My love for Musclecars stems from when I was a child. My moms friend pulling up in a new 69 GTO Judge witch she got in the divorce, The neighbor upstairs, always tearing up and down my street, burning out in his 68 340 Barracuda and then watching him modify a 71 Cutlas Supreme (lots more on that car at another time). This is a story pertaining to cubic inches, or, in this case, a lack thereof. In and about 1981, I used to walk past a garage on the way to my girlfriends house, and parked in the lot of that garage was a 1968 Road Runner. Paint job was probably new, because that baby was sparkling clean in the morning sun. I would think nice job on the bodywork. I knew this for my oldest brother was, and still is a restorer of automobiles and I remember him telling me black would show any imperfections if a body man tried cutting corners. I knew the Road Runner from pictures I had seen so upon inspection, I saw all the correct decals. The little bird on the front fenders, the call out badges.... but wait!!! Its only a 383. Not a 440, or a HEMI. Too bad for the owner. for months, every Saturday I would walk past the garage in anticipation of stopping to look at this machine. Look inside to see the 4-speed shifter handle, stare at my reflection in the drivers door, and think just a 383, too bad. One day, as I approach the property I see a dude close the garage door, lock it and head to the Road Runner, then climb inside after a quick inspection around the vehicle. Probably wanting to make sure there were no dings or scratches as I do today with my own vehicle. After a hear the cuchunk of the closing drivers door I hear this thing spring to life. I think, thats the sound of a 383? Thinking back, he may have had a cam in it, but then I didnt know Cams, or advanced timing.... anyways, he slowly pulls this thing out in the street and after coming completely out of the garages lot, he nails first gear. Immediately smoke billows from the tires, the rear swings out in the street to the left.... it straitens out and he speed shifts, and dumps the clutch in second....front fenders point to the sky, rear end squats down and strait and true, this guys lays down a burnout for at least a pole length. By the time I got to wear the burnout was done, the smoke was still laying low like a thick fog on the ground.... the smell of rubber, the sound of race engine, the sight of that black beast snarling, leaving all that tire residue and smoke..... 383 C.I.? Yeah, thats respectable.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 15:47:10 +0000
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