1968 Barracuda Convertible

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Al T

Al T

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Hi all.
I bought a '68 Barracuda convertible a couple of weeks ago. I figured I'd start a thread about working the kinks out of the car. The car is pretty solid as it had a bunch of metal work done and then a home sprayed paint job that turned out pretty horribly. The car is a 318 car with a '69 340 intake and Edelbrock four barrel. The car actually runs and drives pretty good. There are some minor issues that need fixing that I'll hopefully address in the next short while. Here's the current to do list two weeks in.

Temperature gauge not working
Fuel gauge not working
Speedometer not working - Fixed, cable was not properly attached to speedo head.
Radio not powering on
Purchase and install speaker
Replace passenger side top cylinder
Fix crappy top installation
Purchase and install splash shields
Fix hood indicator lights
Oil Pressure gauge not working - wire was disconnected at sending unit.
Relocate battery from trunk to stock location - Completed 05/23/16
Repair/replace passenger side A pillar interior trim Complete
Rebuild front suspension
Install horns and get working
Install washer bottle and lines and fix electrical
Window whiskers
Drill fender and install antenna
Buy and install ashtray
Get courtesy/map lights working
Purchase and install kick-down linkage. (just missing progressive linkage from carb).
Replace dash pad
Purchase and install passenger rear "male" seat belt Complete
Purchase and install defrost hoses
Install wheel well moldings

.......... that's the list for now.

Allan







Allan
 
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I'm not sure why anyone would bother insulating a trunk....




.... but I think it looks a lot better without.



Allan
 
I picked up a support bracket for the battery tray on the week-end so I figured it was time to do the deed. The previous owner had installed a non original radiator and shroud so I had to do a little cutting with a zip disc to make room for the battery tray.



Installed the tray brace.



...... then realized there is a support and two bolts that should attach the tray to the inner fender. Unfortunately (I assume during the last disassembly) the two tray to inner fender bolts were snapped off. I cut the protruding bolt ends in the wheel well off flush with the flat bar backing plate and then drilled out the bolt closest to the firewall and tapped it for a new bolt.



I'm going to leave it with one inner fender bolt supporting the tray. It seems plenty solid with the rad support bolt, inner fender bolt, and the tray support.



Looking a lot more original....... although I chose not to sell a kidney to buy "correct" battery cables. These work just fine.



The trunk looks better also..... just need to do a little bit of respray.



Allan
 
As a side note, I'm now ready to install the new top cylinder when it shows up.



Does anyone have any advice on how I can fix the terrible top install?



Thanks in advance.

Allan
 
I picked up some parts on the week-end and one of them was an ashtray from a '69. Unfortunately I wasn't aware at the time the ashtray is one year specific for a '68 because of the padded lower dash. Oh well..... I can pay it forward if anyone needs it. Just pay the shipping. Still learning here so be kind. lol. The under column trim plate I bought also doesn't fit..... too wide because of the lower padded dash. I'm hoping I can trim it to fit. Does anyone have a photo of a '68 piece they could share?



Allan
 
The interior trim on the passenger side "A" pillar was broken. I picked up a trim piece for a fastback with the parts I bought on the week-end. It was time to break out the zip disc.









The piece actually is cut straight, just an optical illusion with how the piece is sitting. It'll get installed once the top cylinder shows up and installed so I can raise the top and get the upper "A" pillar trim piece off.

Allan
 
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I got quite a bit done yesterday......
Trunk cleaned up.



Horns installed. I had to mount the top one in the wrong spot because the radiator covers the original mounting holes.



Dash removed



..... and disassembled



Also started cleaning up the dash. It had been previously painted (I'll end up doing it again but figured I'd give this a little practice) but the script for the heater had never been cleaned up after painting. A little time with a scotch-brite pad and some light pressure. I took the first photo after I was half done....... well maybe 1/3 done.





The small circuit board had an issue with one of the posts. It was missing about a 1/4" of circuit and the post. I had picked up a couple of circuit boards with the other parts on the week-end so I scavenged a post and JB welded it in from the bottom.... with a small amount on the top. Once this cured I took a wire and wrapped it around the post and then soldered it to the post and to the circuit. It's not pretty but it'll work and I now have continuity on that circuit.





With the dash out I'm trying to run down the cause of the lack of courtesy/map lights working. The trunk light is working.

Would someone be able to tell me where the fused circuit on the left side of this photo feeds from? I have no power at all on this circuit on either side of the fuse bridge. What is this circuit for? I can't read the front of the fuse block for this spot. The writing is worn away. Thanks in advance.
The third circuit from the left has power on both sides but does not have a wire connected to the lower terminal. I'm assuming this shouldn't be this way.



I also pulled out the radio. I'll be taking it to a local guy who does great repair work. Might as well get it gone through while the dash is apart.



That pretty well brings everything up to date on what I've accomplished in the last couple of weeks.

Would anyone have the kick-down linkage (just the progressive from the carb to the bell crank) I need? If they do, please PM me.



Allan
 
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Sweet! Keeps the pics and the info coming! I'm restoring and 67 convertible as we speak! If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay?
 
Where would you guys recommend buying parts from? Here's a short list of what I currently need.

