moparwedden
Well-Known Member
Sweet Car, Keep It All Original.
1968 340S Coupe 4spd
- Thread starter simon325e
- Start date
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OneOfMany
Well-Known Member
IMO, since you are replacing rails, the easiest way is to use factory metal. Whether you need to patch portions or replace one entirely, the factory metal will fit better, require less fabrication and after the fact - look better.
I used a set of the AutoRust torsion bar caps once, and they were crude and ugly. A recent article in one of the Mopar mags shows a Challenger getting their rear framerail caps - and they looked crude.
You probably can get some nice rails from crackedback (as noted above), shipped to you for the same or less than the caps.
Grant
I used a set of the AutoRust torsion bar caps once, and they were crude and ugly. A recent article in one of the Mopar mags shows a Challenger getting their rear framerail caps - and they looked crude.
You probably can get some nice rails from crackedback (as noted above), shipped to you for the same or less than the caps.
Grant
a68postcar
Well-Known Member
i'm with the rest of the guys on this one too. OEM replacement stuff is the best. even if it is used! it also makes ones mind a little more at ease, just cause you know it will fit right. imo.
66dartgt
Well-Known Member
About the frame connectors: if you are concerned about them being permanent fixtures -
Put in some of the old school square tubing types, Mancini sells them. These are pretty non intrusive and basically slip over the rear frame, and butt up to the front frame and then are welded. If someday you sell it - they can be removed without alot of issues, some grinder time would do the trick. I really cant imagine anyone (that knows these cars) being upset that it has them installed anyway. They just make these cars so much better driving, especially with a 4 speed.
My .02 !
Either way you have a very interesting car.
If it were mine I'd restify it. (Make performance mods that are reversible, keep the stocker stuff on the side, if you sell it.)
Either way you will have a very cool car at the end.
Put in some of the old school square tubing types, Mancini sells them. These are pretty non intrusive and basically slip over the rear frame, and butt up to the front frame and then are welded. If someday you sell it - they can be removed without alot of issues, some grinder time would do the trick. I really cant imagine anyone (that knows these cars) being upset that it has them installed anyway. They just make these cars so much better driving, especially with a 4 speed.
My .02 !
Either way you have a very interesting car.
If it were mine I'd restify it. (Make performance mods that are reversible, keep the stocker stuff on the side, if you sell it.)
Either way you will have a very cool car at the end.
One of the few times that I dont have a clue.
Cool! A mystery!
It looks like the fuel system has been modified slightly. I thought it might be an optional clean air thing..?
NitrofumesTF
Well-Known Member
I believe that is an electric fuel pump.
NitrofumesTF
Well-Known Member
Here is a picture of one
Ok guys- I am thinking about contracting some of the frame work to a local reputable shop and I need a plan of attack. The shop works with DIYers all the time so he is willing to do a bit at a time.
With the light disassembly I have done so far I have found that the frame is in very rough shape
- front rails UCA mounts gone, rockers (drivers side is pretty bad), some rust through on rear rails, torsion mount and front floors GONE. Rear floor is in pretty good shape and only minor rust in trunk floor (except seams). Most of this cars problems came from sitting.
My goal is to get the car to a point where I can attach a suspension to it and roll it around without fear of it breaking in half.
I'd like to hear from guys who have either done this, do this, or paid someone else to do it:
1. What is the best order of things to do- anything to be aware of knowing that I will be doing final body work and sheet metal repair later? I am thinking rockers and front frame rails first, then rears and frame ties. Not sure what has to be done with the trunk.
2. What are good replacement parts? (what other models/years have identical pieces or who sells good repops)
Any help or thoughts are appreciated!
With the light disassembly I have done so far I have found that the frame is in very rough shape
- front rails UCA mounts gone, rockers (drivers side is pretty bad), some rust through on rear rails, torsion mount and front floors GONE. Rear floor is in pretty good shape and only minor rust in trunk floor (except seams). Most of this cars problems came from sitting. My goal is to get the car to a point where I can attach a suspension to it and roll it around without fear of it breaking in half.
I'd like to hear from guys who have either done this, do this, or paid someone else to do it:
1. What is the best order of things to do- anything to be aware of knowing that I will be doing final body work and sheet metal repair later? I am thinking rockers and front frame rails first, then rears and frame ties. Not sure what has to be done with the trunk.
2. What are good replacement parts? (what other models/years have identical pieces or who sells good repops)
Any help or thoughts are appreciated!
I said this before... Buy another car.
It's not a T model. Too many solid unibody chassies still exist.
If you're bound and determined to build a car from patches,
cut the donor into 4 pieces and weld it back together.
That would be foolish too.
It's not a T model. Too many solid unibody chassies still exist.
If you're bound and determined to build a car from patches,
cut the donor into 4 pieces and weld it back together.
That would be foolish too.
i have a 68 notchback that is in way better shape that i would sell.
340 4 speed car with fender tag and build sheet in Cheshire CT 06410
340 4 speed car with fender tag and build sheet in Cheshire CT 06410
684mulas
Well-Known Member
Swapping everything over to davescuda 340/4 speed car sounds like a pretty good idea. If you are set on fixing what you have, there is a near perfect front chassis from a 71 Duster down here in NJ that should give you all the parts you need to fix the Barracuda. I think the price would be right also. I'm pretty sure we cut it small enough to fit in the back of a pickup.
