Mineallmine
Well-Known Member
This looks amazing. I love the look
1968 Barracuda Notch 340
- Thread starter I8NEMO
- Start date
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Thanks Stephen! It feels good to have the car back and be on a roll again.
Much thanks, I'm smelling the goal line on completing the front end look, great incentive and I'm really happy with how the look is shaping up
Today I got the driver side fender face ready for a return tab. These pieces were roughed in by my buddy. Using templates and many r and r's I took it slow grinding back the edge that needs to match the grill exactly. Once I got the face to just clear the grill the face needed hammering in, the lower tail needed pulling out and trimming to match the pass. The lower radius was way too deep so a filler piece was needed. Pretty intense little part, took my time and really enjoyed it. Once that was on I gapped the entire edge until it was right on. Tomorrow I can add the 90 degree return tab. Then it's on to the eyelid thing a ma bob. Can't wait to get some quick color on all of the front and see how all of the work reads with one color.
More progress today. Ive got an 09 Aspen AWD 4.7 with 220k miles that's been gobbling oil. Changed pcv a week ago, oil level hasn't dipped yet and my nephew came over today for leak down testing, all cylinders in range, plugs looked ok. Cat. Converter code is up so that's next. Maybe I get another year or 2 out of this truck. I'd sure hate to part with it, it's great in snow with the right tires and has been reliable. Anyway, another Mopar I own got some love too. Driver side face piece return tab done and nose matching eyelid done.
Both eyelids on fender faces done, bumper on. Still brain storming on how to shorten up the E body bumper ends.
Cut the fender and make pockets or dimples on each side and the narrow the bumper to fit just in side the pockets kinda like they did with the Rear E body barracuda's or mustangs..
I hear ya, frenching the ends into the fender might be cool if the bumper end face was parallel to the fender. The issue at hand is the lower bumper rail on the return is close to the fender whereas the top rail is miles away. Slicing the top rail only to bend the end face in will increase the end face height putting it above the bumper top rail. Gotta figure something out for sure
Would adding material to the top edge on the inside radius to make them "more" even help?
Is the bumper semantical? could you flip the tips if so?? IDK
Is the bumper semantical? could you flip the tips if so?? IDK
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Cut end contour with outer fender flat or maybe blend into or butt up against but maybe come to a gentle small end just slightly overlap. Construction paper poster board cardboard time!
Okay been thinking about this a bit. Hold my beer...
In this pic you can see the body line and the inside radius of the bumper. They don't match, if you were to heat the tip and bend the bumper tip so the inside radius matches the body line and maybe a bit of trimming of the lower inside edge you should be able to the narrow the bumper from the center and get more of a tucked/ fitted look.
I had the same thought recently to swap the return ends, Ill have to see if the bumper is symetrical or at least very close. The other idea of filling the gap on the top rail would be simple but I don't like how far the ends are protuding. Thanks
my68barracuda
Well-Known Member
Not wanting to clog up your post but, as mentioned in post #224 I am also re working the front end on a 68 Barracuda. My project certainly is not as intensive as yours is. You are going great stuff.
I have not cleaned up the '67 Dodge Coronet head light bezels or grill, that will happen later this spring with warm weather. More details at:
Street Cruser | Page 4 | For A Bodies Only Mopar Forum
I have not cleaned up the '67 Dodge Coronet head light bezels or grill, that will happen later this spring with warm weather. More details at:
Street Cruser | Page 4 | For A Bodies Only Mopar Forum
Way to make it your own! that's a lot of work!
So, bumper is nowhere near symmetrical. I cut off ends, reduced length by .5", mocked back on, now deciding on the best cut to bring the return end topside closer. The problem is, the the whole corner of the bumper is essentially a large round cup or hemisphere, so this will involve mitigating the compound curvature.
Colored the fender faces and ends of nose. Couple pics here really show the shape of the nose continuing eyelids on fender faces. Got the bumper returns cut and reduced. Next is to bring top of bumper return ends in closer. Here's a trick for mock ups: I painted some blue tape while I was painting the parts yesterday, used this tape to get color on fender tops.
mygasser
Well-Known Member
do you intend to have the bumper chromed or will it be painted? if the latter now the ends are cut off why not make a 'skeleton' in steel wire and skin it with sheet steel? it can be whatever shape you want/need it to be that way. if the former the same applies just more care needs to be taken with the sheet metal and it'll need to be thicker sheet (which will have the bonus of allowing more grinding/fettling to get the shape right.
either way you don't need to make the ends you already have work when for a similar amount of effort it can be just what you envisaged it to be.
neil.
either way you don't need to make the ends you already have work when for a similar amount of effort it can be just what you envisaged it to be.
neil.
Neil, thanks for that, I've had tunnel vision on getting these ends to work but your plan may be the way to go. Im thinking chrome, but I'm sure I'll body color it first to see
Cheers
I really like the bottom picture surprisingly... Maybe the look eluding you is not the rap around effect!?! maybe just have it finish online with the fender line??? Not so much the Handle Bar mustache look
I like where your going...I did mock up the rear that way with nothing grabbing me, you may laugh but the look was too custom. I really do like the E body return end from a side view but everything morphs. We'll see what tomorrow brings
Yunick13
2 Time FABO NASCAR champ 2023 FABO NHRA champ
Out of curiosity, what dictated the location of your headlights?
Long story, I really just wanted single flat top headlights when I started out on these mods. I struck out finding any for sale or any custom headlight builders at the time so I turned to the Chally lights. Like the Challenger, I knew the headlights needed to be as close to the hood and as close to the outter fenders as possible, I went as far as removing part of the innner fender/ core support corner and structured around it for the look I was after . So, ironically kind of like shimming the motor to aid in P/S box clearance then having to rework the entire under-hood plenum, when my fabricator buddy started on the nose piece, he suggested slicing off the front tips of the fenders (they were pretty trashed), this would provide a cleaner transition to the grill, we mocked it up and I said lets do it. Not thinking it through, I had no idea that this mod would present a much fatter distance from headlight to the outer fenders since inner and outer fenders diverge from the tip. I have had thoughts about re working both fenders to narrow them to a minimum at the front, but I know what that means and, I currently like the way the car looks as is.
Agreed the bottom attachment little smoothing round slightly into fish fender would look really nice.
Top pic is current. Bottom pic is right after grill was modified and installed Aug. 2019 post. Times flyin. Finish goal date of 12/20/2023 , my 60th birthday , is coming fast.
Nudging the bumper ends in. Driver side is pretty close to me liking it. Still considering a custom end.
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