Getting the Barracuda back on the road

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Badart

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Well I can't stand not driving an A body any longer. My dart is torn apart in the garage and will be getting completely rebuilt and the Barracuda is just sitting in the driveway. Cabin fever has officially set in.

I have been collecting parts for the Barracuda over the past few months with the intention of building it for my wife. It is getting a 318 with 3.58" stroke and the factory 273 will get pulled and set in the corner of the garage. It will also later get new interior and paint and body work. It will be just a nice driver. It will get disc brakes from a 73 dart donor along with an 8.25 with 3.55 gears.

My new plans are to drive it for now and enjoy it for what it is. I want to swap out the crappy single master cylinder for the one in the 73 and just run the drum brakes for now. The 273 that is in it runs like a top, but the carb needs rebuilt, so I might just swap out the carter for a holley 600 that I have rebuilt already. There are holes in the passenger floor pan and the rear quarters are rotted out and the interior smells like a family of raccoons have been living in it. I don't care, I am driving it.

I just want to take it to work a couple of days a week. What are your thoughts? Here are some pics of how it sits now, a video of when I got it running and the donor car.

[ame="http://youtu.be/OmsGvx9LtD4"]302 Found[/ame]
 

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I might put some decent rubber on it too if I were you!! To quote that famous race car Lightning McQueen.... "I don't think those tires are gonna get you all the way to California!! Anybody know what time Luigi's opens??" Geof
 
I would get it running good, make sure the brakes and steering are safe.
Elbow grease and soap and water with a few cleaners added will go along way to cleaning the interior.
If you are going to repair the floors at a later date, just pop rivet some tin over the holes, use some ordinary house window caulk to seal the patch down.
Drive it, to many people tear right into them and then loose interest because they are in over their head, keep it running and driving.
Maybe a few small projects at a time and the car will be finished before you know it.
 
cosgig said:
I might put some decent rubber on it too if I were you!! To quote that famous race car Lightning McQueen.... "I don't think those tires are gonna get you all the way to California!! Anybody know what time Luigi's opens??" Geof
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Yeah rubber and proper brakes will be priority one. It was an adventure just driving it around the block. LOL
 
sireland67 said:
I would get it running good, make sure the brakes and steering are safe.
Elbow grease and soap and water with a few cleaners added will go along way to cleaning the interior.
If you are going to repair the floors at a later date, just pop rivet some tin over the holes, use some ordinary house window caulk to seal the patch down.
Drive it, to many people tear right into them and then loose interest because they are in over their head, keep it running and driving.
Maybe a few small projects at a time and the car will be finished before you know it.
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I know exactly what you mean. This will be a sunny day driver and I have a patch floor pan for the passenger side that I will burn in later, but for now it will get some scrap metal and rivets.
 
I agree that 273 sounds great and running clean :cheers: and I am so glad you got out of the house and took a good look at that cool early Barracuda and snagged it up :blob: I would do exactly the same thing and move some fluids in you and the Barracuda Badart :coffee2:
A little at a time bud, I am so happy for you :D:D
 
There is nothing better than putting some miles on her before comitting her to the redo. A little rust, rot and bubbling paint is still not gonna stop you from getting the thumbs up! Update it for safety and reliability, and you can continue to focus on the Dart.

Grant
 
I say drive it while you fix it. I got in too deep with my 65 Dart and it sat in the garage 2.5 yrs while I did the "if replacing this, might as well do this now" stuff. Some parts are great now (engine bay, suspension, trunk, fuel tank), but my the family doesn't appreciate that. I had some outstanding projects I should have finished first before diving into the Dart. Should have just fixed a few things to start driving it.
 
Well I finally have a little bit of time to work on the Barracuda. I picked up a set of rebuilt 318 LA heads for $75. They have a fresh valve job and hardened seats unlike my 273 heads. I tore them down and cc'd each side and came up with 67-68 cc's. Which should put me around 8.72:1 with an .028 head gasket. I can live with that until the 318 stroker build is complete.

I have also started cleaning up the intake runners while I have them tore apart.
 

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Sand blasted the springs last night. They are from a 73 340 4 speed car. The 8 1/4 with 3.55s will be the next step.
 

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PapstXX said:
Nice work brother Badart

i cant wait for next step and pics :)))
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Thanks all of this is to just get it on the road for now. The 273 has some compression issues, but doesn't smoke so I'm swapping the heads, intake and rebuilding the carb. My plans down the road is to make an autox/track car out of it and just do the body work as I drive it. I plan on using my coilovers up front and triangulated 4 link in the back with the 349 stroker and a 4 speed.
 
cudaspaz said:
I love the pro street look on that body style Barracuda.
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Me too. I think they look killer.

Here is the old junk coming out. Notice the overloads, spring spacers and he was running air shocks too. LOL
 

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So from what I am seeing is a 1973 Dart/Duster spings will fit and bolt right on our early A's Badart ? :coffee2:
 

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memike said:
So from what I am seeing is a 1973 Dart/Duster spings will fit and bolt right on our early A's Badart ? :coffee2:
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Mike they bolt right up.

Today I changed gear oil, installed a new gasket. wire wheeled the housing and rattle canned some paint. At least I got it installed. It looks like I need the have the drive shaft shortened by about 1.25". Does this sound right.
 

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I want you guys to remember that this for the time being is a low low budget build other than the coilover conversion going on the front. This is just to get the car on the road and enjoy it for the summer.

I pulled a late nighter at the shop and worked till about 1:30 am. I pulled the front quarters off getting ready to weld in the coilover hoops and pull the 273, just to make it easier while swapping the heads. This will also give me a chance to make modifications to the K member. I am hoping to have the engine pulled in a couple of days. I am impressed by how rust free the front end of this car is, only surface rust. I wish the floor pans and back quarters were the same way.
 

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I am impressed by how rust free the front end of this car is, only surface rust. I wish the floor pans and back quarters were the same way.
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I wish it to you

But I rather think that he have ask the same as my fish .
 
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