6.1 Hemi 69 Barracuda Fastback Father Son Project

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Are 68 and 69 A-Body door latches interchangeable?
I know the lock button is located in different locations on the doors but isn't that just a different length rod? Don't see 69 door latches anywhere only 68.
Anyone here used these?
View attachment 1715447676[/QUOTE
They are different. I don't know what the difference is. When I restored my 69 Barracuda Fastback, I wanted to get new latch assemblies. I could not find any. I saw the same 68 ones in your post. I did some research and everybody told me they were different, so I spent HOURS refurbishing mine.
 
can bend the hard lines but I can't put ends on... Yet... maybe someday.
Thanks guys!
Always welcome thoughts.
These are pre-made hard lines that I ordered with the fittings already installed on both ends.
I have been following a few other builds and have a couple ideas for mounting and protecting the hard lines inside the fender...I have some Aluminum or Stainless Steel material that is leftover from other projects that might work for building a shield... Conduit or Hose is also a possibility.
The spiral thing could be done with some heavy hose too. I did similar to wrap fun-noodles around the metal rods that stiffen the frame of my portable car port (Boat Cover) to keep the tarp from laying on the rods when loaded with snow or getting thrashed by the wind...

If you haven't seen this build on FB you should check it out.
Really incredible work.
Dodge Charger Bullitt build
https://www.facebook.com/modernbullitt



Happy New Year Mike!
Hope all is well with you and yours.
What you working on now?
I think about your shop often. I really need a place with a shop!!!
 
Spent some more time on the heater and A/C lines on the inside.
Just test fitting so far.

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I'll make a little "L" bracket to mouth the Heater Hose Valve to the bottom of the cowl.
Just sitting there loose right now.
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Made my first ever A/C Hardline. Well I should say I bent my first Hardline.
Working from the From Dryer to the bulkhead on the firewall in the inner fender.
Got to say that it really turned out nice if I do say myself...
Had to creatively bend it to keep it from being too long. I used a length of leftover copper tubing to do a mockup first then the real thing. A little nerve racking but made it through.
Only bought the one 60" -6AN Female to Female line so I only had one chance to make it right or screw it up...
The 90* down and then 180* up was to take about 3" of length out or it would have been too long.
It was the best way I could think of to consume some of the excess length...

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I thought about putting a couple 90* bends in this long straight side instead of the 90* down + 180* in the front to take up some of the extra length but I'm happy I did it the way I did.
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Here is a shot that shows the whole line from end to end.
Have a couple ideas of how I will shield the lines from damage from road debris inside the wheel well.
Maybe slide a conduit over then fill with expanding foam insulation...
A chunk of heavy duty hose right there on the 90* bend and a few mounting clamps strategically placed along the length.

One Hardline down and one to go.
The -10AN hardline will be much easier. Going to be pretty much just a shorter straight shot to a 90* fitting to a bulkhead fitting through the side of the inner fender.
They won't follow exactly the same path but I'm going for functionality over looks and no one will see them once the fender is on.
I did consider making a long -10AN hardline following the -6 but the -10 is a lot harder to bend small tight bends.
I should be able to get the -10 line done tomorrow.
Once I have the Hardline done the Bulkhead will be located and I'll make up a rubber -10 line from the compressor to the Bulkhead.
Rubber lines for test fitting but the finished A/C soft lines will be Stainless Steel Braided lines.
Soft lines in the passenger compartment will be rubber though.
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you must have a lot more area behind the grill that the Dusters. Because of limited space, I get pigeon-holed using the factory condenser mounting the drier and cut-off switch in engine compartment, then sneak the compressor line thru the factory headlight wiring harness hole

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full A/C forward the firewall install....just for giggles

View attachment 1715667389
Looks good Denny!
It's a tight fit without much wiggle room but everything clears. The dryer is close to the back side of the grill but in this case, close works. :thumbsup:

I think the way the Barracuda fenders and header panels have a little forward point is what gives the extra room up front, relative to the flat vertical front of a Duster...
Call it just plain lucky.
Really trying to keep as much out of the engine compartment as possible.
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must be the Made in Mexico version......mucho more room. Lookin good!
 
Installed the Bulkhead fitting through the inner fender, made up a temp -10 rubber line to go from the compressor to the bulkhead.
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Both will be braided stainless but I'm using the rubber lines for mockup first.

