Another Mopar Off My Bucket List - Barracuda Fastback

[1967 'cuda]

Not wild about the grill, but that is just one wimpy man's opinion. Just a little too much copper up there and it reminds of a rusty radiator spew. Thinking the headlights alone colored copper would look better. I am ok with your Halloween costumes though.....

Ya, I had thought that the grill would seem to tie everything together. I was OK with painting the tail light assemblies gold and I thought that helped the back end. When I got the copper on the grill last night it was like eh. I'd really hoped that it was going to thrill me once I saw it outside. - But my reaction is about the same. I'm not sure but I think it needs more color contrast between the lights and the grill. I may try blacking the grill out next before I go to the trouble of tearing it apart to strip off the finish.

I should have snapped some photos of the car without anything on the lights. Maybe I should have just removed the blue and left them clear.

 

[1967 'cuda]

It's just a race car.
It's just a race car.
It's just a race car.
It's just a race car.
It's just a race car.

The Duster was an impulse purchase. It had been 30-some years since I'd raced and the idea of having a 440 Duster already set up for the track seemed cool. - After all, I'm not getting any younger and if I really wanted to go racing again I needed something to do it in. I realize that I could have run anything. I could have drug the PT Cruiser out of the weeds and putted down the track. But I wanted a dedicated race car capable of turning some respectable times. The only car I'd ever took to a strip was my '70 Roadrunner (back in the 70s). 13 second times were alright for a street car but not as fast as I wanted to go now.

The price wasn't too bad considering they had more money in the engine than what they were asking for the car. I figured that the coil over rear suspension, Dana rear end, tires & wheels, fuel cell, and roll cage had to be worth something. And keep in mind that I was getting a Duster to boot!

The problem is that race cars aren't considered to be very valuable. They normally sell for considerably less than what the owners invest in them.

So even though I've been 'playing' with the Duster, I've kept reminding myself that it's 'only a race car'. I've tried to keep everything on the cheap side. The majority of the work I've done is cosmetic. I didn't spend that much on the paint and lettering. There is some rust on a few of the body panels that I really would like to repair but the cost is what I'm trying to avoid. Doing the work myself might be less expensive than farming it out but it still adds up.

Speed is an addiction. The car is no slouch but I was disappointed that it wasn't faster. As much as I'd like to drop a few seconds in e.t. - it's not in my budget. It is fun to drive. It sounds so damn purty when you nail that throttle. But my aspirations are to stay concentrating on the cosmetics. - Do my best trying to reproduce the image of what I think a 70s drag car should look like.

So if you guys start thinking that my priorities are misplaced, - they would be if I was determined to get serious at the drags. If I was 20 years younger things would be different.

Most likely I'll take the same approach when it comes to the funnycar. - I'll be trying to build something that won't grenade on me and that's fun to drive. And I'll be trying to make the coolest nostalgia car I can afford.

 

[Abodybomber]

It's just a race car.
It's just a race car.
It's just a race car.
It's just a race car.
It's just a race car.

The Duster was an impulse purchase. It had been 30-some years since I'd raced and the idea of having a 440 Duster already set up for the track seemed cool. - After all, I'm not getting any younger and if I really wanted to go racing again I needed something to do it in. I realize that I could have run anything. I could have drug the PT Cruiser out of the weeds and putted down the track. But I wanted a dedicated race car capable of turning some respectable times. The only car I'd ever took to a strip was my '70 Roadrunner (back in the 70s). 13 second times were alright for a street car but not as fast as I wanted to go now.

The price wasn't too bad considering they had more money in the engine than what they were asking for the car. I figured that the coil over rear suspension, Dana rear end, tires & wheels, fuel cell, and roll cage had to be worth something. And keep in mind that I was getting a Duster to boot!

The problem is that race cars aren't considered to be very valuable. They normally sell for considerably less than what the owners invest in them.

