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After reading all those other 340 stories, I couldn't resist! I guess this one should start at about the time I was looking for a Camaro to fix up. I asked a guy I knew who worked at a used car lot if he knew of any Camaros for sale (at that time I was a dyed in the wool Chevy guy, but that was fixin to change real soon!) The salesman said no, but he had a Cuda in the back. I drove it, then asked him what he wanted for it and he said he had $700 in it on a trade. I haggled him down to $500 and bought it. The 340 in it was pretty tired, so I bought a Direct Connection engine book, and $2500 later I had a car that was making me have second thoughts about them Chevies! What I ended up with was a 1970 340 Cuda with a 4 spd., 4.56 gears, and the biggest BF Goodrich T/A radials I could fit in the wheel wells. One night I was cruisin up & down the main drag, and had stopped at the only light in town when a 1969 Chevelle SS pulled up next to me. The kid driving it was from California, and was visiting his cousin there in town. I guess the cousin had told him a little about my car, as the first question out of his mouth was what you got under the hood? I told him it was a 340 and asked what he had. 350 he replied, and asked if I wanted to run him. I told him I was game,but not in town. There was a 1/4 mile marked off on a stretch of old highway where everyone raced, so we headed out there. When we got there, we discussed the situation, and decided to go for best two out of three. The cousin set us off, and the first run I spun the tires out of the hole (I never could get those BFGs to hook up) and fumbled the shift to third. I still beat the kid by about 3 car lengths. We went back for the second run, and same thing, spin the tires, screw up the shift to third, and blow the kid's doors off. We didn't even run a third time, the kid just stopped long enough to pick up his cousin and headed back into town. About 1/2 hour later I pulled into the Snappy Mart for a coke, and there was the Califonia kid with the hood up on that SS, showing it off. I walked over to look, and that thing had a big block in it! I asked him what it really was, and he mumbled something about 396 and shut the hood. The next evening I was telling a friend of mine about the incident at his gas station, and he said the kid was in the station earlier with his cousin, showing of his car. My friend (who had a 69 GTX 440) said the kid told him the motor was actually a 427, but said he didn't want to race no 440! At any rate,whatever that bigblock was, my little 340 sure put a hurtin on it! And you want to know something else? I haven't owned another Chevy since buying that Cuda!
P.S. I had to sell that car about 10 years ago in order to get on with raising kids, but I just bought a 1970 Barracuda Gran Coupe yesterday, and I've got a built 392 hemi sittin in the garage ready to go in it! Katy bar the door!!!! |
#2
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Hey, Larry -- kewl story. A little old 340 beating a BB Chebbie, neato. Back in the early 70s I had a 1970 RR with 335HP 383 and 4 speed, Sure Grip 3.23. A friend of mine had a 1968 Chebbie SS (the full size one) with a 396 350HP (at least that's what he claimed). We usta "run" each other constantly and that big old RR would put the hurt on that SS EVERY time. . .but he never tired of trying to beat me.
Later, JC |
#3
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Great story!! I had a 72 Cuda 340/4 speed myself and loved it alot. Don't have it any more, sold it in 78. Of all the stupid things I did when I was young, that was one of the most stupidist one of them all. Right up there with selling the 72 RR 340/auto in 76. I wonder if one of those crate Hemi's would fit in my 79 Volare RR??? But I guess I need to find 15,000$ first.
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#4
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Larry, as said-great story. And yes, refering to all you other guys that responded, we all did stupid things, like sell our cars to get married, etc., when we were younger. Funny, I'd be willing to bet that in many cases the wife or X hubby is gone too! I tell all young people, NEVER, I MEAN NEVER, sell your car to get married. Chances are you'll end up wo/ the car and the spouse! If you can't afford to get married wo/ selling your car - forget it! And NO, I never did - I still have the car! Richard
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#5
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Actually, my wife hated it when I sold that car! I was a little hesitant about buying this one, but she kinda pushed me into going ahead and getting it. I think she's a keeper! (The first wife hated my hotrods, maybe that's why she's not around anymore!)
Also guys, Richard is right, if there is any way possible, DON'T ever sell your Mopar. It is damned hard to replace it later on. |
#6
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I have a 70 Road Runner that my Dad bought brand new,and then sold it to me in 1986.I got married and my then wife said "if it came down between me and THAT car,which would you choose??" She was serious when she asked.Well,the Road Runner is still in the garage and I don't know where the ex-wife is at.
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