Build Thread: HMC Plymouth Cuda

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If there is one thing this website lacks, its build threads. People love build threads! They love watching a car being transformed from a road car into a race car, or being restored from a rusty hulk into something beautiful and shiny once more. Given how many members here have built their own race cars, there really haven't been enough build threads on this site. So I'm going to start one myself, in the hope it'll inspire a few of you who've done this yourselves to create build threads of your own cars.

Anyway, one of the new and rapidly growing classes in New Zealand historic racing is the Historic Muscle Cars category for period correct, pre-1977 big-bore racing sedans. HMC was started in 2011, and following its first event at the New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing in January 2012, has seen rapid growth.

One of the most recent builds to get the green light for HMC is this Plymouth Cuda, being built for Andrew Sinclair. Most of the work is being done by Mike 'Bic' Anderson at Sonic Race & Machine (Sonic is a Roaring Season sponsor also). It'll be built as a lookalike AAR Cuda, as run in the SCCA Trans-Am Championship in 1970, by Dan Gurney's All American Racers team, and driven by both Dan himself, and his young protege, Swede Savage. The big difference, however, will be under the hood. Andrew's Cuda will be running a big block Hemi! In fact, one of the original AAR Cuda's from the Trans-Am series made its way to France in 1971, and was itself fitted with a Hemi, so there is a really cool connection here.

Anyway, I'll kick off by posting a couple of photos of the Cuda as it arrived in New Zealand a few months ago.

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I'll update this thread regularly as this car takes shape.

Thats a mean looking machine, love it
Roger

Wicked. A car that's a bit different too.

That is really going to add more flavour to an already great field of cars......

certainly like the idea of a different looking car racing. Gordon Spice ran a hemi cuda in saloon car racig in the UK for a while. Car tended to understeer off at corners due to the weight of the big engine up front. Good luck with the build, I shall watch with interest

Here is the first update from Bic at Sonic, explaining the early work done on the car. At the time of writing, its at the panel beaters getting some panel work done, before it returns to Sonic again. This is actually the second Cuda the team bought, with the sale of the first car falling through:

"The first Cuda we bought, the dick with-drew it from Ebay without a reason! The second one, this one, was in Illinois, a snow state, hence the rust.

"We stripped the car out, got it soda blasted, seam-weld the whole thing, removed some unnecessary bracketry, filled all the unused holes and repaired some dodgy previous structural repairs. Add a few little braces here and there as they, as a factory car, are very flimsily stuck together. I think the core design/layout of the car/chassis is good, it just needs a bit of help structurally and suspension geometry-wise. We’re running the monster Dana 60 diff that all the stick Hemis had in them, a 120L fuel tank as the Sinclairs may do the odd enduro for a bit of fun.

"I doubt the car will ever win a race (unless Dale rigs it for us!) due to its front weight %, but it will be a nice tidy, COOL, easy to service/tune car that will smoke the bags at will".

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More from Bic: "Just to be clear, Keith Sinclair, Andrews dad, is the owner. He has been wanting a “TOY” for a few years now and decided at the HMC meetings (at the 2013 New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing) in January that he wanted a HMC type car. Andrew planted the Hemi Cuda seed and it went from there.

"Keith is a great guy and is like a kid in a candy store when he comes down to look over the car or open newly arrived parts box’s. Andrew – #2 car fan, (it goes Keith #1, Andrew #2, me 3, Mandy 4 -----------) makes sure I’m not running rampant, checks over invoices and helps Keith with car decisions etc. Keith will be the main driver but will share the driving duties as he pleases".

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I take it that Keith & Andrew Sinclair are the former powerboat racers?

Yes thats right Shane.

We welcome Keith into HMC(and you Andrew) this car will be one great addition to the field.

Heres a few engine bays pics form the real thing, the Craig Jackson ex Gurney Trans Am Cuda

Fantastic news - this will really boost the class with more variety on show. It will look fantastic when it is complete and who the hell cares if it doesn't win races - just to see it there will be the icing on the cake.

Tight fit, those headers - it'll take some skill to get them right (another whole post brewing about how it was done....)

By the way, the 15" diameter Minilite wheels will be 10" wide at each corner, 2" up on the AAR Trans-Am cars.

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Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

By the way, the 15" diameter Minilite wheels will be 10" wide at each corner, 2" up on the AAR Trans-Am cars.

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The 15X10 wheels with the HMC spec Hoosier or Blue Streak will make this one TUFF looking Cuda. My recent viewing for the Moffat Mustang at Bowdens looked really good with its 15X10's alround!! way to go.

That's a great look, 10's look excellent on the front :)

Dale these people are good buggers, but be aware of your chilly bin. Looking forward to catching up with them again been a while between drinks.
If they go as hard in this as they did in the boats, will be good watching.

Andrew and Mandy have been running muscle cars for awhile and go good.

Don't worry if its like old time, The old boy will flex his muscle as well.

Can't wait to see this beast in the roar.

You're right there Rod, been racing many times with the Sinclairs/Urquharts. Plenty of stamina is required!

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Originally Posted by Kiwiboss

The 15X10 wheels with the HMC spec Hoosier or Blue Streak will make this one TUFF looking Cuda. My recent viewing for the Moffat Mustang at Bowdens looked really good with its 15X10's alround!! way to go.

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I had to ask Dan Bowden about the Moffat Mustang recently, as I couldn't figure out why it no longer had the wide front flares it wore in period when it went from 8" wide wheels in 1969 to 10" from 1970 onwards. Turns out it currently has 8" wide wheels in the front, and 10s in the back. Looks nice!

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Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

You're right there Rod, been racing many times with the Sinclairs/Urquharts. Plenty of stamina is required!

