Barracuda or Clone Cuda?

[Confederate Cuda]

Where did you get that gauge cluster?

It came from Rocky Mountain Dashes (I don't think they are in business anymore) It is aluminmum, I painted the surface and polished the rim and recesses.

[Road_Runner]

Hey Jim,
Just have fun and remember this should be strees relief.  As long as you don't change the VIN everything else is game in my opinion. As far as the bumpers go I think Chryco said it best we he said he like boobs on his woman not his car Here are a couple of pics of my 73.
Mark

Somehow I don't think I'm ever going to forget the boobs line!!  I really like what you've done with your 73.  If it runs as good as it looks that has to be one fun ride.

Thanks, Jim

[Road_Runner]

I too have struggled with this question, having a similar situation.  So I can give you my opinion based on my thoughts.

Mine is a 71 original owner 318 with some interesting options; Torred, bulge hood, interior houndstooth orange seats, pedastal cassette player, luggage rack, side moulding...
...therefore I feel the need to keep it as original as possible with the exception of headers, 8 3/4 rear,  performance upgrades to engine, better wheels.

If your car is kind of plain, with a color and options you are not wild about, then I would change color and do whatever you can afford.

A 72 rear valence with cutouts fit on my 71.

I can see your problem, that's a pretty cool car just as it came, would love to see the seats!  Mine is definitely not optioned as well as yours and I'm definitely not in love with the light green with white top & interior.  It's definitely not growing on me in the few weeks I've owned it.

Thanks, Jim

[Road_Runner]

I dont have any problem with putting 'cuda emblems on a Barracuda. Mine is a 318 "deputy" cloned to a 440-6 4 speed, etc. and all the emblems, but I'm not trying to pass it off as anything other than what it is. Its a tribute car if you will, and if anyone ever asks the details, I'm more than happy to tell them.
In fact I actually get off on ragging about my car and how I probably paid less for it than they did their Honda accord!
And I have to agree that is one of the coolest looking '73s I've ever seen
Heres mine, which I also think is a fantastic car, but just like with women, it never hurts to ogle other cars too 


PS  I love posting pics of it too

I love what you've done with yours.  Absolutely a '10' all the way, congrats!

Later, Jim

[tommyg29]

thanks. wish I could take credit for what it is but I spent about a year looking for the closest thing to what I would build if I had the ability and patience, and this was the car I found. The guy I bought it from spent a couple years redoing it about 7-8 years ago, and it mostly sat in his garage since then, I think because he got distracted by other projects, and it lost his attention, so he sold it to raise funds for another project! which he purchased right after I closed the deal.
It was a tunisian tan car with a gold vinyl roof, so yuck! I would change that color in a heartbeat. Ive done a lot of little things to it to make it a better car for me, and I am putting new wheels on it with modern rubber, so I'm still putting my signature on it, but it was close already.
This car is loaded with options too, including power everything and vintage a/c. Its been described as a total tank by one of the guys involved in the engine build on it. Cast iron everything, including a scattershield. It is a very heavy car. About the only "option" it doesnt have on it are the chin spoilers, which I dont like, elastomeric bumpers, which I am thinking about changing, and vinyl interior instead of leather.
It is absolutely unrecognizable from original, but if it ever gets sold, the buyer will know what it is.
 

And good luck with your car. My second favorite mopar is the 71 road runner. I almost bought this one instead of the cuda last year:


I wish I could own both and briefly entertained it, but my marriage was deemed more important

[Fred]

I can see your problem, that's a pretty cool car just as it came, would love to see the seats!  Mine is definitely not optioned as well as yours and I'm definitely not in love with the light green with white top & interior.  It's definitely not growing on me in the few weeks I've owned it.

Thanks, Jim

As you can see, the originals are hurting...  I have received some replacements from Legendary that are awesome duplicates, but not installed yet.

[Super Blue 72]

I wish I could own both and briefly entertained it, but my marriage was deemed more important

By who?  Must have been the wife!      Just kidding.... 

That Road Runner is beautiful!  The lines look so good in that color, IMO. 

