Mike's 69 Barracuda FB Restoration

[harrisonm]

Hi guys. First, I hope I do this right. If the pictures don't take, someone please let me know. I hope you don't mind me doing this backwards. I joined FABO several years ago, but only recently started posting and looking. I've been working on my 69 FB for about 2.5 years now. I bought it about 25 years ago while I was still in the Air Force. I did a complete restoration on it back then doing all the work myself. After 20 years, the lacquer paint was starting to look pretty bad. Plus, since I drive it, it had its share of road rash. Over the years I converted it from an Automatic to a 4 speed, installed front discs, installed Classic Auto Air AC and built the 340 up to about 375 HP. So 2.5 years ago, I decided it was time for another complete make over. So if it is OK with you, I'll post a few pictures every few days to show you the path of my restoration. I did everything myself.

The first two pictures show me fitting a new AMD rear panel. When I did the car 20 years ago, these panel were not available, and mine was mashed in a bit. I had no choice but pound it out and Bodo it. I had to drill out about a hundred spot welds. The AMD panel sure fit nice. Third picture shows the gutted interior. Might as well do it all, eh? Fourth, and last for today, picture shows my wife, Karen, helping me strip the paint. I told her it was going to be messy, but she wanted to help.

 

[SNKEBIT]

Nice. Welcome aboard!!!

 

[Treblig]

Welcome aboard. I also own a '69 Barracuda fast back (see pics). Do you plan to keep the same color on yours?? Be sure and take many pictures as you go along so we can appreciate everything you're doing!!

KEEP US POSTED!!
PS - I'm going for that late 60s gasser/street rod look. I know it's crazy but what the HELL!!!! You only live once!!
Treblig

 

[dragdak]

Your car reminds me of my first Barracuda. Same color green, 383, formula S, auto, 3:91 posi, tan interior, and the 383 stripe. Great car and glad to see your wife getting in there with ya! Welcome and make yourself at home.

 

[oldmopardude]

It is great to se your Cuda,
I also own a 69' Cuda F8 green Fastback 383 four speed. I will continue to watch your posts. I was USAF as well from 1970-1980. 43150D Helicopters.

 

[harrisonm]

Thanks for the replies. Old Mopar dude, thanks for your service. I was a Navigator. Most of my time was in C-130s. And yes, Treblig, F8 green is the color of choice. Although I like the E body Barracudas, the 69 FB has always been my favorite. Please remember that I restored this car over a 2.5 year period. I wish I had thought to post pictures as I went along, but a crazy work schedule reduced my free time. That is why the restoration took so long. So I'll post the pics I have over the period of a week or so.

OK, the first picture is my wife grinding off the dried scale left behind by chemical stripping. She was a trooper. The next picture is the car stripped except for the right door. Notice that when I painted it the first time (about 20 years ago), all I put on was a thin double pin stripe. The next three pics show the rust repair on the right rear quarter panel. I had to repair the outer and inner panels. I made my own patch panels. Here is where I admit that 20 years ago I did not know how to weld, so I cut out the rust, tapped the edges down and filled the hole with Bondo Hair. Sometimes I used sheet metal and pop rivets finished off with filler. Hated to do it like that, but it looked fine, AND it lasted 20 years. Now I know how to weld, and my fabrication skills have improved. Having a Harbor Freight shrinker / stretcher helps too. The next few pics show fender patches. Once I dressed the welds, they looked fine. I fixed a lot of rust areas.

 

[harrisonm]

After patching several Rust places, I sprayed some Polyester primer on the fenders, doors, hood and decklid in my garage. I included a picture of the hood with guide coat on it. After blocking off most of the primer, I found several low spots and applied some spot putty. It isn't as bad as it looks, The spot putty is pretty thin in all places. I blocked it with 120 till it was close, changed to 220, then applied some more primer. I did pretty much the same with all pieces. After the second coat of primer, they looked pretty good. Then I blocked them all with 220, 320 and 4700 dry; then I wet sanded with 400 and 600. The last picture is a fender after 600 wet. I always figure that how it looks with wet primer after wet sanding is how it will look after paint. The decklid had some rust on the bottom lip and on up into the inside. I had to cut off the bottom 3" of it and fabricate all new pieces. It came out pretty good.

 

[4spdragtop]

Welcome aboard, my 69 is the same color, but nowhere near the stage yours is at. Helping wives are awesome!

 

[tomcuda]

Welcome back, my '69 is blue with a 340. Keep up the good work.

 

[barbee6043]

welcome..... satisfaction in doing the work yourself will be very rewarding. looking GOOD!

 

[1969383S]

Nice work! Please keep posting.

Your trunk finish panel looked very nice in the other thread as well. I am having difficulty with the letters and getting them crisp enough for my liking.

 

[1967formulaS]

Great work mate.

