Fast Facts
'68 Plymouth Barracuda
Melvin Dunsworth
Kansas City, MO
Mopar Power
- Engine: The killer visual impact is backed up with real punch. The base is a 6.1 Hemi built by Pat Forsyth using a Comp roller, worked heads, tti exhaust, and more. After dyno work and installation in the body, it went to Dave Weber of Modern Muscle in Martinsville, Virginia, for more mad science. By far the gnarliest thing is the just-developed EFI Hilborn setup Dave used, which is custom wired and digitally cranked through an AEM engine management computer mounted under the dash. He also gets credit for the fuel system and a set of unreal electronically operated exhaust cutouts. This thing sounds nasty.
- Transmission: Rebuilt 727 TorqueFlite by Pat Forsyth with Hurst shifter.
- Differential: 8-3/4 with 4.56 gear and Sure Grip.
- Horsepower and Performance: Up on the dyno, the package kicked out 525 ponies, and Dave was still doing a few small tweaks as we wrote this story.
Sure Grip
- Suspension: Replacement shocks with 002/003 Super Stock rear leafs. A Flaming River steering outfit gives the car a little more manueverability, though handling with the 6.1 over the nose is already much better than with a '60s-era 426 mill.
- Brakes: Front discs and rear drums.
- Wheels: Vintage-appearing Cragar S/S rims.
- Rubber: Mickey Thompson street tires on all four corners.
High Impact
- Body: Credit for the bodywork goes to Andy Masenthin, Dwight, Kansas. Reassembly credit is given to Floyd Kurzweil Jr.
- Paint: Andy Masenthin
- Interior: The custom dash was fabricated by Floyd Kurzweil, with the seats and other threads being handled by Rudy's Upholstery in Martinsville, Virginia.