1969 440 'Cuda {Found My Old Photos}

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69 Cuda 440

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Found my old photo's from 1980.

A good history on the car, to follow.

1 of 344 Built. An original M-Code.

Classed in C/SA in the photo's.

ceasrine.jpg
 
I thought it may be you Paul with some of your posts here :D. I followed a lot of your posts on Class Racer. It's cool to have you here, with all your knowledge of the old days.
 
Very cool!!! Do you know what ever happened to it? Do you know the vin#....maybe it's in my registry!!!! What's the original color?
 
Part I

My 1969 1/2 440 'cuda,

BH29M9B

Was built during the 'second' Barracuda 440 'cuda {Production Run} in March 1969.

The car was delivered to Glean Chrysler-Plymouth in Pawling, New York
(Dutchess County) in April 1969.

The 440 'cuda was 'not' a special order car for a customer. It was ordered by
Glean Chrysler-Plymouth as part of their 'select order' shipment.

The car was ordered under 'Cuda 440 Special Package'

The 440 'cuda came shipped as a F5 Color (Limelight Medium Green) with Green Interior.

I was told, that Glean Chrysler-Plymouth who had sponsored Doc Burgess from 1965 thru 1967,
had wanted Doc to campaign the 440 'cuda for them in C/SA or SS/GA for the 1969 Drag Racing Season.

But Doc Burgess (Owner of the 1965 Plymouth 'Black Arrow') and now running a 1967 Oldsmoble 4-4-2
'Black Arrow II' in D/Stock in 1968, had wanted to sell his 1967 4-4-2 first, before taking the 440 'cuda
to campaign for 1969.

Unfortunately, Doc Burgess had a hard time selling his 'tired' and 'now oil-smoking' 1967 Oldsmobile 4-4-2,
as it was run very hard during the 1968 Racing Season.

In the meantime, the 'new' 440 'cuda sat in the Dealership Showroom in April and May 1969, with
a 'sticker price' of around $3900.

Doc Burgess (1968 Photo}

file.php


Doc Burgess (1966 Photo) see, Glean Chrysler-Plymouth

file.php
 
Thanks for the tease. Waiting.......:happy1:
 
Part II

The 1969 1/2 440 'cuda looked like the 'below' photo when new.

Bucket seats with the Interior Group Package, and the required
3.55 Sure-Grip Rear.

All 'M-Code' cars came through with 10" Drum Brakes, and an A-727 Automatic
Transmission.

A 50+ year-old gentleman by the name of George Franzese from Pawling, New York
bought the car in June 1969 for approximately $3800.

Mr. Franzese was an Old-Time Drag Racer from the 1950's and early 1960's. But he
bought the 440 'cuda with 'no' intentions of Drag Racing it. He just wanted a 'Cool Car'
that was quick.

But, he was 'unhappy' with the handling of the car, and only kept it for 9-Months.
He then 'Traded' the 440 'cuda back in to Glean Chrysler-Plymouth in March 1970
and with less than 4000 Miles on the Odometer.

99259012237000_tmp_org.jpg
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
Part II

The 1969 1/2 440 'cuda looked like the 'below' photo when new.

Bucket seats with the Interior Group Package, and the required
3.55 Sure-Grip Rear.

All 'M-Code' cars came through with 10" Drum Brakes, and an A-727 Automatic
Transmission.

A 50+ year-old gentleman by the name of George Franzese from Pawling, New York
bought the car in June 1969 for approximately $3800.

Mr. Franzese was an Old-Time Drag Racer from the 1950's and early 1960's. But he
bought the 440 'cuda with 'no' intentions of Drag Racing it. He just wanted a 'Cool Car'
that was quick.

But, he was 'unhappy' with the handling of the car, and only kept it for 9-Months.
He then 'Traded' the 440 'cuda back in to Glean Chrysler-Plymouth in March 1970
and with less than 4000 Miles on the Odometer.

99259012237000_tmp_org.jpg
Click to expand...

There was a car identical to that in my local town about 10-12 years ago. Same green color and all. It was sitting on a car lot that dealt with some very nice muscle cars. The car was very ,very,nice and had a 440 6 BBL.. He claimed that only a handful of these where made:dontknow: and was asking like $70,000 for the car..
 
Production Numbers
------------------------
* Fastback..........299
* Notchback..........45
------------------------
* Total Built.........344

Part III

The car ended back with Glean Chrysler-Plymouth March 1970.

Within a few weeks, a young employee at Glean (Mechanic) named Dave Barrett
bought the car, after getting an 'employee discount'.

Too say Dave Barrett was a 'crazy bastard' would be an under-statement.

He immediately treated the car like a Nascar Street-Racer, and terrorized Putnam
County, New York like it was his own personal Drag Strip during the Summer of 1970.

Even with E70 x 14" Red-Line tires, the car was near unbeatable on the street.

And Dave would routinely fly by my fathers Gulf Service Station (Route 52, Lake Carmel, New York)
at near 100 MPH on Friday Nights, with several other 'Death Seekers' in the 440 'cuda with him.

And crazy long 'burn-out' tire marks were usually found up-and-down all over
Route 52 from Carmel Center to Lake Carmel (north part of town).

Surprisingly, Dover Drag Strip was only 25-Minutes North of us, yet Dave never
took the car to Track.
 
65Vsignet said:
What did that car in 1969 in C/SA ?
Click to expand...

At the beginning of 1969, the C/SA National Record was 12.02 @ 114.50 MPH

By October 1969, it was down to 11.88 @ 116.12 MPH

Currently the NHRA Index for C/SA is 11.40


The 1969 1/2 440 'cuda Fastback weighed in at #3310 lbs. {Shipping Weight}.

Nearly #200 lbs. heavier than the 'cuda 340.
 
Legend

Part IV

One Friday Night in the Fall of 1970, Dave Barrett took the 440 'cuda out on
the 'unfinished' section of 'new' 'Interstate 84' off Route 311 in Lake Carmel, New York.

This section of the concrete Interstate was not fully completed in 1970, and there
was a long strip where the Exit #18 access road connected to the new
Highway, where local Racers from the area would show up on Friday Nights
to 'Street Race'.

Legend has it, that Dave blew down the 'Strip Section' at near 120 MPH, and flew past
the Exit 'Off Ramp'.

Instead of stopping and turning the 440 'cuda around, he slammed on the 'Brakes', and
threw into 'Reverse', and 'punched it out' going backwards.

Witness 'George Hemphill' said that Dave floored the 'cuda, and was going near 60 MPH in Reverse
when the 440 Engine made a loud 'Bam' sound, and then coasted to the 'Off Ramp'.

Several friends helped tow the 'wounded' 440 'cuda back to Dave Barrett's house with a chain.

The next day Dave took a look at what he had done,

* He had snapped the Timing Chain and broke the Camshaft in half.................
 
Calculation.

Mopar 440 Engine
Reverse = 2.21 Ratio
Rear = 3.55 Ratio
Tires = E70 x 14" = 25.8" Tall

60 MPH in Reverse

RPM =
 
I'm kinda thinking your old car may still be in Weschester? If only you had a vin#!
 
pete9857 said:
how rare is a 69 440 formula "S" ?
Click to expand...

1 of none!

440 was a cuda option only. It has all the formula S stuff except the badging and black out trunk panel. Automatic trans only.
 
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