The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

I was looking at some old video footage on Youtube of the '65 Winternationals and the US Nationals,, and I noticed shots of the original "Hemi Under Glass" '65 Barracuda, and also the "Pandemonium" exhibition Barracuda and I got to wondering who was the first to bring out a Hemi powered "Cuda" back in the day. I know Richard Petty had his 43 JR. Hemi drag Cuda on the March '65 cover of Super Stock and Drag Illustrated, and figuring in magazine lead times back then, I'm thinking that car had to hit the track in late'64.
If any of the old timers have any info, or if someone can research this, lets hear it. Its going to be hard to confirm a car appearing earlier than Lee and Richard Petty's little blue fastback, but I've been wrong before. So, if you know,,let us know too.
Danny Durham

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

I'm thinking one of the very first would be Fred Goeske's "Plymouth Dealer Association" 65 Cuda out of SoCal. It was a rear engined fuel funny car on nitro....I have a framed ND (my first ND) dated March 1965 with a headline of Goeske running a high 8 et at a match race at Half Moon Bay in California.

If my memory serves me right, I also think that Tom McEwen drove that car for a while. Now that I look at it, McEwen was the first driver, crashed the car, and sold it to Goeske. I have a pic of it taken in late 66...if I can figure out how to do it I'll post it.

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Steve,,I remember when Goose and Goeske ran that car,although I never saw it in person. It was in my car mags back in the day. It was a cool ride alright.
Thanks for responding.
Danny Durham

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Saw that Cuda driven by McEwen with the engine out back and also saw Goeske a load. I liked Goeske's ride better, that thing ran real well at Lions and "The County."



SuperStocks@LionsDragStrip.......I'll take one chili tamale please!:)

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Okay, I don’t know if this will help or not, but I was at the inaugural SpringNationals at Bristol in 1965. I had just graduated from high school so you can so the math and determine if I am a “old timer” or not.

The Hurst Hemi Under Glass was there and I thought it was making is first runs in public. I know I about dumped when it did made its first run and got up on the back bumper. There was no such thing as “wheelstanders” at the time.

Richard Petty was there with the 43jr Hemi Barracuda and I don’t think it was that car’s first time out. It was towed on a open trailer behind a big Dodge truck with a van body. It had a spare Hemi in the back wrapped in a clear plastic bag. I was impressed.

Bill Lamb

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

I believe the original 1965 Barracuda 43 Petty drag car was buried in the woods on their property after it was destroyed in an accident. Here's a thread from a few years ago.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=419326

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6862/10602500.jpg

http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/wp-co...8/12/43jr1.jpg

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

The Petty's buried everything on their property. I was lucky enough to meet Dale Inman a few years ago, there was some confusion about where the famous Darlington crash car was, he flipped it like 12 times. Dale pointed to a place in the parking lot and said, "That car is buried under that building" there is no saving it. We buried everything back then because we didnt want the technology getting out.

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

When Petty crashed the Cuda drag car, it wound up in the stands and a young boy lost his life. As I understand it, it was buried right away, never repaired. Richard never drove a drag car again, as far as I known.

I don't know where that happened, down south somewhere. Maybe one of you guys know?

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Here's a pic a friend of mine took at Bristol in 1965.

Wayne.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...RISTOL1965.jpg

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Here's a couple shots of the cars talked about above and what happened to them.http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...001/petty2.jpghttp://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...2001/petty.jpg
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/a...crashfcjk2.png

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

A few more of Fred Goeske's Plymouth Dealers Association Barracuda.
http://www.speedcityresin.com/MCEWEN65CUDA.jpghttp://www.speedcityresin.com/PlymouthDealersLaunch.jpghttp://www.speedcityresin.com/plymou...erstrailer.jpg

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Steve,
Petty crashed at Dallas, GA and I believe the name of the track was Southeastern Dragway.
regards, Roland

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

The first Petty Barracuda was lettered as "Outlawed" and had a fairly stock wheelbase +/- and inch or so. The first car ran a S/S style Hemi with a crossram intake and had a stock style front suspension. After the accident, a second car was built with a more drastically altered wheelbase and injection. This car had a straight axle front suspension. This car was lettered with "43 Jr." on the doors. Petty built the second car to honor previously made commitments (match races, etc.).

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Thanks for the responses guys. The pictures are incredible,,especially the Petty wreckage,which I'd never seen before. We may never know which car had the earliest "birtrhdate",, but I'm thinking the 43jr was first out of the gate.
Way to keep the thread going fellas!
Danny Durham

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Here's a couple of Pandemonium.
http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

the pic on page 1 of the car on the transporter is of the second car with the new owners after the Petty's sold it.

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Can't forget about the Hurst Hemi Under Glass.

http://www.matslv.com/2007/images/hemi-under-glass.jpg

http://www.leblogauto.com/wp-content...lass-hurst.jpg

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

I see there is a '66 front end on the car in the upper photo. I don't know, but I'm sure somebody knows,,was there an actual '66 Hemi Under Glass car built or was the '65 car refitted when the new model year arrived? I see the 1:18 die cast currently available on some sites is a '66 model. I remember the October '65 issue of Car Craft had a great sequential shot on the cover of the car, with the '65 front end.
Danny Durham

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

Looking at the two photos again, a little more closely, I believe these are much more recent shots of the car, perhaps at a reunion type event.
Danny Durham

Re: The First "Hemi Cuda"?
 

If I'm not mistaken it was a Yellow River Dragstrip outside Atlanta. GA. Please correct me if I'm wrong...

Sorry, it was at Dallas Dragway in Dallas, Ga as stated in another post...