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1970 318 Grand Coupe to 440 6-pak Conversion

TNCUDA70

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Here is my project over the last few year, will start with the before pics

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TNCUDA70

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Car was optioned as a Gran Coupe with PW, AC, PS, overhead console, had everything with it but front glass, rear valance, rear tail lights, right rear exhaust tip, and hood.
 

GranCuda70

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Car was optioned as a Gran Coupe with PW, AC, PS, overhead console, had everything with it but front glass, rear valance, rear tail lights, right rear exhaust tip, and hood.

Welcome to the site: I also have a 1970 Barracuda Gran Coupe , but I am keeping her a Gran Coupe other than the power train. Went from 318 / 904 / No-posi 8-3/4.. / 3 on the tree......... to a 440 / 4 speed / 391 geard posi, was going to go the sickpack route but the costs were getting high and my 440 was a standard 1969 375, ( bored her .020over and put forged flat-top pistons ) horse not the HP or HP2 with a forged crank and sixpack rods. going with a 484 cam, ( ground origional cam to 6 pack specs but decided not to go that route.) torker 440 intake, and have not picked out a carb yet but will prolly go New holly 750-780 cfm.

Gran coupe outside all CUDA inside. Hope to have her pounding pavement by the end of this Summer.:D
 

TNCUDA70

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Welcome to the site TNCUDA70! Looks like a cool car! got any more pictures?

Yes, I will post many more as the car has made quite a transformation - what it looked like on the outside and what it 'really' was down under are VERY different...
 

TNCUDA70

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Looks like a nice starting point. What are your build plans? Good luck on the build.

I looked for this exact car for a very long time. I had a 4-speed 383 # match 383 Gran Coupe in high school (1987 - paid $ 275) and sold it when I got out of the Air Force for $ 5800 in 1992. Somewhere in the late 90's I realized my error and started looking to replace it.. 1970 and orange were my two criteria. But, most everything I looked at was at either end of my financial spectrum...a burned up or rusted corpse, or a semi professional restoration. Seemed by the mid 2000's the rusty corpses were getting $ 7,500+ with nothing but what was left of the shell...

This Gran Coupe was listed on Craigslist for $ 5000 and was listed as # matching and hemi orange......turned out it was everything he said it was AND had the completed interior. Based on all of the other cars we (my wife lives 'cudas) had looked at this was head and shoulders above the rest and the price was rights...so we grabbed it.

As it truly was a number matching car, my original plan was to pull the motor and transmission and go with a 383 or 440, and even dreamed a little about a late model Hemi.

However, as I started to take apart my new 'find' I discovered there really was a lot to be 'found'...mainly that the car was in VERY poor shape.

A year and a half later I have almost replaced every piece of structural and sheet metal in and on the car....I wil post pics momentarily.

The latest plan is to drop in a close chambered 1967 440 and a matching 727 for power plant. I have already completed a rear disc conversion and overhaul of the 8 3/4 rear end and am currently building my front-end arrangement.

No plans for the interior......
 

TNCUDA70

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Welcome to the site: I also have a 1970 Barracuda Gran Coupe , but I am keeping her a Gran Coupe other than the power train. Went from 318 / 904 / No-posi 8-3/4.. / 3 on the tree......... to a 440 / 4 speed / 391 geard posi, was going to go the sickpack route but the costs were getting high and my 440 was a standard 1969 375, ( bored her .020over and put forged flat-top pistons ) horse not the HP or HP2 with a forged crank and sixpack rods. going with a 484 cam, ( ground origional cam to 6 pack specs but decided not to go that route.) torker 440 intake, and have not picked out a carb yet but will prolly go New holly 750-780 cfm.

Gran coupe outside all CUDA inside. Hope to have her pounding pavement by the end of this Summer.:D

Good to meet another Gran owner - I'll be posting a lot and probably asking for advice....
 

TNCUDA70

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progress

Here's the car last summer when I tore it down and had it media blasted....wish I hadn't becasue I ended up cuttingout ever piece of the card but the right front fram rail and internal structure above wheel wells and below roof..more to come

girls and swiss cheese cuda.jpg
 

TNCUDA70

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Looking good.

might as well get it to where it is today....the doors and trunk were on there for fit only as I already purchased OEM doors and trunk that are rust free. I also found a rallye hood in Indiana last summer. Now only need a header panel and fenders (goodmark or amd). I already rebuilt a separate 318, have the original torn down, and have a 440 and 727 to start on next. Rear end, 8 3/4, has already been gone through and converted to disc brakes....pics coming

finished drivers rear.jpg


finished frame front shot.jpg


finished trunk.jpg


finshed passenger rear.jpg


fished rear.jpg
 

TNCUDA70

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And here are a few of the rear end and disc brakes....where is a good place to get new rear leafs...and should I get with the 2" lift....why or why not, please?

rear disc brakes.jpg


rear end.jpg
 
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