1967 Cuda FB project

[SNKEBIT]

Today I removed all the body plugs and clips for the brake and fuel lines. Started removing rust from the right rear trunk and fender extension. Also cot out the spare tire well. I think I am going to go with a flat trunk floor so I can install a bigger b-body fuel tank. Also get rid of the trunk extensions, they just collect crap anyway. Just starting, got a long way to go.:glasses7:

 

[SNKEBIT]

Also did some careful looking at the rear frame rails. They are both exactly the same. They both have the same holes, etc. Both sides have the slots for the gas tank strap and the hold down bolt. They can be swapped from side to side which tells me they are both straight with no curves. The rear end hump in the floor looks fairly even from side to side. I am going to drill out the spot welds for the frame rails and move them both inboard for tire clearance. Then I will widen the wheel wells to meet up with them. It will look like factory built it!!! Still haven't decided what rear set up to go with.
I know, you all think I'm nuts................:happy1:

Oh, have I said how awesome the rotisserie is??? lol

 

[SNKEBIT]

This morning I took some measurements of the wheels I want to fit under the back of the Cuda. Did some measuring and concluded that I need to move the frame rails in approx. 5 inches on each side. Looking at the hump for the diff and shocks the sheet metal has too many strength ribs and bumps to mount flush with the rails. So, this piece along with the center trunk floor will have to go. I will replace it with a new piece with properly positioned strength ribs and bends to clear the rails.
First thing is to remove the cross brace for the shock brackets. First thing is to grind the flanges lightly so the spot welds show up better. Then grab the spot weld cutter and go to town. I drill a pilot hole first for the cutter so it doesn't wander . Using a big screwdriver to pry a little as I work my way along the piece of metal I am removing. If you take your time, you can actually remove pieces without destroying them in case you want to reinstall at a later date.
I got the shock support out. Look at all the junk trapped in there over the years.

 

[SNKEBIT]

Then I started cutting out the old rusty trunk floor. As far as I got before "real work" interfered. rotest:
I also started removing the floor braces on the interior of the shock hump.

 

[SNKEBIT]

We are getting bombed with a snow storm today so I will have to make sure the plow truck is working properly. Dammit!!! More stuff I have to do before I can "play" some more!rotest:


Oh, this is for mother nature and her snow!:finga:

 

[SNKEBIT]

I cut the rusty trunk panel a little closer to the rear panel. I will leave this together at least until I get the rails moved. Keeps it a little stiffer for moving stuff around. Cut the bottom of the trunk latch support away from the floor and bent it up with a sheet metal flange tool. This will get welded to the new floor. Had to come in for supper. Will go back out and cut the diff hump out and maybe fab the new trunk floor section.
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Also have a few more pics with the bottom view of the window channel that rusted out. Look, you can see daylight. lol
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[SNKEBIT]

Went out after supper to work on trunk floor and veered off in a different direction. lol
Decided that these inner deck supports have to come out to get at the spotwelds for the frame rails, so, out it came. I will do the other side when I do the opposite frame rail. Going to move one at a time so there isn't any movement.
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Then I looked at the rust around the rear window opening and decided I would fix the bad area on the driver side.
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Cleaned it up some with a wire wheel and the grinder. Guess what? More holes. Didn't plan on repairing the lower portion, but that needed new metal also. Took what was left of the upper piece off first.
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Then cut out the lower piece. Pretty rusty on the backside. Probably helped along by the mouse house I found in there. rotest:
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Formed a new piece for the lower portion. Trimmed and fitted it to butt weld in. I will do that in the morning.
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Off to bed now. 5:30 comes quickly.rotest:

 

[SNKEBIT]

Here is where the quarter is leaded to the Dutchman panel. Not going to weld very easy so I will have to get the torch to melt some lead out down to clean metal for welding.
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[SNKEBIT]

Welded lower patch in this morning and melted out some lead in the quarter area for future welding ease.
Also put some rust convertor on the bare surface rust inside the Dutchman panel.

 

[SNKEBIT]

I worked on the upper repair patch this morning. Got it all welded in in one piece and ground down. I will fill the leaded area with all metal before the body work is done.

