Lets give this a spin

[Mopar426power]

Hello everyone,
Have had a 71 Cuda for about 30 years now, finally going to restore it. It's not a high dollar car but I love it. It was an original 340 car, but had a 318 when I got it. I put a 440 in it and have driven it ever since.
Any advice on Do's and Dont's of restoration?

 

[moparleo]

Just don't cut anything you don't have to. Frame connectors are a great upgrade for ride, handling as it makes the uni-body more rigid.
Electrical. Another great upgrade is a new wiring harness, especially if yours is original. After 50 years connection corrosion is a major problem.
Lucky for you, virtually everything you need to restore your car is now available new.

 

[Mopar426power]

Any advice on suspension upgrades keeping the factory look?

 

[70chall440]

Ref suspension upgrades, use upgraded stock stuff. Look at Firm Feel, I have their stuff in my Cuda and Challenger and it is awesome. As Leo suggested, sub frame connectors will make a HUGE difference in how the car feels and handles. I would suggest getting offset USA bushings or perhaps Firm Feel's tubular UCAs (you can just use the bushings if you want to keep the stock look). For the lower, just need reinforcing plates, greaseable pivot pins, HD tie rods, HD strut bars, large torsion bars (1.1+), HD sway bar (front and rear), good shocks like Bilsteins or QA1 on all corners. For the steering box thats up to you but I really like FF's stage 3 box along with the fast ratio pitman and idler arms, it will feel very strange the first time you drive the car after getting it together and aligned but the steering will be precise. Lastly you need good tires to enhance all of that new steering.

Despite what some would want you to believe you can get these cars to handle very well with stock style components, you do not need tubular anything to be honest. I will say that it is helpful to perimeter weld the K frame but more so the steering box supports.

 

[rklein71]

Do take a ton of pictures - I was amazed how many times I referred to the pictures when I reassembled mine.
Do label everything, I found that if I wrote on a plastic bag with a sharpie, overtime the writing got hard to read. Write on a 3x5 note card and put it in the baggie.
Do separate baggies by location onto smaller boxes. I put mine all in one big box. Very time consuming to go through a ton of baggies to find the parts you need.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I agree with above , bag & tag , can't take too many pix

 

[DetMatt1]

Welcome to the site from the Motor City! Is that what you want it to look like when it’s finished?

 

[340challconvert]

Mopar426
to FEBO from New Jersey
You have a really great looking 71 Cuda.
Good people here with plenty of experiential knowledge on our cars.
Good luck with the changes you are contemplating!

 

[fasjac]

Welcome from Arkansas! Lots of good information from the guys. I to agree with the above. Nice ride!

 

[Rapidfire]

Welcome to FEBO! Nice to have you with us! Awesome Cuda and love the color!