Hi, I'm new to the site and drag racing. I've been building up a 70 Cuda for the past 4 years. It had a 383, 727, 8 3/4" 391 posi. power train. I never took it to the track but it had a time slip of 12.91 in the glove box. The body and interior was in nice shape, a older restoration. I drove it for a couple of months and parked it for the winter. I started looking at some things to do to it over the winter to make it a little faster. I had a forged 440 crank and 452 heads I thought I'd put them into the 383 but because the engine was fresh I decided to just build a new engine. The build sort of took on a life of it's own...... It started when I came across a Keith Black 4.25" billet crank, unturned and in perfect shape for $900. This is what I ended up building.

Indy 440-1 heads CNC ported, 2.25 intake valves, T&D 1.7 rockers
BME pistons, R&R ally rods, 4.25 KB billet crank, Childs&Albert gapless rings
Rollmaster timing chain, Straight line solid roller cam .731 lift, Smith Bros pushrods, Comp Cams offset lifters.
Ally main caps with girdle, partial block fill, bushed lifter bores.
Indy reverse flow plate, elephant ears, electric fuel pump, Indy timing cover, Romac damper.
MSD 7al ignition, 1050 dominator.

So I now I had to build a tranny. I couldn't see any sense in taking apart a perfectly good tranny so I started with a empty case and went from there.
Hardened input shaft, Sportsman 5 pinion planetaries, Billet steel front drum and ally rear drum, A&A trans brake, deep pan with bottom sucker swinging pickup, CSR carbon fiber shield and a bunch of other stuff.

Of course the 8 3/4 rearend wasn't going to do the job so....
9 inch fabricated rearend, Strange 1906 3rd member, 1350 Moser chrome moly yoke, Richmond Pro 411 gears, Moser Super duty spool, Mark Williams 35 spline axles, Wilwood 12.19" disc brakes.

I've got the motor in and I'm in the proccess of putting in the rearend and suspension (caltracs and monoleaf springs with relocation boxes) Here's a link to pitures of most of the stuff.
http://s229.photobucket.com/albums/ee181/Toad490/

If ther's intrest in it I'll start a thread on the build and show my progress over the winter. I work in the oilfields up near the Yukon/British Columbia border so my posts may be off and on. But it's sloooow right now so it might go along pretty well, as long as the money holds out at least!

 

Hello from Wisconsin and a fellow drag racer. Sound's like a great project. Do you have any pictures from the track. What track do you run at? Sorry for all the questions but I enjoy the Drag Racing !!! Hope to hear back from you. Your job sounds like a cold one. Were just getting to the cooler temps here but as I age I find I dislike to cold .Not to mention the coal and wood is still hard work when your staying warm. LOL

OutlawCuda from the U.S.A.

 

sounds like an awsome build

 

welcome to the forum.....a great project, post your progress

 

Thanks Guys, Outlaw, I haven't taken it to the track, when I parked it I thought it would be just for the winter but it's been 4 years now. Your right it does get cold up there but the equipment now is pretty nice your only out in it at the end of the shift while greasing and fueling up. The trouble is getting time to work on the car we work 12 to 16 hours a day 7 days a week, usally I stay in for 45 to 60 days and come out for 10 days of laying on the sofa. This winter won't be that busy so I should have time to get everything done. I didn't start taking it apart untill I had most of my parts togeter and the motor and tranny completed. I didn't want to have the car in pieces in case something happened and my plans had to change, I'm 55 so s.... can happen.

 

welcome from Wisconsin (same place as outlawcuda)
sounds like a fun project, Lets see some pics

 

man what a monster, cant wait to see it. welcome to the show.

 

Hopfully this is a piture of my engine. I'm trying to figure this out.

 

Looking Good ! Wish it was going in my Cuda

 

looks mean

 

The car

 

nice, I like the AAR stripe

 

nice

 

Thanks Guys, purests are probably woofin' their cookies, BMW red, six pack hood, Go Wing, louvers and AAR stripes, but I like it.

 

I think the cars awsome. To me you took the best of all the options and put a very nice pkg. togethere. and your driving it, versus, theirs is siting in the garage. and the motors gorgeous.

 

Welcome and your Cuda just warms my heart!!!! Have fun at the track.... That is what its all about!!!!!!

 

Aw hell looks great and the purists will get over it .. car looks AWSOME!!! Just keep us updated as you progress....