Chris's 'Cuda Picture Page

Pictures and Specifications

Here's the car a few weeks after it was painted back in 1996. No, that's not my house in the background. The photo was taken by an old Army barracks/gun emplacement in Marin, California at the Redlands National Park, which overlooks and used to protect the entrance to the San Francisco bay (sorry, I know you didn't come here for a history lesson). The big block had already been swapped in by this point, but was still backed by an automatic. Notice that the side marker lights and fender-mounted antenna have "fallen off" somewhere along the way.

Gotta love the aggressive stance. I love this shot!

Here's a shot of the interior. The console top plate is a carbon fiber piece that I fabricated. The pistol grip handles have been wrapped in carbon fiber, and look really slick. The interior is mostly stock (and mostly original), except for the few pieces you see, like the Autometer gauges and the Momo steering wheel. The torn glovebox has been tossed, and has been replaced by a mounting shelf for the MSD timing computer. A rally gauge setup has been purchased, and is awaiting installation.

Here's a rear view. Got to love the Dana peeking out from underneath. Rear tires are 295/50-15's on 15x10 Centerlines. Meats barely fit without moving springs in. Although the tires provide lots of traction, they can be incinerated at will. There's more info down below (under "body") about how I fit the 295s...

Here's a couple shots of the 440 cubic inch big block. The Edelbrock intake is topped by a three two-barrel Holley "sixpak" setup. I am running an Accel magnetic trigger distributor, which controls a MSD programmable timing computer (hidden in glovebox) which fires the MSD 6AL ignition box (mounted on the firewall). Braking is handled by a 1 1/32" bore Mopar Performance aluminum master cylinder.

TECHNICAL INFO

ENGINE

1976 440 block, bored .030", 10 to 1 compression Arias forged pistons (have added .060" Mopar Performance head shims, so compression ratio is presently around 9 to 1), 1969 forged steel crank (main and rod journals cut .010"), factory connecting rods (shot peened, magnafluxed, smoothed beams, ARP fasteners), "906" heads (mild pocket port with stock valves), Crower cam (222/228 @ .050" duration, .476/.486" lift).

INTAKE/EXHAUST

Edelbrock/Holley "Six-Pak" 3 2-barrel induction setup, factory air cleaner with K&N airfilter.

Hooker headers 1 7/8" primaries w/ 3" collector, 2 1/2" pipes w/ crossover tube, Thrush super turbo mufflers, chrome tips exiting stock cut-outs in rear valance.

ELECTRICAL

Accel billet magnetic trigger distributor, MSD 6AL ignition box, MSD programmable timing computer, Chrysler 65 amp alternator, battery relocated to trunk.

CLUTCH/TRANSMISSION/DRIVESHAFT/REAR AXLE

When purchased, the car had an automatic (behind a small block) that was replaced by a big block automatic transmission when I installed the 440. That has been replaced with an A-833 18-spline 4 speed (originally out of 1970 E-body), commonly reffered to as a "Hemi" trans, equipped with the bulletproof 1 3/16" dia. 18 spline input shaft and the coarse-toothed gearset. Shifts are performed by an original Hurst "Pistol Grip" shifter handle, which is bolted to a Hurst Supershifter mechanism. The shift rods have brass bushings to mate them to the Supershifter levers.

Lakewood "Scattershield" bellhousing, McLeod 30# steel flywheel, Centerforce "Dual-Friction" 10.95" dia. clutch/pressureplate (this clutch rocks, the pedal pressure is less than on my VW GTI!!!), stock linkage.

Originally, the car had a 3.23 geared 8 3/4" rear, but is now equipped with a Dana 60 (originally out of a 1970 E-body), fitted with 3.73 to 1 gear ratio, power-loc differential, Strange Engineering 35 spline axles with 3" screw in wheel studs and a Summit aluminum rear cover. Changing from 3.23 to 3.73 was like buying a new car.

The driveshaft is made from 3" x .083" chromoly tubing. The transmission yoke mates to it with a 7290 u-joint. The rear of the driveshaft is fitted with a 1330 u-joint to match the Dana 60's 1330 pinion yoke. A Summit driveshaft loop has also been installed in the interest of safety.

SUSPENSION

Front: Koni adjustable shocks, Addco 1 1/8" anti-sway bar mounted in poly bushings, Mopar Performance torsion bars 1.12" Dia, polyurethane strut rod bushings, C-body tie rods, suspension is otherwise stock.

Rear: Mopar Performance XHD leaf springs, Koni adjustable shocks, stock 3/4" anti-sway bar mounted in poly bushings.

TIRES/WHEELS/BRAKES

Mopar Performance 1 1/32" bore aluminum master cylinder, stock proportioning/distribution valve

Front:

12" discs with 2 3/4" bore "slider" calipers ('79 Cordoba parts), spindles from disc-equipped '73 Dart (required to install 12" discs, see disc brake swap page for more info), Aeroquip braided brake hoses, Moroso line-lock, 15x7 Centerline AutoDrag wheels, BFGoodrich Euro T/A's 245/50-15's

Rear:

11x2 1/2" stock HD finned drums w/Russell braided brake hose, Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve spliced into rear brake line, 15x10 Centerline AutoDrag wheels, BFGoodrich T/A radials 295/50-15's

BODY

The fenders, hood, header panel and front and rear valance panels are fiberglass. The antenna and side marker lights have been "shaved". The quarter panels have been bulged out approx. 1/2" in the wheelwell area to provide the extra room needed for the rear tires (the quarters were beat, and needed lots of work anyway, so I figured I'd try this approach), but it's hardly noticable due to the fact that the bulge is very gradual, starting at the very front of the panel, and ending at the very end of the quarters. The wheelwell lips and the inner wheelwells have been pounded flush with the quarterpanels. Subframe connectors are welded in, tying the front and rear frames together. The car is painted the 1970-71 factory color "InViolet" (Plymouth's name for it) metallic purple, which is more commonly referred to as "Plum Crazy" (Dodge's name for the same color). But unlike the factory, my car is coated in a basecoat/clearcoat polyurethane instead of the original baked-on enamel.

FUTURE MODIFICATIONS/UPGRADES

Rallye dash (have one, just need to install it)
Fully ported 452's and a Racer Brown mechanical cam (have 'em, just need a few other parts and some time)
AAR hood (very probable, since the one on the car is junk)
2" primary headers/3" exhaust system (next year???)
Stroker motor (maybe down the road???)

So after reading all of this, you still want to know more?
Your questions or comments are welcomed.
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