Finally an A body owner again.

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YY1

YY1

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I'm mostly a B body guy, but I really enjoyed my 73 360 powered Duster from about 1993-1997.

My wife has always been a fan of '65 Barracudas, and always comments whenever we see a 64-66, especially in red.

I found this one on ebay. The seller says it's solid except for "pop rivet" repair of the wheel area on the quarters.
I even had him put his hand up the vent tube, and he said it felt good.

Other than the body work, it looks to be unmodified except for the SBP aluminum slots and dual exhaust.

All of the Formula S parts appear to be present except the air cleaner.

I'm pretty stoked about it and I hope it doesn't turn out to be a big rusty piece of crap.
I may have overpaid a bit, but it's almost exactly what my wife wants in a classic car.
I estimated about $1000-$1200 in parts value from what I can see, but I'd really rather have the car.

It's in Jacksonville, and we're making the 3 hour one way drive on Saturday.
(hope it's not still snowing...OK maybe I hope it IS)

I'm sure I'll be a much more frequent poster after then, and have to go gold.

If anyone's got a line on quarter patches, I know Layson's had them, but availability is spotty.

Wish me luck.
 

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Cool, looks nice. Will be interesting to see it once you get your hands into it. Good luck, subscribed.
 
Congrats!
Cool car!
I noticed it on eBay & thought it had a lot of potential.
 
your car reminds me of a song

Well you're dirty and sweet
Clad in black, don't look back and I love you
You're dirty and sweet, oh yeah
Well you're slim and you're weak
You've got the teeth of the hydra upon you
You're dirty sweet and you're my girl
Get it on, bang a gong, get it on
Get it on, bang a gong, get it on
Well you're built like a car
You've got a hub cap diamond star halo
You're built like a car, oh yeah
Click to expand...
 
Go for the gusto 65 Barracuda Formula S in my Garage! Its a choice to go for something one likes as they have no big money value even after restoration! I got mine mechanically 100% done and still need some body work then paint job to finish. I love to drive her to weekend meets and shows where people just look at it and try to figure out first what it is, then what's in it! She is somewhat upgrades for todays roads, front disc brake kit, modern u joint drive shaft, 8.25 rear end, 14 inch rally wheels, ok 318 motor painted like the 273 original motor. Mine when I got it was not numbers matching so it was decided to make it run better and go faster by doing the 318. So many people see it as a 273 I just shake my head and smile. So fix it up to drive and enjoy MOPAR or No Car is the motto!

65Cudalover
 
If I understand, you only paid ~$1000. Sounds like a deal for an original Commando engine and dual exhausts. Unfortunately, it looks like drum brakes (no booster), since working disk brakes might add $500 value. Main thing is all the parts are there, so fewer treasure hunts. I am always amazed that people don't even take the time to blow away leaves before taking photos for sale. Anyway, let you get a better price. I grew up in Jax, so wonder if that was a car I saw driving around as a kid.
 
Those leaves scared me, but I didn't see any cowl rust in the pics.


Conservative parts price estimates:

SBP slots- $300
Bucket seats and tracks- $250
Floor shift column- $100
Adjustable rocker train- $100
pre-66 4 barrel intake- $75
Rear seat- $75
Commando valve covers- $100
Tach- $150

That's $1150 already...


There's a 66 parts car locally for $500 OBO, I know of a slew of 63-66 Valiant parts cars, and the same yard has a complete 74 V8 disk brake K member/spindle assembly if necessary.

Rick Layson also PM'd me that the quarter patches are in stock. Thanks, Rick!

Fingers still crossed, though.
 
...and I LOVE that T. Rex song!

Even the Power Station/Robert Palmer version.
 
I know it needs body work, which will ruin the possibility of keeping the current paint job... that would be so cool buffed slightly and clear coated with satin. engine bay painted back to new glossy condition so when you open the hood it's brand new underneath.
 
Congratulations on a very cool find YY1, have a safe and fun trip tomorrow :cheers:
Another 66 early A hits fabo =P~
 
Well here's the "rest of the story"...

I had to back out of the deal.

I can't believe it but even though all the specific areas I asked about were just as the seller described- (The cowl vent and a pillars were really solid), the rest of the car was a nightmare.

EVERY panel had at least 1/4" coat of bondo, including the top cowl panel, roof, tops of the fenders and rockers. It looked like someone had covered the driver's side rocker in sheetmetal (not in the pics). The trunk extensions were packed with styrofoam sheet and then filled with spray foam! The entire floor pan was either soft or missing.

I don't think it would have made it back home without loosing parts on the way.

...and the icing on the cake is that one of the wheels was missing. Of course it was the one that didn't show in the pics.

...oh, and the roof had a big crease, like someone had jumped on it.

I'm bummed, cause I really wanted it. There's just no way I could have done what it needed. I was prepared to do quarter patches and to find a hood and deck lid, and work on the floorboards, but not replace every panel including rockers and cowl.

Win some...loose some.
 
Just keep looking there are early A bodies out there in good shape for sale! Keep your eye on the prize!!

65cudalover
 
Damn. Oh well they say things happen for a reason.....there's one out there somewhere that will be what you're after.
 
If I had to do it over again, I would skip Florida completely and look for something from out west and tow it back. You'll ultimately save more time and money arranging for transport than you would trying to make an east coast project car work. Even a Florida car like mine that had been largely kept under a carport its whole life had frame rot in two places, and it wasn't kept close enough to the Gulf for salt air to be an issue.
 
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