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Spent an evening with Mr Urquhart and boys from Topaz a few weeks back after boat race up here, not much changes.

Hey Guys, if you need a set of 426 Hemi heads I do have a spare set for my 73 Cuda and I may be persuaded to sell one of my 3 white stripe Hemi 833 boxes that I was intending to run in Production Muscle cars. Your project looks good so far and it will be great to have some "Chrysler clowns" as the yanks say, out there.

Fantastic offer George. That's what makes historic motorsport so enjoyable for all.

Can't wait to see this car take to the track! What's the intended 1st race meeting?

There was mention it may not be competitive due to front end weight etc. As a fan that's just fine. Smoking the rear bags to correct some understeer is what we all want to see anyway. It will certainly have some attitude with the Hemi and fat feet.

Now who's up to build a lime green challenger to complete the set??

Cheers
Kyle

Kyle, agreed! Winning races isn't what this car is about. Its about entertainment, both for the driver and the punters. Its hoped the car will be ready to race at the new Cromwell track in late January. I believe Andrew Sinclair (Keith's son) will race it at this event, which is a non-Historic Muscle Cars event. Keith will race it in HMC events.

Latest update, with the Cuda having undergone its sheet metal work, with rust removal and fitment of new replacement rear quarters and front guards (fenders). This is from Bic, at Sonic: "Moselle’s (Moselle Panel And Paint) did a few small rust repairs to existing panels and repaired the Left-hand sill where it had seen some earlier 'action'. The next steps are: fit the engine and transmission, and mod the tunnel as required for the shifter and servicing there-of, gas and oil tank mounts, the battery and fuel system stuff in the boot, seat mounts/belt anchorages and get the cage started".

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The car is already built but for Central Muscle cars and is sitting in John Windelburns (poppa smurf) workshop getting finished off. It has been sitting there for two years though. Certainly looks good.Here are some photos of the real car at a vitage race meet I went to at Sears point in May this year.Attachment 20777Attachment 20778Attachment 20779

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Originally Posted by STG69

Can't wait to see this car take to the track! What's the intended 1st race meeting?

There was mention it may not be competitive due to front end weight etc. As a fan that's just fine. Smoking the rear bags to correct some understeer is what we all want to see anyway. It will certainly have some attitude with the Hemi and fat feet.

Now who's up to build a lime green challenger to complete the set??



Cheers
Kyle

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Hey George,

Thanks for the info. I figured someone must have built a tribute car. Just a pity it's not racing. Would be great to see it in with the Cuda running HMC. More importantly though just racing!
I've followed your thread on the new class. Fantastic to see! I hope the guys with some of the cars you'd like to see on the grid find the same level of motivation you have. Well done!

Cheers
Kyle

Do you think we might be able to twist his arm to get it finished sooner rather than later. That car would be a great addition to any V8 field in NZ.

I saw this a few months ago, probably still looks the same as when George saw it . I dont think arm twisting will get it there.
When the owner is ready...........

Like George said, the NZ Challenger was being built for Central Muscle Cars, not Historic Muscle Cars. Its owner bought the '65 Mustang off Richard Gatward a few years ago and has been racing that from time to time. Unless the build has had a change of direction in recent years, it won't fit HMC regs, as it has 17" wheels, big brakes, and a Nascar motor.

I believe though there is one being built in Queensland for the Australian Trans-Am series. Hopefully that'll be an Autodynamics tribute car.

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Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

Like George said, the NZ Challenger was being built for Central Muscle Cars, not Historic Muscle Cars. Its owner bought the '65 Mustang off Richard Gatward a few years ago and has been racing that from time to time. Unless the build has had a change of direction in recent years, it won't fit HMC regs, as it has 17" wheels, big brakes, and a Nascar motor.

I believe though there is one being built in Queensland for the Australian Trans-Am series. Hopefully that'll be an Autodynamics tribute car.

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There`s actually two being built in Queensland Steve, one on either side of the fence!

Thanks Steve, will either be Autodynamics replicas?

Without giving too much away Steve, I believe so.....

Thanks Steve, that is awesome! Autodynamics actually ran two Challengers in the 1970 Trans-Am, late in the season when Chrysler were beginning to put the pressure on them to win a race in order to keep the funding going for 1971. So technically, both the ATA Challengers could be Autodynamics replicas.

Couple more update photos. She's really starting to take shape now!

Info from Bic: "I can start some serious construction now, motor and gearbox mounted, Dana 60 width defined and under construction, floor to shifter clearance etc".

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Great to see this build on the website.

Is the car still on track for its debut later this year ?

Some neat before and after pics of the fabrication work Bic has done on the rear transmission and diff tunnel to clear the monstrous Dana 60 diff. He has done a great job of making it look factory. You need to study the before and after pics to pick it up, otherwise you'd probably never know.

Before:

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OK, lots of good stuff happening here, Bic has been busy as you can see. Rollcage has been constructed, drivers seat fitment all done, battery box and dry-sump tank fitment all done. Looking good!

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I went to do an inspection on it Sunday and got locked out!! security gates an all, LOL

Heard that the Warkworth boat builders had been around and that Automated foils have been fitted so I have a couple of drones flying over head, watch this space for more to come!!!

Dale M(LOL, LOL)

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Originally Posted by Kiwiboss

I went to do an inspection on it Sunday and got locked out!! security gates an all, LOL

Heard that the Warkworth boat builders had been around and that Automated foils have been fitted so I have a couple of drones flying over head, watch this space for more to come!!!

Dale M(LOL, LOL)

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Dale, a chilly bin is a good starter with those boys, they weaken.

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Originally Posted by Rod Grimwood

Dale, a chilly bin is a good starter with those boys, they weaken.

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Must remember that when it comes to race day Rod!! i got the feeling you know them WELL!!!!

Dale M