6/97 -- Purchased the '71 383/727 true 'Cuda and had it brought 40 miles or so to its new home on a flatbed truck. Has matching fender, dash, and door pillar plates. Interior panels are good, but the dash pad is horrible. Seat covers and visors are just OK, but the headliner is shot. Slap-stick shifter and console are good. The engine barely runs & the car has no brakes. Bad transmission leak. Front tires don't hold air, and wheel sizes are mismatched. 8 3/4 rear has 3.23 gears, but no sure-grip. Sway bars still there. The 383 has the rare stock hi-po exhaust manifolds, intake, and maybe carb! Don't know if the engine and trans are numbers-matching, but I suspect that they are (8/02 update: they aren't). Has a two-core radiator and broken washer bottle. Body has much rust and collison damage, but its too complete a 'Cuda to let it be parted-out. Got a clear title from the DOT for this #5 "beater". Decided to "restify" (part restore/part modify) it to a weekend driver. Time to get to work! Cleaned-out the trunk, interior, and under the seats, but didn't find a build-sheet. Changed-out the starter with a new one that came with the car, and installed new battery cables. Reinstalled the rear valance and replaced the front bumper with a better one that came with the car too. Freed-up the exhaust heater/diverter valve with lots of WD-40. Did an oil & filter change. Replumbed the vacuum hoses to the dual-snorkel air cleaner & put in a new filter.
Current Cuda Project:
