Project - 66 Barracuda Track Car

[Racerbvd]

Very nice, enjoy..

[wdfifteen]

I love that car. I couldn't help myself from looking ...

Mopar Cuda Barracuda (REDUCED)

I can't. I shouldn't. I really, really don't have time. I really need to back away from the Craigslist now.

[nynor]

yup, haters be hating.


sweet ride!

[Jerome74911S]

I SO, SO hope that you don't bend that car when you get it onto the track!

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by mph911

well, the car is pretty much done.
I'm very happy with the way it turned out. The little 273 is very angry and although it's 12:1, it runs fine on our pump gas in australia. I can't wait to get it out on the track!

needs moar rpmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Tobra]

I like the video.


When you have some track time in it, take some go pro stuff and mix that with it wound tight and screaming. Soothing music with pictures of pretty car in garage, intercut with that small block roaring down the track. It is just the image I got in my head watching what you have.

That thing will be a hoot, it probably will handle better than you expect when you get it set up.

[pavulon]

Cobra Automotive mustangs? The owner's car would pretty much split your eardrums as it went by at Elkhart Lake. FWIW, their website shows some sort of clearance sale of their race cars has occured.

Cobra Automotive,Inc.

Originally Posted by J P Stein

I was at a vintage race a couple years ago. Listening to a Mustang running thru the gears on the front straight........they didn't pull those RPMs back in the day. 7-7.5K was about it....not 8.5-9K. Vintage?....right.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by mph911

Well, the car is pretty much done.
I'm very happy with the way it turned out. The little 273 is very angry and although it's 12:1, it runs fine on our pump gas in Australia. I can't wait to get it out on the track!

Very, VERY freakin' cool. I'm waiting for some video of the thing running. 12:1 compression and runs on pump gas? What kind of pump gas do you have there. I have a hard time imagining how that thing runs on pump gas with 12:1 without FI, modern heads, modern pistons and computer controlled ignition that's based on input from a bunch of sensors. But, I've been out of hotrodding for many years, so maybe things have changed.

Originally Posted by sugarwood

I would like to understand more about how 60s muscle was fundamentally different than BMW/Porsche cars. At least, beyond "They're heavy, and only are good in a straight line".

What are the pros/cons of this caster setting? If 911's handle so well, and have +6, why didn't Detroit do the same thing? Is there a downside to +6 that Detroit intentionally avoided? I'm guessing there is a trade off ?

Why don't you start another thread since that's really outside of the scope of this one?

[mph911]

I'll definitely film some on track footage. I can't really let it loose on the street, so I can't wait to wind it out through the gears.
The handling feels quiet good for now. It's not what you would expect. It's running lots more spring rate than they did due to our modern tires. I have offset bushes to get caster too. It's not too heavy at around 1300kg.
Our best pump gas is 98 RON which is about 93 in the U.S. (I think), and with the large cam, closed chamber heads etc I can get away with it by taking some timing out ( with a loss of power).

[mph911]

Here's a story on the car from Speedhunters that just came out..

Finished Business: An Inspired '60s Barracuda Racer - Speedhunters

[Tobra]

1300 kg and well over 400 horsepower, yeah, that sounds pretty good, but no way you crack that thing open off the track. What sort of gearing does it have? With those sticky tires, I bet it would about snap your head off with those low back buckets

[mph911]

It's got 3.73's in it. Being a close ratio box, first gear is a bit longer than usual so it's not violent off the line, along with the fact it doesn't have much torque or power down low. . I have a little headrest on the cage

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

I would like to understand more about how 60s muscle was fundamentally different than BMW/Porsche cars. At least, beyond "They're heavy, and only are good in a straight line".

What are the pros/cons of this caster setting? If 911's handle so well, and have +6, why didn't Detroit do the same thing? Is there a downside to +6 that Detroit intentionally avoided? I'm guessing there is a trade off ?

You are lifting one side of the car into the air with positive caster. On a light weight rear engined car this isn't as big of an issue. Imagine using your arms to lift the front mounted engine two to three inches every time you try to turn the steering wheel on a muscle car. That takes some serious arm strength even with mechanical advantage of 4 turns lock to lock.

Obviously, there are also higher suspension loads that will come into play as you increase caster. Its far easier to bend suspension components with large amounts of caster(assuming equal weight and balance of vehicle). The loads take a less direct path, and this results in increased stress.

I would change my suspension and mounts to remove the caster on my RC monster truck when just playing around and not racing. I'd bend/break a lot less suspension parts that way.

[mph911]

I finally put a camera in (i-phone).
The car is going well, I've competed in a few historic events and have driven to and from all tracks, sometimes 500km round trip, including rush hour traffic.
I'm still running stock rear shocks, so until i put some good shocks in the rear, I can't adjust (stiffen) the front yet. It's pushing a bit mid corner but i'll tune that out later. It's a lot of fun..

Turn it up....

[wdfifteen]

Love the build and the video. It's like a personal dream of mine, although in my dream I would have a 318 and I would put that white Mustang behind me by the end. YMMV

[mph911]

Haha.
That's a very well sorted Mustang, and I'm actually a little quicker in a straight line, despite less cubes..he's got better mid corner speed which is helping him out of the corners.
I aim on being about 5 seconds a lap quicker than him ..

[asphaltgambler]

^^^^^Very kewl!!!^^ thanks for sharing

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I would put that white Mustang behind me by the end. YMMV

Why do you hate Mustangs, Patrick?