69 Notch Barracuda - Rebirth

JAndrea · Feb 2, 2021

I also polished up/painted the heater controls and created a radio delete out of the original radio face.

4spdragtop · Feb 2, 2021

Well done, looks awesome.

JAndrea · Feb 6, 2021

Proud workshop designer/builder moment (daughter doing fetal pig anatomy research)!!

JAndrea · Feb 6, 2021

The rebuild and install of the windshield wiper assembly went much easier than expected, considering the tight space. Complete firewall gasket set and wiper pivot bushings were purchased from Detroit Muscle Technologies. Great price, products, and supplemental installation printouts!

JAndrea · Feb 7, 2021

Bench testing all light bulbs and gauges. I bought a $10 instrument voltage regulator from Classic industries and it seems to be doing exactly what it is supposed to be doing (pulsing between ~1-7 volts on my voltmeter)

Fuel gauge needle is moving for the first time since I’ve had it on the road. :thumbsup:

61forfun · Feb 13, 2021

Getting her done!! Been going through much of the same on my 14 yr old boys SWB 65’ D100. No stone unturned

JAndrea said:
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.

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JAndrea · Feb 13, 2021

61forfun said:
Getting her done!! Been going through much of the same on my 14 yr old boys SWB 65’ D100. No stone unturned

i LOVE those trucks. I’d love to rebuild a similar one some day!

JAndrea · Feb 14, 2021

Here are some dash painting pics... I used Eastman Trim Black, which is really great stuff and dries to a nice uniform satin finish. I taped over the VIN plate because I want to leave that with the original patina, as well as keep the embossing and Chrysler printing intact.

Getting a good seal at the interface of the dash and windshield took some extra care. The shape of the cardboard, along with some finely folded paint paper led to no overspray getting to the window.

4spdragtop · Feb 14, 2021

Well done! :thumbsup:

JAndrea said:
Here are some dash painting pics... I used Eastman Trim Black, which is really great stuff and dries to a nice uniform satin finish. I taped over the VIN plate because I want to leave that with the original patina, as well as keep the embossing and Chrysler printing intact.

Getting a good seal at the interface of the dash and windshield took some extra care. The shape of the cardboard, along with some finely folded paint paper led to no overspray getting to the window.

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JAndrea · Feb 15, 2021

After pricing out new dashes and having someone restore my old one, I decided the best coarse of action is to refurbish the core myself and simply recover it with new vinyl. My core is in really good shape, considering, so I have a great base to work with.

so far I’ve carved out the existing cracks and sanded them down.

I purchased the following:

HH-66 vinyl cement for adhering the new vinyl cover ($17)
Urethane Supply Company 2050-9 Padded dash sandable filler ($20)
2 yds outdoor marine Vinyl ($29)

I’m still waiting on the filler, so can’t do much more until that comes. Seems like a pretty straight forward job.

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JAndrea · Feb 23, 2021

While I was waiting on the dash filler compound to show up, I completed the Mad ammeter bypass... and solved the mystery (I think) of why, one day last summer, my car acted as though I turned the key off while driving. It never happened again, but I’m assuming the main power wire (“J”, fusible link from starter solenoid) into the bulkhead connector was the culprit, since it completely fell apart after I snipped it near the bulkhead and tried to remove the wire. I ran the new main power wires though an existing hole in the firewall, however, since drilling out the bulkhead connectors, IMO, is just way too aggressive at this point and I wanted to minimize disruption (I’ll be installing a new engine harness in a later phase) to the fussy bulkhead system.

JAndrea · Feb 23, 2021

Also, I made a cheat sheet for the bulkhead diagram and connectors when viewed from the front of the car, as well as from inside the cabin (comes in handy for a quick double check when wedged under the dash!). I was completely unsatisfied with how the manual, or my large laminated diagram displays the layout... twisting my brain into a pretzel to gain a ‘view’ perspective was like some kind of twisted quantum physics exercise.

MORE on the diagram.

JAndrea · Feb 27, 2021

Dash crack filler and sanding..

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JAndrea · Mar 8, 2021

Update on the dash pad recovering project: abandoned!!

It was much too difficult for a do-it-yoselfer like me, who also doesn’t want it NOT to look like a “hack job.” I can give more details if anyone wants.

I ended up buying a new dash pad from MoparPlus 3888 Mopar 1969-76 A-Body 67 & 69 Barracuda Dash Pad. It arrived today (fast shipping) and installed in about a half hour. This is a really nice and sturdy pad. The studs lined up perfectly (no outside corner screw holes however, but you don’t really need them.

Sylvania 2825 Silverstar bulbs went in in place of the 194-type dim bulbs. The dash lighting is still a little dim (should improve once I fire up the engine), but better than before, and just fine for now, since I’m not looking to do any serious electrical upgrades for a long time.

JAndrea · Mar 8, 2021

Since the pad went on so easy, I decided to start in on the dash cluster installation. About an hour later, everything (almost) was hooked up and WORKING! Most notably, my fuel gauge sprang to life for the fist time in the car, and my once-seized wiper posts were spinning with two speeds as they should!

JAndrea · Mar 8, 2021

I’ve also been painting all kinds of interior pieces... and adding a few other details like callouts and a Lucky Strike sticker..

For the panels, I heated some Gorilla tape and secured the loose original vinyl in place (after a scrubbing with mineral spirits on the edges).

For the vinyl, I used SEM paint prep spray and SEM Landau Black vinyl paint.

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JAndrea · Mar 8, 2021

Oh.. and I got sick of struggling with my 20+ year old 3/8 ratchet (flips direction on its own) and bought a new one... then had to do some aggressive porting on the organizer :thumbsup:

4spdragtop · Mar 8, 2021

Great work all around! Wow, everything looks great! Nice touch with the 440 badge too.

JAndrea · Mar 8, 2021

4spdragtop said:
Great work all around! Wow, everything looks great! Nice touch with the 440 badge too.

Thank you! And thanks for staying in touch and for all your tips all over these boards!

JAndrea · Mar 9, 2021

“1969”

Here is the stamp on the back of my driver door panel... there are just some things that can never be replaced.

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JAndrea · Mar 16, 2021

I got the gauges all remounted (removed the A/C bank of vents) and hooked up, steering column back in place.. went to start her up and found that I’d connected the alternator wire to the starter solenoid (starter gear wouldn’t disengage when key was in ‘run’ position) post... doh!! :realcrazy:

Once I got that little issue fixed, she fired right up with a little starter fluid down the gullet.

Had a great first drive of the season... speedometer, odometer, gas gauge all working now.

Still NOT working were left signal dash lamp, no turn signal canceling whatsoever... quickly found that I’m tired of having to remember to turn my signals off

so tore into the steering wheel the next day.

I knew the cancel cam would be broken, but also found several of the original wires had significant insulation splitting at or near the switch. So, on the way is a new column switch/harness, and a new 13 1/2” wood steering wheel.

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