Fantastic car and a wonderful story! I hope Ray is able to enjoy many, many more years with this cool 'Cuda! It's wonderful to see someone who owns one of these cars who has honestly used and enjoyed their car for decades, and continues to do so today. A ton of respect for him. The red stripes were a great addition, IMO. What a great video, I hope there's more in store for this channel- tons of potential!
Those 340s to me are about the best small block ever made. I had a 70 340 Dart and let me tell you I surprised many a big block in it. Wish I would have kept mine!
I use to have a 71' 383 cuda' but some ppl prefer the cleaner lines of the 70'. I liked both. I had a big block 383 & the prior owner put a cam & aluminum manifold. Cars are meant to be driven. My dad had a 69' 440 cuda'.
Beautiful 'Cuda! Back in the early seventies, my older brother owned two '67 Barracuda's. I tried for year's to get a 'Cuda, but never could find one and have the money for it at the same time. In '83, I managed to get a '71 340 Challenger convertible. I still have the car, but she need's TLC now. It's going to be my retirement project. I think E-body Mopar's are the most beautiful machines ever. Maybe before I die, I will somehow get a 'Cuda.
I still have my 'Cuda, too. My wife and I are the original owners. IIRC, my window sticker was like $4501.xx. Until I bought my 09 Charger 5.7L, it was the best handling Mopar I've ever owned and I've owned a couple hundred.
Hey, superb job. Great to see video from someone who knows, understands, has written about, owns and has drag raced musclecars. Expertise, not theatrics! Congrats!
Wow Ray. Thank you for sharing this with us. It's great to see your appreciation for this timeless classic and we can see you really enjoy owning it. Very happy for you. Oh, and a big thank you for your service to our country. Take care.
Love the car...it's in beautiful shape. As a Challenger fan I have to chime in that the Cuda forgot to bring the "A-Line" up over the rear wheel and the Challenger corrected that flaw. 😊
In 1988 I had a 73 Challenger with the 340 + 4 speed pistol grip shifter it was a sweet ride sadly one rainy night on my way home I smelled something burning then I saw sparks and smoke boiling out under the dashboard my wipers head lights and gauges all stopped working I was about 2 miles from home I hung my head out the window and it ran off the battery till I got home the car never ran again for me all the electronics were fried dashboard panels were toast sold it to someone they said they could do a full rewire and dash replacement on it I just didn't have the money or resources then to do it so I let it go had another similar issue with a 74 Road Runner I have owned many of these old Mopars and never had any trouble with the ones I had made before 1973 but the ones made in 73,74 were problematic in the electronics area I will never buy anymore models made in those two years
The '70 Cuda here had a similar fire the first day Ray owned it. He says the "repairs" under the dash are horrible, but it has never been on fire again. By the mid '70s and later, Chrysler was a dumpster fire as far as quality control goes.
Also sent by UTG. Already sold me when ya started with A Cuda.... lol.... I love about all cars but MOPAR was my first, and still own 2 today. But, I’m building a 64 tbird and own a Chevy 3500, and a Jeep.. MOPAR just always treated me right.
I was lucky enough to make a new 'Cuda my 2nd car at age 21 - '74 360 4v thermoquad. By that last year it still hauled but was choked compression. Still, I agree - if you haven't had the office view of the "power bulge" hood you missed a cool view. And the sound. And the sound of that HEAVY door closing surprisingly brought back a lot of memories - sounds like a bunch of dead bodies inside LOL! 🚗
I've always been a fan of the 340. I think a small block is a better match for a pony car. Yes I know it could be argued the E body isn't exactly a pony car, but 'evs. I also sort of love a deck lid spoiler 👍
Still have my 74 cuda from when I bought it on February 14 th 1978 in texas while at ft.hood.it has 165,000 on and has been "under restoration" for 20 years now.just got it registered acouple of months ago."LASTCUDA.
I had a 72 R/T Challenger 340 4 speed car but someone put a 383 and auto in it. Loved that car but my friends brother had a 71 Cuda with the 340 4 speed and he let my drive it one time. I should have never sold that one! The big block was fun at over 550 hp. I'm looking for another one.