I used my router to make a single bulkhead plate out of aluminum and just rattle canned it black for now.
Backed it up on the other side with a large galvanized washer.
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Adapters for Male -10AN O-Ring to -10AN Male 37*
These will convert the Bulkhead and Hard Line Male -10AN O-Ring fittings to 37* fittings to ate up with the black 90* elbow that is -10AN 37*
I couldn't find a 90* elbow fitting that is Female -10AN O-Ring to Female -10AN O-Ring... If I could have found one I would have used it.
These should work fine though.
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Going to cover the hard lines with leftover hose.
Will have to split it because the fitting are too big to fit through but I plan to use heat shrink over that so they will be fully covered and insulated.
 
I'm jealous of all the space you have in front of the radiator support. I installed all of mine after the car was together. This made for lots of cussing and cut up hands. Notice the dryer between the grill and rad support. In the end, it's a super clean install and I'm happy with the appearance. I love those 90 degree bends. They allowed me to position the hoses off the compressor at a more appealing angle.
hoses.jpg
 
I'm jealous of all the space you have in front of the radiator support. I installed all of mine after the car was together. This made for lots of cussing and cut up hands. Notice the dryer between the grill and rad support. In the end, it's a super clean install and I'm happy with the appearance. I love those 90 degree bends. They allowed me to position the hoses off the compressor at a more appealing angle.
View attachment 1715668001
Nice work!
At first I didn't see your dryer. Yup, there it is... Wow that's tight!
I haven't seen your thread but I will go check it out when I have the time...
Thanks!
- Randy
 
Decided to do something about the valve cover bolts on our 6.1
I will clean the originals up and will end up using 4 of them for the Ball/Socket mating for the 6.1 half covers. Going to hang on to the rest since they are really expensive to replace.

Tried a couple different solutions but think I like this one best.

M6 Stainless Steel Allen Hex - 6 x 35mm together with
M6 Black Anodized Aluminum Conical Countersunk Washers
The Washers are 5mm tall and 25mm diameter with a 6mm hole

Still using the thick rubber washer/spacers off of the original hardware.
The Aluminum washer is just a bit larger diameter than the rubber and are a cone shape on top.

If you have done a G3 Hemi in an A-Body, you know how tight it is to the passenger side inner fender.
These give a little more clearance to the inner fender at the shock tower on the passenger side.

I tried it with Black Oxide instead of Stainless Steel too but I like the contrast of the stainless steel against the black better.

Looks like this.

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Clearance to the passenger inner fender.
Here is a tip.
Remove the long factory hardware before installing or removing your G3 in your A-Body Mopar
The paint on your passenger inner fender will thank you.

Long 4mm Hex Key Allen Wrench here.
Everywhere else I could use a 4mm Allen socket on a 3/8 drive ratchet and extension...
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Better angle. Not quite as close as it looks in the picture above.
But it is close...
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Yup, I definitely like this better.
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These don't look bad when they are new and these definitely need to be freshened up.
I'll freshen them all up and use 4 for the half covers and the rest will get squirreled away.
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Won't see these with the half covers on but they definitely look better now.
2 for each side next to the intake for the ball sockets that the half covers mate to.
The little things need to get done too.
Small steps in the right direction also get you closer to where you are going...
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Using Corbeau Seat Bases with Neon SRT4 seats.
Cut the SRT4 mounting brackets off with an angle grinder, drilled and bolted the seats to the brackets. Bolted them to the floor with the US Car tool perimeter tunnel just sitting in there and the Challenger Console.
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Tried a pair of Planted Technology seat bases for E-Body, thinking I could make them work but decided to try Corbeau A-Body bases instead.
The Corbeau mounting holes lined up with the Barracuda mounting holes perfectly.

Will be selling the Planted Technology E-Body seat bases.

These are the ones I used. Ordered through Summit.
Corbeau D344 Driver side
Corbeau D345 Passenger side
 
Replacing the Barracuda Flip Top Gas Cap with a New Challenger Fuel Door.
Black Vapor Edition
Keeping the stock filler tube.
Will be cutting out the sheet metal from a Challenger and patch it into the Barracuda.

Really like the look of the new flip top. Seen a couple done.
Got a line on the sheet metal. Ordered the Gas Door/Cap
Unlike the Barracuda Flip top gas cap the Challenger flip top is just a door.
Requires a cap underneath.

