World Famous Barrelcuda spotted in my 'hood!

[JH27N0B]

I was at an evening cruise this evening in Downers Grove IL, and spotted a green '71 cuda parked there.  I went for a a closer look, billboards, shaker, 440-6, white interior, pistol grip.  I checked the VIN, V code!  Can't be too many green 4 speed white interior 71 V codes in the world.
I just looked at my pics of the Barrelcuda from Mecum Indy where it was selling in May.  Same car.
No one was by it either time I looked at it.  Temporary IL tags.
I just got home, will post pics soon.

[RUNCHARGER]

I seen it over here a few years ago. It's meeting lots of new owners.

[JH27N0B]

Here it is.  There was also a nice B5 T/A, a modified FC7 barracuda that I found was an N code, and a purple Challenger I didn't get to see up close.

[JH27N0B]

Here is the T/A , cuda and purple Challenger.

[JH27N0B]

I swung by there after work, in the "blue bomber", my '09.  It found a little friend at the cruise.  I think this Honda might have fit in my trunk! 

[70 Challenger Lover]

That's a nice showing of Mopars at the cruise. I almost never see Mopars in Southern California unless it's at the spring or fall flings.

[anlauto]

If you ever run into the owner please feel free to share my info if he wants to reach out....I would love to keep track of the ownership..

[JH27N0B]

That's a nice showing of Mopars at the cruise. I almost never see Mopars in Southern California unless it's at the spring or fall flings.

I'm surprised to hear that.  I'm getting disillusioned with this area and want to move in the near future to flee the ever rising taxes, corrupt government etc.  But one thing I will miss is the cruise scene.  During our admittedly way too short cruise season, there are cruises in my area every day of the week and some are pretty large.  The one last night in Downers Grove was packed.  Probably 250-300 cars.  At work, I was debating swinging by Downers Grove in the blue bomber, or fighting traffic to get home, and getting my vert out to take to a cruise not far from me in Rolling Meadows that gets 250-300 cars most Fridays also. 
I have to work my side job today, but hope to get to a cruise this evening in Lombard with the vert, that gets 200-250 cars on a good night.
And they all get a good contingent of Mopars.  At Lombard, my friend Scott stakes out a spot in front of a bank where he displays a couple of his cars, his hemi resto mod 70 Challenger, hemi duster, or 69 roadrunner.  And there will be a 69 Charger or 73 cuda parked with them belonging to other friends.  I hope to get my vert there, my friend Glen will likely show one of his 71s.  And there will be at least a dozen other vintage Mopars belonging to people I don't know.

[anlauto]

Do you ever plan on taking your TA out to cruise nights ?

[JH27N0B]

I've had the car to the cruise in my town several times, and planned to get it to Rolling Meadows this year.  Last fall when I winterized it, several weeks later after noticing a persistent gasoline smell in the garage, I looked under the hood and found the carbs leaking. 
I've been buried with work this year and all I've done is take the convertible out a half dozen times, never had time to even take the cover off the T/A let alone fix the carbs, or go visit the 71 in storage.
This year is turning out to be a bit of a bust for me, can't believe it's August already.
Hoping to quit my "day job" in the near future and free up more time for the cars, house projects, shooting, fishing and everything else I've not had time for in recent years!

[70 Challenger Lover]

When I go to the Spring or Fall Fling, I see so many awesome Mopars in the show and tons more out on the street so I know they are around. I just can't understand why I never see them at smaller shows or cruise nights.

I have family in Chicago area and I get your frustration with taxes. I thought it was bad in California. Wages are much higher in California so it's not so bad but in Illinois it must be crushing. You guys pay twice the property tax rate I do, if not more, and your houses are not exactly cheap so that yearly burden is pretty steep!

We plan to move to Tennessee in less than two years and I'm dying to see what the car culture is like out there.

[anlauto]

Have you even seen the Barrelcuda since ? Member Des Ryan wants to find it...

[JH27N0B]

No, never saw it again, or heard any locals mention it since I spotted it in '19.  I guess I should say I'm surprised, but I'm not. I am amazed how many cars get squirreled away in the area that no one sees.
Most of the cruises in the area suspended in '20 and some through even in 21, but thankfully most came back.  The one in Downers Grove did not however.  But there's cruises in the area and even our CMC Mopar clubs spring show in that town and it's never been there.
There's a high end "car condo" place in the west burbs called Iron Gate that I've checked out a couple cars and coffees they have there.  Mostly exotics and late model muscle cars with a handful of hot rods and vintage muscle in the luxury man caves there.
A couple years ago, a buddy of mine went to one and sent me a picture of one of the man caves.  There were two hemi Challengers sitting there, a survivor 71 and a 70.
I'd seen both at the Indy Mecum auction a few months earlier.  The cars still had "Mecum sold!" Stickers on their windshields.  It's like the rich guy bought the cars, had them transported to his car condo, then parked them there and hadn't touched them since, after spending $700,000 or thereabouts on them at the auction.
WTF.    Rich peoples games I guess.
So Barrelcuda might well be sitting in a garage around here and hasn't been moved in 4 years.

[dodj]

If you ever run into the owner please feel free to share my info if he wants to reach out....I would love to keep track of the ownership..

It's still lookin' good! Someone did a good job of building that car....eh?