Thank you for great video about truly great car and owner story. The appearance of E-body 'Cuda and Challenger is a very special sight to me; I understand why people do like the contemporary Challenger then as it brings this look back quite closely. Greetings from the heart of Europe (where the little V6 3.6 L seems to be already a big engine:-))
Very nice. I’ve got a 70 grand coupe done up a lil like an AAR. Fresh power train and breaks Never wrecked never rusty nice FAST driver. Ready to sell it and get something different if anyone here is interested
I had a 1973 340 Barracuda (not the 'cuda, had BH vin not BS) from 1982 to 1988, sold it to a guy whom couple years later wrapped it around a Oak tree, then bought a 1972 340 'cuda (BS vin) bought it back in 1994 and still have it but she is in need of a complete restore, the car was stored under a pine tree for 5 years prior to my purchase and has some really bad body cancer on the trunk, floor pans, and both rear quarters. Have always loved the E Body Barracudas over the Challengers, the 'cuda have a more menacing look from the front over the Challengers
Beautiful car , I noticed it has amber turn signals , I agree with the owner that the '70 grille looks better than the '71 ,I think I,d prefer it without the red hockey stick stripe. I've often thought that ideally the '70 would have looked a little better with the round tail lights of the later models, in the same way as I think.the '70 Challenger would have looked better with the '73 and '74 taillights .👍
I had probably one of the weirdest combinations ever for a barracuda yes it was a barracuda not a cuda was a 6 cylinder three on the floor clutch car yep a very weird combination but I kind of made up the horsepower with my next car which was a 68 charger matching number car that had all the options SE air conditioning all power power brakes power steering power windows which were a pain in the butt I would have rather had Roll-Ups any day of the week but it had a lot of options and it was a great car and I enjoyed it for many years didn't enjoy pulling transmissions out every 3 months from hammer and on it I did like replacing gear sets and changing them out from the stock 323 rear end I learned a lot by working on that car which was easy as pie unlike the cars of today
Yeah I've only seen one other barracuda with a 6 cylinder a little old man that lived in this trailer park it was a 70 Grand sport convertible it was it was gold in color and it was an automatic I made him quite a few offers on it but he wasn't coming off that car but a good friend of mine managed to get a 66 Chevelle but it was a four-door with a 283 power glide 65,000 MI for 650$ back in the '80s like when gold was $14 a gram growing up I had my charger and he had a Chevelle , his car is gone through a couple transformations over the years and
God that sounds familiar, close the doors and hear the window rattling, pretty car but built out of tin cans. I should have spent a little more and bought a chevelle!
Beautiful car ! I am not there but will be, I have had my 78 firebird for the past 22 years. I agree totally they were made to be driven and it’s not a show piece.
@@jontrudell7529 lol I agree. Fortunately its sporting a Pontiac 462 stroker and a tko 5 speed. I am a fan of all older cars and can appreciate them all . Gm,mopar, ford I like them all .
I was always curious what a dyno would show on the 340. It was rated at 275 hp which I'm sure was underrated as was most every engine was in those days. I personally do know a 440-6 would put out over 420 hp on a dyno stone stock. I owned that car, a Road Runner, in '71. Not bragging, I really didn't like the car, too damn finicky & no, I don't miss it.
OK, now that I watched the video... Is that a modern AC compressor? I see you're in Florida, so it wouldn't surprise me. Good burnout action at the end! Those stripes are just the right amount of red on that black paint, alot of times, red graphics on black cars is just too much. Also, I think black was somewhat rare on MOPARs, and only the best bodies were selected to be painted black.
That guy bought the car he could handle, granted it’s 50 years later but he looked terrified during the first burnout. I don’t think he was up for a 440+6 or a Hemi then or now.
Looking at the Monroney sticker, it looks like the 383 came standard but the E55 340 was a no cost option. Did it have a weight advantage over the 383? I think the 383 had 335 hp and the 340, around 290. Sorry Ray, but I would have ordered it with a 4-speed.
@@musclecarcampy9922 I’m 71 and actually grew up on Long Island and had many muscle cars of all types. Ray must have had a garage for his car to look so good to this day. In his particular car, the TorqueFlight was a better choice than Plymouth’s sloppy 4-speed anyway and faster, too. I liked the sticks in my Pontiacs, though.