So even though I've been 'playing' with the Duster, I've kept reminding myself that it's 'only a race car'. I've tried to keep everything on the cheap side. The majority of the work I've done is cosmetic. I didn't spend that much on the paint and lettering. There is some rust on a few of the body panels that I really would like to repair but the cost is what I'm trying to avoid. Doing the work myself might be less expensive than farming it out but it still adds up.

Speed is an addiction. The car is no slouch but I was disappointed that it wasn't faster. As much as I'd like to drop a few seconds in e.t. - it's not in my budget. It is fun to drive. It sounds so damn purty when you nail that throttle. But my aspirations are to stay concentrating on the cosmetics. - Do my best trying to reproduce the image of what I think a 70s drag car should look like.

So if you guys start thinking that my priorities are misplaced, - they would be if I was determined to get serious at the drags. If I was 20 years younger things would be different.

Most likely I'll take the same approach when it comes to the funnycar. - I'll be trying to build something that won't grenade on me and that's fun to drive. And I'll be trying to make the coolest nostalgia car I can afford.

All of the above, is true. I would rather enjoy the ride, and not break parts anymore. Did that in my 20 and 30's, too expensive anymore to be enjoyable.

 

[1967 'cuda]

Why concentrate on cosmetics? - It's like the reason the hillbilly gave for wearing a tuxedo to his vasectomy. He figured that if he was going to be impotent, he wanted to look impotent.

 

[Abodybomber]

Why concentrate on cosmetics? - It's like the reason the hillbilly gave for wearing a tuxedo to his vasectomy. He figured that if he was going to be impotent, he wanted to look impotent.

Oh Sheiit...., Lmao.

 

[1967 'cuda]

This year one of my friends (Doug) took his '69 Sixpack Superbee to a business in Lincoln, Nebraska to have it worked on. His original intention was to have them detail out the engine compartment and tune the carbs.

They talked him into overhauling the engine by telling him that he might as well have it freshened while it was out. They charged him around $35,000 for the work. No upholstery work. No suspension work. No changes or modifications to the rest of the car. They did buff out the old paint. $35,000!!

They claimed over 50 hours labor just in stripping the engine compartment. Another buddy of mine Ray (that owns my old '69 Sixpack Superbee) went along with him to check up on how the motor rebuild was going. It was a good thing that he did. They were planning on discarding all of the special components that were factory on the engine in favor of cheaper common 440 parts.

After they got it put back together they couldn't get the carbs tuned and wanted to start modifying them. Luckily Ray had gone with him again. Ray ended up showing them how to set the carbs up.

Now although Doug had figured that it would cost him a bunch to have the work done, he was shell shocked when he got the bill. But he was screwed. If he wanted his car back he had to fork up the money.

Doug's Superbee.

Ray's Superbee. (my old car)

View attachment IMG_0027.jpg

View attachment IMG_0513.jpg

 

[1967 'cuda]

Doug and Ray are both nice guys. Both farm. Both Mopar fanatics. And both have owned the Superbees since the 70s.

Doug would never have chosen to have that work done on his car if he had known what they were going to charge him. He knew up front that it would run around $100 per hour but figured that his Bee had become worth enough that it would be worthwhile to have it spruced up.

I'm sure he regrets letting them talk him into the motor work after the engine was out. But even so he had a hard time believing that they'd put 50 hours labor in stripping the engine compartment.

If Doug was the type of guy that did his own work he'd have only spent a fraction of that $35,000 on his car. As a matter of fact he could have done the work and possibly bought 2 or 3 other cars with that kind of money.

I know that some people ask a fortune for some of these old cars and everyone thinks they're nuts. But unless they're willing to do most of their own work they'll have a fortune in them. Guys on this site will sometimes post links to car ads that they believe are outrageously priced. I don't disagree.

But the number of shops out there willing to do restoration work is pretty limited and it can be hard to find one that produces decent quality. It takes a lot of time to do that work. Anybody here that does their own knows that. So the hours will pile up and so will the cost.

I've heard some say that they're not concerned with the amount they put in their cars. I say that they should be. Even when you do your own work it's easy to get upside down on them. There are tons of $10,000 vehicles out there that the owners have dumped closer to $20,000 into.

