Another Mopar Off My Bucket List - Barracuda Fastback
After I thought I had it all figured out I sent Spencer pictures of the progress. Over all he liked the cleanup but wanted me to modify the way the tops of the two panels were shaped. I had copied the original ones and hadn't given a thought to making any changes there.
He wanted the top edges to mimic the contour of the upper cross-member. I moaned & groaned about it for awhile but not too much. I had sort of wanted to re-do those pieces anyway. My first mock up incorporated two sections of angle iron that were vertical next to the radiator opening. I had wanted to form a lip there instead.
It was a pain in the butt but the new pieces look much better. I also decided to lop off the ends of the sub-frame and extended the new panels lower so it wouldn't be so pieced together.
BEFORE
AFTER
The biggest improvement is probably the elimination of the angle iron. Once I had finished fabbing the side pieces I turned my attention back to the bottom cross-member. I hadn't completely straightened it out before and it was only tacked to the mounting lip from the car's original cross-member.
Next I went ahead and mounted the overflow tank. I extended it away from the wall so that it would match the radiator cap location.
I think I'll gusset the extensions before I'm done.
I figured it was time to start making a battery box. It's not done yet but hopefully tomorrow.
I think Spence should be OK now with this setup now. Once he gives me the 'thumbs up' I'll do the finish welding.
After I thought I had it all figured out I sent Spencer pictures of the progress. Over all he liked the cleanup but wanted me to modify the way the tops of the two panels were shaped. I had copied the original ones and hadn't given a thought to making any changes there.
He wanted the top edges to mimic the contour of the upper cross-member. I moaned & groaned about it for awhile but not too much. I had sort of wanted to re-do those pieces anyway. My first mock up incorporated two sections of angle iron that were vertical next to the radiator opening. I had wanted to form a lip there instead.
It was a pain in the butt but the new pieces look much better. I also decided to lop off the ends of the sub-frame and extended the new panels lower so it wouldn't be so pieced together.
BEFORE
AFTER
The biggest improvement is probably the elimination of the angle iron. Once I had finished fabbing the side pieces I turned my attention back to the bottom cross-member. I hadn't completely straightened it out before and it was only tacked to the mounting lip from the car's original cross-member.
Next I went ahead and mounted the overflow tank. I extended it away from the wall so that it would match the radiator cap location.
I think I'll gusset the extensions before I'm done.
I figured it was time to start making a battery box. It's not done yet but hopefully tomorrow.
I think Spence should be OK now with this setup now. Once he gives me the 'thumbs up' I'll do the finish welding.
