Old, Old timers. When you where Bad, what did yours look like?

[cudaken]

 Saw a posting about custom exhaust and started me day dreaming about when I was young and dumb. I was racing at the track, but also was cruzing as well. Pic are from around say 1985-86 range and explains the funky I got tired of them quick strips on the Runner. Back then I was bad and packing, 426 Maxie under the hood, solid cam Racer Brown, 4000 stall, Maxie style exhaust, dumps, 2.5" pipes(remeber 1985 and no Flow Baster's, no 3" or X-pipes) Hemi mufflers(NOS then) 4'10's or 4.38's.

I was cruzing Madison Ave in Indpls at the time and not many wanted to F with me. If you look you will see a Z-eater decal just real of the door and Chevy doors on the quater windows. (from the old DC program).

When I first started cruzing the Runner I got many jers, fingers and and laughs when they saw the decales. But the smart ones started to look. First I could see them cock there heads and listen to the cam, Runner was quite, (well sort of), sat level, then they saw the dumps under the door's. Then they final saw the chrome plated Hooker super comps header's hanging under the Maxie. Then they knew I was packing something. Not sure what but something nasty.

Ran some idot, well F with him in a 69 396 Nova, I was short shifting at 4500 Rpms. I was feeling kind and let him get a head to the next light. Few weeks later he stumpled into my body shop with is crusty Nova and the Runner was sitting out side in the lot. He wanted to give me his first born to save his Nova or a lot of cash . Anyway, he saw the Runner and said " I beat that Runner a few weeks ago, who owens it"? I never let on and said I heard it pretty quick. He stated "get gave me a good run, but I beat it"! Ask him would you like to see the engnie? Open the hood and and his eyes all most fell out when he saw the cross ram intake. Then I said " I did not know we where racing"? He just looked at me like a Deer caught in headlight's (Nic, I stole that from you) and said "it's your car"?

Never saw him or the Nova again.

                                        Cuda Ken

[TruckDriver]

Just me, but I actaully like that paint job!

[73ChargerSE]

  I LOVE IT!

[cudaken]

 I loved it for a year or so as well. Used what I had left over and in stock. I did it on a Thanksgiving weekend and took all 3 days to do. A round 40 hours in all. Wife was a little more for giving then, waite, we where not married then.

Yep, the good old day's. She use to do something then she won't now and take it from there

                             Cuda Ken

[hydroforce]

I like that car......

[cudaken]

 I will add, I still have the Runner. In stock Frost blue again like she should be. Mon and Dad bought he new when I was 12.

Here is copy and paste from a E-mail I sent about my Runner and me. Sort of off the subject but still tha same.


When I first got into cars my step dad was far from being supportive be a racer him self. Seems dad was not that good of a driver, had 2 steel plates in his head from rolling a supercharger 57 Thunderbird, think it was called a F-brid. In fact, dad was so determined to keep me from being a Rodder my first car was a 1963 VW.

There was a book about VW's that was called "How to keep your VW a live, step by step procedures for a complete idiot." It was full of funny cartoons, fun to read and taught me a lot of the basic's of working on car's. At 16 I knew the metric system better than I do US now. In fact, thanks to it I have my 68 Road Runner now in a round about way.

Dad swore I would never get the 68 Road Runner, had in fact picked out a friend to sell her to when him and Mon where done with it. Mean time I was reading and learning about VW's. Man you would not believe what you can do with them, I do, I did it. Best part, you can pick up the engine by your self! :-)

67 VW Block
Empi Roller Bearing 82 MM stroker crank
92 MM Barrels and pistons
302 Z-28 Rods
Dual port heads with 40 MM intake and 39 MM exhaust valves, ported.
Dual Webber 40 IDA down draft carb's
Bosh Magneto
Brut Headers
Fits racing clutch
Webber lighten flywheel
Close ratio 3rd 4th gears.

Fucker was fast, if I had to guess I say a solid 14.0 to 13.5 car. I was beating the shit out of GTO's. Use to carry blocks to keep the front tires on the ground, could still pull the wheels with no effort. (That how I got the Runner)

VW was up at the dealership getting the front end rebuilt again. :-) I was at school and dad was on vacation and the dealership called. So off goes Dad to pick the car up for me, good old dad. Dad paid the bill and hopped into it. Parking lot was sort of a L shape with the shop to the right. My car was in the last spot right by the drive, there was an interstate like guard rail in front of the Bug. Dad fires it up and all the tech run out to watch. They knew the sound of the bug and I normally lite them up pretty good when I left. Dad back's the car out at a 45 degree angel, I was told idle he had the around 1800 RPM's. Ever drive a Bug? Peddles are small, clutch was real stiff! Dads foot slipped off, front in went up and car went straight in to the guard rail and hung there. Car was rocking side to side. Dad climed out, wanted up to the sevies writter and sold my Bug for $500.00 on the spot.

