E-Bodies.org Cuda Challenger Forum

Hi guys new member here, this is my 71 cuda vert 383 that I own since 1989, I believe is a car from the 70s TV show Mannix I'm trying to document.

Any information on the cars from the series will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Wow...welcome, that's quite a car !!!!
Interesting it has the 73 rear bumper and guards on it  :thinking:

Hopefully someone here can help you out, after all this is the best E Body website in the world... :grouphug:

Are the VINS of the TV show cars known ?  I take it your VIN starts with BS27N1B ?

Follow the link....

https://forum.e-bodies.org/cuda-and-challenger-general-discussion-roseville-moparts/2/seo/7475/

what's the VIN?
& what's on the fender tag?

AFAIK there are 3 publicly known 'cuda convertibles from the MANNIX series, a '70, '71 & '72 (modified '71) - it would make sense that there was a back-up car for such a big part of the series (MANNIX' car)

:thinking: or with the '73 bumper * were they considering another 'cuda convertible for the '73 season & this is it? - but they ended up with the production sunroof Challenger  :dunno:

"WE" need more info on what you have ....... is there a story that convinces you that it is a MANNIX vehicle?

is there evidence of "dark green metallic"?

This would be a big find if it's a Mannix car👍

I found the interior is painted dark green.
I attached 2 photos to show the original color of the car.

Quote from: anlauto on April 23, 2021, 07:57:15 PM
Wow...welcome, that's quite a car !!!!
Interesting it has the 73 rear bumper and guards on it  :thinking:

Hopefully someone here can help you out, after all this is the best E Body website in the world... :grouphug:

Are the VINS of the TV show cars known ?  I take it your VIN starts with BS27N1B ?

Mine is BH27L1B...

Quote from: 6bblgt on April 23, 2021, 08:54:23 PM
what's the VIN?
& what's on the fender tag?

AFAIK there are 3 publicly known 'cuda convertibles from the MANNIX series, a '70, '71 & '72 (modified '71) - it would make sense that there was a back-up car for such a big part of the series (MANNIX' car)

:thinking: or with the '73 bumper * were they considering another 'cuda convertible for the '73 season & this is it? - but they ended up with the production sunroof Challenger  :dunno:

"WE" need more info on what you have ....... is there a story that convinces you that it is a MANNIX vehicle?

is there evidence of "dark green metallic"?

Yes I find the dark green color, I'll post some photos.

there were 2 metallic greens for 1971 a light green GF3 & dark green GF7  :takealook:  I'd say yours was originally the lighter GF3

is there a fender tag?  can you share the full VIN number?

what's the story/connection to MANNIX?  a 383 2bbl Barracuda that was originally painted "green"??
what grill is the front end set up to accept?
how well is the '73 taillight panel & bumper assembly attached?  any prior damage visible in the trunk floor?

you are going to have to come up with some evidence and more than one sentence replies to solve or document what you have

I still find the 73 rear bumper very odd, can't see the film production company getting that "detailed" and can't even imagine why some one would add that when most people take them off :looney:

Yes, I can share the vin numbers, here is a photo of the actual vin number.

is there a fender tag?

that VIN is close to a known Chrysler Company Car (which a sponsored TV car would be),  but built Oct. '70 & 383 2bbl doesn't make a whole lot of sense for a MANNIX origin

what part of Mexico?

1B172724 (1 VIN sequence number before this car) is an EXPORT Barracuda convertible

Quote from: 6bblgt on April 24, 2021, 05:51:13 PM
is there a fender tag?

that VIN is close to a known Chrysler Company Car (which a sponsored TV car would be),  but built Oct. '70 & 383 2bbl doesn't make a whole lot of sense for a MANNIX origin

What are the other known Mannix cars ? (engine wise)

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?

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 25, 2021, 12:42:35 AM
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?

That red Hemi conv clone is still around in roughly same shape.

A e-bodies.org member own it in San Diego area, Shane.

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 25, 2021, 12:42:35 AM
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?

As posted on page one.....

"Follow the link...."

https://forum.e-bodies.org/cuda-and-challenger-general-discussion-roseville-moparts/2/seo/7475/

Quote from: 1 Wild R/T on April 25, 2021, 08:29:18 AM

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 25, 2021, 12:42:35 AM
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?

As posted on page one.....

"Follow the link...."

https://forum.e-bodies.org/cuda-and-challenger-general-discussion-roseville-moparts/2/seo/7475/

No it doesn't appear welded in the middle, looks stock.

No prior damage to the trunk floor.
Taillights panel installation looks done by a pro or factory made.

Sorry only parts of 72 grill.

I attached some photos.

I came across this information on YouTube, a gentleman writes of the 2 1971 Cuda, one was used as a Camera Tow car.

