Cordoba... Worth my time?

[77Cordoba]

Hello to all,

Sorry this post might be kind of long, a tad incoherent, and awful troubling at times, but I feel the back story is worth it and it is my first post... Got to break into this forum some how, right? :yes:

Well, my father, in his infinite wisdom, purchased a 1977 Cordoba without knowing anything about Mopar, Cordoba's (other than Ricardo Montalban once hawked the rich Corinthian leather - Which isn't even a real thing) or really how to work on cars. The car had sat for six years without being started, supposedly due to a death of the estate owner my father bought the car from. It has 109k original miles on it. He did some cleaning, basic wet sand, got the paint in better condition and then spent the next year trying to sell it. Sometimes for a loss... No go... Thinking it must be his location (he lives in a town next to a ski resort, 9000ft up) he sent it down to me here at good ol' sea level to try to trade. The condition I got it in was with a broken non-stock carburetor (some weird obscure 4 barrel holley carb with a 450cfm rating), broken fuel pump, broken fuel gauge (or sending unit - that cant be replaced) and a few other cool things. Got most of that fixed... Still cant sell it. Its not even like Im getting people looking at it. Ive listed it for as low as $1500, which is what the state will give me to retire it.

This brings me to my question. Since its obvious I have to sell it to the state or keep it, is it worth it to keep it? Can these be nice cars? The drive train seems like it could be a beast. 360 backed by a 727 trans. Or am I wrong in this? It would need the following to be a daily driver (IMO)

1. New Exhaust - headers, back, is where I would go with it.
2. Most of the interior (door panels and dash pads at least) redone. Good news there is there is several Cordoba's in the junk yard around here.
3. Tires - and probably wheels (especially if keeping it as a driver)
4. Would probably do some "vacuum line" deletes and some engine bay clean up
5. Alignment is WAY off. Feels like Im floating from side to side.
6. Im getting a really weird burnt-like smell after driving it around the block. Not familiar with the smell though. Shifts and drives great, so that worries me a tad.

Most of that is cheap and is a weekend. Junk it or keep it? I know asking that here I'm liable to get some rather bias opinions But I'd really like the opinions of people who actually own these vehicles.

Thanks,

James

 

[67 coronet]

fix it up if you like it.you would have to build another eng to get any power(smogger pig you got there)hard to really say without pics.several guys here run them and they can be nice cars.depends on you the most.i would build a street monster out of it if i had it.

 

[77Cordoba]

fix it up if you like it.you would have to build another eng to get any power(smogger pig you got there)hard to really say without pics.several guys here run them and they can be nice cars.depends on you the most.i would build a street monster out of it if i had it.

By smogger pig do you mean more than the AIR pump or "smogger" style heads like you find in the old early 80's fords? I was going to pull the AIR pump to clean things up, put some headers, intake and a newer style carb and run it like that for awhile. See how much I like it. There is a black Cordoba out there that I really like "punisher" or something they called it. As the Cordoba sits right now, not really a fan (especially of the shag)...

 

[67 coronet]

ya,the heads more then anything else.see if you can get the casting #s and post them.there should be someone to decode them for you.how are your smog laws there as well?should check into that if you are in cali.

 

[WP29440SE]

its all in what you want to do , yes im biased , but in a good way. ive dumped a lot of money in mine....

my 77 charger has the original 360/904 and it runs well . its about to get a 440

 

[sublimegtx]

Welcome to FBBO. I have seen a couple real nice looking cordobas that people have bought for very reasonable $$. I don't think i'd put too much cash into it. See if you can find any semi close to you for sale and check the condition and asking price.

 

[tallhair]

curious if you would share this post with your father

 

[satman72]

It's really up to you. How much do you like it? How much do you want to put into it?

 

[fmontez1]

floating side to side sounds like suspension. Which sounds like $$$ and time.

 

[sublimegtx]

Rich Corinthian Leather like sitting in your living room.

 

[HT413]

If you love it, keep it. Just don't expect to get a single dollar you invest back when you plan to sell it. But hey, none of us are here to make money...

 

[77Cordoba]

curious if you would share this post with your father

Not a problem there. Anytime you stick your son with a "perfectly running" car that strands him on the side of the busy 5 freeway in 101 degree weather ten minutes into his journey with a bad carb, bad fuel pump, bad fuel filter, bad fuel sending unit and a few other fun things, that costs him over $1000 so far to fix, :angry9:he knows how you feel and has heard it over and over again

 

[chargers777]

Is this the black cordoba you are talking about?Cordobas are fun.I have a blast every time I drive this.

 

[old tired rebel]

Some more info would help,like engine size?. Some parts are cheap to buy like the fuel pump. The carb is easy but I don't know what your smog laws are like there. You headers can be gotten for them heap through summit racing if you know how to look, for example 1974 Charger with a 318 that needs headers are the same ones that fit a Cordoba.

Here is my Cordoba that I am working on.

 

[Darter6]

Right now late "B" bodies don't have a big following. I currently have a 79 300 Cordoba that I am enjoying. The guy I got it from had it for sell for 3 years with no interested buyers. Fix it if you like and WANT the car. If not sell it as is where is. Someone will be looking for that Style "B". For me I waited 33 years after seeing one sitting on a new car dealer's lot in 1979.I finally got one !

 

[YY1]

OTR- those turbine wheels look real good on that car.

They're comin along.

My 73 is gettin lotsa love that wouldn't have been there 10 or 15 years ago.

It's the same stigma- heavier car with a less powerful engine.
Once you get past that (I know it's not a 69 440 in a 3600# car), it's a really cool old car, some with neat options.

My top 3 75 and up B's would be:

1- Magnum GT with the spoiler package,

2- Cordoba 300 package,

3- Charger Daytona

(+1 or more on any of those with T roof).

(and you usually get either leather or velour interior- beats the hell out of vynil)
(you also get PS, PDB, and mirrors on both sides)

 

[306Doba]

Welcome to FBBO.

I love my Doba and get positive comments about it everywhere I go, it is also one of the best driving cars I've owned especially on the highway, I have been on quite a few long distance road trips and never get too uncomfortable. Another thing I like about it is you just don't see them anywhere, It's been over a year since I've seen another one on the road.

My car is starting to do the ''floating from side to side'' thing but my alignment is good (had it on the rack a few month ago) I think it's the steering box, haven't dug too deep into it yet though. It doesn't help that the steering on these cars is already loose as a goose lol

You have any pictures of the car?

 

[old tired rebel]

OTR- those turbine wheels look real good on that car.

They're comin along.

My 73 is gettin lotsa love that wouldn't have been there 10 or 15 years ago.

It's the same stigma- heavier car with a less powerful engine.
Once you get past that (I know it's not a 69 440 in a 3600# car), it's a really cool old car, some with neat options.

My top 3 75 and up B's would be:

1- Magnum GT with the spoiler package,

2- Cordoba 300 package,

3- Charger Daytona

(+1 or more on any of those with T roof).

(and you usually get either leather or velour interior- beats the hell out of vynil)
(you also get PS, PDB, and mirrors on both sides)

Those are factory truck wheels from Dodge they were on top pf the line D150,B150,Ramchargers. I need to look for 2 rear wheels from a Ramcharger since they are wider

 

[306Doba]

just realized there are a couple ghosts on bikes in the background of your picture lol

 

[snakeyes]

hi and welcome ,there a nice car