71 cuda convertible 383. Mannix TV show.

[1972V21Cuda]

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.?" 

Years ago, it wasn't unusual for some car hacks to weld one 1/2 of a car to one 1/2 of another car. I've seen it done and with pretty bad outcomes. Now, professionals use jigs and the datum lines to get it done correctly. AMD metal certainly helped too.

In other words, you could have 2 'Cudas totaled in accidents. One would have front end damage and the other would have rear damage. What to do? Weld them them together in the middle. Swap the body numbers around and you now have a valuable 'Cuda rolling down the road (maybe not in a straight line..😆).

[autoxcuda]

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.?" 

Years ago, it wasn't unusual for some car hacks to weld one 1/2 of a car to one 1/2 of another car. I've seen it done and with pretty bad outcomes. Now, professionals use jigs and the datum lines to get it done correctly. AMD metal certainly helped too.

In other words, you could have 2 'Cudas totaled in accidents. One would have front end damage and the other would have rear damage. What to do? Weld them them together in the middle. Swap the body numbers around and you now have a valuable 'Cuda rolling down the road (maybe not in a straight line..😆).

That red Hemi cuda clone was done by Randy Gerstenberg that back then owned a resto shop Cuda Connection in Orange County California. Randy passed recently.

That car was done in the mid to late 80's.

The car had its Hemi removed or separated at some point. But rear of the car was complete.

The car is running now and in very good shape for 35+ year resto.

[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.?" 

Years ago, it wasn't unusual for some car hacks to weld one 1/2 of a car to one 1/2 of another car. I've seen it done and with pretty bad outcomes. Now, professionals use jigs and the datum lines to get it done correctly. AMD metal certainly helped too.

In other words, you could have 2 'Cudas totaled in accidents. One would have front end damage and the other would have rear damage. What to do? Weld them them together in the middle. Swap the body numbers around and you now have a valuable 'Cuda rolling down the road (maybe not in a straight line..😆).

You mean "welded in the middle " Like this..??

[Roberto]

Or it's a factory weld..?

[anlauto]

The above picture is a factory seam in my opinion 

[DeathProofCuda]

Since we are all "Primed" up to watch Mannix reruns now, are there any updates on this project @Roberto ?

[PLY474]

I'm watching S6E24 (end of season) and the mannix convertible has bumperettes, front and rear, and flush side marker lights.  The car did not have bumperettes at the beginning of the season.  I'll try to take some screen shots later.