Where did you find your first E-Body?

[73440]

I found mine in 1975 while at work pumping gas. My boss asks if I know any one looking for a car, I say no but I'll check while working tonight. What are you selling? he say's my brothers 71 440-6 'Cuda was taken back by the bank and they asked me to sell it. How much? He said $850.00 I said I'll take it. Still have it today.

Damn, I was 16 and working pumping gas also in 1975 and never came close to a deal like that !

[cuda hunter]

I was a pontiac guy for several years.  Still rock a few pontiacs.  But I needed something different, something no one had around here.  I had always liked the charger as I grew up watching Dukes.
So i started looking into mopars, my mechanic had a 67 barracuda and his wife let me drive it.  Hooked me quick. 
Didn't end up with an A body, really liked the look of an e body . 

Saved my money for something like 8 years looking to buy a 71 cuda.  Couldn't find one that I could afford.  Met a collector here in my county that had two 71 barracuda's and wouldn't sell them.
Finally my mechanic talked me into throwing in the hat and getting a 72=74 as they are the same car without a few things like grills and gills. 

Purchased a 72 with no fender tag and tons of mouse crap.   Brought it home and had to kill 5 mice that were living in the cowl area.  Got it running and beat the crap out of the car for several years.
Got it out of the Black Hawk area of Colorado mountains something like an hour and a half from me.   It was literally covered in snow every winter  for about 8 years.  The snow would not melt until June.   Pennsylvania car that had lots of rust.  No build sheet. 

[cuda hunter]

Poncha Pass

[Cuda Cody]

That's a cool shot!  Love that color and stripe combo.   

Poncha Pass

[70/6chall]

Back when I returned from overseas with the USN in Nov. 1972. I was looking for a daily driver, go to work car ( would've been nice to have a job ). However the way it worked out, my father told me about a trade-in at a local Dodge Dealership w/ 40K miles on the clock,this was Mar. 1973, he had seen in the local PennySaver trader magazine here in SoCal. Remember I was'nt working, but old dad fronted me $1,100. For a 1970 Dodge Challenger, EK2, go-mango and burnt orange interior. Under the hood the reliable and venerable 225 SL6, blew me away. A '70 Challenger dressed in SE trim, Rallye wheels w/ a six cylinder, 3-speed on floor. So it went home w/ me. 1 mo. later I got a job with the U.S. Postal Service. Fast forward through a marriage, 2 sons a mortgage and life.well after 40 years, still have the same woman, same job (retired 2015) and that damned Dodge except with 562K miles on the clock. Said Dodge now also has a 904 Auto on floor, 8-3/4 ( 742 center chunk) still orange on the outside still SE trim and now a black SE interior. She still looks as shiney and new as the day I drove her home. And not garage kept. Quite a story, huh?     Thanks,   AL

[cuda hunter]

Back when I returned from overseas with the USN in Nov. 1972. I was looking for a daily driver, go to work car ( would've been nice to have a job ). However the way it worked out, my father told me about a trade-in at a local Dodge Dealership w/ 40K miles on the clock,this was Mar. 1973, he had seen in the local PennySaver trader magazine here in SoCal. Remember I was'nt working, but old dad fronted me $1,100. For a 1970 Dodge Challenger, EK2, go-mango and burnt orange interior. Under the hood the reliable and venerable 225 SL6, blew me away. A '70 Challenger dressed in SE trim, Rallye wheels w/ a six cylinder, 3-speed on floor. So it went home w/ me. 1 mo. later I got a job with the U.S. Postal Service. Fast forward through a marriage, 2 sons a mortgage and life.well after 40 years, still have the same woman, same job (retired 2015) and that damned Dodge except with 562K miles on the clock. Said Dodge now also has a 904 Auto on floor, 8-3/4 ( 742 center chunk) still orange on the outside still SE trim and now a black SE interior. She still looks as shiney and new as the day I drove her home. And not garage kept. Quite a story, huh?     Thanks,   AL

Wow!  562,000 miles.  That's something else.  pretty cool!

