New Member From Adelaide Australia

[DJCUDA]

Hi All, I have a matching numbers 1974 Cuda which I have been restoring for the last few years and it is almost complete, the Cuda came into Australia in 1998 and I purchased it from the second owner here in Australia in 2011, it was in a really bad state and required a total resto. It appears the Cuda originated from San Diego, I am assuming this because of a healthcare card I found in the door when I removed the trim, it expired in 1978, it had the card holders name on it and doing some research on the internet I found a matching name of a person that resided in San Diego. I have tried unsuccessfully to contact the family to get some history on the Cuda and let them know the car has survived and is now in Australia, but this has been unsuccessful, any suggestion from the members would be appreciated. I have attached some before and after photos for you to view.

DJCUDA.

 

[challenger6pak]

Welcome to the board. Looks great!

 

[FredD]

She was ruff looking, looking good now though, keep it up. Does it have a 360?

 

[moparleo]

Welcome aboard. Very nice job. Good luck with your search.

 

[DetMatt1]

Welcome to the site from the Motor City!

 

[jimynick]

Welcome to the site and congrats on the nice restoration!

 

[Litchkar]

Welcome from So Cal, nice restoration job.

 

[AUSTA]

Hi All, I have a matching numbers 1974 Cuda which I have been restoring for the last few years and it is almost complete, the Cuda came into Australia in 1998 and I purchased it from the second owner here in Australia in 2011, it was in a really bad state and required a total resto. It appears the Cuda originated from San Diego, I am assuming this because of a healthcare card I found in the door when I removed the trim, it expired in 1978, it had the card holders name on it and doing some research on the internet I found a matching name of a person that resided in San Diego. I have tried unsuccessfully to contact the family to get some history on the Cuda and let them know the car has survived and is now in Australia, but this has been unsuccessful, any suggestion from the members would be appreciated. I have attached some before and after photos for you to view.

DJCUDA.

Welcome,
Hot looking Cuda great resto

 

[DJCUDA]

Thanks to all for making me feel welcomed, its not an easy job restoring an American car here in Australia as most of the parts have to travel halfway around the world, I reckon I could have built another half a Cuda with the freight cost so far, anyway I can see why you guys get so hooked on these cars, awesome design and I have enjoyed every bit of the resto, the closest we have here to this design is a Ford Falcon, if you have seen Mad Max that's the car. The Cuda is a 318 with a 904 trans, I have to keep it stock otherwise I cannot get it registered, however if I convert it to right hand drive, which I have no intention on doing, I can do anything I want to it, we have some stupid regulations here. I will post more photo's once I get it on the road.

 

[AUSTA]

Thanks to all for making me feel welcomed, its not an easy job restoring an American car here in Australia as most of the parts have to travel halfway around the world, I reckon I could have built another half a Cuda with the freight cost so far, anyway I can see why you guys get so hooked on these cars, awesome design and I have enjoyed every bit of the resto, the closest we have here to this design is a Ford Falcon, if you have seen Mad Max that's the car. The Cuda is a 318 with a 904 trans, I have to keep it stock otherwise I cannot get it registered, however if I convert it to right hand drive, which I have no intention on doing, I can do anything I want to it, we have some stupid regulations here. I will post more photo's once I get it on the road.

WOW i thought WA was tough would not allow side exhaust ,TA hood or hood pins all are banned told him the hood was fiberglass not rice burner plastic so he let it go through
I then got an DOT engineers certificate saying as the car was produced with hood pins they had to let it through.
Their is a lot of Horsepower to be gained in a 318 without it being visible.
I agree on the freight cost USPS are getting greedy now they ship to East coast the road freight 4,000 kms to Perth
It cost more for the freight than the part.
Try MOPAR CENTRAL is NSW he brings back a heap of parts in seatainers from the USA every few months has a lot of mates in the US in MOPAR circles

 

[DJCUDA]

WOW i thought WA was tough would not allow side exhaust ,TA hood or hood pins all are banned told him the hood was fiberglass not rice burner plastic so he let it go through
I then got an DOT engineers certificate saying as the car was produced with hood pins they had to let it through.
Their is a lot of Horsepower to be gained in a 318 without it being visible.
I agree on the freight cost USPS are getting greedy now they ship to East coast the road freight 4,000 kms to Perth
It cost more for the freight than the part.
Try MOPAR CENTRAL is NSW he brings back a heap of parts in seatainers from the USA every few months has a lot of mates in the US in MOPAR circles

I reckon WA and SA are pretty much on par with regs tough as. Thanks for the info about Mopar Central, fortunately I have all my parts now and you are dead right sometimes the freight costs more than the parts, I bought most of my parts from Classic Industries and a few from YearOne and bits and pieces from eBay, I used a couple of blokes here in Adelaide that constantly bring containers over their prices were very reasonable, but some stuff I've had to pay ridiculous frieght prices, I've pretty much had the motor set up so as that it gets some nice horsepower, its not choked up like it was in 1974 either

 

[MOPARMITCH]

Welcome to the Madness !!