68 Barracuda 225 to 440 to 426

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davescuda

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
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I figure I would start a build thread. I have owned my Barracuda for a very long time - I bought it in the early 80's and it was a non running car. It had a 225 auto that did not run. I then bought a parts car - a '69 383 4 speed Barracuda S. It was rotted beyond repair even back them. I swapped out the Big block K frame, front suspension, 4 speed pedals (someday put a 4 speed in), steering column and the 8 3/4 rear from the "parts" car and put it in my '68. I put in new super stock springs, 4.30 sure grip with pinion snubber, 28 10.5 slicks and pizza cutters up front. I had a '69 440 out of 69 GTX that had previously, I rebuilt to 10 to 1 with 590 solid lift cam, wheel well header, some head work, and 850 Holley DP carb. The trans I had a 727 sent out to Dynamic transmission in West Haven, CT with a reverse manual valve body and 10 converter. I had body work and paint done. Now running and off to do some street racing, and that I did! Oh and almost forgot the best thing... burnouts. Man did it do burnouts! This car was fun to drive and competitive for years. Years passed having fun with the car. I took off the valve cover and found broken valve spring and that was the beginning of the end for many years. Took the motor out and started mini tubing it. House came and other cars.

Fast forward 10 years and a great friend of mine said in a conversation "What about the Barracuda, are you ever going to work on it? How about I come up and lets start working on it?" So we started working on it. We finished mini tubing it, fixing some issue around the car, and welding up the fender well header holes. That started the full rotisserie job. We got it to primer(thanks Jim). As this was going on I met Nick (RIP) at compU-flow and he built me 700hp pump gas motor. I bought a New Moser Dana 4.10 and had Rick at A&A build a new trans for me. The car went to the body shop to fine tune the body work and paint the car. I get a Phone call from friend Tony Just as I get my Barracuda home from paint telling me he just bought a real BO29 car (Tom Myl's car) and you have to come over and check it out. He asked me to help with the car build. Long story short I ended up finding his original motor to his car. So he offers me to buy his Hemi that is all set to go into the car) for a great price. How could I say no?! While this is going on I already bought the HDK front suspension for the 440. Back on the phone with Denny send the engine cradle back to swap to for the Hemi one.

Now we are up to date 20+ years in the making.

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The new restoration test fitting the Dana after mini tubing(not many pictures)

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Off to the blaster. Yes I strip this car twice. The first time it was done in lacquer primer and painted single sage enamel. It had some battle wounds that I should have just fixed and kept the car on the road but me being anal I had to do the car all over again.
I mini tube the rear wheel wells retaining the back seat. I stretched the front of the rear quarters. I patched the inner front fenders from the wheel well headers. (Every weld was butt welded and ground on both sides.

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Stripped and getting back into primer. Redid some old patches. Had to do some hammering and dowling to get the second body line back into place from stretching the front of the rear quarters

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I have a set of nice Super Tricks that I bought years ago, but I don't want to cruise with them. I'll swap to the Auto Drags and street tires when I'm street driving.
I hope someone buys Centeline and keeps making them.
 
Thanks for sharing....nice hot rod, amazing story and great passion makes for a perfect combo.

And thanks for always stopping by the HDK tent to say hi....always fun to get caught up.
 
Thanks for sharing....nice hot rod, amazing story and great passion makes for a perfect combo.

And thanks for always stopping by the HDK tent to say hi....always fun to get caught up.
Thanks
Alway great to stop by your tent and see some awesome Hot Rods!!! Thanks for sharing
 
This is when I gave up on the body work and gave it to the body shop.
 
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