1967 Barracuda Formula S 383 daily driver build

[GRANCUDA]

Found a '67 Formula S 383 auto fastback car locally in my search for a notch back. I wasn't really looking for a big block car but lucked into finding one. I have had a few late model '09 & '15 R/T Challengers & wanted to get back into a vintage daily driver again.

The barracuda has been off the road & in a shed since '85 & needs engine/tranny/gas tank, radiator, seats, wheels & brakes. It's very rust fee & has most it's original paint. The bumpers,header panel & front valance are all I need for the body but I am missing the trunk trim.

Brought it home Christmas eve & hope to have it going in a few months. First thing to do is new seals for the windshield & back glass because the rubber lock is out of both of them.

 

[swedefish]

Nice project. :burnout:

 

[Cudainashed]

Great find. It needs the big red bow like they use on the car commercials. I recently acquired another Barracuda and have it sitting in my driveway with a big red bow on it.

 

[GRANCUDA]

Finally unloading late in the afternoon

 

[Norway-dart]

Whats that techumseh engine in the foot area for? Cruise control or servo assist? Some spesial option I guess... :finga:

Looking lik great project!! Good luck

 

[61forfun]

Awesome find!! Looks real straight. Nice to come across cars with little rust. I happened upon my 68 340-s in same fashion.. Very rust free car too. Fantastic project!!!

 

[cosgig]

Yowza, somebody was a good boy this year!! Looks like you made the top of Santas list!! Nice find, I'd be driving the heck outta that puppy!!! Well done!!!

 

[jboyd2]

Very nice

 

[chryslerfat]

Great score

 

[813Demon340]

Cool find!

 

[Teeth & Tires]

hope to have it going in a few months.

Lol.

Subscribed.

 

[GRANCUDA]

Taking inventory of what I need & what's good on the car & what I have laying around is definitely the fun part. The car has some speed parts, old '80s Autometer gauges, a Hurst roll control & some miscellaneous bits like Super Stock Springs, billet U-joint caps, adjustable pinion snubber & a 742 sure grip. The list of parts to buy is long & I am cutting stuff I can make do with as I go.

I got a '65 383 long block with the car & it is now at Carter/Davis machine shop in Tulsa. The crank looks good & cylinders will clean up at 0.030. Waiting to hear back if the crank is 0.010/0.010 before I order a rebuild kit. I am going to end up selling the 516 closed chamber heads & will be getting 440 Source Stealth heads.

The 727 I got with the car will be going to Smothers Supercars to go thru it. Hopefully it's not tore up inside because the seller didn't know anything about it.

The car did come with some new parts too, an Edelbrock Performer RPM, TTI shorty headers w/aluma-coating w/head pipes, Schumacher motor mount brackets w/isolators & 4 new 14" Cooper Cobras on new 14x7 rear wheels & re-furnished 14x5.5 front wheels. The wheels/tires will go to the classifieds as soon as I get something to replace them.

 

[cudascott]

You will need to be sure the bosses are drilled on the front drivers side of the block to use the left side motor mount bracket.

 

[GRANCUDA]

You will need to be sure the bosses are drilled on the front drivers side of the block to use the left side motor mount bracket.

It is, the guy I got the car/long block from searched out a 383 with them & it does have them, I checked into it also.

 

[hemi446]

I have 2 of the three pieces of the rear window trim if you need it please pm me. Have fun with your new Christmas Present.

 

[CUDACOX]

Great find! Keep us posted.

 

[68 Fish]

Nice find.

 

[GRANCUDA]

Cleaned up the floor pans & got any loose scale & some adhesive from some aftermarket carpeting off. They are super clean & only the passenger front has a rust issue, it as 4 pinholes which will need nothing as soon as I get some POR on them.

Luckily there are no extra bucket seat holes & the factory bracing is in place so it wasn't a bench seat car that was converted to buckets.

Drivers front has some busted up spot w/metal below which I'm not really sure what happened there.

Drivers rear has some gold paint, not sure if was a rust prevention by a previous owner.

Passenger front has a few pin holes but after picking & digging with a pick they didn't get any larger & everything around them is sound.

Passenger rear also has that gold paint but it's all in good shape.

 

[GRANCUDA]

I've been curious about the paint since I saw this car. The front clip is a completely different sheen/color & has been painted at some point, I thought it may just be red oxide primer. I polished out the upper rear quarter by the windows & a small corner of the hood. Looks like it's all going to turn out good & I suspect the paint on the front clip just oxidized at a different rate than the original paint.

 

[GRANCUDA]

Got the dash cleaned up & I was really surprised there are no cracks in the dash pad.

With the car I got a pair of old rusty 14" x 8" Cragar SS wheels which were on the car at one point. Got them cleaned up & looking pretty good. I also have a pair of 14" black steel wheels & cleaned them up for the front.

 

[GRANCUDA]

Been a long time since I have updated this build thread. I have got a lot done over the past 11 months but it's not going yet. The 383 block got held up in the machine shop, took about 4 months. Got a lot of parts bought in that time but have not been working as much with the down turn in the oil industry so that has really slowed the progress due to lack of funds.

 

[GRANCUDA]

Got the block back mid April

Got all the parts to put it together & here are the specs:
383 with a steel crank
Forged flat tops
Edelbrock E-Street w/75cc chambers
Calculates to 9.8:1 compression
Comp Cams XE274H
Holley 650 Street Avenger
Edelbrock Performer RPM
Mallory dual point
1 7/8" Hooker full length

I decided to go with Headman B-body full length under chassis instead of the shorty headers but that proved to be a

 

[GRANCUDA]

Got the engine bay cleaned up & ready to put the engine in.

Got the b-body headers massaged in all the spots that hit but there was no way to get the starter in. I tried a magnum starter & the solenoid majorly hit one of the tubes, I tried the full size starter & just couldn't get it wedged up in there. Thinking the only way would be pull the transmission & slide it in from the back. This set-up is too troublesome for a daily driver plus the passenger side has a couple plugs almost impossible to access.

 

[qkcuda]

My headers look a lot like yours after clearancing. I used a generic mini starter and it fits quite well, with only one extra dimple.

 

[GRANCUDA]

After much searching & trying to decide going with $1000 factory manifolds or the shorty headers, I decided I wanted to get the most out of the motor & decided to cut it for fenderwells. I like the old '70s style & for me I think it will work out fine. I just will keep the replacement panels if I ever change my mind. Kind of felt bad cutting such a nice car....

Have a set of old Hooker 1 7/8" fenderwells to go on it.

I cut them on top as small as I could & still make it work, never liked the gaping holes on the top side of the fenderwell.

Check out how much undercoating is in the corner.