Back in 1972, Vernon Nielsen traded in his 1967 Mercury Cougar and a few thousand dollars for a brand new Plymouth ‘Cuda. The ‘Cuda was a high-performance option of the 1969 Barracuda.
Nielsen’s new ‘Cuda had the largest engine available at the time. Needless to say, when it was delivered to his home in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, he immediately took it out “cruising.”
With a stopwatch, he clocked its acceleration at 0 to 60 in 11 seconds, which was pretty impressive at the time.
Nielsen has since passed away, but the car lives on, now owned by his daughter Marcie Hobbs and son-in-law Mike Hobbs.
They bought the car from Marcie’s mother in 2013. It was partly the fun of owning and driving a classic muscle car, but there was also sentimental value since its original owner was Marcie’s dad.
When they bought the vehicle, it had sat for about 20 years. Marcie said the car was low to the ground and surrounded by weeds. Not only were the tires flat, but the suspension had sagged completely.
“We just hoped we could get it restored so it was drivable,” Marcie said.
Originally, Mike had planned to make the restoration a project he and his sons could enjoy, but he really didn’t have the room in his garage or the tools. Plus, it was going to take more time than he had to spare.
So, he and Marcie shipped it off to Big Dog Kustoms in Spokane, Washington, where the beloved ‘Cuda underwent what’s called a rotisserie restoration. They disassembled every part of the car and took the body off the frame. It was then placed on a car rotisserie, which allows access to every inch of the vehicle.
The shop refurbished every part, preserving almost all the components of the original vehicle. This means the Hobbs’ ‘Cuda is numbers matching, the gold standard of classic cars.
“For car people, that’s a big deal,” Marcie said.
The classic car has the original engine and drivetrain. They were able to keep original windows, except the windshield, as well as the original grille. The upholstery and the vinyl top were replaced.
The entire project took three years to complete. Normally, it doesn’t take so long, but the shop co-owner was diagnosed with brain cancer. Another person working on the project had both his parents pass away suddenly.
“It was a long, arduous process,” Mike said.
Despite the delays, the Hobbs family waited patiently for delivery. They say it was worth the wait. When they finally had the big reveal, the couple was thoroughly impressed.
“It’s a head turner,” Mike said. “It’s a pretty, pretty car.”
They didn’t drive the vehicle back from Spokane, but loaded it up in an enclosed trailer and towed it back. That turned out to be a wise decision: They got caught in a hailstorm on the way back, which damaged the pickup and the trailer. The ‘Cuda didn’t get a scratch on it.
It’s truly a classic. The radio is AM only. On the dashboard is just a speedometer, tachometer, clock and a couple of engine instruments. There’s no shoulder belt, either.
Unlike Nielsen, who got the car new, Mike’s had to go a lot easier on the aged car. He takes it out for a spin in good weather, but he doesn’t time its acceleration. He said it doesn’t feel like the smooth rides of modern cars. When he’s riding in his ‘Cuda, Mike said he feels the rumble of the engine and the rubber on the road.
“When you drive it, you really feel it,” Mike said.
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November 06, 2020 at 10:20PM
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Classic 'Cuda: Family restores car with original engine - Powell Tribune
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