1968 Barracuda Notch - Plano, TX

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Last week I was looking for something random six pack related, and just because popped up in my mind I did a search for a part I have been looking for off and on for about the last six years.

K&N E-3840

And someone who is in one of the 67-69 Barracuda Facebook groups had one for sale on Facebook market place. Surely a scam right?

Nope. Arrived today.

Never give up looking, sometimes it just happens. Guy had bought it because he was going to do a six pack hood. Finally decided wasn't going to do it so he put it up for sale.


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Random part post. This arrived today. Test fit. Maybe this weekend I’ll get a chance to make some brackets. Then I can route and measure the hoses.

“Power steering cooler”. Little black plate cooler on the left. It isn’t much wider than it is tall.

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This was a bit of an adventure.

Bought a Malwood hydraulic clutch pedal assembly.

Went to install it and there was not any space between the pedals. Got a hold of Malwood tech support. Their Mechanical Engineer Ross and I did a facetime call and went over all the details. He sent me a new assembly with a few changes. Worked out great!

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This was a bit of an adventure.

Bought a Malwood hydraulic clutch pedal assembly.

Went to install it and there was not any space between the pedals. Got a hold of Malwood tech support. Their Mechanical Engineer Ross and I did a facetime call and went over all the details. He sent me a new assembly with a few changes. Worked out great!

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I've never heard of such a thing as this "hydraulic clutch pedal assembly" but I guess since I was converting a manual transmission setup and the only "change" was changing the throwout bearing from mechanical to hydraulic, and the parts involved in the conversion, I was only looking at the pathway that is commonplace.
I really like this assembly with the little I know about it, as it appears to be straightforward and takes some of the variables out of the equation.
Kudos on top of the continuous string of accolades in the details of your work.
 
I've never heard of such a thing as this "hydraulic clutch pedal assembly" but I guess since I was converting a manual transmission setup and the only "change" was changing the throwout bearing from mechanical to hydraulic, and the parts involved in the conversion, I was only looking at the pathway that is commonplace.
I really like this assembly with the little I know about it, as it appears to be straightforward and takes some of the variables out of the equation.
Kudos on top of the continuous string of accolades in the details of your work.

I did a more complete write up on potential issue with old version of the kit and how Malwood fixed it:
Malwood underdash hydraulic kit for A-Bodies
 
Really nice setup.
Less opportunity to make a mistake or maybe it's more accurate to say that by using this mounting system you are assured of it performing the way it should.
I no longer have my Roadrunner, but
I used the American Powertrain kit, and the issue I still have lingering questions or doubts about is the air gap (or lack thereof) between the tips of the diaphragm spring and the surface of the hydraulic throwout bearing.
If anyone sees any flaws in the following, please correct them:
With a mechanical TO bearing, there has to be an air gap between the diaphragm spring or the bearing spins constantly and no gap also makes it more difficult for the input shaft to disengage from all forces trying to make it spin.
The hydraulic TO bearing from what I was told more than once is designed to very gently ride on the tips of the diaphragm spring, thus always spinning, which is NOT OK with a mechanical TO bearing.
One of the advantages of this I was told is far less to no "lag" between the mechanical input (pushing on the clutch pedal) and the clutch reacting to being pushed on compared to a mechanical TO bearing.
My concern was by not having a gap it would mean wearing out a rather expensive bearing.
I'll stop there and end with a question:
Are hydraulic TO bearings supposed to have an air gap between the bearing face surface and the pressure plate spring tips OR is it supposed to gently ride on the spring tips?
This old can of worms was opened because I see making adjustments to the clutch hydraulic cylinder, actuating rod, and the components attached to it being easier or at least more precise by using the pedal mount bracket setup than the "pick a good spot" and install these couple of components and then hope they all work well where you put them" method.
 
When I installed my hydraulic TOB assembly there was a procedure on how to shim it to get the correct spacing. That would give you a small gap. Now, in operation if it takes up that gap entirely I am not sure. But, if it did it would function like your disc brake calipers. The runout on your rotor causes pad knockback so your brake pads don’t ride on the rotor constantly. I assume the pressure plate finger runout, regardless of how little it is would function the same way.
 
