Another Mopar Off My Bucket List - Barracuda Fastback

-
Abodybomber said:
That's a sweet ride... And you are correct: anything personally done(custom modified, or race car ,personally done),tends to scare mainstream buyers away.
Click to expand...
Abodybomber said:
P.S : Love swoopy road race Camaros,seen a 440 powered Nova ,at the local street digs(late 80's..) In one night,beat seven different Chev's,one Ford.
Click to expand...


The second gen Camaros are just begging to be made into road racers. They're OK in stock form but from a looks standpoint I'd say they have their greatest potential as wide tired road racers.

If the Challengers and 3rd gen 'Cudas were cheap and plentiful it'd be be cool to see a bunch of them modded that way too.

I'm following SNKEBIT's Barracuda build thread. - Sounds like the direction he's taking his 2nd gen Barracuda.
 
Last edited:
I'm liking the look of the tinted sill plate installed. The camera makes the pieces look really blotchy.

img_3858-jpg.jpg


img_3860-jpg.jpg



View attachment IMG_3858.jpg

View attachment IMG_3860.jpg
 
Last edited:
Abodybomber said:
And that destroys,the fun of it. The sill plates ,look good. I went with the Hammer metal silver,(Rustoleum, rattle can). Every one has their choice,yours looking good.
Click to expand...

Thanks Abodybomber.

Over the years I've had the opportunity to work in several shops owned by friends. Some were chassis builders, race car builders, or body men. It makes a world of difference when you're in a well stocked, well lit place with all the equipment you could ever ask for. Everything goes smoother.

Instead of spending half of your time digging through a crowded garage trying to find stuff,- everything has it's place. No need to spend a day moving parts around to clear room for workspace.

I've got a decent two car garage that would be fine if I wanted to use it to park in and take on the occasional small project. But I've got too much stuff in here. Even if I had the money for better equipment, I wouldn't have the room for it.

I try to get by with what I've got and do a lot of work in the driveway during nice weather. But sometimes it gets really frustrating. My dream was to build a seven stall shop out at the farm but I don't know if I'll ever have the time or money to accomplish that.

 
Last edited:
1967 'cuda said:
My dream was to build a seven stall shop out at the farm but I don't know if I'll ever have the time or money to accomplish that.
Click to expand...

I made the decision when we moved to where we are now to build a big shop. (Never big enuff.) I knew the wife was going to be working out of it anyway. (We have a restoration/hotrod shop.)That being said, I came to the conclusion that if I was a bona fide car guy, I would spend most of my time in the garage/shop anyway.

My word of advice, build your shop as big as you possibly can! Being a car guy/gal, you will ALWAYS use every inch of space. It only makes sense to have adequate space to make yourself comfortable in your hobby.

BUILD A BIG SHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
After painting the cage orange, installing the orange belts, and tinting the sill plates I want to bring some of that color onto the dash.

I went to disconnect the speedometer cable and found that the tab is broke off that releases the cable. I hate working under dashes. After disconnecting the headlight switch and dropping the column I was able to get the cluster to come out far enough to view the back of the gauge. I've been tinkering with it for an hour and haven't given up yet.

I'm not certain what I'm going to do with the cluster once removed. The fuel and temperature gauges no longer serve any purpose. - Nor does the wiper switch or brake warning light. I may try to salvage the speedometer, alternator gauge, and light switch. I hate having non-functional stuff in the car.

Once again, my reason for wanting to make changes is based on cosmetics.

I started to look into new gauges online. It'd be cool to have a full set of new ones. I'd love to have the WOW factor with something unique. -But...

It's only a race car.
It's only a race car.
It's only a race car.

I still want to make it look as good as I can for as close to zero $$$.
 
OK. After another half hour of fighting that speedo cable I still haven't given up. - But I needed a break from it so I went back to the engine compartment. My rivets aren't here yet but the Cleco fasteners did show up. At least I can do some more fitting and drill some holes.

