1969 Plymouth 440 'Cuda {M-Code}
* Frighteningly Fast
* Tough To Handle
* Hard To Steer
* Difficult To Stop
* Frighteningly Fast
* Tough To Handle
* Hard To Steer
* Difficult To Stop
The Scariest 'Factory Stocker'
- Thread starter 69 Cuda 440
- Start date
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340-Swinger
Well-Known Member
"1969 Plymouth Barracuda 440
The '69 A13 Option: Wretched Excess In A Plain Brown Wrapper
Photography by Mike Brenner, Ro McGonegal
Hot Rod Magazine, August 01, 2003
1
0308 HRDP 01 Z CUDA
Somewhere on the Jersey Turnpike, it hit me. The motor in this car swills gas like somebody poked a hole in the tank. I'd just topped off with Sunoco 260 for the third time. I was slithering from D.C. to North Jersey for the weekend, a 250-mile jag. It was July. It was stinkin' hot. I was humid. This thing didn't have air conditioning. Or power steering. Or disc brakes. Leaving the rest area, I stomped the throttle and made smoke big-time, getting nearly sideways before I saw the SS Trooper. He laughed maniacal and jabbed his finger to the side of the road.
more.........................
Great article:
http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0308_1969_plymouth_barracuda_440/
The '69 A13 Option: Wretched Excess In A Plain Brown Wrapper
Photography by Mike Brenner, Ro McGonegal
Hot Rod Magazine, August 01, 2003
1
0308 HRDP 01 Z CUDA
Somewhere on the Jersey Turnpike, it hit me. The motor in this car swills gas like somebody poked a hole in the tank. I'd just topped off with Sunoco 260 for the third time. I was slithering from D.C. to North Jersey for the weekend, a 250-mile jag. It was July. It was stinkin' hot. I was humid. This thing didn't have air conditioning. Or power steering. Or disc brakes. Leaving the rest area, I stomped the throttle and made smoke big-time, getting nearly sideways before I saw the SS Trooper. He laughed maniacal and jabbed his finger to the side of the road.
more.........................
Great article:
http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0308_1969_plymouth_barracuda_440/
GEO
Sarcasm Inc.
1964 Dodge Pickup with the optional 426 wedge 365hp
What a handful on stock wheels/tires,I can only imagine. What a brute. Ro McGonegal,love this guy's written articles.
The A12 69.5 6-pak B-body owners call us "TIRE FRIERS" ..........I can vouch for that!!!
You show me a factory notch back 440 'Cuda,I start paying attention... (SWEET.....)! If that's actually yours, Sweetness.... (I envy you)......
Yes it's mine, also have a white on black fastback that needs resto!
And much rarer notches!
Not looking to buy ,yet.,got to finish what I have.....
White on black.......
Cal_gecko
Citron Yella!!
I got to go for a ride in a legit '68 Hurst Hemi Dart before it went to auction .. it was crazy. Like riding a Rhinoceros bareback.
1969 Plymouth 440 'Cuda {M-Code}
* Manual Steering
* E-70 x 14" Tires
* 10" Drum Brakes
* Nose-Heavy
* Shipping Weight #3279 lbs.
* Tight Exhaust System
The 'scariest ride' I ever had.
* Manual Steering
* E-70 x 14" Tires
* 10" Drum Brakes
* Nose-Heavy
* Shipping Weight #3279 lbs.
* Tight Exhaust System
The 'scariest ride' I ever had.
Oh yeah...I can see what you guys are getting at. What a car. A hairy beast with one of the best lookking bodystyles in automotive history (IMO).
Since when was the Barracuda a "A Plain Brown Wrapper?" Ther were always a notch or two upscale, weren't they?
Umm... Not convinced on that "shipping weight." From everything I have read, small block cars weighed that much.
Since when was the Barracuda a "A Plain Brown Wrapper?" Ther were always a notch or two upscale, weren't they?
Umm... Not convinced on that "shipping weight." From everything I have read, small block cars weighed that much.
Mr. GTX
1969 NHRA Specifications
1969 Plymouth 440 'Cuda
* Shipping Weight ................ #3279 lbs. {Curb Weight; 3410 lbs.}
* Weight-to-Horsepower........ 8.74 Wt/HP
* Class................................... C/SA
* 1969 National Record......... 12.02 @ 114.12 MPH
I lived it..............
