show me your early A!
My 65 Barracuda, owned since August 1968. Originally a non-S Commando 273 4-speed with rallye suspension, 13 inch wheels, manual steering, power brakes. White with black racing stripe, black interior, 10-inch drum brakes, 7 1/4 open rear with 3.23 gears. Porsche guards red since 1990 (I painted it myself), motor is a 340, later 4-speed (conventional front u-joint) with original gear set (3.09 first gear), 8 3/4 rear with 3.23 sure grip. Hurst Super Shifter from the early 70s (much bigger shift rods than present version) with longer handle of unknown application that was hanging on the wall at Barnett Automotive in Atlanta back in the 90s. Been powered by a 340 since the spring of 1973, originally a low compression 340 from a 72 Charger (but with a forged crank). Cracked a cylinder wall in that block late 80s; replaced the block with a 71 from my Mom's old 71 Duster 340 that my brother rolled in 83, bored .030, TRW forged pistons, stock rods with ARP bolts (much less rod/piston selection back then). Bellhousing, driveshaft, rear end, rear springs and front disc brakes also came from that Duster (the original rear springs and the first 8 3/4 that was in the 65 are now in my 67 Barracuda coupe). Had 35,000 miles on it when purchased; now has somewhere in excess of 300,000 (original speedometer broke at 240K, replace 2-3 years later with the 150 mph speedo from Mom's 71 Duster 340). First 340 iteration had factory 72 manifolds. Next came fenderwell headers. Later replaced the inner fenders and switched to 68-70 manifolds. Couple years ago, I switched to TTI headers with 2.5" exhaust. Eddy heads since early 2000s. That's scratching the surface, but trying to tell the full story would get boring fast, I'm sure.
This is what it looked like in 1970. J.C. Whitney 14x6 chrome reversed wheels. Still a 273. Note the trailer hitch. (The splotches are on the picture; they weren't on the paint.)
More recent picture. Pre-header installation. Wheels are now 15x7 Cragar S/S, with 225-60-VR15 BF Goodrich Comp T/A's. I removed the rocker trim and fender well trim back in the late 70s because I used to drive on dirt roads often enough that Georgia red clay would get trapped under the trim. I still have it all; could put it back on, but I'm not in any hurry to.
340 when it still had 68-70 340 exhaust manifolds and original Commando 273 valve covers. I still have the valve covers, but there is a split just above one of the valve cover bolts and it leaks. Probably could fix it, but I always kinda wanted Offy finned aluminum valve covers and they are what's on there now.
Latest iteration, with TTI headers. It took me a year and a half to complete this installation, but it was complicated by the discovery that my old K frame was cracked and the strut rods were bent. I pulled the K frame out of my parts 65 Dart, welded in Firm Feel reinforcement kit, and had it powder coated. The strut rods came out of my parts stash and I believe they are from a Duster 360. Plus I rebuilt the steering gear box with a 20:1 gear set from Firm Feel, upgraded to NOS .890 torsion bars, completely rewired the car, re-plumbed the brake and fuel lines, rebuilt the calipers and, while I was under the dash anyway, I replaced the firewall insulation and freshened the heater assembly. Plus removed the timing cover etc. to check the timing chain (it was fine), and blasted and repainted everything I removed. My original fender tag is gone because for some reason I temporarily removed it back in the mid-1970s and set it on a shelf in my Dad's carport. He threw it away. The present fender tag is from my 64 Polara 4-dr hardtop parts car. Just so I can watch people going Huh? if they try to interpret it.
I also used to have fenderwell headers, but in November 1988 I was at the tail end of a five-car pileup on I-20 in Atlanta. Frame was OK, but I had to replace the whole front clip. The inner fenders and radiator support came as a unit from my parts 65 Barracuda after I drilled out all the spot welds holding it to the car (left the factory spot welds holding the radiator support to the inner fenders intact). Dropped the whole unit on my frame and welded it in. I decided I didn't want to cut these pristine inner fenders, so went back to OEM exhaust manifolds. Anyhoo, the radiator support is not original and so does not have the original numbers either. And the original trunk lid was replaced in the late seventies, as it had rust through on each corner. Most all the exterior and interior trim has either been rechromed or replaced. Left front and right rear floors have been patched. On the plus side, the rest of the floor, the quarters, passenger door, rockers, frame rails, trunk floor, rear window, headliner, sport steering wheel, back seat and dash pad are all original, as is the dash paint. So - despite all the mods, when I'm cruising down the road, sitting in the re-upholstered driver's seat, looking forward I see the same steering wheel and dash pad, overhead is the same headliner, and looking at the rear view mirror I see the same back seat and the same back window as I've been looking at since I was 17 years old.
