Randy left out UNLAWFUL intentionally. Here didn't want to bring out any old feelings from readers. It makes sense and was the right thing to do. I thanked him in a thread at Moparts. Last I checked over 500 people had read it.
As far as me starting the website thing--it was an honest mistake on Randy's part, no big deal.
I only mentioned where you could find more info on the car in the article so mentioning Adam wouldn't have made a lot of sense. Mentioning Scotty was a must because he probably had as much input on my motor combo as anyone and we talk all the time on the phone. When I need advice on anything cuda related I call Scotty first.
Here is the article I sent in:
Back in 1979 I was 9 years old and my parents moved us to a new neighborhood. I made a new friend down the street who had an older brother Randy Schmidt that had a 1968 Barracuda 340-s. It was the first hot rod and Mopar I had ever ridden in. Years went by and I grew fonder of the Cuda after many rides and stories I would hear. In 1986 Randy decided to sell the Cuda and at the time I didnt have to resources to buy it so I had to settle for some day finding my own. That day came in March 1998 when I was working at a new car dealership which had a 1969 Roadrunner for sale. I met a customer named Monte Stark as he approached the Roadrunner to take a look. He began to tell me about his passion for Mopars and that he had a 1969 GTX 440 convertible and a 1969 Super Bee at home. I asked him where home was and he said Mt Pleasant Iowa. I was a little surprised to hear that because I was in the process of moving to Mt Pleasant myself. Once I told him my address he said he lived just across the field. Since we were going to be neighbors he suggested that I should get a muscle car. I told him that I too was a Mopar fan and have always wanted a 1968 Barracuda 340-s. I then told him my story from my childhood and Randy Schmidts cuda. Monte suggested that we look in a Wheeler Dealer magazine and see what we could find. I just happened to have bought one a few days before and just hadnt looked at it yet. We went to my desk and began to flip the pages. It wasnt long and we found a 1968 Barracuda 340-s that resembled Randys old Cuda. It had the old aluminum slots and the Formula-s stripe down the door and it was blue. The only thing that was different was it was an auto, Randys old Cuda was a 4 speed. I was a little let down after seeing that so I kept turning the pages. Monte suggested that I should at least call on the car. I finally agreed and got the owner on the phone. He lived about 4 hours from where I did. He was dying of Cancer and decided to sell the car. I told him why I was calling and that I really liked his car but kind of had my heart set on a 4 speed. He said that this car used to be a 4 speed but his son kept tearing clutches out so he put in an automatic. I sat back in my chair and got a weird feeling. Before he could say anything else I asked him who he bought the car from. He set the phone down for a few minutes and pulled out the old title. He got back on the phone and said Randy Schmidt in Cedar Rapids Iowa back in 1986. I couldnt believe it! I had found my car after 12 years. After a short conversation we struck a deal and I left the next day to go pick the car up. When I got there it was just like I remembered it. I got a chance to sit down and talk with the owner about what he had done to the car in the last 12 years. He had put on new quarters and had the car painted exactly like he bought it. He also restored the interior perfectly. He also gave me all the receipts he saved for 12 years and even had the ad in which he found the car for sale in 1986. He handed it over to me and I just smiled because it was a Wheeler Dealer magazine just like the one I used to find him. We headed back home and the fun began. I basically drove the car like I bought it for the first year. I made small upgrades here and there but nothing major until I became friends with Steve Engberg who owns a really nice 1969 Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet 4 speed. Somehow we got a little competition going about small blocks and big blocks, Mopars vs Fords and the race was on! He was faster than me at that time and I had a tired stock 340 so I decided to hire Doug Swailes and Jim Shepherd at AMS Machine in Iowa City Iowa to build me a stout 340 in fall of 1999. These two did a fantastic job assembling and matching components. They also specialize in head porting and worked over my stock aluminum Edelbrock heads I purchased from Virgil Deitz in Cedar Rapids Iowa. The combination was good enough to run 11.85s at 113 mph at 3420 race weight. Steve and I had had a blast racing each other over the last 4 years. We have stayed pretty even with