PM me if interested but do it soon before it gets scrapped.
I have a solid 68 here too but I'm not trying to sell something here. I just know how every body shop and part vendor will be happy to take your money. It's the end result that bothers me. Soo much money and labor and less to show for it.
I'll compare the unibody chassis to a blank canvas. They are all alike in the beginning. It's what's put on the canvas that makes the art and the value. I dont think the art could be lifted from rotten canvas and applied to another. Even if, that art was restored as much as possible the apraised value would be adjusted. The cost of the restoration could be more that the adjusted value too.
Atleast with a car you can lift the art and apply it to another canvas/chassis.
If there was a frame and I knew you could get the body panels to line up right I would leave you alone. The problem with unibody is lack of rigid foundation. Get one rocker out of line and every body panel will need to move. Then you have wind noise and water leaks .... I'm done.
Thanks for all the input guys. I am still wrestling with the options. I want to do the car justice in the end. I will drive it but i want it to be as faithful to the original article as po$$ible.
Any consensus on which method is considered more original? Seems to me that a good condition body would be more true to representing what came from the factory than a bunch of welded in bits from other cars. Cheaper, too. Not sure if that loses orginality, though. Jury is out on whether i care too much, too.
Thanks again.
Any consensus on which method is considered more original? Seems to me that a good condition body would be more true to representing what came from the factory than a bunch of welded in bits from other cars. Cheaper, too. Not sure if that loses orginality, though. Jury is out on whether i care too much, too.
Thanks again.
Whether you go aftermarket panels, or orig steel, the spot welds would have to be drilled out anyway. If you want to go aftermarket, it seems that AMD is the way to go.
there aren't any aftermarket steel fenders so I would section those with good donor patches or aftermarket patches. Everyone does different. One might search the world over for perfect fenders. Another would work damaged areas as much as possible and load with bondo.
To hammer out the nose of a fender I would rather cut into the headlight house as required to work it from the backside. Patching the headlight house doesn't need to be perfect or pretty.
Aftermarket quarter skins don't reach the rain gutter/trunk opening. If that portion is good aftermarket skin is good. If that portion is gone it will need to come from a donor.
It's not the body panels that worry me, it's the foundation that makes the door sound, fit, and feel correct today and for many years to come.
To hammer out the nose of a fender I would rather cut into the headlight house as required to work it from the backside. Patching the headlight house doesn't need to be perfect or pretty.
Aftermarket quarter skins don't reach the rain gutter/trunk opening. If that portion is good aftermarket skin is good. If that portion is gone it will need to come from a donor.
It's not the body panels that worry me, it's the foundation that makes the door sound, fit, and feel correct today and for many years to come.
the roughest spot on that car to me is the driver side rocker. not only does it need an outer, but the whole thing is gone, the inner too. that is one of the hardest replacements right there!. i have never done one myself, but seen it done. two guys working 8 hrs a day on it and still took them almost 6 days straight. good luck with your choice
Since you're asking opinions, here's mine. I say fix the car. What the hell difference does it make if you weld a "bunch of pieces together"? Isn't that what the factory did? Why does it matter now? While it will be more work in the long run to repair that car, in the end, it will STILL be the SAME car. It will have the most of it's original parts still with it. Getting another car or body flushes all that down the toilet. As original as that car is, it deserves better than that. It should be restored. As long as you make good measurements good cuts and welds, it will sit on a frame machine and an alignment machine just as good as it did when new when you are finished. It's not gonna be cheap. Lemmie ask you.....do you think any of these dudes cars they are offering up are perfect? You've already got a lot of work in yours. You get another one and you'll have two cars worth of work. I say stick with it. You asked.
DusterKrazy
Well-Known Member
+++1 to StrokerScamp for the above comment.
I have seen far worse fixed than what you have there. I say fix it and there is another one saved.
I have seen far worse fixed than what you have there. I say fix it and there is another one saved.
invisabledog
Well-Known Member
Fix it. One piece at a time and take lots of measurements. Like someone else mentioned, it was welded up at the factory from a bunch of parts. It looks overwhelming, but don't let it deter you. You said you have time so take it slow and easy. Learn to do some things yourself, that you might have to pay to have done. I have a 64 fury convertible that's way worse than your Cuda and worth way less. Needless to say I have become very adept at drilling spot welds. I bought a decent mig welder and lots of vice grips. I have some pics on the b body site if you want to see how rough it is. You can fix this car. Spend the money you would on a doner shell for a mig welder and replacement metal. Maybe find a place that will let you work with them on the car. learn from what the do. I watched the guy that restored my 71 Demon 340. After making him rich I decided to do my 72 fury on my own. I watched a lot of restoration videos on you tube and looked at resto threads here and the b body and c body forums. It came out way better than I had hoped. It took a long time and lots of patience. Don't rebody, it will not be the same car even though the parts are the same. Good luck and keep at it.
340_dart_power
Well-Known Member
pettybludart
Well-Known Member
Do you plan on keeping the car or sell it down the road?Personally I would find a rustfree donor car and swap everything over(cheaper in the long run)To me #,s matching everything,just means you,ll be less likely to really enjoy the car.Not leaving it,s side at any show,cruise basically anywhere.Swap all the goodies,drive it and enjoy it without worry.Thats my opinion,take it with a grain of salt..By the way,nice find.
.By the way,nice find. -
