Fat Blue Fish Build

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momoparman

momoparman

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OK.

I dig what your sayin and I appreciate it. I keep telling my wife who by the by is the proud owner of a 69 cuda rag, that if I spend the dough that the interest and then the increased value will come. That's the line anyway for blowin the $$. She don't buy it.

She loves me and I'm lucky as long as she gets the check every week.....blah blah blah. What was that hon?:bootysha:

So anyway. Here it is. The Forum for the Fat Blue Fish.

I don't know where to start except to say that I bought the car on Egay and it as all egay cars looked and was described to me as a bit nicer than what it was. But it was a CA car and really really rust free plus the dude had already installed (HACK JOB) a 440 in it and it was a nice clone of a 69 done up in 67.....

Side bar: You can see the lack of rust after the bead blast at the Tallants web site and also see some early build pics.

http://www.tallantsauto.net/veniercuda.htm

So anyway the build started cause I blew out a motor mount and hated the way the engine compartment looked painted CHEBBY BLACK.....ugh.

So I pulled out the mill and of course that led to removing everything else that was fastened to the shell......My wife thought I went insane as I had done this all in our basement.

So the car was stuck in our basement for a while till I could work up some cash on the side.....I am am electrician by trade in case you were wondering. Cash on the side is OK for a sparky but it takes time to save up enough for all these 2-3K parts and pieces and labor and sand paper and thinner and beer and gaskets and you know....it all adds up quick.

Anyway I had some small time paint dudes come by and look the car over and give me promises that were way to much and prices that were way to cheap. It continued to sit in our basement....the pile. MOPILE...was what she was thinkin.....the ol lady that is. She gave me some line about how dumb was I to destroy a beautiful car and what was I gonna do now.

Well I waited, saved some more and started working on cleaning, painting, striping, polishing and detailing all the little fasteners and parts and pieces that I could and saved. Also I was going to keep on the car and so I started asking around at the local car shows as to who was a good body shop here in KC. The most common answer was Tallants Hot Rod Shop.

So I talked to Dan Tallant, he listened, he showed me work that was new and old (NICE STUFF AND KEEPS UP WELL) and told me it would cost me a kidney. I was sold. Then my kidney was sold.....no, the clinch was that as long as I could supply my own insurance I could work on the car anytime I wanted....!!!!

ARE YOU SHIZZLIN ME? FULL ACCESS TO LIFTS AND TOOLS IN A HEATED/COOLED ENVIRONMENT! PLUS REAL PROFESSIONAL HELP AT MY BECONNING CALL!!! :snakeman:

That was it. I got on the list for the local media blaster and the rest is as you see it now unfolding. A major time and financial investment and what I hope to be positive in bringing more attention to much maligned and underestimated 67-69 Barracuda's. No dis to the other A's by the way.

So thats the story of how it began.

Here is some b4 I tore it apart and some from today.

Status report...gas tank in. Transmission in today...temporary..we need to massage the area around the hump to clear the extended housing and OD unit but not much. GOT THE DRIVE SHAFT MEASUREMENT....and ordered YEAAAA..connect the drive train, connect the drive train, I love the rabbits George.

Also started installing the weather stripping so Dan can install and adjust the windows later this week..I don't do windows.....but I did recover the seats myself and handle a hog ring plier like pro:toothy10::angry7:.....must be from all the plier handlin I do as an electrician...bend the wire sparky.

Thanks again for your support and kind words enjoy and I'll post later.

V

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PS

The wheels were 14" rally rims and drums all around when I got it.

I bought SSBC and new axles for the 8-3/4 to change the bolt pattern and stop the beast. Then the rims and tires came 2 weeks after I bought it.

So I had kinda already started modifying and morphing before the mount blow out.

V
 
That's gonna bring large tears on the street!

Looking good, and I only wish I could have built my car as fast as yours as I've been going at it for 8 years , one part at a time as money allows.
 
Glad you made a separate thread for the car.

Women they are so helpful aren't they?

They never give you any encouragement,help, and always ready to call your car a junk pile!
 
Looks good all around.
The headrests caught my eye. What was the source for those ? My ragtop is sposed to have headrests. The stock oval with chrome band dont suit me at all !
 
She can call it a pile all she wants cause I can't hear her with my engine reved up.....:snakeman:.

Thanks again.......Today I am going to get going on removing the transmission so I can clear coat it.....I am clearing all the major drive train components so they will be easier to clean up. Yes I plan on driving this thing and yes I plan on getting stuck in the rain once in a while that's why I left the wipers on it.....this is the Midwest after all and storms roll in quick.

We are going to switch gears and put in the side glass over the next day/2.

I will post pics again soon.

Thanks for more words of encouragement. You are only solidifying my belief that I am doing the right thing and this is not a waste of money and time.

V
 
Headrest were stock.....yes stock on 67's only...that included B bodies as I had them on my 67 sat in 82.

I am having them recovered in the same material as the seats so they look a bit more modern and the color/grain match.

Thanks,

V
 
Very nice car. I'd like to work on mine in the basement too but I can't figure out how to get it through the door let alone down the steps! Would be a lot nicer than working in my unheated garage.
 
momoparman said:
Headrest were stock.....yes stock on 67's only...that included B bodies as I had them on my 67 sat in 82.

I am having them recovered in the same material as the seats so they look a bit more modern and the color/grain match.

Thanks,

V
Click to expand...
OK so I am in search of 67 B-body headrests. thank you :)
 
To get this in my basement I had to cut a car size hole in the end wall of my lower garage......garage is under house. I had blue tarp and cold ars air blowing through it for a year until I finally got a set of 42" double doors installed.....now I can drive in and out whenever I like.

Don't hate me but here is the future home of my car. Since I don't have garage space I am going to keep it in the basement and build around it...kinda like a drive in theme with NO CARPET...stained concrete floors and minimalistic finish.....a party place and shrine, a room that's a tribute to the good old days of pinball, foosball and cheap fast used muscle cars.

Believe it or not my wife is actually into this build the new rec room that is.

V

FYI the truck is a 1935 Int rat me and my son built last winter....I used as many parts off the cuda as I could on this build. It even has the old pentastar badge on the lower passenger cowl:cheers:

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REdfish I am going to test your knowlege on eletronics as I have a Pwermaster (Ugh) alternator now...140amp unit. I know I am going to have to make major mods to my electrical system and thats OK. I was looking at your product and was wondering if I will need something like this or if you have some ideas to help me along.

Thanks,


Momop
 
momoparman said:
REdfish I am going to test your knowlege on eletronics as I have a Pwermaster (Ugh) alternator now...140amp unit. I know I am going to have to make major mods to my electrical system and thats OK. I was looking at your product and was wondering if I will need something like this or if you have some ideas to help me along.

Thanks,


Momop
Click to expand...

While I know a little about the factory electrical I dont know so much about those aftermarket high output altenaters.
I can tell you a lot of the factory wiring between that altenater and the cars electrical is not sufficent. Others here will have helpful input and personal experiences to share. Madelectrical webpages may help to.
The secret to success with addon equipment is relays. If you start with something simple like high output headlights you'll find relays are used to move the higher current load from the orignal headlight switch to a more suitable set of contacts. The same principles apply when you add electric water pumps, fuel pumps, cooling fans, anything requiring a 20 amp or higher fuse.
My instrument voltage regulater applies only to the OEM gauges. If you intend to use the OEM gauges I highly recommend replacing the mechanical
limiter. Reason being, the mechanical points in it close at start up and send full system voltage through the gauges. That might have reached 15 volts/60 amps with a stock charging system. This would warm up the gauges faster, move the needles faster. So what happens if you start up with a weak battery and a altenater that can throw more than twice that initial current at that set of points ? I dont know either. Might weld the points closed, might throw the gauge needles out the passengers window . LOL
The solid state regulater can take 35 volts incomming and only release 5.02 volts to the gauges. All the heat created by this reduction of current is held out and away from the gauges too. Enough for now :)
 
You can bypass the alt gauge, run an 8 gauge wire from the alt to the starter relay stud of rthe power distribution. This way, no heavy amp load goes into car. The interior electrical will pull power as needed. If you also put the headlights on relays, that will greatly reduce the amount of amps needed inside the car as well. It helps to keep the headlight switch cool, so all the load is at the relay.

Great build BTW, like what has been done so far.
 
Thanks,


That's good stuff. I figured I would have to go big on alt wire at least 8.
I will bypass the stock alt gauge as well. That thing is a fire trap anyway.
The relay is a must have as I did add halogen lights, electric cooling fans, air compressor, air conditioning compressor, Overdrive unit.....yikes. That's a lot of contactors.

I was illish yest and today so all I got done was correcting the coupler between the tail shaft and OD unit and massaging the areas around the tunnel as required. Looks good and Friday is coming.

Time to pull an ALL NIGHTER. Confusedcuda are you out there?

cu
 
Wilwood rotors safety wired.
OD installed and drive shaft installed...then removed for paint.
Got the front spindles and hubs greased seals installed and re-mounted.
Mini starter installed.
All trans bolts tightened and insp covr installed.
Trunk weather seal glued on.
Drive and passenger window weather strip installed.
Started putting on the sound deadener....sticky sheets with chrome backing.. SUCKS I spent forever and got 2 sheets on. BOOOOO

Anyone have a tip or trick to keep it from sticking to everything....I was gonna try water kinda like putting graphics on. Any help?

Sat is gonna be another full day.

Man there are a lot of parts on a car.
 
Ok Sat night.

I had a good day it was 70 here in Feb in KC...go figure global warming works.

Maybe we hire them to fix the budget crisis.

Today I focused on brakes and cleaning up a bit...it is nasty dirty right now due to being in a body shop i guess:read2:....

Here is a few shots outside in the sun. This is the second time I have seen it in daylight and the first with trim.....my eyes are bleeding....to much micro metallic..? I love bass boats by the by....not owning them ...just the paint jobs......I digress.

Here is a look closer. I cant get in to WOW without brakes and steering so that is the focus as of now. You can see in that last pic from behind why I call it fat...the drop rockers gave it a Midwest bulge.

Post late.

Momop

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PS..

i made a mistake on the rear tires size.

The rear are 255-45-18.

Not 245 -45-18.

They fit inside just fine as you can see. The Axle is pretty close to stock width....1/8" diff.

Amended

Momop
 
Damn Dude.... Now I want to pull my car apart and try again. And it's only been together for 4 months.


Your car is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Thanks again...your cars are sweet as well....I love that teal air cleaner. I think I'm gonna buy that small oval one from summit and paint it blue to match.

Nice job.

Momop
 
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