1968 '340' Barracuda vs 1968 '383' Road Runner
Remember these cars tested new were done so with NO TRACTION !!
Road test times reported back then were bogus,slower than they actually were !
Skiny tires,bad tracks or wet roads or gravel roads or sand at the beach they tested cars at back then !
I know a old Imperial 11 or 12 second 0-60 that is reported was done on wet roads and the British driver said he spun and couldn't get any traction..why they tested them like that is beyond me..Its like testing a Viper in the snow and posting those times..Those Imperials were easy 6 second cars all day long..or better with 3.23's and duel exhaust..until 72 and later they were slower..
A 440 Cuda when new was recorded running 14's the magazine added 10" slicks that a new modern radial tire has more traction,the car ran LOW 12's with a stock 440 4bbl back in 69 ! All they did was tires,no engine mods..
383's could beat a 340,if it was in the same weight of car..Even so the 383 was spinning more than the 340 car so that's why if you raced more than a 1/4 mile the 383 would catch up/beat it with street tires.Plus 340 cars prior to 71 were lighter..A 71 340 doesn't outrun a 71 383 in a B-body with same gear ratio's,automatic vs automatic (I sold them new for awhile)
383's do rev high...
I have/had a 68 Charger rt since new,my buddy had a 69 Dart 340 Swinger,I had 3.23's he had 3.91's he hooked better out of the hole but I caught up,on the street even in my wifes 2 door 440 tnt 300,I would spin and spin if I didn't take off slow,not flooring it..my other buddy had a SuperBee 383 with 3.91's and would outrun the Dart,especially when you hooked from a roll and the 30-80 mph tests the 383 bee was 5 seconds when tested new..it was a hit and miss with my Charger or 300 due to no traction even at a roll at 15-20 mph I would light the tires up on either cars.
Now most never drove a new one as I did,most bought a rebuilt motor one that was down on power due to no lead heads,lower compression than stock ect..and bad mis matched parts,trust me I am a collector and its amazing what is out there for decades.
Most bought/drove one that down on power due to high mileage/loss of compression thus lowers performance..I had a 383 4bbl that still ran low 15's and had 1 at 80 1 cyl below 60 psi rest were 120-135..and blew smoke out the back.So it was a 383 6 cyl,and it ran 15's...
383 2bbl,different heads,crank ect than a 383 Magnum,the 383 4bbl was even different than a 383 Magnum,ran 14.80's in a E body when new and 15 flat in a C body,yes with a 383 2bbl,2.76 gears as they hooked and went,didnt spin !!
My 68 300 440 TNT runs with my 6.1 SRT8 Challenger...the Challenger even weights more..Yes,my 300 was never rebuilt with lower compression,and the motor isn't running low on compression..ensure it shifts at 50 -55 or so out of 1st when flooring it,then when it goes into 2nd your at 60..Yes when new my Charger and 300 were nearly neck and neck,1 car length difference..i added 60 series wide tread on both in 70 or so,but still spun like it was on ice..
Heck,a 1976 Volare 360 2bbl single exhaust will run 15 flat....a 383 magnum,super commando Runner,bee will run 13's all day if not you rebuilt it wrong...They sold them a hitting 14's in the 1/4 as usual Chrysler's underated advertising,and 14's for a bad driver who spun past 60 feet then the car automatically shifts into 3rd gear and you miss the 1st and 2nd power bands..
DYI,a 360 4bbl dodge Cargo van ran 15's back in the day !!
*Volara and Van were not equipt with lean burn/spark control,the carbs they used zapped all power.
late 60's to 71 340's would run 13's as did 383's in heavier cars..
Remember old road tests were done so by just flooring it and they spun,thus slowing times down,people don't know this..My 6.1 SRT hooks better than any old car ever...due to wheels being pushed out further to the sides,shorter overhang,wider sticky tires and traction control,even without it it hooks better..
Yes,my cousin,brother,buddy worked at a local track back then and we tested cars as we sold them as well for awhile..that was fun..
Even a 318 2bbl car with I cant remember what carb (they had a few different 2bbl carbs) 2 that zapped power 1 unleashed it for a 2bbl,anywho you could get high 15's with a 318 2bbl in a 1976 Coronet 4 door,my brother bought his 21 year old wife..he had a 64 Dodge 383 4bbl with a shot motor and ran 15's as well..
5 digit odometer,you couldn't tell the mileage..All those old cars back then had 70,000-100,000 aftr 6 years..not the 30,000 miles you see everywhere today..
Elevation,drastically effects these cars,so Sea Level your car is the quickest,higher up it slows down...So another factor in people thinking a 383 4bbl hipo only ran 15's..at sea level 15's were done going sideways with tiresmoke..