On my race car Duster I know that I've got into it about as much as I can expect to get back out of it when I sell it. Is it worth more? I believe so. But what I believe is irrelevant to prospective buyers. So when I tell myself that I paid $700 for the slicks I know that I'll be lucky to recoup that money.

We're all idiots. The love of these cars costs each of us dearly. Financially we'd all be better off putting around in rusty Yugos and taking up crocheting. I'm sure that is what a lot of non-car people think of us. And they're right.

Now and then I think about dumping everything and becoming respectable.

Maybe I'd take up golf and start wearing shirts with collars and toss out all of my blue jeans that have holes and grease stains.

There wouldn't be any of that grime beneath my fingernails anymore.

My garage would become a place I could park in and still have room for the mower.

Instead of waking before the crack of dawn to make it to swap meets I could be reading the financial section of the newspaper. (I'd learn how to invest in stocks and stuff if I had money)

My lawn would be pristine.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Nah!!! I was beginning to creep myself out. I think I'll remain an idiot. My mind would probably snap and you'd find me perched at the top of some bell tower.

I don't know the difference between a driver and a putter and I hate plaid pants.

I'd miss the sound of uncorked headers.

Facebook already has enough people posting pictures of children and grandchildren on it.

I figure that I support the community now with the money I've paid in traffic tickets and gas taxes.

The local parts store might have to lay off one of it's salespeople if I give up the hobby.

The economy would collapse.

None of my car buddies would know me.

Sheesh! I think I just relived Jimmy Stewart's role in 'It's a Wonderful Life'.

Do you suppose that when you hear the sound of a big block firing up that means that Clarence just got his NHRA license.

View attachment Yugo.jpg

View attachment its-a-wonderful-life.jpg

View attachment its_a_wonderful_life_3.jpg

View attachment kitten.jpg

View attachment 4ea39f1518e9d.image.jpg

View attachment blues_brothers-gal-431.jpg

 

[1967 'cuda]

When I raced the Duster in Iowa it had gotten warm and puked out a lot of coolant. At the time I added water to replenish it. With winter getting close I knew I'd have to drain the system and either leave it dry or add some form of antifreeze.

Knowing that the header bolts go into the water jackets on the heads, I figured I'd repaint the headers first. I've never taken them off since buying the car but had figured that fenderwell headers would be easy to work with. It was a pain in the butt it was to get them off. The driver's side wedges between the master cylinder and the inner fender/firewall and the block when you try to remove it. The passenger side wedges between the shock tower, the block, front tire, and the firewall.

I thought I'd be able to lift them right out. Wrong. It took a lot of finagling. To get the passenger side out I had to jack the motor and remove the front wheel. It came out from below.

I probably should have kept them black but I had a couple of cans of orange VHT header paint here so I used it. Gold might have been a nice choice too. I'll live with this orange for now. If I pull the headers back off next year again I'll switch colors unless the orange really grows on me. We'll see how everything looks after I get it all put back together.

While the headers are off I'll probably try to spruce up the engine also. I'm considering changing the color on it to orange. It's black now. I like the brighter colors because it makes it easier to see everything. I see that the firewall still has a lot of undercoating on it and some of it is peeling. I should have pulled the motor but didn't want to go to that much work. I'll try to clean up the engine compartment as much as I can before re-installing those headers.

I think I may be able to trim some more of the inner fender structure away to allow easier access. I don't have a full cage so I know I'll have to stay conservative removing more tin. I've got a lot of aluminum and stainless steel sheet metal stored at the farm. Maybe I'll try to do some new tin work.

After removing the headers I ground down the welds on the driver's side tubes. It's still not great looking but a lot better than it was.

View attachment IMG_3728.jpg

View attachment IMG_3729.jpg

 

[1967 'cuda]

The orange VHT that I applied has a very flat chalky appearance. I see that VHT does sell a flameproof (1500') satin clear. Has anyone ever used it? I'm pretty sure that the orange is going to get beat up some when the headers go back in and I'm hoping that the clear coat might protect it. The slightest amount of grime really stands out on that flat finish.