My 72 340 cuda is neat, but honestly, these cars are horrible. Horrible to steer, horrible ride, horrible brakes, rattle nonstop, handle like a bus, and they are not even very fast.
They are so horrible you actually got one - OKAY RIGHT....whatever... Yeah, I went and checked out this horrible car today it was so bad I actually bought it!
@@easternking851 Nope, sorry....wife's car who inherited from her brother, who was original owner. I have thus far replaced the entire suspension to original, front to back, tighted the steering, quality shocks and slightly thicker torsion bars, new tires on 16" wheels, and about 350hp on my 340 tune and a tighter faster shift on my 904 auto trans. Looks great and sounds great, but most modern cars just walk about from it, and did I mention the ride and handling is a complete joke? And no A/C on hot cruise days, and the worst ergonomics in history. I would unload it, if it were not for my wife's sentimental value to it. Good luck, chasing a name. That's all it is.
@@georgepapaioannou5115 Thanks for the reply. Didn't mean to sound so harsh earlier. I blame the alcohol... I am glad you still have it. And I hope you also keep your wife FOREVER too! (So far I've kept my wife for 36 years). I know my 70 is a rattle box but thad been restored so it does ride very well. I will also admit they were cheaply made when there were far less rules and regulations back then. You have to also admit technology in cars 52 years ago was a lot different then. My 70 cuda never came with A/C either (I live in TN), and I do hate all that cheap plastic in the interior and those seats, lol...but then again, you have to admit it is part of American (automotive) history that I DO appreciate. At least I can say my car will start and run without 12000 sensors and computers in it. My wife's brand new 2021 Kia K5 GT had just over 10000 miles on it when the transmission stopped working in all gears. The dealership could not figure out which sensor it was so they replaced the whole transmission. Me, being a lifetime mechanic know darn well that tranny was barely broken in, so I think that was a big waste of money - but I'm glad it wasn't my bill! After 52 years of technology you would think that cars are near perfect - oh well.....I would like to recommend that you hold on to your RARE rattle box too, I am getting tired of seeing nothing but mustangs and camaros at most car shows around here. But whenever I see an old rattle box (cuda), my eyes light up, lol!
@@easternking851 Awesome, so you are a mopar lover and owner. yeah, I was prob a bit harsh on my cuda. I do enjoy it mostly, and I was really only picking on the things that are negative. But there are lots of positive too. It gets nothing but stares and thumbs up and people always taking pics. I can get into any cruise or car gathering free admission. I do love that it is rare, like you said. Not sure about roads in Tn, but in Detroit area, they suck, so the ride sucks a bit. But again, wife is attached to it, so it will prob stay in the family for a long time. I would prefer a convertible, if I had a choice. Seems like, we only take out the cuda on sunny hot days, so a drop top on those days would be nice. Take care.
E-bodies were not exactly light, but with a 340, vs a 383 or 440, it was a much better handling car. Great story. (and the 340 was an extra-cost option over the 383)
Thanks , always interesting. Thanks for Service!, Oddly, I passed on buying a ***1970 Challenger RT/SE/4 SPD ** every Option, in Triple Green(??):::: getting ***a new 1970 ***Coronet 500/383/4BBL/ Ralley red/ Black vinyl: Deluxe int,(3/1970 build ?).. etc…..( Anyway#, **my Brother knows it was a wrong Choice, EVEN today!,))….Also, interestingly, the 70 Challenger is probably the RARE BIRD today: my guess is **few , if **any are Left….(* the 70 Coronet lasted fairly good for , SOME 15 years , as salt rust/etc ate it up BAD, ETC with daily use….
New subscriber here sent by Uncle Tony. I remember reading your articles in many magazines "back in the day"...and, at 52 years of age, I'm old enough to say that lol! Even though I'm a GM square body truck guy at heart, I love them all! That 'Cuda in black (my favorite color for vehicles) looks even better with the red stripe! Be sure to thank that man for his military service, as well as keeping his Mopar alive!
He simply likes them better. When he ordered the car, the Rally wheels were standard. By the time it was built, it came standard with steel wheels and poverty caps, which is how he received it. His girlfriend bought him slotted mags and later on he replaced them with what you see today-including the later center caps.