Took my fill tube to Autozone and tried several gas caps until we found one that fit and sealed nice.


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Found a gas cap to use on the Barracuda fill tube under the New Gas Door.
Duralast 6800

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A couple other A-Bodies with a New Challenger Flip Top Gas Caps

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Pulled the 6.1/727, Removed the 727 and bolted on the 8HP70
Found the correct Mopar Dust Cover PN# 53013573AB to fit the 6.1 with 8HP70
US Car Tool Tunnel is in and the trans fits.
The USCT cros-member doesn't fit as well as I would expect...
Seems to be not quite right with regard to the fit to the transmission and where it would need to weld in to the tunnel.
Going to try the Holley Blackheart Trans adapter, it looks like it will give a couple more inches of mounting surface to connect to the USCT X-member

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Dust Cover PN# 53013573AB
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The Red parts need to be welded to the frame as shown but when bolted to the transmission, it is too far forward to be welded to the straight parallel tunnel frame sides... that is, it sits where the tunnel is angled out such that the ears/tabs can't lie flat against the frame sides...
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Going to try it with the Holley Transmission Bracket. It looks a couple inches longer than the USCT piece. Looks a little beefier too.
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This Holley Blackheart Transmission Bracket is for "E" body... none for A-Body...
The additional length looks like it may give us the reach to put the x-member where it wants to fit best...

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Tunnel is welded in, Engine and trans in without trans x-member.
Floor jack holding it up to locate the USCT x-member.
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With the sheet metal just sitting on top.
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Test fitting of the Neon SRT4 seats and 2018 Challenger Console.
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Cut out for the late model Challenger Gas Door.
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Going to put all the front suspension on to get it closer to ride height so we can clock to gas door.
I'm thinking it needs to be sitting with the "Fuel" script parallel to the rear marker cut out?? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ There's no body line that is straight an parallel to the ground...
 
Today's progress.
Getting the car on all fours...
Putting the front suspension together to get closer to final ride height so we can locate the transmission cross member mount.

Of course I forgot the front bearing inner seals... ugh.
Oh well, I wanted to see what it looks like and if everything else fits together.
Looks like it does.

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Mocked up the Late Model Challenger Gas Door location.
Think it's going to turn out nice, maybe even better than I was hoping.
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I really like the lower profile of this gas door compared to the original Flip-Top gas cap.
It's almost completely flush with the body.
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Got the shortened steering column back from Ididit too.
A little more to do with it and then it can be test fit into the car with the EPAS Electric Power steering motor attached.

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Back at it tomorrow...
 
Got a little more progress on the tunnel by marrying a Holley Trans mount to the USCT Trans cross member... Carved close to a couple inches off of the USCT cross member to keep it from hanging down lower than the headers or subframe connectors.
Started mocking up a CAI out of cardboard. Will bring the cold air in through the core support.
Need to put the radiator, fans and fan shroud in place before committing to the final dimensions.
Hat tip to Jim (Realwing) for sharing his measurements and parts lists. Helps to eliminate some of the guesswork.
Haven't decided on a lid or sealing the air box to the hood. Leaning towards a lid but as always, I reserve the right to change my mind several time before deciding...

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The (E-Body) Hooker Blackheart 8HP70 Transmission Adapter Plate Part # BHS570
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1. Used the Blackheart piece in place of the USCT Transmission Bracket. The much longer horizontal part of the Blackheart adapter made the placement of the crossmember and Tunnel mounting brackets in the tunnel much better by lining up with the flat parallel sides of the perimeter frame.
2. Sectioned the Crossmember
3. Cut down the top of the Basket. It gets welded to the crossmember when you set the transmission height and angle.
4. We have a little bit of up/down and left/right adjustment if needed but we got it lined up pretty well, I think...
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Blackheart Adapter bolted to 8HP70 and mounting brackets tacked to the tunnel frame.
Need to move the trans out to get the mounting brackets fully welded in.
Then we can bolt in the crossmember.
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The slotted holes through bolt to the tunnel mounting brackets.
The Basket will face the trans under the blackheart adapter and the isolator will be bolted to the Blackheart adapter above and the basket below.
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Once it is all in and together, I'll take some better pictures...

