hey folks! nice title huh? it will make sense as we go along.

i have been a lurker for most of the time i have spent here, but i thought i would finally compose and share my and my uncle's latest project, a convertible 'cuda project. more of a serious 'freshening up', going through the interior, wiring, engine compartment, drivetrain, including a new hemi engine. the body and paint are as purchased.....

a quick back story on the car: it started out as a slant six three speed car, red, with red and white interior. as the story goes, at some point, someone took a totaled out AAR cuda, and built up this car using the components from it. rally dash, engine, tranny, rear end, hood, etc.

we have owned the car for a couple years now, and finding the true history has proven difficult. i have seen this car pass through barret jackson, and mecum, and both back stories varied a bit, but were close to the story we got when we bought it.

i have learned a lot along the way, as far as what is 'real' on the car, and what is not. since the car is a hodge podge of this and that anyway, we decided to just build it the way we wanted, but using all factory 'style' components, ie, anything that was offered, just not maybe all on one car.

so here we have, the one of none, 1970 convertible hemi aar 'cuda.

enjoy!

this car came with a small block, that after a VERY short time in our possession, decided to give up the ghost. lost oil pressure, and before i knew it, rods were a knockin' like nobody's business. so, out it came.......

more shots of the removal.....

it's out! no surprises yet.........

valve covers off, well that explains the lifter noise? let's dig deeper........

never seen this one before, the cup broke off the pushrod. that explains the noise, but what about that oil pressure?

ah HAH! i guess a full throttle run when things started going amuck can throw things around a bit. there went the oil pressure!

so, a couple things learned about the motor. it has real ta 'j' heads, a real ta intake and carbs, but the block is just run of the mill 340, no ta here. :/ not what i was told upon buying it. but, i found a block by chance, for not a lot of cash, so i picked it up. i did get some money off the purchase price of the car when this was discovered.......

no bearing shell left, that would explain the knock. (i knew i was screwed, so i drove it home, farther than i should have.)

crank was saved, .020 under on the rods, .010 on the mains.....

off she goes! at this point, what we were doing for an engine was up in the air. we had the ta block to go together with these parts, but were thinking about going bigger, and putting this engine together to sell for a more deserving car, ie, a real aar or ta. i have checked with barry, it is in fact a cuda engine, but we could not locate the car this engine came out of.

but, this engine is being rebuilt as we speak, and will be for sale to hopefully, a new home in a ta or aar........

stay tuned for a redo of all the interior....... thanks for looking people!
(and thanks for the endless help in trouble shooting this project along the way. hopefully i can return some knowledge to the wonderful folks here.....)

What's the fender tag say?I believe that could be the only slant 6 3 speed barracuda made. All the best Frank

Please post a picture of the tag. It'll be great to see and decode.

hey folks, here is my vin tag, kind of hard to make out the first set of numbers, but maybe some of you are more proficient at deciphering than i am! anyway, i would love some help decoding this, if any of you feel like helping out, or pointing me in the right direction, it would be kind of fun to see what this ol' girl was really born as....

also, do any of you have any idea on how to look up vin numbers on a statewide level? i am thinking it would be nice to try and find the car my TA engine is from, (it is an AAR 'cuda according to barry) if it still exists, and hopefully reunite them. ok, thanks for any input!

D

Please post the Vin of your motor.

Slant 6, 3-spd trans, bucket seat, AM Radio, Built to US Specs, FE-5 Red with a white top and interior!