Nice '70 'Cuda, and you're right. The '70 looks better than the '71.
yes it does
Way better
Fantastic car and a wonderful story! I hope Ray is able to enjoy many, many more years with this cool 'Cuda! It's wonderful to see someone who owns one of these cars who has honestly used and enjoyed their car for decades, and continues to do so today. A ton of respect for him. The red stripes were a great addition, IMO.
What a great video, I hope there's more in store for this channel- tons of potential!
Gonna upload more shortly.
Those 340s to me are about the best small block ever made. I had a 70 340 Dart and let me tell you I surprised many a big block in it. Wish I would have kept mine!
Not sure it was the best, but in the top 3.
thanks for your service,thanks for keeping one of the greatest musclecars of all time in this shape
I use to have a 71' 383 cuda' but some ppl prefer the cleaner lines of the 70'. I liked both. I had a big block 383 & the prior owner put a cam & aluminum manifold. Cars are meant to be driven. My dad had a 69' 440 cuda'.
What a piece of history!!! Glad to have you home sir!
Here’s another original owner, Vietnam veteran E-body: ruclips.net/video/1RiNZo5K3pQ/видео.html
Beautiful 'Cuda! Back in the early seventies, my older brother owned two '67 Barracuda's. I tried for year's to get a 'Cuda, but never could find one and have the money for it at the same time. In '83, I managed to get a '71 340 Challenger convertible. I still have the car, but she need's TLC now. It's going to be my retirement project. I think E-body Mopar's are the most beautiful machines ever. Maybe before I die, I will somehow get a 'Cuda.
Good luck with your Challenger.
Congrats Ray on still owning your 70 Cuda it's a beautiful car and my personal favorite Mopar 😁👍thx you for your service!
And Cuda Ray is as cool as his car.
Great car I had a 1972 340 cuda automatic and had a lot of work done to it. It was doing low 12's at the races!
Thanks for watching.
The cuda power buldge hood was the coolest ever made.
It fits the car’s design perfectly.
I still have my 'Cuda, too. My wife and I are the original owners. IIRC, my window sticker was like $4501.xx. Until I bought my 09 Charger 5.7L, it was the best handling Mopar I've ever owned and I've owned a couple hundred.
That is so great that you kept it. What year is your Cuda?
@@musclecarcampy9922 70 AAR
@@budlanctot3060 Outstanding. Uncommon car even when new.
Love it soldier thank u for providing me with my military career sir Hua!!!!
Proud to call Cuda Ray my friend.
Very Nice Machine.
Glad he kept it.
Hey, superb job. Great to see video from someone who knows, understands, has written about, owns and has drag raced musclecars. Expertise, not theatrics! Congrats!
Thanks to Ray for taking great care of his Cuda and for his military service . Just a really good video. I have subscribed. And thanks to Tony.
Thank you!
So smooth Fish! I love that sweetsounding high performance 340 V8. Great video, guys!
Thank you!
Beautiful car. I love hearing these stories. Thanks for sharing.
It is an unusual tale, to say the least
Wow Ray. Thank you for sharing this with us. It's great to see your appreciation for this timeless classic and we can see you really enjoy owning it. Very happy for you. Oh, and a big thank you for your service to our country. Take care.
My CULT LEADER UTG Sent me here! Uncle Tonys's Crew is coming to Sub to you! Lol Cheers
Much appreciated. Tony and I go back a few years. LOl.
UTG represent, love your channel
Uncle tony got me here as well. I love those 340 cudas.
Thank you for your service and a job well done.
This was AMAZING!! Congrats on keeping it so nice! It looks just like my boyfriend's car I drove around in for Senior yr! You ROCK!!👍👍👍🔥🔥🔥
Thank you very, very much. I hope you subscribed to the channel. We have a lot more coming.
Over from UTG. Great story here. Awesome car and owner. "Made to be driven", nice. Mopar or No car! Great vid. Newly subbed👍👍
I love his line about if he can’t drive it it might as well be a picture on the wall.
@@musclecarcampy9922 yes perfect, cuz thats what it would be exactly. Id drive her to
Great info. Love Ray's stories and ofcourse the burnout!