On to more spot weld drilling..................:coffee2:

 

[SNKEBIT]

Started drilling spot welds for the rear frame rail from inside the car. Going to get all that I can see. Then rotate car and get some from the bottom. I am going to have to take the spring brackets out in pieces because I can't get at all the welds with the rail in the way.
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While I was looking at the spot welds letting the drill cool off, I grabbed the cut off tool and removed the driver side windshield drip rail. I have to weld it up now because I cut off where the factory spot welded the two pieces together.
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I like the "clean" look a lot better. I am shaving weight. lol
The rail I cut off is only about 18" long and must weigh a pound!
Back is sore. Doing some ice and rest, then supper, then back at the spot welds............rotest:

 

[SNKEBIT]

Finished up the drip rail shave on left windshield post. Welded and ground down for duraglass.
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Looked at the rear window trim area and decided to fill in this recessed area for the trim chrome. (that's not going back on.)
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Ground everything down to bare metal and then formed a patch to fill the recess.
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Finished up the welding and ground down ready for duraglass.
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Flipped car over and ground a little and chipped off some undercoating to find the spot welds for the frame rail.
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I think the spring braces that weld to the inner rocker I can just cut at the flanges and leave them attached to the rocker for easy relocation. Then when they get extended after rail relocation I'll know exactly where they locate.
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Remember, the frame rail is going to be moved aprox 5 inches inboard.

 

[SNKEBIT]

Did a section of the shaved drip rail this morning. Didn't want to cut the whole thing at once otherwise the roof section is totally loose and can move around. Just do a foot or so at a time. Welded it all up and ground down for duraglass. I am really liking the look. A lot sleeker.
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Also drilled a bunch of spot welds in the interior getting the frame rail loose from the floor.
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Back to paying jobs. rotest:
I will be out after supper to get more spot welds. Wish that needle scaler would show up!!!

 

[KosmicKuda]

LOL Something has to go in there.

A question, the car has a 150 mph speedo in it. Did somebody add this? Couldn't have come factory with a /6 would it?:???:

I parted out an original 68 cuda FB over 25 years ago. It was a /6 and had a 150 speedo. Sold the dash and interior parts at a swap meet cheap. Wish I still had them but I didn't know I'd have another 68 years later.

You mentioned in a previous post that you had not found the build sheet yet. My 69 'cuda 340 had the build sheet in the front bench seat cushion.
Maybe you found it already but I'm reading earliest to latest posts.

I'll be watching because my long term plans for my 68 are 5.7 and 5 speed manual.

 

[KosmicKuda]

I think I'm gonna shave the drip rail and fill the chrome holes along the doors and rear windows. Thinking about ventless door glass also. I wonder if a Duster window will fit in the door. In general, going for the "no chrome" look.
We goin' custom up in here!!!!!!!!:blob::glasses7:

I've fantasized about shaving the drip rails and removing the wings on my 68 cause it's a Plain Jane 318. (mild custom) Duster side windows will not work because the 70 Duster was the first Mopar with curved side glass. Right up to the last minute they were sweating it out because the curved side glass requires more width through the doors for the windows to go up and down. It's the maximum curvature they could squeeze in there. I'd also think the curvature would not match the straight A pillars on the cuda.

 

[SNKEBIT]

I've fantasized about shaving the drip rails and removing the wings on my 68 cause it's a Plain Jane 318. (mild custom) Duster side windows will not work because the 70 Duster was the first Mopar with curved side glass. Right up to the last minute they were sweating it out because the curved side glass requires more width through the doors for the windows to go up and down. It's the maximum curvature they could squeeze in there. I'd also think the curvature would not match the straight A pillars on the cuda.

Yup, I looked close at some pictures and the Duster will not work. I wonder if a later Dart could be made to work? I know the Dart had a straight roof compared to the Cuda but might be able to "sand" the curve of the Cuda roof line into it?
LOL Mine's a "plain jane" /6.

 

[SNKEBIT]

I parted out an original 68 cuda FB over 25 years ago. It was a /6 and had a 150 speedo. Sold the dash and interior parts at a swap meet cheap. Wish I still had them but I didn't know I'd have another 68 years later.

You mentioned in a previous post that you had not found the build sheet yet. My 69 'cuda 340 had the build sheet in the front bench seat cushion.
Maybe you found it already but I'm reading earliest to latest posts.

I'll be watching because my long term plans for my 68 are 5.7 and 5 speed manual.

I am not going to use the 150 speedo. I am going to modify a 71-74 B-body dash to fit. The whole dash, just not the cluster.

 

[1967 'cuda]

Man, you're sure not wasting any time on this project. I'm looking forward to the body mods. That Roadrunner hood is an interesting idea. What's your general plan for the car? Are you shooting for a road course look? - Or leaning more towards a drag car look? - A wild custom? - Or a subtly customized (looks like the factory could have done it) look?

 

[SNKEBIT]

Man, you're sure not wasting any time on this project. I'm looking forward to the body mods. That Roadrunner hood is an interesting idea. What's your general plan for the car? Are you shooting for a road course look? - Or leaning more towards a drag car look? - A wild custom? - Or a subtly customized (looks like the factory could have done it) look?