[cuda hunter]

I believe it was an original v21 car.  But couldn't prove it with no b.s. or fender tag.  Just some of what looked like factory paint.

That's a cool shot!  Love that color and stripe combo.   

Poncha Pass

[cataclysm80]

Back when I returned from overseas with the USN in Nov. 1972. I was looking for a daily driver, go to work car ( would've been nice to have a job ). However the way it worked out, my father told me about a trade-in at a local Dodge Dealership w/ 40K miles on the clock,this was Mar. 1973, he had seen in the local PennySaver trader magazine here in SoCal. Remember I was'nt working, but old dad fronted me $1,100. For a 1970 Dodge Challenger, EK2, go-mango and burnt orange interior. Under the hood the reliable and venerable 225 SL6, blew me away. A '70 Challenger dressed in SE trim, Rallye wheels w/ a six cylinder, 3-speed on floor. So it went home w/ me. 1 mo. later I got a job with the U.S. Postal Service. Fast forward through a marriage, 2 sons a mortgage and life.well after 40 years, still have the same woman, same job (retired 2015) and that damned Dodge except with 562K miles on the clock. Said Dodge now also has a 904 Auto on floor, 8-3/4 ( 742 center chunk) still orange on the outside still SE trim and now a black SE interior. She still looks as shiney and new as the day I drove her home. And not garage kept. Quite a story, huh?     Thanks,   AL

WOW, That's a great story!
It's not often that I hear of a vehicle with more miles than my old truck.  It has almost 500K.

There's a guy on the Facebook E-Bodies page who daily drives a slant 6 1970 Challenger, and has over 300K if I recall correctly.

[YellowThumper]

1983. Bought from brothers coworker. Couldn't handle the gas cost with his long commute to work back then. Same one I still own.

[RUNCHARGER]

562? You bet that's quite a story. Cudas to you for keeping it so nice, Today it's a real treasure, I have to admit I would have butchered the car back then and today I'd feel bad about it.

[Cuda Cody]

That's a great story @70/6chall      Very impressive millage.  Might be the highest millage E-Body ever?  Definitely the highest I've ever seen.

Back when I returned from overseas with the USN in Nov. 1972. I was looking for a daily driver, go to work car ( would've been nice to have a job ). However the way it worked out, my father told me about a trade-in at a local Dodge Dealership w/ 40K miles on the clock,this was Mar. 1973, he had seen in the local PennySaver trader magazine here in SoCal. Remember I was'nt working, but old dad fronted me $1,100. For a 1970 Dodge Challenger, EK2, go-mango and burnt orange interior. Under the hood the reliable and venerable 225 SL6, blew me away. A '70 Challenger dressed in SE trim, Rallye wheels w/ a six cylinder, 3-speed on floor. So it went home w/ me. 1 mo. later I got a job with the U.S. Postal Service. Fast forward through a marriage, 2 sons a mortgage and life.well after 40 years, still have the same woman, same job (retired 2015) and that damned Dodge except with 562K miles on the clock. Said Dodge now also has a 904 Auto on floor, 8-3/4 ( 742 center chunk) still orange on the outside still SE trim and now a black SE interior. She still looks as shiney and new as the day I drove her home. And not garage kept. Quite a story, huh?     Thanks,   AL

[ec_co]

Back when I returned from overseas with the USN in Nov. 1972. I was looking for a daily driver, go to work car ( would've been nice to have a job ). However the way it worked out, my father told me about a trade-in at a local Dodge Dealership w/ 40K miles on the clock,this was Mar. 1973, he had seen in the local PennySaver trader magazine here in SoCal. Remember I was'nt working, but old dad fronted me $1,100. For a 1970 Dodge Challenger, EK2, go-mango and burnt orange interior. Under the hood the reliable and venerable 225 SL6, blew me away. A '70 Challenger dressed in SE trim, Rallye wheels w/ a six cylinder, 3-speed on floor. So it went home w/ me. 1 mo. later I got a job with the U.S. Postal Service. Fast forward through a marriage, 2 sons a mortgage and life.well after 40 years, still have the same woman, same job (retired 2015) and that damned Dodge except with 562K miles on the clock. Said Dodge now also has a 904 Auto on floor, 8-3/4 ( 742 center chunk) still orange on the outside still SE trim and now a black SE interior. She still looks as shiney and new as the day I drove her home. And not garage kept. Quite a story, huh?     Thanks,   AL

AL!!!! I've been trying to get in touch with you, I lost a bunch of phone #s back in Feb.  finally got my voice back. need your #

an interesting tidbit for you all. Al's Challenger and my Barracuda are both LA builds, both VERY early cars built within a couple days of each other.

