SNORT

[Mr Cuda]

The time has come to start my build thread. I have been gathering the parts, and have the time to give this car the proper attention it deserves.
It had been hard to leave it sit, but like many of you, work , family, bills and medical bills make a restoration project hard.
Even for me and I have done collision repair and restoration as a business. Surviving the ups and downs of being self employed.  The cobbler's kids have no shoes.
 I'm not totally shoeless,  as I have several barracuda's to drive, including my 71 340 4spd hardtop and @cuda hunter(s) M46 car.
As the years go by these are more difficult to drive daily, and leave in a parking lot. I have stories of coming out of a store, and having people sitting in my convert, shifting the pistol grip, or having the hood up. Today, they'd get glocked. I finally have places to go where I don't have to park, and can put miles on it. And I will.
 My orange 71 got backed into on the door and fender at a store also. (20 years apart) Now to repair,  I have to repaint the entire faded enamel repaint from 1981, that I was willing to live with as a driver. It's down the list.
 So, on to getting snort.
In 1982, I was chasing a blue 71 383 4spd converible. The price was $5000. By the time I had $5k,  it was $6000. By the time I had the $6000, it was more. $6000 was alot in 1982.
My buddy had this car that had fallen on some hard times with repairs needed.  The engine was out, and put in another car. He wanted to keep the hood.
We made a deal. I had it running by 1983, with a 360 auto.
Having several barracudas, I would just refer to the cars by their color. This one was the yellow car. Everyone thought the color was obnoxious,  one friend suggested I paint it "blue" or something.
My boss told me not to drive it to work,  because it "attracts flies".
My next job in a more upscale area found it parked next to Porsche and Mercedes.  The CFO  came to me with questions when Otis Chandler's  car hit the cover of the wall street journal in 1987?. He wanted to know how a machine tech had a 100k car. I had to explain to him the difference between a hemi car and the rest of them.
Then, there was the constant push by people wanting to buy it. That wasn't happening. I knew to sell would be the end.  My ocd wanted to fix and repair the issues, to make a nice car.  I made the classic mistake of blowing it apart in 2000, with the hopes of time to complete. Obviously, I failed.
I got the original engine back in 2022. (I had the trans). That was a long battle. I had to provide and install a fresh 340 in his car.
I bought a car in 1990 to get an original hood. (The orange 71). Prices had really jumped by this time. Pre internet, I didn't know where I was going to find some parts.

So where we are at now. The body shell has been blasted,  prepped and painted inside. Doors and hood done, body is blocked ready for paint. Fenders are plastic blasted and need prep.
It's a roller. I repaired my speaker hole rear seat panels and got a chryco front bumper. I've been working on sub assemblies.

    The time is now!


The story of SNORT.

In 1970, a young man with a lucrative side hustle wanted a Cuda. I never heard what model of convertible,  as he was 17, and could not legally buy one off the lot.
But he would turn 18 soon, and if he ordered one, he would be 18 by the time it arrived. He had the money.
 Cash!
So out comes the order form.
340, 4sp. Curious yellow and black interior.
Manual drum brakes,steering and top to go with the manual shift. He wanted the lightest package he could get.
Then he added the bumpers, leather and shaker, no billboards and V5Y side molding.  The car was delivered with spoke hubcaps, which got swapped on the lot for 14" magnums
The car was a big hit with the club scene. Talk about advertising.  The early 70's must have been wild.
Washington state implemented a personal or vanity plate program.
Coincidentally,  the plate was a chartreuse color, not unlike curious yellow.
I have the letter from the DOL informing him that the plate SNORT will be late, but his request for SNORT was granted.
The car slowly got driven less and my buddy bought the car in 1980. It was a low point price wise, but to us Cuda whackos, a golden era. You've heard the stories from others, I don't need to repeat more.
Here it is the first time I saw it.
Other pictures didn't make the transition from film to digital, or got lost on early cell phones. But I have a few more.

[cuda hunter]

Well, it looks sweet so far!  Awesome car!

I hope you have some pictures of it before you stripped and primed it.  Would like to see the bare bones of the ride before and some after or current pictures. 
  This will be a fun thread!  I've been wondering when you were gonna put one up here for us to watch along! 
  Glad you have time now to get it ready and time to drive it after the restore! 

and @cuda hunter(s) M46 car.

Ahh, yes.  Number 11. 

[Mr Cuda]

First picture was 1980.
Then a picture in 83 of me painting enamel outside. EPA? No wonder they want to restrict hobbyist's.
One in the driveway,  and one at some show.
Pretty much how it was until I took it apart

[dodj]

Cool. Love an ebody history story.
Did my first painting like you out in the driveway. Not quite as nice a car though..... A Dodge Intrepid.
Looking forward to more pics of SNORT...as it comes together.

