Old Super Stockers turned chassis cars

[hemikar]

Originally Posted by Bill Ringer

I have had two of what I think you are talking about. The first was a genuine factory '63 Savoy aluminum nose car which was built into a SS/DA car in the mid-seventies- 2X3 frame, wheel tubs and roll bar later getting a full cage. I sold that car for the one I have had for the last 31 years- a factory V-code 440+6 'Cuda for SS/FA and that one I still own- untouched since it's last race. It and I retired from SS competition in 2010. The 'Cuda like the Savoy was built in the 70's (1978) and in those days 99% of the racers didn't think twice about building these cars. So when you say "gulp!" about these cars, please, get over it. That is total hindsight- the cars were produced for racing- these were the days of 'win on Sunday and sell on Monday' for NHRA and NASCAR. Maybe the historians can tell us if the stories I have heard about NHRA verifying VIN's to assure the car was correct








before they would allow it to compete are accurate (I think it is but that pre-dates my serious interest in SS which started in the late-70's). According to the folks who were competing then this was a time that if you wanted to race what is now a rare car it had to be verifiably correct for the class. Many of these are still around- not far from me here is Colorado I know of my old '63 still intact with cage- tubs & all plus a beauty of a 69 COPO also with full frame, cage and wheel tubs- it too was built before most folks knew these would be valuable someday if original and intact.
The Super Stock magazine project car "Project Six-Pack" 69 1/2 Roadrunner is currently in Wyoming - you may have seen it on Barrett-Jackson a few times. This was another original, an A-12 car which had a cage, frame connectors and wheel tubs added after it's Stock Eliminator days. Since it had a big following with Super Stock magazine it was put back into the original condition when it was in it's heyday of Stock Eliminator racing in the 70's. That much work only pays off when the car has the value to offset the cost of un-doing the frame, cage and sheet metal work- then there is the paint...$$$. At one of the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auctions it brought six figures- pretty good for a 70's era Six-Pack car in Stock Eliminator race car trim. I don't think the current owner had to give that much. I don't follow that stuff close enough to know exact $ numbers. Just Google "Project Six-Pack" to see more about that one.
Just a bit off-topic, is one of the 11 or so '71 Hemi-Cuda convertibles was in my hometown of Boulder Colorado in the mid-70's and at that time it went from one used car lot to another. The muscle car guys back then quickly labeled it as a lemon with electrical and fuel system gremlins. It was bought for 4 or 5 grand in about 1975 by a savvy guy who straightened out all of the problems it had. He cleaned it up nicely and we all were in awe when he sold it for $11,500 a few years later. And those are the ones now bringing millions. A friend told me he saw this one at one of the show gatherings where they had something like 6-8 of those 11 all together. This one was the "Butternut"(?) color & auto trans and we just called it "baby s**t yellow".
My only message here is that the rare ones which were "cut-up" for racing are as much a part of the history of these cars as the pristine restorations everyone admire so much. Keep that in mind before you gasp & roll your eyes over an "original" car which has been made into the race cars that they still may be today.

Hi Bill,


You have me completely misunderstood.


I know your car, its the "High Country" car, its red and blue. I have an old magazine (Super Stock & Drag Illustrated maybe) and its an AWESOME car!!!!


I would much rather see an original V code Cuda tubbed and caged and RACING than go to the Mopar Nats and see a 100 point restored trailer queen sitting there. Boring.


What I meant was, for example, is people who took a car like your Cuda back in the early 80's and made them into Super Gas style cars where the only original part on them is the roof.


You just misunderstood me, that's all.


By the way, I drive a black 1970 Cuda (not mine) high 11 second car that was originally a 440-6 Shaker, 4.10 Dana, auto, Track Pack car. Car was originally.....get this - brown with a brown interior. Friend of my old man's car.


1 of 1 Cuda 440-6 brown w brown interior. And Shaker car to boot. And I hope the car never gets restored.


Im just saying I would *gulp* cringe if the car got a full TUBE chassis and all 'glass panels and all Lexan windows, aluminum dash etc...now *that* would be a shame. I think you'd agree


I was referring to what the previous member who posted right before you mentioned - a freakin HEMICUDA chopped up beyond recognition!!!!


Craig


P.S. My dream is to one day buy a 100 point restored 1970 Hemi Cuda and then immediately transform it into a SS/DA car. So yeah, you had me all wrong Bill. And your car is awesome, maybe it was in MCG?

[Dwight Southerland]

Try to imagine how many A990 cars were cut up into altered wheelbase match race cars in the mid to late 60s. Then think of all the Thunderbolts and factory 427 comets that had straight front axles stuck under them and the rear wheels moved forward. Of course back then it was considered progress. It's kind of like the early Z28s that were cut up into MP and Gas cars.

[Alan Nyhus]

George Klass has a great site about 50-60's drag cars.

Click on the Super Stock tab at the top. And if you're sensitive to rare factory cars gettin' cut up, maybe grab a box of Kleenex.......... -Al

http://georgeklass.net/

[hemikar]

I am NOT SENSITIVE to rare cars getting cut up!!!! read my last post Alan. Can you tell me what it says my dream in life is????


Seriously. Read it very carefully. Now tell me what it says.


You grab the Kleenex now.

[JRyan]

Wow man.
I'm guessing Alan probably wasn't referring to you. I'm betting he was making a statement in general because several others will look at that link as well and a lot of those may be sensitive to seeing original cars cut up. Knowing Alan he was most likely just saying it as a joke.

Rick Ryan

Bill always loved your Cuda. It was always very clean and good running. Miss seeing it out.

[Dave Turner]

1 of 1 Cuda 440-6 brown w brown interior. And Shaker car to boot. And I hope the car never gets restored.

Craig, do you happen to recall some of the options or deletes on this car? A friend of mine bought a similar car (new) from an Ontario, Canada dealer who just couldn't find a customer for the odd brown/brown 440-6 car. It was very basic; base instruments, auto, am radio, dog dish caps etc. It had black stripes with the argent shaker. It don't know the story of it's creation, but it was almost as if a would-be racer had ordered it and defaulted. My buddy seized the opportunity to get it at a blow-out price but wasn't a tuner and had no intention to go racing - the love affair was short lived.

[hemikar]

Hi Dave,


The car I drive (can you say lucky?) has rallye dash, leather seats (currently out of car), fish gilled rocker mouldings (still on car) and.....funny you mention the black stripes. Last time I drove car, the owner and I stopped for a beer, and he said the tops of each fender were painted black?


I've never heard or seen this before. The guy has owned the car since 1974, and he said it was like that when he bought it.


And the car came with the overhead console, which I thought was only available on Barracuda Gran Coupes, not 'Cudas. ????


If I remember correctly, he said the original owner ran the car in C or D Pure Stock Automatic....low to mid 13's at 105 mph...


As for wheels, I'm pretty sure it had the Rallyes, I'd have to double check.


Maybe its 1 of 2 1970 440-6 pack brown on brown Cudas
P.S. Definitely brown, not copper or burnt orange. I think the paint code is T6, maybe T7 (burnt tan metallic)


And by the way Alan, sorry I was rude. I feel like an idiot, I embarrassed myself. So who wants to tub and cage a rare Mopar?

[Alan Nyhus]

Originally Posted by hemikar

I am NOT SENSITIVE to rare cars getting cut up!!!! read my last post Alan. Can you tell me what it says my dream in life is????
Seriously. Read it very carefully. Now tell me what it says.
You grab the Kleenex now.

hemikar: Not directed to you at all. -Al