The Crusty Cuda: Whole lotta Shakin' (N96) Goin' on!

[njsteve]

Driving it would be nice! There is currently 20" of snow blocking the garage.

I do need to do something for a sound system. The AM is only 3 watts and wont really power 4 speakers above a whisper. I may get it converted to modern am/fm with an aux cable for the iphone but they are 16 weeks behind on jobs. So does anyone have any ideas for bluetooth contraptions that can feed existing speakers? I think they have these setups for boats. My son just bought a stand-alone bluetooth speaker that he plunks down on the console of his car and it works great. But that is kind of bulky and rather modern looking.

[RS_COPO_Canuck]

Originally Posted by njsteve

On a happier note, I got the tube-style bumper jack mechanism refinished in its original black and installed along with a reproduction short lug wrench. (The E-bodies used a much shorter lug wrench than the B-Body models). Of course I had at least two of the long B-Body handles in my tool box. I also refinished the jack base and special "2931101" hook for elastomeric bumpers, refinished in light grey paint.

Now I need to actually refinish one of the 14" Rally wheels to act as a spare. Anyone have a leftover old 14" bias ply they're not using? I'd rather not spend a whole lot of money on a single repro Polyglas if a reasonable facsimile is laying around somewhere. (It doesn't even have to hold air).

Steve - the spare should be a black steel rim - unless you want a rallye in there for looks.

The car looks fab!!! Great work - between you and ....that other guy

[RPOLS3]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Driving it would be nice! There is currently 20" of snow blocking the garage.

I do need to do something for a sound system. The AM is only 3 watts and wont really power 4 speakers above a whisper. I may get it converted to modern am/fm with an aux cable for the iphone but they are 16 weeks behind on jobs. So does anyone have any ideas for bluetooth contraptions that can feed existing speakers? I think they have these setups for boats. My son just bought a stand-alone bluetooth speaker that he plunks down on the console of his car and it works great. But that is kind of bulky and rather modern looking.

Not bluetooth - but these guys are usually at MCACN - no experience with this but thinking of getting one for the Chevelle.
https://redirad.com/collections/fm-p...cts/redirad-fm

[JRC99]

There's those Antique Automobile radio. I've been eyeballing them, but they're so damned expensive... and the reviews are mixed.

There really doesn't seem to be one specific place everybody swears by for the conversion route.

RetroSounds seem to work good but they just look cheap to me.

[Lynn]

I was looking at Retrosound for my 68 El Camino. I currently have no radio on there.

I don't like that the usb ports are on the back side of the radio. I don't want to have to lay on the floor to plug in a device. I realize I could permanently install extensions, but then I have look at them hanging down, unless I run them to the glove box. But then they aren't within easy reach if I am by myself.

I would be interested to see what else is out there. Would like the usb port(s) accessible from the front.

[sixt9rsx33]

Steve, I know you said you don't like the modern speakers, but I have found these little guys to sound great, and I pop one from car to car.

https://www.amazon.com/Bose-SoundLin...82317608&psc=1

[CTBob]

Originally Posted by RS_COPO_Canuck

Vendor issues on the Challenger hoods. There were bulletins every month saying they will be available "next month".....they finally starting shipping them in April. Unlike it being standard on a Hemi-Cuda....it was always an option on the Hemi Challengers.

Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday, so let’s make today SUPERCAR MONDAY! While there appears to be a bit of a lull in the action, ‘cause of the snow situation here in the Northeast, I thought it might be a good time for a bit more MoPar E-Body trivia.

So continuing on, & adding to, my Post #908 on p. 91 (re: ‘Cuda shakers), this is an addition to Jim’s above comment (#66 on p. 7), re Challenger shakers: Yes! …And, I wonder a bit about the WHY of those vendor issues, which I’ll explain. I’ve included a tri-fold dealer brochure from my collection, which was printed in January of 1970. It’s for the Dealer Sales Dept.. (I wish I had the comparable one for Plymouth, however, I’ve yet to locate it.) It includes the intro of Panther Pink (Moulin Rouge for Plymouth), and, Green-Go (Sassy Grass Green for Plymouth). (Those are actual big paint chips; not just printed colors!) (I should note that the fluorescent body striping was wild! I saw a beautiful Panther Pink Challenger R/T at MoPars @ Carlisle, circa 2000, which was featured in the display tent. If memory serves, the glowing fluorescent striping was bright orange & purple. It was amazing looking!)

Regarding the N-96 Shaker option (item #4), notice that it talks about 440-6 & Hemi, mentioning availability for 340/383-4/440-4 at a later date. Also, notice that it mentions the red “Air cleaner dome” for red cars. Even though the feature color of the ’70 ‘Cuda was red (therefore requiring the red shaker bubble), the feature color of the ’70 Challenger was Plum Crazy, so this would lead me to believe that it became a “corporate-E-body-across-the-board” kind of decision, so there would be less confusion at the factories.

Also, notice that the N-94 T/A hood (item #5) would soon be available for all of the aforementioned engines. I’m surmising, in part, that that was because of the Challenger shaker hood production “challenge.”

Which brings me to the question of “Why?,” re: the Challenger shaker hoods. During an impromptu & informal forum at MoPars at Englishtown (a.k.a. The MoPar Atlantic Nationals) one year, the Challenger shaker hood was the subject of that discussion among a number of serious E-body owners who were showing their cars (some of which had shakers). What I heard at that time, as well as saw when it was pointed out to us, was that it appeared that the Challenger shaker hood had, seemingly, insufficient, and/or ineffective crumple zones, when compared to that of the ‘Cuda’s. In a further comparison of the 2 cars, the Challenger has greater front end overhang, and, no header panel in front of the hood. What was said, was, when all of the above factors were combined, that the Challenger shaker hood (and, only the shaker hood), when in a front end collision at a particular impact angle & velocity, allegedly went through the windshield with a (you-guessed-it) potentially “undesirable” (to say the least) end result!

