Street Machine Australia — January 2018

“Hot and sweaty and wet

and noisy!” is how Andrew

describes his ’Cuda, this

year’s Quickest Mopar

THROW a respectful salute to this
Plymouth ’Cuda – it’s the only car to ever
participate in both Hot Rod Drag Week
in the USA and Street Machine Drag
Challenge here in Oz. Back in 2007, its
owner Andrew McLellan along with mate
Steve Reimann became the first Aussies
to tackle Drag Week.
“We bought the car, stuck it in a storage
facility for three months, then ran Drag
Week,” Andrew explains. “We had to look
after it and keep it on the road because
after Drag Week we had to drive it all the
way back to Los Angeles!
“It was a stocker when I got it,” he
continues. “But I just wanted to make this
girl go fast! It’s based on a 440 block but
it’s a 512 stroker now with Ross pistons,
Edelbrock alloy heads,

Victor 440 intake and a Demon 1050

carb. There are a few mod cons such as an

electric water pump and the ignition, but

I like big-cube, big-horsepower naturally

aspirated stuff. It has a massive cooling

system in there, too, to keep her happy –

and we needed that this year!”

Behind the big-block is a John Cote-

built 727 trans, while the third member

is a CalTracs-located Dana rear end. “It’s

nothing too flash,” Andrew says. “It’s old-

school tech that works for a lot of cars.”

The ’Cuda has just finished its third

Drag Challenge. “The first year, Steve was

driving – I lent it to him,” says Andrew. “It

was Quickest Mopar then. I’ve driven it the

past two years.”

Using 6500rpm through the quarter,

Andrew ran in the 10s this year. Dramas

from last year – a recalcitrant crank

pulley threw belts all week – were just

a memory for Andrew and his ’Cuda.

“This year was much better!” he

says. “It ran on-song, in the heat

and in the cold. But I might fit fuel

injection for next year so I don’t have

to tune the bugger each day!”

QUICKEST MOPAR

PLYMOUTH ’CUDA

Class: Tuff Mounts Outlaw Aspirated

SPECS

Engine: 512ci big-block Mopar

Transmission: 727 auto

Converter: 5000rpm

Diff: 4.11:1

Power: 500rwhp

Previous PB: 10.66@124mph

Best Drag Challenge Pass:

10.83@122mph

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THROW a respectful salute to this
Plymouth ’Cuda – it’s the only car to ever
participate in both Hot RoddDrag Week
in the USA andStreet Machinee Drag
Challenge here in Oz. Back in 2007, its
owner Andrew McLellan along with mate
Steve Reimann became the first Aussies
to tackle Drag Week.
“We bought the car, stuck it in a storage
facility for three months, then ran Drag
Week,” Andrew explains. “We had to look
after it and keep it on the road because
after Drag Week we had to drive it all the
way back to Los Angeles!
“It was a stocker when I got it,” he
continues. “But I just wanted to make this
girlgo fast! It’s based on a 440 block but
it’s a 512 stroker now with Ross pistons,
Edelbrock alloy heads,

Victor 440 intake and a Demon 1050

carb. There are a few mod cons such as an

electric water pump and the ignition, but

I like big-cube, big-horsepower naturally

aspirated stuff. It has a massive cooling

system in there, too, to keep her happy –

and we needed that this year!”

Behind the big-block is a John Cote-

built 727 trans, while the third member

is a CalTracs-located Dana rear end. “It’s

nothing too flash,” Andrew says. “It’s old-

school tech that works for a lot of cars.”

The ’Cuda has just finished its third

Drag Challenge. “The firstyear, Steve was

driving – I lent it to him,” says Andrew. “It

was Quickest Mopar then. I’ve driven it the

past two years.”

Using 6500rpm through the quarter,

Andrew ran in the 10s this year. Dramas

from last year – a recalcitrant crank

puulley threw belts all week – were just

a memory for Andrew and his ’Cuda.

“This year was much better!” he

ssays. “It ran on-song, in the heat

aand in the cold. But I might fit fuel

injection for nextyear so I don’t have

to tune the bugger each day!”

QUICKEST MOPAR

PLYMOUTH ’CUDA

Class: Tuff Mounts Outlaw Aspirated

SPECS

Engine:512ci big-block Mopar

Transmission:727 auto

Converter: 5000rpm

Diff: 4.11:1

Power: 500 rwhp

Previous PB:10.66@124mph

Best Drag Challenge Pass:

10.83@122mph