Well, this is my plan. (We will see if it pans out or not.) A lot lower stance with wide tires. The shaved look similar to a newer car. No chrome. Molded in bumpers. Flush door handles. The 73-74 RR hood bulge. Dash mod. Window mod.
I guess what I am after is light weight with awesome cornering ability. After spending 10+ years working/driving Vipers on road courses across the country, I want an old school car to handle just about the same way. On the cheap. I have enough left over Viper parts to incorporate into this build to make that happen I think. If I can make this Cuda corner like the Viper does, I just might give up the Viper............ maybe........:twisted:
I really like the old Mopars. Grew up with them. Looking back at my past, trying to figure out how my buddies and I survived driving the way we did. Had a 69 Charger, 67 Satellite, wife still has 68 RR, numerous other Mopars. I would get in one, hammer it down the road and scare the **** outta myself when I tried to drive it like the Viper. Go park it back in the garage and get in the Viper and get my speed fix that way. Now I want to get my speed fix in an old school Mopar with out crappin my pants when I try to take a corner at 30 mph. Or stopping quick. lol
I really, really like engineering mods and making them work on cars. (Mopar cars!)

 

[1967 'cuda]

Well, this is my plan. (We will see if it pans out or not.) A lot lower stance with wide tires. The shaved look similar to a newer car. No chrome. Molded in bumpers. Flush door handles. The 73-74 RR hood bulge. Dash mod. Window mod.
I guess what I am after is light weight with awesome cornering ability. After spending 10+ years working/driving Vipers on road courses across the country, I want an old school car to handle just about the same way. On the cheap. I have enough left over Viper parts to incorporate into this build to make that happen I think. If I can make this Cuda corner like the Viper does, I just might give up the Viper............ maybe........:twisted:
I really like the old Mopars. Grew up with them. Looking back at my past, trying to figure out how my buddies and I survived driving the way we did. Had a 69 Charger, 67 Satellite, wife still has 68 RR, numerous other Mopars. I would get in one, hammer it down the road and scare the **** outta myself when I tried to drive it like the Viper. Go park it back in the garage and get in the Viper and get my speed fix that way. Now I want to get my speed fix in an old school Mopar with out crappin my pants when I try to take a corner at 30 mph. Or stopping quick. lol
I really, really like engineering mods and making them work on cars. (Mopar cars!)

I'm liking the concept. There are so many different directions to take these projects.

I remember awhile back someone had a post about sidepipes. I was never a big fan of them but I liked the side dumps like they ran on the AARs, TAs and other Trans-Am racing cars from 'back in the day.'

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I came across a few sketches of modified Barracuda designs online. Normally I would shy away from the flared look on this body style but the widened stance on a car that is lowered works with a 'road race' theme. Maybe the one with a molded bumper will help with your design planning.

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[SNKEBIT]

Holy crap!!! The bottom one is just about what I dreamed up! Shave the door handles, lowered some more and a different hood bulge. (the pro stock one is too big.) The way he has the front bumper area is exactly the way the front is molded under the bumper. It will flow very nicely. I will incorporate some kind of lower grille to fill the opening below the bumper area.

Went out and did some more spot weld cutting. Have to remove the rear splash panel under rear bumper to get at some weld on the tail section. Also finished cutting off drivers side drip rail and welding it up. Will grind the welds down in the morning. (Back sore.)rotest:
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The pass side.
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More work tomorrow!!!!! I love this project!

This tool below comes in handy for a lot of things. It is called the "crud thug". I call it "The Raper" because, if it gets ahold of you, it rapes your flesh. Don't ask how I know.....................

 

[1967 'cuda]

This tool below comes in handy for a lot of things. It is called the "crud thug". I call it "The Raper" because, if it gets ahold of you, it rapes your flesh. Don't ask how I know.....................

Looks like it could come in handy during a zombie apocalypse.

 

[SNKEBIT]

Took some "obsolete" exhaust pipe and made some braces in the trunk area to keep the body from moving while the frame rail is out.
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Then I cut the spot welds holding the bracket for the emergency brake cables and the bracket for the brake line.
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Here's the two brackets removed.
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I had all the spot welds cut loose for the drivers side frame rail but I couldn't get at the brackets assy welded to the rear of the car because of the rear roll pan. I decided to cut the frame rail right behind one of the brackets. Then with the frame rail and bracket out of the way I can get at the remaining spot welds without removing the rear roll pan. (I just have to weld the two pieces of frame back together before I weld back into car.)
This pic shows where I cut the frame rail.
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[SNKEBIT]

Here's some pics of the frame rail removed. You can see where I cut the rail to have access to the rest of the welds.
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Here are some pics of the rail itself removed. Nice!!!
There was a mouse house in there too. Little bastards.............rotest:
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I have to trim a few bumps from the floor area and then I can reinstall the rail inboard about 5". That should make plenty of room for some meats.:burnout:

Then, repeat for other side.

 

[SNKEBIT]

Oh, and I got a needle scaler!!! Holy crappamoley!!!!!! Works awesome! :cheers:rayer::cheers:rayer::blob: