'68 Barracuda Formula S Fastback Restoration
I am restoring my '68 FB Formula S 340 that I have owned since June 6, 1969. This will be a long series of posts documenting the journey that started when I was a Junior in High School. It is now nearing completion with the body work and paint complete, drive train installed, and final assembly proceeding. But first, the background.
I purchased my first car, a 1968 Barracuda Formula S FB in black on black on June 6, 1969 for $1700 from a co-worker at a grocery store in Bellflower California. The first owner and I both lived in Long Beach, CA at the time. It was the last day of my Junior year in Lakewood HS (LBUSD) and I walked about 2 miles to pick up the 'Cuda and that started a long continuing love of this beautiful car.
During my Senior year in HS I began my love of drag racing and had Hot Rod Heaven as there are at least 5 different drag strips to visit in the SoCal area. My favorite was Orange County International Raceway (OCIR) but Lions, Pomona, Irwindale and the like were also great. I went to the drag strip most Wednesday nights when I got get away from band and work. I got very good at driving the Cuda and turned some incredible times for a pure stock 340. I probaby had 350 or more timing slips in my glove compartment but saved only a few which i found recently when going through old records for the car. Best timing slip that I saved was 13.45 @ 104.65. Best reaction time was 0.01 but I remember cutting a triple zero once as well. The car was mechanically stock and original with only H70-14 retread tires (sticky compound costing $20 each at the time) and lightened by removing the folding rear seat, which was heavy. I had 3.55 gears and Sure Grip but went through the traps in second gear as shifting to 3rd slowed the car slightly. I was pulling 6000 through the traps.
My most memorable race was at Irwindale one Saturday when I was paired against a '70 Cuda 440+6. Brand New and looking very fast. We launched evenly and were neck and neck through the whole run until I started pulling him at top end. I won by about a car length, but it was close. The engine was missing at top end so I pulled into the pits to change plugs. The driver of the other Cuda came up asking to see my Hemi as he said he had never been beaten. His mouth dropped when he saw the 340 in the engine compartment. That was memorable!
During the intervening years I moved to NorCal working for Chevron and living in the Rodeo/Martinez area. I purchased a '66 Belvedere II 426 Hemi 4sp and showed that a lot. I also bought a '67 Formula S FB 383 4sp Cuda which I restored over about 5 years in the 1980's. That kept me from working on the '68 for many years. But now I am in the process of fully restoring and upgrading the '68 and will detail that project in subsequent posts.
Thanks for reading,
Bob
I am restoring my '68 FB Formula S 340 that I have owned since June 6, 1969. This will be a long series of posts documenting the journey that started when I was a Junior in High School. It is now nearing completion with the body work and paint complete, drive train installed, and final assembly proceeding. But first, the background.
I purchased my first car, a 1968 Barracuda Formula S FB in black on black on June 6, 1969 for $1700 from a co-worker at a grocery store in Bellflower California. The first owner and I both lived in Long Beach, CA at the time. It was the last day of my Junior year in Lakewood HS (LBUSD) and I walked about 2 miles to pick up the 'Cuda and that started a long continuing love of this beautiful car.
During my Senior year in HS I began my love of drag racing and had Hot Rod Heaven as there are at least 5 different drag strips to visit in the SoCal area. My favorite was Orange County International Raceway (OCIR) but Lions, Pomona, Irwindale and the like were also great. I went to the drag strip most Wednesday nights when I got get away from band and work. I got very good at driving the Cuda and turned some incredible times for a pure stock 340. I probaby had 350 or more timing slips in my glove compartment but saved only a few which i found recently when going through old records for the car. Best timing slip that I saved was 13.45 @ 104.65. Best reaction time was 0.01 but I remember cutting a triple zero once as well. The car was mechanically stock and original with only H70-14 retread tires (sticky compound costing $20 each at the time) and lightened by removing the folding rear seat, which was heavy. I had 3.55 gears and Sure Grip but went through the traps in second gear as shifting to 3rd slowed the car slightly. I was pulling 6000 through the traps.
My most memorable race was at Irwindale one Saturday when I was paired against a '70 Cuda 440+6. Brand New and looking very fast. We launched evenly and were neck and neck through the whole run until I started pulling him at top end. I won by about a car length, but it was close. The engine was missing at top end so I pulled into the pits to change plugs. The driver of the other Cuda came up asking to see my Hemi as he said he had never been beaten. His mouth dropped when he saw the 340 in the engine compartment. That was memorable!
During the intervening years I moved to NorCal working for Chevron and living in the Rodeo/Martinez area. I purchased a '66 Belvedere II 426 Hemi 4sp and showed that a lot. I also bought a '67 Formula S FB 383 4sp Cuda which I restored over about 5 years in the 1980's. That kept me from working on the '68 for many years. But now I am in the process of fully restoring and upgrading the '68 and will detail that project in subsequent posts.
Thanks for reading,
Bob