64-66 vs 67-69 barracuda front suspension
I have a 2014 srt8 Challenger 6 speed and a 1966 Barracuda with a 500+Hp small block and a 5 speed. It is street legal, has been lightened extensively to 3040 Lbs. It has 1.14 torsion bars, Hotchkis 1 1/4 front bar and Firm feel rear bar, frame connectors, adjustable upper control arms, boxed lower control arms, Hotchkis/fox adjustable front shocks, double adjustable Viking Rear shocks and composite 200Lb rear leaf springs. It also has four wheel disc brakes, 17" wheels and tires and a Borgeson box. The list goes on and on but you get the idea. TRhe 66 is very limited on tire width. I have had both cars on road courses and short course autocrosses, they are totally different cars to drive. The Cuda you really have be up on the wheel and slowly get into the throttle coming off the corners and its braking is not near as good as the Challenger, its more fun to drive but you have to be aware of the limited traction and braking. The Challenger is at 4300 lbs, it is lowered with updated springs and sway bars and wider than stock tires, headers and after market exhaust and a tune. The brakes are far superior and are of coarse anti lock it also obviously has traction control as well. The thing is quick but its a tank. It will have a bit of understeer if you push it but it gets off the corners way better. The Cuda has a better power to weight ratio but you cant get the power down. So in my experience with both cars as mentioned above you can make an early A body run with an Str8 Challenger with a torsion bar suspension. If I was to build an other a body I would do it torsion bar but work on things like moving the engine back for a better weight balance and getting wider tires in it and huge brakes, if you had that and the power you could very easily put a new Challenger on the trailer in my opinion.