Long overdue 1973 Cuda Restomod build with a few pics. Updated Pics 6/17

[hotrod98]

Great project there. It's very similar to the '70 that my son's putting together. He's using a 6.1 and Keisler 5-speed with a painted to match AAR hood, AAR rear spoiler and the side exhaust, but he's leaving the AAR stripe off.
What are your plans for the side markers? When I built my wife's '73, she didn't like the side markers sticking out so I recessed them. It really cleaned up the car without taking away the '73 style. We were going to go with a hockey stick stripe but the stripe doesn't line up well with the location of the side markers so we went with the '71 gills on the fenders instead. The car just needed something on the sides to break up all of that green paint. 
Keep those pics coming.

[Confederate Cuda]

Thanks Hotrod98
I did the same on my sidemarkers. You were my inspiration for this (we exchanged e-mails about 1 year ago) and I think they look great. I am in Memphis now and I seem to recall you are somewhere in AR. Do you ever get this way? Let me know if you want to chat about he 6.1 build I have I learned a lot and also learned what I don't know which is a lot more. Here is my cell number if you want to call 704-231-4446

Thanks
Mark

[hotrod98]

Too bad I'm on the opposite side of the state. I remember talking to you now.
I bought a 5.7 hemi / 5 speed auto setup last week for my wife's superbird clone. I'll probably just drive down to Street and Performance and pick up the stuff that I need to alter and install the 5.7 setup. They're only 60 miles south of here. I'll have to alter the floor tunnel and trans xmbr to clear that big tranny.
I managed to buy back my old '71 340 Cuda this last summer and plan to transfer a lot of the stuff (340 motor and shaker hood for sure) from my red clone over to my real Cuda. I would like to buy a 6.1 for the clone at that point. That way my wife and I will both have fuel injected "driver" cuda clones. These modern drivelines have opened up a whole new world as far as our hotrods are concerned. Can't wait to get the superbird clone finished. Maybe later this year. 
I'll call you. I want to find out more about your car. Maybe I can talk you into attending the Branson, MO show and cruise in August.

[NoCar731]

Ole Uncle Mark. haha =) this is derrick.  I was just wondering how it's coming with the car since Pennsylvania.
and someone needed to give your thread the CPR bump. =)

[wally426ci]

Hey Hotrod, can you give us a bodyshop topic about recessing your sidemarkers? id like to do taht to my dads car!

[miketyler]

Confederate Cuda - that car is going to be wicked. I really like the BMW seats, are you going to activate the heated and lumbar adjust function as well? What are you doing for ride height, stance, wheels?

Am also very interested in the frenched in marker lights. I too have always thought they looked added-on as a surface mounted feature.   

[Confederate Cuda]

Ole Uncle Mark. haha =) this is derrick.  I was just wondering how it's coming with the car since Pennsylvania.
and someone needed to give your thread the CPR bump. =)

Hey Derrik
I spoke to Nick yesterday and the underside and fender wells should get paint this week. I am still planning on picking the car up at the end of March to bring home for assembly. Up for another road trip?

[Confederate Cuda]

Confederate Cuda - that car is going to be wicked. I really like the BMW seats, are you going to activate the heated and lumbar adjust function as well? What are doing for ride height, and stance, wheels?

Am also very interested in the frenched in marker lights. I too have always thought they looked added-on as a surface mounted feature.  

Hey Mike
Everything on the seats will work except the pre-tensioner. I cut the wires to those because I was afraid I would set the pyros off. Not exactly sure about the ride height yet but I have air ride so adjusting will be easy. It will be looow, atleast in the show mode - I will have 3 preset heights. The wheels will be Fikse Mach V's. I should get the car back from the bodyshop around 4/1 and then let the games begin.

[bb71challenger]

I dont know how this thread escaped me, great work CC!!!!!! The car is going to be a super cool cruiser when its done. Good luck on it and I also want to thank you for helping out Cudahunter, cool thing to do. Keep up the fantastic work!

[IMNCARN82]

Hey,I like those sunken marker lights!   Got a pic of that car from 10 feet away? Like to see how it looks on the whole car. I might consider that. Looks cool.

[NoCar731]

haha yea i'm game for another 13 hour drive.
as long as i don't have to sit under a freakin dash the whole way there again. -.-

i thought nick was gonna bring it down in a trailer?

[NoCar731]

bumppppppp   -.-

[Confederate Cuda]

haha yea i'm game for another 13 hour drive.
as long as i don't have to sit under a freakin dash the whole way there again. -.-

i thought nick was gonna bring it down in a trailer?

I bought a new trailer and a truck so that we could get it ourselves. I will need it to take the car to shows so I just went ahead and bought one. I will let you know before I go to get it.

[NoCar731]

ok cool. 
and i'd also better see some pictures after it gets painted!

[hotrod98]

Hey Hotrod, can you give us a bodyshop topic about recessing your sidemarkers? id like to do taht to my dads car!

Short story...I had a few pieces of patch panels lying around with the 72-74 recessed part for the sidemarkers. I cut them out just slightly larger than the sidemarker. I used an old sidemarker as a template. I then cut pieces of metal and welded the lip around it. I then bolted them into place on the backside of the fenders and quarters and tack welded them into place. I then cut out the opening, finished the welds and set the markers in place. I had to use a couple of thin plastic washers in a couple of places to get the sidemarkers to sit flush with the fenders/quarters. A guy could make the plates and then bond them in using the new bonding adhesives that are on the market. That stuff holds just about as good as weldiing them in and won't cause any distortion.