Also working on how we will seal the trunk off from weather or gas overfill, since the Challenger Fuel Door was not designed to go in the trunk but in through the quarter panel but still outside the car... That is, the bezel, the door, the hinge, the inner structure are not anywhere near weather tight.
The fuel door assembly is 3 separate parts that all snap together.
Have an idea on how we will enclose the back side in the trunk. Might be a little while.
One more on my to do list...
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Will be a couple weeks before the next round. Won't get any shop time this weekend.
I have made some more progress on the Ididit tilt column, EPAS Electric Power Steering.
Grafting some of the old with the new. Maybe I'll take a couple pictures tomorrow.
Pretty happy with how it is shaping up. I have it apart right now. Some drilling and tapping to tie things together.
 
USCT Tunnel Perimeter Frame, and universal Crossmember
The 8HP70 short overall length makes the crossmember too far forward when it's bolted to the transmission using the USCT Transmission Bracket. It made the (Red) Mounting Brackets land on the frame forward of where the sides are parallel, making them not able to lay flat against the sides where they need to be welded in.
By using the Blackheart Transmission Adapter Plate (It's a few inches longer) instead of the USCT piece, it allowed the USCT crossmember to be where the (Red) mounts lay flat on the frame, and still allow bolting up to the transmission. Structurally, this thing is pretty beefy. IDK if they ever bolted in an 8HP70 in an A-Body with this though...
A couple things changed would make it work in better with an 8HP70 in an A-Body.
The Trans Crossmember is listed as "Universal" NAG1, TR6060, T56 Magnum, etc.
Have seen it in other cars and with other transmissions and it looked like it may have fit those applications a little better. But they may have had to "Make it work" too... First one for me. If I do it again, I will know how to make it go a little smoother.
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A little recap and a nearly complete EPAS Electric Tilt Steering Column.

I cut up the original column to get all the measurements I needed.
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I used the measurements to draw how I wanted Ididit to modify my Ididit Tilt Column.
Sent them this drawing and a form they emailed me and they sent back my modified column.
They charged me $100 and I retain the Ididit warranty.
upload_2021-12-23_17-31-42.png


Then I got to putting the column and the EPAS motor together...
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I wanted to add a little more clearance so I made a new firewall plate for the steering shaft to pass through.
Used the original as a template.
Cut the new one out on my little table top router table.
I had enough material, so I made an extra...
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Some test fitting with the old column before getting the Ididit modified.
upload_2021-12-23_17-33-18.png


You can see the U-Joint inside through the Master Cylinder Hole.
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EPAS Performance Motor. Some people use used pick-n-pull electric motors. This is not one of those.
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I cut out the section of old column with the mounting bolt holes in it, slid it over the Ididit column, lined it up where I wanted it. Drilled and tapped the New Column and the EPAS Motor's Collar that goes inside the new column. I re-used 4 original Column mounting bolts + 2 more to secure the column to the Motor Collar, (Drilled and tapped). All of it fit together nicely.
Had to carve out a chunk of the stock mounting bracket to clock the Motor to point about 10 or 11 o'clock. See the squared off part of the bracket where material had to be removed.
A little sanding, priming and some SEM Trim Black and it looks like this.
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I added the extra universal joint on the inside to give a little more flexibility to final location.
Might not need it but that only makes 2 U-Joints total, with the other at the 16:1 Manual Mopar box I had rebuilt by Firm Feel.

Thinking we will have the Firewall Plate painted the same as the car when it goes in for final paint.
Might give anodizing a try though. I do have an extra plate I made as a spare just because I had enough material...

EPAS Performance for the Motor and controller, Various 1" and 3/4" Double D Shafts and U-Joints from Southwest Speed. Tried a couple different firewall bearings before this one. Can't remember whose off the top of my head...
Bought a "Kit" from EPAS but if I did it again, I would just get the motor, controller and column adapter. Minimum parts and source the rest myself.
I ended up changing up the EPAS Kit design and parts just a little... I have a little more adjustability and collapsibility built in. That and I like the Polished Nickle Plated vs raw steel DD shafts and U-Joints. Easy enough to change them out if we decide to go with painted black instead...
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Back at it in the New Year.
 
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A little recap and a nearly complete EPAS Electric Tilt Steering Column.