It's getting easier to do the header removal each time I have to take them off. I guess the portion of inner fender that I trimmed helped and I've figured out just which way to twist them as they go in and out. - They have to be in place for me to properly position the panels and then they have to come back out to give me room to drill.

img_3862-jpg.jpg


img_3863-jpg.jpg


I'm still getting dirt and scratches on the headers each time I handle them. It's a good thing that I'd decided to buy that gold paint for them. Before I'm done they'll definitely need a re-paint. I hadn't made the decision to make these panels until after I'd painted the headers. - Otherwise I would have waited to paint them until after everything was fitted.

It would have been tough to figure out the panels without an engine in here. I suppose I would have been swapping the motor in and out. The tube chassis cars I've worked on in the past were simpler. With everything open all we had to do was fab attachment brackets. We didn't have to try adapting to all the weird contours of the factory sheet metal.

The left side is ready for rivets as soon as I can get the headers painted and re-installed. After I'm done I won't be able to remove the headers without drilling out the rivets. I'll have enough room to pull them off the engine and then they could come out after the motor is removed. It would probably be better to bolt the panels in. I guess this won't be the first car I've had where the engine and headers had to go in at the same time.

Time to work on the right side.


View attachment IMG_3862.jpg

View attachment IMG_3863.jpg
 
Last edited:
Clecos ,are awesome, at times. The re-paint ,sounds familiar.(On the headers.)
 
Abodybomber said:
Clecos ,are awesome, at times. The re-paint ,sounds familiar.(On the headers.)
Click to expand...

Thanks Abodybomber. I keep going back to your Scamp thread and think I want to mimic some of the work you did on the hood. I think I may make a tray beneath my air cleaner that will mate to the hood. Instead of attaching to the hood in the way you did yours, I think I'll make one that stays with the motor. It might not serve much function other than to keep some of the engine heat away from the fresh air, but I think it would look good.

I'd still like to make one for the Barracuda too. With the front opening on that scoop it might make for more air pressure entering the carb. The only downside I wonder about is if it will create more drag if the air doesn't escape.

I remember reading about Chrysler having done research to find the optimal size of scoops on their performance cars in the late 60s and early 70s. If I recall correctly they decided that 30 square inches of opening worked best with their 440s and 426s. The opening on the 'hemi' style scoop is much larger and might have been designed prior to their research. If I was super serious about getting the quickest e.t. out of the 'Cuda I think I'd block part of mine.
 
Last edited:
1967 'cuda said:
Thanks Abodybomber. I keep going back to your Scamp thread and think I want to mimic some of the work you did on the hood. I think I may make a tray beneath my air cleaner that will mate to the hood. Instead of attaching to the hood in the way you did yours, I think I'll make one that stays with the motor. It might not serve much function other than to keep some of the engine heat away from the fresh air, but I think it would look good.

I'd still like to make one for the Barracuda too. With the front opening on that scoop it might make for more air pressure entering the carb. The only downside I wonder about is if it will create more drag if the air doesn't escape.

I remember reading about Chrysler having done research to find the optimal size of scoops on their performance cars in the late 60s and early 70s. If I recall correctly they decided that 30 square inches of opening worked best with their 440s and 426s. The opening on the 'hemi' style scoop is much larger and might have been designed prior to their research. If I was super serious about getting the quickest e.t. out of the 'Cuda I think I'd block part of mine.
Click to expand...


Talk about me???? How many hours you spend in that tiny garage?:D
 
SNKEBIT said:
Talk about me???? How many hours you spend in that tiny garage?:D
Click to expand...

It seems like I live in there. LOL. I'm trying to follow the same advice I give everybody else. I commit myself to putting some time in on the projects every day. - Even if it's only a few minutes. When I don't hold myself to that things tend to stagnate. If I had made that commitment years ago I'd have a lot of finished cars instead of all these projects now.
 
Last edited:
1967 'cuda said:
It seems like I live in there. LOL. I'm trying to follow the same advice I give everybody else. I commit myself to putting some time in on the projects every day. - Even if it's only a few minutes. When I don't hold myself to that things tend to stagnate. If I had made that commitment years ago I'd have a lot of finished cars instead of all these projects now.
Click to expand...


I hear that statement loud and clear.........................:banghead:
 
The rivets arrived and I was all fired up. I thought I might get close to finishing the engine compartment.

Why can't things ever be simple. My rivet gun broke on the second rivet. I know that I should have a few more around somewhere but I couldn't find them Maybe they're still at the farm.

In the past I'd always used aluminum pop rivets. I'd decided to order 3/16 stainless steel ones this time because I thought they'd provide a stronger bond. I didn't realize how incredibly hard it was going to be to pull these with a hand gun. I'm thinking that my other guns wouldn't last even if I found them.

So now I'm starting to rethink my strategy. If I went to nuts & bolts or installed nutserts, - I'd be able to remove the panels easier. I'd like to avoid black steel fasteners because of corrosion concerns, - so I want to stay with aluminum or stainless.

If I have to order more stuff I won't get the Duster out of the garage before Thanksgiving. (that was my goal) I guess I'll search some more for one of the other riveters and give it a shot if I find it. Otherwise I'll check the local parts store tomorrow to see if they carry a better tool. If I strike out on that I'll have to see if they've got enough aluminum rivets on hand.

The nutserts can always get swapped in some day down the road. - But for now they would probably set me back another week.
 
67, is there a reason you didn't go with "DZUS" buttons to hold the panels on?? I used them on my race cars to hold the entire body panels on with no problems and were very easy to remove the panels when needed. Jim
 

Attachments

  • 077.jpg
    66 KB · Views: 216
  • 066.jpg
    48.5 KB · Views: 212
dcdriver said:
67, is there a reason you didn't go with "DZUS" buttons to hold the panels on?? I used them on my race cars to hold the entire body panels on with no problems and were very easy to remove the panels when needed. Jim
Click to expand...
077-jpg.jpg
066-jpg.jpg


I think it's a great idea. I had kicked around the idea of using the DZUS fasteners. If I was working with flatter, better fitting panels I think it would have been a nice option. But I felt I needed to space my fasteners on 2" centers to keep a tight fit. I really needed to 'pull' them together and didn't want to fight gaps.

The addition of the panels was sort of a spur of the minute idea. It evolved from the need to winterize the car - to the need to repaint the headers - to the idea of adding the panels.

The lack of planning has lead me down a meandering path to where I am now. Part of me would like to rethink the panel design but another part of me says to stay the course I'm on.

I do think that when I get these inner fenders finished with rivets that I may want to cut an access panel in each that would detach with DZUS fasteners. It's been years since I bought any. I see that they're actually cheaper nowadays than they were years ago.

I helped to construct several IMCA modifieds and we used a lot of those DZUS fasteners on them. They are the slickest quick release fastener out there. We also used them to retain fiberglass fronts on some drag cars. I will definitely put some serious thought into using them once I get everything else fit.
 
Last edited:
1967 'cuda said:
Thanks Abodybomber. I keep going back to your Scamp thread and think I want to mimic some of the work you did on the hood. I think I may make a tray beneath my air cleaner that will mate to the hood. Instead of attaching to the hood in the way you did yours, I think I'll make one that stays with the motor. It might not serve much function other than to keep some of the engine heat away from the fresh air, but I think it would look good.

I'd still like to make one for the Barracuda too. With the front opening on that scoop it might make for more air pressure entering the carb. The only downside I wonder about is if it will create more drag if the air doesn't escape.

I remember reading about Chrysler having done research to find the optimal size of scoops on their performance cars in the late 60s and early 70s. If I recall correctly they decided that 30 square inches of opening worked best with their 440s and 426s. The opening on the 'hemi' style scoop is much larger and might have been designed prior to their research. If I was super serious about getting the quickest e.t. out of the 'Cuda I think I'd block part of mine.
Click to expand...

