Daryl writes: My first car was a 1963 Dodge Dart convertible I bought in 1981. The Dart had a 225 slant six and a pushbutton tranny. Being young and 17 we ran the heck out of that car! For four years I beat on that little Dodge. I couldn't kill it. So I finally sold the Dart to a restorer in Fla. I hear the Dart is still running today. (By the way, 1957 Mercury cruiser skirts fit the body lines perfectly.)
I worked for a Dodge dealership back then and people were trading in old muscle cars for K cars. (LOL: if only they knew.) Well, one day my Chevy super sport gave up the ghost. I needed a car badly. My boss at the time was a Ford freak and he signed a 1970 Ford Torino Cobra Jet over onto my paycheck for $25 a week. It was a grand gesture and it was implied strongly to accept it. Which I did reluctantly. What a slug car that thing was: broke something every time I launched it. I raced a 273 Rally Pac optioned Barracuda: The Fish smoked me. But the Barracuda owner loved Torinos and offered to trade. I almost hurt myself trying to get out my title before he changed his mind.
So I ended up with a 4 speed on the floor Formula S barracuda. And, working for Dodge I built that car into a screamingly fast ride. 360, .030 over, port/polish, Purple shaft cam, 10 to one compression, etc. I made more money street racing that car then I ever spent on it. Unfortunately, I traded the Plymouth for a 1970 LAS SS Chevelle: nice fast car, but it wasn't my Barracuda.
I've missed that car ever since.
I now have, 20 years later, a 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury.
