1971 'Cuda ver Barracuda Questions

[Rael]

Hi guys

My first post here so please don't flame me to bad. Been looking for the answers to my questions but I am sure there are quite a few I haven't found yet.  So here goes.

Besides the motor and trany what were the major body and interior differences between the 1971 'Cuda and 1971 Barracuda. I know the fenders were different with the 71'Cuda having the gills and Barracuda not having them.  Is the front grill the same?  How about the interior. Anything else?

The reason I am asking is that a 71 'Cuda was the only car from my childhood that I wanted and didn't get.  Its mid life crisis time now I have located a 1971 Barracuda (less motor and trany) and would like to convert it to a 'Cuda.  I don't care if it is not a matching number factory 'Cuda.  I just want it for personal pleasure.

Any help would be great. If by some freak of nature, someone knows of a restorable 71 'Cuda just sitting there wait to be bought (fat chance) please feel free to e-mail.  The closer to Western New York the better but I am willing to travel for the right car.

Thanks for any help.

Rael

[Chryco Psycho]

 Welcome
The Cuda was the performance package & had better mechaical parts all the way through from Diff , brakes , suspension , cooling & engines. Most of the trim stayed the same such as grilles tailights, the Gran Coupe was a trim package for the Barracuda & included extra trim, overhead console, leather or cloth front seats  , the extra trim & leather was also optional on the Cudas & options such as the Shaker hood were available only on Cudas & 340s      

[Rev-It-Up]

Welcome to the board Rael!  Stick around and keep posting your progress on finding and restoring your car.  There's a great deal of wisdom and information available through the folks here, like Chryco.  

[Rael]

Thanks guys for the response.

Glad I found this forum. Have been doing a lot of reading lately.  A wealth of info here.

I am including a link to a picture of the car and description they offer for the car.

http://members.bluefrognet.net/~rael/1971_barracuda.htm  

In your (everyone welcome to comment) opinion, is this to much to pay for this car? I will have to drive a Longgg way to pick it up, if I do. Appears driver fender is smashed, can't see if hood is intact, but want shaker hood anyway.  Not sure what is sittiing on top of driver fender, could be whats left of the hood.  The add says "Later front clip" .  Is this something that could cause me trouble when tring to achieve the 'Cuda I want.

Should I hold off and look for a 71 'Cuda or is this a fair price to pay for something like this?

I know where there is a very rebuildable 71 Plum Crazy 'Cuda sitting for the past 4 years that I know of with a sign in the front window that says "Not For Sale"
I also know where there is a 71 white 440 (I believe) balanced and blueprinted and sitting for the past 10 years that I know of with a smashed front passenger fender and grill also with a sign saying "No car for sale here."

They seem extremely hard to find.  And then when you find them, people would rather watch them rot than part with them. Any thoughts. I would like the car asap but spring would be fine.

[Chryco Psycho]

 your link doesn`t seem to work , But the 71 Cudas are hard to find in any condition & everyone want them

[Rael]

Thanks

I changed the code for the link above and it works now.  Thanks

[Rev-It-Up]

Saw the ad.  I would have to say...without knowing more about the options of the car...that $2800 is a bit high for a Barracuda with no engine, no tranny, and in need of a lot of body work.  There is no mention of the quality of the interior and that can get expensive too.  

Not knowing what your budget is on this, I would get as much car as possible with the money I have.  For instance, if I could find a car that had all the body work done for a couple thousand more, I would do it!  

Just as a reference point...this link is an ebay auction for about the same car your looking at; 71, no engine, no tranny and rust.  Lets see how high this goes...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1862494024

Also, here's a cuda clone on ebay...they say their  reserve is below $10,000, but the exterior body work is done minus paint.  

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1862717465

Just food for thought.

[Rael]

Thanks for the info.  I will check out those links and see where that auction goes. Not rich by any means, but alway manage to get what I want if I try hard enough.

Thanks

[Grrreen]

"later front clip" is definitely something that would scare me... I would assume it's quite hard to find a good front clip/grill for a '71 Cuda...  Though I could be wrong as I'm more of a Chally guy...  

And rust is a bad, bad, bad ,bad thing... unless you like a good project...  If you can't do it yourself, you'll typically end up paying more to get a rusted car fixed *properly* than you will to find a rust free one...

Just my 2 pence...

[Rael]

Grrreen

That front clip part did scare me a bit.  As far as doing the work, I will be doing it all myself.  This will be my second full restoration.  The first was a 1951 Ford Coupe for my uncle.  We drove 500 miles to pick up the car his brother bought for him.  (I never knew his brother hated him that much). When we got there I wanted to cry.  I told my uncle he should jack up the steering wheel and put a new car under it. No pans at all, one door and it was garbage, no hood, no trunk lid,no grill or light, no rear bumper, interior was trashed and most of dash had been raped.  My uncle still wanted it so we brought it home and went to work.  A lot of money and time later it turned back into a really nice car. (His money, my time).

ANyway, this car is for me.  I never liked the 51 Ford but it did come out nice so I am sure with time my 'Cuda will be nicer than his car was.

[Rev-It-Up]

Rael, did you do all the work yourself?  Body work, paint, engine building, etc??  Would love to see a pic of the fjord if you have one (and if Ross will allow it to be seen on this site..haha).

[Rael]

Yes, I did the mecanical and body work and my uncle did the paint. He also paid for everything. I did the welding and brazing.  

Unfortunately he sold the car last summer to pay for his next restoration.   I think it is a 58 Olds, but not sure.  I moved about 100 miles from him 4 years ago and haven't seen him for a long time.

When I get done with my 'Cuda I will take it to him for paint.  He has been doing it for almost 20 years and is quite good at it.

[bilug]

Seems like a high price.

This is a pic of my car...I bought it just the way you see it here for $3850, runs and drives killer. No problems whatsoever...

Soon it is to be a slime lime cuda with all the bells and whistles!

Mike

[Rael]

Mike

Thanks for the reply.  That is a beautiful car bud. Great price to.  Still looking. Have found a couple but BAD condition / HIGH prices.  Waiting till spring to start pestering someone local who has one sitting 10+years now. Plum.  Has sign in window "NO CAR FOR SALE HERE"

Thats what they think 8~)

They haven't met me yet LOL

Anyway, thanks again and if ya run across anything / drop me a note here.

Have a good one Rael

[rcerex]

Could the later front end mean a '72-74 front? The grill for a 71 is very expensive,  I think around $700+ for a decent one. I saw an ad for a perfect one, complete for $1500 which I think was a bit high but then again,  no one repops these yet as far as I know.