70 B5 Blue car
 

The 70 Hemi Cuda I spoke about few months back is coming along good. Most people don’t have a clue how long it takes to restore a car.

That's a holy grail for sure. Congrats on the resto, and please feel free to post up more pics.

It’s not my car. A guy I know is doing the Resto on it.

Totally agree on the restoration time ! I know the 4 cars I’ve restored …take about 5 years each , one 7 !

actually, they are never really 'done'... best of luck with your car. love the colors.

B5 Blue Cuda outside in the sunlight
 

Mark’s still waiting on the motor n trans. The engine guy has had some health issues and a death in his family. Things not going good for him right now.
He’s had it running on an engine stand but still wants to do some final tuning before he sends it out. Mark says the owner is okay with the progress and understands the engine guys circumstances.
I think it’s going to be a pretty car when completed.

Well shoot!! Pics need flipping, help me out please Rob.

‘

Sorry to hear the other news but the car is sure lookin’ good!
:beers:
~ Pete

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Man that's a beautiful color combo!!!

Looks great

2 fender tags = a whole lotta options on that car. If those are still the original floor pans, they're a lot luckier than I was when I restored my former Hemi Challenger 40+ years ago. The car looks great!

Pans
 

The car had been Pro Streeted back in the 80’s so the pans were hacked on with tubs n roll cage. They decided to replace them front to back. Lot of work but Mark’s an old hand n knows how to do that stuff. He didn’t shoot the paint but prepped it. The guy that bought Mark’s shop painted it. Hasn’t been buffed yet and looks great right now.
He’s put a battery in it n checked all the electrical he can n things checked out good.
This delay has worked in my favor, Mark’s doing some fiberglass crack repair on my Stinger hood. I want to put the hood back on my car it’s very cool 😎 IMO. I’ll post some pics of his repair job later.

Awesome car !!! I would buff it asap as that stuff gets everywhere. ✌️

Mark said they’d take it back to the paint shop n buff it they’ve got a room for that messy job.

Floor pans in my old Challenger. Replacements did not exist in the early 1980s, so I had to buy a whole car and cut out a section of the drivers floor pan.

Looks great! I am aware of how long it takes to restore a car. I am at the 12 year mark on my 70 Z/28. It’s close, headed to the upholstery shop next week for the vinyl roof and headliner. Then I can put the side windows in, and finish the interior!
Buddy

Beautiful in B5 with white top! Reminds me of my brother's 1971 Superbee in B5 blue w/white top & blue interior he had in early 80's...
Yes, to do a resto right with original oem parts & NOS parts, takes a long time... Hoping to finish my L78 pace car in next year..(started in 2021)

Nice Hemi car. Automatic, sweet drag racer from the day.

B5 blue car Hemi on the engine stand
 

Mark showed me a short video of the B5 blue Hemi car engine on the stand running. Engine guy said he’s now ready to get it off the stand n paint it n get it to Mark. No definite date when that will take place.

That's going to be an awesome car when it done. True "Blue" chip.

B5 Blue update
 

I talked to Mark this morning at the cruise in and he updated me on the Cuda. Now get this, they’ve taken the car to the engine builder guys shop and he’s going to put the engine in the car. Come on it’s taken him 6 weeks just to paint the engine!
Mark says the owner is ago with everything. No telling when I’ll have the next update. Enclosed is a pic of couple engines this guy has done ( not the Cuda Hemi shown). Looks good.

Hemi in car
 

I hadn’t talked to Mark for awhile until today. The Hemi is in the car and he’s working on getting it ready to run. Needs a few parts but he didn’t say what.
I’m sure it will go pretty fast now. I know all the paint work is complete and he’s got all the interior stuff.
Love the B5 Blue n White combo, going to be a nice ride. I’ll keep posting as things progress.

Vinyl top
 

Just left Mark’s place got couple pics of the Cuda. He said he’s going to put the vinyl top on today. Installed drive shaft yesterday. Waiting on trans cooler to show up. Needs a Speedo cable and few engine compartment clips.
Weather has finally cooled down quite a bit so it better to work in his shop. He’ll get er done one of these days.

A
 

I saw these were flipped before I posted but couldn’t figure how to flip prior to posting. Hmmm 🤔

Few pics of the B5 blue Cuda
 

Mark sent me a few pics of the B5 blue 70 Cuda he’s doing. He says it’s getting close to be ready to turn over to the owner. IMO the white interior is cool 😎, different for sure.

OK, 70 Cuda experts, are the buttons on the lower portion of the rear seat 'correct'? Just looks unusual to me.

The rear seat cushion buttons look a bit large and are not pulled in tight enough. There should be more of a "pucker" in the vinyl around the buttons.

Here's an unrestored 1970 leather interior front and rear. (And only the front upper surfaces of the front seats were actually leather. Everything else was vinyl).

B5 blue 70 Hemi Cuda
 

Stopped by Mark’s place this morning to see the Cuda. He says he lacks the windshield, exhaust system and stripes on side and it’s finished.

so, we are looking at half a million-dollar or more car there when complete?

Not for a '70 automatic car, no. Would need to be a '71 to hope for that kind of coin, but she sure is a beauty.

----Wow,,,I like 70's much better than 71's. Am I in the minority? Oh, and this one is gorgeous!!!....Bill S

71' Cudas are often prized for their 4 headlights too.

Our own Diego Rosenberg..

Relative to statements in that video, the 340 was not a main stream use engine like the 383, and in 71 the 11:1 340 did not get lower compression like the 383 that year. I love the 340s as they also get that killer thermoquad carburator, 780cfm like the same on the L78 cars I got, which baffles me on how it works being somewhat oversized. In 71 they I believe made it even nastier with larger secondaries over a 70 340 carb.

Nothing beats a Hemi (getting an eBody was never in the cards for me, only the lucky few have those). Love the B5 blue thread here, as I am working on finishing up my 70 B5 340 4 spd convert. Wish I could steal parts of that gem (like the grill!!!)

Bob (340 and L78 nutt)