Hot Rods Bitch-a-Little Cuda Jim Patrick

my pal Jim just bought a historic race car out of Chicago. It was called "Bitch-a-Little Cuda" and was driven by Jim Patrick.

The engine was built by Joe Krupinski. I know Joe. He still builds engines and campaigns a front engine dragster. He is at Bowling Green every year.

I believe the chassis was built by Lee Austin Race Cars. That name is on the side and the front axle setup looks like another he built.

The car is in age-old paint. I has quite the paint job and lots of hand lettering and graphics. US30 stickers.

By the graphics, it appears it had a blower at some time, now it has a Big Block chevy with a Hilborn set up. The engine is set way back, so far the windshield is notched.

It has a chrome straight axle with coil overs. Hilborn magnesium twelve spoke spindle mounts up front. Wide steelies with Goodyear Blue Streak slicks on the rear. Dana 60 with ladder bars underneath.

This car was parked in 1970.

I don't have photos to share, sorry. It is a project and it may take quite some time to get it to the track, but that is the intention.

Does anybody remember it or have knowledge of this car?

 

anybody?

 

cuda-cid says post some pics...

 

all I could get at this time

 

Is the lettering signed? You maybe able to get some info through the sign painter if he's still around.

 

I did a search and all I came up with was this from a Lettering Site. Looks '70s.

 

...from Goodguys Chicago 2008 in the swap meet, caught my eye!

 

try again.

 

yes, mtrhd, you are correct! Thanks for the photo! The Good Guys sticker was still in the window when it saw daylight again.

We need to take a look at the lettering. Unfortunately, the engine builder has yet to respond to my messages.

what I really want to discover is what it ran for power back in the glory days.

It is hard to believe it was parked in 1970, but if you think about the evolution of fast cars, that was about the end of the straight axle "gasser" style cars and the funny cars had already been around a couple of years.

It is going to take some effort, but it will experience the 1320 again.

 

I did a search and all I came up with was this from a Lettering Site. Looks '70s.

 

You might try posting this on a Mopar only site like www.moparts.com. Someone on the race section there might remember the car.

 

thank you BudJ63, that is it!

rrbrucea, I agree, but my skin breaks out in a rash when I enter the Mopar sites

 

LOL! Not to worry, we won't bite over there... especially if you come on posting something this cool!

 

I'm gonna post a pic or two over there in the race section and see if anyone replies... stay tuned!

 

Okay, I started a thread on Moparts race section. Let's see if it generates any replies...

 

Any chance Sid did the lettering? He did alot back in the day. Look real close at the end of a word he always left something special. Those that know will get what I mean.

 

Jim says "Competition Phil" did the painting. He is going to check on the lettering. All it says is something like "Salvage Paint Jobs by BJ"

 

Very cool little car!

 

from http://www.cartype.com/pics/5315/full/tree_s.jpg

 

so you see, as the caricature on the deck lid depicts, the car was run with a blower. As it sits, the Hilborn equipped BBC is not even fully mounted, just fabbed in.

Speculation has it that it was a blown sbm, but that seems odd to me.

That info is really what we seek at this time.

 

I've been all over this car a couple times. And i've seen photos of it at a car show in 68 or so. And it didnt have a straight axle on it then. When i was under it , it appeared that the front axle was somewhat recently installed, and kinda tacked into place. I could be wrong but thats what it looked like when i saw it. Either way the car is BAD ASS! And the paint is in good shape for its age and multiple coats of lacquer. I think it needs a blown, injected big chevy!

 

it appears the car was kind of "put together" in recent years. As AlteredxChevy states, the paint is good enough. It will take time, work and $$$.

 

One cool as# cuda

 

Found a web page with nostalgia top fuel results that listed Joe Krupinski with a home town of Salem, IN. Might be worth a 411 call from your friend to see if he could get a #.

 

I looked at this "period piece" when I talked to the guy my first question was was will she run with a engine and the guy laughed at me he told me it was a made up show car it looked pretty shakey in the photos but I guess if it was cheap enough it looks cool

 

that is Joe Jr. Joe Sr. lives near Burlington, WI. I know him, have his number, have left messages, but still no response. I am persistant.

 

So what are the plans for it??

 

build it and race it

 

I can tel by the lettering it was no show car, it's to loose. if it was a show car friom the Chicago area it would have been lettered by Brando or Stites. It was lettered as a race car!! Not that theses guys didnt do there share of race cars, but it is race care quality lettering, not show car lettering.

 

Post this over on

http://www.moparstyle.com/

That is a avery good Mopar site that caters to race cars. A lot less drama there than the moparts.com site.

Neat ride there, Bob.