'68 Barracuda Formula S Fastback Restoration Background

Great article series, Bob! A side bar for your story: In 1986 or so, I was headed to LA from Berkeley on I-5, driving either my 1970 Dart Swinger or a friend's '71 Fiat 124 Spider. Time for gas, so pulled off, and - WOW in the pump next, a really nice looking black '68 340S fastback. I'm not usually easy with strangers, but I had to find out whether the owner knew what he was driving! Maybe I could buy it, cheap? Hah! I quickly learned that wasn't going to happen! That coincidental stop led to a great friendship and, shortly, to my purchase, with Bob's help, of my '67 convertible. He's the reason I bought it, and, with his tutelage and lots of shared work, turned it into a Formula S underneath back then, and have kept it mostly untouched since. (By the way, I'm the Vashon Island, WA '67 273 convertible owner Bob mentioned, who sat on his 340 engine for 30+ years). Even with the 20 years of missed connection he mentioned, the friendship wasn't lost. Watching the resurrection of his car has been a great joy. Not putting the 340 into my car was fortuitous. Seeing it ready to go back into its original home has been icing on the cake. I like seeing special cars done right Bob's the master of that. Almost impossible to believe it's been almost 40 years.