Random Hemi E-Body of the Week

[TobiasM]

Great thread....keep em coming!   

And  Jesus! Wish a merry Chrsitmas to all of you boardmembers and your beloved ones!

[RzeroB]

Happy New Year!! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas too. We haven't had a new update to the thread in a couple of weeks - that's on me as I took off to Florida after Christmas and didn't get back until this past Sunday.

To start the new year I thought maybe we would take a look at what I think is one of the better Hemi E-body stories going. The story started in 1970, but it didn't really come to light until a casual conversation in 2006 between a guy and his longtime barber friend during a haircut.

Barber - "Remember that HemiCuda you use to have? Do you have any idea what those things are going for now-a-days?"
Guy - "No, not really."
Barber - "Saw one bring a million dollars at the Barrett-Jackson auction."
Guy - "What! Get out of here!"
Barber - "Yeah, too bad you still don't have the one you use to own."
Guy - "I still have it and it's in mint condition with only 11,000 miles on it."
Barber - "What! Get out of here!"

That "guy" was Greg Peterson of the little northern Illinois farm town of Morris, and his infamous "cornfield Cuda" BS23R1B262529



As the story goes, Greg Peterson's father and grandfather wanted to give Greg a gift for being a stellar high school student. As a 17 year old junior they gave Greg a choice between two new cars - a Corvette or a HemiCuda. Greg chose the HemiCuda and ordered it with some nice options that include: A33 Track-Pack 3:54 geared Dana Axle Package, A62 Rallye Gauge Package, B51 Power Disc Brakes, G36 painted Sport Mirrors, H51 Rear Window Defogger, P31 Power Windows, R35 AM/FM Radio, and S77 Power Steering among other things.



When Greg went off to college in 1974 he decided to store the car in this corn-crib on the family farm. The corn-crib had a dirt floor, so Greg laid out a piece of plastic to park the car on, and then covered it with another piece of plastic. Greg fully intended to come back in a few years to get it, so no further long-term storage preparations were done to it. One thing led to another and "a few years" turned into 32 years before that fateful conversation at the barber shop.



After that visit to the barber shop, Greg decided it was time to try and finally get the car out of the corn-crib. After sitting for 32 years, the big Hemi didn't want to start. Greg decided to try and do some research and maybe get a little help online. One of the persons who saw Greg's queries was Scott Harms-Smith. Greg and Scott got to talking and the more Greg talked about the car, the more Scott was amazed at what he was hearing - an original untouched '71 HemiCuda sitting in a corn-crib for 32 years since 1974. Interested, Scott agreed to come out to Illinois to see the car and to help Greg try and get the car started.

When Scott finally went out to Illinois to meet Greg and see the car, he simply could not believe just how original the car still was after 35 years. Here is what Scott had to say about it ... "The first time I viewed the car, I simply could not believe how original it was. While most 'survivors' are 'largely original,' this car was simply beyond comprehension. The list of parts that have ever been removed or replaced can be counted on one hand. Here it is: the battery, the negative battery cable, the thermostat housing gasket, the oil filter, and a 6-inch fuel hose to the fuel pump. Absolutely nothing else on the entire car had ever been removed or replaced! Simply incredible."

Scott worked his magic and before long the big Hemi rumbled to life after it's 32 year slumber. A gentle and thorough wash and the Cuda cleaned up nicely and looked surprisingly "fresh" for as long as it had sat in the corn-crib. Here is a short video of Scott taking the car out for it's first drive after they got it started and cleaned up.

After a while, Greg being a practical guy, decided to offer the car for sale. Enter the Skroder brothers Lars, and aptly named "Tor" (red). Greg and the Skroder brothers eventually worked a deal and the brothers became just the second owners of the car. I could go on, but Hot Rod did an excellent article on the car and it is loaded with 160 fantastic pictures. So without further ado, bang it here to go to the Hot Rod article now  http://www.hotrod.com/articles/original-1971-plymouth-hemi-cuda-planet/

[benlavigne]

Great Story again!
One little thing, you listed H51 as rear defog instead of H31... ;-)

THanks for the great work!

Ben

[RzeroB]

One little thing, you listed H51 as rear defog instead of H31... ;-)

Ooops! Your right! Guess they didn't come with AC now did they?

[RzeroB]

Our next January car was scheduled to be built 48 years ago today, January 14th, and is very appropriately colored in EB3 "Ice-Blue" for such a frigid month. I present to you '70 HemiCuda BS23R0B234614 ...



BS23R0B234614 is 1 of only 652 made for the U.S. market, and of those 1 of 368 with an automatic. It is finished in "frosty" EB3 Ice-Blue with V6X black "Hockey Stick" stripes but at least it has a cozy PRX9 black leather interior.



From the fender we can see that without a performance axle code and having some nice amenities, this Ice-Blue beauty was built to be more of a "power cruiser" than a quarter mile beast. It has a supple PRX9 black leather interior, A62 Rallye Gauge Package, B51 Power Disc Brakes, C16 Center Console, C26 Overhead Console, G33 chrome Sport Mirror and a thumping R11 AM Radio among other things to make your cruise as comfortable as can be for 1970.



