65 Barracuda daily driver

[65barracudaLA]

The radiator started leaking again, so I ordered a brand new one from Champion. Despite being supposedly the right one for a '65 Slant 6 Barracuda, it did not fit at all. It's about an inch too wide and simply doesn't fit at all. After a lot of cursing, I put the old one back in and went on a 300 mile road trip the next day for our annual Campsgiving. Did not overheat at all, but I think I might need a new rear end... The gear oil has been seeping out of a bad seal and may have been dry for a while. Very noisy... Time to pick up another 7 1/4" for 50 bucks somewhere... I know how superior a 8 3/4" or even a 8 1/4" is, but I don't race and I just don't want to spend any money on that.

 

[JDMopar]

There’s a free 7 1/4 in parts for sale right now. You might have to pay shipping if it’s too far to go get. It’s on the left coast at least!

 

[65barracudaLA]

Thanks, I'm waiting to see, if he's willing to ship on my expense. I've seen some locally, but they don't have the 10" brakes like this one.

 

[JDMopar]

Hope it works out for you.

 

[65barracudaLA]

I still didn't get a replacement radiator (long story), but I had planned a trip to San Francisco to visit friends and to watch the Bears play the 49ers (I was born in Chicago). I had just installed the new Vintage Air slimline A/C, heater & defrost unit (without hooking up the A/C). I bought brand new heater hoses that had a much thinner than wall than what I had, but had the same 5/8" I.D.. I pointed that out to the Autozone employee who shrugged and said that was the only one he had. I asked him, if he ever had a heater hose blow, but he shrugged again and so I left and installed it. On the drive up on a steep grade the car started getting a bit hot, but turning on the heater and slowing helped to bring it back down. I figured that too much coolant had come out of the old, leaking radiator to cool the engine efficiently. However, it happened again about 30 minutes outside of San Francisco and I turned on the heater and it was just blowing cold and the temperature didn't come down. So I pulled to the side of the freeway and when I walked to the front of the car there was coolant shooting through the grille... It looked like there was a hole in the radiator, but then I saw that brand new hose had a 3" long tear where the coolant was coming out, shooting through the radiator fins and grille. Luckily I had left the other hose long enough, so I could cut the torn part and switch them over and I also had enough water with me to fill the radiator back up. The whole thing only took about ten minutes and we were back on the road.

Also, I noticed that it's possibly not the rear end gears that are making noise, but the right rear ball bearing. However, I should address that better sooner than later. It's loud! Speaking of loud - the muffler (I believe it's a Magnaflow) is so loud at 70 mph, that you almost can't talk. Since I plan on going on a lot more road trips, I might have to go with a more stock one. Of course I had noticed that before, but when you're driving for 8 hours it's a different story...

 

[65barracudaLA]

I found a 7 1/4" sure grip!

 

[JDMopar]

And you used your Truckacuda to haul it home! Awesome.

 

[65barracudaLA]

And you used your Truckacuda to haul it home! Awesome.

When you only have one car, it gets used for everything...

 

[Hyper_pak]

I like the 66 rear window trim!

 

[65barracudaLA]

I like the 66 rear window trim!

Me, too! That actually came on the car when I bought it. But I happen to like the '66 trim better than the Valiant 'V', so I have a '66 horn button. The hubcaps are from a '66 Fury. The only 'V's on the car are on the turn signal bezels in the front, but I painted them red and black just like the V8 emblems on the fenders...

 

[65barracudaLA]

I finally found some SBP Cragar S/S on craigslist! The rears are 15", but the front wheels are only 14" and I hope to change them for 15" one day. But very happy for now!

But I only put them on to see what they look like, because I'm missing some right hand thread lug nuts, so I put the old front wheels back on until I get the new lug nuts from jegs on Thursday... Can't wait.

 

[66fyssh]

I love it!!!

 

[65barracudaLA]

Finally got the lug nuts and took a better picture. First of all - the lug nuts don't have the right diameter washer despite being original Cragar lug nuts... Those 14"s in the front looks tiny - I'll turn down the torsions bars a bit to make it look a bit more even. I guess in the end I just need 15"s. Also, the tires are junk and way too wide for the rims. Currently 215/6R14 in the front and 235/60R15 in the back. I think I want to go 205/70R14 up front and 215/60R15 in the back. Eventually 205/60R15 in the front, if I find 2 more 15"s.

 

[JDMopar]

The 235's look pretty good to me. Do they rub at all? If the rims are 15 x 7's, that's plenty of rim for a 235. Your car looks really good with the Cragars.

 

[66fyssh]

I agree. Fill in the back wheelwells as much as possible.

Those front wheels do look small, but remember when all we had were 14" wheels!!!!

 

[65barracudaLA]

The 235's look pretty good to me. Do they rub at all? If the rims are 15 x 7's, that's plenty of rim for a 235. Your car looks really good with the Cragars.

No, they don't rub, but they balloon quite a bit. The fronts are 14x6, I haven't looked at how wide the rears are yet, but I assume they might also be 15x6. So, if I get another two 15s, I'll get 15x7s and swap front and back.

 

[65barracudaLA]

I agree. Fill in the back wheelwells as much as possible.

Those front wheels do look small, but remember when all we had were 14" wheels!!!!

Haha, good point, but the 15s make it look sooo much better! What size rallyes do you have on yours?

 

[66fyssh]

I have 14"sbp in mine.

I like the 15" better, your back wheels look Great!

Not sure when they started putting 15" on Mopars but I remember such small wheels way back then. Especially compared to now!

Haha, good point, but the 15s make it look sooo much better! What size rallyes do you have on yours?

 

[66fyssh]

Here's a side shot. Man, I'll be glad to get new rear springs on soon! It's drooping!! Going to rebuild my front suspension and replace leaf springs in the next couple of months.

 

[65barracudaLA]

I have 14"sbp in mine.

I like the 15" better, your back wheels look Great!

Not sure when they started putting 15" on Mopars but I remember such small wheels way back then. Especially compared to now!

I guess the white walls on yours make it look bigger. I guess most '64-66' Barracudas came with 13s, which looks just ridiculous in my opinion...

 

[66fyssh]

Yeah, between white walls and different style wheels, they look bigger than they are, especially the fronts.

It's crazy to think of 13" wheels!!

 

[65barracudaLA]

Here's a side shot. Man, I'll be glad to get new rear springs on soon! It's drooping!! Going to rebuild my front suspension and replace leaf springs in the next couple of months.

View attachment 1715276897

I got the standard height Heavy Duty springs from ESPO and I'm very happy with them. Not that expensive. Mine were sagging even worse than yours:

 

[66fyssh]

I was thinking of going with ESPO standard height, but hadn't thought about heavy duty. I'll look into them.

I think your stance in the picture with the Cragers is perfect!

 

[Commando66]

The new wheels look great. Like others have said, keep the same size in back. A little taller in front and you're set. Do you have a sway bar in front?

 

[65barracudaLA]

The new wheels look great. Like others have said, keep the same size in back. A little taller in front and you're set. Do you have a sway bar in front?

No sway bar installed yet, but I do have an original sway bar and the lower control arms have tabs, but I can't find the bushings that attach it to the K-frame.