I'd like a higher gloss to these headers anyway. I couldn't find a gloss clear designed for this high of a temperature.

View attachment $_35.JPG

 

[dragondan64]

35 grand for what they did I would have blew a gasket buddy!! Who was this company so I can avoid them lol!!! For those who don't know what 35 grand looks like!! LOOK! This is my My barn find, yard find, carport find or wherever I can findem find spending money! LOL!! Going hunting this weekend!

 

[1967 'cuda]

35 grand for what they did I would have blew a gasket buddy!! Who was this company so I can avoid them lol!!! For those who don't know what 35 grand looks like!! LOOK! This is my My barn find, yard find, carport find or wherever I can findem find spending money! LOL!! Going hunting this weekend!

The place is called Restore a Muscle Car.

Restore A Muscle Car™ LLC

I'm not saying that their work is normally bad. But I think that their prices are outrageous. They consider themselves to be a first class restoration shop, but it seemed to be obvious that they were far from expert with Chrysler products. They claim to be a one stop solution for car builds. - But they do farm a lot of the work out to other businesses. I do know that the body work is performed there. I'm not sure about the engine builds, upholstery, and other work.

I've stopped there a few times just to check them out. The last time I was there they had a few cars from Israel and several from out of state that they were working on. The place is chocked full of customer cars. A rumor I heard was that many of the cars that were there were being held waiting payment from the owners. I don't know if that's true. My intention is not to turn potential customers away from them. I felt that I should warn others about how expensive it is to take a car to them. Personally I wouldn't take a rare Mopar there for a pure restoration.

This is what their web page looks like.

I didn't find online evidence of unhappy customers. Most people that give them business must have really deep pockets I guess. But the few guys I have talked to that had work done there were suffering from sticker shock.

They have several pictures of Doug's Superbee on their Facebook page. It states that they did 'service' the transmission which I assume was a filter/fluid change. The engine compartment looks really good but $35,000???


A link to pictures of Doug's Superbee from their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152250350104195.1073741864.124156684194&type=1

View attachment Capture.jpg

 

[dcdriver]

I'm thinking that maybe Doug oughta charge them for the advertising he did for them!!! Maybe $30,000 sounds good to me. I didn't see any GOLD in that engine compartment unless it's under the orange!!Then again maybe they "cut" the price down from $50,000 for the pics!! Looks like they do good work but like you....$35,000 worth.... I DON'T think so.

Jim

 

[1967 'cuda]

I'm thinking that maybe Doug oughta charge them for the advertising he did for them!!! Maybe $30,000 sounds good to me. I didn't see any GOLD in that engine compartment unless it's under the orange!!Then again maybe they "cut" the price down from $50,000 for the pics!! Looks like they do good work but like you....$35,000 worth.... I DON'T think so.

Jim

If they had done bodywork, painted the car and redone the interior I think it still would have been too much. But then again I try to stretch every dollar I've got. It looks like they are trying to hob nob with some of the big names in the resto industry. - Nothing wrong with that. - And it seems like there are a lot of folks out there that are willing to spend the big bucks but I'll bet most of them will end up having more money in their cars than what they're worth.

- Nice Scamp by the way...

 

[1967 'cuda]

35 grand for what they did I would have blew a gasket buddy!! Who was this company so I can avoid them lol!!! For those who don't know what 35 grand looks like!! LOOK! This is my My barn find, yard find, carport find or wherever I can findem find spending money! LOL!! Going hunting this weekend!

Now that's pretty good ammo for hunting! Maybe not for the real big game but it could bring down some nice hunting trophies anyway!

 

[dragondan64]

Now that's pretty good ammo for hunting! Maybe not for the real big game but it could bring down some nice hunting trophies anyway!

