Your new musclecar - Page 2

bill dedman · 09-07-2008, 06:10 PM

I never had the money fpr a new car during the era of musclecars, but, I have a true story about someone who did. His name is Steve Clukey, and he lives in Maine. Every month when he got paid, he sent money home (from Viet Nam) to his Dad. When he'd accumulated enough, his Dad drove to the local Mopar emporium and bought Steve a shiny new "70 Duster 340 4-speed car.

When Steve got home from the "war," he took the new car to the strip, with disappointing results (low 15''s)

He saw it as a challenge. In the 38 years that followed, Steve never quit making "improvements" to the output of that 340. He has added aftermarket heads, cam, headers, a stroker crank, high-compression pistons, aluminum rods, and a Holley Dominator carb. The car is still all steel (MIGHT have a 'glass hood; dunno), but is totally stock appearing,but for a hood scoop. Runs a Dana 60 and a Hemi 4-speed.

I don't think it's ever been driven on the street.

Thirty-eight years of "improvements" to this small block (now, 383 cid) now yields consistent mid-9-second e.t.s (best of 9.43, @ 143 mph) and I think that's fast, considering he's done nothing to lighten the car and uses NO power adder.

He has run the car in IHRA Super Stock,(at Epping) but usually races it at Winterport jn the brackets.

Some folks don"t consider the 340 Duster a true musclecar, but I think this one qualifies, at least, now.

BillK · 09-07-2008, 09:20 PM

Travis,

Bought my 71 Chevelle "Heavy Chevy" new in Aug of 71. Drove it to Boston to visit relatives when it had about 600 miles on it. Made its first drag strip runs at New England Dragway on Sept 1 1971, still have the time slips and ... still have the car !

Jim Blankenship · 09-07-2008, 09:58 PM

never had a new car till late in life but i did have a jimmy bridges teched, gerald livingston tuned 63 ply vallent aka mom's car. then i did get a 1967 impala 283 4 speed, bench seat , after 7-8 sagana trans got a " rock crusher" then gerald had a 427 that just happened to " FIT " became a daily driver that went low 11's at riverside drag strip just west of nashville. few other 57's a 67 camaro then got wise and built a race car rest is history jim

John Dinkel · 09-07-2008, 10:19 PM

After spending a year in Viet Nam and reading any hot rod magazines I could get a hold of, I decided that I would buy a GTX when I got home.
Went to the dealer I worked for in high school and ordered a green 68 GTX. The next day he said you got to get a 69 because the 68 model was done.
A couple days later he told me there was a green one in Lansing, do you want it? The rest was history and I still have it today.

my69396 · 09-08-2008, 02:42 PM

after i graduated from high school in 1970 of course i wanted a muscle car. at the time i was driving a 1966 impala ss 327 glide not a muscle car. there was for sale a 1966 ltd 2 dr with 390 and a four speed original 427 car that i had to have. i was informed by my dad that he wouldn't cosign the note for me. i sold my cows to him and he didnt need to cosign for me. car was a slug. went into the army june 1971. in november while stationed at fort benning. went by a car lot and there was a 1967 fairlane gt 390 4 speed that wasnt a slug. it went 14.76 with street tires, and as they say the rest is history.

Casey Miles · 09-08-2008, 03:37 PM

In December 1970, I bought my 1969 Z/28 with 10k miles on it, from a friend of mine for $1350. I have street raced it, set records with it and still to this day enjoy it.
One night I was up at Burger King in Bethpage, L. I. N.Y. and there was a 1969 big block chevelle with NOS on street tires looking for a race. I told the guy that I have a 1969 Camaro with small slicks (at that time I was holding the record for E/S) and a small block. He agreed to give me the break, needless to say, he knew he was done when I left with the wheels up. We raced for only $100, but back then it was alot of money.
On another night I was going to race John Nobile the pro stock racer on the street, he had a Chevelle at the time. I was in the middle of doing my burn out when the cop pulled behind my car, my friends waving to me to turn the car off, that's when I noticed the cop. I shut the car off and got out like nothing was happening, took off my helmet and started pushing the car by hand. The cop told me not to get too far because he want to talk to me. Well we told him what was up and he said he'd let us get the race over with until his sargent showed up. The cops let us hook are cars up (flat towing) and get out of there.
Those where fun days, you knew that the street cars that you were going to race to be at best mid 11 cars.
Casey Miles
248H E/S because of 4 hp

Tony Curcio · 09-08-2008, 05:29 PM

My brother, Neal, bought a 68 Z-28 from a guy who had just received his draft notice. I remember his name was Eddie Moore, and I heard he made it back OK. Eddie had only owned the car 6 months, but made good use of the time, adding Cragar SS wheels, Hooker Headers and Lakewood traction bars.