[flores_57]

Remember,It's your car,your project!!! call it anything you want! I had a numbers matching '73 Barracuda with the build sheet & this is what I did with it. I wanted my Barracuda to look like a Hot Wheels car & I have no regrets. Good luck 

[OzCuda]

Mine was a very basic, but 1 owner 70 Barracuda when i bought and I went the resto/keeping it a Barracuda route - to a point.  I matched the original colour and interior, kept the original wheels and made the engine bay as factory correct as i could with parts in Australia BUT I swapped out the small-block driveline for a 383/727, and added a range of bits that could have been optioned at the time of purchase (wing, hockey sticks, cuda hood etc), effectively cloning a 383/4BBl Barracuda (of which only 464 were built).  Was it the right choice?  It seemed so at the time as I thought it would be unique and bold to keep it a Barracuda when everyone else went the 'Cuda line.  The problem was that I was a bit too focussed on what the spectators would think (and they do like the car, and it is different because it is a Barracuda) and not what i really wanted from the car.  I got it half right by going the big-block instead of the 318, but now the car is sort of just a fancy base-model that isn't 100% resto, nor the car of my dreams.  I'm now thinking of modding it to look like a 'Cuda because it will at least look 'sportier' if you know what I mean.  It sort of hasn't quite reached its potential and when your talking muscle cars - potential equals looks and power so now I think I'll be re-doing some things on my car.  My advice - try and work out what you really want the car to be (maybe from a kids point of view because that what drives our gut-feelings anyway, and try not to get caught up in the hype of the day), and build it.  Oh and build it to be driven and enjoyed (nice engine, good brakes and steering, aircon if you need it), otherwise it will just take up space in the garage.

[Road_Runner]

Mine was a very basic, but 1 owner 70 Barracuda when i bought and I went the resto/keeping it a Barracuda route - to a point.  I matched the original colour and interior, kept the original wheels and made the engine bay as factory correct as i could with parts in Australia BUT I swapped out the small-block driveline for a 383/727, and added a range of bits that could have been optioned at the time of purchase (wing, hockey sticks, cuda hood etc), effectively cloning a 383/4BBl Barracuda (of which only 464 were built).  Was it the right choice?  It seemed so at the time as I thought it would be unique and bold to keep it a Barracuda when everyone else went the 'Cuda line.  The problem was that I was a bit too focussed on what the spectators would think (and they do like the car, and it is different because it is a Barracuda) and not what i really wanted from the car.  I got it half right by going the big-block instead of the 318, but now the car is sort of just a fancy base-model that isn't 100% resto, nor the car of my dreams.  I'm now thinking of modding it to look like a 'Cuda because it will at least look 'sportier' if you know what I mean.  It sort of hasn't quite reached its potential and when your talking muscle cars - potential equals looks and power so now I think I'll be re-doing some things on my car.  My advice - try and work out what you really want the car to be (maybe from a kids point of view because that what drives our gut-feelings anyway, and try not to get caught up in the hype of the day), and build it.  Oh and build it to be driven and enjoyed (nice engine, good brakes and steering, aircon if you need it), otherwise it will just take up space in the garage.

Sounds like you're going through the same thought process I'm just now starting.  Although not 100% nailed down, I'm leaning towards a similar track for my Barracuda, leave the badges as is, update where it makes sense and makes the car more fun/driveable, and leave those things that I reasonably can stock (or stock looking).  I've got a second Mopar that I'm going all out street/strip with so that frees me up a little not trying to max out the Barracuda.  Good luck with yours and as long as you don't do anything hard to reverse on the car (mini-tubs, sunroof ,etc.) then its really not a big deal whatever you do.  My thing was that I didn't want to buy parts to go down 5 different pathes before I made up my mind which is what I've done with my Roadrunner.

Later, Jim

[Road_Runner]

Remember,It's your car,your project!!! call it anything you want! I had a numbers matching '73 Barracuda with the build sheet & this is what I did with it. I wanted my Barracuda to look like a Hot Wheels car & I have no regrets. Good luck 

That is awesome!!  Seriously, I love your car.  Those scoops are my favorite way to top a blower and the 'eyes' put it over the top for me!  I bet you draw a crowd and the cruise-ins. 

Later, Jim