1970 'Cuda information
 

I'm thinking about buying a 1970 'Cuda but I want to learn about standard & optional features. Where can I get quality information about these cars? I know the 1969 Camaros pretty good. Thank you, Joe

https://www.hamtramck-historical.com...aBook-01.shtml

https://www.hamtramck-historical.com...mouth-01.shtml

https://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

WOW Lee. That's perfect. I'm already blind from reading. I should get plenty of answers from this. Thank you very much....Joe

Are you looking at any 70 in particular? Feel free to PM me if you find something. I'd be happy to give any unwarranted tips/advice/abuse. :-)

70's are cool, and much cleaner than the 71's with all their added on bling.

Thank you. I will most likely be looking for a 4 speed car w/o the shaker. Don't care for spoilers either. Looking at a dark burnt orange 340 car at the moment. I have a picture of the fender tag. It's interesting that there's not better standard features with a cuda like the 1969 SS Camaro has. Just seeing what's out there. I will most likely have to sell off some of my inventory to buy one. I love your car by the way. Followed it all through restoration...Joe

Going from an GM F-body to an Mopar E-body takes some getting used to. Especially the rattle-y sounds the doors make when you close them on a Cuda/Challenger. That giant piece of glass and all the accompanying hardware inside that giant steel drum of a door shell, takes some getting used to. And the over use of heavy plastic for all the interior panels. But the color choices are cool especially since the engine compartments are body color, making every example a unique piece.

Is your interest strictly a 'Cuda? Or you could be swayed by a big-block Barracuda or Gran Coupe?

I would have to see when that time comes. Has to be a factory 4 speed for sure....Thank you, Joe

The transition from chevy to mopar was easy. LOL

Not transitioning. Still love the Chevies. In 1974, when I was looking for my 1st car to buy, there were 3 1970s for sale. A hemi automatic car that was 1,300.00, A tripple green AAR for 2,000 & a double green 318 4spd car for 1,500.00. The problem then was insurance was 1,200 a year. Just put it on the back burner but never stopped thinking about. 1st car was a 65 Malibu ss327 4spd.
So often I see people wanting to buy cars & not have a clue what they're doing. I wanted to learn about the 1970 cuda before I did my official search. The information that's been provided to me will get me going in the right direction. I did a 1970 Mach 1 for what would be my future ex-wife some years ago & I had to learn on the go. I don't want to do that again. I don't want to be an expert....just want to have a brief understanding of the cars...Joe

LOL. I may transisiton back. Since my boy got his 2014 Camaro a few weeks ago I have really come to appreciate the 5th gen Camaros. Both the wife and I want to borrow his car. I may even try to find a nice 5th Gen ZL1 (in Blue Ray just like my sons car, or maybe yellow).

:-)

I recommend you drive a 4 speed e body before you buy one. The mopars with the short pistol grip shifter can be challenging to shift at higher rpms.

Kind of like the 1967/68 Camaro with the factory shifter?....Joe

I remember looking at Mopars especially 70-74 Barracudas in the late 80s, they were always more than Chevys, probably part of the reason I became a Camaro guy.

There were probably about the same 69 z28s produced than there were ALL 70 and 71 cudas combined. And 70 production was 4 to 1 that of 71

The Chrysler A-833 gearbox (both 23 spline for the small blocks and 18 spline - for most big blocks and all hemis) are noisy and chunky-shifting like an M-22.

When I first got my 72 T/A and found out what an M-22 sounded like, I said to myself: "This whiney M22 noise is what all the fuss was about??? - it sounds just like the trans in every Mopar I've ever owned." :-)

I actually find the Hurst pistol grip to be the most ergonomicly designed shifter handles ever made. It more than makes up for the crunchy-shifting A833 gearbox when you can use all the muscles in your arm to shift instead of just half of them like when you have to shift a traditional shifter knob from the top.

Sword in the stone?

