Tracking down my father's old AAR 'Cuda

[markinnaples]

I love that Lost Muscle Car page, nice job creating that and helping people find their cars.

[old5.0]

Originally Posted by 72heavychevy

That would be too cool! You'll definitely have to let me know if you find one.

He also told me there used to be a 1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertible not more than a few miles from him that sat in a front yard for years. It was a white plain jane car with no stripes, steel wheels, and an auto on the column. He was never interested at the time because of that but this is the car it turned out to be....Note the ad states copy of 1977 Kansas title!

https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0116-22...a-convertible/

The last name of the guy who had it was Sutton, iirc. I sold him parts for another 71 Cuda convertible he was working on years ago when he still had the Hemi car.

[72heavychevy]

Originally Posted by old5.0

The last name of the guy who had it was Sutton, iirc. I sold him parts for another 71 Cuda convertible he was working on years ago when he still had the Hemi car.

Small world! I don't know anything else about the car but always wondered why it sat for so long.

Funny enough there was also a '70 Hemi Challenger convertible locally as well, not 10 miles away. So this small suburban Kansas City town had two different hemi convertible cars running around back in the day. That car is actually for sale right now -
https://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/K...dge-Challenger

[442w30]

Are you on Facebook? The guy who runs the AAR Registry, Jeff Bangert, is quite knowledgable.

[72heavychevy]

Originally Posted by 69hurstSC

Post to Lost Muscle Cars. We've helped 50 people either find their old car or the history of their current one. https://www.facebook.com/lostmusclecars/?ref=bookmarks

Thanks! Not sure how I missed this last week but I'll post up pictures with the VIN and car info.

Originally Posted by 442w30

Are you on Facebook? The guy who runs the AAR Registry, Jeff Bangert, is quite knowledgable.

Yes I am! I will reach out to him. However as I noted neither car is currently on the AAR registry but considering the Limelight car is currently registered it could definitely be added.

[old5.0]

Originally Posted by 72heavychevy

Small world! I don't know anything else about the car but always wondered why it sat for so long.

Funny enough there was also a '70 Hemi Challenger convertible locally as well, not 10 miles away. So this small suburban Kansas City town had two different hemi convertible cars running around back in the day. That car is actually for sale right now -
https://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/K...dge-Challenger

I first met him back in the mid-90s up in Marysville Ks. He was a railroader. Made it pretty clear that the white car was his retirement fund, he was just waiting for it to "mature." He told me the car's backstory, but I don't remember it anymore. Friend of his older brother bought it new, or near new. His brother ended up with it in the mid 70s and then he got it a couple years later? I dunno.

He showed up at my house a few years later buying some Cuda parts. Said he was building a Hemi clone and was starting to think seriously about letting the white car go. I went short on Mopar futures not long after than and never saw him again.

I remember that Challenger. When I was into Mopars I used to keep an informal list of Hemi cars (or what was left of Hemi cars) in the northeast Kansas/ southeast Nebraska area. There was a guy up by Sabetha that had a few complete Hemi engines in the shed. One allegedly came out of a 68 GTX convertible. The Challenger, the white Cuda and that GTX were the only Hemi rags I ever heard of in this part of the world, but who knows.

[72heavychevy]

Wanted to give you all a big thanks as I was able to track down my father's sublime AAR late last year!

I want to respect the new owner's privacy but the car is in excellent hands.

It has been restored but somewhere along the way the original block was lost. I showed this to my father who instantly knew it was his car as it still retains both the AAR and Challenger T/A front spoiler pieces that were added back in the day. Too cool!



Maybe someday we can get this car back into the family!

[markinnaples]

That's a beautiful Cuda, awesome that you found it.

[camaro cat]

Fascinating. I also was attending K-State in that time frame,1978-1982. I drove my 1967 RS the first year, then parked it at home, and had purchased a 1978 Camaro Type LT that I drove for the rest of my time there. Different times entirely, especially when it comes to college football. I do not remember seeing that car but in those much younger days, I was really only concerned with and paying attention to Chevy's and especially Camaro's. I do remember a big Block 69 around campus and a 69 Z/28 that had an Endura bumper on it that I wanted badly.

Loren

[dboles]

An AAR identical to this was first sold at Pigati Chry/Plymouth in Vacaville CA. Original owners last name was Reposa. But the interior was white.