 

[harrisonm]

Thanks for the posts. Gerald, the best thing I can say on the letters on your rear panel is to cover each letter individually with tape and use a new fresh X=acto knife blade. In fact, try using clear scotch tape. That way you can see exactly where you need to cut.
Anyway, here are three news pics. The first one shows my trunk with some epoxy primer after doing a TON of work. I replaced the rear panel (one of the first pictures) because the original had been mashed in a little. Once I got the old one cut out and test fitted the new AMD panel, I saw that the lip on the trunk floor that attached to the new panel missed touching it by about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Upon closer inspection I found a very slight, almost unnoticeable wrinkle in the trunk floor right in front of the bumper mount brackets. After cutting out the bumper mount brackets and the latch bracket, I cut off about the back inch of the trunk floor and fabricate an extension. I then temporarily installed the new panel and tacked the patches in so that they exactly touched the new panel. Then I welded the bumper mount brackets and the latch bracket back in. Then I smoothed everything out and primed all the bare metal.
The next picture is the engine compartment with epoxy primer after a TON of work. I filled (welded) all holes that would not be used, fixed a few rust spots and spent HOURS smoothing things out before priming. Then I used guide coat to find and fix any bad spots. The next picture shows two heavy coats of polyester primer.

 

[harrisonm]

Finally, I sprayed some color. I painted a bunch of interior parts, back of doors, back of hood and decklid, etc. Notice the fancy paint booth. It is urethane base clear.

 

[Dartnut]

I love it, and the color.
I always liked the F8 green on these old Mopars.
My '69 Formula S fastback is like Treblig's car, Y2 yellow. It was a hacked up old race car done wrong back in the day, it needs everything as well......
Looking forward to more pics and progress!
Awesome job so far!

 

[340sFastback]

Nice work!

 

[harrisonm]

So much for the fun of spraying color; it's back to the body shell. The first picture is the shell (that's what I call the rolling body) ready for epoxy primer. I went to great lengths to get the body work as good as possible before priming. Right behind the car you can see my powdercoat oven and blasting cabinet. The next picture is the shell in epoxy primer followed by a picture of the car with 3 heavy coats of polyester primer. Don't worry, most of the polyester primer gets sanded off during the blocking process.

In case you're interested, I used Epoxy, F8 green and clear by TCP Global and Evercoat Slick Sand Polyester primer. I found the TCP Global paint to be as good as anything I have ever used.

 

[dragdak]

Great progress! Wish I was to the paint stage of mine. Still doing body fab and need to mount the fiberglass front clip. Just got 9 inches of snow yesterday after a week of high 50s. Cant wait to get back to leaving garage door open. Keep up the great work!:thumleft:

 

[Woods74]

Love the garage roller supports for small parts! It's the most logical spot isn't it? :burnout:

Soon it will be alive!

 

[Abodybomber]

So much for the fun of spraying color; it's back to the body shell. The first picture is the shell (that's what I call the rolling body) ready for epoxy primer. I went to great lengths to get the body work as good as possible before priming. Right behind the car you can see my powdercoat oven and blasting cabinet. The next picture is the shell in epoxy primer followed by a picture of the car with 3 heavy coats of polyester primer. Don't worry, most of the polyester primer gets sanded off during the blocking process.

In case you're interested, I used Epoxy, F8 green and clear by TCP Global and Evercoat Slick Sand Polyester primer. I found the TCP Global paint to be as good as anything I have ever used.

NIce work ! Big fan of the Evercoat Slick Sand, & used the TCP Global stuff. Damn hard to beat, for the money.

 

[harrisonm]

First few pics are the engine compartment with some F8 green and clear. Then the door jams and the trunk. BTW, in the close-up of the left front door jam, that is not my run, It was a big glob of seam sealer from the factory, and I painted over it.The last pic is the engine compartment with the K-member painted and the steering box installed. I love F8 green..

30 Minutes later" I give up. I can't get any pics to post. It's late. I'll try tomorrow.

 

[harrisonm]

First few pics are the engine compartment with some F8 green and clear. Then the door jams and the trunk. BTW, in the close-up of the left front door jam, that is not my run, It was a big glob of seam sealer from the factory, and I painted over it.The last pic is the engine compartment with the K-member painted and the steering box installed. I love F8 green..

 

[68383GTS]

Nice work!

 

[harrisonm]

Engine is in. Only one small scratch in the firewall. Do you like the air cleaner lid? I used my old Edelbrock chrome lid, cut a hole in it, made some pie cuts, bent the tabs up to match the 340 pie tin, and glued it together with JB Weld. Then I masked it off and sprayed it with black wrinkle paint. I like it.
Before anyone questions my engine color, I wanted to do something different than Chrysler orange or turquoise. I like the looks of the gloss black with stainless bolts where possible.

 

[ariffle]

Engine is in. Only one small scratch in the firewall. Do you like the air cleaner lid? I used my old Edelbrock chrome lid, cut a hole in it, made some pie cuts, bent the tabs up to match the 340 pie tin, and glued it together with JB Weld. Then I masked it off and sprayed it with black wrinkle paint. I like it.
Before anyone questions my engine color, I wanted to do something different than Chrysler orange or turquoise. I like the looks of the gloss black with stainless bolts where possible.

Looks awesome!
I went the same direction with my engine.
Mines not a 69 but rather a 67 and a small but over built 273.
:happy1::happy1::coffee2: