Barracuda tail light swap

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Thanks to helpful members , Thanks Jim n Matt , im on my way with adding lower valance BU lights on my 68. I have the advantage of the rear valance being attached only with
Clekos so I was able to transfer the BU light frame hole position to the valance itself, got bezels mocked up. Still searching for light housings. Stainless exhaust tips scalloped in are on the menu so possibly body color for bezels

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Thanks to helpful members , Thanks Jim n Matt , im on my way with adding lower valance BU lights on my 68. I have the advantage of the rear valance being attached only with
Clekos so I was able to transfer the BU light frame hole position to the valance itself, got bezels mocked up. Still searching for light housings. Stainless exhaust tips scalloped in are on the menu so possibly body color for bezels

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View attachment 1715417127
Im pretty particular about all things exhaust exit, barring a bone stock restoration. Form is supposed to follow function, but in cases like exhaust exits, I'm usually willing to move mountains for the look I want. The black circles are my proposed valance exit holes, sub frame behind, and possibly spare well will need mods. My shape gauge was too shallow to assign horizontal ( incoming pipe approach) and transfer the entire radius so I used some wood, a level and pivoting cardboard concave contour to set it up. I then transferred to wood with convex radius and built a buck to mock the valance. Since the valance is a rounded shape and the degree of the attack angle is unknown I'm starting with 45 degrees on the template program and will do a practice hole on the buck. I'll protrude The stainless tips beyond the valance in order to shape the tips to match the valance radius then I'll add a rolled lip to the tips and possibly to the valance opening. Prolly go with body color on back up lights so they blend a bit giving the stage all to the exhaust tips.

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Nice progress! Just a heads-up after owning these cars for many years- you might want to consider extending the tips a distance beyond the valance. As the exhaust exits the tips, it is caught up in a turbulence that effects the whole back of the car. You will find exhaust residue on the whole back of the car- valance, bumper front and back, t/lites, trunk trim. You may want to wash the car after each outing. Good luck.
 
Thanks Murray, definitely something to consider. Ya know, I do know a guy who does EFI....heh heh
 
LOL. I am an old fart, but you're right. Modern EFI would fix this. Looking forward to more progress on your project.
 
Got a bunch of these high bright COB LEDs for a possible reverse light solution. Evilbay $1.36 a pair, I bought a dozen shipped for less than $10. Can always use em for something. Just used one to light up a trailer licence plate on a scrap trailer I built. Was gonna make a mounting plate that the licence plate attaches to. Now the question is how do I want to mount the lights
above the plate horizontally ?
below the plate horizontally ?
Above and below the plate horizontally ?
On either side of the plate vertically ?

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I would say: mount it in the most indestructible location so when your friends or family borrow the trailer you have a chance at the light still being there if/ when it is returned! LOL (sore subject with me and my flatbed can you tell?) If the light is primarily for plate illumination I would think above the plate/ furthest from the ground possibly facing down to illuminate the plate? Hard to know without seeing how bright it is at night. Maybe one hitting the plate and one shining back for BU lighting. How do they mount Matt, 2 sided tape?
 
LOL. I am an old fart, but you're right. Modern EFI would fix this. Looking forward to more progress on your project.
Me too, I'll be 56 this December! I too am looking forward to progress, at least at my age, having a finish date years away does not bug me like it would have in my 20's or 30's but there is an underlying buzz that keeps me driven to continue.
 
Double sided tape. Facing down. Heres pix of my trailer mount. Should be fine. Georgia tag for reference

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Going to use stock licence plate light in bumper for the cuda, but make a reverse light mount on plate for these. Might make one for my 67 too.
 
That looks terrific,very clean... seems to be the right amount of illumination too nice job!
 
Heres the idea. Not getting too far into it since I like to think stuff through. Chew on ideas as I get started. Plan is this, it screws on with plate over it using bottom screw holes in the valance. I will attach a ground at licence plate mount, and run one wire inside using licence plate light grommet and tie it in there. Top of plate tucks inside the slot allowing the light to sit half over the top edge of the plate. I may likely trim it down even further. Have not decided yet.

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Nice! that oughta do great. I'm waiting on longer exhaust tips for the valance work, I'm glad I made the buck to practice on. The template program provided for a hole through a flat surface not curved like the valance so I knew the hole template would need tweaking. In the meantime I've been chasing a fuel pump relay trigger issue on my 73 LandCruiser. Not complaining though, this Haltech EFI system has been flawless for 20 years or so
 
The program for hole templates was based on drilling through a flat surface, since the valance is curved I knew there would be tweaking

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My plan is to shape the tip end flush to the valance but this look ain't bad

Well scratch that pic. It won't upload
 
I tightened up the hole shape with tape, transferred to paper with spray paint enlarging 7 percent for clearance. I think I may use sheet metal on this buck and cut another practice hole with the final template just to be positive. Can't wait to see the flush shaped tip in the actual valance.

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I loaded the buck with a new blank, traced out my new template and everything looks good. 107 percent of the 3.5" dia. Tip produced an 1/8" clearance through the mock up valance. Planning on cutting holes on the actual valance tomorrow then shape 1 tip flush to valance to see if I like. If anyone is interested in 3.5" exhaust through your 67 68 or 69 ( might be other models with same valance idk) I'd be happy to share the template
Cheers
Tim

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The best laid plans of mice and men...The last thing I wanted was to have to patch the valance holes due to some kind of error, which is exactly what happened. When I laid out the holes on the actual valance, they needed to be almost 3/4" below the top of valance to visually clear the bumper. I didn't take this into consideration when practicing on the buck. The buck hole was about 1/4" from the top. Since the valance is not a right angle perfect radius, raising or lowering the hole changes everything, in this case the holes were too elongated so a patchin' I went. I'm getting differing opinions on what the exit hole gap-to-tip should be for heat/paint reasons. I've heard anywhere from 3/8" minimum to 1/8" with heat tape. ??? Also am toying with the idea of an interior return around the hole perimeter but at 1/8" distance from the pipe I think this would be a heat sink/paint bubbler. All that is left is to is decide on this final clearance dimension, do a careful scribe around the tips and finish grind the perimeters, then reinforce the inner structure and provide a little clearance tunnel @ the spare well..

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You need the pieces in hand you want to use to confirm.! JMO . All “Three years” are just a tad different. 67 is closer to 69.

While I do not subscribe to the mix match, this is hot rodding and to each their own!
 
Here's the 69 trunk trim thanks Mopar Matt. Exhaust fab is done save for spare well channel. I mocked up the rev. Lights and plate. Next will be a lot of staring over the next few days...i like the cleaner look without rev. Lights but also like this look imagining bezels are more blended in with body color giving some dichotomy between having some custom work mixed with enough " factory" items to keep the eyes moving.

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69 Trunk trim hardware seems non existent. I rolled the dice on the B body hardware kits available but they did not allow a close trunk to trim fit. I made my own using a shallow depth speed nut. Ran bolts in from the back, cut the head off and tack welded.

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