66 Cuda 273/4sp

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zac_F71

zac_F71

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ok guys I'm looking for a new daily driver and found this... (that 72 Chall was sold in 2 days) I'm new to the early A bodies can certain newer A body parts bolt to it- like exhaust, and such parts - it looks like it's still running points so is a mopar electronic ignition kit swappable into these?

this car is 3 hours from me and will likely be going to look at it this coming weekend

From the ad-

"1966 Plymouth Barracuda. original, clean and dry 273 HP V8 and 4 speed, runs great. no rust. in need of full cosmetic restoration." says it runs and drives great - he's driven it on 200+ mile road trips-

Bone stock drive train has manual steering, manual brakes, looks like it needs a few things (steering wheel, passenger arm rest, ect) BUT fir how cheap it is (WAY under my $8,000 budget) so it will get a few things done to it

sorry the other 2 pics didn't show up good..
 

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A bone stock Barracuda car such as this one has a 273 cube V8 with either a 180hp (red valave covers) or 235hp (black wrinkle finished valve covers) known as the Commando, not 273hp as stated. Only the D/Dart had a 273 eng. with 273hp. Pics are poor but based on your info. and if its a 180hp - 3000.00 / 235hp - 4500.00, maybe a bit more since a rust free cars are hard to find you northern state guys.
 
I see ok I didn't know that I'm just happy it's a factory 4bbl 4 sp car or I wouldn't be interested... Thanks for the info

will newer A body headers fit these?
 
Zac might have meant the engine was a 273 HP version and not that it was a 273 horsepower engine. The low compression 273 was not available with a 4 barrel option.
 
Only early A headers will work. Most A headers are for 67 and up. I got a set of Sanderson Block Hugger short headers. Shimmed engine on mounts about 1/4" for passenger side fender and steering box clearance. Slight modification of manual steering shaft necessary - pipes come up through torsion bars like stock y pipe.
 
2-66 Cudas said:
Only early A headers will work. Most A headers are for 67 and up. I got a set of Sanderson Block Hugger short headers. Shimmed engine on mounts about 1/4" for passenger side fender and steering box clearance. Slight modification of manual steering shaft necessary - pipes come up through torsion bars like stock y pipe.
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Interesting, Got any photos?
 
2-66 Cudas said:
Only early A headers will work. Most A headers are for 67 and up. I got a set of Sanderson Block Hugger short headers. Shimmed engine on mounts about 1/4" for passenger side fender and steering box clearance. Slight modification of manual steering shaft necessary - pipes come up through torsion bars like stock y pipe.
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I see ok haha What about tail pipes? I'll likely get the Hooker super comps for the early cars
 
A running driving factory V8 4spd are getting hard to find. Especially in the early A's. Dads 67 273 has mopar elec ign, so Im assuming yours could be swapped.

Im unsure of the 273HP, but something I learned from Rocky_JS on here is that in 67 you could have an "E" code cuda and it NOT be an "S". "E" code's are 4bbl 273's that were used in both "S" and non "S" cudas.....Nice car, keep us posted
 
I talked with the owner and the reason he has no front end pics is cause it doesn't have a grill mounted- no damage to the front that he has seen (has a grill for it though or a box of grill parts as he put it hahaa)

It leads me to think he isn't very mechanically inclined and/or is dumping the car cause he got it to square a situation.. I have a meeting setup this weekend to see the car I doubt I will give him the asking price for it... ($5k)

Just curious these have a 7 1/4 rear axle and 9" drums correct? I downloaded the 66 service manual and all it says is V8 4 speed Valiant - 2.93 gears.. that may have to change haha = A body 3.23 8 3/4 swap me thinks

Also seen it needs a fan shroud, as well as a full tune up (all new hoses, ect)... still wanna know if all the gauges work or not as that would be a bonus for me to not have to deal with..
 
7 1/4 was standard but 8 3/4 was an option too. Better ask to see the grill stuff, the chrome sections are VERY hard to find, most are broken or heavily pitted. Looks like a clean car though!
 
66340SEDAN said:
7 1/4 was standard but 8 3/4 was an option too. Better ask to see the grill stuff, the chrome sections are VERY hard to find, most are broken or heavily pitted. Looks like a clean car though!
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HA I was hoping you'd chime in Keith - I just found out I have Mopars in June off so I'll be down there maybe in this.. otherwise I'll be looking for a car and parts there..

These also don't have a front U joint on the drive shaft do they?

I plan on doing a full tune up on it so it's reliable (be driving it daily this summer)

Also I was looking for subframe connectors and found none for early cars- will later one's work? I could make them as well but premade one's are nice..
 
$5k is way high for that car!! Now, since it is a V8 car, it will have 10" drums all the way around, unless it has the disc option. Ditto with the rear end, it will have either the 7 1/4" or 8 3/4" if optioned on this car. The front u-joint is a yoke on the 66's, just like their 67 and up brethren!!

For $5k, that thing better be in pretty nice condition, and run and drive nicely. And for that price I would want to see decent trim and grilles, disc on the front and an 8 3/4" rear. Pluses would be the 2 piece metal fan shroud, a drivers side air box with a good unbroken door, decent kick panels and door panels and decent upholstery.