Defrost hoses
Speaker
Antenna
Wheel well molding screws
Window whiskers

Thanks in advance.

Allan
 
nice looking car, from another 68 Barracuda convert. owner.
 
Would someone be able to tell me where these came from? They ended up on the driver's side floor when I removed the dash.
Thanks in advance.



Allan
 
Al T said:
Would someone be able to tell me where these came from? They ended up on the driver's side floor when I removed the dash.
Thanks in advance.
under the nuts holding the steering column up.


Allan
Click to expand...
 
I had a full set of seat belts from a 68 442 project I did 10 plus years ago. I took a look at them this evening and after a couple minutes on the bench grinder I'm not short a rear seat belt any longer. The one on the left is the original GM end, the one on the right now matches my driver's side rear seat belt........ and latches into the passenger side female belt perfectly. Maybe hoarding parts isn't a bad thing......



Allan
 
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I got the "A" pillar trim installed also. Baby steps.



The contrast between the metal corner trim and the plastic "A" pillar trim isn't that bad in person, but once I get everything back together, I may pull it back apart and paint all the interior windshield trim semi-gloss. It's low on the priority list right now though.

The temp and gas gauge issue is becoming very frustrating though.
 
Al T said:
Where would you guys recommend buying parts from? Here's a short list of what I currently need.

Defrost hoses
Speaker
Antenna
Wheel well molding screws
Window whiskers

Thanks in advance.

Allan
Click to expand...

Antenna - try to find a good used one, I bought a "reproduction", it was junk, the OEM was far better.
Window whiskers - top cat are really that much better. I bought mine from Dixie. 67-69 Cuda conv window felts - dixierestorationparts
 
Al T said:
I'm hoping I can trim it to fit. Does anyone have a photo of a '68 piece they could share?

Allan
Click to expand...

I did the same thing, bought the newer style without realizing it was different.

Fortunately I have the broken off corner piece, I'm just going to repair mine. You could probably trim it to fit.

DSC08481.JPG
 
I was working through the electrical system today and figured out a bit. It appears I have a bad headlight switch. The question I had regarding the left circuit on the back of the fuse panel is actually fed off the headlight switch..... or is supposed to be if your headlight switch is working correctly.
I have a question though. I found these connectors on the left side of the dash opening. They don't show up on the schematic. What are they for?



The purple wire on the dual plug is powered.

Allan
 
It appears they're for the horn relay. They don't match the schematic I've got though. Obviously there were some changes through the production year....... or I've got a bad schematic.

Allan
 
About your contact pin repair above. The pot metal instrument housing has a cut away/ relief where the braded end of those pins are. Minimal clearance.
IF IF IF, the JB weld is conductive, lands against the housing, short circuit occurs.... Not nit picking your efforts, just trying to help you avoid mistakes.
 
Thanks for the heads up, but I don't believe JB weld is conductive. It's a two part epoxy. I will check just to be sure when I get back home next week. If it is I'll be sure to isolate it.
Again, thanks for the coment.
 
The new top cylinder showed up so I got it installed and the system filled and bled. The top works great now.



Would anyone have a photo showing how the hood indicator wiring is routed through the hood and out? Tried Googling images of engine bays and couldn't find anything.

Thanks in advance.

Allan
 
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I bought a kick down linkage from Tony's Mopar. Quick install and adjustment and the kick down now works. The 340 linkage he sold me worked perfectly with the 2 barrel setup from the 318.



I did put a clip on the carb end prior to taking the car for a test drive

Allan
 
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Another item off the to-do list. I picked up a pair of mini bulbs for the hood indicators off of eBay. I ended up having to rebuild the indicators as the feed wires were so brittle they disintegrated when I pulled the indicators apart. I ended up grabbing dash bulb wires with connectors from an old harness I had lying around and splicing them into the wiring. Once cleaned up, the passenger side worked well, the driver side not at all. After a little research I realized the feed wire wasn't making contact with the bulb on the driver's side indicator. I pulled it back apart, scavenged a short piece of spring from a ball point pen, installed it onto the wire under the contact which pushed it up onto the bulb when assembled, and now they both work as they should. I used a TIG wire to feed the wiring back through the hood and out the bottom to the feed wires.



Allan
 
Another somewhat successful day. I'm missing a horn relay but I had jumped the plug at the relay connection and the horns worked. I didn't have continuity through the ground from the relay connection to the steering wheel connection. Doing a little tracing I had continuity to the column plug connection (and across it) but nothing from the wheel side of the plug to the connection in the hub. I pulled the wheel off and found a really dirty/gunked up contact on the backside of the wheel.



A couple of minutes in the blasting cabinet and the contact looks much better....... as well as the other side.





..... and I have continuity from the relay connection to the horn connection in the wheel. Should work fine once I pick up a horn relay.

There was a ton of gray primer over spray on the column (you can see it on the steering wheel in the first photo as well........... that's now cleaned up) from when the car was painted so I've sanded the column down and will give it a quick spray before the wheel goes back on.



I'll likely reinstall the dash before I reinstall the wheel as well. Just waiting on a couple of gauges as the temperature and gas gauges are toast.

Allan
 
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