Stirring up a hornets nest

-
Syleng1 said:
Just my 2 cents worth, I have a 66 Cuda with a 225ci and I'm in the process of doing a v-8 conversion now with a 318, 904a and a 8.250 rear and 3.21 gears.
Its your car and just do what feels good to you. If you have a lot of time and extra cash convert to a larger engine. If time is short and you just want to get out there then run what you brung. Honestly - do what you honestly have the time, money and energy for. Don't weight yourself down with huge tasks and cost if you do not have the time to get it done to enjoy it. There are hundred of guys around the world with a car "almost" done for the last 5 years still sitting not being enjoyed because they took on more than they could handle. Enjoy the car and get it out there! They were never made for show pieces "not to be driven". Heck to get 1 hp per cubic inch is pretty good. pump it up to 1.5hp per cubic inch is REALLY good.
Good luck on your journey. keep us posted with pictures. Joe
Click to expand...

My set up is pretty close to what Joe's going to have. Rebuilt 318 250hp, 904 auto, found a 8.25 this winter with 3:23 posi, switched out from my 7.25 2:76 rear end (made a lot of difference!) My point is, it runs nice, gets up and goes just enough to feel good & I can drive by a few gas stations while cruising. Stay with your 273 drive it, enjoy it. Mark

IMG_20160515_104555195.jpg


IMG_20160515_104655743.jpg
 
Tadams said:
I was wondering what the actual horse power is on a 273 commando. I know the book says 235
I had a gentleman who worked for Chrysler back in the day tell me it was alot higher than what was posted. He said it was for insurance purposes that it was rated the 235. Just another curious thought.
Click to expand...
I had read somewhere a stock Commando engine dyno'd around 220 - 225. I wish I could find that link to share. I don't know anyone who has had one measured.
 
Next time "helpful" guys make similar "real engine" comments, tell them you plan to swap in a Chevy LS V-8. That usually makes them go away.
 
Tadams said:
I guess the reason I ask the question is that lately I have had so many people telling me I should put a real motor in it and have some fun.
Click to expand...

Uh-huh. And are all these random people offering to spend the money, time, and effort to put a "real motor" in? Is it even their car? No. Tell 'em to buzz off, you're having plenty of fun. Or just smile and nod and say "Thanks for your input". Or chuckle politely and say "Right". Seriously, if they're so all-fired certain they know what's best for your car, they can jolly well buy the car and do the swap their own dang selves. Oh, the car's not for sale? Then I guess it's your car to configure and have fun with the way you want.

You think you get a lot of these kinds of thoughtless remarks with a 273 Commando? Try having a Slant-6! Hurr hurr hurr, you should get a real motor. Hurr hurr hurr, you should put a V8 in it. Hurr hurr hurr. And yet, my car gets more attention than theirs does whether it's in traffic, in a parking lot, or at a car show, because it's one '62 Lancer with the aluminum slant-6 engine versus eleventy million B5 blue 360 Barracudas and an equal number of 440-swapped Dusters, each of them pretty much the same as the rest of them. The owners of those cars are just as welcome to build their B5 Barracudas and their 440 Dusters if that's what makes them happy. They are not entitled to dictate what makes me (or you) happy with my (or your) car. And that really is the end of the discussion.
 
Last edited:
I used to leave my hood closed at shows, cuz they would deride my engine choice by saying ignorant things like you shoulda put a 340 in it. 360s are slow.....You just can't educate guys like that.
 
Awesome, love the comments. The story is, as we all know is it is our car. I chose to have mine as close to original as I can. When I get the comments, I'm a Mopar guy. I remember at Rockingham drag way at a mopar race there was a Camaro racing. He had a hemi in the car
my kids pick on me
today the fan loyalty is gone
I am a Mopar fan. I enjoy going to Mopar events and having fun
So, I am going to enjoy my 65 barracuda formula S once I finish the car. One thing for certain, there aren't very many around the small town I live in.
Thanks for the comments
May the mighty fish live on!
 
I drive my car a lot so I get plenty of unwanted comments and suggestions almost daily. My favorite are the "purists" and the Barret Jackson fanboy types at gas stations filling up their minivan or Camry's.

"Back in high school"
"A buddy of mine used to..."
"You know what you should do..."

"Sorry Dude, I need to get back to driving this car I enjoy while you take your Astrovan to the pharmacy and fill your low T prescription."

5b0ac018.jpg
 
seabee said:
My favorite are the "purists" and the Barret Jackson fanboy types
Click to expand...

"Nice car, mister. Oh...wait...oh. The shock absorber grommets don't have the factory part number on them. Oh. I didn't see that before. Never mind."

"Back in high school"
"A buddy of mine used to..."
Click to expand...

"…have a '66 Plymouth Super Bee with a 383 Hemi. Ordered it from the factory; his father owned a dealership. Man, that was a sweet car. I remember it in perfect detail."
 
