Mopar Virgin
Well-Known Member
For Part 1 of this build story please click THIS LINK for the preamble ...
MOPAR VIRGIN's 1968 Barracuda Convertible RestoMod Journey
Well everyone, the saga continues while progress has been slow and the wallet continues to be drained ... Which is likely a surprise to no one on this forum ... and as my father told me when I was a younger man ... "If you want sympathy you can find it in the dictionary between **** and syphilis".
This journey began in February 2022 and looks to be completed in the Spring of 2026 when we return from our home in Tucson, AZ to the Washington-side of the Columbia River Gorge for the summer to test the build and get it out driving. That said, felt I would update interested parties here on what's been done since the prior posting, especially given all the gracious input members have provided to help with "unknowns" we've faced and dealt with.
Our major setback this year was with the metal plating vendor. Details and "warning" are in a separate posting on the Cascade Regional Board forum section if interested. The vendor delayed our build by 6months, holding-up everything. Required local police to get parts back and the project back on track.
The goal and vision for the build has always been to create a distinctive restomod outcome with a classy upgraded interior, given most MOPAR interiors are seriously lacking when compared to European interiors (IMHO). Added a peak at what has been done with the interior for those interested.
The stereo has been a major component and issue to deal with. In this day-and-age I find I rarely have an opportunity to enjoy my home stereo due to the pace of life, and the contemporary opportunity resides in time spent driving in a car. A '68 Bcuda was never designed to address quality sound, but we found a solution -- Morel Nano 3-way speakers, custom fabrication, a digital RetroSound head unit and Audison amp. Unfortunately we'd already had the interior seats, floors and panels finished in leather and Alcantara with offset stitching that matches the paint. The interior vendor took-on the difficult job of back-cutting the door panel up to the leather backing, to then tack the leather over the edges to the backside. Very risky, but they took their time and successfully made it happen. Next, we decided to drill-out holes for the tweeters and midrange, while filling-in the defrost vents, figuring they were unnecessary in a convertible. We opted to leave the original 4x9 speaker grill in the event we add an additional mono center channel to push more/clearer sound when we test this on-the-road.
From the picture, you may be asking what that is sticking out on the upper section of the door below the wing window ... It is a cup holder!!! Yet again, I found out about this modern-day solution at a car show and had to ask the build shop to make the cut-outs after the paint had been finished. Again, another high-risk move, but it worked out and delivers the "restomod" convenience one would ideally get, especially given that experience has told us water in a convertible is a necessity.
So for the engine, I have opted for the unique and unusual — the hillside Hemi / leaning tower-of-power — a 225 Slant6. We pulled the entire drivetrain from a ’74 Duster my friend had bought at a local swap meet and flipped to a guy in Wisconsin to build into a dragster with his son. We paid $2500 for it (including shipping) to have it sent back to Washington State. A local restoration shop had done a bolt-off complete restoration of the ’74 Duster about 10years prior and put a cam upgrade into the motor build, so it was a known and trusted entity. The motor already had a Clifford exhaust header and we added a Clifford intake manifold with dual Webers to beef it up a bit more. This picture is a bit old, as we’ve since lowered the aftermarket AC compressor and added an Aussiespeed valve cover. Wanted to post a 9sec video of our maiden 1.5 mile loop drive of the car without the windshield before leaving for the winter, but apparently FABO doesn't accommodate that. It sounds great with crossover dual exhaust !!!
So the stereo is being finished with wiring and interior getting its final assembly this week, then off to boxing the trunk with a small subwoofer. The arrival of the remaining exterior metal pieces (front grills and trunk panel) should happen in early December, so at that point, by end-of-year the build will be done and waiting us to arrive back up north to start driving and working out the kinks ... provided no more major setbacks ... and I'll make a final posting on FABO.
@RustyRatRod @4spdragtop @autopar3000 @Oldmanmopar @Big.J.007 @Murray @barracudakid @grampscamp @harrisonm @davescuda @Dana67Dart @hemifiedbird @A56 @toolmanmike @volaredon @slantsixdan @Jim Kueneman @Slantsix64 @kesteb @diymirage @J-c-c @bcschief @halfafish @/sixchall @66fs
MOPAR VIRGIN's 1968 Barracuda Convertible RestoMod Journey
Well everyone, the saga continues while progress has been slow and the wallet continues to be drained ... Which is likely a surprise to no one on this forum ... and as my father told me when I was a younger man ... "If you want sympathy you can find it in the dictionary between **** and syphilis".
