Help with my dad's 72 Cuda

[Daddys72Cuda]

Hello! My father recently passed away and I need help with his 72 Cuda project. He has been working on this car for many years, trying to get it to a track for just one spin. Unfortunately, he passed before he could finish. I have alot of photos of the car in various stages, posted below and would like to know if anyone can help me with the value of it and/or the parts he has. He has 3 engines: 383, 400, and a 440. Please let me know if you have any questions- I will try to answer but I'm no expert.

Thanks!
Joni

****I will have to post the other pics in a separate post

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

And more photos

 

[Juan Veldez]

Great looking hot rod. I was almost this far on a 72 Nova with a blown 400ci small block, glide, and narrowed 12 bolt spooled rear (would have broke) in an Alston full round tube chassis. I sold it for pennies on the dollar to buy a 7 second drag bike. SO much cheaper to go stupid quick and fast. You will never get the money out of it with the time and money invested unfortunately. You probably already know that. Make a trip to the local drag strip and to local hot rod shops and put a best reasonable offer on it. As long as your not in a hurry, wait it out for what you can live with. Sorry about your Dad, he was creating an awesome drag car.

 

[Challenger RTA]

I'm petty much with Jaun Veldez. I would keep what is need to assemble it if you choose to sale as one package. Sell off whats left as a 2nd package. 3rd opinion after you sort the two opinions then there is the 3rd combined the 2 for 1 sale. The hardest part is figuring what you have. After you see what you have then go from there.

 

[Xcudame]

Very sorry to hear about your dad! Looks like the mock up was done with the 400 block. I would assemble the car with that engine stroked out to either a 3.75 crank, 3.91 crank or 4.25 crank (see 440Source.com for stroker kits). Seriously, a car is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but a running race car of this caliber should be North of $40K. Good luck and keep asking questions. The folks here are great and will help the best they can.

 

[Mopar Nut]

Welcome aboard Joni, sorry to hear about your dad‘s passing.

 

[6PKRTSE]

Sorry to read about the loss of your Dad. Looks like a nice project. What are your plans for it, strictly a race car, Pro Street or street and strip?

 

[moparleo]

He must have been working with other people on this project. I would contact them for more info on value and where to sell it.

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

He must have been working with other people on this project. I would contact them for more info on value and where to sell it.

Actually, he did most all of it himself. He was a welder by trade and knew everything about cars. He was my personal mechanic and traveled all over the country ( I was in the Navy) just to come change my oil or brakes! I guess that shows how much I know about working on cars! lol

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

Sorry to read about the loss of your Dad. Looks like a nice project. What are your plans for it, strictly a race car, Pro Street or street and strip?

Being that I know NOTHING about cars past putting gas in it, I will be selling it. I wish I could get it running, just for him but I wouldn't even know where to start!

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

Very sorry to hear about your dad! Looks like the mock up was done with the 400 block. I would assemble the car with that engine stroked out to either a 3.75 crank, 3.91 crank or 4.25 crank (see 440Source.com for stroker kits). Seriously, a car is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but a running race car of this caliber should be North of $40K. Good luck and keep asking questions. The folks here are great and will help the best they can.

Step 1- look up "crank"! lol I know nothing about cars or else I would love to finish this just for him. Only reason I am wanting to sell it off.

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

I'm petty much with Jaun Veldez. I would keep what is need to assemble it if you choose to sale as one package. Sell off whats left as a 2nd package. 3rd opinion after you sort the two opinions then there is the 3rd combined the 2 for 1 sale. The hardest part is figuring what you have. After you see what you have then go from there.

Thanks for the advice! This is exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

Great looking hot rod. I was almost this far on a 72 Nova with a blown 400ci small block, glide, and narrowed 12 bolt spooled rear (would have broke) in an Alston full round tube chassis. I sold it for pennies on the dollar to buy a 7 second drag bike. SO much cheaper to go stupid quick and fast. You will never get the money out of it with the time and money invested unfortunately. You probably already know that. Make a trip to the local drag strip and to local hot rod shops and put a best reasonable offer on it. As long as your not in a hurry, wait it out for what you can live with. Sorry about your Dad, he was creating an awesome drag car.

Thank you Juan. Yes I know we won't get much for it and I hate to even sell it but I know nothing about cars- other than putting gas in it! The car is in Kentucky and I live in Colorado now so I'm not sure if i should haul it out here or leave it where its at- I think there are more people interested in these cars in KY but I thought I would start here to see if I could get some advice from the experts and maybe some help with the value of these items.

 

[Katfish]

Best bet is probably list it on Bring a Trailer, low fees and a lot of eyes.
It might bring $10-20k

https://bringatrailer.com/

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

Best bet is probably list it on Bring a Trailer, low fees and a lot of eyes.
It might bring $10-20k

https://bringatrailer.com/

Thank you!

 

[Xcudame]

OK, you know next to nothing about cars and want to sale it. Could you post photos of the rear axle set up? Trying to determine the value of the chassis. With a narrowed dana 60 and four link suspension, I'd guess $10-15k for the chassis.

383 engine that needs rebuilt is worth about $400 maximum. 400 short block about $500. 440 with cast crank maybe $500 or $600. Indy heads and intake, I'd guess about $3,000 to $3500 if they're new and never been run. Indy heads could be more if they are Max Wedge ports or CNC ported. I've attached Indy's cylinder head price sheet as a pdf. See if you dad had receipts for what he ordered cylinder head wise.

Others, please chime in on prices of what everything might be worth. I could be way off on my estimates, but I think I'm in the ballpark.

 

[1972 AAR Cuda]

Sorry to here about your dad - looks like he would have fit in here - a Love for these cars is all we ask...
My recommendation would be to find someone you (or your dad) trust to look at what you have, then determine a value. If you have time you can sometimes do better selling pieces, but selling as a package is easier (and not likely to get much of the investment back...)

 

[Righty Tighty]

@Daddys72Cuda I'm sorry to hear of your father's passing. You're taking the right steps to be a good steward of his possessions.

Glad you took the advice on FABO to come over here, while there's not quite as much traffic here on FEBO, the members here really know their stuff and will do what they can to point you in the right direction.

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

OK, you know next to nothing about cars and want to sale it. Could you post photos of the rear axle set up? Trying to determine the value of the chassis. With a narrowed dana 60 and four link suspension, I'd guess $10-15k for the chassis.

383 engine that needs rebuilt is worth about $400 maximum. 400 short block about $500. 440 with cast crank maybe $500 or $600. Indy heads and intake, I'd guess about $3,000 to $3500 if they're new and never been run. Indy heads could be more if they are Max Wedge ports or CNC ported. I've attached Indy's cylinder head price sheet as a pdf. See if you dad had receipts for what he ordered cylinder head wise.

Others, please chime in on prices of what everything might be worth. I could be way off on my estimates, but I think I'm in the ballpark.

Thank you so much for all that information! That's exactly what I'm looking for. I will have to see if I have a picture of the rear axle set up. I know my dad has a binder with everything that he's done to the Cuda including the receipts so I will have to go through that to get an idea of prices but your input really helps me.

 

[Daddys72Cuda]

@Daddys72Cuda I'm sorry to hear of your father's passing. You're taking the right steps to be a good steward of his possessions.

Glad you took the advice on FABO to come over here, while there's not quite as much traffic here on FEBO, the members here really know their stuff and will do what they can to point you in the right direction.

Thank you. I really wish I could get it running- just for him but I wouldn't even know where to start!