Automatic with a console and nice leather seats ... that looks rather comfy! About the only thing missing are power-windows and a cup-holder for your 7-11 slurpee!



"Ice-Blue" is an aptly named color for this finish as it does kind of look like a frost covered blue glistening in the sunshine. I personally kind of like this color, but apparently it wasn't all that popular back in 1970 as I know of only four HemiCudas that were made in this color. That could be a good thing if you are one of the four lucky people who happen to own one of them as it would be highly unlikely that anyone else would show up at a show with the same colored HemiCuda as you!!

This beauty sold at Mecum's 2016 Portland auction ... somehow it slipped through the auction without it being "relocated" to Cody's Mopar-Taj-Mahal. Bang it here if you would like to see the Mecum ad for the car:  https://www.mecum.com/lots/PJ0616-245265/1970-plymouth-hemi-cuda/

[Cuda Cody]

I got to see the car in person when it sold! 

[RzeroB]

Our next January build car is this Sublime Challenger that was scheduled to be "born" on January 6th (106). 



JS23R0B227316 is 1 of only 287 made for the U.S. market, and of those 1 of 137 with a 4-speed. It is finished in FJ5 Sublime with a V1X black vinyl top, V6X black longitudinal stripes and a H6X9 black vinyl interior - a sharp looking combination! 



As sharp as this car looks, the fender tag is surprisingly ... "sparse", for lack of a better word ... only five and a half lines before the "EN2". Even though there are not a lot of options here, this Challenger packs a punch where it counts with the "E74" Hemi, "D21" 4-speed and "A34" Super Track Pack 4:10 Dana axle package! 



Well if the fender tag is a little underwhelming for a Hemi Challenger, well then maybe the "tag" on the passenger side inner fender helps?? Big Daddy Don Garlits gave the car his personal seal of approval signing the inner fender in 1995!! 



Even though the V21 Performance Hood Blackout isn't specified on the fender tag, I really like it added to this car. The FJ5 Sublime and black accents (including the V21) contrast nicely together and really "pop" on this Hemi Challenger.

As the license plate alludes to, this Hemi Challenger is on display and for sale at Ray Skillman's show room in Indianapolis for only $275K!!    So if you have been looking and saving for a sharp Hemi Challenger bang it here to see more of this one on Ray Skillman Classic Cars website  http://www.rayskillmanclassiccars.com/used/Dodge/1970-Dodge-Challenger-13a314c00a0e0ae977f4dc22ff2e24ab.htm

[Cuda Cody]

V21 on Sublime looks great!!!

[anlauto]

I can see adding the hood stripe, but surprised someone would add a vinyl top  ....looks good though...

[71340RT]

Great looking Challenger even with the changes.

[RzeroB]

47 years ago today this rather unique '71 HemiCuda was scheduled to be built at Hamtramck. Considering it's unique features, many of you probably already are familiar with it, but being that today is it's "birthday" I decided to bring it back around for another look.

Today's feature car is the V02 "black and white" 1971 HemiCuda BS23R1B275819. This black and white beauty was originally ordered by a California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer. Like a CHP cruiser, this car sports a V02 two-tone GW3 Sno-White top over a TX9 Black-Formal body. But wait, the similarities don't stop there. It also has a front bench seat interior and a column shifted automatic transmission! I remember when I first saw this car in person in 1986 I was very surprised, maybe even shocked, by the bench seat and column auto as I had never seen them in a HemiCuda, or any 'Cuda before for that matter. I can only imagine that the CHP Officer who ordered it purposely did so to match his CHP cruiser!



When this picture was taken at the 1986 "Power in the Pines" show at the Kirkwood Ski Resort in California, the car was wearing white Billboards and a black bench interior, but from looking at the fender tag we can see that this car originally came equipped with V5X black vinyl side mouldings and a H4XW white bench interior. Also from the fender tag, the lack of an axle code indicates that the car came with the standard 3:23 geared rear axle - perfect for high-speed "pursuits" down the California freeways!



I don't know where this car is now, or who the current owner might be. I'm also lacking some better pictures of this car with the two shown here being the only ones of it that I have. Being that it's pretty hard to confuse this car with any other due to it's unique features, if you have some other pictures of it please post them up or send them to me if you are inclined to share.

[Chryco Psycho]

I remember seeing & I should have pictures of a C7 Hemi Cuda with bench / column auto as well , blew me away when I saw it

[fc7cuda]

I remember seeing & I should have pictures of a C7 Hemi Cuda with bench / column auto as well , blew me away when I saw it

Could be the same car, saw it in St. Louis in 82 Nats.  I need to scan all those pics.   

[Chryco Psycho]

This would have been Indy in 83 or Chelsey Mi

[6bblgt]

a friend (my "best friend" per his text  ) has owned the V02 hemi'cuda for the past ~15 years, he also has my 440+6 Sport Fury GT