Heres a link to the one I sold last spring to a member here, you make your determination and your best deal on the one you're looking at!! Report back, it'll be interesting to watch!! Geof
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=185650&page=2
 
It has a decent interior - seats are in great shape (1 rip in driver seat- meh to me), bad carpet, passenger side arm rest (probably buy 2 new front one's), steering wheel (replace the crappy Grant with a nice Grant), truck floor has 0 rust, I can see a blem on the pass 1/4 (bottom back corner of wheel opening), truck key setup, hood needs aligned, needs clutch/brake pedal pads, missing the certi card (holder is there), MIGHT need a air cleaner (pictured with out one just assuming), stock manifolds (can't any sign of stock exhaust beyond that though) has a rigid cooling fan (I will likely fit a clutch style fan to it- needs a fan shroud) it honestly looks like it has rust starting in the tops of the rear wheel openings and lower 1/4's, it's rattle canned black, original style master cylinder (THIS would be addressed for sure), still points ignition from what I can see, it's missing the kick panels :(

pro's - has SBP Cragar's w/ nice BFG T/A's, Hurst shifter, runs and drives, motor is clean, looks like a factory 4bbl setup on it, clean BLACK interior (minus a couple easily fixable things), Manual steering,
 
First flag I can see is the "Hurst" shifter...in 66 it should have an "Inland" shifter. IMO, that car is gonna hafta get considerably cheaper to make it a DD for you, you should be into that car for right at $3k...or a little cheeper if you can do it!!

Print out my ad for him to see and use it as a negociation tool...and good luck wheeling and dealing!! geof
 
cosgig said:
First flag I can see is the "Hurst" shifter...in 66 it should have an "Inland" shifter. IMO, that car is gonna hafta get considerably cheaper to make it a DD for you, you should be into that car for right at $3k...or a little cheeper if you can do it!!

Print out my ad for him to see and use it as a negociation tool...and good luck wheeling and dealing!! geof
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IMO you gave that car away haha that was seriously cheap...

I'll likely start in the basement and work up to a fair price BUT I'm not going over $4,500 for it cause it does need $2,000 dumped into it just to be a nice driver.. (daily or not haha) if he can't do that then I'll walk away and buy a car at Mopar's in the park in June

Do these cars have a 10" or 10.5" clutch also? 1 thing is for sure at least it's not a pistol grip... I hate the look of them in pre-70 cars for some reason
 
zac_F71 said:
IMO you gave that car away haha that was seriously cheap...

I'll likely start in the basement and work up to a fair price BUT I'm not going over $4,500 for it cause it does need $2,000 dumped into it just to be a nice driver.. (daily or not haha) if he can't do that then I'll walk away and buy a car at Mopar's in the park in June

Do these cars have a 10" or 10.5" clutch also? 1 thing is for sure at least it's not a pistol grip




Not really considering that it needed some frame work and other cosmetic replacements. I have probably had more 66 Cuda's than almost any other member here, and am pretty knowledgeable about the values based on whats there and what needs to be fixed!! Its a one year only situation on a lot of the parts, and those parts dont come cheap!!

Runs good and drives nice is all in the eye of the beholder, and I'll bet yours is different that his. You will be using it for a DD, he may only take it out once in awhile!! Quite a difference when you use it everyday!! A lot of what that car needs to be nice ain't cheap, and I'll bet you're right on the mark saving $2k to get it DD ready!!

My price estimate is solely based on the price some of the finest examples I have seen sold recently...like the museum quality, all original 66 that sold for $14,500, I believe. Not a hair out of place and still took consideral time to sell it. He started out higher than that!!

I'd like to see you get the best price on that car and come away with a decent deal on a DD you can fix up too. $5k is just too much IMO, but you'll be the one looking at it!! Good luck bro, and welcome to the 66'ers club (I hope) !! Geof
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Very true I have very high standards for my car's as I'm kinda hard on them - that's why I look for easily fixable projects for daily drivers cause I'd get bored and get rid of it if I didn't have something to do on it... plus it's a bonus getting to know the car and it's history

I hope I can score a deal on it I honestly have $8500 or so for a car and this for a total investment of $5,000 (the car + the parts I want/it needs) would make me very happy - then I'd have $3,000+ to get my 71 Demon on the road... I wish I woulda asked about the certi card or fender tag (not sure if the early cars have them)

Plus then I could actively sell my 83 stang.. and dump that into both cars..
 
Just so I know when I go look at it what are the data plate/VIN codes for a real 273/4bbl/4 speed car?

Found them thanks to google haha
 
chryslerfat said:
It will live awhile as long as you dont leave smoking the tires every time.
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LOL but I love doing that... nah don't plan on beating on it to much.. gonna try to save gas money over my 99 360 Durango 4x4

Got $1,954.70 in parts on Summit racing for that thing (just in my cart to keep tally- nothing bought yet- gotta get the car first) 47 items (a little higher as I only counted multiple items as 1 - 8 plugs, 2 U joints, 2 strap kits, 4 shocks, 3 shift lever seals, 2 carb gaskets, 4qts of RP 75W140(trans), 5qts 20w50 RP HPS oil (high in zinc), 2qts RP 75w90 for rear ax, 2 8ft 1x2x.120 rectangular bars for subframe connectors)

Cool thing is if it has drum brakes I can bolt my Demon's 9" drum spindles with 10" disc brakes on it when I upgrade to 11" brakes on that!
 
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