1969 Match Race ~ 'Cuda 383 vs. 'Cuda 340

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Everything I have ever read has the 340 68/69 Barracuda faster than the 68/69 383 Barracuda (stock vs stock).

And the small block car handles better too.
 
jimharvard said:
i've told this story before here on FABO but i'll relate it again.

when i was in high school from 69-72, i had a "new" 68 fastback barracuda formula s 340 4sp. it had hooker fender well headers; an edelbroc high rise aluminum manifold; a holley 750 dp carb; hurst comp plus shifter; and a 3:91 rear gear. i street raced the car every weekend. there was no common ford, pontiac or chevy that could beat that car. a friend of mine bought a new 69 super bee, 383 4 sp. he and i had friendly races probably once or twice a month. his super bee ALWAYS lost to my barracuda by at least 2 car lengths. you can shift a 340 at 6k all day long AND a 340 will get to 6k MUCH FASTER than a big block will. THAT was always the difference in all the street races i was in - my car would hit 6 grand and i would power shift to the next gear before the other guy. getting into that next gear first was responsible for the two car lengths at the quarter mile point and that was always the same result in a race against a big block - ford, chevy or pontiac.

so the bottom line is - you've got to have something "special" to beat a 340 with a few modifications and a 3:91 rear gear in a 3000 lb. car in a 1/4 mile drag race...
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Really? You see this as a fair comparison?
340 in a A-body with performance mods including headers, induction, 3.91's, etc etc vs a 383 in a B-body with nothing stated being done to it? This is your way of comparing???
"the 340 ALWAYS won" .... lol
:rofl:

Ok, lets put a 383 commando in a A-body, with fender well headers, 3.91's, and other up grades and put a bone stock 340 in a '69 B-body. enuf said
 
Everyone knows the factory big blocks in the A-bodies suffered greatly from the factory exhaust manifolds. Everyone knows the 340 factory exhaust manifolds in '68-69 were among the best ever built.
I love 340's. But, if we are going to compare a factory 340 to a factory 383, then it needs to be done fairly. How about the 1/4 mile times of the factory '72 Road runners? They came with 340 and 383 4bbl's. And be sure you get the times with the same gearing.
I find it funny how folks will find 340's with 3.91's and compare those times to a 383 car with 3.23's. Same gear, same B-body, see which one wins.
 
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mod for mod the 383 wins all day long in the same weight car. the 383 needs to breath, that is all.
I sure miss Paul. Fabo misses him too.
 
No way will a 340 beat a 383 in an equally prepared situation.

The 383 has .210" bigger bore and a .065" bigger stroke. ALL things equal, stock for stock, the 383 will win. Yall keep dreamin about the 340.
 
Ma MoPar never got it right with big blocks in A bodies like Chevrolet did in Camaro's and Nova's. Options such as performance handling, exhaust, and brake packages that could be ordered, because in my opinion Mopar in 1968 already had the E body being designed to accept ALL motors fom /6's to the Hemi. Imagine if you will a MoPar COPO style street package Hemi or 440 in an A body cuda or Dart that came with the proper equipment and a warranty? I love my A56 and the handling if that's what your about, but a big block in a straight line...........ZZZZZZZOOOOOOOOM!
 
cawley said:
-- but not much after that my uncle would go blowing by. --
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-- That reminds Me of My 1966, L79/350 H.P., Nova. -- Back in 66, My Buddy had a 66 Satellite, with a Street Hemi. -- I could be Him in the 1/4. After that I was all done, and He would blow by, and go out of sight.
 
340 A body would own a 383 powered A body in the 1/4. M code, nope! Here is one that did and still will.

IMG_20161204_160513174.jpg
 
pa karp said:
340 A body would own a 383 powered A body in the 1/4. M code, nope! Here is one that did and still will.

View attachment 1715001367
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youre probably correct if the big blocks were running in a pure stock match race with E70 redlines, but as some have posted here previously, properly tuned, with slicks and mutual gearing, seems unlikely. Power to weight is..........well not in our favor.
 
In NHRA "Stock" trim, the 1969 340 275 HP is rated at 299 HP. The 383 330 HP is rated at 295 HP. With everything else equal, the 340 will out perform the 383. I am not saying the 383 is a boat anchor, it is not. There are several that will run in the 10's. But, the 340 will be a little faster. The 340 is usually in a different class then the 383. The 340 was vastly underated by ma MOPAR. It did take long for NHRA to figure that out.
 
I am fortunate to have reaquired my A56 I bought new, it crushed 396's in 1969 and it still does in 2016. I also owned 2 1968 Road Runners, 383 powered of course, that also crushed 396's. MOPAR!
 
In the A-bodies, the Big Block exhaust manifolds were the hold up. When they both came out in the B's in the early 70's, the 340 no longer was in for the win when both had the same gears.
 
The discussion is centered on A body Barracudas 383 powered compared to A body Barracudas 340 powered, 1969 models. If we wish to go off subject, a 71 340 Thermoquad Duster/Demon will out run all of them, excepting a well tuned Hemi, a 440 six pack or a M code. A good running NHRA 71 340 Duster D/SA stocker will run 10:40's. I am very fortunate that I got to live the muscle car era, and have owned several, including Brand X. I am now doing my bucket list, this sits along side my A56.

IMG_20160813_131723687.jpg
 
Seeing this thread in the news feed brought a tear to my eye.... I sure do miss Paul's informative and very interest comparison threads!! Didn't know him and never talked to him but I LIVED seeing his threads pop up
 
Paul's Dad ran a machine shop and did a lot of head work for the local racers. I can imagine Paul in the pits sucking that stuff up. Doc Burgess home track -Dover, (a Mopar with Grumpy driving). Another racer from that track was Drake Viscome, the Vindicator, ( a Ford guy). Drake was inducted into the East Coast Drag Racing Hall of Fame this October and had offered to save Paul a seat earlier this year when he first learned about it. Drake said Paul was pretty humble in not committing to accepting the invitation right away. Drake, an early A/FX car turned funny car driver (Carmel Ford), is still good friends with Paul's family. I really learned a great deal from Paul. I am glad he shared his knowledge with us, and am enjoying the continuation of his thread with your knowledge and experiences.
 
68, 69 and 70/were the years for us gear heads. We could not wait to see what was coming next! Then "Big Brother" and the insurance companies decided we were having to much fun and the slide started in 71 and was pretty much over with by 74. Muscle was a dime a dozen! Memories.....
 
Correct Pa! The actual paradox being the insurance companies that killed the performance era,today is being applauded as the savior of this era! By keeping the"honesty and integrity" of the "hobby". It is amazing how the ones of us that built/changed these vehicles when they were new are now seen as the villains!!!
 
RustyRatRod said:
No way will a 340 beat a 383 in an equally prepared situation.

The 383 has .210" bigger bore and a .065" bigger stroke. ALL things equal, stock for stock, the 383 will win. Yall keep dreamin about the 340.
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rrr is right on. I bought a 68 , 330 horse barracuda fastback brand new in 68. that was a runnin sob ! the only place where a stock 340 would have a chance is when the tires went up in smoke trying to get it off the line !
 
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