Before the decision to tear this car down I spent 13 years avoiding it, all the while looking at 100's of Gen II Barracudas, what stances I liked things I liked and disliked about the car and what wheels I thought would compliment what I had in mind. When I found the Year One Rallye the wheel search ended. These wheels are 1 piece cast aluminum with a powder coated center section. I particularly like the machined/clear coated rim section. After work began I gravitated into a lot of unplanned custom work but all with a flavor of what I thought Ma Mopar may have spun back in the day.
Front Wheels are 17" x 9" with 235 x 45zr 17 Road Huggers right now.
Rear Wheels are 17" x widened to 12" with 390 x 40 x17 M and H Drag Radials. These Racemasters have a section width of 14.3"
Once I decided I could make the drag radials fit without a full tub, the cars stance and suspension and even rear fenders were built around these tires. In my opinion, the Gen II Barracudas needed a little more ooompf in the rear, by that I mean I wanted to get closer to the form pushing a form coke bottle magic of the 68/69 Charger, E Body Cuda's and Challengers I mean these little A body's are beautiful and curvy and I thought I could improve a part of it just a little. So, oompf, in my mind meant very wide tires out back with some sidewall, not rubber bands and more rear fender distance from top of fender to top of tire. Dropping and sectioning the rear fender lips hid more rubber and combined with the drag radials gave the rear of the car a stronger presence.
So if you're wondering how much tire can be stuffed in an A body with just a mini tub I think this is pretty close to the max. I have about 5/8" clearance at the frame and about a finger width at fenders with no rubbing issues whatsoever. This look came at a price and 100's of hours of work, here is what is required:
Mini Tub, Spring relocate with spring box abutted to the inside of the outer frame walls. This approach gets about another inch or so of tire clearance vs centering the perch box under the frame rail. Diff Housing and axles shortened .75" each end, spring perch pads moved inboard, Wheels widened to 12", Rear fender lips lowered 2.25" and sectioned, new "383" leaves de-arched 1.5", 1" lowering block.
Front Wheels are 17" x 9" with 235 x 45zr 17 Road Huggers right now.
Rear Wheels are 17" x widened to 12" with 390 x 40 x17 M and H Drag Radials. These Racemasters have a section width of 14.3"
Once I decided I could make the drag radials fit without a full tub, the cars stance and suspension and even rear fenders were built around these tires. In my opinion, the Gen II Barracudas needed a little more ooompf in the rear, by that I mean I wanted to get closer to the form pushing a form coke bottle magic of the 68/69 Charger, E Body Cuda's and Challengers I mean these little A body's are beautiful and curvy and I thought I could improve a part of it just a little. So, oompf, in my mind meant very wide tires out back with some sidewall, not rubber bands and more rear fender distance from top of fender to top of tire. Dropping and sectioning the rear fender lips hid more rubber and combined with the drag radials gave the rear of the car a stronger presence.
So if you're wondering how much tire can be stuffed in an A body with just a mini tub I think this is pretty close to the max. I have about 5/8" clearance at the frame and about a finger width at fenders with no rubbing issues whatsoever. This look came at a price and 100's of hours of work, here is what is required:
Mini Tub, Spring relocate with spring box abutted to the inside of the outer frame walls. This approach gets about another inch or so of tire clearance vs centering the perch box under the frame rail. Diff Housing and axles shortened .75" each end, spring perch pads moved inboard, Wheels widened to 12", Rear fender lips lowered 2.25" and sectioned, new "383" leaves de-arched 1.5", 1" lowering block.