Neal also only owned it for six months. He worked for The Phone Company (there was only one at the time) as a splicer. One day he was down in a manhole in Southwest Philadelphia, and when he came up for lunch, the car was gone.

When the car was recovered, the engine, transmission and wheels were gone. The police didn’t find, Neal found out where it was when he started getting parking tickets. The insurance company took it for salvage.

Oh yeah, a few weeks after the remains of the car were hauled away, Neal got his draft notice too. I would say this car was jinxed, but then again, Eddie and Neal are both alive and well.

X-TECH MAN · 09-09-2008, 06:17 AM

Darn Tony.....Thats almost my story except I was back from the Nam before I had a Z-28 and it too was stolen and stripped. I also worked for the "Phone Factory" and came back to the parking lot after work and poof....my Z-28 was gone. They found it 5 days later minus engine, trans, wheels and tires, but who ever got it didnt get a "virgin". I flat run the snot out of that thing before they got it.

Wayne Totaro · 09-09-2008, 10:06 AM

Back in October 1968, while in my senior year of high school, I talked my mother into signing for me and I purchased a new 1969 Dodge Dart GT- Sport. At that time not many GT-Sports were around, due to the 340 Swingers being a lot cheaper! My car was a 340 4 speed with 3:91 gears and was red with black vinyl top and interior. I naturally had to race the car and competed in G/ Pure Stock.(No brackets back then) The car ran 13.80's all day and I won way more than I lost. In the early 70's I had a 340 Super Stock engine built and ran SS/I for a while, but could not compete with the 350/295 Camaros. I still have the original window sticker and invoice for the "Red Dart" but the car is Long Gone.

X-TECH MAN · 09-08-2008, 03:37 PM

My first new car was a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere 2 that I ordered special after my dad would not co-sign for anything with a 4-speed. Man I wanted a new G.T.O. but the 2 speed auto trans really sucked. Little did he know that back then the mopar torque flite was as good as it gets for racing....lol. I special ordered it with a 426 street wedge (WAY over rated) engine and 3.91 rear end gears. All it had extra was an AM radio, tented windows, and plastic centers on the seats. After installing M/T headers and M/T 7 inch cheater slicks I won around 12-15 class trophies at Aquasco and Capitol raceway in B/SA at that time (I still have most of them in my garage) and a DRAG TIMES Jr. stock "runner up" trophy to the Kurtz & Calderhead '57 F.I. sedan delivery (with 4-speed hydro trans and Jenkins Comp. engine) at Aquasco, Md. back then just before I was drafted in the Army and gave it to my dad to trade in on a 1966 Pontiac GP for himself (didnt think I would make it back). After that Army tour was over I stayed with a bunch of Corvettes and a new 1968 Z-28. I raced them all and won a couple of times at Ohio Valley Raceway with a 66 Corvette in E/SP class while stationed at Fort Knox, Ky. Those were the days watching guys like Bob Glidden race his 2 428 CJ's (convt.and fastback) and Herb McCandless in a new hemi dart at U.S 60 and Ohio Valley. S/S and Jr. stock racing at its best.