our upgrades and ETs. I was hearing a lot about the stroker kits for the small block mopars and was getting a little bored with the 340 so I made a call to a good friend Scotty St.Cyr from Texas who was running a 340 stroker (416) in the high 10s with ported J heads in a Duster. I got his combo and advice and made a call to my old friends at AMS Machine to come up with a plan for my 340 stroker. Doug and Jim at AMS Machine were ready for me when I dropped of the 340 and committed to havng the transformation done in 4 days so I could get the 416 back in the Cuda and ready to race. They were true to their word and in 4 days I picked up the 416 and began to put the Cuda back together. They selected a Mopar steel 4 crank,Ross dome pistons with 11.6 compression, Eagle rods and a Comp solid roller 262@50 and 613 lift with 1.6 rockers. I stayed with the Edelbrock heads and installed new springs. Jim cleaned up the ports a bit and reassembled them. Since I jumped up over 100 HP I had to call another old friend Jessie Bignell at BIGS Performance Products and order a new Holley 950HP stage 5 to mount on the new M1 single plane that Scotty St.Cyr ported and knife edged for me. I was currently running a BIGS 750HP and their service is second to none like their carbs so I stayed with them. I was pumping a lot more air now so I needed to get better headers and exhaust to get it out. I called the best two guys in the business. Scott Brown at Straightline Performance to hook me up with his street/strip mufflers and a Dr Gas X pipe. Then I called John Cambridge at Ron Olsen Dodge in Omaha to order TTI step headers and tailpipes. John is the best source I know for TTI products. Once the motor was back in and the exhaust was done I needed a little help in the traction department so I called Calvert Racing and ordered some Cal Tracs. The Cuda has run the best of 11.11 at 119.47 mph with the auto and a failing stall convertor. Im sure there would have been a high 10 there with a good convertor. At this point I had had the car 5 years and decided to finally put the 4 speed back in and make the car like I had alwayss wanted it. I went with a stock 833 and a centerforce dual friction clutch. For safety reasons I installed a Lakewood bellhousing. I wish I would have done it sooner, Im having a blast with 468 rwhp and 475 ft pounds of TQ in front of the 4 speed. Over the winter I basically stripped the Cuda of everything but a driver seat and a steering wheel to redo the 13 year old paint job. The paint job was completed by Steve Brecount Jr. at Shottenkirk body shop in Ft Madison Iowa. The color is PPG quasar blue and after Steve layed on the clear it looks 10 feet deep. The black stripe is painted on and buried in clear. You cant feel it when you run your hand over it. I am amazed to say the least! I had a chance to watch Steve spray the clear through the window in the booth. Im still amazed with how even he was able to lay it on and after 3 good coats not one run or sag anywhere. I learned a lot about the correct way to finish out a paint job from Steve as the process progressed. Steve really went the extra mile as you can see in the photos. The trees reflecting in the side of the car are over 100 yards away. I am really pleased with how the Cuda turned out and have many people to thank. I could have never done it on my own. I owe a special thanks to Monte Stark for pushing me into making the phone call and finding the Cuda. More thanks belongs to Steve Engberg for helping me stay focused on getting the car where it is today. I have some great friends around home that have lended me a hand when I needed it. Mike Mertens who loans me his shop and hoist to do work I cant do in the garage at home. Chad Mertens, Seth Martin and Monte Stark who lend me an extra set of hands anytime I call. I also want to thank Paul DeYarman for helping me get the car ready for making my best run of 11.11 at 119.47 mph. There are 100s of people to thank from the web boards I belong to like, Moparts.com, Moparstyle.com, Mopartech.net and ForAbodiesonly.com. Without great web boards like these this hobby wouldnt be near as fun or enjoyable. If there is any info about the car you would like to know you can find me at ABodiesonly.com or Mopartech.net as barracuda340s.
My final thanks goes out to Gary Davis (unlawful) which is how he was known through out the Mopar community. Gary got me in touch with Randy Bolig at Mopar Muscle for this article. Like usual, Gary was always there to lend a hand and help anyway he could. Gary was a police officer and passed tragically in a car accident while on duty May 13, 2004. I was in the middle of writing this article when I heard the news. My prayers go out to Gary and his family. Gary will be missed!
Brett Johnson
