As our esteemed editor alluded to in a previous month's Off the Line editorial, restoration correctness and authenticity should never displace one's automotive dreams. Maybe you can't buy a Max Wedge or a Hurst Dart, but you can darn sure build a replica and enjoy-perhaps even more than owning the real McCoy-the on-road rewards.
Andy Kleinsteuber of Monticello, Minnesota, wanted a '70 Hemi 'Cuda in the worst way. Of course, since they're as rare as the proverbial hen's tooth, the prospect of getting his hands on the genuine article was a foregone conclusion-it wasn't going to happen. He thus embarked on a crusade to find a suitable candidate from which he could build a clone of this ultimate musclecar cruiser.
The hunt quickly netted Andy a Barracuda drop-top from Indiana, but with a conversion project of this magnitude staring him menacingly in the eyes, he decided he'd be better off handing over the dream-building to a quality shop. After a bit of searching, Andy selected Kurt Anderson of Autokraft in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to manage the big makeover. The fact that Kurt specializes in Hemi and Max Wedge cars was an added bonus.
With the body and builder connected, Andy reckoned his Hemi 'Cuda clone project was finally on a fair course. But, after a thorough inspection of the Barracuda shell, Kurt suggested the car was a tad too far on the rough side to make a suitable candidate. Again, the search was on, and Kurt eventually located a Barracuda convertible in Milwaukee that had just come from California.
Now that the false starts were behind him, Andy laid out the project parameters for Kurt: a Hemi, Shaker, four-speed, Dana, and Sublime paint.
"After searching for all of the ingredients," says Andy, "the restoration began by media-blasting the car at Progressive Stripping in Cadott, Wisconsin. Next, it went off the rotisserie for a major transformation. We found a Hemi engine and sent it off to Wheeler Racing Engines in Blaine, Minnesota. While the engine was being built, we found a Hemi four-speed and a 4.10 Dana car. Then we tracked down a Shaker hood and scoop, so the major ingredients were in place.
"After spending countless hours on the rotisserie and the painting was complete, [the car] was ready for [a new interior]. Linda Burgess from Kitty Cat Customs in Cadott brought the seats back to life. Mac's Seat Cover installed the ragtop. When the assembly was complete, off it went to the exhaust master, Al Debevic, in Greenwood, Wisconsin."
During the buildup, Andy and Kurt didn't apply many modifications other than the obvious. Some embellishments, however, include a rear Go wing, Rallye wheels, and Chrysler's electronic ignition.
"Finally [the car] was complete and ready to cruise," says Andy. "The first showing was the Chrysler Classic in Columbus, Ohio, where it stopped plenty of traffic. Kurt called me up shortly after taking delivery of the car and asked how I liked driving it, and all I could say was 'Awesome.' What's more awesome than cruising in a Hemi ragtop? Not much, I'd have to say."
Andy is often asked if it's for sale, and all he can say is, "Trying to buy this car would be like trying to take a gun away from John Wayne. Never happen!"