09-07-2008, 06:10 PM	#1
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar I never had the money fpr a new car during the era of musclecars, but, I have a true story about someone who did. His name is Steve Clukey, and he lives in Maine. Every month when he got paid, he sent money home (from Viet Nam) to his Dad. When he'd accumulated enough, his Dad drove to the local Mopar emporium and bought Steve a shiny new "70 Duster 340 4-speed car. When Steve got home from the "war," he took the new car to the strip, with disappointing results (low 15''s) He saw it as a challenge. In the 38 years that followed, Steve never quit making "improvements" to the output of that 340. He has added aftermarket heads, cam, headers, a stroker crank, high-compression pistons, aluminum rods, and a Holley Dominator carb. The car is still all steel (MIGHT have a 'glass hood; dunno), but is totally stock appearing,but for a hood scoop. Runs a Dana 60 and a Hemi 4-speed. I don't think it's ever been driven on the street. Thirty-eight years of "improvements" to this small block (now, 383 cid) now yields consistent mid-9-second e.t.s (best of 9.43, @ 143 mph) and I think that's fast, considering he's done nothing to lighten the car and uses NO power adder. He has run the car in IHRA Super Stock,(at Epping) but usually races it at Winterport jn the brackets. Some folks don"t consider the 340 Duster a true musclecar, but I think this one qualifies, at least, now. __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 09-07-2008 at 06:17 PM.

09-07-2008, 09:20 PM	#2
BillK Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Waldorf Md Posts: 230 Likes: 12 Liked 30 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar Travis, Bought my 71 Chevelle "Heavy Chevy" new in Aug of 71. Drove it to Boston to visit relatives when it had about 600 miles on it. Made its first drag strip runs at New England Dragway on Sept 1 1971, still have the time slips and ... still have the car ! __________________ Bill Koustenis

09-07-2008, 09:58 PM	#3
Jim Blankenship Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: nashville tn Posts: 149 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar never had a new car till late in life but i did have a jimmy bridges teched, gerald livingston tuned 63 ply vallent aka mom's car. then i did get a 1967 impala 283 4 speed, bench seat , after 7-8 sagana trans got a " rock crusher" then gerald had a 427 that just happened to " FIT " became a daily driver that went low 11's at riverside drag strip just west of nashville. few other 57's a 67 camaro then got wise and built a race car rest is history jim __________________ Jim Blankenship 3086 STK

09-07-2008, 10:19 PM	#4
John Dinkel Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pinckney, Michigan Posts: 507 Likes: 399 Liked 263 Times in 68 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar After spending a year in Viet Nam and reading any hot rod magazines I could get a hold of, I decided that I would buy a GTX when I got home. Went to the dealer I worked for in high school and ordered a green 68 GTX. The next day he said you got to get a 69 because the 68 model was done. A couple days later he told me there was a green one in Lansing, do you want it? The rest was history and I still have it today. __________________ John Dinkel 3295 STK

09-08-2008, 02:42 PM	#5
my69396 Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 285 Likes: 0 Liked 43 Times in 19 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar after i graduated from high school in 1970 of course i wanted a muscle car. at the time i was driving a 1966 impala ss 327 glide not a muscle car. there was for sale a 1966 ltd 2 dr with 390 and a four speed original 427 car that i had to have. i was informed by my dad that he wouldn't cosign the note for me. i sold my cows to him and he didnt need to cosign for me. car was a slug. went into the army june 1971. in november while stationed at fort benning. went by a car lot and there was a 1967 fairlane gt 390 4 speed that wasnt a slug. it went 14.76 with street tires, and as they say the rest is history.

09-08-2008, 03:37 PM	#6
Casey Miles Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 703 Likes: 127 Liked 488 Times in 90 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar In December 1970, I bought my 1969 Z/28 with 10k miles on it, from a friend of mine for $1350. I have street raced it, set records with it and still to this day enjoy it. One night I was up at Burger King in Bethpage, L. I. N.Y. and there was a 1969 big block chevelle with NOS on street tires looking for a race. I told the guy that I have a 1969 Camaro with small slicks (at that time I was holding the record for E/S) and a small block. He agreed to give me the break, needless to say, he knew he was done when I left with the wheels up. We raced for only $100, but back then it was alot of money. On another night I was going to race John Nobile the pro stock racer on the street, he had a Chevelle at the time. I was in the middle of doing my burn out when the cop pulled behind my car, my friends waving to me to turn the car off, that's when I noticed the cop. I shut the car off and got out like nothing was happening, took off my helmet and started pushing the car by hand. The cop told me not to get too far because he want to talk to me. Well we told him what was up and he said he'd let us get the race over with until his sargent showed up. The cops let us hook are cars up (flat towing) and get out of there. Those where fun days, you knew that the street cars that you were going to race to be at best mid 11 cars. Casey Miles 248H E/S because of 4 hp

