69 Notch Barracuda - Rebirth

[JAndrea]

I was hearing some engine knocks that coincided with my capping off the headers. I assumed it to be engine noise that was always there, but couldn’t hear it because of the open headers. Also, it totally went away after engine warmed up. But it was getting louder this week, so... since it was due for an oil change anyway, I decided to run about 50 miles or so with some Seafoam through the oil (and gas). I did so and drained it (nothing strange in oil), then changed the oil filter and dumped in 5 qts of Lucas Classic Car Oil (w/ZDDP) 10W-40... Knocking sound was still there I Took a closer look at the front of the engine (sound was echoing all over the compartment but seemed to come from waterpump area). I’d been checking and retorqueing Lots of bolts and nuts for weeks, but for some dumb reason, I didn’t check the crankshaft pulley. Sure enough... It was missing 2 bolts and the other 4 were very loose. The pulley was wobbling all over. Not sure what happened here, I’m sure I had blue thread locker on the Torqued bolts.

Anyway.. I installed new bolts with lock washers and blue loc-tite. Then happened to strip one of the six (I’ll fix this later)

Also, moved my dist vacuum from manifold vacuumed to ported carb vacuum like it originally was... then reset the initial timing and idle speed.

fired it up and was amazed... no more cold-start idle probs, no more knocking it ticking... it purred like a kitten and roared like a lion. Also, Oil PSI never looked so good. Before it bounced around (mechanical) now it held Super steady at 70 PSI while cruising and surged from around 40-70 psi while accelerating through gears.

Most enjoyment yet driving it around. Had a guy yell, “Do you want to sell it?” My wife just shook her head “no”

 

[JAndrea]

thanks for the sound of the Magnaflows, i was trying to decide what to put on my valiant and these sound perfect. i've got 2-1/2in TTi with the Dynomax mufflers they supply. they have the craziest drone from 800- 1200 rpm, and it freaking resonates with everything it's parked next to.

I can’t get enough of the sound of mine. I hope you’re as happy if you get them.

 

[kursplat]

I can’t get enough of the sound of mine. I hope you’re as happy if you get them.

ordering tomorrow

 

[JAndrea]

So, after a severely enjoyable summer with lots of short and long afternoon drives.. I finally shut her down for the winter. A few days later, I tore into the dash to fix various issues (fuel gauge, Speedo head, instrument lights, frazzled appearance)...

For those searching in the future.
1969 Barracuda instrument dash cluster removal:

1. Disconnect neg battery cable
2. Disconnect the Speedo cable (clip-on for a ‘69.. not threaded) at rear of Speedo head.
3. I had to remove my AC duct/venting under the radio, etc. I’m not sure what others have.
4. Pull cigarette lighter out of receptacle.
5. Reach under and behind console to rear of cigarette lighter and grip rear cigarette lighter housing and unscrew. The lighter receptacle and rear receptacle portion clamp to the console face. It’s very difficult to get a grip back there.. and may be seized like mine.. but it did come loose with just the use of my hand.
6. Remove upper and lower phillips head screws around entire cluster face.
   
7. Lower steering column an inch or so
8. Knobs: No need to remove the temp slider, fan speed, light switch, wiper switch (probably remove this now, since it is just a friction fit.. I did it on the bench and it’s unnecessarily risky to separate at that time), hazard switch, radio dials, until after the cluster is out.
   
9. Start to rotate cluster out.
10. The first resistance will be the heater temp slider control cable where it’s attached in the rear. My radio was totally in the way, or it would have been pretty easy to disconnect from underneath. But my radio was a real bich to get out (a bolt and hanger in back and the two incredibly frustrating peg/slots in the dash front that connect to the front radio hangers), but I was able to loosen/bang on the radio enough to disconnect the heater cable from the front with a long (14” or so) flat head screw driver... slip the cable end off rear slider by pushing/wedging downward on cable, then another long screw driver from underneath (in front of hanging radio) to free the cable housing clamp.
11. Lift entire cluster face up a little as you’re trying to rotate it further out now... to get it past the lower edge of the dash housing.. this gives your hand a little more room to start reaching behind.
12. Take pictures
13. Start detaching plugs. If I were to do it over, I would have wedged a flat head screw driver between plug body slots that clamp around the little brass pins to try and loosen them, but whatever.. they were pretty seized and these are old brittle pins and not sure I would have tried to reuse them anyway.
14. Once the cluster is out, taking it apart is easy.
15. Knobs first: light switch uses push button in the housing to release the knob/shaft. Allen screw for heater slider control.
16. Slotted threaded front facing clamps for various switches come loose with either a set of snap ring pliers wedged into the slots, or a sharp edged punch and a controlled rap with a hammer.
17. The rest of the screws that clamp the rear to the front are self explanatory. I was very happy when the two halves separated easily and there were no falling pieces that were once wedged between them that I was going to have to try and figure out where the hail they went

 

[JAndrea]

And yes, I broke a few pins, and was half expecting it from project prep searches on fabo... but not worried about it. After looking at several options on fabo, I think I’ll solder short wires directly to an updated plug set. I like the brass nail/brad idea, but to me it still seems a little brittle and suspect over time.

