68, 383 S 4 speed Cuda Convertible

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Rarefish383

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2020
Messages
18
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17
Location
Mt Airy, MD
Well, it's been a long time since I stopped by. I forgot my old password, changed emails several times, and my old handle wasn't recognized, so I'm back as Rarefish383, again, or Joe. I bought my car in 1999 from the original owner, drove it for 2 years, then took it apart, had it media blasted, and it's been playing great big shelf in the garage ever since. I retired from UPS 4 years ago. My financial advisor said it was time to quit hoarding my money and spend some. A week or so ago my wife said get off your butt and find someone to restore that car. This morning I rolled it half way out of the garage and washed it, took about 50 pics, and Tuesday morning I'm heading to Martinsburg WV to talk to Bucky Hess about doing the resto. Here's the last pic of the Cuda before I took it apart, then a few of my other Mopars dating back to my first, a 65 Dart GT 273 4 speed in 1972 as a junior in high school.
68 Formula S 383 4 speed Convertible. One of 64 made
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65 Dart GT 273 4 Speed.
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67 Barracuda 273 4 speed. Ocean City Md, 1974.
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69 340 Swinger auto, I had a blue with white vinyl top, stripe delete 4 speed no pic.
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67 R/T 440 auto daily driver when I started UPS in 1975.
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66 Fury III, 318 auto, sold it 4-5 years ago. That's me with the Mopar shirt on.
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It's exciting to be back with good news. for so many years, when people asked if the car was done yet, all I could say is, not yet. Now i can say it will be getting started soon.
 
Like Mr. Kotter said....Welcome Back! Glad to see the Cuda is going to be getting some long awaited love. My book shows 40 4 speed and 24 auto. Here’s another of the 4 speed cars, long since been tucked away with 17k miles on it. It was in a fender bender early on and parked. Still waiting for me to rescue it!

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WOW, they are coming out of the wood work. I met a guy at Carlyle that had a black with white top and interior, he's from Baltimore, and I saw a blue one at Ocean City, MD years ago. When I put mine on Govier's registry it was the 5th built of 8 known. I've since seen that 4 more have been found. I'd have to check, but I think mine was built January 21, 68, Joe.
 
WOW, they are coming out of the wood work. I met a guy at Carlyle that had a black with white top and interior, he's from Baltimore, and I saw a blue one at Ocean City, MD years ago. When I put mine on Govier's registry it was the 5th built of 8 known. I've since seen that 4 more have been found. I'd have to check, but I think mine was built January 21, 68, Joe.

next time I’m out that way, I’ll check on the fender tag of the maroon one I pictured. If I can get the hood cleaned off that is. I offered him 3 running cars for it, no go. He wants $100k, so there it sits!
 
next time I’m out that way, I’ll check on the fender tag of the maroon one I pictured. If I can get the hood cleaned off that is. I offered him 3 running cars for it, no go. He wants $100k, so there it sits!

Restored OE to high level they don’t sell close to that. Either he’s just not interested in selling or has no concept of reality.

Guessing with $100K number being thrown out, he just doesn’t want to sell it.
 
I saw one sell/sort of, on eBay at least ten years ago. It was basically all original with a very nice repaint, in the 80's, in the proper color. Bidding went to $68,000 and said reserve not met. But then I saw it on another forum as just being bought, so I think they did a side deal. I saw another on the Bay with non matching drive train in very rusty condition, he was asking $25K and the add ran for a looong time then disappeared. A third one was at Carlyle about the time I got mine in 1999, for $2,000. It was just a shell, no glass, doors, fenders, top, nothing, not even a wire, just the vin numbers and a matching title, it did not sell. I paid $2000 for mine and drove it home.
 
Is this the same car at the white one in your 1st picture?

Should be $75k+ for high level quality resto from reputable Mopar shop.
Yes it is. The pics are going to Bucky Hess on Tuesday. Do a search for some of his restorations and his Kandy Kuda. He still races Hemi Cuda's. He's restored some famous 60's and 70's Mopar drag cars.
 
I saw one sell/sort of, on eBay at least ten years ago. It was basically all original with a very nice repaint, in the 80's, in the proper color. Bidding went to $68,000 and said reserve not met. But then I saw it on another forum as just being bought, so I think they did a side deal. I saw another on the Bay with non matching drive train in very rusty condition, he was asking $25K and the add ran for a looong time then disappeared. A third one was at Carlyle about the time I got mine in 1999, for $2,000. It was just a shell, no glass, doors, fenders, top, nothing, not even a wire, just the vin numbers and a matching title, it did not sell. I paid $2000 for mine and drove it home.

A few years ago I was helping a widow lady try to sell her husbands treasures. One was a 68 383 S notchback in all original condition, which her husband drove, the other was the only 67 383 S convertible automatic. She was asking $17k for that, which was a good price. I wish I still had the pics from that, it was a blue on blue car with a blue convertible top. It was in rough shape, but had almost every option available, I passed because I didn’t have the money to restore it properly, it went to a good home tho.
 
Welcome back! Nice stable of Mopars you have had.
Glad to see the fish moving forward, hoping to give my 69 vert some love soon.
Keep us updated.
 
