1965 Plymouth Barracuda

Paul Ceasrine · 07-30-2013, 03:57 PM

What is it they asked...

1965 Plymouth Barracuda 273/235 HP Commando

Classed in F/SA in 1965 -

Doug Patterson won the F/SA Class at the 1965 NHRA Springnationals.

Then went on to Runner-Up in Junior Stock Eliminator.

In September 1965, set the NHRA National Record.

13.62 @ 102.95 MPH

Charlie A · 07-30-2013, 10:27 PM

Personal favorite:

Paul Ceasrine · 07-30-2013, 10:52 PM

Charley A,

Check out those 'tubes'

In 1965, try finding a Header Company that made a good set of tubular headers for the 273 A-Body......

Charlie A · 07-31-2013, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Charley A,

Check out those 'tubes'

In 1965, try finding a Header Company that made a good set of tubular headers for the 273 A-Body......

Guessing they were trying to stay"equal length" and just could not fit it all under the hood. Funny now....way cool then!

Paul Ceasrine · 07-31-2013, 01:22 PM

October 1965

NHRA 'F/S' National Record Holder

13.44 @ 103.68 MPH

Rob Ayres · 08-08-2013, 09:04 AM

That 13.62 record was an altitude adjusted record. The actual time the car ran was 13.98 at Bristol. Fred and Doug had a fast little cuda but there was no way those cars would in the 13.60's in 1965. That record was what forced us to move to a 180 hp -273 and run I/SA, and later N/SA. Our first set of headers actually exited in front of the front tires. The small engine compartment forced you to be a little creative with header technology. Then Dougs and Stahl came up with nice designs for the little cars. A pain to install, but nothing was easy with those little cars.

Paul Ceasrine · 08-08-2013, 12:06 PM

Rob,

Weren't they protested because of the use of the controversial
Carter #3447 AFB Carburetor, which was permitted by the NHRA.

The 600 CFM rated unit, that was used on the 1963 '426 Max-Wedge' engine.

The #3447 had a 1 7/16" Primary and 1 11/16" Secondary, and the
273 Cast Iron Intake required the 'secondary' bore hole to be opened up.

That 600 CFM AFB did make a big difference over the 'stock' 500 CFM AFB.

Rob Ayres · 08-08-2013, 01:23 PM

I don't remember anything about that. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen. I agree, going to a 600 cfm carb would have helped the little cars a bunch.

Paul Ceasrine · 08-08-2013, 10:42 PM

Rob,

Weren't the 1965 - 273/235 HP - Barracuda's listed at #2930 lbs. {Shipping Weight}, which put them a 'hair' under the 12.50 Wt/Hp.

Yet, the NHRA permitted them into the {12.50 to 13.99 Wt/Hp} F/S and F/SA Stock Class in 1965.

Rob Ayres · 08-09-2013, 07:50 AM

No, the shipping weight was 2940 lbs which put it at 12.51 lbs per HP. The car was made for the class. If you ever want to check any of the original shipping weights on the older stuff, I have all of the original NHRA classification guides and spec sheets from the 60's.

07-30-2013, 03:57 PM	#1
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	1965 Plymouth Barracuda What is it they asked... 1965 Plymouth Barracuda 273/235 HP Commando Classed in F/SA in 1965 - Doug Patterson won the F/SA Class at the 1965 NHRA Springnationals. Then went on to Runner-Up in Junior Stock Eliminator. In September 1965, set the NHRA National Record. *13.62 @ 102.95 MPH*

07-31-2013, 01:22 PM	#5
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda *October 1965* *NHRA 'F/S' National Record Holder* *13.44 @ 103.68 MPH*

08-08-2013, 09:04 AM	#6
Rob Ayres Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Rogers, AR Posts: 32 Likes: 0 Liked 31 Times in 2 Posts	Re: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda That 13.62 record was an altitude adjusted record. The actual time the car ran was 13.98 at Bristol. Fred and Doug had a fast little cuda but there was no way those cars would in the 13.60's in 1965. That record was what forced us to move to a 180 hp -273 and run I/SA, and later N/SA. Our first set of headers actually exited in front of the front tires. The small engine compartment forced you to be a little creative with header technology. Then Dougs and Stahl came up with nice designs for the little cars. A pain to install, but nothing was easy with those little cars.

08-08-2013, 12:06 PM	#7
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda Rob, Weren't they protested because of the use of the controversial Carter #3447 AFB Carburetor, which was permitted by the NHRA. The 600 CFM rated unit, that was used on the 1963 '426 Max-Wedge' engine. The #3447 had a 1 7/16" Primary and 1 11/16" Secondary, and the 273 Cast Iron Intake required the 'secondary' bore hole to be opened up. That 600 CFM AFB did make a big difference over the 'stock' 500 CFM AFB. Last edited by Paul Ceasrine; 08-08-2013 at 12:12 PM.

08-08-2013, 01:23 PM	#8
Rob Ayres Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Rogers, AR Posts: 32 Likes: 0 Liked 31 Times in 2 Posts	Re: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda I don't remember anything about that. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen. I agree, going to a 600 cfm carb would have helped the little cars a bunch.

07-30-2013, 10:27 PM	#2
Charlie A VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 2,483 Likes: 68 Liked 87 Times in 63 Posts	Re: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda Personal favorite:

07-30-2013, 10:52 PM	#3
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda Charley A, Check out those 'tubes' In 1965, try finding a Header Company that made a good set of tubular headers for the 273 A-Body......

08-08-2013, 10:42 PM	#9
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda Rob, Weren't the 1965 - 273/235 HP - Barracuda's listed at #2930 lbs. {Shipping Weight}, which put them a 'hair' under the 12.50 Wt/Hp. Yet, the NHRA permitted them into the {12.50 to 13.99 Wt/Hp} F/S and F/SA Stock Class in 1965.

08-09-2013, 07:50 AM	#10
Rob Ayres Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Rogers, AR Posts: 32 Likes: 0 Liked 31 Times in 2 Posts	Re: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda No, the shipping weight was 2940 lbs which put it at 12.51 lbs per HP. The car was made for the class. If you ever want to check any of the original shipping weights on the older stuff, I have all of the original NHRA classification guides and spec sheets from the 60's.