Also, for the 1971 model year ALL Challenger, and, ‘Cuda shaker bubbles were painted black Organisol (or, at least, that was what was “supposed” to be). Does anybody know of any exceptions on original/unrestored ’71 cars? Also, in 1970, was the possibility of a shaker bubble being painted Textured Argent or Black Organisol random?

As an addendum to the aforementioned paint color names (as well as other items), of the “Big 3,” GM seemed to be the most strict, corporate-policy-wise; Ford a semi-close second (the Boss 429 being an example; stellar engine though it was, it was under-carbed for the street because drivability was a notable consideration); and, Chrysler the least so. …And, although Chrysler was the most corporately lenient/progressive of them all, encouraging creativity & innovation, even they had their limits.

I would find it highly unlikely (read: impossible) that today the name “Green-Go” (say it fast) would fly. (This was the era of the Frito Bandito, which only lasted from 1967-1971, when heightened social consciousness led to the replacements Muncha Buncha & W.C. Fritos). …However, even then, certain other names would definitely not pass corporate scrutiny. When NJSteve, and, I attended the ’84 MoPar Nats. in Indy, some of the guys from Chrysler’s Engineering, and, Design Depts. were there. The forums were cool, and, following each, they’d hang around, and, “talk shop” for a bit. One of the design guys talked about names for colors which they’d talked about for fun, during the supercar era, which would never get past corporate. One was “Come-&-Get-Me-Copper.” (Does anyone remember the tv cartoon "The Dick Tracy Show” from the early 60s? (’Twas a show where stereotypical ethnic characters led to a quickly truncated showing of reruns in the early 80s.) “Come, and, get me copper!,” was often the refrain from the bad guys as the heroes gave chase!) However, even more offensive was the “other” name they had talked about for purple; not “Plum Crazy;” not “In-Violet,” but, wait for it…
…”Statutory Grape.”

…And, finally, may I draw your attention to brochure item #10: the “Custom-Grip” shifter. Yes! Our iconic “Pistol Grip” shifter was not only mentioned as this, but, in addition, I have earlier literature showing a photo of a prototype with white grips, with a different grip profile, and, what seems to be the original name: “Strip Grip!”

Ah, yes… The wild & wooly days of the supercar era…

[njsteve]

Very cool stuff. As for 71 shaker finishes, despite the black shaker dome edict, my old yellow 71 hemicuda ragtop came with an argent shaker. The previous owner I got it from back in 1986 indicated it was the original one to the car (and other photos of the same car from the 1970's show it with the same argent shaker).

Interesting to see that the info for the rear window louvers didn't mention having to have a vinyl top as mandatory. For some reason I thought it did require it but I guess not.

[CTBob]

Hey, Steve! Well a big “Doh!” from me on the not-thinkin’-about-“Exhibit-A” front! I vividly recall the day you brought the yellow ’71 hemicuda ragtop home, having braved/survived the snow/tortuous journey (replete with overturned tractor-trailers along the way); argent shaker bubble, and, all! (As a historical footnote, I, also, recall, your having told me how much you paid for it, and, me (incredulous), saying, “You paid (insert $ amount here) for a resto???!!!” Ahh… With the passage of time, and, in the proverbial cool light of reflection, what a bargain it seems like now! If only we could be so prescient about the future. Gotta polish up the crystal ball!)

…And, re: the backlight louvers, I, also, remember yer Rally Red 440+6 ‘Cuda with the set of ‘em on it -&- a black vinyl roof! ’Twas a super-sharp car! That brochure marked their introduction of availability. It mentions that they are N/A (not available) for ’70 on convertible, or SE, because the SE (and, Barracuda Gran Coupe) had the fiberglass rear window plug (à la the Daytona & Superbird) to accommodate the tiny back window, all of which was covered by the vinyl roof (like the Superbird). The plug changed the profile of the rear window to the extent that the louvers would not sit properly. Also, in all probability, they would be further obscuring an already even-more-limited view, as well as appearing aesthetically mismatched. I snapped a pic from the 1971 Dodge Data Book to see if there were any additional, or, different notes for the succeeding model year, and, it simply says “N/A Convertible,” ‘cause there wasn’t an SE model in the notably reduced ’71 Challenger lineup. (Fun fact! I acquired my ’71 Dodge Dealer Data -&- Color & Trim Manuals at the aforementioned ’84 MoPar Nats. They were from Grand Spaulding Dodge (as is my Charger). What’s so interesting (and, shouldn’t be too surprising) is that, though they are in excellent condition overall, the only pages which show any appreciable wear are the performance car sections, with Challenger, Scat Pack Cars, Charger, & Dart/Demon being the most looked at. Monaco/Polara, Coronet, & Station Wagons appear as if they’ve never been touched!)

[RS_COPO_Canuck]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Very cool stuff. As for 71 shaker finishes, despite the black shaker dome edict, my old yellow 71 hemicuda ragtop came with an argent shaker. The previous owner I got it from back in 1986 indicated it was the original one to the car (and other photos of the same car from the 1970's show it with the same argent shaker).

Interesting to see that the info for the rear window louvers didn't mention having to have a vinyl top as mandatory. For some reason I thought it did require it but I guess not.

Yes - Lots of original '71's with Argent Shakers.
I do know the rear window stainless was black on rear window louvred cars. It was on my 71 'Cuda