65 Barracuda w/500ci RB, Stage VI Max Wedge Port Heads, 6-speed, and 5.38 Dana

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Bought 24' of 1" square tubing, not that I needed 24', it just wasn't any cheaper to buy 18'. Time for cutting out the spare tire well and building the fuel cell framing.
 
I will be leaving in my back seat.Im not sure the seat even needs much mods to fit around the shifted wheelhouses.
 
I bought an RCI 20 gal fuel cell about 6 years ago. Some people may think that's way too big, but this car is going to be street/strip so I want it to be able to go a while on cruises before I have to stop to refill. If it only gets the 6 mpg I'm expecting, that still isn't that many miles anyway.

I put the rear tires up on a couple 2" X 4" pieces on each side to simulate the taller tires I plan to run. Next, I cut out the spare tire well from the trunk. I cut the front to rear 1" square tubing 1.5" longer than the mount brackets on each end to allow for attaching up and down tubing to those pieces and allow enough space for building a trunk floor pan later for the cell to sit in. I drilled 1/4" holes in the front to rear pieces, slid rubber grommets into the brackets on the cell, and bolted the cell to the brackets. I placed the cell under the car at approximately the height I wanted it welded in at, measured the length to the top of the front to rear brackets and then added 1". I then cut the up and down pieces and then cut 3 sides 1" shorter so that the left over side will overlap the front to rear pieces on the ends to close them when I weld them.

I haven't welded anything together yet; I'm still in the mocking up stages.

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Nice little snug fit. Headers going out the firewall I guess. Looks good man
better look for a drop based air cleaner , if your going to run an at cleaner. w/ a drop base, and a 3 1/2" filter, I have about a 1/2" to the bottom of my 6 pack scoop. mine is a 68 tho.
 
Fantastic job! Thank you for posting many photos & descriptions. Not to copy, but I plan to do some mods based on yours to my '64. Can't wait to see how this turns out.
 
Fantastic job! Thank you for posting many photos & descriptions. Not to copy, but I plan to do some mods based on yours to my '64. Can't wait to see how this turns out.
Your welcome. Thanks; imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; please copy me all you want. Hopefully you can improve on the things I've done and post pics for others to copy your ideas; everybody wins.
 
what are you going to do for a spare tire? same boat here, but because of rear bars on roll cage and battery.
I plan to use my cell phone. My wife usually doesn't mind too much coming to pick me up when something happens. Besides, with a power lock I would have to carry two spares; one as tall as the rear tires and one short enough to not rub up front. I did that a long time ago; no thanks.

I'll have a roll cage and trunk mounted battery as well, I just haven't made it to those yet.
 
Hmmm,spare tire. Well I suppose a space saver could be mounted underneath. If all your worried about is getting home and not paying for a tow,it could go where the original gas tank mounted.It will definitely look weird,one fat tire and one real skinny.
 
Hmmm,spare tire. Well I suppose a space saver could be mounted underneath. If all your worried about is getting home and not paying for a tow,it could go where the original gas tank mounted.It will definitely look weird,one fat tire and one real skinny.
Nope, absolutely no way it could go where the original gas tank was. Besides the cell being longer than an original tank, you will see earlier in my buid that I relocated the rear axle further back to allow for a taller rear tire without modifying the body.

I can get my wife or a friend to give me a ride home, grab my truck and trailer to get it home if the situation ever arises.
 
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Well, broke my band saw blade and I've been out of town, so not much progress on the framing. Awaiting a couple blades in the mail; was hoping they would be here waiting for me when I got home. I think tomorrow morning I may just go to a local supplier and get one so I can finish this and get it welded in between the frame rails.

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Awesome build.

Interesting on headers. We're dropping a stroked 383 in our 65. Fender wells already cut up. But like idea of some over and some down.

Great work!
 
Nice work, I'm about to start on the fuel cell as well, also 20 gallons.It's funny how similar our builds are going. Do you plan on making a strap over the top?
 
Nice work, I'm about to start on the fuel cell as well, also 20 gallons.It's funny how similar our builds are going. Do you plan on making a strap over the top?
Thanks; you too on yours. I do, but I haven't figured out that portion yet. Mine will be approximately 1" below the trunk floor so I'm going to have to figure out some way to design and fabricate what I need. I had to put it that far down so it could clear the trunk divider, if I ever attempt to remove the cell in the future.
 
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Nope, absolutely no way it could go where the original gas tank was. Besides the cell being longer than an original tank, you will see earlier in my buid that I relocated the rear axle further back to allow for a taller rear tire without modifying the body.

I can get my wife or a friend to give me a ride home, grab my truck and trailer to get it home if the situation ever arises.
I would worry about scum bags messing w/ such neat car, "leaving it on the side of the road, having no spare." Same boat here.
 
I would worry about scum bags messing w/ such neat car, "leaving it on the side of the road, having no spare." Same boat here.
I also have whatever the senior citizen version of AAA is through AMAC. My wife is a few years older than me and I travel so much that I don't want her stranded.
 
I also have whatever the senior citizen version of AAA is through AMAC. My wife is a few years older than me and I travel so much that I don't want her stranded.
my wife was sold on AAA, I called them one time when I had a flat in rush hour going to work, and found that someone had stolen my lugwrench. took them 3 hrs to get there !
 
I've had it before. My friends Chevelle threw the balancer off when I was a passenger. I called and got his vehicle towed under my account. I was suprised they allowed it,but according to the nice lady on the phone the tow qualified because the membership covered ME in ANY vehicle.
 
It took 1.5 months to get a new blade. Everywhere I contacted said they were on backorder from the manufacturer. I was traveling a lot of that time anyway, but still prevented me from the progress I wanted on this and header fabrication as well.

Fuel cell frame complete. Just need to prep the frame rails and get it welded to them.

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Primered and painted, all but the areas that needed welded to the car, then welded it in. Already shot the welds with primer; just need to shoot some paint on the welds and it's done.

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I see I never posted a photo with it installed in the frame. Here it is installed.

Moving onto T56 install. I'll worry about building a trunk pan for the cell later along with mounting straps.

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