[Cuda Cody]

Spoke to Al on the phone a couple days ago and he was super nice.  I know he gave me his number, but I'm so bad at keeping track of people's numbers.  I'll see if I can find it for you.....

Back when I returned from overseas with the USN in Nov. 1972. I was looking for a daily driver, go to work car ( would've been nice to have a job ). However the way it worked out, my father told me about a trade-in at a local Dodge Dealership w/ 40K miles on the clock,this was Mar. 1973, he had seen in the local PennySaver trader magazine here in SoCal. Remember I was'nt working, but old dad fronted me $1,100. For a 1970 Dodge Challenger, EK2, go-mango and burnt orange interior. Under the hood the reliable and venerable 225 SL6, blew me away. A '70 Challenger dressed in SE trim, Rallye wheels w/ a six cylinder, 3-speed on floor. So it went home w/ me. 1 mo. later I got a job with the U.S. Postal Service. Fast forward through a marriage, 2 sons a mortgage and life.well after 40 years, still have the same woman, same job (retired 2015) and that damned Dodge except with 562K miles on the clock. Said Dodge now also has a 904 Auto on floor, 8-3/4 ( 742 center chunk) still orange on the outside still SE trim and now a black SE interior. She still looks as shiney and new as the day I drove her home. And not garage kept. Quite a story, huh?     Thanks,   AL

AL!!!! I've been trying to get in touch with you, I lost a bunch of phone #s back in Feb.  finally got my voice back. need your #

an interesting tidbit for you all. Al's Challenger and my Barracuda are both LA builds, both VERY early cars built within a couple days of each other.

[dave73]

Mine was sitting 3 blocks away from my house for about 15 years+. I'd always drive by it and see the sublime green peaking out under a ratty car cover and never knew what exactly it was, but knew it had to be a mopar. One day about 2 years ago, my dad was riding his bike and noticed the guy putting a sign in the window. 1973 challenger, 318, 3 speed, basic options, painted sublime but original black car. Bought it on the spot for a song - guy was moving and needed the money, always planned on restoring it but life got in the way. The little 318 cranked over pretty quickly with a new battery and gas, drove it home that day. Drove it in it's stock state for about a year, enough to learn all the quirks and things I didn't like. Then the modification madness began...

[71GranCoupe]

Back when I returned from overseas with the USN in Nov. 1972. I was looking for a daily driver, go to work car ( would've been nice to have a job ). However the way it worked out, my father told me about a trade-in at a local Dodge Dealership w/ 40K miles on the clock,this was Mar. 1973, he had seen in the local PennySaver trader magazine here in SoCal. Remember I was'nt working, but old dad fronted me $1,100. For a 1970 Dodge Challenger, EK2, go-mango and burnt orange interior. Under the hood the reliable and venerable 225 SL6, blew me away. A '70 Challenger dressed in SE trim, Rallye wheels w/ a six cylinder, 3-speed on floor. So it went home w/ me. 1 mo. later I got a job with the U.S. Postal Service. Fast forward through a marriage, 2 sons a mortgage and life.well after 40 years, still have the same woman, same job (retired 2015) and that damned Dodge except with 562K miles on the clock. Said Dodge now also has a 904 Auto on floor, 8-3/4 ( 742 center chunk) still orange on the outside still SE trim and now a black SE interior. She still looks as shiney and new as the day I drove her home. And not garage kept. Quite a story, huh?     Thanks,   AL

Very cool story and    to the newest/greatest EBody site around.