What a beautiful car. That’s the way to keep up on a vehicle Ray ! Thanks for your service. Great video Jim.
Subscribed! Love the backstory about as much as the car itself!
Thank you.
Love the car...it's in beautiful shape. As a Challenger fan I have to chime in that the Cuda forgot to bring the "A-Line" up over the rear wheel and the Challenger corrected that flaw. 😊
Thanks for watching. I think it is better that the cars did not share all the same body lines.
cuda will always be more loved,challenger is a close second...
See my Comments
way to go Ray , thanks for your service
In 1988 I had a 73 Challenger with the 340 + 4 speed pistol grip shifter it was a sweet ride sadly one rainy night on my way home I smelled something burning then I saw sparks and smoke boiling out under the dashboard my wipers head lights and gauges all stopped working I was about 2 miles from home I hung my head out the window and it ran off the battery till I got home the car never ran again for me all the electronics were fried dashboard panels were toast sold it to someone they said they could do a full rewire and dash replacement on it I just didn't have the money or resources then to do it so I let it go had another similar issue with a 74 Road Runner I have owned many of these old Mopars and never had any trouble with the ones I had made before 1973 but the ones made in 73,74 were problematic in the electronics area I will never buy anymore models made in those two years
The '70 Cuda here had a similar fire the first day Ray owned it. He says the "repairs" under the dash are horrible, but it has never been on fire again. By the mid '70s and later, Chrysler was a dumpster fire as far as quality control goes.
My brother still has his 73 340 cuda , amazing car!
Yes I love this one I own 3 of them
Front grille and taillights of the 1970 are much nicer than the 71.
That is what people keep telling me, but I don’t believe it. LOL. Thanks for watching.
I love the way you do your videos with the owner. Awesome,thanks! By the way, the sounds in the video are awesome too!
Thank you very much. That is very kind of you to say.
My ex-girlfriend has a very original, low mileage '70 AAR Cuda. It was a lot of fun to drive...
Amazing car
Really like this story....... thanks for sharing !
Does the owner still have the body side mouldings that came on the car when new? I am looking for measurements to possible reproduce them.
Thank you, kind sir!
@@mannyk291 I will ask him.
Sorry, Manny K. Talked to Cuda Ray. Those moldings are in a landfill somewhere in New Jersey.
@@musclecarcampy9922 thanks for looking into it......sounds like most of them were thrown away back in the day.
Always have loved the Mopars. Style with power. . Love it. Ya picked one of the best.
Much appreciated.
Also sent by UTG. Already sold me when ya started with A Cuda.... lol.... I love about all cars but MOPAR was my first, and still own 2 today. But, I’m building a 64 tbird and own a Chevy 3500, and a Jeep.. MOPAR just always treated me right.
@@tracychaffin4410 Good luck with your builds.
CARS were Made to be DRIVEN!
So true.
I was lucky enough to make a new 'Cuda my 2nd car at age 21 - '74 360 4v thermoquad. By that last year it still hauled but was choked compression. Still, I agree - if you haven't had the office view of the "power bulge" hood you missed a cool view. And the sound. And the sound of that HEAVY door closing surprisingly brought back a lot of memories - sounds like a bunch of dead bodies inside LOL! 🚗
Thank you for stopping by.
Uncle Tony sent me.
Love quality of production, keep it up man👍🏼
Thanks!
I agree with Ray that the '71's nose is
too busy compared to the '70. Great video btw.
Thanks for the kind words. I think I like the '71 because of the one I saw in my neighborhood when I was a kid. It mesmerized me.
amazing content
You have to be UT's mellowest friend.
Liked, subbed and rang the bell. Good luck on your new venture!
Trying not to be a caffeine-fueled maniac. LOL.
Beautiful Cuda! And you cant tell me that was his first burnout in that car! Lol!
And it won’t be his last, either!
Oh man that's a beautiful car!!
Looks beautiful. ❤️
Nice to see a guy and his car last 50 years. Thanks Jim
Ray is a great guy. Thank you.
Great info Camp! Cool stories Ray.