1969 NHRA Specifications
1969 Plymouth 440 'Cuda
* Shipping Weight ................ #3279 lbs. {Curb Weight; 3410 lbs.}
* Weight-to-Horsepower........ 8.74 Wt/HP
* Class................................... C/SA
* 1969 National Record......... 12.02 @ 114.12 MPH
I lived it..............
I put my notch on a scale with gas filled to the rim, spare tire and jack.......weighed in at 3300 pounds
Also for your info I run a '69 440 'cuda ONLY registry. Rite now I have like 108 cars! Always looking to add a new one, let me know of any you may know, see or find. Pics of cars, tags, vin#. Thanks, Dave
gtmopar
Phuckin A!
I know it's not a mopar but my Sunbeam Tiger has always scared me no matter how long it's been in the family. Try Dana 44 with 13" wheels and now 400 hp 289 with close ratio top loader. All of the performance parts on the car are vintage LAT ( losangeles tigers ) options.
67 prostreet gt
Well-Known Member
factory 440 dart that raced the f.a.s.t. class that is a scary car and the old man drove it like he stole it
twayne24365
Well-Known Member
Scariest ive driven so far is my dads 65 coronet, with a 10" wide street tire it likes to dance when you get on it, thats with a 383, 4000 stall ati converter, and 4.56 gears. I can only imagine what it would be like to drive the a990 coronet with the race race hemi on those skinny 5" bias ply tires... Hang on!!
The american flag belveder is my uncles car, 496" procharged 440
The american flag belveder is my uncles car, 496" procharged 440
saw one of those at the ruby's car meet in redondo for the first time. pretty cool car i must say
2 Darts
A-body Addicted
Surprise, surprise; but it may well be a Mopar. The Sunbeam Tiger was in the Rootes Group catalog when it was acquired by Chrysler. The first problem Chrysler had with the Tiger was the idea of providing warranty support for a Ford built engine. Due to this issue and the sales numbers, Chrysler killed the Tiger and gave Plymouth the Cricket a few years later.
A 289 Ford could be set up to make nearly 450 hp on pump gas. The problem for Tigers in SCCA racing was hanging onto the tires til the end of the race. On a short course and a short time/distance, they were tough to beat. The problem for them was they where matched against Shelby 350s, SB Corvettes, and SB Cobras in the B Production class. These pairings almost always made for a great race.
The scariest factory ride I've ever driven was a '68 SS 396 375 hp. 4-speed Chevelle. What made it scary was it had manual steering, drum brakes, and the streets were wet when I drove it. What scared me the most was when I released the wheel to come out of a skid, the wheel spun around so fast, it buzzed like a fan. If I had tried to grab the wheel inside the spokes, I'd have lost a few fingers. There was plenty of motor to drive it sideways with the throttle. Yee ha!!!
The scariest non-factory ride was a 53 Studebaker coupe, a lot like the one in the photo below. It doesn't look very scary, yet. Visualize it in fly yellow with a 365/327 and a 3-speed overdrive. For those who are interested in such things, a 53 Studebaker coupe had a curb weight of 3040 lbs. That gives this ride 8.33 lbs/hp, compare to a 440 A-body at 9.06. Top end was clocked at 155 mph. Manual steering and manual drums. Studebaker steering of the day had a link connecting the steering box with a knuckle in the center of the front cross-member that connected to the tie rods. It was stable at speed but really spooky under braking. I'd love to build one of these with a S/C Gen III Hemi, 6-speed transmission, disk brakes, and a R&P steering set-up.
Do NHRA Specs assume stripped interior, etc?
Well...ok! So where did the small block cars weigh in? Maybe they're all lighter than I had always read.
GTS Registry
Pure Stock
That's crazy Dave! My 340 weighs in at 3395. Is the Dart body heavy than the Cuda??
Frank, I just checked the slip because you had me doughting myself!
.......but I was rite #3300 I'll post a pic.
Don't forget the Dart has a 3" longer wheel base. Plus the notch is 100lbs lighter than a fastback.
These #'s are from DMV registration that goes by vin# but ya can't swear by DMV
'69 notch 318...2900lbs
'69 notch 440...3195lbs
'69 FB 340.......3100lbs
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