"El Mongrel" '65 Formula S Restomod
Part 2
The vision: Take the original 1965 Barracuda Formula S to its full potential utilizing as many factory produced parts as possible mixed with a judicious sprinkling of aftermarket equipment to significantly upgrade performance and safety. Do this while staying as true to the factory design as possible and make any mods totally reversible so that the car could be easily restored if desired in the future. And lastly, do all this within a fairly tight budget.
First of all this car had to be everyday, all day drivable. To that end all modifications would be made in the light of the grand touring scheme, not a street car trying to be a race car or a race car masquerading as a street car. Sorry, been there-done that. Power junkies will probably be disappointed in the engine choice and power goals, and yes better handling could be accomplished with an Alterkation kit and 17 roller skate wheels. But remember the vision: factory parts on a budget. Ok, so here we go.
Goals:
1. Make it fast
2. Make it handle
3. Make it stop
4. Make it long trip comfortable
5. Make it reliable, economical and easy to maintain.
6. Did I say make it fast?
Lets take these one at a time and break down the plan for each.
1 .ENGINE = Make it fast. Were not talking drag strip here. Were talking street fast. Quick, nimble. This thing needs to cruise on the weekends, drive to work on nice days, deal with city traffic, not be embarrassed by some Ford, Chevy or Honda and hopefully take an occasional 1200 mile road trip (MOPARS AT THE STRIP, FLINGS, or POWER TOURS). This meant adequate power (325-375 hp by my reckoning), reliability, economy and budget friendly. Ah yes, that damn budget. Oh to find a newer hemi, buy a crate motor or have the dream stroker built to plunk between the fenders. Aint happening on this guys income. So scrounge we must. To keep costs in check the decision was made to look for a good running motor with future upgradeability at a buddy price. Things we had to consider:
A) An early A body means TIGHT engine compartment. Remember these things only came with slant 6s or 273s, and IIRC were two inches narrower in the engine bay and three inches shorter in wheel base than later As. Not enough power for reaching the goal, within budget, with a /6 or 273. That left a 318, 340 or 360, LA or Magnum.
B) Limited room for exhaust system. After much research it became clear that this was going to be the sticking point in engine selection. TTI had not released their headers for early As yet which only left a few choices: Dougs headers (budget buster$$), fenderwells (no sheet metal cutting), Spitfires (spotty availability), 340 casting$, some Dakota and Jeep castings that were being experimented with at the time and the stock 273 castings. All the castings would be restrictive in the case of a 340/360 and future upgrading. In keeping with the vision of factory parts and design, not modifying sheet metal and the ever present budget the decision was made in favor of one of the castings depending on the eventual engine purchase.
C) Cooling the beast. On hand was a very good stock radiator (273 w/AC), which I wanted to use, but questioned how it would cool a beefy 340 or 360.