Good info, on the air flow induction on hood scoops. Never thought about that. I went ,with the hood installed pan, because of possible intake/engine changes ,further down the road . Ran a nicely metal worked hole, in a stock Chevelle hood. (Was designed around a Chev Rat /850 Holley d.p Carb,single plane combo Swapped to a Victor Jr./1050 Dominator combo: OOPS!) That bigger pan surface ,allows for more leeway. (I think ,and hope....)
 
Abodybomber said:
Good info, on the air flow induction on hood scoops. Never thought about that. I went ,with the hood installed pan, because of possible intake/engine changes ,further down the road . Ran a nicely metal worked hole, in a stock Chevelle hood. (Was designed around a Chev Rat /850 Holley d.p Carb,single plane combo Swapped to a Victor Jr./1050 Dominator combo: OOPS!) That bigger pan surface ,allows for more leeway. (I think ,and hope....)
Click to expand...

Before looking through that Scamp thread I was only concerned about hood clearance and looks. That was such a clean fab job that you'd done that I realized that the pan for the scoop actually could improve the looks AND add the benefit of increasing the functionality of the scoops.

The cowl scoop on my hood is above the air cleaner. - So I'm considering raising the air cleaner to a height that will get it into the raised 'hump'. Then I should be able to construct a base beneath the air cleaner that will act as a shield from engine heat.

I've got an old velocity stack sitting around that I may be able to use as a riser. Right now I'm using a tall filter element. After raising the base of the air cleaner I may have to go to a shorter one.

img_3866-jpg.jpg


img_3867-jpg.jpg

img_3868-jpg.jpg




View attachment IMG_3866.jpg

View attachment IMG_3867.jpg

View attachment IMG_3868.jpg
 
Last edited:
It may not be beautiful but I managed to eliminate about three foot of fuel line. They still look long but I removed over a foot from the gauge line and almost a foot from each of the feed lines. I'm not sure why they had so much. It may be because this drive train had been in their Dart before being transferred to the Duster. I kept them routed fairly high to avoid the heat off the headers.

I built a support bracket behind the regulator mount so I'm not going to be relying on a thin sheet of aluminum to secure it.

1120020_666974106654796_1552937616_o-jpg.jpg


img_3865-jpg.jpg


img_3864-jpg.jpg



View attachment 1120020_666974106654796_1552937616_o.jpg

View attachment IMG_3865.jpg

View attachment IMG_3864.jpg
 
Last edited:
SNKEBIT said:
I see you don't sleep much. lol A lot of cat-naps???
Click to expand...
SNKEBIT said:

Lookin good btw!:cheers:
Click to expand...


Too many years of working overnights combined with insomnia. It's after 7:30 a.m. here and I'm thinking of hitting the sack but I need to get more of that dang polish compound scrubbed off first.

I've looked at a lot of build threads on FABO that are amazing. The quality of some of the work (including yours) is impeccable. I'm just struggling to put some lipstick on this pig. LOL.
 
Last edited:
The gold paint for the headers arrived. I haven't fit them on the car yet but I already like the look of it better sitting on the floor.

img_3872-jpg.jpg


img_3873-jpg.jpg


I began fabbing a tray for beneath the carb. If I try to get it set at a height equal to the bottom of the cowl, - I'll have to run a lower profile air cleaner. This aluminum oval cleaner is the shortest one I've got. As it sits - it's still too tall to clear the hood. I need to cut down that velocity stack and lower the tray a few more inches.

img_3874-jpg.jpg


If I can get this to work my next step would be to plate the bottom of the hood and have an opening cut in it that will mate to the bottom tray. I'll also have to rethink the fuel gauge line route.


View attachment IMG_3872.jpg

View attachment IMG_3873.jpg

View attachment IMG_3874.jpg
 
Last edited:
SNKEBIT said:
Used modeling clay to figure out height to bottom of hood and then used a weather strip to seal against hood.
Click to expand...


I've never tried the modeling clay but I've heard it works pretty good. If I understand right, it works best combined with Saran wrap so it won't stick. I don't have any here. The only place in town that might carry it would be the local dollar store. - Maybe I'll make a quick trip over there to check.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top