71 'cuda finally getting some love after 28 years

[RacerX]

I don't normally start threads like this because I an notorious for not keeping them updated.   
However, there seems to be a lot of positive energy at this site and hopefully you guys can help
keep me motivated not only for the project itself but also for updating this thread!   

So, what we have here is a 1971 'Cuda, BS23H1B...    340, FE5 Rally Red, billboards...     it looked like
the picture below when it was new.    Not the actual car, just a random photo from the net that has the
same color and options.

Bought the car in early 90s.   Probably around 1992.    The guy I got it from claimed to be a body man and
had started prepping it for paint.   The car was mostly all together but the outside had been sanded down and
was in red primer.     I drove it from his place to mine, maybe 8 miles at the most, and that was the only time
I have driven it since I owned it!     

Once getting it home we started to pull it apart to be painted.   Budget was a little tight at the time but we had
what we thought was a trusted body man lined up to do the job at a good price but he backed out at the last
minute.   Out of business I think.  But the result was an undrivable vehicle in pieces in tote boxes in the garage,
and then life gets in the way.

Fast forward 28 years and three moves later...    it is time to stop tripping over this car and give it the love it
deserves.   

First step before putting any money into it...  where is the title?     Tore the house apart, can't find it.   So off
to Texas DMV we go for VIN inspection, the first step to obtaining a "bonded title"      But wait...  they will only
inspect a "complete" vehicle...  it must have a body and engine.    Ugh... the 340 from this car is in my '70 Challenger.
So a quick engine pull and we have what looks more like a car.      They didn't look too hard at anything, just the
dash VIN and I pointed out the VIN stamped on the cowl and radiator support.   I mentioned the engine also has the
same VIN if you care to look...  "uh no that's OK."        They gave me a form saying they thought it looked like a 1971
cuda and had a good VIN.   $100 for title bond at an insurance shop down the road, back to DMV and BAM! we have a
new Texas title.     So for anyone in Texas that has a vehicle without a title, this is a viable way to get one.   It is a
bit cumbersome with pushing paper around and multiple office visits but overall everything went smoothly.

So with all of that out of the way, time  to start pulling the car apart.    Luckily(??) this process had already begun
28 years ago, so we already had a head start.    Unluckily, I now worry about how many of the parts are going to
come up missing even though we tried to organize and containerize them as best we could at the time.

The plan is to get the car to media blasting and then assess the metal needs.   At minimum we are looking at the
"usual" rust mitigation pieces...   inner fenders, trunk floor.   Despite the appearances on the outside, it will probably
also need quarters due to some nasty hack body work done before we got it.

A few pictures...    first is "inspiration" ...  what it is supposed to look like and hopefully will again soon!
A couple circa 1992, when the first teardown commenced.     Looking back at the old pictures, it seems it
did not deteriorate as much as it could have between then and now.
And then one at the DMV waiting for the VIN inspection.

[JS29]

  That will be nice. keep motivated and it will get there. 

[anlauto]

One I my favorite cars for sure. I'll be following this thread. Two things surprise me already...
1st Can't believe you held on to it all these years and was never tempted enough to sell it along the way...
2nd Can't believe you haven't restored in in all those years

It will now be a great investment to restore it back to it's former glory 

[Cuda Cody]

    

[RacerX]

One I my favorite cars for sure. I'll be following this thread. Two things surprise me already...
1st Can't believe you held on to it all these years and was never tempted enough to sell it along the way...
2nd Can't believe you haven't restored in in all those years

It will now be a great investment to restore it back to it's former glory 

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me "You wanna sell it?"  over the years...     Would go a
long way toward financing the restoration!   

71 cuda has always been my favorite car...  wanted one since the 80s.   Once I finally got one it wasn't
going to go anywhere!    Never wanted to be "that guy" though...  the one that sits on cars forever and
never does anything with them.

The restoration itself, well, life got in the way for a lot of those years.  And then as things started to
settle down we wanted to wait until we had a proper garage and could to proper work.   We built a
30x70 metal garage with this in mind.    The time has come...   

[RacerX]

Look ma!   no hands! .... er um no transmission!

This is when preparing to take the car to DMV for VIN inspection.   Putting a trans in
would be a ton of unnecessary work, so, we improvise     

Second picture is after pulling it back out.    Not sure what to do with it.   It served us well in
the 70 Challenger but we may go big block with that car.    It is the numbers matching engine
for this cuda but we are thinking to put a modern hemi in for the "wow factor" and the drivability
of modern fuel injection.   Plus, I got a pair of NOS "hemicuda" emblems 30 years ago that we
are itching to put on something!   

If we go that route the plan is to do it as minimally invasive and reversible as possible.   Maintain
the stock 1971 appearances where possible.    Purists might cringe and say we should put this 340
back in, but we really like the idea of the modern engine and if we sit on this 340 it can still go back
any time.

[superdave]

  Looks like a really solid foundation you have to start with. Looking forward to updates.

[bentpshrods]

      Absolutely time to do it. My 71 has almost the same history as yours. I got it in 1977. At one point I blew up the AT transmission so into the garage it went. About then I started a family and life just gets the best of you. Mine sat in the garage for 22 years. Just stupid luck I held onto it for all that time. Then about 2006 I stopped listing to my wife telling me I was broke an got it going again. Been driving the crap outa it ever since and loving it. After sitting so long it will seem like a new car to ya. Slow and steady and it will get done.  Just make sure you drive it often. The smiles will say it all.                  

[whitsend]

What's the story on the 70 Challenger RT in the background? 

[RacerX]

What's the story on the 70 Challenger RT in the background? 

I still have that   

That is where the 340 from the 'cuda was hiding.    The original engine for the Challenger was
"slap wore out" and all I had available at the time was the 340 so it went in.    The Challenger
is a 4 speed car and when I got it there was a lot of vibration and noise when using the clutch.
If I recall correctly investigation revealed that the thrust bearing on the crank had worn completely
away resulting in a lot of end to end play in the crank and I believe it was rubbing away the main
journal on the block.   Been nearly 30 years but I think that is what happened.   At any rate
that motor was unfortunately deemed to be junk despite being the numbers matching block for
the car. 

The "purple car" is due up next after the 'cuda   

There is a '71 New Yorker with 440 behind the Challenger in that picture...  Talk about a land
yacht!     We called it the "aircraft carrier" and joked that small planes might be able to land on
the hood or trunk lid...

[RacerX]

Ok so the Maypop Baloneyskins that have been on the car to make it a roller no longer
reliably hold air.   Pumping them up all the time when needing to roll the car is a hassle.

What to do?    Let's throw these old things on it...       

Truly amazing what a set of new shoes will do for a vehicle, whatever condition the
vehicle happens to be in! 

[FIAARMN]

I am in just because of your screen name!

~Speed

[RacerX]

Do we win the "wasted seam sealer" contest?       

Looks like a cow or other large animal took a dump behind the back seat and several
more in the trunk...

Rookie on the line?
Gun stuck open?
2 minutes to shift change?
Just don't care?

All of the above?

[anlauto]

That's actually pretty typical 

[JS29]

That is nasty!