Super nice fish

And how often do you hear - that back glass is super rare and is worth more than the car or do you have more than one - I only respond it is a pain in the *** to clean

A buddy of mine used to have a '66 english car with a shelby 289 and a pentastar -wait that is a real car Sunbeam Tiger MKII
 
Thanks for the comments. I love my car. I have to admit that my neighbor has a really sharp road runner, and it does sound really nice, but I will enjoy my formula S. I can go to a large car show in north Carolina and not see a single 65 barracuda formula S. The last show had a nice 66.
 
Plus the guys who watch car shows on Velocity and think a complete resto-mod should take a week, though they have never even changed a wheel. They like to make schedules for you and judge your progress. Doesn't everyone need a project manager?
 
to be honest it is pretty cool when you run into that (it is almost singular) person who actually has memories of the car.

I had a co-worker - late 40s/early 50s who grew up with a 1st gen barracuda (doesn't remember engine or anything like that) his memory is of him and his brother playing in the back cargo area with the rear seat folded down on road trips. Followed by I hadn't remembered that in a long time and he called his brother. Nice story
 
You are so correctly. My first memory was in 65. My neighbor worked for Southern Chrysler Plymouth in High Point, NC. I was 12 I think when he drove a barracuda formula S home. It had an awesome sound. The car was ivory with gold stripes and interior. I rode with he and his son every chance I had. I am hoping I can finish mine to look like the memories I have of those days. I remember that Barracuda more than I remember the turbine car he drove for a year. Funny what attracts some people
 
I have been searching for the plate Southern Chrysler Plymouth put on the front of the cars on the lot. Mine didn't come from there, but thought it would be cool to have. Richard petty would also come up and pick up 2 cars at a time to race. They were always white stripped down cars for NASCAR. Good memories growing up in the Carolinas
 
Mine didn't come from here but. . . it is pretty cool to have a San Jose Plymouth dealer plates

IMG_5039.JPG
 
That would be awesome to find that plate. I have 65 North Carolina plates for the car. Southern Chrysler closed a long time ago. Don't remember exactly. Somewhere someone has a plate stuck in a file. The guy I got my plate from was an accountant who had a file for license plates from the late 50's to current.
 
Trading license plates and plate holders is a big hobby at car shows, and they are cheap to mail.

CA owners put a premium on those old yellow-on-black license plates. CA must have started update decals long ago since drivers still used the old plates until today. The state finally wised up and now offers the old colors for ~$50 premium. When I lived in other states, I recall tossing old plates in the 1960-70's because they didn't do decals then. Don't know if even legal to drive today on old plates in those states. States kind of swamped the system with all the special plates for universities, manatees, historic, ...
 
Legal in North Carolina. You have to have the new tag with you. I will have a yellow and black tag on my 65. I believe it is a little different from the California plates if I remember correctly. Haven't lived there since the mid 70's.
 
California has the Year Of Manufacture (YOM) which requires both plates, manufacture year registration sticker and plates not in the system

Re-pop registration stickers can be found on ebay. My plates came with the correct sticker.

And of course a small DMV fee and small $10 annual fee. I believe the new black plates are vanity plates with higher annual cost
 
The guy was an idiot jerk.
If the motor is matching, pull it if you want to (needs a rebuild?. Then go with another small block for fun and "peace of mind" in saving the matching engine from abuse.
Otherwise, whatever.
Regardless, KISS and stay with a small block for easy replacement balance IMO.
 
cudajames said:
California has the Year Of Manufacture (YOM) which requires both plates, manufacture year registration sticker and plates not in the system

Re-pop registration stickers can be found on ebay. My plates came with the correct sticker.

And of course a small DMV fee and small $10 annual fee. I believe the new black plates are vanity plates with higher annual cost
Click to expand...

Some extra info:
The new legacy plates are
$50 to order either sequential or custom
$40 for renewal
$15 to transfer the plates to another vehicle
$35 for substitute plates

094BB5D0-928E-4546-897B-6A9CFA822B61_zpsk7iwcdxm.jpg
 
Those new black plates are on everything now, even modern muscle..BUT none I have seen look '65' original with the old 3 letters, SPACE, 3 numbers CA format. Even if you custom order it to match that format, they run the 6 digits together.

As for the little 273.. Im a user and a current owner (273/2) and past owner of a 273-4. My 273-4 spun a bearing so I swapped everything 273-4 sans pistons and crank over to a 318 short block. Even @ low compression, that 318 trounced the 273/4 performance wise.
The 273/4 had 235 HP @ 5200/260 tq at 4000 while the 2bbl had 180 HP @ 1800/ 260 tq at 1600. The "no respect" '68 318 workhorse had 230 HP at 4400 and 340 tq at 2400, all at flywheel..and that was a 2bbl! . Does the smaller 273 rev faster? I think the /2 pistons are close in weight with the /4's a little heavier.
So the guys look at your 273 and tell you to upgrade. Lie to them and tell them its a stroked 340 to 422cid with 273 badges. Just dont try and back that up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top