273 Question and comment on "expert" books

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Inspector71

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First off, was the 273 4 bbl still an option for the 68 Barracuda? I'll get back to that in a moment.

I was given a book that was supposed to be authoritative on MOPARS: Quentin Wilson's Classic American Cars. On page 151, it has a picture of a 68 Charger...painted purple. R/T badging in the rear but not the front. Okay, wrong color, I can live with that. Then, in the "Engine" section, it reads: "Ultra-potent 426cid Hemis could do it in five [zero to 60] courtesy of a staggering 425 bhp. The V8 engines were (are you still with me?) incredibly heavy with the 426 weighing an outrageous 9,765 lb (4,433kg)."
Wow, an engine that weighs way more than the car?

Next is Mike Mueller's "Chrysler Muscle Cars, The Ultimate Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Every Mopar Ever Built."

Lest anyone accuse me of nit picking, this book says it is the ultimate guide and you can see the rest. This is what I found problematic:

The Barracuda section says the 273 4bbl was an option for 1968. Is that true? At the end of each year, it lists standard and optional power plants. In the text it is effusive in its praise of the 340 but, 1968-1969, it never lists the 340 in that section. It does not show up in that section until 1970. A novice might wonder if these engines are the same in every way, 1968-1970. I know I'd wonder. I have a 1968 Charger and wanted to see what it said about that car. That section starts on page 98. It has pictures of the 66-67 Charger and then makes a big deal about how different and stylish and wonderful the 68 Charger shape was. I would agree. But, on the page for the 68 Charger, they depict a 69 Charger 500. In fact, throughout the section on the 68 and 69 Chargers, they spend a great deal of ink discussing the Charger 500, a minor player sales wise.
It also says on page 105, that all 68 Chargers with a 318 engine came with automatics. Ha! My first B Body was a 68 Charger. I didn't know how to drive a stick so took along a friend who did. He handed me the keys and said it was time to learn. I learned to drive a stick that day...68 Charger, 318 2 bbl, with a 3-on-a-tree-stick.

My point? If I tried to restore my cars, knowing as little as I do, from these books, I'd be in big trouble. I can't exaggerate how many times FABO members have helped me out, information and parts wise, and straightened me out concerning some wrong headed ideas I had about what would or would not work. I wish your threads were a book. I'd definitely buy that one.
 
I have found that many of the off breed "expert" books contain wrong information. (especially the ones that cover all brands.) Many of the cars in those books are far from perfect too. tmm
 
I have found that many of the off breed "expert" books contain wrong information. (especially the ones that cover all brands.) Many of the cars in those books are far from perfect too. tmm


X2. Even the "Challenger & Barracuda Restoration Guide" has a lot of misstatements regarding A-body Barracudas. I don't know enough about E-bodies to critique that content, but it makes me wonder.
 
Inspector71, you have hit on a pet peeve of mine, whether it is Mopar books, or books in general. I am tired of seeing misinformation, typos and and grammatical errors in books, newspapers and so called professional journals. Are publishing companies too cheap to pay editors anymore? Are authors to lazy to complete their research before they send the final draft to the publishing company. :violent1:

And I won't even begin to address internet news sites (the big name ones too), who post news articles with the same glaring mistakes. :banghead:What? Don't they even use spell check and grammar check on their expensive computers with their expensive software? Again, what, no editor? :wack:

If one were to set out to write a book intended to be the authority on Mopar vehicles, I would expect he might want to go to primary sources in his research, not third, fourth, or tenth hand information. And then, he might, just might, want to get several real authorities on Mopar history and vehicles to proof read his material to assure it correctness.:violent1:

IMO, there is no excuse when the internet and other resources are so readily available.

PHEW! RANT OVER... (for now).
 
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