I got home from schools and Dad was waiting for me, before I could say Hi Dad. He said "before you say a fucking word, I sold that fucking death trap you call a car and selling you the fucking Road Runner"! Well, there was $2000.00 in the bug engine (1973) but I loved the Runner so I went "OK" and rest is Cuda Ken history. Still have the 68 Runner, whole reason I went to Votech school. Think after 32 years she is a keeper.


Feel free Troy, Neil or Chris to take out the 4 letter word's.

                                         Cuda Ken

[MoparMotel]

Cuda Ken-

Awesome story! Is that 426 still in the road runner? got a pic of it now?

[cudaken]

 Hydroforce, I dont like her, I love her. Left my wife over her, wanted me to sell it? She is and the wife is still here, want to take a guees? Runner cannot talk unless I start it. Wife, well take it from there.

                                             Cuda Ken

[cudaken]

  MoparMotel, I wish! Sold the 63 SS super stock 426 Maxie 12 year's years ago for $8,000 to buy the house. She was tired, oil Psi was down to 15 at idle. Normaly ran 40 PSI. Was all ready 30 overbored as well.

But she went back to where she came from and that was good. Someone bought what was left of the orginal 63 super stock Dodge I dug her out of in 1976's or so. Best $50.00 motor I every bought I will add.

Now this is became a Cuda Ken history and that is not I wanted to start. If I did I would make H R Tolken seem short winded. 400,000 miles behind BB Mopar. Wonder if Charger 500 (Dan) would want to make a movie?

                             Cuda Ken

[BigBlockSam]

i use to belong to a van club. we did alot of shows . this was the monster i built from scratch. bought a new empty van  in 86 . i won over 200 awards with it plus alot of best of shows. was a blast to cruise in and meet chicks, the name of it was " Bound for Glory"

[BigBlockSam]

check out the zoomies

[69bananabeast]

those VW's are pretty fun to drive . My family use to have a 72 and a 73 . Gave 72 away to my dads co-worker and sold the 73 to my best friend.  In turn he sold it to a co-worker.  I use to love driving that bug around it always felt like I was driving around a go cart.

[Charger Aficionado]

Here is a retro pic of a car I used to own (2nd owner of)...   Check out the roll bar...  This is the original owner:

[Ghoste]

Early 80's.

[BB1]

Just my $500. high school ride. 1983 

[69_500]

I wouldn't be opposed to making a movie about something like that. The hard thing to do in something like that is find some streets that aren't covered in newer cars so that it actually has the 70's 80's era feel to the film.

I thought you had the 42sick in the Charger just a few years ago KEN?

[6pkrunner]

1968 road runner taken in 1970. This is the one I got a 440 6 pack 18 spline 833 and 4.10 Dana from a newly wrecked 1969.5 Super Bee. Cost me $20 and a case of beer to the yard foreman. I had to pull it myself, but got to use their mule and tools and torch.



And a 1968 Hemi 4 speed Coronet R/T ragtop. Taken in 1973 or 1974 or so. Only 4 speed ragtop made.

[69_500]

So what did you do with the Ragtop Coronet?

[marangen]

my challenger back in 1985....

[marangen]

challenger 1985....

[marangen]

...and rear....

[Rob R]

My old Hemi Dart in 78...148 mph street car

[cudaken]

 Two bad we did not have good cameras back in the 80's.

BB Sam, can't say I ever was into the van thing, but the dual rear wheels where driffrent! Bet you got plenty of looks.

Charger 500, Dan the 42sick is not to be confused with the 426 Maxie. Even when the Maxie was getting tired she was far from being sick! I just knew it was getting close to time to pull and go threw her, wife found the house and wanted it and owner of the old S/S Dodge tracked me down all in side of 2 weeks.

Great PIC of the old cool. Hardley ever see a tunnel ram any more.

                                   Cuda Ken

[Rob R]

Supercharged....

[69_500]

Ah so Ken, what did you wind up doing with the 42sick then? I was thinking that was the same max wedge that you were talking about.