[RusTy/SE]

Cool backstory, unlike myself you have "...a set of skills..." and can more easily effect some positive change to SNORT. Great car and look forward to following progress as it happens. Btw, nice going locating and obtaining the original motor.     

[cuda hunter]

That enamel didn't hurt anything outside. 
Did the bush's and plants die next to the car?
Doesn't look like you got it all over the concrete.

Was Snort originally a painted grill car?

[198D13]

That enamel didn't hurt anything outside. 
Did the bush's and plants die next to the car?
Doesn't look like you got it all over the concrete.

Was Snort originally a painted grill car?

Curious yellow is a painted grille colour, on any 'cuda model.  All the pictures look like the car is painted FY1.

[Mr Cuda]

Was Snort originally a painted grill car?

Curious yellow is a painted grille colour, on any 'cuda model.  All the pictures look like the car is painted FY1.

From reading on here, I  learned all BS code high impact colors have grills body color.
I assure you it's GY3.
 Yellow and light green  are colors that don't present true on film.

[EV2RTSE]

Always wondered what the SNORT avatar was all about, now I know! What a great car to restore.

[Mr Cuda]

Always wondered what the SNORT avatar was all about, now I know! What a great car to restore.

While not as famous as some of the named cars, if not for the "line" of work to afford such a car, it would not have been ordered.
 Sticker was $4488 which was a fair amount in the end of 70.

[1970chal@gmail.com]

Hi guys
I'm new to this site and trying to figure it out.
I am the original owner of a 1970 Challenger
318 Plum Crazy Black vinyl top
59k miles.
I hate to say I am considering selling it. How would I get some kind of idea about its value.
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks Bob

[Mr Cuda]

@1970chal@gmail.com
My advice is to start a new thread. You won't get near enough attention in a thread I started.
 Honestly,  the best value in advertising is putting it up on ebay with a reserve  and be prepared to be amazed. I'm always shocked how much a decent car goes for.

[MoparCarGuy]

From reading on here, I  learned all BS code high impact colors have grills body color.
I assure you it's GY3.

Summary to confirm what @Mr Cuda noted above.

1971 Cuda BS = Argent grille 3442647 for all colors EXCEPT body color grille on GW3, EV2, GB5, GF7, GK6, FE5, FJ6, GY3, or FC7.
9 different colored grilles for the 1971 Cuda.

If a '71 'Cuda (BS) was originally painted: GW3, EV2, GB5, GF7, GK6, FE5, FJ6, GY3, or FC7, it was originally intended to have a painted grille STANDARD.
There was no "way" to order a painted grille or delete a painted grille.

Due to a shortage of painted grilles on hand at the factory after a truck load of painted grilles wrecked en route to Detroit from Canada in the winter of 1970, "Argent" grilles were substituted as needed.

So, if your '71 'Cuda is: GW3, EV2, GB5, GF7, GK6, FE5, FJ6, GY3, or FC7 odds are it originally had a painted grille.
Odds are higher early & late in the 1971 model year, with some "wiggle room" in the middle for an Argent grille substitution.

BS 1971 Painted GW3 Bright White 3443587 "Sno-White"
BS 1971 Painted EV2 Tor Red 3443589 "Tor-Red Metallic"
BS 1971 Painted GB5 Bright Blue 3443593 "True Blue <etallic"
BS 1971 Painted GF7 Med. Yellow Green Met. 3443597 "Sherwood Green Metallic"
BS 1971 Painted GK6 Medium Bronze Met. 3443 599 "Autumn Bronze Metallic"
BS 1971 Painted FE5 Red 3443 601 "Rallye Red"
BS 1971 Painted FJ6 Avacado 3573611 "Sassy Grass Green"
BS 1971 Painted GY3 Citron Yella 3573612 "Curious Yellow"
BS 1971 Painted FC7 Plum Met. 3573613 "In-Violet Metallic"

[198D13]

That does NOT confirm what he said, as most of those grille colours that were available(which you listed) were NOT hi-impact colours. 71 extra cost colours were: FC7, FJ6, EL5, EV2, FY1 and GY3.  The parts book lists GW3, GB5, GF7, GK6, and FE5(as you do), but they are not extra cost.
It is awesome though, that GY3 was one of them.

[198D13]

That does NOT confirm what he said, as most of those grille colours that were available(which you listed) were NOT hi-impact colours. 71 extra cost colours were: FC7, FJ6, EL5, EV2, FY1 and GY3.  The parts book lists GW3, GB5, GF7, GK6, and FE5(as you do), but they are not extra cost.
It is awesome though, that GY3 was one of them.