6.1 Hemi 69 Barracuda Fastback Father Son Project

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I have greased em with Aeroshell 22 all temp synthetic grease, worked the snot outta em. still creaky.

work em a little harder........... and make sure the grease / lubricant is getting all the way into the small spirals. Try spraying WD-40 into into the extremely hard to get areas. Some take more effort than others , but all have worked free.
 
Had one spring fail in a big way. That's fun...
Then the used replacements I bought off FABO were sloppy and bowed sideways rubbing against the fender.
Maybe if I had a pair that weren't sloppy but I didn't have any laying around, couldn't find any local and buying another 50 year old pair without being able to put my hands on them first to make sure they weren't sloppy just didn't make sense to me.
Done with it now though.

I get it....I think it is a nice modification. My only point was, I think there is a way re-hab the factory springs instead of pitching them.

Interestingly, with the spring binding, my hinges bowed too....so much , I put clear thick helicopter tape on the adjacent freshly painted fender area of my silver HemiDuster to protect it. It embarrassingly creaked and groaned until it finally froze up to where I didn't want to chance opening the hood. I gingerly removed the hinge assembly thru the inner fender with the hood down. First I greased the snot out of it. Then before I re-installed it, I put it on my mule that has the hinge exposed (no fender) and with a bar bolted to it for leverage, gave it the ol up/ down until it free-ed up. Now, same hinge with same now greased , free moving spring....virtually no bowing. IMO....I think the bound up springs causes the excessive bowing.

Love your build....been watching since you started the thread.
 
I get it....I think it is a nice modification. My only point was, I think there is a way re-hab the factory springs instead of pitching them.

Interestingly, with the spring binding, my hinges bowed too....so much , I put clear thick helicopter tape on the adjacent freshly painted fender area of my silver HemiDuster to protect it. It embarrassingly creaked and groaned until it finally froze up to where I didn't want to chance opening the hood. I gingerly removed the hinge assembly thru the inner fender with the hood down. First I greased the snot out of it. Then before I re-installed it, I put it on my mule that has the hinge exposed (no fender) and with a bar bolted to it for leverage, gave it the ol up/ down until it free-ed up. Now, same hinge with same now greased , free moving spring....virtually no bowing. IMO....I think the bound up springs causes the excessive bowing.

Love your build....been watching since you started the thread.
Great info! If I had known I would have tried that first. Searched here and in a few other places and not until after I modified them... Oh well, what's done is done but it is great to know there is another option to try first next time. :)
Thanks!!
 
Nice job on the struts!
Do you have enough room to flip them over? Looks tight to me.
Flipped them over. It was easier than I thought it would be.
The body isn't any larger in diameter than the rod end attachment.
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On another separate note...
Anyone have a nice pair of 1969 Barracuda Front Fender Marker Bezels for sale?
What is Your Price Shipped to WA 98296?
Thanks!!!
 
Replaced the 150 lb struts with 180 lb struts.
I like the 180 lb struts better. Stronger hold open and lift. :thumbsup:
I did consider putting them in the engine compartment from the fender to the hood and that may have worked as well but I wanted the struts to be hidden. You won't be able to see them with the fenders on.

 
Replaced the 150 lb struts with 180 lb struts.
I like the 180 lb struts better. Stronger hold open and lift. :thumbsup:
I did consider putting them in the engine compartment from the fender to the hood and that may have worked as well but I wanted the struts to be hidden. You won't be able to see them with the fenders on.




you defiantly perfected the hood shock modification.
 
Replaced the 150 lb struts with 180 lb struts.
I like the 180 lb struts better. Stronger hold open and lift. :thumbsup:
I did consider putting them in the engine compartment from the fender to the hood and that may have worked as well but I wanted the struts to be hidden. You won't be able to see them with the fenders on.


How much travel do those struts have?
 
How much travel do those struts have?
They only need to lift about 3.5" from hood down to hood fully opened.
I installed them fully extended with the hood propped all the way open.
Landed the bottom brackets where they happened to be.
With the hood down the struts are still partially extended... not fully compressed.
The specs below are from the seller.

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Thanks,
It is a good thing that you pointed them the right direction which will also give it some type of cushion when opening fully. Great build!
 
I get it....I think it is a nice modification. My only point was, I think there is a way re-hab the factory springs instead of pitching them.

Interestingly, with the spring binding, my hinges bowed too....so much , I put clear thick helicopter tape on the adjacent freshly painted fender area of my silver HemiDuster to protect it. It embarrassingly creaked and groaned until it finally froze up to where I didn't want to chance opening the hood. I gingerly removed the hinge assembly thru the inner fender with the hood down. First I greased the snot out of it. Then before I re-installed it, I put it on my mule that has the hinge exposed (no fender) and with a bar bolted to it for leverage, gave it the ol up/ down until it free-ed up. Now, same hinge with same now greased , free moving spring....virtually no bowing. IMO....I think the bound up springs causes the excessive bowing.

Love your build....been watching since you started the thread.

HD,
Did you have to do anything to beef up the hinge bar to keep it from bowing, or did the grease bath make it so easy to work that it no longer bowed in use? I observed the hinge deformation as well and thought that I might have to reinforce it. Didn't think that lubing it up would have that much of an impact. L8r

Jim
 
HD,
Did you have to do anything to beef up the hinge bar to keep it from bowing, or did the grease bath make it so easy to work that it no longer bowed in use? I observed the hinge deformation as well and thought that I might have to reinforce it. Didn't think that lubing it up would have that much of an impact. L8r

Jim

With grease worked in and the hinge moving freely....bowing is barely visible. No additional bracing used.

Good luck.
 
Belt Routing
One of these is the way March Performance says to route the Belt and the other is the alternative I routed it. I think both will work. Called March and they say there has not been any issues with their routing. They did extensive testing.
I may try both after I see how it fits in with everything else the engine bay.
Hmmm...
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Ordered another idler for the top center. Will have to drill a hole and tap it for the additional idler.
I will route the belt under the new center top idler to shorten the long span on top.
Less likely to flap or jump off the alternator while bringing the belt down and more out of the way and less of a human hazard... Looks I'll have to order yet another belt...
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And the winner is...
This is what I ended up with after drilling, tapping and installing an additional idler pulley to the center for the top span to shorten the span and pull the belt down and more out of the way.
By far the most contact area on each drive pulley with this routing.

There will be no belt slippage or belt flapping here.
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It looks like you have two belts on it with the one closest to the block having a tensioner. I don't see a tensioner on the front belt.
 
Front Belt tension is adjusted with the 2 top slotted mounting holes for the AC Compressor and Alternator.

Spreading the Alternator and Compressor apart to increase the tension.
March provides a tool to spread them.
Then tighten the mounting bolts and remove the tool.
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Testing out the US Car Tool car lifting tool.
Lifts plenty high with the rear on ramp/blocks.
6.1 and 727 are on a US Car Tool K-Member cart.
Didn't have a transmission mount and none at the local parts store.
Amazon Prime is on it's way!

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