1973 Barracuda - Cuda Conversion Project

Pictures

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Barracuda gets a new paint job in 1991.

Fresh Black Rose Metallic paint (a 92-94 Corvette color).

Rear shot.

February 10, 2002 - Love at first sight.

Larry Dohse built this car for his wife, Heidi. Or rather, "overbuilt it," he chuckled.

The Barracuda was born avocado green (yuck) with a 318 and a vinyl roof.

Heidi picked a Corvette color, Black Rose Metallic. It's a dark burgundy - purple. Not quite Plum Crazy but related...

One clean 'Cuda. In 1991, Larry and Heidi had a brand new interior installed.

Larry did a beautiful job rebuilding and installing the 440 engine.

Took the car in to Tri-C Engineering on February 26, 2002.

The 8-3/4 posi-traction 3.55 rear end. It's a '742 casting with a Dana Power-Lok Sure-Grip.

April 4, 2002 - The 'Cuda's up on the rack for a front-end rebuild and antisway bars.

Before I added 15x7 Centerlines for the front and BFG Radial T/A's all around. What else?

Also installed new KYB Gas-Adjust shocks both front and rear.

That's Rick Cresse peeking out between the Centerlines.

April 12, 2002 - Dan got the Tube Technologies Inc. 1-7/8" ceramic coated headers installed.

Dan admires his work. Nice welding, Dan. You're an artist.

The headers feed into TTI's aluminized exhaust system and Dynomax Super Turbo mufflers.

Good collector clearance for the street. Hopefully, the speedbumps will be short.

Here's TTI's complete headers and exhaust system.

The Cuda also received Mopar Performance EHD leaf springs -- the correct ones for a 440 car.

This thing's gonna be a firebreathing dragon when it's done.

May 3, 2003 - The Cuda gets new front 15 x 7 Autodrag polished Centerlines and BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires.
225/60R15 in front.
295/50R15 in rear on 15x8.5 rims. Thanks for the inspiration, Cuda AL!

The new 7" wide front Centerlines make the car much safer for cornering.

Whoever did the bodywork on this car was finicky and did it right. This car is straight!

BFG 295/50R15's miraculously fit perfectly with about 1/4" clearance from sidewall to the EHD leafsprings.

Dan scrubs the blue coating off the brand new Radial T/A's.

Perfect fit.

Check out the old hot rod parked next to my 'Cuda.

Always loved 50's on a muscle car.

Purple haze.

One bad fish.

This body is straight as an arrow. Dan said it is an ideal candidate for concours restoration.

BFGoodrich Radial T/A's - 295/50R15.

Mike the Mechanic and my buddy Mark, the owner of the fastest Anglia on the planet.

One happy owner -- that's me! Mark said my lip would split if I grinned any more.

The new front tires - BFGoodrich Radial T/A's in 225/60R15 - really improved the handling.

My buddy Susie says "people are either predators or prey."