My car has a kind of antique hitch in the rear bumper, I don't know if the car came with that or was a later add on, more mistery here. :thinking:

I share the photo of the hitch, and screenshot of the YouTube channel.

That same YouTube video somebody mentioned a 383 BB air cleaner appears in a scene where Mannix finds something under the hood.

I share a screenshot of the video in YouTube same channel.

1971 Barracudas:
1B172724 = EXPORT Barracuda convertible white/white 383 4bbl automatic
1B172725 = subject Barracuda convertible green/?? 383 2bbl automatic
1B172726
1B172727
1B172728
1B172729
1B172730 = Chrysler Company Car 'cuda hardtop butterscotch/white 383 4bbl automatic

it appears the subject Barracuda was still light green when the conversion to a '73/'74 convertible was done (5 mph bumper fillers front & rear)

any under hood/firewall pictures available?
any inner fender pictures available, driver's side near battery?
any headlight bucket area pictures available?
what marker light holes/cutouts are filled in '71 or '72-'74 versions?
does the dash have STANDARD or "rallye" gauges?   A/C?   pics?
what color is the interior?

the "CAMERA TOW VEHICLE" comment is in reference to the car being towed from the front for "close up" interior filming (not a car used to tow)

Tail panel appears to be a 73-74 as well, not a 72 which is odd (trunk lock cylinder)  and the 70-71 side markers look to be added, which you think would be the other way around  :huh: :alan2cents:

Quote from: 6bblgt on April 25, 2021, 04:18:26 PM
1971 Barracudas:
1B172724 = EXPORT Barracuda convertible white/white 383 4bbl automatic
1B172725 = subject Barracuda convertible green/?? 383 2bbl automatic
1B172726
1B172727
1B172728
1B172729
1B172730 = Chrysler Company Car 'cuda hardtop butterscotch/white 383 4bbl automatic

it appears the subject Barracuda was still light green when the conversion to a '73/'74 convertible was done (5 mph bumper fillers front & rear)

any under hood/firewall pictures available?
any inner fender pictures available, driver's side near battery?
any headlight bucket area pictures available?
what marker light holes/cutouts are filled in '71 or '72-'74 versions?
does the dash have STANDARD or "rallye" gauges?   A/C?   pics?
what color is the interior?

the "CAMERA TOW VEHICLE" comment is in reference to the car being towed from the front for "close up" interior filming (not a car used to tow)

Oh wow !! Very interesting information. :thankyou:

Tomorrow I'll took more photos of the subject areas you mention.

Thanks for share your information.

AFAIK here is the story of this car:

A young man receives a birthday gift from his mother a new car and went to a dealership (Ford Mustang) to buy the car, but the young man wants the car of his dream a Cuda.

The only problem there's no barracuda dealers in Mexico at the time.
So they travel to L.A. to buy the car and export the car into Mexico, this was done in July 20 of 1973.

As time goes by the young man decides to restore the car in San Antonio Tx, and made the journey from central Mexico to Texas.
During the trip the Judicial Police stops them and try to stole the car from him, but he manages to give them the money for the restoration and save the car.
With out money for the restoration of the car he left the car in a relative house in Monterrey.
I spot the car there along the street and bought it in 1990.
To this day i still own the car.

Here I shere more photos of the car.

So regardless of the TV show's possible connection...What are your plans for the car Roberto ?

Have looked for a broadcast sheet?

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 26, 2021, 06:32:53 PM
Have looked for a broadcast sheet?

Yes but wasn't able to find one...

So what are your plans for the car ?

Quote from: anlauto on April 26, 2021, 01:58:02 PM
So regardless of the TV show's possible connection...What are your plans for the car Roberto ?

Would like to sell it to the right person or maybe 🤔 a partnership to restore the car.
I think this car may have an interesting pedigree in the cultural history of the American 🇺🇸 society, so this car should be in the right hands. Right now is a time capsule ready to be studied.
You can PM me if you like more details of the car.

Forgot to upload this photo.

 :needphotos:
Sorry, only a partial fender tag.
Here is the photo, the best I could. :rubeyes:

 :rubeyes:

Quote from: Roberto on April 27, 2021, 10:33:53 AM

Quote from: anlauto on April 26, 2021, 01:58:02 PM
So regardless of the TV show's possible connection...What are your plans for the car Roberto ?

Would like to sell it to the right person or maybe 🤔 a partnership to restore the car.
I think this car may have an interesting pedigree in the cultural history of the American 🇺🇸 society, so this car should be in the right hands. Right now is a time capsule ready to be studied.
You can PM me if you like more details of the car.

I think you really need to lock down the TV show connection to maximize the re-sale amount, or it's just another butchered up 71 Barracuda convertible :alan2cents:

Quote from: anlauto on April 27, 2021, 12:26:02 PM
:rubeyes:

Much better.
Thanks 😊

Yes I know.

I have some documentation that shows the permanence of the car in Mexico since the year of 1973, when was imported from the USA.

That may help a little, but the testimony of the crew from the TV series or some documents from the files of the Plymouth company will be helpful. :notsure: :thinking:

can you post a picture of the top of the LH inner fender?

Sure, here is a photo of both sides.

So a hypothesis to explain the '73 bumpers is this:

- the car was imported into Mexico circa 1973.  Given that 1973 marked the arrival of a significant increase in safety requirements, including 5 (or was it 10) mph bumpers, is it possible that the Mexican authorities required the car to be upgraded to those bumpers for it to be legally entered into the country?

At the time, the '71 would have been a fairly new car and it's not unheard of for other jurisdictions to require equipment updates -- e.g. Canada and daytime running lights.

The TV show car was a lot darker green then the factory green on the inside of your car. I don't believe the green used on the TV car was a factory colour....Have you found any signs of that dark green anywhere on your car ?

Quote from: YYZ on April 28, 2021, 07:29:22 AM
So a hypothesis to explain the '73 bumpers is this:

- the car was imported into Mexico circa 1973.  Given that 1973 marked the arrival of a significant increase in safety requirements, including 5 (or was it 10) mph bumpers, is it possible that the Mexican authorities required the car to be upgraded to those bumpers for it to be legally entered into the country?

At the time, the '71 would have been a fairly new car and it's not unheard of for other jurisdictions to require equipment updates -- e.g. Canada and daytime running lights.

In the 70s the Mexican regulators were very lax due to the lack of experience and knowledge in the automotive industry, and because of very few large companies manufacturing cars in the country, contrary to the actually Mexico a a hub of car manufacturing.
It seems to me difficult to think that the government in that time will impose restrictions like that to the import of a car. It seems to me that the seller tried to comply with the sale of a 73 car as it comes from the factory as much as possible.  :alan2cents:

Quote from: anlauto on April 28, 2021, 08:21:59 AM
The TV show car was a lot darker green then the factory green on the inside of your car. I don't believe the green used on the TV car was a factory colour....Have you found any signs of that dark green anywhere on your car ?

Very interesting question. :twothumbsup:
I've been looking around the car and can't find another color, only that green.
I'll take a look on the underside to see if I can find traces of that same color. :takepicture:

Maybe sand down some of the orange ? :yes:

@Roberto (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/roberto_3092) can you confirm these are screw hole locations?  the dimple would've been a screw hole on a car with A/C

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 28, 2021, 07:38:52 PM
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 ? :thinking:

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

Quote from: 6bblgt on April 28, 2021, 07:55:22 PM
I see 4 screw holes - is this not the case?  :takealook:

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. :notsure:

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

Well, that's interesting :thinking:

yes, noticed the custom steering wheel & the KPH speedometer in the 1971 rallye gauge cluster  :bigthumb:  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

Quote from: Roberto on April 28, 2021, 08:23:15 PM

Quote from: 6bblgt on April 28, 2021, 07:55:22 PM
I see 4 screw holes - is this not the case?  :takealook:

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. :notsure:

Check those locations from the back side...

Quote from: 6bblgt on April 29, 2021, 08:53:25 PM
yes, noticed the custom steering wheel & the KPH speedometer in the 1971 rallye gauge cluster  :bigthumb:  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. :iagree:

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..?? :notsure:

Quote from: Roberto on April 30, 2021, 09:05:28 AM

Quote from: 6bblgt on April 29, 2021, 08:53:25 PM
yes, noticed the custom steering wheel & the KPH speedometer in the 1971 rallye gauge cluster  :bigthumb:  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. :iagree:

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..?? :notsure:

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.

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on May 01, 2021, 08:02:35 AM


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 :iagree:

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.

Quote from: RUNCHARGER on May 01, 2021, 06:55:11 PM
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 :iagree:

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 25, 2021, 12:42:35 AM
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.?"  :thinking:

Quote from: Roberto on May 06, 2021, 08:29:21 PM

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 25, 2021, 12:42:35 AM
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.?"  :thinking:

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..😆).

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on May 06, 2021, 09:15:54 PM

Quote from: Roberto on May 06, 2021, 08:29:21 PM

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 25, 2021, 12:42:35 AM
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.?"  :thinking:

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.

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on May 06, 2021, 09:15:54 PM

Quote from: Roberto on May 06, 2021, 08:29:21 PM

Quote from: 1972V21Cuda on April 25, 2021, 12:42:35 AM
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.?"  :thinking:

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..??

Or it's a factory weld..?

The above picture is a factory seam in my opinion  :alan2cents:

Since we are all "Primed" up to watch Mannix reruns now, are there any updates on this project @Roberto (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/roberto_3092) ?