68 Barracuda Notchback

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Trad68

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Location
Minnesota
Well the adventure begins. Been searching for a 68 for some time and never seem to find one close to home that's worth looking at. Didn't want a project that involved a lot of Sheetmetal work on my part. Found this one in Iowa sitting in a barn since 07. Before that it was a Colorado car sitting in a barn since 79. They say it was moved to Iowa back in 06 and was running back in 07 before it sat again. I guess the farmer and his kid were going to make a race car out of it and lost interest. The car has just some surface rust and only two small quarts size holes in the bottom of the spare tire well. there are a few digs from sitting. The interior was pulled and sat out were everything could get into it and pee on it, smells so bad! The good is they pulled the carpet and headliner along time ago so no moisture would be in the car. Spent the weekend goin over the car and cleaning out al the smelly stuff on the inside. my goal is to have it back on the road in two years.
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CAR: Plymouth Barracuda 2 Door Hardtop

ENGINE: 318cid 2-bbl V8

TRANSMISSION: 3-Speed Automatic

TIRES: 6.95x14 White Sidewall

MODEL YEAR: 1968

BUILD DATE: September 19.

AXLE: 2.76 Rear Axle Ratio

INTERIOR: High Trim Grade, Vinyl Bucket Seats. White on Black Interior.

PAINT: Surf Turqoise Metallic (Plymouth).

OTHER: Black (Dodge, Plymouth), Formal Black (Chrysler, Imperial) Upper Door Frame Color.

MOLDINGS:

14: Sill Mouldings

25: Drip Rail Mouldings

78: Wheel Lip Mouldings

ABC OPTIONS:

R1: AM Radio

X2: Tinted Windshield Only

abc OPTIONS:

a6: Console

b4: Bucket Seats
 
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My car was very similar optioned. Same engine, transmission, rear axle, console...
Mine was built May 17th.

Other than colors being different, mine also had
  • R1: AM Radio
  • W9: Compact Spare Tire
  • m6: Driver's Outside Remote Operated Mirror
  • w6: Build to Spec's for Canada

Like I said, other than that pretty much the same car.

Car was shipped to a dealer in Southeast New Mexico (high desert) and sold there in December 1968. What in the world is "Build to Spec's for Canada"? Moose guard on the front bumper? It did not have undercoating or anything else unusual.
 
My car was very similar optioned. Same engine, transmission, rear axle, console...
Mine was built May 17th.

Other than colors being different, mine also had
  • R1: AM Radio
  • W9: Compact Spare Tire
  • m6: Driver's Outside Remote Operated Mirror
  • w6: Build to Spec's for Canada

Like I said, other than that pretty much the same car.

Car was shipped to a dealer in Southeast New Mexico (high desert) and sold there in December 1968. What in the world is "Build to Spec's for Canada"? Moose guard on the front bumper? It did not have undercoating or anything else unusual.
Nice Ride!!
 
Just a little update.
Started the teardown and trying to get the smell out from sitting in a barn for 16 years..
Finding a little more history on the car as we go.
From what i know the car was in Colorado most of its life. Found a pen in the console from Yuma so not sure if that is were in Colorado it lived.
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Front and rear glass out this weekend. Starting to remove all chrome trim. Pulled dash lose and ready for removal.
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Bucket Seat frame getting blasted and ready for primer..
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Looks like the last time it was on the road in Denver it was going to college.. Haha
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Nice progress!! Keep it up!

My neighbour picked up a LL1 fish last month (fastback); I love that colour!!!
 
More progress over the weekend. Fenders off, Grill off and torn apart, only one broken stud...
Started painting bucket seat frames after blasting. Dropped off rear seat frame at sandblaster, too big for my cabinet. Fuel tank out. Gas smells vary bad, wonder how old it really is.. Cut off exhaust, mine mouse hotel in the muffler..
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Weekend update. Carb rebuild. Ultrasonic cleaned everything and back together. New fuel pump and filter. Fogged all the cylinders and it fired right up. Happy to hear it run before I pull it.
Pulled dash lose and got the rest of the mouse crap out. Found the only bad rust on the car. Need to find a better dash frame if i can. Big mouse house above the glove box that rusted out the frame. Everything else look great.
Scrapped all the seam sealer off in the interior, very dry and just fell off. On to the trunk area next.
 
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Weekend update. Ran some motor flush thru the engine and changed oil and filter. Also did a coolant system flush. Getting ready to pull Radiator and hopefully engine soon.
Scrapping undercoating from inner fenders. Goo Gone is the ticket and made life easy. Rear seat frame back from sandblast. painted with same rust restore black to seal up the metal.
Also, blasting and rebuilding the bucket seat sliders.
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Weekend update.. Dash out and torn down. Only major rust on this car was above the glove box. Mouse house rusted out the latch area. Cleaned up all the gauge faces and started to rebuild. Face bezel will be a major project to restore. Thinking I will wait till its 20 below and i can work on that inside this winter in front of the fire..haha
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Everything removed from firewall. Inside is pretty much gutted but the door window assemblies.
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Welded up a drivetrain cart. Still need to weld up the front lift brackets. Body dolly ready to go. Powder coated yellow at work just to keep it from rusting..
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Already have a replacement dash frame that is rust free. I think i am going to powder coat it black wrinkle. Its a very light texture and i think it will look good. Used the same powder on my bumper brackets.
 
Well all the seat frames have been stripped and painted and ready for upholstery. Guess i better order from Legendary soon so i have them in a year..haha. Still on the fence on color. Was originally white over black interior but thinking all black.
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I think you might regret wrinkle on the dash. It won't be very easy to keep clean with the texture, especially right up around the glass.
 
Yes, i am second guessing that decision as well for that same reason. Anyone know of a powder that is more like the stock look? We buy powder now from Prismatic and Cardinal.
 
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