I've always been a fan of the 340. I think a small block is a better match for a pony car. Yes I know it could be argued the E body isn't exactly a pony car, but 'evs. I also sort of love a deck lid spoiler 👍
He has AC that was a few $$ back then so he is not that cheap 👍
Great video, Jim! -Gil
Still have my 74 cuda from when I bought it on February 14 th 1978 in texas while at ft.hood.it has 165,000 on and has been "under restoration" for 20 years now.just got it registered acouple of months ago."LASTCUDA.
Congratulations!
I had a 72 R/T Challenger 340 4 speed car but someone put a 383 and auto in it. Loved that car but my friends brother had a 71 Cuda with the 340 4 speed and he let my drive it one time. I should have never sold that one! The big block was fun at over 550 hp. I'm looking for another one.
Welcome to RUclips , Jim !
All your experience at MMFF and then RTM tells me that you can make a KILLER RUclips channel !
Good luck !
Will do my best! Thanks.
Thanks. I hope I can make a channel that lives up to your expectations!
that ain't his first burnout:) Love It!!
And it won’t be his last!
Thank you for great video about truly great car and owner story. The appearance of E-body 'Cuda and Challenger is a very special sight to me; I understand why people do like the contemporary Challenger then as it brings this look back quite closely. Greetings from the heart of Europe (where the little V6 3.6 L seems to be already a big engine:-))
We have another original owner muscle car video dropping shortly. Hope you like it. Thanks for watching and please subscribe!
@@musclecarcampy9922 Yes, I did, looking forward to your next video.
@@martinstyblo6355 Fantastic! Thanks.
Very nice. I’ve got a 70 grand coupe done up a lil like an AAR. Fresh power train and breaks Never wrecked never rusty nice FAST driver. Ready to sell it and get something different if anyone here is interested
Beautiful car. Had a 72 340 Cuda. Looks like your in the Lithia Florida area.
Definitely not in Jersey City.
Plymouth! 🤘🏼🔧
Here from UTG
Welcome!
I've had my 70 grand couple since 1977, UTG sent me
I had a 1973 340 Barracuda (not the 'cuda, had BH vin not BS) from 1982 to 1988, sold it to a guy whom couple years later wrapped it around a Oak tree, then bought a 1972 340 'cuda (BS vin) bought it back in 1994 and still have it but she is in need of a complete restore, the car was stored under a pine tree for 5 years prior to my purchase and has some really bad body cancer on the trunk, floor pans, and both rear quarters. Have always loved the E Body Barracudas over the Challengers, the 'cuda have a more menacing look from the front over the Challengers
So many of these classics met a similar fate.
Beautiful car , I noticed it has amber turn signals , I agree with the owner that the '70 grille looks better than the '71 ,I think I,d prefer it without the red hockey stick stripe. I've often thought that ideally the '70 would have looked a little better with the round tail lights of the later models, in the same way as I think.the '70 Challenger would have looked better with the '73 and '74 taillights .👍
I have a 1969 dart gts black with red stripe bought new.
Nice!
Wow!
I had probably one of the weirdest combinations ever for a barracuda yes it was a barracuda not a cuda was a 6 cylinder three on the floor clutch car yep a very weird combination but I kind of made up the horsepower with my next car which was a 68 charger matching number car that had all the options SE air conditioning all power power brakes power steering power windows which were a pain in the butt I would have rather had Roll-Ups any day of the week but it had a lot of options and it was a great car and I enjoyed it for many years didn't enjoy pulling transmissions out every 3 months from hammer and on it I did like replacing gear sets and changing them out from the stock 323 rear end I learned a lot by working on that car which was easy as pie unlike the cars of today
That is definitely an odd fish.
Yeah I've only seen one other barracuda with a 6 cylinder a little old man that lived in this trailer park it was a 70 Grand sport convertible it was it was gold in color and it was an automatic I made him quite a few offers on it but he wasn't coming off that car but a good friend of mine managed to get a 66 Chevelle but it was a four-door with a 283 power glide 65,000 MI for 650$ back in the '80s like when gold was $14 a gram growing up I had my charger and he had a Chevelle , his car is gone through a couple transformations over the years and
Mopar!
Black beauty......💪🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
God that sounds familiar, close the doors and hear the window rattling, pretty car but built out of tin cans. I should have spent a little more and bought a chevelle!
