Probably the greatest advantage new performance cars, such as the Viper, possess is an ability to "do it all." Not only do they handle like race cars, they turn great quarter-mile times, can be driven anywhere reliably on pump gas, and get decent mileage to boot. you know we have a weakness for '68 Barracudas and an even greater weakness for big-block '68 Barracudas, not to mention the fact that this one has 500 inches of big-block underhood. but this Barracuda wins on merit and not just on style. Dave Munneke of Marengo, Illinois, built his '68 Barracuda to do everything a new Viper can do and more.
Dave purchased this rare 383 Formula S coupe three years ago from a party in Texas. It looked a bit rough in the photos, but was a site rougher in the flesh. But it was complete, and that counts for something; so he bought it, freshened up the ailing 383 and drove it like that for about a year, allowing him the time to formulate a cunning plan. Still unsure of the direction, but plenty sure about the source of motivation, David ordered up a 496 stroker kit for a low-deck from Muscle Motors of Lansing, Michigan. About this time Dave also located a factory fresh 400 long-block and immediately ditched the stock rotating assembly, performed the necessary machine work, and dropped in the Muscle Motors long-arm kit. Up top, Dave settled on a set of Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads, a Performer RPM intake manifold, and an 800-cfm Edelbrock carb. A Cam Motion solid cam was chosen to bump the valves. But something was amiss. Now David had this shiny new motor sitting in a rusted out engine bay
Fortunately for Dave, there's a really good and reputable rod shop just a few miles from his home. He carted his mismatched Barracuda over to Getz's Hot Rod Innovations in Hampshire, Illinois, with the intention of just cleaning up the engine bay and shooting a fresh coat of paint. But we all know how a snowball gains momentum and size along the way, and before you know it six months have passed, and there's not an inch of sheetmetal that hasn't been replaced-the car is perfect.
Desiring a musclecar that can be reliably street driven, carve corners with the best exotic iron, and be able to knock down ten-second quarter-mile times, Dave purchased an Alter-k-tion K-member with a power rack-and-pinion steering, coilovers, and adjustable QA1 shocks to help him with his handling goals. Out back, he settled for Super Stock springs and lowering blocks to lower the altitude of the Barracuda's back-side. Next, a Keisler five-speed transmission kit was acquired, making the street driving part a reality. The next idea struck like a bolt of lightning. It was midsummer and very hot, so a Classic Auto Air A/C unit wound up under the dash, and the car was now a complete pleasure to drive.
Has David Munneke succeeded in building a triple threat: drivable, handling, 10-second musclecar? He has yet to take it to his local drag strip for some quarter-mile bashing, but with more than 500 horses at the wheels, some slick shifting on his part, and a decent launch, Dave's Barracuda has more than enough juice to turn a ten. The Hot Rod Power Tour participation answers the question of drivability, and Dave is planning on entering his Formula S in an upcoming Silver State Classic open road race to answer the third question about handling. We have no doubt David will achieve his goals with room to spare.
Fast Facts
Owner:
Dave Munneke
Marengo, Illinois
Body:
'68 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S
Engine:
500ci RB (400 low-deck based)4.380-inch bore
Eagle 4.150 stroke steel crankshaft
Ross 11.75:1 pistons
Cam Motion solid flat-tappet cam,
268-degrees duration at .050-inch lift, 584-inch lift
Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads,gasket matched
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold, 800-cfm carb
Transmission:
Keisler/Tremec five-speed
Rearend
8 3/4 with 3.23 gears
Wheels/Tires:
Front, Torq-Thrust 17x8 with BFG 215/45R17 tires; Rear, Torq-Thrust17x10 with BFG 275/40R17 tires