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The Bigfoot Cuda Project, 1971 340 Cuda

Matt L.

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I'm calling this the Bigfoot Cuda Project. FYI, my dad made the Bigfoot film with Bob Gimlin and Roger Patterson while he was working with the CIA (no joke). Hence, this is called the Bigfoot Cuda Project. If you want to more about his time with the CIA, including his role in the DB Cooper hijacking, HMU.

While tearing apart the Cuda, I have learned a few things and have a lot more to learn. This is like a mystery that I'm trying to solve, kinda like the DB Cooper hijacking that was an inside job run out of the Nixon White House by the "Plumbers."

Today, while taking out the speakers to get them restored, I ran into this....>>>>>FORD speakers.

As you can see, the front speaker appears to be correct, however, the Ford speakers are obviously not. WHY!!!!!?????

Anyway, I have what appears to be the original radio. What I don't know is if there were two front speakers. The code on the Bigfoot Cuda has the R35 radio, so did all of these come with front speakers and back speakers? There is the control box and speaker knob. This had a dash cap on the dash from a previous restoration that was cracked and I purchased a new one. Here are a few photos from the above discussion, including some photos of the old man from a friendly CIA agent that was sent to him though a group of black powder shooters letting him know he was still under the radar of the Clowns in America.

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Challenger RTA

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Not meaning to step on your big toe. R35 is for the AM FM radio with a 3 speaker dash. There would a different code (R31-R32)for the rear speakers. Some one added them.
 
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Matt L.

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that does kinda look like bigfoot, the question is what does the car look like, :poke:
Here's a pic of the old man in his black powder regalia. He went by the moniker Bigfoot while in the black powder club....fitting, given his role as Bigfoot in the Gimlin/Patterson film in 1967.

The wheels have been swapped out with some 15 inch rallye wheels since this pic. It's kinda torn apart in my garage RN, but will be updating pics as I go along.

The Cuda was originally GF7 Green, but in the mid 90's it was redone in the red. Thought I'd keep it red since it was already done in red.

It's a "numbers matching" Cuda from what I can tell. The only thing is, the transmission stamp is date coded January 22, 1971 and the car was built in 1971, but the VIN number isn't stamped on the block. IDK if it was an oversight when the car was manufactured or if this is a "forgery." It would have been difficult to forge it back in the 90's with a properly date coded transmission, as someone would have had to have enough knowledge about the date codes back then (before the info that's proliferated on the internet) and one would have to wonder why someone would go to this much trouble to forge a transmission in a 71 Cuda with a 340 rather than a 71 Cuda with a Hemi.

I bought it in 2013 in Colorado form someone selling from a car collector that had passed away (the guy was selling it for the widow) and had multiple cars. This was just one of the cars in his stable.

As you can see, the transmission VIN plate looks to be factory original without the VIN number stamped on it.

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don selleck

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As far as the engine vin it could be a 67 they didn't start stamping vin #s on blocks starting in 1968, or maybe a warranty, not sure how those are marked but thought they were from reading some posts on here. there should be a block number for the forging of it on the side, and vin above the oil pan lip. this is my non matching block era correct (as they say :lol:)

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Challenger RTA

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It sometimes hard to believe there are elusive thinks ( I meant to type things but second though when I went to edit it. 🤔 ) out there like the CUDA in that condition. One never knows!
 
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Matt L.

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As far as the engine vin it could be a 67 they didn't start stamping vin #s on blocks starting in 1968, or maybe a warranty, not sure how those are marked but thought they were from reading some posts on here. there should be a block number for the forging of it on the side, and vin above the oil pan lip. this is my non matching block era correct (as they say :lol:)

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The block is #'s matching. The tranny (no pun intended) is the question. It is the first tranny of January 22, 1971 though. Someone had to have the first tranny :).
 

Matt L.

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great story, looks like one hell of a man. and a sweet car :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
The get-away Car in the DB Cooper hijacking was the blue Ford Station Wagon. Right after the caper he used his share of the loot to buy a 1972 Ford Country Squire SW, fully loaded w the 460. I really have to question his choice of get-away vehicles though!

The pic with E. Howard Hunt with the sunglasses was at the Watergate hearing. He was sending a message. The photo of DB Cooper on the left was right after the hijacking and the one on the right was a "reproduction" right after the Watergate burglars were arrested.

