71 cuda convertible 383. Mannix TV show.

[Roberto]

I sand down almost to bare metal with the 400 grit sandpaper.
The dimple looks more like a depression to me, and no screw holes on these locations, only 2 holes very close together on the farthest grill side.

[1972V21Cuda]

It's certainly an interesting project. Even if it's not a Mannix car, you should restore the car.

[anlauto]

It's certainly an interesting project. Even if it's not a Mannix car, you should restore the car.

As a 71 or as a 73 ?

[6bblgt]

I see 4 screw holes - is this not the case? 

[Roberto]

I see 4 screw holes - is this not the case? 

Yes, I can see "traces" of screw holes, but looks like they are kind of only marked but not punched through, I don't know if that is a stamping process mistake or was left like that on purpose.

[Roberto]

Did you guys notice the rallie gages in "kph" instead of "mph" ....??

[anlauto]

Well, that's interesting

[6bblgt]

yes, noticed the custom steering wheel & the KPH speedometer in the 1971 rallye gauge cluster    think "EXPORT" (what countries were on the metric system in 1971?)

IMO this car has nothing to do with MANNIX & was EXPORTED when new - it may have entered MEXICO in '73, but was not built for the US market when new
here are a couple pics of BH27N1B172724 an EXPORT Barracuda convertible with its KPH gauge cluster & the second "PLYMOUTH * USA * DETROIT" tag mounted forward of the fender tag

also a picture of the tags on a 1970 EXPORT 'cuda (a better view of the layout of the 2 tags and their screw layout) the second tag was for EXPORT cars only

additionally, if it started life in LA (or CA) it would have N95 after N85 on the partial fender tag that you have

[1 Wild R/T]

I see 4 screw holes - is this not the case? 

Yes, I can see "traces" of screw holes, but looks like they are kind of only marked but not punched through, I don't know if that is a stamping process mistake or was left like that on purpose.

Check those locations from the back side...

[Roberto]

yes, noticed the custom steering wheel & the KPH speedometer in the 1971 rallye gauge cluster    think "EXPORT" (what countries were on the metric system in 1971?)

IMO this car has nothing to do with MANNIX & was EXPORTED when new - it may have entered MEXICO in '73, but was not built for the US market when new
here are a couple pics of BH27N1B172724 an EXPORT Barracuda convertible with its KPH gauge cluster & the second "PLYMOUTH * USA * DETROIT" tag mounted forward of the fender tag

also a picture of the tags on a 1970 EXPORT 'cuda (a better view of the layout of the 2 tags and their screw layout) the second tag was for EXPORT cars only

additionally, if it started life in LA (or CA) it would have N95 after N85 on the partial fender tag that you have

Wow, very interesting information Thanks 🙏🏻.
So we can confirm that originally this is a car intended to be exported.

So the mistery persist in the 70s and even in the actuality this cars were very "rare in Mexico", because they weren't produced in the country, IMO it will be extremely weird and difficult for somebody to change the look of a cuda 71 in favor of a 73, because of the lack of replacement parts and the expertise required to do the job, so this car entered the country as a Cuda 73.

If that's the case this car originally a 71 export, why did somebody changed the grill and taillights in favor of a 73 model in the USA..??

Is it possible that this may be the 73 Mannix season car and in the last minuted changed it in favor of the challenger sunroof model..??

[1972V21Cuda]

yes, noticed the custom steering wheel & the KPH speedometer in the 1971 rallye gauge cluster    think "EXPORT" (what countries were on the metric system in 1971?)

IMO this car has nothing to do with MANNIX & was EXPORTED when new - it may have entered MEXICO in '73, but was not built for the US market when new
here are a couple pics of BH27N1B172724 an EXPORT Barracuda convertible with its KPH gauge cluster & the second "PLYMOUTH * USA * DETROIT" tag mounted forward of the fender tag

also a picture of the tags on a 1970 EXPORT 'cuda (a better view of the layout of the 2 tags and their screw layout) the second tag was for EXPORT cars only

additionally, if it started life in LA (or CA) it would have N95 after N85 on the partial fender tag that you have

Wow, very interesting information Thanks 🙏🏻.
So we can confirm that originally this is a car intended to be exported.

So the mistery persist in the 70s and even in the actuality this cars were very "rare in Mexico", because they weren't produced in the country, IMO it will be extremely weird and difficult for somebody to change the look of a cuda 71 in favor of a 73, because of the lack of replacement parts and the expertise required to do the job, so this car entered the country as a Cuda 73.

If that's the case this car originally a 71 export, why did somebody changed the grill and taillights in favor of a 73 model in the USA..??

Is it possible that this may be the 73 Mannix season car and in the last minuted changed it in favor of the challenger sunroof model..??

Maybe the car was in an accident and they replaced the parts from a 1973 - 1974 Barracuda? Unless there is some proof, it may have nothing to do with Mannix.

[anlauto]

Maybe the car was in an accident and they replaced the parts from a 1973 - 1974 Barracuda? Unless there is some proof, it may have nothing to do with Mannix.

BINGO...my thoughts exactly

[RUNCHARGER]

71 Barracuda convts. are worth lots right now and don't need any hollyweird connections for good value. I'd just peddle it as-is and be happy.

[anlauto]

71 Barracuda convts. are worth lots right now and don't need any hollyweird connections for good value. I'd just peddle it as-is and be happy.

BINGO...my thoughts exactly

[Roberto]

This was posted on another site around 2006:

" I lived in Arizona back in the mid 1980's, (1983/84 or so) while I was there I attended several local car shows (this was before Muscle Cars were the rage). At one show a guy showed up with a red Hemi Cuda convertible, it was really nice looking, red, black billboards, black top and interior, lots of options, pretty much looked like a fresh restoration (decent quality for the day anyway). I remember the show well because the guy who showed up with it entered it into the "Stock" show car field and it won first place, the fact that it was a Hemi clone (suposedly it was an original 383 car) REALLY upset some woman who had entered her original car in the same catagory and lost to the clone. She was running around talking smack BIG TIME. Anyway, while I was there I spoke with another Mopar entusiast (I believe one of the Painter Brothers who now run Mopars At The Strip) I was told that the car was a real Frankenstien, one half of it being the original "72" Manix car, the other half being another convertible Barracuda donar car. He said the original Manix car had been in a bad accident and the body was cut into two halves  (front and rear were sepperated somewhere around the front seat area of the floor pan) then the two cars were grafted together. I never looked but he said the welds were very visible and it looked really bad under the car. Anyway, I heard that the car was later dissasembled and sold, I can only guess that the green car above is (part) of that same car but restored to it's original Manix appearance?"

Does your car appear to be welded in the middle?

Excuse my ignorance, what do you mean "welded in the middle.?"