09-08-2008, 05:29 PM	#7
Tony Curcio Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: West Chester, PA Posts: 271 Likes: 1 Liked 4 Times in 1 Post	Re: Your new musclecar My brother, Neal, bought a 68 Z-28 from a guy who had just received his draft notice. I remember his name was Eddie Moore, and I heard he made it back OK. Eddie had only owned the car 6 months, but made good use of the time, adding Cragar SS wheels, Hooker Headers and Lakewood traction bars. Neal also only owned it for six months. He worked for The Phone Company (there was only one at the time) as a splicer. One day he was down in a manhole in Southwest Philadelphia, and when he came up for lunch, the car was gone. When the car was recovered, the engine, transmission and wheels were gone. The police didn’t find, Neal found out where it was when he started getting parking tickets. The insurance company took it for salvage. Oh yeah, a few weeks after the remains of the car were hauled away, Neal got his draft notice too. I would say this car was jinxed, but then again, Eddie and Neal are both alive and well. __________________ Tony Curcio 1860 STK Last edited by Tony Curcio; 09-08-2008 at 05:53 PM.

09-09-2008, 06:17 AM	#8
X-TECH MAN Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Placid, Florida Posts: 3,203 Likes: 1,047 Liked 235 Times in 110 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar Darn Tony.....Thats almost my story except I was back from the Nam before I had a Z-28 and it too was stolen and stripped. I also worked for the "Phone Factory" and came back to the parking lot after work and poof....my Z-28 was gone. They found it 5 days later minus engine, trans, wheels and tires, but who ever got it didnt get a "virgin". I flat run the snot out of that thing before they got it.

09-09-2008, 10:06 AM	#9
Wayne Totaro Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 235 Likes: 1 Liked 39 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar Back in October 1968, while in my senior year of high school, I talked my mother into signing for me and I purchased a new 1969 Dodge Dart GT- Sport. At that time not many GT-Sports were around, due to the 340 Swingers being a lot cheaper! My car was a 340 4 speed with 3:91 gears and was red with black vinyl top and interior. I naturally had to race the car and competed in G/ Pure Stock.(No brackets back then) The car ran 13.80's all day and I won way more than I lost. In the early 70's I had a 340 Super Stock engine built and ran SS/I for a while, but could not compete with the 350/295 Camaros. I still have the original window sticker and invoice for the "Red Dart" but the car is Long Gone.

09-08-2008, 03:37 PM	#10
X-TECH MAN Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Placid, Florida Posts: 3,203 Likes: 1,047 Liked 235 Times in 110 Posts	Re: Your new musclecar My first new car was a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere 2 that I ordered special after my dad would not co-sign for anything with a 4-speed. Man I wanted a new G.T.O. but the 2 speed auto trans really sucked. Little did he know that back then the mopar torque flite was as good as it gets for racing....lol. I special ordered it with a 426 street wedge (WAY over rated) engine and 3.91 rear end gears. All it had extra was an AM radio, tented windows, and plastic centers on the seats. After installing M/T headers and M/T 7 inch cheater slicks I won around 12-15 class trophies at Aquasco and Capitol raceway in B/SA at that time (I still have most of them in my garage) and a DRAG TIMES Jr. stock "runner up" trophy to the Kurtz & Calderhead '57 F.I. sedan delivery (with 4-speed hydro trans and Jenkins Comp. engine) at Aquasco, Md. back then just before I was drafted in the Army and gave it to my dad to trade in on a 1966 Pontiac GP for himself (didnt think I would make it back). After that Army tour was over I stayed with a bunch of Corvettes and a new 1968 Z-28. I raced them all and won a couple of times at Ohio Valley Raceway with a 66 Corvette in E/SP class while stationed at Fort Knox, Ky. Those were the days watching guys like Bob Glidden race his 2 428 CJ's (convt.and fastback) and Herb McCandless in a new hemi dart at U.S 60 and Ohio Valley. S/S and Jr. stock racing at its best.