Author Topic: Spotting Cuda's by year  (Read 7473 times)

Offline Aloid

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Spotting Cuda's by year
« on: May 05, 2010 - 01:08:31 AM »
Is there a cheat sheet to help with visual cues for spotting what should be on a car by year/style (Barracuda vs. Cuda)?

For example I notice the '70's have differnt tail lights than '72's... '70's have what look like an inset front blinker (or is it a reflector) while '72 has one "stuck" on top of the body.  Maybe they both have these based on Barracuda / Cuda distinction.

There are certainly bigger differences on a '71... but I'm just learning about these types of differences that I'd never noticed.

Thank you,

Alan
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Offline acudanut

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2010 - 02:26:24 AM »
There is only 2 years for the Real 'CUDA. 1970 and 1971.  Most were barracuda's for those years as well. A real 'Cuda VIN will start with BS23 I believe...The rest are Barracuda's.  :2cents:

Offline the_engineers

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2010 - 03:10:05 AM »
I think what he's trying to say is that there were only two years that were factory big-block available.

Base Barracudas and Cuda's share most trim items with the exception of "performance" related options...shaker hoods, etc.  As he said, on the VIN Cuda's are BS cars and Barracudas are BH cars.

Year to year:
1970 - Single headlights, thin divider in center of grille, horizontal bar across center of grille and the aforementioned inset blinkers.  In the rear, it will have the square-ish tail lights with the reverse light in the same bezel as the blinkers.

1971 - Four headlights and cheese grater grille.  Similar rear tail lights except that the reverse light is in a separate bezel opening.

1972, 73, 74 - Single headlights, wider divider in center of grille, turn signals moved to lower valance.  Four round tail lights.  Harder to differentiate between years.  72 and 73 cars had 340 available.  360 in 74.  Look for bumper guards and stripe packages to help identify.

Look at eBay and Craigslist for pictures of the above details.  It sounds confusing until you see a couple side-by-side, then it will become pretty obvious.
Brooks

1971 'Cuda 360
2004 Infiniti G35 6-spd Coupe
2001 Toyota Solara Convertible
2002 GMC Savana 1500 Explorer Hightop Conversion
1972 Dodge Dart Swinger...keeping the Slant.  Rocking the turbos.

Offline hooD

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2010 - 05:35:59 AM »
 :iagree:  as Brooks said above.

72's had no bumperettes and the side stripe was narrower on the quarter panel.
73's had bumperettes as did the 74's.  But the 74 bumperettes were larger. 

*And almost all Cudas had dual exhausts coming out the rear valance with chrome tips. 
Barracudas generally had a single exhaust system without the rear valance cut outs.

*AAR's had their exhausts coming out the side.
-Larry
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Offline Aloid

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2010 - 03:53:43 PM »
Thanks guys, that is exactly the type of information I was looking for.

I brought this up because I noticed a number of differences in '70 Cuda's for sale... especially with the front blinker setup.  I imagine some these '70's are miss-identified or were restored without the inset blinker(?).

Honestly, it would be nice to have a mix of the best features of each year...  maybe blasphamy to some, but cool to others.  :0

Alan
'73    (O[   ]||||[   ]O)

////  NAME CHANGED TO 360FISH  \\\\

Offline nqkjw

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2010 - 05:13:38 AM »
Honestly, it would be nice to have a mix of the best features of each year...  maybe blasphamy to some, but cool to others.  :0

Alan

Really only blasphemy if you're starting with a complete numbers matching car I reckon.
Otherwise,each to their own I say.
It'd be a boring old world if every car looked how it was supposed to.
Personally,I like the 71 fronts and the 72-74 rears.But that's just me :dunno:
Burnouts are cool but Traction is the Action

Offline cudagirl4406pk

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2010 - 07:10:37 AM »
Well there is one major difference between a 70 and a 71 the price of the car the 71's are real expensive they are the most expensive cuda to buy and probably in the top 3 mopars to own and  high priced.My husband yeahs at me all the time to sell mine since it is  a 71 and worth so much i told him to buzz off.LOL :roflsmiley:



michele
Yes i am a girl and no you cant drive my MOPAR :)

Offline Aloid

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2010 - 02:02:41 PM »
Well there is one major difference between a 70 and a 71 the price of the car the 71's are real expensive they are the most expensive cuda to buy and probably in the top 3 mopars to own and  high priced.My husband yeahs at me all the time to sell mine since it is  a 71 and worth so much i told him to buzz off.LOL :roflsmiley:

michele

Heh!   I've noticed that...  there are '71's that are piles of junk with no engine that are going for more than my budget for a running '70, '72+ !   Heck there are engines going for more than my budget too.  :O
Maybe I could sell one of my kids... hmmmm...

Alan
 
'73    (O[   ]||||[   ]O)

////  NAME CHANGED TO 360FISH  \\\\

Offline Sean

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2010 - 10:17:07 PM »
Heh!   I've noticed that...  there are '71's that are piles of junk with no engine that are going for more than my budget for a running '70, '72+ !   Heck there are engines going for more than my budget too.  :O
Maybe I could sell one of my kids... hmmmm...

Alan
Now that's blasphamy!!!   :poopoke:

 :drunk:

Sean

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2010 - 01:46:49 AM »
74 also had the shoulder harness retracter behind the inner 1/4 panel with a slider attached to the roof

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Offline Aloid

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2010 - 04:09:41 AM »
Now that's blasphamy!!!   :poopoke:

 :drunk:

Sean

Sorry, was a moment of weakness on my part.   :angelwings:

 :violin:

Alan
'73    (O[   ]||||[   ]O)

////  NAME CHANGED TO 360FISH  \\\\

Offline kansasrebel

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2010 - 09:20:35 PM »
I've never had a problem identifying 70's or 71's, always had a problem telling the difference between the 73's and 4's.

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2010 - 02:54:10 AM »
to me the 70 was the best , I love the front turn signal lights tucked under the header at the top of the grille & the clean tailights   .
the 71 Cuda also had the gilles in the front fenders , the unique lower grille insert & the only year they had the front turn signals in the front valance 

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Offline BB73Challenger

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2010 - 06:00:15 AM »
Honestly, it would be nice to have a mix of the best features of each year...  maybe blasphamy to some, but cool to others.  :0

Alan

That's what I did with the '74 Cuda - I just love '71 gilled fenders
Jeff from Cleveland, Ohio

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Re: Spotting Cuda's by year
« Reply #14 on: June 10, 2010 - 11:36:55 AM »
I find it ironc that most folks prefer the 1971 grille over the others because....

it has quad headlights so it looks more like the Challengers from the front.   :bigsmile:

Just sayin'.  ;)