I cut up the original column to get all the measurements I needed.
View attachment 1715841423

I used the measurements to draw how I wanted Ididit to modify my Ididit Tilt Column.
Sent them this drawing and a form they emailed me and they sent back my modified column.
They charged me $100 and I retain the Ididit warranty.
View attachment 1715841430

Then I got to putting the column and the EPAS motor together...
View attachment 1715841431

I wanted to add a little more clearance so I made a new firewall plate for the steering shaft to pass through.
Used the original as a template.
Cut the new one out on my little table top router table.
I had enough material, so I made an extra...
View attachment 1715841432

Some test fitting with the old column before getting the Ididit modified.
View attachment 1715841433
Someone has been busy making some good progress!
Good Job Randy

You can see the U-Joint inside through the Master Cylinder Hole.
View attachment 1715841434

EPAS Performance Motor. Some people use used pick-n-pull electric motors. This is not one of those.
View attachment 1715841436

I cut out the section of old column with the mounting bolt holes in it, slid it over the Ididit column, lined it up where I wanted it. Drilled and tapped the New Column and the EPAS Motor's Collar that goes inside the new column. I re-used 4 original Column mounting bolts + 2 more to secure the column to the Motor Collar, (Drilled and tapped). All of it fit together nicely.
Had to carve out a chunk of the stock mounting bracket to clock the Motor to point about 10 or 11 o'clock. See the squared off part of the bracket where material had to be removed.
A little sanding, priming and some SEM Trim Black and it looks like this.
View attachment 1715841437

View attachment 1715841438

View attachment 1715841443

I added the extra universal joint on the inside to give a little more flexibility to final location.
Might not need it but that only makes 2 U-Joints total, with the other at the 16:1 Manual Mopar box I had rebuilt by Firm Feel.

Thinking we will have the Firewall Plate painted the same as the car when it goes in for final paint.
Might give anodizing a try though. I do have an extra plate I made as a spare just because I had enough material...

EPAS Performance for the Motor and controller, Various 1" and 3/4" Double D Shafts and U-Joints from Southwest Speed. Tried a couple different firewall bearings before this one. Can't remember whose off the top of my head...
Bought a "Kit" from EPAS but if I did it again, I would just get the motor, controller and column adapter. Minimum parts and source the rest myself.
I ended up changing up the EPAS Kit design and parts just a little... I have a little more adjustability and collapsibility built in. That and I like the Polished Nickle Plated vs raw steel DD shafts and U-Joints. Easy enough to change them out if we decide to go with painted black instead...
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Back at it in the New Year.

Nice Progress Randy. Happy Holidays
 
Decided to do something about the valve cover bolts on our 6.1
I will clean the originals up and will end up using 4 of them for the Ball/Socket mating for the 6.1 half covers. Going to hang on to the rest since they are really expensive to replace.

Tried a couple different solutions but think I like this one best.

M6 Stainless Steel Allen Hex - 6 x 35mm together with
M6 Black Anodized Aluminum Conical Countersunk Washers
The Washers are 5mm tall and 25mm diameter with a 6mm hole

Still using the thick rubber washer/spacers off of the original hardware.
The Aluminum washer is just a bit larger diameter than the rubber and are a cone shape on top.

If you have done a G3 Hemi in an A-Body, you know how tight it is to the passenger side inner fender.
These give a little more clearance to the inner fender at the shock tower on the passenger side.

I tried it with Black Oxide instead of Stainless Steel too but I like the contrast of the stainless steel against the black better.

Looks like this.

View attachment 1715672557

View attachment 1715672558

Clearance to the passenger inner fender.
Here is a tip.
Remove the long factory hardware before installing or removing your G3 in your A-Body Mopar
The paint on your passenger inner fender will thank you.

Long 4mm Hex Key Allen Wrench here.
Everywhere else I could use a 4mm Allen socket on a 3/8 drive ratchet and extension...
View attachment 1715672559

Better angle. Not quite as close as it looks in the picture above.
But it is close...
View attachment 1715672560

Yup, I definitely like this better.
View attachment 1715672563

These don't look bad when they are new and these definitely need to be freshened up.
I'll freshen them all up and use 4 for the half covers and the rest will get squirreled away.
View attachment 1715672571

Won't see these with the half covers on but they definitely look better now.
2 for each side next to the intake for the ball sockets that the half covers mate to.
The little things need to get done too.
Small steps in the right direction also get you closer to where you are going...
View attachment 1715672586
I love this Forum! Just a beautiful build and I am blatantly stealing some of your creativity for my 6.1 in 72 Demon. Wow, just wow. Pure art!
 
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