Another Mopar Off My Bucket List - Barracuda Fastback

[1967 'cuda]

Absolutely 0 accomplished here today. Rain and sinus pain kept me from getting anything done. A buddy in town stopped by around noon to see if I'd give him a hand setting the timing on a '69 442. I ended up tinkering over at his place for a few hours.

The timing didn't take long. I ended up swapping out the stiff advance springs on the MSD distributor for some light ones I had after I saw how slow the timing advanced. Must have been the right call because it really woke up after the change.

While we were test driving, the transmission started slipping so we eased it back to his garage. It turned out to be a simple fix. - Low fluid level. - But one thing led to another and before you knew it I was helping bleed the brakes.

I'm on a second antibiotic now. The first one gave me no relief. Still keeping my fingers crossed that this one will work. Maybe a few days away from the paint fumes, metal filings, and weld smoke will help. It seems as though I'm constantly breathing crap of some sorts in.

 

[1967 'cuda]

I'm not sure if there's a doofus of the year award or not but if there is - I should nominate myself.

This morning I made a template for the steel I was going to need for modifying the driveshaft loop. It's been awhile since I took the Barracuda out so I decided to drive it to the weld shop. When I backed out of the driveway I noticed that I hadn't pinned the hood down. Rather than go pull back in and grab them I told myself that I was going to be driving slow and could put them in later.

I babied the car to the shop and dropped off the template. They weren't able to plasma cut the piece for me today but will get to it Monday.

When I pulled out from the weld shop the closest traffic was a block away but some guy in a SUV came flying up behind me. That's when I was overcome by a full blown case of dumbsh*titis. I punched it and as the front end heaved upwards and the back end squatted...

- you guessed it. That big scoop caught enough air to peel the hood back. I got out of it quick enough that the hood didn't hit the windshield but it ain't pretty.

I just got home a bit ago and haven't been able to open the hood far enough yet to get to the hinge bolts. I can tell that the inner structure is broken and it's tweaked enough that it's wedged against the cowl.

 

[69_340_GTS]

Oops!!!

 

[1967 'cuda]

Oops!!!

I'd slap myself if it wasn't for fear of getting an extra headache.

The top side of the hood doesn't look bad once it's off of the car and can lay flat.

Most of the damage is isolated to the right rear corner of the hood. When it was still on the car the hood had a bulge in it and looked like bent sheetmetal.

The paint is nicked up on the edge of the cowl on the left side. It's not too bad but still...

 

[1967 'cuda]

Well, I don't live in Seattle and I'm not currently sleepless. I'm more like Hoodless in Nebraska.

It'll be awhile before I fix the damage. For now I'll just let the 408 breathe and enjoy the sunshine. The cowl chips are minor and I'll probably touch the paint up with a small brush.

 

[SNKEBIT]

OUCH!!!!! Been there, done that. Only I stuck the corners of the hood into the cowl....

 

[4spdragtop]

Was passenger with a buddy in his Monza with a 350 racing a Malibu. Folded it right back ti within a few feet of the windshield.

Hope its a cheap fix for ya.

 

[1967 'cuda]

OUCH!!!!! Been there, done that. Only I stuck the corners of the hood into the cowl....

I guess I should be counting my blessings while I'm cussing myself out. I think from now on I'll keep an extra pair of hood pins inside the car so I'll never be without them. I'd like to think I'd never make the same mistake twice but...

 

[1967 'cuda]

Was passenger with a buddy in his Monza with a 350 racing a Malibu. Folded it right back ti within a few feet of the windshield.

Hope its a cheap fix for ya.

You guys were probably able to blame it on a faulty hood latch instead of laziness. As unnerving as it was I'll file it along with my list of other moronic adventures.

It doesn't look like it'll put too big of a drain on my wallet. I've already got plenty of fiberglass here that I'd bought for the funnycar. - Like every other day here. It's one step forward and two steps back.

 

[SNKEBIT]

You guys were probably able to blame it on a faulty hood latch instead of laziness. As unnerving as it was I'll file it along with my list of other moronic adventures.

