hemicuda and superbird...

[bruce kepley]

I call this one 'the village idiot takes flight"...me in 1988 proving to a buddy that the bird wing doesn't flex under load, that's why it gave such stability to the wing cars back in the day...the car actually became easier to control the higher the speed...bk

[bruce kepley]

Guys, I don't mean to hog up the space but I was asked for more back in the day photos...most will be back in the day, others will be recent...thanks, bruce

[bruce kepley]

In March, 2003, I had to travel to Bismarck, ND, to do some warrant work at a local company and met Brennan Cook...Brennan proceeded to tell me that he had purchased a superbird when he was 16 and that he still had it in storage...of course I wanted to see, but later in the week he took me over to what was a time capsule...this bird had not seen the light of day in over 15 years or longer...after I left Brennan was inspired to restore the bird and take it on a fantasy trip out west which he had always wanted to do...as a result you were able to see the same car that I saw in its glory in both Mopar Muscle and the New York Tiimes...what a story...enjoy the photo, one of my favorites...bruce

[bruce kepley]

The rear end of my bird after the accident in January, 1988...and you saw it on the cover of Mopar Performance only one month earlier as a really nice car then owned by Kenny Brackett (Traded Kenny a 70 4 speed Hemi Charger RT/SE and cash for the car)...was repaired and sold because of divorce, see previous photo...That Sunday my buddy Richard Garland was on his way to my house with his 69 Red Daytona, white wing, white interior...needless to say I couldn't go play...

[bruce kepley]

In the words of Jim Carrey, "Somebody stop me!"...ok, this is the last for a while, I promise...there's just so many...a photo of a 71 383 cuda convertible that I paid $400 for in 1998 (good fenders, body had been clipped by amateur), sold it in hemmings same year, had 67 phone calls...was a yellow car, 4 speed, all documentation, leather seats when new...sold as you see it...bruce

[bruce kepley]

Ok, no one stopped me, here is a photo of an actual UNRESTORED '71 hemicuda convertible...

Story: I received a call from the late Ron Adair in 1985, he had just acquired an original, running, red, black interior, automatic '71 hemicuda convertible...

Knowing Ron the car was legit, I flew up, inspected the car, totally legit, we negotiated and I offered him much in parts and some cash...2 '70 hemicuda hardtop bodies, one complete engine, nos rubber challenger bumpers, many other parts, a 70 AAR cuda, a beautiful '71 Olds cutlass convertible, a hemi engine and 5k...I'll never forget, he wanted 5k more cash and the car was mine, I told him that if I did that I would have as much in the car as I did my house...and I had 85k in my house...so I backed out...he and Greg Steffes both said that I'd regret not getting the car...duh...you've seen the car at the Nats and on the cover of Popular Science or Mechanics Illustrated (don't remember which), but here is a photo of the car unrestored that I took in November, 1985...who ended up with the car?...Bill Drake, New York... 

[nascarxx29]

Sounds like that car that was found in Indian river MI .Wifes husbands who passed away car?

[bruce kepley]

The genius that is Dale Wamsley...

This photo is taken of my now friend Dale Wamsley, owner of Just Metal American Muscle Car Restorations in Alebmarle, NC...

Dale did my blue/white hemi runner that appeared in the nostalgic building in Carlisle, July, 2009 (Beeney Motors, earlier photo)...Dale builds his own hemi engines (2 days), installs his own glass (to make sure it lines up), and is meticulous...and AFFORDABLE!!!

He pulled off the resto of my runner after redoing all the work that another "restorer" had tried which resulted in my flushing 8 grand down the tube...you know the drill...

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Great pictures Bruce... keep 'em coming!   

Allen

[moparstuart]

awesome   keep em coming

[bruce kepley]

Guys, there are hundreds...one at a time is not so time efficient...anyways, I'll try to post some more today...also have my friend Richard to do the same...he has over a thousand thru the years...many different...bruce

[moparstuart]

Guys, there are hundreds...one at a time is not so time efficient...anyways, I'll try to post some more today...also have my friend Richard to do the same...he has over a thousand thru the years...many different...bruce

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Guys, there are hundreds...one at a time is not so time efficient...anyways, I'll try to post some more today...also have my friend Richard to do the same...he has over a thousand thru the years...many different...bruce

I know what you mean... I also have hundreds of back-in-the-day pictures to post, but no  time to do it... Thanks for some great sample pictures!

[bruce kepley]

My 62 Chrysler that no one would buy as it sat for 3 years for sale in Union County in NC...came with all documentation, original invoice, buyers name and address, so much stuff it was unbelieveable, I took a chance on the resto because it was in great shape to restore and the colors were red over red leather...it wasn't a letter car so no one was interested but it was a 413 with the original engine...with the help of a lot of people, including Murray Park (you have to know Murray if you do one of these cars) it is now finished...now people are interested!...bk

[Brock Samson]

       Thanks Bruce... I'm diggin' it..   

[bruce kepley]

Oh, the rest of the car...bk

[bruce kepley]

...and the interior...not bad for a car that no one wanted...bk

[bruce kepley]

the hemi roadrunner at an all corvette show...about 45 'vettes...AND WE DRANK THEIR MILKSHAKE!!!!...best of show...and I'm not kidding, my grandson has the trophy to prove it!!!...as the winners were being announced there was applause, and they of course saved best of show to last...and when the hemi runner was announced there was only one of my mopar buddies clapping...it was a hoot!!!...This year around May, 2009...bk

[bruce kepley]

oh, and did you know that Don's Garlit's father was one of the team members that invented the electric fan AND the electric iron...read below...

"Bruce,
That is true, Dad, Edward Elmer Garlits was an engineer at Westinghouse in Pittsburg PA. He was on the team of five men that invented the electric fan and the electric iron. I was always proud of Dad for such an accomplishment.
However I was more proud of the fact that he was against al types of hand-outs and big Government. My Grandfather on my Mother's side was the same way, he would not accept charity under any circumstances!
Don Garlits"

[bruce kepley]

Piece of advice if you're doing a blue interior...it's by far a very difficult color to get correct...I took over 250 photos of cars thru 4 years at Carlisle and the nats to get a good idea of the color match...KorrectKolor was able to duplicate all the colors, all the way down to the suede on the dash...if one blue color is off it can ruin your day....

[moparstuart]

 red is the same way   

[bruce kepley]

In my own defense, I wasn't the only guy chiseling away at the old bird in the mid 80's..by buddy Richard Garland, who had a lot more hair at the time, was also doing his fair share...bruce

[bruce kepley]

Public, this is EXCALIBUR...the show car from Miami from back in the day, late 70's to early 80's...Garlits built the engine (still fondly remembers the car), it was an original gold 69 383 Cuda sold new in, hold on....ALASKA!...how it got to Miami we don't know, but it resides in my friends garage unrestored and much like you see it...it survived hurricane Andrew with trees falling over and all around but with only minor damage...major magazine article about the car in the 80's...bk

[moparstuart]

Public, this is EXCALIBUR...the show car from Miami from back in the day, late 70's to early 80's...Garlits built the engine (still fondly remembers the car), it was an original gold 69 383 Cuda sold new in, hold on....ALASKA!...how it got to Miami we don't know, but it resides in my friends garage unrestored and much like you see it...it survived hurricane Andrew with trees falling over and all around but with only minor damage...major magazine article about the car in the 80's...bk

weren't the 69 "cudas" with hood scoops like that 440 cars  ? 

[bruce kepley]

About the cuda hood scoops, don't have a clue...but this was a custom car and I do know that the hood scoops were 69 only...if not original probably added during the customization...it had red button tuft velvet interior...pearl paint...bk