[2112jb]

okay, so i am thinking i am going to build the 68 cuda fastback. here's the question. its all original and unmolested, 318, 4speed matching numbers. should i remove the 318 and put a hopped up 340, 383 or stroke the one i have. don't think i can afford to put a 440 or hemi. also should i replace the 4 speed and put in a tremec tko? any and all your thoughts would be helpful in making my decision.
but as i type this a just received a cruve ball. a friend of mine be selling his 72 roadrunner.........i does not have the rust issues my cuda does. rear quarters, trunk floor. damn....now i am really confused.
thanks in advance.........

[Magnus_Jager]

That 4 speed should hook to a 340 or 360 pretty easily. The 383 is some assembly required. Doable but not as easy as bolting it up another small block.

I say keep the 4 speed. Major cool points for that. And build a hot small block. Your choice 318, 340, or 360. 340 is high on the cool factor, but harder to come by for a good one. 318 has possiblities and people just about give them away. Some people sell the 360 short, but they are not as hard to get as a 340, and also have pottential. Or if you have money to burn you could buy a mopar performance crate engine for it.


You may also want to pop into forabodiesonly, there are some barracuda gus there.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/

[BooWFO]

Ok you need to ask yourself a few questions and it will tell you what you should do.
1. Is the 'cuda THE car? ie dream car or just the hey it's cool car.
2. Which can you afford to build?
3. Is it going to be build then sold to finance another build?
4. Is it going to be a showcar/track car/driver/little of all of them?
5. Which is in a state that you can either do the work or afford to pay to have the work done? Also which has the parts availabilty?
Those are the questions I ask myself now when looking at cars. But if you want my opionon I love old 'cuda's but I would rather have the Roadrunner.

[2112jb]

thanks, magnus good link.....boowfo, problem is i like em all..just don't have the funds to afford them all......lol.........but it would be a street ride, secondary car, i do have the money, and no the dream car was always a 70-71 cuda, but thats next to impossible now..

[steve t]

i like the roadrunner, but thats just me. but a 4 speed is alot of fun too

[LuVgUy33]

I voted for the roadrunner.

[Hippie]

I'd build a 360 with a Six Pak setup, keep the factory 4 speed and slide the 318 under wraps in case you ever feel the need to do the "numbers matching" thing down the road. Do a factory paint scheme and run a set of Mopar road wheels like they used on the later Cudas.

But........ I always liked the '72 Roadrunner's and they are really starting to come into their own. THAT is a tough decision.

[spinn]

matching?

that A 833 is a great crash box. i always enjoyed mine. it could take any pounding that 318 could thrash out. if its a driven car ill suggest a 3.23 gear and build conservatively. you dont want to give up your low end torque. with that nice rod ratio it can rev. a performer mani and 600 holley and that car will be thrifty as well.

[2112jb]

i could use some more votes here guys.......please.....