Oh, no, I was a complete dumbass. Only the hood was on the dart, no front clip, for it's maiden voyage with the new 383 I put in it. I thought, ("I'll just use a piece of wire to tie the hood down with the safety latch.") Dumbass 101. Soon as I hit 3rd gear, the tensile strength in my wire gave up halfway through a curve at 70+. Scared the livin $#!+ outta me!!! Stuck my head out the window quick enuff to see a log truck comin right at me. I was already in the wrong lane. Never do that again!!!

 

[famous bob]

Oh, no, I was a complete dumbass. Only the hood was on the dart, no front clip, for it's maiden voyage with the new 383 I put in it. I thought, ("I'll just use a piece of wire to tie the hood down with the safety latch.") Dumbass 101. Soon as I hit 3rd gear, the tensile strength in my wire gave up halfway through a curve at 70+. Scared the livin $#!+ outta me!!! Stuck my head out the window quick enuff to see a log truck comin right at me. I was already in the wrong lane. Never do that again!!!

people who never do anything, don`t mess up ! don`t feel pregnant, I`VE DONE SOME REALLY DUMB SH-- TOO !

 

[Abodybomber]

Well, I don't live in Seattle and I'm not currently sleepless. I'm more like Hoodless in Nebraska.

It'll be awhile before I fix the damage. For now I'll just let the 408 breathe and enjoy the sunshine. The cowl chips are minor and I'll probably touch the paint up with a small brush.

View attachment 1714951199

View attachment 1714951200

Ouch,John....
Of course,you could have fun with this....: Turn your baseball cap backwards,drive downtown,,and play bad heavy metal music , glaringly loud...Now you know,my era on Saturday nights,lol. Seen the non bolt on hoods ,do this?Why I scooped, the steel hood....You gonna fix it,or go new?

 

[Abodybomber]

do this,no question mark....

 

[1967 'cuda]

Oh, no, I was a complete dumbass. Only the hood was on the dart, no front clip, for it's maiden voyage with the new 383 I put in it. I thought, ("I'll just use a piece of wire to tie the hood down with the safety latch.") Dumbass 101. Soon as I hit 3rd gear, the tensile strength in my wire gave up halfway through a curve at 70+. Scared the livin $#!+ outta me!!! Stuck my head out the window quick enuff to see a log truck comin right at me. I was already in the wrong lane. Never do that again!!!

The view of the log truck bearing down on you had to be more effective than a double dose of Ex-lax. You must have felt like you were about to reenact the final scene of Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry.

 

[Abodybomber]

The view of the log truck bearing down on you had to be more effective than a double dose of Ex-lax. You must have felt like you were about to reenact the final scene of Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry.
View attachment 1714951900

Can't get more graphic ,than that John...

 

[1967 'cuda]

people who never do anything, don`t mess up ! don`t feel pregnant, I`VE DONE SOME REALLY DUMB SH-- TOO !

The Barracuda has spent way too much time as lawn art. By now I should have had dozens of misadventures with it that would have made it infamous. I guess the hood ordeal was pretty mundane but I worry more about the scuffs & dings than I did when I was an outlaw youth.

"Don't feel pregnant"? Now Bob, I'm not familiar with that expression around here. The more I think about it I guess you're just saying that I really screwed myself. - Guess you're right about that!

 

[1967 'cuda]

Ouch,John....

Of course,you could have fun with this....: Turn your baseball cap backwards,drive downtown,,and play bad heavy metal music , glaringly loud...Now you know,my era on Saturday nights,lol. Seen the non bolt on hoods ,do this?Why I scooped, the steel hood....You gonna fix it,or go new?

I've turned my cap around backwards a few times. Usually it's because I'm donning a welding helmet though. This town's so dead that if I did drive downtown on a Saturday night the only company I'd have would be crickets and the local P.D.

I haven't touched the hood since I got it off. The cheapest route would be to do a quick patch on the bottom and that's what I'll probably do. Now would be a good time to modify it so it mated with the air cleaner though.

 

[1967 'cuda]

Can't get more graphic ,than that John...

I could... - if I repeated the language I used when the hood popped up!

 

[Abodybomber]

I could... - if I repeated the language I used when the hood popped up!

OOPS!

