Was the 273 available in a 68 Barracuda?

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harrisonm

harrisonm

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I was looking for something for my 69 Barracuda today, and I came across the statistic stating that the 273 was an available engine for the 68 Barracuda. I thought the last year for the 273 was 67. I am no expert, but does anybody out there know for sure.
 
harrisonm said:
I was looking for something for my 69 Barracuda today, and I came across the statistic stating that the 273 was an available engine for the 68 Barracuda. I thought the last year for the 273 was 67. I am no expert, but does anybody out there know for sure.
Click to expand...
Did you look on the Hamtramck site.
 
Curiosity got the best of me. It doesn't look like it. 225, 318, 340 and 383. (at the time of the Data Book printing.
 
67 wasn't the last year for the 273, but it was the last year for the 273 in a Barracuda. In 68, the 318 became the standard V8 for Barracudas.
 
Doesn't appear to be available for '68. 318 and 340 are the only small blocks listed.

68_Barracuda0012.jpg


68_Barracuda0013.jpg
 
From a B body perspective- the 273 is extremely rare in 68 B body cars.

I've only ever seen two.
One WL Coronet and one RL belvedere.

It is somewhat rare in 66 and 67 Dodge B bodies.
All of my 66/67 Dodges have been 318 cars.
A bit more common in Plymouths.
 
I believe only 2bbl 273s after 1967. And why anyone would pick a 2 bbl 273 over a 2 bbl 318 in 68 or 69 is beyond me...
 
In Europe (Switzerland) some Barracudas got a 273-2 bbl in 1968 and 1969:

High quality Swiss made A - Bodies

Swiss-made Barracudas 1967 - 1969:

1967: 273-2bbl and 273 - 4 bbl, no slant sixes.
1968: 273-2 bbl and 340s
1969: 273-2 bbl and 340s

Obviously 273 engines leftovers were still sent to Schinznach in 68 and 69; the engines were still painted red. There were no 318s offered in swiss Barracudas. Nearly all Barracudas were fastbacks, but there are few notchbacks (only with 273 c.i.) known. Convertibles were imported - not swiss made - but sold by AMAG; these convertibles got the US-motorization: 225 c.i., 318 c.i. and 340 c.i.

There were in total only 216 Barracudas (2nd Gen) built.


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If you look at the 1968 Plymouth Parts Book, the 273 Commando was listed as available, never seen one.

68 VIN Engine Codes.JPG
 
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Before I bought my 65 Barracuda in the summer of 68, I looked at others, including a 67 fastback with a 273 two barrel, A/C and a 4-speed. (Who ever ordered that combo??)

About 1990, I looked at a 68 Barracuda coupe, 318 4-speed. It had door dings all up and down both sides (Atlanta car), but it was rust-free and relatively low miles. $1200. I would have bought it if I hadn't already owned a 67 coupe which I still have. Friend bought it, fixed it up nicely, and it was featured in Mopar Muscle.

About the same time, my wife and I looked at a 66 Barracuda, 273 two-barrel, automatic, for her son. Seller thought it was a 318, got mad when I told him it was a 273. We didn't buy it.

Those were the days. . . .
 
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