No, the e body pistol grip shifter is not sloppy or weak. It's not long enough to apply enough leverage to engage the gear.

https://i.postimg.cc/7Yd6svX2/screenshot-8754.png
https://i.postimg.cc/52ztDPkk/screenshot-8756.png

The only caution I provide people who have a lifelong association with GM cars and then buy a 1970-71 E-body Mopar is about the interior - it is cheap, it is made with a S*#T TON of HARD plastic and it squeaks, creaks and cracks. The extra money GM spent on softer vinyls and cushioned plastics is noticeable when you ride around in a Cuda or Challenger on a regular basis. I have had 5 or 6 'Cudas, all the same complaint. The B-body Mopars I have owned (GTX, Super Bee) were much, much better because there is more exposed metal (painted) in the B-body's interior. My Chevelles and GTOs, Trans Am and Camaro interiors were cocoon-like compared to my Cudas. But you gotta get used to it because, man, they are SUPER-COOL cars.

'

:beers:

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Mid-year corvette, shaker 'coda, and a Pacer!

Red 1969 l89 coupe in the back. When this photo was taken the pacer was by far the most valuable car in the photo. It was amazing what you could buy for 300 to 800$ in the 1970s or early 80s.

I have a 70 AAR that is unrestored and 58K miles. It drives a lot better than what I was expecting but agree with everyone else about the squeaks, that clunky door. I crawled all over the car inspecting it and was amazed over the low cost manufacturing process that Plymouth used when building these cars. I got on the phone with Frank Badalson and went over the car and he confirmed the inexpensive manufacturing process that these cars utilized. All that said, I love the car. So cool to look at, and I find them to drive better than what I expected.
I looked long for a four speed but could not find one that suited me and stumbled across this unrestored automatic and have not regretted it.
Have fun on the hunt, and like the others happy to help in anyway.

Red 69 L89 Coupe --- Corvette it appears? It wouldn't have happened to have a RED interior and PW would it?

I saw a low mile Red Red PW 69 L89 coupe survivor at the NCRS nationals in 2019 - first time the car had been out in over 30 years -and only for the 50th anniversary of 1969.

No, LaPointe Chevrolet, Charlotte nc car. Black interior. The person I sold it to spun out and backed it into a telephone pole. They never went and got it from the tow truck lot. I remember seeing it in the impound lot for about a year, then it disappeared and I have never seen it again.

LaPointe Chevrolet, I remember that dealership I am from Charlotte and live here now. Did you live in Charlotte back then?

To be clear, these production numbers are US-spec cars and don't reflect Canadian and export shipments.

Speaking of the Devil:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Plymou...-127632-2357-0

IF this is real, it's a real find. I know the Shaker was available on regular Barracudas but I never have seen one. Asked my friend Ola ('Cuda guru) what he thinks.

Not quite the year you wanted, but sometimes a good find changes priorities.

It would have to be a 70 & no shaker. Thank you, Joe

Yes, the photo was taken near south park mall. I recognized the location in myers park of a photo you posted and asked if you know of the barn find cobra and ferrari 275 gtb that was a couple blocks from there. Hopefully I will cross paths with you one day and get to say hi.

Are you talking about the Cobra and the 275GTB that Tom Cotter was involved with?

Yes, I remember when the cars were driven.

Ahhh...yes the barn find Cobra and the Ferrari. House is gone now. I ride by there often a friend lives right down the street from there.

I loved that silver with blue guts Ferrari!

I will give you my preferences, I would get a 71 over a 70 if given the chance. I like the 340s a ton. I do not like 383s, so for me, I stay away from them. In 71, the 340 carbs (780cfm) were as big as that on my 69 L78 camaro, which is pretty cool.

Here is what I did on the cuda front, to each their own:

On the 70 front, I waited and waited for the right 70 convert as the 71s are impossible to find. Got one for a decent price that was mostly rust free. I also waited for the right 71 340 4spd and found one rust free in Colorado.

I have been away from this board for 3 yrs, and popped in and saw this thread and had to chime in. Kinda good to be back peeking in, finally getting back to working on my camaro (that has one heck of a leaking carb!).

Good luck on finding that right Cuda, you will get stuck once you get one, no regrets.

Too bad this one is a 73. It's Canadian so it would be 35K US.