Most Under-Performing Musclecar Ever Produced?

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Jeff,
I'm a little surprised with the results of the 440 6-Barrel Cuda.
Honest results, my mother had a 1970 340 Duster, 3.23 Sure-Grip, 4-speed w/bench seat and E70 x 14" Goodyears (RWL).
My father raced it once in 1971, G/S, completely stock ran
14.38 @ 99mph. Won class,
Man, that was a good little car. Cost $3000 in May 1970.
Kept it for 4 years, never had a problem.
PC

I always look at the MPH, ET is a product of making it all work right. That car wouldn't hook until about a half way through 1st (as most big block cars).
I had a friend with a '69 340 Dart with a 4-speed and 3.91's. He had it down to 13.90's with jetting and curve through the factory exhaust and bias ply stock type tires. This was around 1980 I think. He's the guy that had that 340 '64 Valliant I mentioned earlier.
My first real hot rod was a '71 Challenger 340. This was back in the day of poor gas (up to that point in time) & I built a low compression small valve ('72 style) 340. It went 102 MPH and the best ever was 14.00 in complete street trim. Doesn't sound like much but on the street it was a killer all the way to 7,000 RPM. Took out many a big-block muscle car on the street. I really only lost a couple of races. And I won a lot because the guy next to me was pinging his guts out on his 10.5:1 or higher pump gas engine. I ran 87 octane and 40-42 degrees advance with my Accell dual point. I had 4.10 gears and could never afford a B&M convertor which it desperately needed.
If only I knew then what I know now...