1966 Barracuda Restoration Project

-
66CudaJim

66CudaJim

66 cuda
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
Location
Dunedin, Florida
Hello everyone,
Well here we go! I just got the car a week and a half ago and have already made some progress. I spent the first week disassembling the motor and taking lots of pictures so I can remember how everything goes back together...LOL. Anyway, so far we've removed the 318 from the car and removed most of the interior to see the extent of the rust. The cancer on the floor pans looks pretty bad,but nothing that can't be repaired with some new floor pans and alot of hard work. The previous owner seemed to have installed a temp fix on the front floor pans about 10 years earlier which were rusting out too. Don garlitts mopar swap meet and car show is this weekend in Ocala, Fl and hoping to find some sheet metal there. As of right now, our plans for the car are to restore it to close to original using the 318 we have and maybe a silver or light silver/blue. Guess I'm going to have to go out and buy a mig welder and get real good at using it after seeing some of the rust today, anyone have any recommendations on a gas welder?. Well here are some pictures of our progress.
Jim
 

Attachments

  • Engine removal.jpg
    111.4 KB · Views: 1,610
  • Trunk floorpan.jpg
    111.1 KB · Views: 1,475
  • Drivers rear floorpan.jpg
    114.2 KB · Views: 1,469
  • Pass floorpan wdad.jpg
    141.6 KB · Views: 1,530
  • Pass floorpan.jpg
    133.8 KB · Views: 1,510
  • Dtivers floorpan.jpg
    150.3 KB · Views: 1,514
  • Pass floorpan temp fix.jpg
    150.4 KB · Views: 1,494
  • Drivers floorpan temp fix.jpg
    126.2 KB · Views: 1,514
  • Empty engine bay.jpg
    116 KB · Views: 1,538
  • Engines out.jpg
    122.7 KB · Views: 1,498
Nice project but drive a little more careful. It appears by the pictures you ran someone over and they are reaching through the floor at you. lol
 
chryslerfat said:
Nice project but drive a little more careful. It appears by the pictures you ran someone over and they are reaching through the floor at you. lol
Click to expand...

At least the guy is happy he was run over by a Mopar.
 
Did that car come out of Maryland, by chance? Back in July when the 65 found me for my son, there was a pink 66 on Craigslist up here. Same stripe and rallys... We never did go look at it tho.
 
66CudaJim said:
Yes it came out of maryland Me and my dad went and picked up a week or so ago
Click to expand...

Well good deal for you and congrats on the project! A buddy of mine had sent me the craigslist link the same weekend My son and I dragged his 65 home. He told me it was perfect for my youngest, but at 11 months old I think its alittle too early to pick up another project..... Keep us all posted with pics and updates. We plan to start the tear-down of my son's car the week of Thanksgiving.....
 
Well, today we removed the fenders, doors and tranny. Found that most of the rust can be repaired with small pieces of sheet metal and don't need patch panels as they are almost impossible to find for these models. Although we do need to replace the the front and rear splash shields on both fenders. Anyone know where I can find these?Parts I think will be the most difficult part and most time consuming part of the resto.
 

Attachments

  • Tranny's out.jpg
    108.9 KB · Views: 1,379
  • Fenders Off.jpg
    104.5 KB · Views: 1,396
  • Doors off.jpg
    112 KB · Views: 1,400
Well this weekend we pulled the K member and front end. Found the K member is bent pretty bad, will need a new one. Then we started removing some of the ender coating from one of the inner fenders, what a pain in the a#$$. We used a heat gun and putty knife/scraper, is there an easier way???? Bought a Hobart 140 mig welder this eekend and it is sweet. Works great, now all I need is some floor pans to weld in. Thats coming soon. Next weekend the rear axle comes off and casters welded on in the back. A little bit at a time......
 

Attachments

  • Steering assy removed.jpg
    116.4 KB · Views: 1,314
  • Front end on casters.jpg
    129.3 KB · Views: 1,319
  • Start removing undercoating.jpg
    92.2 KB · Views: 1,317
For all the scraping the inner fenders came out clean.
 
Is that one of "Playboy bunny" Barracudas? Good Luck on the resto.!
 
66CudaJim said:
Well this weekend we pulled the K member and front end. Found the K member is bent pretty bad, will need a new one. Then we started removing some of the ender coating from one of the inner fenders, what a pain in the a#$$. We used a heat gun and putty knife/scraper, is there an easier way???? Bought a Hobart 140 mig welder this eekend and it is sweet. Works great, now all I need is some floor pans to weld in. Thats coming soon. Next weekend the rear axle comes off and casters welded on in the back. A little bit at a time......
Click to expand...

Bent K?
A trip to the frame shop is in order before replacing any sheet metal.
Make sure the doors are hung too keep everything straight
 
Need a K from a 66?? Let me know, I have an extra one!! At least it looks like you have good help there, what with "Thing" from the Addams Family on the job. He can get to those hard to reach places that those of us with arms and bodies can't!!

Looks like a pretty solid car to start with, and a fine job you're doing on it also. Good luck with the project, Geof
 
Nice pink panther car.:thumbup:

Some aske me:"Is this an army car?"
I say "YES!"

Much success for your project.
 
Valiant Rebel said:
I like your 66 the OD Green looks great
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for the compliment.
But i think, the original color is a little bit brighter.
In Germany here nobody knows this.
Interesting for you: My Barracuda was mounted in Switzerland.
Thomas
 
Jim - looks like you're making good progress thus far! My son's 65 isn't too far behind you.... Looks like we are both about ready for the longer drawn out part of any project - the gathering and rebuilding of it all..........

btw - I found the ever elusive right side 1/4 panel we were seeking. It's 5 hours away from me inPittsburgh of all places - fresh from Iowa. A day trip after New Year's is in order for us up here.
 
Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything. Finally got the rear casters built and rear axle off yesterday. And today I got the front floor pans sized, rough cut and in place. Now to practice welding 18ga sheet metal usung the cut off scraps from the floor pans I bought. I bought that Hobart Handler 140 and still haven't figured out the settings quite right yet. Don't want to be burnig holes in the new floor pans. Hopefully I'll get the floor pans cut out and welded in one night this week after work.
 

Attachments

  • Rear caster stand.jpg
    69.9 KB · Views: 1,133
  • Car on casters.jpg
    119.5 KB · Views: 1,192
  • Front floor pan 2.jpg
    106.2 KB · Views: 1,167
  • Front floor pan 1.jpg
    99.2 KB · Views: 1,172
Well, I'm getting rid of a little bit of the pink at a time. Finished removing the undercoating and now starting to strip the paint, I can't stand that pink...LOL. I went out and got some aircraft paint remover manufactured by Kleen Strip from a reputable auto paint store for $42.00 a gal. It only takes off one coat at a time usually which makes for alot of work, but what I found funny is in the precautions it stated "Do NOT use on Aircraft". Do you think this is an immitation or something. Stripping the paint should get alot easier as I start doing some of the flatter surfaces (I can assist with the DA sander). The engine bay has too many nooks and crannies. L8r
Jim
 

Attachments

  • DCP00857.jpg
    116.6 KB · Views: 1,127
  • DCP00858.jpg
    85.3 KB · Views: 1,123
I've used Kleen Strip for all my paint and undercoating removal. That stuff works great. I bought it at AutoZone. Don't get it on your skin!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top