'68 Barracuda project

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Haven't been on in a long time. Started a new Job, now I have money to play with the car. The truck is almost back together so that can come out of the garage and the 'Cuda will go in.

Been thinking of goals that I want to accomplish with this car.

Goals:
Weight distribution front/rear between 52/48 to 50/50
Weight distribution driverside/passengerside 50/50
500hp/500tq from 383 (I know some said it can't be done, we will see.)
Lower Center of Gravity
Be able to pull 1 G on a skid pad

How much do these weight stock with a big block? I think its around 3000lbs?
I would like to be below 3000lbs.

We will see how realistic some of these goals are as the project progresses. But those are the starting points for now.


Has anyone mini tubed a one of these? It looks like there isn't much room between the rear seat and the wheel well.
 
I have a list of parts that I need for the car, and I am sure it will get longer as I start to dissemble the car.

Heater box
Steering column, floor shift, manual steering box
Steering wheel
Interior courtesy light lenses
transmission cross-member spool type
K-frame spool type
8 3/4
Console gear shift linkage bracket, the one that bolts to the transmission, see picture below.
002-3.jpg



I have 1966 steering column and wheel in the car now. I can trade that for a 1968 steering column and wheel, or if someone is interested in it I can sell it also.
 
Finally the Cuda is in the garage. Need to clean the garage up a little more tomorrow and hopefully I will start disassemble.

1985RamProject006.jpg
 
A broken foot really limits what you can do plus being 45 minutes away doesn't help either.

I was working on little stuff that I could take with me. I had the gauge cluster out and was going to start restoring that. Disassembled that and found that the PCB for the gauges was in poor condition and the pins were loose or pulling out. So after some research and experimenting I figured out a way to duplicate the stock PCB. I think it turned out pretty good. I used a double sided PCB so I was able to soldier the pins on both sides, so now they won't pull out. Just need to tape up the contacts for the bolts and the light bulbs and put a blue coat of paint on it.

Original PCB:
CRC_PCB_4.jpg



My PCB:
CRC_PCB_1.jpg


CRCPCB.jpg
 
Looks like the fun is just begining. Good luck with your build, take lots of pics and use lots of plastic baggies when taking apart sure helps later.
 
Wow, just seeing your build now. Nice car, looks like a nice solid project. Nice work on the PCB, how the heck did you make that??? The POR you used on your engine...was it spray or brush on?? I used the brush on POR(black) on my kframe and it looks great. I didnt realize they had a good color selection. Keep the pics coming
 
4spdragtop said:
Wow, just seeing your build now. Nice car, looks like a nice solid project. Nice work on the PCB, how the heck did you make that??? The POR you used on your engine...was it spray or brush on?? I used the brush on POR(black) on my kframe and it looks great. I didnt realize they had a good color selection. Keep the pics coming
Click to expand...

I brushed on the POR-15. I'll be painting the entire underside of the Cuda with it.

Started working on the Cuda. Need to make a dolly so I can get the front suspension off. I see that people bolt it to where the bumpers bolt to.


Day 1 July 24

1968Barracudaproject072.jpg



Day 2 July 25

1968Barracudaproject067.jpg



Day 3 July 26

1968Barracudaproject089.jpg
 
Are all of the A-body steering columns a direct swap between 1967-1969? What years steering columns will bolt into my car?
 
i got the same ride and rebuilding. but im not going to do as much body detail as you.(fenders not coming off) wat size engines u have? mines blue right. wat color you going for? i like your rims. i like the front picture sitting in the garage. my hoods off right now. waiting to install
 
JGC403 said:
Are all of the A-body steering columns a direct swap between 1967-1969? What years steering columns will bolt into my car?
Click to expand...

Yeah, anything 67-69 will work. If you are going from power to manual, you will need a longer column or an adaptor to extend the shaft. Flaming River used to sell a nice u-joint that did this and there is another version that looks like a macined piece a couple inches long. That piece was also used by the factory in full size vans in some years when manual steering was used.

When I went to manual on my 68, I bought a manual steering column assembly but when it came right down to it, my original column was in better shape than the "new" one so I just swapped out the actual shaft and kept everything else that was original to the car. I think going to manual takes about 25 lbs off the front of the car and I was glad to get rid of that ugly, slimy, heavy chunk. Simple is good for me.

One word of caution, when these columns are out of the car handle them gently. The safety collapsibility is done by using nylon shear pins that shear off in an accident so the column will telescope. It's very easy to shear them by dropping them onto the end of the shaft when out of the car.
 
Thanks. What do you look for to tell the difference between the 1970 up steering columns and the 67-69?
 
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