Yeah I am hoping to locate a B-body runner, GTX, super bee, R/T or maybe even an older B-body like a 63-65 polara, belvedere, satellite of some sort maybe a Max Wedge car Hoping for a roller so I can take it home and rummage through dads garage and put together 426 wedge or indy head 440 lol!! I want to build a seriously fast street car. And I can always hit the bank if I find one of those I cant pass up, like you said its an addiction!!! And I have a few vacant spots in my garage needing filled! I will be selling the 68 Barracuda as soon as I get it all complete so if you know anyone looking for a 68 fastback let me know I can make them a great deal! It will have a brand new 69 340, 904 with 2800 converter and 8.75 3.91 sure grip all brand new. Will post pics when its complete. Also advertising it on many websites and maybe ebay lol! Damn people on ebay are spendaholics!!!

 

[Abodybomber]

Now that's pretty good ammo for hunting! Maybe not for the real big game but it could bring down some nice hunting trophies anyway!

Geez( both, above posts....!) , happy hunting! As for the VHT flat clear, I don't know. The VHT header paint line as a whole, has never failed me. ( Orange, is different)

 

[dragondan64]

Geez( both, above posts....!) , happy hunting! As for the VHT flat clear, I don't know. The VHT header paint line as a whole, has never failed me. ( Orange, is different)

Yeah forgot to mention that orange/reddish paint on your headers, that's different and should look good on the engine but how will you ever know if they are overheating?? LOL!!!

 

[1967 'cuda]

I don't own a gun capable of taking down those big ones anymore. (the Sixpack & Hemi cars) Now I try to snare wounded rabbits (builders) and attempt to nurture them back to health. - Maybe give them some steroids while I'm at it.

 

[1967 'cuda]

Geez( both, above posts....!) , happy hunting! As for the VHT flat clear, I don't know. The VHT header paint line as a whole, has never failed me. ( Orange, is different)

Yeah forgot to mention that orange/reddish paint on your headers, that's different and should look good on the engine but how will you ever know if they are overheating?? LOL!!!

That dang flat finish is so hard to keep clean. Every fingerprint seems to show up on them. I went ahead and ordered some of that VHT satin clear. It should be here tomorrow. As difficult as it was getting those headers off I figured they'd look pretty sad by the time I got them re-installed.

I remember 'back in the day' when most headers were painted white. They were a pain in the butt to keep clean.

I think the orange is sort of an odd choice of color for the headers but I'm trying to push the envelope towards outlandish on the drag car. I hope it doesn't suck.

 

[dragondan64]

That dang flat finish is so hard to keep clean. Every fingerprint seems to show up on them. I went ahead and ordered some of that VHT satin clear. It should be here tomorrow. As difficult as it was getting those headers off I figured they'd look pretty sad by the time I got them re-installed.

I remember 'back in the day' when most headers were painted white. They were a pain in the butt to keep clean.

I think the orange is sort of an odd choice of color for the headers but I'm trying to push the envelope towards outlandish on the drag car. I hope it doesn't suck.

Yeah that clear works great. I put it on my 340 in the 68 but went ahead and had the headers powder coated. Should workout good for you.

Yeah my first car the 70 roadrunner 440+6 4spd dana car I drove to high school I put like 5 cans of that white VHT paint on them back in 1979! LOL!!! They stayed white for years!!! I went with dark gray this time lol! Yeah your color choice will make for good conversations at the track!

 

[dragondan64]

I don't own a gun capable of taking down those big ones anymore. (the Sixpack & Hemi cars) Now I try to snare wounded rabbits (builders) and attempt to nurture them back to health. - Maybe give them some steroids while I'm at it.

Yeah that's my plan as well. Just want a really nice and solid car to build my way. I want another low 9 second street car, my dad has one now...his 64 Belvedere runs low 9's and he can drive it to and from the track! I miss that! Wont be a daily driver of course but want to race it and go to car shows and cruises. We hope to get the Hellcat turning that quick too LOL!!! That's going to be fun! Or breaking stuff! Rummaging through what little pics I have of my dads cars and I think this is his 64 I recognize the black wheels with the slicks on it lol! Could be wrong but I am sure this is it. He has added a black stripe down the side to separate the to from the bottom of the car really looks great, I can ask him if I can post pics of his cars when I get back home. As I told you since he got robbed a few years back he thinks posting on the internet is like advertising his stuff to be stolen lol!! Anyways this is the kind of ride I want to find. This one runs low 9s and its a factory 4 speed and has a dana 4.56 behind a indy headed 500 inch roller motor, actually pretty mild build, car weighs about 3000 lbs if I remember right. Anyway this is what I am hoping for and if I cant find one I will try and talk my dad out of this one lol!!