My 65 Barracuda, owned since August 1968. Originally a non-S Commando 273 4-speed with rallye suspension, 13 inch wheels, manual steering, power brakes. White with black racing stripe, black interior, 10-inch drum brakes, 7 1/4 open rear with 3.23 gears. Porsche guards red since 1990 (I painted it myself), motor is a 340, later 4-speed (conventional front u-joint) with original gear set (3.09 first gear), 8 3/4 rear with 3.23 sure grip. Hurst Super Shifter from the early 70s (much bigger shift rods than present version) with longer handle of unknown application that was hanging on the wall at Barnett Automotive in Atlanta back in the 90s. Been powered by a 340 since the spring of 1973, originally a low compression 340 from a 72 Charger (but with a forged crank). Cracked a cylinder wall in that block late 80s; replaced the block with a 71 from my Mom's old 71 Duster 340 that my brother rolled in 83, bored .030, TRW forged pistons, stock rods with ARP bolts (much less rod/piston selection back then). Bellhousing, driveshaft, rear end, rear springs and front disc brakes also came from that Duster (the original rear springs and the first 8 3/4 that was in the 65 are now in my 67 Barracuda coupe). Had 35,000 miles on it when purchased; now has somewhere in excess of 300,000 (original speedometer broke at 240K, replace 2-3 years later with the 150 mph speedo from Mom's 71 Duster 340). First 340 iteration had factory 72 manifolds. Next came fenderwell headers. Later replaced the inner fenders and switched to 68-70 manifolds. Couple years ago, I switched to TTI headers with 2.5" exhaust. Eddy heads since early 2000s. That's scratching the surface, but trying to tell the full story would get boring fast, I'm sure.
This is what it looked like in 1970. J.C. Whitney 14x6 chrome reversed wheels. Still a 273. Note the trailer hitch. (The splotches are on the picture; they weren't on the paint.)
More recent picture. Pre-header installation. Wheels are now 15x7 Cragar S/S, with 225-60-VR15 BF Goodrich Comp T/A's. I removed the rocker trim and fender well trim back in the late 70s because I used to drive on dirt roads often enough that Georgia red clay would get trapped under the trim. I still have it all; could put it back on, but I'm not in any hurry to.
340 when it still had 68-70 340 exhaust manifolds and original Commando 273 valve covers. I still have the valve covers, but there is a split just above one of the valve cover bolts and it leaks. Probably could fix it, but I always kinda wanted Offy finned aluminum valve covers and they are what's on there now.
Latest iteration, with TTI headers. It took me a year and a half to complete this installation, but it was complicated by the discovery that my old K frame was cracked and the strut rods were bent. I pulled the K frame out of my parts 65 Dart, welded in Firm Feel reinforcement kit, and had it powder coated. The strut rods came out of my parts stash and I believe they are from a Duster 360. Plus I rebuilt the steering gear box with a 20:1 gear set from Firm Feel, upgraded to NOS .890 torsion bars, completely rewired the car, re-plumbed the brake and fuel lines, rebuilt the calipers and, while I was under the dash anyway, I replaced the firewall insulation and freshened the heater assembly. Plus removed the timing cover etc. to check the timing chain (it was fine), and blasted and repainted everything I removed. My original fender tag is gone because for some reason I temporarily removed it back in the mid-1970s and set it on a shelf in my Dad's carport. He threw it away. The present fender tag is from my 64 Polara 4-dr hardtop parts car. Just so I can watch people going Huh? if they try to interpret it.
I also used to have fenderwell headers, but in November 1988 I was at the tail end of a five-car pileup on I-20 in Atlanta. Frame was OK, but I had to replace the whole front clip. The inner fenders and radiator support came as a unit from my parts 65 Barracuda after I drilled out all the spot welds holding it to the car (left the factory spot welds holding the radiator support to the inner fenders intact). Dropped the whole unit on my frame and welded it in. I decided I didn't want to cut these pristine inner fenders, so went back to OEM exhaust manifolds. Anyhoo, the radiator support is not original and so does not have the original numbers either. And the original trunk lid was replaced in the late seventies, as it had rust through on each corner. Most all the exterior and interior trim has either been rechromed or replaced. Left front and right rear floors have been patched. On the plus side, the rest of the floor, the quarters, passenger door, rockers, frame rails, trunk floor, rear window, headliner, sport steering wheel, back seat and dash pad are all original, as is the dash paint. So - despite all the mods, when I'm cruising down the road, sitting in the re-upholstered driver's seat, looking forward I see the same steering wheel and dash pad, overhead is the same headliner, and looking at the rear view mirror I see the same back seat and the same back window as I've been looking at since I was 17 years old.
