In my search for a nice E-body, I think the AAR Cuda looks really nice, but I am wondering what kind of driver they are vs. the big block 440 6pack and 426 hemi. Any thoughts out there. Is that little 340 6pack a strong and peppy engine and is the AAR suspension a better driving car than the big blocks? Thanks.

 

I have never driven an AAR but, in '72 when I was 16, my girlfriend's father bought her a Plum Crazy '70 Duster 340. That Duster 340, is why I am a 'Mopar' guy today!

I read alot about the cars that I grew up with and from what I understand, the 440, Hemi and 383 E-body cars, don't go around corners as nimbly as a 340 car. The small block is lighter and the car is balanced better. A 340 with a six pack is absolutely strong and peppy! They spin up quick!

 

Thanks for the feedback on engines. I have decided to get an AAR 'Cuda, picture attached.

 

Good choice, i have a 1970 T/A Challenger and you cant go wrong with the 340-six pak, when i race BB and Hemi cars i won 90% of the time 340 cars that a different story, Arrow, Darts, Demons ect....

 

if you want to be very impressed look at the size of the cam in the AAR to how fast it is. now THAT is truly impressive.

 

The TA & AAR have different heads from the standard HP 340 more performance oriented

 

Actually the head casting is not different, they use the 915's and they are milled to accommodate the offset rocker assy. Just to clarify, my '70 nDuster 340 has 915's on it and its all original. My first ride in a Mopar was a 21k original mile T/A in 1981 that car now shows 32k and is still pristine. It got me hooked!

 

To further clarify, the pushrod hole is drilled/milled outboard of the intake runner by 3/8" ( when compared to a non AAR/TA head)to accomodate intake runner porting. ie., you can go straight in from the gasket face when porting an AAR/TA "U" casting.

Thereby requiring the offset rockerarm.

 

FACT;

BB stock 440's & Hemi's are faster in the quarter mile than any stock 340 6-pac. ENd OF FACT.

While the lighter car may feel more "peppy" it's no muscle car. I'm going to guess that if your 340 6-pac won 90% of the time something was very wrong with those BB's or their drivers.

Check any statistical document of those cars/engines in the late 60's to early 70's to see what those cars REALLY ran back then.

 

Most muscle car enthusiasts know that the horsepower ratings of the engines were deliberately set lower than what they actually made. Usually for insurance reasons and so the cars could run in a more favorable class in drag races.

Noted auto journalist Roger Huntington wrote an article about what these engines actually put out; here is the list: (All are gross hp & torque figures.)

Engine------------------Advertised----Rated----------True
------------------------HP @ RPM---- Torque@ RPM-- HP @ RPM

Buick 455 Stage 1-------360@5000----510@2800------420@5400
Camaro Z/28 302--------290@5800----290@4200------310@6200
Chevelle 396 L-78-------375@5600----415@3600------400@5600
Corvette 427 L-88-------430@5200----450@4400------480@6400
Mopar 340-4 bbl---------275@5000----340@3200------320@5600
Mopar 440-Magnum------375@4600----480@3200------410@5400
Mopar 440 Six-Pack------390@4700----490@3200------430@5600
Mopar 426 Street Hemi---425@5000----490@4000------470@6000
Mustang Boss 302--------290@5800----290@4300------310@6200
Ford 351-4 bbl Cleveland--300@5400----380@3400------340@5600
Mustang Boss 351--------330@5400----370@4000------360@6000
Mustang 428 Cobra-Jet---335@5200----440@3400------410@5600
Mustang Boss 429--------375@5200----450@3400------420@5600
Oldsmobile 455 W-30-----370@5300----500@3600------440@5600
Oldsmobile 350 W-31-----325@5400----360@3600------350@5800
Pontiac Ram Air 400------366@5100----445@3600------410@5600

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Notes:
-The most underrated was probably the 428 Cobra Jet engine... its official rating of 335 hp was a joke, especially considering that the 390-4 bbl engine was also rated at 335 hp.

-The second-most underrated was probaby either the Mopar 426-Hemi or the 340-4 bbl. The 340-Six Pack was not listed, but with an advertised hp of 290@5000 rpm and torque of 340@3200 rpm, I would guess about 335 hp @ 6000 rpm.

-The actual power output of that 455 Olds W-30 is very impressive... 440 hp!

Difference between the 340 6 pac and a 440 6 pac/426 is roughly 100 hp and more than 150+ ft lbs of torque.

 

IMO, pretty accurate list...except for one glaring exception for me ?
and I think...
maybe anybody else who Track or Street Drag Raced in the 70's ?

Sorry for this, my opinion only, no wars wanted....but the 428CJ Cars....ahem....(how to say this nicely here)...they were TERDS !
Hollywood "plausible denial" suspended.... because afterall it was a Movie, "Bullitt" starring Steve McQueen ?
was the only "supposed" 428CJ I ever saw.... that could get out of it's own way, albeit, highly modified for the Movie obviously ?

At the risk of giving away my vintage...
I mean seriously here...I Street Raced,,,,and Drag Raced all over Div 6 N.H.R.A. in the 70's right through the 90's....seen LOTS of 428CJ's....
and if there was ever one "pufter" Engine.... that both the Chevy & Mopar Guys could agree upon.....
(when not Lane Battling each other at the Drags...to get beside an "FE" Ford powered car for the easy WIN")......it was the 428, or any other "FE" Ford powered anything ?

I actually felt sorry for those Guys...still do to this day.....because equally Notable for them being slow....was their propensity for going BANG and spewing "chunks" all over the place on a regular basis ?

We just kinda figured it was Mother Nature excersizing "natural selection" and the FE Fords would go extinct....but alas...there was always another Hockey Helmeted Window Licker.... attempting to defend the "Honor of Ford" with an FE Engine.....BOOM !

Again, Apologies if I have offended anyone.....I sure there MUST have been a fast 428CJ out there somewhere......same as the 351 Cleveland Myth....just saying...I Raced as much as anybody...and in MY experience.....never seen one !

 

Didn't say it was stock, basical letting OP know he made a good choice Peroid

 

i woukd love to see a charger with a stock 440 beat a stock 340 dart in a quarter mile. how can u say a sb a body isnt a muscle car? are you nuts?

 

Well, your post came across to me as if it was stock vs stock or modified vs modified (like apples to apples). Nonetheless, 340's are cute. I might buy one for my daughter.

 

a 340 Dart is not a muscle car! Sorry but you need to understand the meaning of muscle car. A 340 dart is not a muscle car!! It's a pony car at best.

 

Around my house....it's pretty darn close, but an E-Body.
My 1969 Charger R/T SE, Factory 440 Magnum, all original(as in the Engine has never been out of the Car), 3.23 Sure Grip, Auto
Versus...
my 1972 Challenger 340, Forged 9.5:1 C.R. Pistons, 2.02" J Heads, 274H Cam & Headers, 3.55's, 3 speed stick std.

Long story short....the Charger always holeshots the 340....after that it's a dead heat through the midrange.....then the Charger starts pulling away again in high gear ~75-80mph.
We've tried it many times...numerous different Drivers in each(my friends LIKE beating up on my Cars), same basic result.
The Challenger "feels" faster by seat of the pants ?.....but just can't seem to get in front of the Charger no matter if the clutch is dumped resulting in too much spin, or softer and it is too slow out of the hole.
Lots to be said for Torque of the 440....all ya gotta do is feather it a bit out of the hole to keep from blowing the tires off....then get on it as it hooks....pretty good launch for a big car !