Un-realated question, any one you know over there have an A Body 8 3/4 rear for sale?
 
Un-realated question, any one you know over there have an A Body 8 3/4 rear for sale?
they were not very common to begin with. last one I had I sold in 2006. Some folks get B-body rears and move the spring perches, if you are doing ‘73 up front discs this may work better and allow you to run same wheel front and back. I had Dr Diff make an axle housing for me that was narrower than the A-body axle and had new billet axles and disc brakes.
 
they were not very common to begin with. last one I had I sold in 2006. Some folks get B-body rears and move the spring perches, if you are doing ‘73 up front discs this may work better and allow you to run same wheel front and back. I had Dr Diff make an axle housing for me that was narrower than the A-body axle and had new billet axles and disc brakes.
Thanks. I am down here in Midlo with a busted 7 1/4.
BBP 7 1/4.
 
Also curious what program you use for CAD. I don't have access to Solidworks after changing jobs a while back so I'm looking for a good alternative.

Solidworks has a makers option for $48 USD per year. Looks like there is even a 50% discount running right now.

Power the Maker Within

For what it's worth, I am using Fusion360 for my crossmember design. New ground for me but getting more comfortable with it and it is free with some limitations.
 
Solidworks has a makers option for $48 USD per year. Looks like there is even a 50% discount running right now.

Power the Maker Within

For what it's worth, I am using Fusion360 for my crossmember design. New ground for me but getting more comfortable with it and it is free with some limitations.
I did a few years on SolidWorks and before that I was on Inventor. Last time I did true design work for a living was 2006. Just using Fusion 360. Took about two hours of the classes so I could figure out the menus then I was fine from there. Once you learn how to machine parts / 3D model the software is conceptually the same.
 
Working on plumbing and figuring out what will route where.

Put car up on jacks and took off the wheels.

Then... took a break and used the glass media blaster to clean off the horns and paint them.

Top horn:
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Bottom horn:
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Never noticed this before... but it was there.
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One cleaned and painted, verses not.
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Both done:
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Not "pristine" but look much better now. Never paid much attention before. One is Left hand, the other is Right hand. The tone is different, which explains why the geometry is different. Lot of little things you notice when you look at something closely and dig into the details.

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Top horn is in factory location. Second horn had to be displaced due to the much wider radiator. I found an unused pair of holes behind the light bucket that worked, just had to bend the bracket about 45 degrees.
 
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Continuing on the quest to get everything mounted so I can route the plumbing.

Designed a bracket for the Power Steering reservoir and the Coolant reservoir that bolts where the battery tray used to go.

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Loaded file to "Send-Cut-Send" and chose the captive nuts and dimple die options plus black powder coating.
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Less than two weeks later:
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and installed
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bolted bracket in place
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attached coolant reservoir
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bolts were too long… found shorter bolts
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The hose from the reservoir to the pump is going to be pretty short. Probably do a straight fitting at the pump and have the hose go down about 6” and come back up with a simple 90 connected to the reservoir pointed down.

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Very nice! Is there anything restraining the top of the bracket or is it just bolted at the bottom?
 
Very nice! Is there anything restraining the top of the bracket or is it just bolted at the bottom?
just the two top battery tray bolt holes. Bracket is pretty rigid with the dimples. I may add a bracket at the top that ties to the radiator support, I originally had one there.
 
Power steering hoses

AN -10 suction hose from reservoir to pump. Crimped and pressure tested. Less than 5oz.
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Installed:
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Fragola high pressure hose, rated to 2000psi
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Nipple goes into hose about 3/4" total:
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Clears lower radiator hose on both sides:
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Car parts randomly showing up via UPS.

Yesterday was a pair of -10AN oil cooler lines.
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Today was a set of AC condenser brackets:
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Had to test fit the brackets:
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