The 426 Hemi that was stuffed under the hood of the Barracuda was not the average run-of-the-mill Hemi. It was an improved version designed to be used in racing, not as a street model. Fortunately for Dodge lovers, though, some were produced for the street. The 1969 Plymouth Barracuda 428 Super Stock, dubbed as the B029 Super Stock car, had a high-capacity oil pump installed, as well as a dual-breaker distributor, Prestolite transistor ignition, metal core ignition wires, unsilenced air cleaners, an aluminum seven-blade fan, deep groove pulleys, and a heavy-duty radiator.
6 Fiberglass Additions To Remove Weight
One major issue that cars back in the ’60s and ’70s had was that they weighed a substantial amount. Granted, the heavy weights can help the car stick to the road, but it also decreases the speed the car can achieve. The engineers at Hurst knew that they needed to remove some of the base-level Barracuda’s excessive weight. The first way they did this was to remove the metal hood and replace it with a fiberglass version fitted with a hood scoop for better air. Their second body modification was to convert the fenders over to fiberglass to match the hood, both of which helped reduce the weight and increase the speed.
5 Interior Modifications To Lose More Weight
Removing excess weight from the body and frame is not the only way to reduce the car’s overall weight. Many interior things can push the pounds up, which can be removed to lower it back down. The bare-bones car had thin carpeting on the floor, stationary aluminum bucket seats, strap-operated manual windows with thin glass, no heater, no radio, no rear seats, and no sound-deadening material. All this was thrown out to keep the car as light and nimble as possible.
4 Fastest Factory Muscle Car In 1968
The competition was fierce during the muscle car wars, creating a time in history when consumers wanted the fastest and most powerful cars and trucks that they could get their hands on. With all the weight reductions completed on the B029 Super Stock Barracuda, the final weight dropped to 3,100 pounds. Along with that, the race-ready 426 Hemi could push out 425 horsepower, according to the carmaker. Still, it is suggested to be at least 170 more horsepower, creating a perfect power-to-weight ratio. It can arguably be said that in 1968 the Plymouth Barracuda 428 B029 Super Stock car was the fastest factory muscle car of the time period.
3 Sticker Price Came With A Warning
The B029 Super Stock Plymouth Barracuda was so powerful that the lots selling them did not want to be held liable for any accidents caused by it. The salespeople added a page that was used as a warning to relieve them of this possible issue, along with the sticker price tags. It claimed that the car was fitted with a large motor and was produced solely to race. It was not intended to be driven on the highway or streets as a daily driver. As such, it was sold with the understanding that the owner was liable for anything caused by not following this warning.
2 Very Limited Super Stock Production
The 1968 Plymouth Barracuda B029 Super Stock had to be modified and built one at a time, which slowed production down by a substantial amount. Whenever this happens, it is expected that the car will be a limited edition vehicle. The Super Stock Barracuda was one such car, having a production amount of between 50 and 70 copies. Since no exact number is known, there is no way to tell how many are left on the roads today, but one thing is for sure, they are not easy to come by.
1 Tore Up The NHRA Drag Races
The ’68 Plymouth Barracuda B029 Super Stock did precisely what it was designed to do; tear up the NHRA drag racetracks. Famous stock racing drivers such as Ronnie Sox of the Sox & Martin Drag Racing team and Don Grotheer drove the Hemi-powered car to numerous victories, including the Pomona Winter National in 1969. Some of the official times for the B029 drag cars show that the vehicle could shoot down the quarter-mile track in a mere 10 seconds or so
