these were always a bad boy on the streets in the 60's, when in high school

[cudabob496]

https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/6023985161.html

[MoparJunkie]

I'd rather own a mopar, especially at that price!

[cudabob496]

I'd rather own a mopar, especially at that price!

I agree, but its okay to appreciate other muscle cars.

[dvscycles]

Back in 1972 had my sites set on either a 1973 Camaro or Nova and the Mustang was ruined with the 1971 model.
Smog and bumper laws changed and my 1973 'Cuda was the only choice for me.

[1 Wild R/T]

No mention of which 396... If it's the 325 horse it's a pig... 350 horse is Ok... 375 horse is a whole different animal....  Theres a 375 HP/4 spd one here in central Ca. that was ordered with factory special paint FC7....

[jimynick]

In 1971, my friend Jim had some cars he liked to sell. The two that stand out in my mind were a lt green 70 SuperBee 440-6 4 spd and a 69 L78 396 4 spd Nova SS in dark blue with black guts. You could have either one for $2800 and if that doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you're too young to remember those cars! I got to drive the Bee and still remember the sound of those 6 barrels as they opened up. Sigh! 

[cudabob496]

In 1971, my friend Jim had some cars he liked to sell. The two that stand out in my mind were a lt green 70 SuperBee 440-6 4 spd and a 69 L78 396 4 spd Nova SS in dark blue with black guts. You could have either one for $2800 and if that doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you're too young to remember those cars! I got to drive the Bee and still remember the sound of those 6 barrels as they opened up. Sigh! 

Cool, ya, in 1978 my neighbor had a 68 Chevelle, 4 speed, Black with white stripes and white interior, and the special
solid lifter 375 hp 396. The carb even had a special tag on it.  40,000 miles. Wanted $1000, but I didn't have the money.

[Strawdawg]

The 65-67 Novas terrorized a lot of big block cars.  They came off the line well and were relatively lightweight.  I would take one in a flash any day.

[jimynick]

I think you're talking about the '66-'67 cars, commonly referred to as "shoeboxes", Steve and you're right, they were fast with that L79 327 350hp engine. The hardtop ones were prone to actually twisting the body and I remember a couple of 4 speed ones that you could hardly get the doors to close. I raced one home one dark and silly night in my 72 Duster (with the '68 340 in it) and it was pretty close, but the old Mopar managed to pass him. 
PS- I'd also take one in a heartbeat! LOL

[hofilbert]

We had Camaros and Chevelles in central ILL.  Mostly Camaros.  Check out my 396 4spd M22 12blt RS/SS w/deluxe interior.  Wish I still had that!

[Strawdawg]

I think you're talking about the '66-'67 cars, commonly referred to as "shoeboxes", Steve and you're right, they were fast with that L79 327 350hp engine. The hardtop ones were prone to actually twisting the body and I remember a couple of 4 speed ones that you could hardly get the doors to close. I raced one home one dark and silly night in my 72 Duster (with the '68 340 in it) and it was pretty close, but the old Mopar managed to pass him. 
PS- I'd also take one in a heartbeat! LOL

yep, they were not very stiff...and, if they had had good tires in those days, they probably would have resembled a corkscrew in a couple of weeks.

[cudabob496]

yep, they were not very stiff...and, if they had had good tires in those days, they probably would have resembled a corkscrew in a couple of weeks.

subframe connectors may have helped

[cudabob496]

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/6027798117.html

[Strawdawg]

In the sixties, we were too busy arguing if our traction bars should run forward from the axle or to the rear of the car....I don't recall sub frame connectors until later.  At that time, even the full frame cars were generally pretty cheesy.  The roof held them together.

[KillerBee]

About 8 years ago I found this in a barn in a small farm town near Columbus Ohio.

It had been sitting since the mid 70's started on occasion.

The owner wanted to do a trade for a beautiful Harley Ultra Classic I owned.

I wasn't a Corvette guy but after seeing it had 31k original miles, chrome bumpers and after opening the hood and seeing a big block with 3 carbs on it....I did the trade.

After a day of tinkering with it I got it running good enough to make the 2 hour drive home. I didn't have the carbs adjusted right so on the highway every time I backed off the throttle in gear fire would blow out of the side pipes....what a ride!!

After getting it home my Corvette buddy took a good  look at the car, He noted the factory tachometer that redlined at 6500 and a funny little transistor box mounted in the driver's side wheel well...he went wild.
He insisted I drop the fuel tank and look for the tank sticker, (Mopar's version of a build sheet), which I eventually did and discovered a perfect tank sticker.
As he suspected car was an original L71 427/435hp solid lifter Tri Power 4 speed car with factory 4.11 gear.

I contacted the guy I got the car from and did some research as his cousin was the original owner.
Turns out the cousin bought the car new when he was 18 then went to the GM dealer a few weeks later and bought the original over the counter L88 fender flares and had them installed with the huge Fenton turbine wheels and tires.
He then took the car to a small, reputable speed shop in Columbus Ohio called Jegs and had them install the Hooker side pipes and tune and tweak the engine.
The car was a beast and scared the cousin so he rarely drove it and ended up joining the Air Force in the mid 70's and moved away.

My Corvette buddy and I did some tuning on the car and we got it running real strong.
It was a beast and would light up those huge N50 rear tires at will.
I like my Mopars but I can honestly say that car absolutely walked away from a buddies slightly modded Hemi Road Runner, multiple times.
I do remember stories in my town from back in the day that the two baddest semi stock street racers were the Hemi cars and the 427 Corvettes with both cars having their share of wins and I sure can say this 427 Corvette was wicked fast.

I really enjoyed driving that car and was thinking of keeping it until I took my wife for a ride, first the car's brutal, tire smoking, side ways acceleration scared her to death then when she went to get out of the car she burned the hell out of her leg on the side pipe, I knew it's days were numbered

My Corvette buddy spread the word about the car and Corvette dealer out of Florida offered me CRAZY money $$$$ for the car so off it went, I heard it was sent over to a buyer in Europe.



Dropping the fuel tank