looking for the impossible

[dennis Sherman]

Hi guys,
I've been a Mopar guy for years only on the truck side. I had a business selling and making parts for Dodge Power Wagons. I retired a couple years ago and want to go in a different direction. I'm looking for a 70-71 Cuda convertible. My desire is building a street Hemi from scratch. A real departure from 230 flat heads. I know I'm in for a long hard search but I've got time.
Den

 

[aussiemark]

I'm sure something will turn up if you are not in a hurry for what you are doing I would say look for the most rust free 318 car that will leave you with enough funds for the Hemi, no point spending 100k on a Cuda.

 

[340challconvert]

No price, but a very clean 318 Barracuda vert in Ontario. Might catch a break with the exchange rate too!
Has the rallye dash and disc brakes too.
Happy Hunting

For Sale: 1970 Plymouth Barracuda in Dundas, Ontario

 

[moparlee]

No price, but a very clean 318 Barracuda vert in Ontario. Might catch a break with the exchange rate too!
Has the rallye dash and disc brakes too.
Happy Hunting

For Sale: 1970 Plymouth Barracuda in Dundas, Ontario

Man, that one should stay just like it is!

 

[340challconvert]

I know, nice car, right!
Seller didn’t list a price either.
Just noticed, it is a gran coupe convertible; a rare fish. Only 596 GC verts made.

Man, that one should stay just like it is!

 

[dennis Sherman]

I'm thinking it's going to be out of my price range. I really wanted something I could some work on so I feel like I have ownership in the car. Guys buy them all done, take them to shows and pat themselves on the back when they get a trophy.

 

[moparleo]

What is your price range ?

 

[dennis Sherman]

I have $20,000 in cash and $30,000 in credit. So I could buy something nice but I'd really rather have a project car

 

[moparleo]

aboard. Unfortunately its going to be tough getting something decent( read not rusted to pieces, complete) for that money. In the long run it is usually cheaper to buy a semi completed car than to try to do a ground up project.

 

[aussiemark]

I couldn't agree more, the cost to restore a car will be more then the cost of a decent example. These days it's sad to see even the lowest spec car cloned into a Hemi I think if I found a good 318 vert I couldn't do it, maybe just fit a nice 340 to the 904 and leave it at that.

 

[340challconvert]

Dennis, just some thoughts;
As suggested above, buy the best Barracuda body you can find. Unless you are skilled in rust and panel repairs/replacement; repairs and panels are expensive. Rust is a problem with many e bodies in the floors and trunk, especially verts.

You will end up spending the same or more money to just repair. Clean convertible bodies are hard to find.

71 Barracuda/Cuda verts are very difficult to find, a 70 might be a little more reasonably priced.
As moparleo and others have suggested; try to find something such as an in-completed project and work from there.

Patience may pay off and these types of cars do turn up.
Make sure most of the parts are all there or available; it is expensive to get missing vert parts.

Decent and intact non-restored cars sometimes come up in the mid-$35 k range, but need work and money to be a 1 or 2 level car. It is real easy to add another $15-20k on top of that.

Good luck with a search with whatever you decide.
JMO.

 

[dennis Sherman]

What I want is a driver that I can use a lot. I am patient and I'm giving more thought to just re building what the car comes with.

 

[DetMatt1]

Welcome to the site from the Motor City!