1968 Match Race ~ Barracuda 340-S vs. Camaro SS 350

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69 Cuda 440

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1968 Match Race

68' Barracuda 340-S
vs.
68' Camaro SS 350

The 1968 Barracuda 'Fastback' with the 340/275 HP, though re-rated to 310 HP by the NHRA.

Shipping Weight = #3162 lbs.
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The 1968 Camaro SS 350 with the 350/295 HP {Code #L-48}.

Shipping Weight = #3050 lbs.
 
I'm curious about this one. I had a 67 Camaro SS 350 way back when. I never raced it much because it didn't seem to be a fast car.
 
1968 NHRA,

Both cars fit in the same Weight Class.

E/S or E/SA = 10.00 to 10.49 Wt/Hp

We all know what was in the 1968 Mopar 340.

The 1968 Chevrolet 350/295 HP {L-48}

Compression ................. 10.25 - 1
Pistons........................... Flat-Top {Cast Iron}
Cylinder Heads .............. Casting #461
Combustion Chamber...... 61.2 CC
Valves............................. 1.94" Intake / 1.50" Exhaust
Intake............................. Cast Iron Dual-Plane
Carburetor...................... Rochester MV Quadra-Jet {750 CFM}
Camshaft........................ Hydraulic ~ .390"/.410" Lift ~ 300*/310* Duration ~ 78* Overlap
 
Exactly.....if that camaro was coupled to that slip-n-slide 2-speed automatic, I can't imagine it would do too well against the cuda.
 
Don't know who would win this "race" but I do know who won on the showroom floor!
 
1968 Camaro SS 350

* Came thru with a 12-Bolt Rear, and 3.55, 3.73 and 4.10 were 'optional' gears.

* The M-20 'Wide-Ratio' 4-Speed was the only 4-Speed available.

* The 2-Speed Power-Glide was the 'only' Automatic available.
 
Hmm, I thought the 3 speed TBH tranny became available for mid-production 1968 Camaros. But then again maybe not.
 
The 1968 Camaro SS 350,

Was 'not' a threat with the Power-Glide in the 350/295 HP.

The 68' Barracuda 340-S ~ in a battle of 'automatics' would eat the
Camaro SS for breakfast.

$(KGrHqFHJBcE-d(-K6qTBPqu3E)psw~~60_12.JPG



 
Back in the late 70's, I raced (from a roll) a bone stock 67 350 ss camaro with powerglide, with my 68 forms 340, auto, 3:23 fb barracuda. I barely beat that car, maybe a frt end. I remember thinking if it had a 3 spd auto, things would have probably been different.
 
DK on the 'glide.

LOTS of pro and semi-pro drag racers run em.

That being said, I didn't know until recently how f'n LATE gm was with a 3 speed auto.

Side note- gm was also LATE with o/d manual. Mopar -1976 gm -1984???

Side side note- I've also noticed that the NP833 shifts a LOT smoother than a muncie, even in a vette!!!
 
The Barracuda WINNER! I don't care if that camaro has a 4-speed or auto.
Small block chevy's are the most overrated engine out there.
If you replace the block, crank, heads, rods with aftermarket parts, then you have something.
Stock for stock, the 340 cleans its clock!
 
In 1968,

The 350/295 HP {L-48} was a good strong power-plant, and with the
long duration Camshaft and Rochester Quadra-Jet {750 CFM}, the
engine had a strong top-end.

But, the 'PowerGlide' was not held in high regard back then.

An Automatic; w/3.73 Gears {Code HO5} and Posi-Traction {Code G80} and F-70 x 14" Tires,

Result............ 15.30 @ 91 MPH
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1968 Barracuda 340-S

An Automatic; w/3.55 Gears 'Sure-Grip' and E-70 x 14" Tires

Result........... 14.77 @ 94 MPH
 
In 1968 the Z/28 Camaro dominated all Motorsport arenas winning the SCCA Trans Am series and NHRA Super Stock World Championship title thanks to the Penske racing team (SCCA) and Jenkins Strickler racing team (NHRA).
 
my first type of race car when I was 15 was a 67 Camaro SS and it did run right around 15.3 with a power gilde and a peg leg 3.08 gear but I had a little bigger cam an alum intake and a holley carb. If you were to put a TH350 trans in the match race above it would have been even closer. the Camaro would have for sure been in the high 14's
 
1968

The Camaro SS 350, with an 'M-20' 4-Speed {Wide-Ratio} and 3.73 Gears
with Posi-Traction and 2.00" Dual-Exhaust could pull,

14.90's @ 93 MPH

In stock trim,
* Shipping Weight....... #3050 lbs.
* Curb Weight............. #3200 lbs.
 
Cuda won with a shorter rear, smaller tires, smaller afb carb and what looks like a smaller cam? It had larger intakes by 3.5%
Maybe he should of requested the 'offroad only' 375/327 motor....laugh. i would regularly beat my friends 6.6 olds powered T/A and a mysterious duster 340 round my house with a stock 68 340 in a light 65 A-body.
 
mikedevore said:
The Barracuda WINNER! I don't care if that camaro has a 4-speed or auto.
Small block chevy's are the most overrated engine out there.
If you replace the block, crank, heads, rods with aftermarket parts, then you have something.
Stock for stock, the 340 cleans its clock!
Click to expand...

WOW ..I know this is a Mopar site but Chevy small block overrated ..come on..283cu/283hp..302cu/290 (VERY underrated) 327cu/375hp..350cu/370hp wind them up to 7 grand and turn them loose..and god knows the new small blocks although not quite the same are monsters ..in this particular match up I think the Chevy would come up a little short ..but overrated nah
 
44070dart said:
WOW ..I know this is a Mopar site but Chevy small block overrated ..come on..283cu/283hp..302cu/290 (VERY underrated) 327cu/375hp..350cu/370hp wind them up to 7 grand and turn them loose..and god knows the new small blocks although not quite the same are monsters ..in this particular match up I think the Chevy would come up a little short ..but overrated nah
Click to expand...

Wind them up & count on one hand before they come apart.
Try finding one with the original engine. If it got hotrodded, it didn't last.
I made a living off these for 20 years in the parts buisness.
Lousey valvetrain, studs pulling out of the heads when reved high.
Most were dead by 30-40k.
Yea, they would rev, just wouldn't live.
I'm talking OEM to OEM, the 340 was quicker & more durable than any stock small block chevy.
This is why there is a big aftermarket support for them, about all chevy did was provide the aftermarket with customers.
 
With a SBC, you pay extra for the stuff that comes standard on the Chrysler LA engine.
*6 inch rods
*Deep skirted block that clears stroker cranks easier
*Shaft mounted rocker arms

The only advantage to the sbc is maybe the valve/pushrod angle and of course cheaper. I still stand tall saying the LA engine is a better engine.
 
Mike Devore,

I do agree to an extent, the 'Pressed-In' Rocker Studs did pull out of quite a few
Small Block Chevy's.

But, they weren't all 'dogs'.

The 350/295 HP {L-48} 4-Speed was respectable in the NHRA {10.00 to 10.49 Wt/Hp} Class back in the day.

We competed against a few in Super/Stock {SS/I} from 1972 thru 1976, and they
could run 12.20's and be competitive when running for Class Trophy.

In Stock Class {E/S = 1968}, {F/S = 1969} and {G/S 1970-1971} they weren't
as competitive.
 
I got a race for you, 69 M-Code Cuda vs 69 Copo camaro.
 
I'm a little surprised by the results. I guess it shows the worth of the extra gear in the tranny and the torque superiority in conjunction with the transmission advantage of the Barracuda. It seems to me that to make a 2-speed work in the ¼ mile you build for either the start or the finish of the race. The engine has to have a wide powerband. If not the jump from 1st to 2nd to allow the engine to recover rpm.

When we switched from the Ford FE to the SBC, we lost a bunch of weight and torque. Our experience with the SBC back in the day was the lower end was the weak link. When Chevy came out with the 350, they fixed the problem by giving the engine larger main bearings than its predecessors. IIRC the 68 through 70 327s had the large bearings as did all of the 307s. By the time we switched for the '73 season, the large journal sbc was available in quantity in salvage yards.

As a scrapyard scrounger, I'd definitely take the 'Cuda over the Camaro. The 67-69 F-body (Camaro and Firebird) used the same front sub-frame as the X-body(rear drive) (Nova, Phoenix/Ventura, Omega, Apollo/Skylark). I saw too many of these cars with the front ends ripped off in collisions to have a great deal of confidence in them.
 
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