 

[1967 'cuda]

Yeah that clear works great. I put it on my 340 in the 68 but went ahead and had the headers powder coated. Should workout good for you.

Yeah my first car the 70 roadrunner 440+6 4spd dana car I drove to high school I put like 5 cans of that white VHT paint on them back in 1979! LOL!!! They stayed white for years!!! I went with dark gray this time lol! Yeah your color choice will make for good conversations at the track!

I was assuming that the clear would act like a sealant for the color beneath. That orange is REALLY chalky. It tends to rub off on your hands when you handle the headers. - And it absorbs dirt. So I'm also hoping that the clear will provide a finish that I can wipe clean when I need to. This orange was a much deeper color when first applied but as it dried became much lighter. It would be nice if the clear was to bring back that darker color. I guess I'll know tomorrow.

 

[1967 'cuda]

Yeah that's my plan as well. Just want a really nice and solid car to build my way. I want another low 9 second street car, my dad has one now...his 64 Belvedere runs low 9's and he can drive it to and from the track! I miss that! Wont be a daily driver of course but want to race it and go to car shows and cruises. We hope to get the Hellcat turning that quick too LOL!!! That's going to be fun! Or breaking stuff!

I wish I had a lot of my old cars back. Some times when I want to daydream I search for similar models online. If my old '64 Polara had been a big block car I probably would have kept it. (it was a poly 318) For years I thought that the '68 Fury I drove in high school was a B-body. I didn't learn that those were Cs until a few years back.

A nine second goal for a true street car seems insane to me but I kinda like insane. I guess the Barracuda is probably going to be a 10 sec street car by the time it's done but I find that I've driven it less since I went to that deeper gear.

 

[Abodybomber]

I was assuming that the clear would act like a sealant for the color beneath. That orange is REALLY chalky. It tends to rub off on your hands when you handle the headers. - And it absorbs dirt. So I'm also hoping that the clear will provide a finish that I can wipe clean when I need to. This orange was a much deeper color when first applied but as it dried became much lighter. It would be nice if the clear was to bring back that darker color. I guess I'll know tomorrow.

Yes the chalky finish exists, the funky colors, need some love ( sound familiar?) Just the fact you are having to deal with this, makes me familiar. Keep it clean, no fingerprints, let the paint in the hottest daylight sun, you have. ( J.M.O, what is a couple days for cure time in sunlight?)....

 

[1967 'cuda]

Rummaging through what little pics I have of my dads cars and I think this is his 64 I recognize the black wheels with the slicks on it lol! Could be wrong but I am sure this is it. He has added a black stripe down the side to separate the to from the bottom of the car really looks great, I can ask him if I can post pics of his cars when I get back home. As I told you since he got robbed a few years back he thinks posting on the internet is like advertising his stuff to be stolen lol!! Anyways this is the kind of ride I want to find. This one runs low 9s and its a factory 4 speed and has a dana 4.56 behind a indy headed 500 inch roller motor, actually pretty mild build, car weighs about 3000 lbs if I remember right. Anyway this is what I am hoping for and if I cant find one I will try and talk my dad out of this one lol!!

SWEEEET!!! I'm picturing it in my head with the added black and it's even better. Don't take this wrong, - I'd be shy one of my nuts if your dad could've made me a deal on that one. - But on those early B's I liked the roof design of the hardtops even more. I know all the old Super Stockers seem to have been post cars though. Somebody told me that the post cars must have been lighter.

It's sad times we live in when you've got to worry about losing these cars to some low life thief. But I know what you're saying. It's the reason we brought the '68 Charger into town where we could keep an eye on it.