 

[1967 'cuda]

My buddy Ray stopped over this evening. He dropped off an auction flyer to me. On Saturday July 30th there's a big Mopar parts auction in Virginia, Nebraska. Among the items being sold is a 1970 440 Sixpack Challenger that used to belong to one of my classmates (he passed away about 4 years ago). There isn't much for A-body stuff but there's a ton of B and E parts. The website shows 500 pictures of parts they'll be selling but I've heard there are a lot more.

Auction Listings in Nebraska - Auto Auction Auctions - Main Street Auction

I'm pretty sure the Challenger is solid. Although it's been repainted - it was originally this color. It's hard to tell from this one picture but it had a tail stripe too. Paul (my deceased classmate) had a pair of them. The other one came from the factory in bronze with a red tail stripe. I haven't seen the green one in decades but if it's as nice as it was when Paul had it then all of the sheetmetal is probably original.

 

[1967 'cuda]

Karma. It's got to have something to do with karma. This last weekend Teresa had me drive to Omaha to get a used treadmill for her that she found on Craigslist. Despite the sinus headaches I felt it'd be good for me to get out of the house. I needed a break after the hood incident. Nothing eventful happened until I got home. That's when something popped in my back while maneuvering the assembled treadmill into the house. Geeezzz!

Crap happens. I've messed up my back before and wasn't too concerned - figuring it'd be tender for the next few days. Although I could put up with the back pain I didn't count on the combined misery factor of the sinus headaches with it. I hate calling the clinic but this second antibiotic may have just as well been a bottle of sugar pills. I still haven't seen any relief. In 6 more days I'm supposed to return to the dentist for 2 more tooth extractions. I REALLY don't want to add that pain to the others. They prescribed a third antibiotic for me today.

Days that I'm unable to accomplish stuff in the garage keep ticking by.

One of my friends is considering buying a rotisserie. He's the guy that is restoring the '69 Coronet. We've discussed making a deal where I could borrow it. I'd love to have one so that I could work on the undercarriage of the Charger. The one he's thinking about is a ROLLER HOOP. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I wouldn't mind sticking the funnycar body on it while I'm finishing the fiberglass work.

 

[1967 'cuda]

I've had it! There's only so much misery a person should have to endure. In a desperate attempt to alleviate the sinus pain I went out and bought a sinus rinse kit. I'd done the sprays before and they didn't seem to help. I guess this is a step beyond those.

The label on the box should have read 'Water-Boarding for Masochists' but I guess they wanted to target the uninformed section of the market. I chose the version that included a large squirt bottle instead of the one that had the bowl you pour into your nose. - Not sure that was a wise decision. All I know is that this kit is capable of making me gag even without the towel over my face. (I wonder if there was supposed to be one included)

I should have suspected something was going on when I asked the pharmacist about the kits. He seemed overly anxious to show me where they were located and kept suggesting the biggest ones. He's probably at home laughing his *** off now.

Maybe I'll see if they sell bamboo I can shove under my fingernails the next time I go shopping.

 

[Abodybomber]

I've had it! There's only so much misery a person should have to endure. In a desperate attempt to alleviate the sinus pain I went out and bought a sinus rinse kit. I'd done the sprays before and they didn't seem to help. I guess this is a step beyond those.

The label on the box should have read 'Water-Boarding for Masochists' but I guess they wanted to target the uninformed section of the market. I chose the version that included a large squirt bottle instead of the one that had the bowl you pour into your nose. - Not sure that was a wise decision. All I know is that this kit is capable of making me gag even without the towel over my face. (I wonder if there was supposed to be one included)

I should have suspected something was going on when I asked the pharmacist about the kits. He seemed overly anxious to show me where they were located and kept suggesting the biggest ones. He's probably at home laughing his *** off now.

Maybe I'll see if they sell bamboo I can shove under my fingernails the next time I go shopping.

Quite the maochist,I see.....

 

[1967 'cuda]

Quite the maochist,I see.....

Hmmm... - Well I haven't been searching out scheduled meetings for dominatrix conventions (lately) but I do have an uncontrollable desire to work on Mopars. - Not sure if that counts.

 

[1967 'cuda]

Despite my better judgement I'm still continuing to use the D.I.Y. waterboarding kit. It hasn't stopped the pain but I find myself wanting to tell Teresa everything I've ever kept secret from her. If this keeps up she'll soon know how much money I've spent on all the car projects.