A Legend In His Own Mind - Bitten By The Hot Rod Bug
November 18 2009
Unfortunately, a college education blocked my dream of immediate hot-rod ownership after high school graduation. However, I fortunately graduated four years later from NC State with a Bachelor of Science degree in textile engineering. That same year Chrysler Corporation introduced the 1970 Plymouth Duster. A 225 cubic inch V-6 motor was the standard engine while two V-8 power plants were options. The reliable 318 cubic inch V-8 engine, created in the late ‘50s powered one version of the Duster while a strong 340 cubic inch V-8 power plant was the second option. My dad Cecil and I bought the first three Dusters to be registered in Richmond County. To be more specific, Pop bought Dusters for my two younger brothers. Ken opted for the small V-8 while Gary and I chose the 340 V-8 with the Carter four-barrel carburetor. All three cars were standard-equipped with the three speed manual transmission. All three of us elected to spend an additional fifteen dollars each to pull the shifter off the steering wheel column and move it to a floor mount. We may have had the only three-on-the-floor automobiles in the county. Without a doubt, Gary, Ken and I had the first three Dusters to roll on the highways of Richmond County. Initially, everyone came over when we backed into a parking spot to order a superburger and a zip at Tom & Sarah’s Drive-In and switched the engine off. After reading the 340 decals that ran down both sides of our cars, friends of Gary and mine were standing in front of our cars demanding to open the hoods before we could even pull our keys out of the ignitions.
Chrysler Corporation knew it had created a hot-rod that every Richard Petty baby-boomer fan would add to his wish list. All Chrysler brochures and engine specification sheets published the horsepower rate for the Duster 340 at two hundred and seventy-five horses as an aid to lower insurance premiums for the up and coming baby-boomer road racers. Engine shop owners found three-hundred and twenty-five horsepower at the rear wheels when tested on a dynamometer. Likewise, a 10.5:1 compression ratio further enhanced the performance coming off the line.
Almost every driver on the highway pulled up beside me at the stoplights and spit out question after question about my 340 until the light turned green. The short time period inbetween red lights gave the curious just enough time to reload for another lightening round of questions. However, the street racer asked no questions. He just sat at the red light, raced his engine, and like the professional gunslinger of the Old West, stared across the lane with the look. Every hot-rodder could give or easily recognize the look. The look asked a question that could be answered on the receiving end with a simple, quick vertical nod of the head. Verbal communication was not needed. Both drivers clearly understood each other. The look stated, “I can get to the next light before you can. You don’t have enough under your hood to even be in the same class with me. I will be waiting on you at the next red light!” The nod answered, “You are on, big boy! You just bit off more than you can chew!” Everyone gave me and my 340 the look. I was sitting behind the wheel of a modern day hot-rod created and designed by the same engineers who brought the American public the following stable of muscle cars: the Plymouth Fury, the Plymouth Roadrunner, the Plymouth GTX, the Plymouth Belvedere, the Plymouth ‘Cuda, and last but not least, the limited production Plymouth Superbird! Power was provided by the Commando 361, 383, 413, and 440 cubic inch overhead valve V-8 engines. Of course the granddaddy of all the Plymouth V-8 power plants was the 426 Hemi fed by two four-barrel carburetors! While Richard Petty was dominating the NASCAR series of oval track racing in the ‘60s, the team of Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin were rewriting the record books every time their Mopar lined up in front of a Christmas tree at the national drag-strips around America. The 1970 Duster 340 had the smallest muscle V-8 in the Plymouth stable but it was also the lightest. The performance of the 340 was unknown to the public because it was so new. With high performance heads, carburetor, and cam, the 340 was quite a street fighter. Consequently, since I owned the first one in the county, everyone wanted to race me.
My Golden Rule was never to plan to meet anyone anywhere to race any specified distance. Prearranged racing in North Carolina could result in jail time. In addition, law enforcement could seize my 340 and sell it if the court convicted me. Of course, I would not need a car since the state would keep my driver’s license for three years, if found guilty. Three years would be a long time to walk. However, the hot-rod bug bit me and I was infected. Hence, my next run was always the next red light ahead because just like Henry Ford and my Uncle Billy Ray, I had the need to speed. A Duster 340 was just the antidote the doctor ordered for this baby-boomer! Steppenwolf could not have penned the challenge and charge to the young males of my generation any better when he wrote the following:
Get your motor runnin’
Head out on the highway
Lookin’ for adventure
And whatever comes our way
To be continued…