Every E-body has the same rattles.
I've read your stuff! Uncle Tony sent me.
Uncle Tony is the RUclips king!
Nice to see you start a channel, Campy! Just subbed and look forward to your coming vids! Is that Revan Evan behind the camera?!
He was the man in the editing room, but I shot the video and my son Luke shot the stuff with me on camera.
@@musclecarcampy9922 Nice work! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for the channel!
Should've gotten the 440 six-pack with a pistol-grip 4 speed.
not necessary but that would also be a nice cuda
Beautiful car ! I am not there but will be, I have had my 78 firebird for the past 22 years. I agree totally they were made to be driven and it’s not a show piece.
Emissions era 🔥 🐔Fire Chicken 👎 👎 👎
@@jontrudell7529 lol I agree. Fortunately its sporting a Pontiac 462 stroker and a tko 5 speed. I am a fan of all older cars and can appreciate them all . Gm,mopar, ford I like them all .
@@Firebird400 that's Awesome!
I love them all, too. I’ve owned and loved all brands.
I was always curious what a dyno would show on the 340. It was rated at 275 hp which I'm sure was underrated as was most every engine was in those days. I personally do know a 440-6 would put out over 420 hp on a dyno stone stock. I owned that car, a Road Runner, in '71. Not bragging, I really didn't like the car, too damn finicky & no, I don't miss it.
NHRA factored the 340 at 310 hp when new, which is probably pretty accurate.
Chaker are the best sexiest scoops ever maide..
Uncle tony said like in add im from texas
The 'Cuda was always better than the Challenger.
OK, now that I watched the video...
Is that a modern AC compressor? I see you're in Florida, so it wouldn't surprise me.
Good burnout action at the end!
Those stripes are just the right amount of red on that black paint, alot of times, red graphics on black cars is just too much.
Also, I think black was somewhat rare on MOPARs, and only the best bodies were selected to be painted black.
The original AC compressor was dead and he replaced it a couple of months ago with one from Vintage Air.
That guy bought the car he could handle, granted it’s 50 years later but he looked terrified during the first burnout. I don’t think he was up for a 440+6 or a Hemi then or now.
Considering he still drag races at the track and does burnouts on a regular basis, we'd say you're practicing age discrimination. LOL.
Looking at the Monroney sticker, it looks like the 383 came standard but the E55 340 was a no cost option. Did it have a weight advantage over the 383? I think the 383 had 335 hp and the 340, around 290. Sorry Ray, but I would have ordered it with a 4-speed.
Yes, the 383 was standard and the 340 available. Sticks are nice, but you have obviously never lived in New York City like Ray did at the time.
@@musclecarcampy9922 I’m 71 and actually grew up on Long Island and had many muscle cars of all types. Ray must have had a garage for his car to look so good to this day. In his particular car, the TorqueFlight was a better choice than Plymouth’s sloppy 4-speed anyway and faster, too. I liked the sticks in my Pontiacs, though.
Beautiful 😍
🏆🏆🏆
👍
Niazzzze
Appreciate it.
My 72 340 cuda is neat, but honestly, these cars are horrible. Horrible to steer, horrible ride, horrible brakes, rattle nonstop, handle like a bus, and they are not even very fast.
They are so horrible you actually got one - OKAY RIGHT....whatever... Yeah, I went and checked out this horrible car today it was so bad I actually bought it!
@@easternking851 Nope, sorry....wife's car who inherited from her brother, who was original owner. I have thus far replaced the entire suspension to original, front to back, tighted the steering, quality shocks and slightly thicker torsion bars, new tires on 16" wheels, and about 350hp on my 340 tune and a tighter faster shift on my 904 auto trans. Looks great and sounds great, but most modern cars just walk about from it, and did I mention the ride and handling is a complete joke? And no A/C on hot cruise days, and the worst ergonomics in history. I would unload it, if it were not for my wife's sentimental value to it. Good luck, chasing a name. That's all it is.
@@georgepapaioannou5115 Thanks for the reply. Didn't mean to sound so harsh earlier. I blame the alcohol... I am glad you still have it. And I hope you also keep your wife FOREVER too! (So far I've kept my wife for 36 years).