Welcome back! Nice stable of Mopars you have had.
Glad to see the fish moving forward, hoping to give my 69 vert some love soon.
Keep us updated.
Thanks, I’ve Had more with no pics. People talk about how lucky the folks that grew up in the 60’s were when it comes to muscle cars. But the really lucky ones were in my graduating class of 74. The gas embargo hit and epa killed the muscle cars from the factories. All of us young guns got those cars for nothing. I paid $300 for the orange swinger 340. I totaled a Red with black stripe 340. Hit a tree at almost 100 mph. Had passed 90 when every thing went black. A kid who’s dad owned a Shell station had an early 289 AC Cobra, wanted $3000 for it. There was a rumor another local guy with a Hemi Runner and lift off hood was going to let it go for $3000 so I passed on the cobra. The Hemi sold, went back and the AC was gone too. The one I major screwed up on, was my friends brothers drag car. It was a factory light weight, 413 Maxi, aluminum front clip. He wanted $400 for it and my friend talked me out of it because at ten years old the rockers were gone and had rust in the floors and trunk. Another friend traded his 55 Nomad with a glass flip front end for. He took me for a ride in it and that was the scariest car I’ve ever been in. I think I still have a pic of my112” front engine dragster. I put a 340 and shortened 727 on it. My little sisters boy friend drove it to a best time of 9.6 at 168 MPH. I’ve had some nice ones, just wish I’d have picked up a Hemi car. Had a 426 street wedge, but never a Hemi.
 
Thanks, glad I stopped by, never seen so many drop top fish before, plus so many other cool Mopars. NJ is driving distance. A guy called about my Fury III convert and asked if it would make it to NJ? Of course, it was a 60,000 mile survivor. He asked if he could use my tags and mail them back. No way. Then he said he would give me $400 extra to drive it up. I gave my BIL the $400 to follow me and bring me home. Fun trip, but got stuck in rush hour just before his place.
 
Yes it is. The pics are going to Bucky Hess on Tuesday. Do a search for some of his restorations and his Kandy Kuda. He still races Hemi Cuda's. He's restored some famous 60's and 70's Mopar drag cars.

I’m more familiar with his Race car restorations and his paint work.

Not so much with his stock Mopar complete restorations. Not saying he hasn’t done them. Just haven’t seen that side of his work.
 
67 Barracuda 273 4 speed. Ocean City Md, 1974.
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This picture, this car, is a legend, in my mind at least. I've seen this pic posted all over the internet, and one other that appears to be the same car, or extremely similar.
This was an inspiration for me in my determination to get my dream Barracuda, exactly the way I would have ordered it new, if possible, 383 4 speed bench seat in GG1.

The paint is epic, and I want to copy it some day, just not sure it will work with a different base color or colors.

If you have any more pics of this gem, please post.
 
This picture, this car, is a legend, in my mind at least. I've seen this pic posted all over the internet, and one other that appears to be the same car, or extremely similar.
This was an inspiration for me in my determination to get my dream Barracuda, exactly the way I would have ordered it new, if possible, 383 4 speed bench seat in GG1.

The paint is epic, and I want to copy it some day, just not sure it will work with a different base color or colors.

If you have any more pics of this gem, please post.
Thanks, that’s the only pic I have. I bought the car from a guy in VA, and it came out of Arizona. The White Dart GT above got totaled. A guy in a Dodge van crossed the center line and hit me head on. The Red Cuda had a blown automatic in it. I took the floor pan for the 4 speed out of the Dart, got a new Z shaft for the clutch, a new pivot ball and mounted it to the inner fender and instant 4 speed. I had picked up an early 50’s Dodge Super Red Ram Hemi 270 CI,and wanted to put that in it. But it took an adapter plate and I didn’t know where to get one. No internet then. Put a blow shield and Mr Gasket V-gate shifter in it. Then traded the Hemi for a 273 Comando. It ran well and was a lot of fun. Not bad for a 16 year old with a 3/8 drive Craftsman socket set and a few end wrenches. When I bought the 340 Swinger I sold it. Bumped into the guy that bought it. He laughed how he put a wild 318 into it and rolled it. I could have killed him. The Swinger was twice the car the Cuda was, but I just loved the Red, White interior and the White stripes. The stripes were painted on, not tape. Wish I had more pics.
 
I never dreamt it would reach a point of fame. Most forums have a readers rides section. I’ve posted it on tractor, gun, arborist, and boat forums, so I guess it got around.
 
@Rarefish383 You missed our Mopar barbecue a few weeks ago. Maybe you can drive up next year and join us. We usually do it in May, but the Kung flu made us postpone it until a few weeks ago.
 
I might have to bring my F150, the Cuda won't be ready. I'm trying to talk my uncle out of his first car. He bought it brand new and still has it. It was a Mopar for a few years, when Chrysler bought out AMC. It's a Red 390, 4 speed AMX, can I bring it?
 
I’m more familiar with his Race car restorations and his paint work.

Not so much with his stock Mopar complete restorations. Not saying he hasn’t done them. Just haven’t seen that side of his work.
I made it by Bucky's today, it was a blast to see a guy with Hemi drag cars all around him get excited about my 383 car. he said he had seen a few 383 fast backs, but never a convertible. I told him my all time favorite Mopar was a 65 Coronet. He said wanna see my sons car? He took us over to another garage and showed us his sons Hemi, 65 Coronet, the white Cuda drag car and a glass funny car body. Working on details of when there will be room to fit mine in.
 
WOW, they are coming out of the wood work. I met a guy at Carlyle that had a black with white top and interior, he's from Baltimore, and I saw a blue one at Ocean City, MD years ago. When I put mine on Govier's registry it was the 5th built of 8 known. I've since seen that 4 more have been found. I'd have to check, but I think mine was built January 21, 68, Joe.
Oops, that was a goof, Febuary 21st 68.
 
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