1969 Match Race ~ 'Cuda 383 vs. 'Cuda 340

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69 Cuda 440

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1969 Match Race

Model ..........'Cuda 383 ............. 'Cuda 340

Notchback ...... #3183 lbs. ............ #3057 lbs.
Fastback ........ #3258 lbs. ............ #3132 lbs.

These figures were based on Automatic Transmissions.
Manual 4-Speed Transmission.... Add +31 lbs.

* In 1969, the 383/330 HP was NHRA rated at 330 HP.

* In 1969, the 340/275 HP was re-factored by the NHRA to 310 HP.

1969 NHRA Classes

'Cuda 383 {Notchback} .... E/S or E/SA {9.64 Wt/HP}
'Cuda 383 {Fastback} ...... E/S or E/SA {9.87 Wt/HP}

'Cuda 340 {Notchback} .... E/S or E/SA {9.86 Wt/HP}
'Cuda 340 {Fastback} ...... F/S or F/SA {10.10 Wt/HP}
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* In 2003, the NHRA re-factored the 383/330 HP down to 295 HP in Stock Class.

* In 2003, the NHRA re-factored the 340/275 HP down to 299 HP in Stock Class.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, the 'Cuda 383 weighed in at {+126 lbs.} heavier than the
'Cuda 340, and with nearly all that weight on the Nose.
 
I'd think if you were stock class racing in the late '60s, early '70s, you'd want the 340 Fastback for sure. How did they do in F/S? I'd imagine pretty well...
 
Aaron65 said:
I'd think if you were stock class racing in the late '60s, early '70s, you'd want the 340 Fastback for sure. How did they do in F/S? I'd imagine pretty well...[/quote

January 1969 > NHRA National Records

E/S ......... 12.39 @ 113.63 MPH
E/SA ....... 12.49 @ 112.50 MPH

F/S ......... 12.70 @ 107.65 MPH
F/SA ....... 12.79 @ 109.75 MPH ..... 1968 Barracuda 340-S 'Fastback'

The Barracuda 340 Automatic {Fastback's} were nearly unbeatable.

The top Barracuda 340 'F/SA' Stockers were running 12.80's @ 108 MPH.

Note; No 1969 '383' A-Body was running anywhere near their Class Records
{E/S or E/SA} in Stock Class.
Click to expand...
 
My dad & my uncle ordered new barracudas in 69. My dad got the 340 4spd & my uncle got the 383 4spd (the one I have now) My told me he could beat my uncle in the 1/4 mile all day but not much after that my uncle would go blowing by. They both were fast backs & had 3:55 gears. The best 1/4 mile time for the 340 4spd cuda was 13.5. That was on bias ply skinny tires.
 
1969 Barracuda

Both the 340 and 383 were available with the following Gear Ratio's.
* 3.23
* 3.55
* 3.91

Both had the same Tire sizes from the Factory >
E70 x 14" {Diameter; 25.76" ~ Width; 6.25"

For head-to-head Racing purposes, both cars will be equipped with 3.91 Gears
with Sure-Grip, and Prowler Cheater Slicks {7" Width x 28" Tall}.
 
1969

Barracuda 340 'Fastback' 4-Speed, w/3.91 Gears and 7" M & H Cheater-Slicks
vs.
Barracuda 383 'Fastback' 4-Speed, w/3.91 Gears and 7" M & H Cheater-Slicks

Clutch ................. 10.5" Diameter x 6.5" Disc-Surface {106.8" Square Inches}
Pressure Plate ..... #2131 lbs. Spring-Rate

No problem here for the '340', as it would launch quicker and have a better
Clutch-Grab coming off the line.

As it was a lighter car by {126 lbs.}, #3163 lbs. to #3289 lbs.

Even with the 7" M & H Cheater-Slicks {B-140 Compound}, the extra Nose-Weight would effect the 'Barracuda 383' greatly.

The 'Barracuda 340' w/3.91 Gears would send the 'Hercules 340' down
the Quarter-Mile at 13.87 range at 100.2 MPH.

The 'Barracuda 383', would lose off the line due to >
* Less of a Clutch-Grab
* Heavier car by {126 lbs.}
* Less traction, due to Nose-Weight

Also, both Engines were equipped with the same Carter AVS {630 CFM}
Carburetors.

There would be no advantage for the 383 on Top-End, other than more
Cubic Inches, as bigger-cubed Big-Block would 'starve-for-fuel' over the last 200 Feet.

The 'Barracuda 383' would lumber in at 14.18 @ 98.8 MPH.
 
Front-to-Rear Weight Distribution

Fastback w/4-Speed Manual Transmission.

'Cuda 340 ........... #1763 lbs. ....... #1400 lbs. === #3163 lbs.
'Cuda 383 ........... #1889 lbs. ....... #1400 lbs. === #3289 lbs.
 
My retirement project is my 69 A56 FB 'cuda 340. Bench seat, 4 speed, factory 3.91, Rallye wood-grained dash and "wood" wheel, manual drums and manual steering, front and rear torque plates. And of all things, a factory clock not a tach! Though the steering column has marks from an aftermarket tach worm drive mount. Numbers matching with build sheet, 45K original miles. Obviously bought for one thing and there is evidence that it was back in the day. The only original steel wheel I have has holes drilled in the edges for screws to hold the slicks in place and the pinion snubber area on the body is beat to sh**. I always figured it was a low 14 second car so this should be interesting.
 
'The Big Race'

The high-winding 'Cuda 340 would launch, fast and quick here.

The heavier nose 'Cuda 383 would be no match for the lighter small block
coming out of the holes.

The 'Cuda 340, with an advantage in weight, would have better traction, front-end
rise, and most importantly 'Clutch-Grab' with the #2131 lb. load-rate Borg & Beck
Pressure Plate.

By the end of 1st-Gear, the 'Cuda 340 would have a solid 2-Car lead.

The 'Cuda 383 would start to gain RPM's by the end of 1st-Gear, and not lose
anymore ground, but it would not gain any either.

Look for the 'Cuda 340 to edge away a little more thru 2nd-Gear, as it could gain
RPM's much quicker than the 383 Big-Block.

By mid-way down the Track, the 'Cuda 340 is holding a more than comfortable
3-Car lead, as it hits 3rd-Gear.

This is the area where the 'Cuda 383 can make up a little ground, and as the car
hits 3rd-Gear, the Big-Block starts to breathe and maintain higher RPMs.

The 'Cuda 340 is starting wind out at the end of 3rd-Gear.

By the end of 3rd-Gear, the lead has shrunk down to 2 1/4 Cars, as the 'Cuda 383 is making its patented late move.

In 4th-Gear, the high-revving 'Cuda 340 is screaming at 5200 RPM's and
peaks as it hits 100 MPH at the 1200 Foot Mark.

The 'Cuda 383 is starting to roll now in 4th-Gear, and the #906 Cylinder Heads
are starting to breathe as they suck in large amounts of air.

But just as the 'Cuda 383 starts to gain on the 'Cuda 340, it suddenly starves for Fuel mid-way thru 4th-Gear and the Big-Block flattens out at the end.

* 'Cuda 340 ........ 13.87 @ 100.2 MPH
* 'Cuda 383 ......... 14.18 @ 98.8 MPH
 
I never ran against a 383 Cuda back in 1969, either on the drag strip or the street, with my A56 notch 4 speed. I did run against 383 RR"s and usually got them out of the hole and they could not catch me.

Best time then was a 14:50. Best time now, Oahe Speedway (factored track), 14:67. This is factored to a 14:49. 94 degree heat, 15 mph head wind, G70 radials. When it cools off, I think a 14:20 is possible with a little tuning. Bias ply tires would help also.

The #'s matching 340 was re-built basically stock, similar cam to a 68 340 4 speed, blue printed, no headers, stock AVS, electronic ignition, #'s matching 4 speed, 3:55 Sure Grip.

Pa karp:burnout:

PS There is some added weight....in me, about 60 pounds. Ballast helps! lol The avatar photo was taken in August of 1969, my quote photo was taken in August of 2014.
 

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EL5DEMON340 said:
I know the 68 340 and 383 carbs are identical in size, pri/sec jetting, rods.
Click to expand...

Hold on, there are some minor differences.

They were both rated at 630 CFM's with >

* Primary Throttle ......... 1 7/16" ...... 1.186" Venturi
* Secondary Throttle ..... 1 11/16" .... Automatic Vacuum

........................... Main Jets ... Sec. Jets ........Metering Rods

340 {Manual} ......... .089" ..... .095" ......... .065" x .063" x .055"
340 {Automatic} ..... .089" ..... .098" ......... .0645" x .062" x .055"

383 {Manual} .......... .089" .... .092" ......... .065" x .060" x .053"

383 {Automatic} ...... .089" .... .089" ......... .068" x .065" x .053" {Pump Side}
............................... .089"..... .086" ......... .065" x .063" x .055" {Opposite Side}
 
When I was 18 I had a '69 A56 optioned Fastback 4 speed, SG 3:23, bench seat, with power steering and the rear defroster. The back seat was the fixed type. Pure stock grudge runs at Island Dragway, Great Meadows, NJ in 1970 got me a best of 14.3.
 
383's are "taxicab" motors...won't touch a properly tuned 340:D:D
 
I agree with you stroked,in factory trim a 340 is and was one of the absolute best engines built. Gotta hand it to the engineers-they nailed it!
 
i've told this story before here on FABO but i'll relate it again.

when i was in high school from 69-72, i had a "new" 68 fastback barracuda formula s 340 4sp. it had hooker fender well headers; an edelbroc high rise aluminum manifold; a holley 750 dp carb; hurst comp plus shifter; and a 3:91 rear gear. i street raced the car every weekend. there was no common ford, pontiac or chevy that could beat that car. a friend of mine bought a new 69 super bee, 383 4 sp. he and i had friendly races probably once or twice a month. his super bee ALWAYS lost to my barracuda by at least 2 car lengths. you can shift a 340 at 6k all day long AND a 340 will get to 6k MUCH FASTER than a big block will. THAT was always the difference in all the street races i was in - my car would hit 6 grand and i would power shift to the next gear before the other guy. getting into that next gear first was responsible for the two car lengths at the quarter mile point and that was always the same result in a race against a big block - ford, chevy or pontiac.

so the bottom line is - you've got to have something "special" to beat a 340 with a few modifications and a 3:91 rear gear in a 3000 lb. car in a 1/4 mile drag race...
 
I'd like a rematch.

Back in the day the 383 really responded by using the larger 1-11/16 AVS carb. The A-body exhaust manifolds for the big block killed some HP too, that's why NHRA rated that 383 less than the B-bodies.
 
Hmmm;as usual we start with"now if we change"?????
 
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