We literally picked the car up with our hands, and carried it to the trailer. --John Lanza
Fast Facts
'70 Cuda Convertible
John Lanza, Harwood, Maryland
Mopar Power
- Engine: From the factory, this drop-top was equipped with a 383. Now however, the area under the hood is filled with a 426 Hemi that has been fitted with an LA Bullet, Steel crankshaft connected to stock Hemi connecting rods. Compressing the air fuel mix is a set of Keith Black pistons. A conservative Racer Brown camshaft with .500-inch lift, and 238-degrees of duration at .050-inch lift work the valves in the aluminum Mopar heads. Squirting fuel into the Mopar intake is a pair of Edelbrock 600 cfm carburetors.
- Transmission: Originally a manually-shifted car, upgrading to a five-speed was a logical choice.
- Rear: It's a basic Dana 60 with 4.10 gears. The five-speed makes the 4.10's a great choice for cruising, and makes the car a blast to drive.
Sure Grip
- Suspension: The front is now supported by an Alter-k-tion tubular k-frame with QA1 adjustable coil overs.
- Brakes: Bringing the E-Body to a screeching halt is a set of four Wilwood disc brakes.
- Wheels/Tires: A set of American Racing polished Torque Thrusts measuring 18 x 10-inch on the rear with 6-1/2-inches back spacing, and 18 x 8-inch on the front with 5-inches of back spacing. For tires, Nitto NT 555's, 285/40-18 and 245/45-18 round out the rollers.
High Impact
- Paint/Body: Since John paints cars for a living, covering the car in a new shade of Sublime was no problem.
- Interior: John used parts from Legendary Auto Interiors to restore the cockpit himself.