Tag Archives: Dodge Challenger

Drive By – 1966 Plymouth Barracuda

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The Drive By is new way to spotlight cars.  As the name states these are cars that I see where ever I’m traveling.

The 1966 Barracuda wasn’t much when compared to the 1970’s younger brothers.

1966 Barracuda – old school.

 

Often referred to as the Formula S – 2 door coupe fastback with the V8.  I don’t know if this one was the V8, I would have had to see the if it was badged properly to determine. (Small medallion placed below the ‘Barracuda’ script.  The V8 would have been the Commando 273 CID with a two barrel carb – about 235 hp and a 10.5:1 compression when topped with a 4bbl Carter AFB..  The 6 cylinder was the Valaint Signet slant 225 CID with about 145 hp with a single barrel carb.  They came in convertible as well – only 2570 of those were produced.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

 

 

Auto Factoids for the week of Sept 23

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We have a couple of debuts’ this week and a couple of Birthdays.

First up on Sept. 23 in 1969 the iconic and now recreated Dodge Challenger.

From this:

1969 Challenger

And this:

The Iconic General Lee

To this:

The 2012 version.

Virgil Exner was born on the 24th of Sept in 1909.  Who was “Ex”?    A car designer.  Oh…ok…of what?  Just a couple of designs, like all of these:

Studebaker Champion
Studebaker Starlight
Chrysler C-200
Chrysler 300 letter series
Chrysler 300 non-letter series
Chrysler New Yorker
Imperial 1955-1961
Chrysler Diablo Concept with Ghia
Plymouth Savoy
Plymouth Belvedere
Plymouth Fury
Plymouth Suburban
Plymouth Valiant
Dodge Coronet
Dodge Firearrow Concept
Desoto 1961
Desoto Adventurer
Bugatti 1965 concept with Ghia
Mercer-Cobra 1965 concept
Duesenberg 1966 prototype with Ghia
Stutz Blackhawk

 
Bill France was born on the 26th in 1909 in our nations capital.  Mr. France was an American race car driver. He is best known for co-founding and managing NASCAR, a sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing.
The final debuts was on Sept. 26, 1967 when AMC released the Javelin.

1967 Javelin

Thanks for reading

Tim

New ‘Cuda or Here We Go Again!!!

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So I’m thumbing through one of the latest “here are the new cars” periodicals (I don’t spend much time with them…I don’t care much if a Mazda sedan and out perform a VW sedan…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz) and ran across  that stated “Chrysler looks to the ‘Cuda to replace Dodge‘s Challenger.”

Ok…come on heee…er (New York accent).   Didn’t we just have the conversation about the “Dodge Dart“???  Like how it looked more like a Neon!!! And correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t we all agree that the Charger was a cool as “Honda Accord“?     Yes, I believe we did!

So now lets take the Challenger the one they got “right’ in a retro sense.  So why replace it?   Well some could argue in the 70’s the Cuda was a better looking car and you know they bring a lot more money.  So just maybe….but read this!!!

“A Barracuda replacement would be much more trim, though still on a RWD platform.  Chrysler and…(cough) Fiat are said to be jointly developing a new platform that’s smaller the current Charger… Gille’s Barracuda will be far less literal interpretation of its namesake.”

So let me see if I have this straight….you’re gonna take the Challenger that looks somewhat similar the orig…and you’re gonna replace it with a car that won’t look like this original?

Smart?  What do you think?

Tim