 

[JAndrea]

Some more pics...

 

[JAndrea]

FYI here is a great pin refurbish option passed on by @4spdragtop (@MoparMike1974). Thanks!

Circuit Board Connector Pin Broke

 

[JAndrea]

Gauge cluster breakdown..

 

[4spdragtop]

Some good info, have fun!
My New FABO Reality Show...Rani, I'ma Callin' You Out!!!

 

[JAndrea]

Dash...

Not super crazy about the “chrome” paint, but I was fully expecting that it would look exactly like it does, since I’ve used it in the past. But no big deal to me.

Still a lot to do, but the first layer came out satisfactory.

Circuit boards went to @MoparMike1974 and they are on the way back to me. I’ll be bench testing all of my gauges as well.

 

[JAndrea]

Carpet is going in as well! I’m just temping it in and will be pulling it back out to put some soundproofing in.

The carpet is from ACC and through Rockauto ($228). I’m very happy with the quality so far. Once I laid it in the correct spot (pre-molded), everything fell into place like a glove! Then it was just a matter of cutting the excess and finding where to cut the holes.

 

[61forfun]

Looking good! Been there on my car too!! Totally worth it to have everything working and beautified!!

 

[JAndrea]

The front section didn’t fit so hot, as many others have noted. I’ll be pulling it back out in the summer to cover the floor with rust inhibitor and then to try and relay it and possibly glue it where needed.

 

[JAndrea]

Dash pad removal.. speaker removal, glovebox insert and mouse/squirrel crap, etc...

 

[MrJLR]

Dash pad removal.. speaker removal, glovebox insert and mouse/squirrel crap, etc...

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Did you have to remove the windshield to get the upper dash pad out???

Jeff

 

[mosleyme]

Did you have to remove the windshield to get the upper dash pad out???

Jeff

Theoretically you have to pull the windshield to remove the dash frame, not the dash pad. Once the cluster and glove box are out of the way you can get to the nuts/ bolts that hold the pad on. The bolts holding the dash frame to the cowl go in from the top which is why you have to pull the windshield, but I have heard of people cutting the bolts from the bottom side to get around that.

 

[mpgmike]

34 years ago I pulled the dash frame without removing the windshield on a '70 Duster. Getting the old bolts out, though a biatch, wasn't nearly as bad as trying to get them back in later.

 

[JAndrea]

Did you have to remove the windshield to get the upper dash pad out???

Jeff

As others have said.. No, the dash ‘pad’ itself comes off super easy if the gauge cluster and glovebox liner are out. Your fingers, a mirror to confirm head size, and a small ratchet and extension/deep socket are all that’s needed. Speed nuts in the middle and a hex head screw just below the corners.

 

[JAndrea]

Today I sanded the dash frame with 400 grit.. hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to paint the dash, glovebox lid, and ash tray with SEM Trim Black.

 

[JAndrea]

Removed the wiper motor, pivots, and wiper arms. The drivers side pivot was completely seized, which explains why the wipers didn’t work. The couple of times I tested the wipers, I’d see the slightest stammer in the arms, then id shut it down right away. It took three days of soaking in wd-40, and a vice and a heavy hammer to free it up, little by little each day. Both are spinning freely now. I may tap a grease zerk into the housing like others have done, not sure yet. Replacement bushings, etc will be needed. I’ll also be cleaning (wire wheel) up the wiper arms.

I also bench tested the motor at various speeds, as well as the “ park” position. The manual tells you all you need to know here.

 

[JAndrea]

I also got the dash assembly put back together (temporarily.. think I need a new fuel gauge).. I new, modern voltage regulator is on the way..

 

[JAndrea]

Pics.. I painted the black dash panel with an enamel paint pen from Hobby Lobby.. also various other “silver” touch up pens. The enamel dried WAY too glossy, so I covered the entire black panel with a satin varnish.. also from Hobby Lobby.

 

[JAndrea]

Here are some of the interior pieces (also removed and painted the windshield dash vents) after painting...

 

[61forfun]

Looks fabulous! Nice job indeed. I did the same on my car. My pic profile has several pics of the dash mounted on my work table jig. I pulled the whole dash, restored all and wired and tested all before dropping it in as a unit.

 

[JAndrea]

Looks fabulous! Nice job indeed. I did the same on my car. My pic profile has several pics of the dash mounted on my work table jig. I pulled the whole dash, restored all and wired and tested all before dropping it in as a unit.

Great pics on your project, Sam, and nice job!