This journey began in February 2022 and looks to be completed in the Spring of 2026 when we return from our home in Tucson, AZ to the Washington-side of the Columbia River Gorge for the summer to test the build and get it out driving. That said, felt I would update interested parties here on what's been done since the prior posting, especially given all the gracious input members have provided to help with "unknowns" we've faced and dealt with.
Our major setback this year was with the metal plating vendor. Details and "warning" are in a separate posting on the Cascade Regional Board forum section if interested. The vendor delayed our build by 6months, holding-up everything. Required local police to get parts back and the project back on track.
The goal and vision for the build has always been to create a distinctive restomod outcome with a classy upgraded interior, given most MOPAR interiors are seriously lacking when compared to European interiors (IMHO). Added a peak at what has been done with the interior for those interested.
The stereo has been a major component and issue to deal with. In this day-and-age I find I rarely have an opportunity to enjoy my home stereo due to the pace of life, and the contemporary opportunity resides in time spent driving in a car. A '68 Bcuda was never designed to address quality sound, but we found a solution -- Morel Nano 3-way speakers, custom fabrication, a digital RetroSound head unit and Audison amp. Unfortunately we'd already had the interior seats, floors and panels finished in leather and Alcantara with offset stitching that matches the paint. The interior vendor took-on the difficult job of back-cutting the door panel up to the leather backing, to then tack the leather over the edges to the backside. Very risky, but they took their time and successfully made it happen. Next, we decided to drill-out holes for the tweeters and midrange, while filling-in the defrost vents, figuring they were unnecessary in a convertible. We opted to leave the original 4x9 speaker grill in the event we add an additional mono center channel to push more/clearer sound when we test this on-the-road.
From the picture, you may be asking what that is sticking out on the upper section of the door below the wing window ... It is a cup holder!!! Yet again, I found out about this modern-day solution at a car show and had to ask the build shop to make the cut-outs after the paint had been finished. Again, another high-risk move, but it worked out and delivers the "restomod" convenience one would ideally get, especially given that experience has told us water in a convertible is a necessity.
So for the engine, I have opted for the unique and unusual — the hillside Hemi / leaning tower-of-power — a 225 Slant6. We pulled the entire drivetrain from a ’74 Duster my friend had bought at a local swap meet and flipped to a guy in Wisconsin to build into a dragster with his son. We paid $2500 for it (including shipping) to have it sent back to Washington State. A local restoration shop had done a bolt-off complete restoration of the ’74 Duster about 10years prior and put a cam upgrade into the motor build, so it was a known and trusted entity. The motor already had a Clifford exhaust header and we added a Clifford intake manifold with dual Webers to beef it up a bit more. This picture is a bit old, as we’ve since lowered the aftermarket AC compressor and added an Aussiespeed valve cover. Wanted to post a 9sec video of our maiden 1.5 mile loop drive of the car without the windshield before leaving for the winter, but apparently FABO doesn't accommodate that. It sounds great with crossover dual exhaust !!!
So the stereo is being finished with wiring and interior getting its final assembly this week, then off to boxing the trunk with a small subwoofer. The arrival of the remaining exterior metal pieces (front grills and trunk panel) should happen in early December, so at that point, by end-of-year the build will be done and waiting us to arrive back up north to start driving and working out the kinks ... provided no more major setbacks ... and I'll make a final posting on FABO.
@RustyRatRod @4spdragtop @autopar3000 @Oldmanmopar @Big.J.007 @Murray @barracudakid @grampscamp @harrisonm @davescuda @Dana67Dart @hemifiedbird @A56 @toolmanmike @volaredon @slantsixdan @Jim Kueneman @Slantsix64 @kesteb @diymirage @J-c-c @bcschief @halfafish @/sixchall @66fs
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a black engine compartment! prepare yourself for abuse 
