Time to get back in the game – 1972 ‘Cuda 340

[Dean N]

Hi, Folks. I'm Dean (obviously) and I have been away from Mopars for ~28 years, coincidently the exact age of my eldest offspring. I bought the 'Cuda in October '89, drove it for a year or so, then started working on it, then started really working on it, then somehow my wife got pregnant, then we decided to pack up and move, so all the work stopped. I began working on it again, but then noticed little bubbles popping up under the paint where a vinyl top once was. There was a repaint and color change by the previous owner. Work stopped again as I didn't want to build a "rust bucket".

The 'Cuda has been stored in a state of disassembly since 1992, always covered but not always indoors. Sadly, I forget how it all came apart, so this is going to be challenging. I do have a set of Service Manuals, so that will help. I figure I need to do something with this car and get some enjoyment out of it before I die, so the time to do so has now come. FWIW, the initiative to do so was from watching many episodes of Roadkill Garage recently. :) There is Good, Bad, and Ugly. In reverse order:

UGLY: The body is straight enough, but that is mostly thanks to liberally applied body filler before the repaint. The trunk is rotted out, as I recall, and patched with fiberglass. As to those bubbles popping up under the paint where the vinyl top was, they are now popping up everywhere, and I can not afford to have it properly tended to. Definitely a 30' car, viewing it from 50' is even better. I am not going to do anything about it at this time.

BAD: I removed lots of stuff... LOTS. The engine compartment is basically bare except for a rusty "new" master cylinder mounted to a spotless booster with what appears to be new gaskets/seals. No brake or fuel lines or hoses. Calipers are sealed, just externally rusty. Forget the status of the rear brakes. There is nothing on or in the dash except the new in 1992 dash pad. There is virtually no wiring in the car. The instrument cluster was redone to facilitate a compliment of Autometer gauges.

GOOD: Most of that stuff I removed is in boxes, and I had purchased a lot of little restoration parts before packing it in. The instrument cluster was redone to facilitate a compliment of Autometer gauges. (Listed in both the BAD and GOOD categories, choose your position on it. :) ) The 340+0.040 engine is freshly rebuilt (well, fresh in 1992) by Dick Landy Industries and has been stored indoors since built. As I recall Robert, dick's son, used later model swirl port heads to massage. I will check the casting numbers. It is complete pan to air filter, though after 30 years of sitting compressed, I will put in a new set of valve springs, and I will check the pliability of the seals. The 727 was done by A-1 Transmission back in the Marv Ripes days, at the suggestion of Dick. The front and rear seals on it look fine, though I will have to consider the 10" 3400 converter that I bought from A-1. That might be fine for 1/4s, but I just want a driver, so I am considering a 2000 or 2400 to go with the 3.55's. It was built with a mild cam to run on pump gas and most likely pass smog, so I don't think a 3400 is necessary, but I would like some input on that from those with experience. The interior parts are in very good shape.

GOAL: Put it together as "cost effectively" as possible and just drive it. I will let the subsequent owner decided what to do with the body. I will run the carb setup to begin with (tuning carbs will come back to me, I hope), but when funds allow I prefer fuel injection.

Thanks all, in advance, for your future help. :)

Dean

[cudamadd]

Welcome back Dean ,after 28 years getting back into mopar Great stuff 

[tparker]

Hi,
Your in the same boat I was in. I got my challenger around 1989 as well. I drove it for about 2 years then went in the Army and parked the car in the backyard. The tarp disintegrated and the neighbor kids shot the windows out. The rain did its number on the car with the vinyl top acting like a sponge and rotting out along with the trunk. Most of the body was actually in good shape except for roof, filler panel trunk floor, and part of the window edge.

Although I have tinkered around for a while, I started working on it almost a decade ago but had to stop for a couple years when Father in law passed away. I tore everything down and did all the work myself. I'm just about "done". Waiting on the engine. It was a long process but it is doable. There are TONS of stuff on youtube and pics on the internet. The best resource is this site. Have a nut you don't know what it is? Someone here does and is itching to tell you about it. LOL. Heck, Cody put a video out on how to tear down the steering column. That would NOT be easy to do without the guide and isn't really availible anywhere else.

One thing I would probably recommend is to do a once piece trunk instead of two piece. I thought it would be easier to install if I just did the two halves but that ended up being a mistake. The two halves didn't align at all. It might be a pain to get it in and you may have to do major surgery.

Good luck. Share pics as you do the work.

[Dean N]

Thanks. I'm not prepared to tackle anything body wise at the moment, but if/when that time comes I will do plenty of research. I am nearing 60 y.o., and don't want it just sitting there anymore, so for the time being as long as water doesn't get in, I will live with it.

With any luck I will fire it up before the end of the month, if I get the brakes done (just for safety reasons.=). It won't be driveable for a while, but at least I can hear it when I want to... I have missed that.

[JS29]

  Good plan! 

[DeathProofCuda]

 
Welcome Dean, you will be in good company around here.  Your story is also similar to mine.  I bought my Cuda in 1988 and put in in "barn storage" shortly thereafter for the next 17 or so years.  After a cross country move and then finally getting some garage space, I had my Plymouth mouse hotel put on a transporter and shipped out to the west coast in 2008.  Since then I've freshened mine up mechanically, recovered the seats, and have made it a reliable, but ratty, driver for now.  Currently working on my welding skills in prep for some metal replacement, but no plans in the near future for a complete resto.  Don't want to get caught in the rabbit hole and end up with a car that I can't drive again for years.  Good luck with yours.  Would love to see some more pics.

[Dean N]

Don't want to get caught in the rabbit hole and end up with a car that I can't drive again for years.

Exactly. I don't want to be overly concerned and not drive it. Rck chi? Fine. Scratched or dinged? Sure, irritated, but fine.

[Brads70]

Welcome! I'd say your right in getting it going and driving. Enjoy it ! You can always pick away at it as you go. My car is no "show car" either!

[CudaMoparRay]

  from Riverside, California

[FF376]

Cool ride! I've had a thing for the round tail light 'Cuda's since having a 74 in high school almost 30 years ago...

[Matt13]

Dean,
  Hello from Clayton, Ca! I'm almost in the same boat as you. Lots to do on my '73 Barracuda. Welcome!

[Scooter]

Just passed through San Mateo from 4 corners a few hours ago...lol.. welcome!

Stick with it... you can tolerate a lot of little things on a car you are still able to drive so get that sucker back on the street!

[jimynick]

Welcome to the site from Ontario,  and congrats on concentrating on driving the car! Don't sweat the delay in getting at it; as you can see, there's plenty of people here in that club! 33 years for me. Just keep chipping away and you'll get there! 

[Dean N]

Thanks, all!

from Riverside, California

Riverside! I am usually in that area 2-3 time per year... well, most years.

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Dean,
  Hello from Clayton, Ca! I'm almost in the same boat as you. Lots to do on my '73 Barracuda. Welcome!

Howdy neighbor! Perhaps we could talk off line some time?

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Just passed through San Mateo from 4 corners a few hours ago...lol.. welcome!

Another neighbor! Cool! Again, perhaps we could talk off line some time?

[7212Mopar]

Welcome Mopar neighbor, just a few miles north of you. Actually there are quite a few members in the Bay Area. Better get started soon. It gets harder to get under the car and then sit up again after a hour or so (speaking for myself). Need a carb, let me know. I have a quick fuel 750 and Eldelbrock 650, both are under 1000 miles on them.