Turbo 383 in a A-body Barracuda

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DarTT said:
Looking good! I can only dream of being as good at body work. maybe one day
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Its all in SMOOTH hands! LoL! Its really not that hard. Just take your time and remember not to take to much off! Good sanding blocks make a difference too. I use Dura-blocks.
Fortunately my car is in pretty good shape other than where it was rear-ended in the past. I got the rear body panel straight but the butcher who half-assed it before didn't pull the damage but just filled it. In turn the trunk floor in the collision area was wadded up and rusted out near where the bumper bolts on the right side.

Will be show quality when I get done.
 
Well its in sealer! Looks pretty cool in HOTROD Black eh?
Just a little evercoat glaze here and there then it will be ready for paint. Doors and fenders will be a breeze.
A few more pics to view,
 

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Been tinkering a bit more waiting on the transmission. Disassembled the cluster and put the 150mph speedo in it as well as disassembled my Phantom Tach and fabbed it up inside the cluster in the factory location. Looks pretty good if I may say! Bought the white decals and the blue l.e.d. peanut bulb replacements from Whitegauges and installed them after I repainted the inside of the cluster white. I still gotta paint the backside of the dash bezel so that will make them a bit brighter. They are still hooked up on the rheostat so they can be dimmed by the headlight switch. These photos were taken with them powered by a 9 volt battery!

Now I will restore the bezel with Mirrachrome paint after it is painted solid black so that it looks close to original, somewhat LoL!
 

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Dang.. You have one of my dream cars there, a 68 fastback fish. That thing is going to haul some serious @$$.
 
Still no trans yet!
So I got the dash bezel painted black with a good coat of clear and let it dry for a couple of days. There are a few blemishes here and there but there were alot of scratches and nicks and even a small crack on it.
This morning I shot the "Mirrachrome" chrome paint on the bezel and glovebox applique. Looks pretty good. I will let that dry real good then buff it with a soft cloth and reclear it and start detailing the flat silver and flat black areas then reassemble the cluster. Here are a few pics,
 

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That looks good! What brand is this mirrachrome? I have another brand,duplicolor I think.mexican chrome in a can,lol.


Anyways,you just gave me a new idea...
 
Thanks for that link cuda fan! That mrrachrome looks great! I have to try out my dupluicolor now..
 
needsaresto said:
That looks good! What brand is this mirrachrome? I have another brand,duplicolor I think.mexican chrome in a can,lol.


Anyways,you just gave me a new idea...
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:eek:ops:...........................:D

Real touchy when applying! Gotta practice, I got in a hurry and screwed it up the first couple of times. Definitely recommend using an airbrush for all steps since you can get a real small pattern to get into cracks and creases without applying to much and it turning out like aluminum. Need to have some experience with 3 stage painting too.
 
Well,
Here it is. I'm not real happy with it but it will do until I can find a better bezel to restore. Too many scratches, dings and cracks on this one. I guess its good for a driver? I did get the lenses pretty clean. Should look fine once its back in the dash and the black pads installed. Here is a few pics,
 

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I know probably as well as anybody that when you are working on a certain part of a build you tend to notice all the little scratches etc. Once the whole package is together it seems like they mostly go away cause there is a whole lot to look at when it is finished.
 
Mad Dart said:
I know probably as well as anybody that when you are working on a certain part of a build you tend to notice all the little scratches etc. Once the whole package is together it seems like they mostly go away cause there is a whole lot to look at when it is finished.
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Yeah I agree.
I just tend to nitpik things. I just can't see paying $500 for a new bezel. I'll get a few pics of it installed it should look better with all its surroundings. The Mirrachrome turned out real nice. The black and the silver gave me fits cause someone saturated it with Armorall. I tried everything to get that crap off but it still fisheyed here and there.
 
CUUDAK said:
Yeah I agree.
I just tend to nitpik things. I just can't see paying $500 for a new bezel. I'll get a few pics of it installed it should look better with all it surroundings. The Mirrachrome turned out real nice. The black and the silver gave me fits cause someone saturated it with Armorall. I tried everything to get that crap off but it still fisheyed here and there.
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It looks really nice! you just need a boost gauge now:blob:
 
DarTT said:
It looks really nice! you just need a boost gauge now:blob:
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Got one. Its a Phantom too! I also got the Whiteface Uego wideband controller gauge. I haven't decided where to put them. Logical place would be on the Windshield pillar in a dual pod. I was thinking the glovebox that way they can be concealed when cruisin' around and at the local sonic. Once its tuned they are for looks from that point until i'm at the track then that will pose a problem. Near the floor is useless when trying to drive under boost. I'm sure I will need to keep my eyes peeled! LoL!

Idunno???
 
If you want sleeper location on the gauges, do this. Reinforce your sunvisor and put a glasses case clipped to the other side or however you wanna do it. Mount the gauges on the sunvisor with the glasses case providing the depth and run the wires back through the sunvisor to along the headliner and down the a-pillar. Viola. Flip down gauges.
 
Done! Waiting on the windshield molding clips but should have the jambs cut in in a few days then I can install the dash and new windshield. Looks much better in person!
 

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Mad Dart said:
Looks good Robert. Check your porch for the fed ex truck, mine is all packaged up and on the way to ya!!:D
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Lol! Thanks.
I need to run down to the local sign shop and see if they could cut vinyl for the black and silver area. Sure would make it easier! The chrome paint looks really good imo.
Just wish my buddy could get a chance to get that trans done. He just sold his home so priorities are elsewhere. Trying to get the body back together in the meantime. All the other stuff can be done in a days time on the lift, i.e. fuel system, exhaust.
I don't know what exhaust changes will be since the Auto trans swap. I think the driveshaft will need to be cut or just keep it and have one made if I decide to go back to manual.
I have all the new weatherstrips, felts, door/trunk lock cylinders and body gaskets. Things are starting to fall in place and it will come together slow but sure.:D

Now I just gotta remember where I stashed all my parts!:shaking2:
 
Wow
Thanks for sharing your project I had no idea a dash could look that good restored. The right products and skills are every thing.
Keep them coming.
 
Yes! I scored a great deal on a set of 68 poverty caps from a fellow member! They are gonna look awesome when I get them detailed and installed on the Cuda.
 

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Well I have a thinking problem again lol! I was looking around for stock steel wheels and run across this site http://www.themopardude.com/New_Custom_2.html

The Cop wheels they show are not the same as I remember? I think these have more and larger holes. There is something about them that gets under my skin. I Like Them! I can picture my poverty caps on them and I believe they would look sweeeet. My 60 year old Pops said they look like 1 ton wheels ... I can have them made anyway I want them for cheap imo....

Whatcha think? 15x4 fronts and 15x8's with 10.5's on'm
 

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I like cop car rims! It's too bad that websight link you provided has no better prices than stockton or wheelvintiques. What the hell ever happpened to competition in an open market? All those companies have very similar pricing..
 
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