New here, but long time Mopar owner

[540HemiCuda]

Hi guys!

2025 will mark my last year as a Mopar owner after more than 50 years. I have just aged out. I haven't raced in over a decade, very few of my buddies have muscle cars anymore, grandkids take up so much time, my son has no interest in these dinosaurs, and frankly I just don't want to work on them anymore and the wife is totally burnt out on car shows.

Over the last few years, I have already sold my other Mopars and am down to my longest owned and favorite one; my '70 Cuda. Well, Barracuda actually that I cloned into a Cuda. And that brings me to the reason for signing up here. I plan to offer it for sale here and on Moparts as well as other sights. I've had it for 25+ years and enjoyed it virtually the whole time, but it is time to go.

For the time being, I will interact here some just for fun. I still have to decide exactly when to pull the trigger on the sale, but it will be soon. Meantime, I would like to talk Mopars and maybe share some old stories. But remember; 'The older I get, the faster I was'.

 

[Mopar Nut]

Nice Barracuda.

 

[fasjac]

Welcome to the site from Arkansas!
I understand the situation, it would be ideal if your son was interested or another family member.
I’ll have at least one in the garage until i’m gone. Too many grandsons that do like em.
That’s a great looking fish!

 

[6PKRTSE]

Welcome. Yes, your story just continues to be oh so common these days. Nice Barracuda (Cuda tribute) you have. I would love to own one like that someday. Let me know when it goes up for sale.

 

[Rapidfire]

Greetings from Nebraska. Nice to have you with us.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Welcome !

 

[DetMatt1]

Welcome to the site from the Motor City!

 

[mrmopar340]

Welcome in. We are glad to have you and sharing your stories with us .looking forward to them.

 

[Mascottrepair]

Welcome, and respect for a solid 50+ year run with Mopars! That '70 Cuda must have some great stories behind it. Glad you’re hanging around for a bit to talk shop before letting her go. Looking forward to hearing some of those old-school stories!

 

[moparlee]

Welcome to the site from Michigan! Fully understand where you are coming from. Nice "Cuda".

 

[Xcudame]

Welcome to FEBO from the desert! Any way to convince you to hang onto the Cuda (Barracuda) a little longer?

 

[540HemiCuda]

Maybe bring back the way it's been for decades; friends who are gone now, KOS or heads up racing where you have an opponent rather than this E.T. 'run against yourself' style of racing, shows with cars that the guys BUILT rather than BOUGHT, talking to people who were interested and knowledgeable in engine dynamics, seeing something Mopar that I haven't seen a hundred times before, having the energy to wrench all night to race the next day, waiting excitedly for UPS to bring the latest car parts, getting the latest best time slip, winning the class at national show events, going to the 'Nats to hang out on Brice Rd all weekend, watching the burn-outs behind the motels at the Nats and Monster Mopars, street racing into the wee hours after the strip closed, even sleeping in the car at the track (when I was REALLY young) because I didn't have enough money for a room, etc, etc.

It's been a good run and I will miss it. In fact, my biggest fear is that I will miss and regret selling this last, best Mopar after the fact. But I have done all that I wanted to do; got a car featured in a magazine, got a car O.E. certed, won many local KOS events, built a dozen or so really cool Mopars (and the engines for many more) and owned many more. Now, I struggle to keep the mice out of the Cuda (the little bastards have already chewed my gas line twice and I have that mouse smell in there now) and it's just a matter of time before they do real damage. The car had never sat for more than a week or two, but now it can sit for months at a time and eventually, there will be real consequences of that.

I am realistic; I'm 69, not 39. And I would rather play with my grandkids (4 and 6) than the Cuda. I can just take them to their parents when they have a problem unlike the Cuda. I still have some toys to play with; I used to race motocross and ride dirt bikes before I got into the Mopars when I got my driver's license. So, I am into the old 2 strokes; a '73 Yamaha 250 Enduro and a '75 Yamaha RD350. Nice bikes, fun to ride, easy work on, and people are interested in them because they haven't seen them in a long time (if ever). In fact, I am re-ringing the RD this weekend, IF the grand kids leave me alone long enough. So, it's all good. Just turning a page so to speak. But still, it's a forced realization.

I appreciate your asking.