Jack Caulfield also testifed at the WG hearing as to where he was specifically on November 24, 1971, meeting with Attorney General John Mitchell with White House Chief Counsel, Howard Dean. He met G. Gordon Liddy in the lobby as he was leaving. The Nixon "Plumbers" were all in on the hijacking along with Najeeb Halaby, Henry Kissinger, and many others. G. Gordon Liddy was at our house in Glenwood, Washington around the time of the hijacking. He told me he was an astronaut....go figure! Guess it's better than being a "Plumber."

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Mr Cuda

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I've been to Glenwood. DB could have lived his whole life there, post hijack, and no one would have found him.
Both those Ford wagons are Country Sedans. You need wood to get a Country Squire.
I have the top picture wagon in blue, still.
 

Matt L.

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great story, looks like one hell of a man. and a sweet car :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I've been to Glenwood. DB could have lived his whole life there, post hijack, and no one would have found him.
Both those Ford wagons are Country Sedans. You need wood to get a Country Squire.
I have the top picture wagon in blue, still.
Oh, I didn't know the wood panel signified the Country Squire. Thanks.

Dad hid out on Indian Reservations from the 60s till the late 70s when we moved to Eastern Oregon. The "Rez" is sovereign land. He also bought a piece of property on the Washougal River with a portion of the loot.
 

Matt L.

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I had to take care of the rust and clean up the interior. This is how it started.

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Matt L.

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I'm calling this the Bigfoot Cuda Project. FYI, my dad made the Bigfoot film with Bob Gimlin and Roger Patterson while he was working with the CIA (no joke). Hence, this is called the Bigfoot Cuda Project. If you want to more about his time with the CIA, including his role in the DB Cooper hijacking, HMU.

While tearing apart the Cuda, I have learned a few things and have a lot more to learn. This is like a mystery that I'm trying to solve, kinda like the DB Cooper hijacking that was an inside job run out of the Nixon White House by the "Plumbers."

Today, while taking out the speakers to get them restored, I ran into this....>>>>>FORD speakers.

As you can see, the front speaker appears to be correct, however, the Ford speakers are obviously not. WHY!!!!!?????

Anyway, I have what appears to be the original radio. What I don't know is if there were two front speakers. The code on the Bigfoot Cuda has the R35 radio, so did all of these come with front speakers and back speakers? There is the control box and speaker knob. This had a dash cap on the dash from a previous restoration that was cracked and I purchased a new one. Here are a few photos from the above discussion, including some photos of the old man from a friendly CIA agent that was sent to him though a group of black powder shooters letting him know he was still under the radar of the Clowns in America.

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Does your cuda retain it's build sheet?
More information on that.

What is your SPD? Is it after 211?
There was no build sheet and I'm still waiting approval to get on the other site to find the SPD.
 

Matt L.

Active Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
7
I'm calling this the Bigfoot Cuda Project. FYI, my dad made the Bigfoot film with Bob Gimlin and Roger Patterson while he was working with the CIA (no joke). Hence, this is called the Bigfoot Cuda Project. If you want to more about his time with the CIA, including his role in the DB Cooper hijacking, HMU.

While tearing apart the Cuda, I have learned a few things and have a lot more to learn. This is like a mystery that I'm trying to solve, kinda like the DB Cooper hijacking that was an inside job run out of the Nixon White House by the "Plumbers."

Today, while taking out the speakers to get them restored, I ran into this....>>>>>FORD speakers.

As you can see, the front speaker appears to be correct, however, the Ford speakers are obviously not. WHY!!!!!?????

Anyway, I have what appears to be the original radio. What I don't know is if there were two front speakers. The code on the Bigfoot Cuda has the R35 radio, so did all of these come with front speakers and back speakers? There is the control box and speaker knob. This had a dash cap on the dash from a previous restoration that was cracked and I purchased a new one. Here are a few photos from the above discussion, including some photos of the old man from a friendly CIA agent that was sent to him though a group of black powder shooters letting him know he was still under the radar of the Clowns in America.

View attachment 129358

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View attachment 129361

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View attachment 129364

I am curious what site you speak of that you can get the SPD from your car?
E-Bodies

I was given advice to contact @6bblgt to help on the SPD. Min is 02/09/71, but trying to confirm.
 
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