 30, 2015 - 05:15:29 AM »
    What really bothered me was the grill.. chipped, broken en half... So it was taken out for temporary repair.
    « Last Edit: September 01, 2015 - 10:20:49 PM by bored »
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    Offline bored

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    Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #6 on: August 30, 2015 - 05:19:39 AM »
    Temporary repaired grill was sent to be painted...
    « Last Edit: September 01, 2015 - 10:21:02 PM by bored »
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    Offline bored

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    Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #7 on: August 30, 2015 - 05:23:41 AM »
    Meanwhile, I decided to paint steel rims, install new headlights (it was impossible to drive at night, old ones were horrible) and to repair a rearview mirror (really necessary, because side mirrors are too small and are almost useless from my point of view)

    « Last Edit: September 01, 2015 - 10:21:26 PM by bored »
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    Offline brads70

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    Re: Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #8 on: August 30, 2015 - 05:46:02 AM »
     :wave:  Welcome! Nice Cuda!  :2thumbs:
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    Brad
    1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
    Barrie,Ontario,Canada
    Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

    My restoration thread 
    http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
     My handling upgrade post
    http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

    Offline dodj

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    Re: Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #9 on: August 30, 2015 - 08:28:35 AM »
    Quote from: brads70 on August 30, 2015 - 05:46:02 AM
    :wave:  Welcome! Nice Cuda!  :2thumbs:
    X2
    Must be a pretty rare car for Costa Rica!
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    Scott
    1973 Challenger  440 4 spd 
    2007.5 3500 6.7 Cummins Diesel, Anarchy tuned.
    Good friends don't let friends do stupid things. ........alone.

    Offline dfrazz

    • 1970 Cuda - 1968 Charger
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    Re: Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #10 on: August 30, 2015 - 11:06:11 AM »
    Sweet looking Cuda!   :ylsuper: :ylsuper:
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    Offline 70chall440

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    Re: Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #11 on: August 30, 2015 - 12:11:10 PM »
    Awesome story and car.  :woohoo:
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    Current Mopar
    70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
    05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
    Past Mopars
    9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

    Offline bored

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    Re: Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #12 on: August 30, 2015 - 02:28:38 PM »
    Thanks people! I hope you will enjoy my thread. I will not make it too long!

    Quote from: dodj on August 30, 2015 - 08:28:35 AM
    X2
    Must be a pretty rare car for Costa Rica!

    It's actually the only one E-body 'Cuda here =) I believe there is one 68 Barracuda, but I haven't heard of it for a long time.
    « Last Edit: August 30, 2015 - 02:36:08 PM by bored »
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    Offline bored

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    Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #13 on: August 30, 2015 - 02:35:00 PM »
    Grille finally came back from the paint shop and was installed back where it belongs.

    « Last Edit: September 01, 2015 - 10:21:49 PM by bored »
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    Offline bored

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    Tropical Beast (72 'Cuda)
    « Reply #14 on: August 30, 2015 - 02:45:36 PM »
    As I mentioned above, I was focused mainly on things that would make the drive comfortable and safe, so that I have confidence that the car won't break down at any moment. It actually did a couple of times. One Sunday night I was driving it, stopped to pump gas (this beast makes 6-7 MPG :D ), and the car died. I found out later that the alternator wasn't charging the battery well enough, I tried to fix it, but finally got a new one.

    But some details were just too unpleasant for my eyes: fender tag looked horrible.. I decided to clean it and paint it white until the car goes to the body shop.

    « Last Edit: September 01, 2015 - 10:22:01 PM by bored »
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