 

[6PKRTSE]

Keep the Cuda and enjoy it with the Grandkids. I am 54 now with 3 Grandkids, so far. They are the next generation to be growing up around these old cars to maybe pass the torch someday.

 

[Xcudame]

Need to put the Cuda in a place where you can put a couple of female cats in there with it! Some male cats like to piss on stuff (luckily mine don't). When the grand kids are older, they will love the Cuda! My son bought a 2015 Challenger Scat Pack because I own a 70 Challenger WSS. Got to keep the Mopar interest going and it sounds like you have a ton of knowledge to share with other Mopar fanatics!

 

[Challenger RTA]

I am realistic; I'm 69, not 39. And I would rather play with my grandkids (4 and 6) than the Cuda.

If your hearing the Thunder, Lightning has already been there. You made it! Time to enjoy everything you worked for. Funny thing the grand kids grow up fast. 5-10 years there friend take there time. You don't see them as much.
As far as the mice. Decades back when I bought the house with a garage. The garage was and is a steel purlin, girt and rebar truss. Thinking that will be good. The mice, chipmunks and squires chewed the insulation to nothing. So investigated why. When the garage was bult the z flashing wasn't installed. I fix that. Cut the insulation out put up block with #7 rebar every other block with Durawall every 3 course. It is a zone of my own. The phone won't ring in there. The garage had a bathroom when I bought the garage. I built an 8x8x8 cube for the tools. It's a vault! If the critters chew that up I have a problem or just leave. The point I want to make here is. Go and make your garage a trophy room. I bet you got a few.

 

[Challenger RTA]

By the way. Welcome to FEBO. Good luck on what ever you do!

 

[Cuda Hunter]

@540HemiCuda
I would love to see pics of your RD350. That's a cool old bike. I like to ride bikes both dirt and street. Have had a few old metal tank early trials and dual sport bikes.
Sure wish I would have been old enough and around to have seen the burn outs and street races. That stuff seems to be all but gone.
I have to ask, since you mentioned your car is an original bh barracuda. Would it have M46 on the fender tag? I'm a collector of that option specifically (not that there are that many to collect). Most folks with Bh's have never paid attention to that detail. Here is some reading about something you might not have ever heard of.
Click the link here. M46 wanted
And here is my M46 registry list The M46 List
34 confirmed to have existed so far.

Can't wait to see more pics of your awesome ride! That color is FF4, is it not?

 

[540HemiCuda]

In all my years, I have only seen one Barracuda with the side scoops. Actually, at the time, not knowing they were an option, I thought somebody had added them out of a catalog. But I may have missed others since they are not that noticeable. I am not a fan of them or of the rear wings that seem to be on every E body now. Back then, I only remember a few cars with wings. Now, you would think they were standard equipment. In the 70s, it was all about street racing. Wings and scoops didn't make the car any faster, they only lightened the wallet. And some thought they looked silly and out of place. But I understand the interest in unusual options.

My car's fender tag was long gone by time I got it, but it was a 2 tag highly optioned car; power windows, A/C, sport hood, under dash tray, leather, etc. But the most important detail to me and the reason I bought this BH car in the first place and have kept it longer than any other is because it spent it's daily driver life in New Mexico and was about as as rust free an E body as you are likely to find. As much as I like these cars, they are rust buckets. My first one was only 5 years old at the time and had already had the lower quarters repaired due to rust. And yes, it is F4.

I have had about as many Yamahas (mostly Enduros) as I have Mopars, meaning a dozen or more. The 360 has always been my favorite, in particular the silver '72. I have had several. But my knee won't take the 360 any more. The 250s are surprisingly easier to kick than the 360 and are less prone to a kick back when cranking. So, I now have a 4,000 mile '73 250 Enduro along with the 5,000 mile '75 RD350. Both nice mostly original bikes. Fun to ride and real attention getters.

I raced motocross a little before I got into big block Mopars. I joke with the young guys that I raced MX back when the bikes had 2 rear shocks : ) and still remember the first time I saw a Monoshock which came along just after I had gotten out of MX. Which is just as well, I didn't have the money or resources to go that route. I raced a converted Enduro with knobbies and an expansion chamber. Not real competitive, but FUN!

One thing that surprises me is that the Enduro draws the most attention. Even more so than the 'Cuda. Seems every old guy had an Enduro in their youth. Other folks just think I'm riding a 5 speed chain saw.

