I've always lusted after a '70 Cuda for years and I'm negotiating on one now, but they are pricey cars to restore, especially the interior stuff. Much of it was not particularly well made to begin with, and they didn't sell in the numbers that GM and Ford sold their pony cars. Still, awesome bodys and engines...

Hans

 

Back in the day it just seemed like the Mopars were usually a better platform to start with. Rock-solid drivetrains and suspensions. Usually very very easy to find the higher horsepower versions with a posi.

Most of my friends with Fords were lucky if the car even came with a 4bbl. Wheel hop with mono-leaf springs, overheating, having to put bigger valves in 289's, C4's, poor front suspensions etc. The Cobra-jets and 427 cars were around but it was usually a big event to find one.

Friends with Chevys were only a little better. Posi's seemed to be rare. Lots of Powerglides especially in older Camaros and Novas. And again lots of wheel hop. Most guys had the lower HP engines, not LT1's or L88's. Chevelles were nice but far more 396's then 427's. There were some guys with rectangular-port BB's but not many. Lots of small blocks were only 307's.

You could fix these things but it took some work.

If you got a 340, 383, or 440 Mopar you already had the better parts. The Torqueflites/4 speeds and 8 3/4 or Dana rearends were indestructible. Even a 318 Dart with headers, a dual-plane 4bbl and a little cam would just munch on early Mustangs and hurt a lot of feelings for many Camaro owners.

In 1975 I bought my bone-stock 68 GTX w/ 440 and 4-speed for $475. Had 88k miles. Talk about bang for the buck! Faster then almost any modified car my friends had. And it wasn't too hard to find deals like this (gas crisis helped)!

But even then, Corvettes were something else. They usually did have the good engines and better drivetrains. Just not enough of them to go around!

 

THose are some HUGE rear tires....do you remember what size they were?

James

 

I love my corvette but I have a passion for Mopar e-bodies especially. Owned quite a few of them over the years but only held on to one which I am currently doing a restoration. She is an original black on black 440sixpack, pistol grip 4spd, 410 dana. It will be nice to get her running again so I can take my three kids out for cruises all @ once instead of taking them out in the vette and making three round trips.

 

I have to say Mopars run deep in my family. My mom was raced to the hospital to deliver me in a 68 383 Roadrunner. It was her daily driver that she bought with her own money. Dad had a 64 383 Belvedere at the time that he still claims would beat most 440's on the street. When I was a tyke the folks had a 66 Plymouth convert, and the last mopar straw was a not very nice almost new 73 Charger. I think that is what soured the old man. Dad still drools over nice Roadrunners and Belverderes (and Satellites, Coronets, Super Bees, and GTX's).

I have many stories of relatives with Mopars, currently in the family are a 68 GTX, a 71 Challenger (a 10 second car), and a 48 Plymouth convert. Mopars rock!

If there was no such thing as the Vette, I would be driving a Mopar.

 

Its been long enough for all motorheads to be mature enough to respect any musclecar that had power back in the 60's and 70's.. I think brand preference is more of a later model truck thing these days.. Well...in the south at least.. Then again.. I am only 20 years old and know nothing of the rivalries back in the musclecar era.. As far as I know..where Mopars lacked in style.. they made up for it in power.

 

 

<<<<

 

my guess N-50 15's

 

well.... you know all the stories

well they are one step better the american motors


the ugly dart vs the uglier gremlin


get the pic

 

Anything Mopar/Hemi = $$$$$ Overpriced

 

i have lusted after many cars, no matter who made them. AMX, CUDA/DEMON, 67', 69', 73' MACH 1'S, 69 GTO ( OWNED THAT ONE ), 71'. 72' TRANS AM ( STILL WANT THAT ONE ), and i seem to have a thing for 50's and 60's jaguars, ( several models look like c3's ). the only dodge we ever had was a valiant ( i know its a plymouth ) slant six. got a few rides in some pretty cool 440 cudas. i think my favorite would have to be a 70' challenger.

 

You are correct sir Bobby Unser Specials N50-15's the biggest tire you could find back then for the street

 

OH YEAH... In '72 at the age of 20 I bought a '70 Plumb Crazy 340ci Challenger....my first hotrod. Put in a cam, intake, Holly & Hooker. Stock 10:1 compression & posi. Man that car was a blast. Spun the 60 series rears with ease. Took down many a SB Firebird & Camaro back then. LOVE Mopars...but I've since grown up and finally could afford a Vette.
Eddie

 

all this talk has reminded me of the late 60"s early 70"s when muscle cars were king. first so called muscle car we ever owned was a 61 ford galaxie conv with a 375 horse 390 with a 3 speed on the column. one heck of a car. later we bought a 68 gto. never forget the tourque engine had when flooring the acc at 90 mph. a little bit later about 70 bought a 69 ford tallegada with a 428 super cobra jet. never liked the 428 so i had a friend that had a 427 low riser pulled the 428. exchanged heads same as the 427 medimum riser heads and made a later engine. car had a red line of 7000. only problem car had a auto xmn. car would run 120 in drive 2. a friend of mine had bought a 340 dodge 71 duster. i had a 71 mustang 351 cleveland at the same time. we were coming back from some where and decided to have a go at it the mustang pulled the 340. any way the cars were fun and all are good. still love the 69 corvette brings lots of memories.