I know my 70 is a rattle box but thad been restored so it does ride very well. I will also admit they were cheaply made when there were far less rules and regulations back then. You have to also admit technology in cars 52 years ago was a lot different then. My 70 cuda never came with A/C either (I live in TN), and I do hate all that cheap plastic in the interior and those seats, lol...but then again, you have to admit it is part of American (automotive) history that I DO appreciate. At least I can say my car will start and run without 12000 sensors and computers in it. My wife's brand new 2021 Kia K5 GT had just over 10000 miles on it when the transmission stopped working in all gears. The dealership could not figure out which sensor it was so they replaced the whole transmission. Me, being a lifetime mechanic know darn well that tranny was barely broken in, so I think that was a big waste of money - but I'm glad it wasn't my bill! After 52 years of technology you would think that cars are near perfect - oh well.....I would like to recommend that you hold on to your RARE rattle box too, I am getting tired of seeing nothing but mustangs and camaros at most car shows around here. But whenever I see an old rattle box (cuda), my eyes light up, lol!
@@easternking851 Awesome, so you are a mopar lover and owner. yeah, I was prob a bit harsh on my cuda. I do enjoy it mostly, and I was really only picking on the things that are negative. But there are lots of positive too. It gets nothing but stares and thumbs up and people always taking pics. I can get into any cruise or car gathering free admission. I do love that it is rare, like you said. Not sure about roads in Tn, but in Detroit area, they suck, so the ride sucks a bit. But again, wife is attached to it, so it will prob stay in the family for a long time. I would prefer a convertible, if I had a choice. Seems like, we only take out the cuda on sunny hot days, so a drop top on those days would be nice. Take care.
UTG sent me here. A friend of Uncle Tony is a friend of mine. 👍👍 Subbed.
Good people Uncle Tony and Kathy.
@@musclecarcampy9922 yes sir!!
Bad A$$ car for a bad a$$ dude, Thank you for your service!
No doubt!
E-bodies were not exactly light, but with a 340, vs a 383 or 440, it was a much better handling car. Great story. (and the 340 was an extra-cost option over the 383)
Thanks , always interesting. Thanks for Service!, Oddly, I passed on buying a ***1970 Challenger RT/SE/4 SPD ** every Option, in Triple Green(??):::: getting ***a new 1970 ***Coronet 500/383/4BBL/ Ralley red/ Black vinyl: Deluxe int,(3/1970 build ?).. etc…..( Anyway#, **my Brother knows it was a wrong Choice, EVEN today!,))….Also, interestingly, the 70 Challenger is probably the RARE BIRD today: my guess is **few , if **any are Left….(* the 70 Coronet lasted fairly good for , SOME 15 years , as salt rust/etc ate it up BAD, ETC with daily use….
New subscriber here sent by Uncle Tony. I remember reading your articles in many magazines "back in the day"...and, at 52 years of age, I'm old enough to say that lol!
Even though I'm a GM square body truck guy at heart, I love them all! That 'Cuda in black (my favorite color for vehicles) looks even better with the red stripe!
Be sure to thank that man for his military service, as well as keeping his Mopar alive!
Will do. Thanks for watching.
Challenger 70 Nr1 sexiest car ever build Like Cuda 71..Even Cuda 70-74.440 cui 426 cui Engines the best Engines.
A much better handling car with the 340 small block.
Nice burnout Grandpa! I was a sophomore in high school when that was new! (got 5 grandkids myself)
Cuda Ray is young at heart.
Why the incorrect center caps for the rallye rims. Those caps on 72 and later.
He simply likes them better. When he ordered the car, the Rally wheels were standard. By the time it was built, it came standard with steel wheels and poverty caps, which is how he received it. His girlfriend bought him slotted mags and later on he replaced them with what you see today-including the later center caps.
Nice except for the incorrect tires.
He drives the car all over. Radials are the right choice.
Tires and wheels fine, but for the incorrect '72 center caps.
@@ervinthompson6598 Tires are hideous and incorrect
Love the car
Here from Texas, beautiful car and great interview, veterans unite
Thanks!
Cuda Ray!!!! Great video.