Thanks for the response, I will post a few pics when I get a chance. Computer stuff is a heavy lift for me.

 

[MOPARMITCH]

Very Nice Cuda (barracuda). I'm in the midst of restoring a 70 BS Cuda Big Block 4 spd numbers car.
Welcome to the Madness !!!

 

[Cuda Hunter]

In all my years, I have only seen one Barracuda with the side scoops. Actually, at the time, not knowing they were an option, I thought somebody had added them out of a catalog. But I may have missed others since they are not that noticeable. I am not a fan of them or of the rear wings that seem to be on every E body now. Back then, I only remember a few cars with wings. Now, you would think they were standard equipment. In the 70s, it was all about street racing. Wings and scoops didn't make the car any faster, they only lightened the wallet. And some thought they looked silly and out of place. But I understand the interest in unusual options.

Totally understand the non interest. Most do not get them. I just happen to really like scooped cars in all the models. Since this is the ONLY scoop on a cuda it appeals to me simply because of that. Not so much the rarity. They are definitely mud scoopers no doubt. It's cool that you had actually seen one before as most old timer cuda guys have not seen them. Only about 400 made so not that many. I do hear that most folks who noticed them thought they were catalog aftermarket add on's. Have to ask, know where that one car is today?

My car's fender tag was long gone by time I got it, but it was a 2 tag highly optioned car; power windows, A/C, sport hood, under dash tray, leather, etc. But the most important detail to me and the reason I bought this BH car in the first place and have kept it longer than any other is because it spent it's daily driver life in New Mexico and was about as as rust free an E body as you are likely to find. As much as I like these cars, they are rust buckets. My first one was only 5 years old at the time and had already had the lower quarters repaired due to rust. And yes, it is F4.

Wow !! A two tag BH barracuda. Now that is something I don't think I have seen before. I would assume you didn't find a broadcast sheet or monroney (window sticker) report in the seats or anything then?
Unfortunate that the tag's disappeared. Have you done any searching for the tags through your vin tag on all the search engine's? Could get lucky.
I get the idea of a New Mexico car. They are always very rust free. I have a 73 Imperial (for sale) that has zero rust on the entire car. That place preserves metal very well. Plastic, not so much.
My first cuda was a Pennsylvania car and man did I learn to stick with buying cars from the rocky mountains. That thing was a rusty bucket for sure.

I have had about as many Yamahas (mostly Enduros) as I have Mopars, meaning a dozen or more. The 360 has always been my favorite, in particular the silver '72. I have had several. But my knee won't take the 360 any more. The 250s are surprisingly easier to kick than the 360 and are less prone to a kick back when cranking. So, I now have a 4,000 mile '73 250 Enduro along with the 5,000 mile '75 RD350. Both nice mostly original bikes. Fun to ride and real attention getters.

I raced motocross a little before I got into big block Mopars. I joke with the young guys that I raced MX back when the bikes had 2 rear shocks : ) and still remember the first time I saw a Monoshock which came along just after I had gotten out of MX. Which is just as well, I didn't have the money or resources to go that route. I raced a converted Enduro with knobbies and an expansion chamber. Not real competitive, but FUN!

One thing that surprises me is that the Enduro draws the most attention. Even more so than the 'Cuda. Seems every old guy had an Enduro in their youth. Other folks just think I'm riding a 5 speed chain saw.

Thanks for the response, I will post a few pics when I get a chance. Computer stuff is a heavy lift for me.

I havn't had very many of the older metal tank bikes. They are not as available as the later model plastic tank monoshock bikes. I ride XR's primarily. Had a Yamaha TT225 once, that's what I learned to ride on. 86 as I recall, in the late nineties. You got 20 years of riding on me.
It's all about the fun of riding. I have hundreds and thousands of miles of single track trails up here in the mountains of Colorado so I get out and ride a bunch in the summers.
I also ride street bikes. Mostly my Harley's but do have a crotch rocket Suzuki that I have some miles on also. Doing a 10 hour ride this weekend up the Million Dollar Highway in South Central Colorado.
Agree, most car guys I have known all had a bunch of the earlier bikes. You grew up in quite the culture. Guys weren't quite the wimps that they are today. Hey wait, I thought those metal tank bikes were just chainsaws with a seat!! haha