Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

[jordanmorningstar]

I just found out that some guy near me used to own a famous race car, called the Mopar Missile. I don't know much about it, but I'd like to find the guy and figure out how on earth it could have ended up here. Anyone remember seeing this car, or know how to get ahold of the guys who developed it?

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

In '72 the car would have been called the Motown Missile. In '73 and on they were called Mopar Missiles.

Pretty significant car although not as good as the Dusters that followed....Chrysler skunkworks stuff, backdoor development programs. Don Carlton would have been the driver.

Neat find if it is around the corner!

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

ted spehar sunoco
did that thing ever win any national events ?

[BigDad]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

I can't say "found" is the right word .. It has been in a known spot in Ottawa, Ontario for many years and the person that owned it would not sell or restore

But, I can tell you that he has since been shipped off to Star, Mississippi to be restored by George Paul .

Dick (Barney)Oldfield ,Joe Pappas and Ron Killen will be helping with bringing it back to what it looked like day 1

It is owned by two partners one of which is E.B. Merritt and have owned it for over 30 years

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

ted spehar sunoco
did that thing ever win any national events ?

It had some success match racing with bigger than legal engines but to my knowledge it didn't win anything with respect to big time events. It was kind of obsolete when it rolled out the door. That being said, it is part of a pretty bad ass bloodline of cars.

[Loren]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

I had the MPC 1:25 model kit. They were even kind enough to mold it in black. Checked e-bay, nothing there. Bitchen car.

[BigDad]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

NHRA by then had decided to factor the Mopars and hang weight on them ( well known fact now)

Because they won too much .. Wally Parks said at one point looking back that was a mistake they did that .

http://www.prostockhemi.com/articles/article.php?id=0015

[Loren]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

Damn right it was a mistake. Make fast cars slow, and call it racing...go figure.

[BigDad]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

You can buy a die cast of the car

[ls7gto]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

Damn right it was a mistake. Make fast cars slow, and call it racing...go figure.

sounds like nascar and present day NHRA

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

just trying to dumb it down ..............so ford can have skin in the game

[jordanmorningstar]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

I can't say "found" is the right word .. It has been in a known spot in Ottawa, Ontario for many years and the person that owned it would not sell or restore

But, I can tell you that he has since been shipped off to Star, Mississippi to be restored by George Paul .

Dick (Barney)Oldfield ,Joe Pappas and Ron Killen will be helping with bringing it back to what it looked like day 1

It is owned by two partners one of which is E.B. Merritt and have owned it for over 30 years

I don't suppose anyone knows where that "known" spot was. I've only been in Ottawa since last spring, and most of my gearhead friends here haven't heard of it. The picture looks more like a yard in Gatineau (the Quebec side of the city), but I could be wrong. Thank you everyone for chipping in, I'll report back when more is known....

[antmnte]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

I saw the car at SEMA in 2007 .

[BigDad]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

I saw the car at SEMA in 2007 .

You may be thinking of the Challnger this car is not restored yet been sitting 30 some years

[jordanmorningstar]

Re: Trying to find the '72 Cuda "Mopar Missile"

I saw the car at SEMA in 2007 .

You may be thinking of the Challnger this car is not restored yet been sitting 30 some years

The pics I saw of this one showed the car was pretty nasty--sitting under a tarp, rotting away. It had been painted blue, with some other name on the door.