Another Mopar Off My Bucket List - Barracuda Fastback

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sireland67 said:
My guess is the manufacture of the stems.
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sireland67 said:
Rubber from India or China is vastly behind modern country's.
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Sireland, I've often cussed the influx of foreign made parts because of the inferior quality. You may be right about why I've had so many stems fail.

Yesterday I was having a lot of problems with rib-shanked nails that I was attaching house trim with. They constantly bent on me because they were so soft. When I checked I saw they were made in China. I even tried pre-drilling holes and couldn't keep them from bending.

I realize that a lot of stuff made in the U.S. is crap nowadays too but it's getting really hard to find anything made here anymore regardless of quality.
 
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If I were you I would shoot all my trim nails. So much more efficient. No pre drilling, no foul offs, no bending, no setting the nail. Pull the trigger and you're done.
Nailing by hand these days is like etching a message into a stone tablet with a hammer and chisel.
Just sayin:glasses7:
 
We finally have electricity. Up until now I've been running a portable generator for power tools. I'm keeping each of the circuits off until they're properly checked for safety reasons.

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There were some left over ceiling tiles from the kitchen and dining room. I decided to use them up in the mud room and pantry. I didn't have enough of the copper colored ones to do either room so I figured I'd try mixing them together. I'm such a cheapskate that I didn't want to order any more if I didn't have to. The overall effect isn't too bad.

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I mounted a 37" TV/monitor above the desk in the pantry and switched out the ceiling light fixture for another stained glass one. I still need to mount the backsplash above the pantry counter and get the woodwork finished for the window.

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Cuda68Scott said:
Pray tell, do I see a trophy in front of the Duster?
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That's from the car show that was held in St. Paul earlier this year. I'd left it in the car. After parking, I decided to set it out hoping that it'd have babies. - No awards for the Duster at this show.
 
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1967 'cuda said:
That's from the car show that was held in St. Paul earlier this year. I'd left it in the car. After parking, I decided to set it out hoping that it'd have babies. - No awards for the Duster at this show.
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Damned Duster is using a contraceptive,,,,,,,,, bad Duster.:D
 
1967 'cuda said:
That's from the car show that was held in St. Paul earlier this year. I'd left it in the car. After parking, I decided to set it out hoping that it'd have babies. - No awards for the Duster at this show.
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Those bastage judges! Maybe a twenty taped to the trophies would help things.:D
 
SNKEBIT said:
Damned Duster is using a contraceptive,,,,,,,,, bad Duster.:D
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Cuda68Scott said:
Those bastage judges! Maybe a twenty taped to the trophies would help things.:iconbigg:
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LOL!! In all honesty the old Duster isn't up to par with most vehicles at car shows. It's a ton of fun and it draws a lot of attention but it's got plenty of nicks and blemishes. That 440 sounds awesome and it always gets everyone to turn and drool when I fire it up. In the sea of street cars, there's nothing like that uncorked big block that compares. It may land a trophy if there's a race car class at shows but it can't compete in the land of chrome and polish.
 
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UPS dropped me off a package today. Yippee!

The new k-member arrived from HemiDenny.

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After removing about 1000 pounds of packing material (Denny makes sure the parts are not going to shift around in transit) I took a quick look at the components.

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The Charger is going to be the recipient of the new parts.
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Although I still need to order in more parts to complete the assembly, it's time to start removing the original k-member. We had already rebuilt the front end and installed a new disc brake assembly from Right Stuff Detailing. It won't be a total loss. The guy that I lined up with that '69 Coronet a while back has decided to purchase our old components.

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And so it begins...


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Abodybomber said:
Hell yes! Blown big block Charger!!!
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having been a judge at a recent car show, I still don`t get into the buy a new car and enter it in a show. what the hell does that prove? you got money ? never got so sick at looking at corvettes and mustangs in my life. the muscle cars and hotrods are where it`s at for me.:protest:
 
famous bob said:
having been a judge at a recent car show, I still don`t get into the buy a new car and enter it in a show. what the hell does that prove? you got money ? never got so sick at looking at corvettes and mustangs in my life. the muscle cars and hotrods are where it`s at for me.:protest:
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There are a lot of guys that feel the same way. It gets confusing when you add in those states that issue antique plates for cars that are 25 years old or more. - That means that a 1990 can already be considered an antique today in some places. I think that many shows added the newer classes to increase participation.

Around here it's getting really hard for a daily driver that is owner built to win. More and more people are spending mega-bucks to have their older cars restored by professional shops. Some of those owners have never turned a wrench on them. In those cases it's still a matter of who's got the biggest pocket book. It's not that cars that are built by their owners aren't capable of winning or that someone is guaranteed to win if they spend a fortune at a restoration shop. But the guys that try to stretch every penny they've got are less likely to have flawless results. It's become the nature of the beast.

If you try to set up competitive shows for the vehicles that are owner built, - where do you draw the line. Almost everyone farms out some of the work. - Not everyone has their own machine shop for engine work. Very few people do their own upholstery.

A handful of my friends own cars that they've never worked on themselves but they take them to car shows and win consistently. A few of my friends take newer cars to the shows that they've added extra chrome to and they win too.

It can get to be discouraging when guys like me consider the hundreds (if not thousands) of hours we've spent on our own cars - only to be denied the trophies that those that haven't built their cars are winning.

I struggled with what color to paint my Barracuda. On the one hand, I really like the color I chose. It fit the theme of being subtle with a hint of wild. But I think I'd be more successful at car shows if I'd have opted to choose a high impact color. The bottom line is that I built the car I wanted. No one is obligated to agree with my choices. If winning at most of the local shows was my main concern I'd have built a Chevy instead.

The folks I enjoy chatting with the most at those shows are the guys that have all the horror stories they've accumulated building their own cars. They might not be the prettiest but the stories associated with them are priceless.


 
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Abodybomber said:
Hell yes! Blown big block Charger!!!
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The only other project I've got that I'm more anxious to get to is the funnycar. I don't know how fast the Charger will come together. I've got to split my time with that house I'm working on and my son's finances are strained from the house he purchased. At least we're going to be making some new progress with the Charger now. It's been sitting too long.
 
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I added a bit more 'gingerbread to the kitchen today. The lower cabinets are finally screwed together now and the countertop is finally assembled. I am almost ready to start laying the new flooring now. - Maybe tomorrow. I would have chosen a different laminate but this stuff was on sale and it was the most economical route.

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Not a lot of progress on the Charger yet but I did manage to pull the old k-member and suspension out. I know we'll be test fitting all the components prior to final assembly so I didn't bother painting the HDK k-frame yet. The new parts bolted in place without any issues. In addition to the HDK components I still had to order a rack & pinion setup from Speedway Motors and a pair of Wilwood spindles & brakes from Summit. - Also a stainless steel steering shaft and pair of stainless steel universal joints. The new coil overs won't be ordered until we get the rest assembled and figure out the ride height we want. We will also have to do a lot more detailing on the engine bay and possibly have to make some modifications for other components.

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ariffle said:
Looking great John!
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ariffle said:
YOu have come a LOOOONG way since last winter.
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Thanks ariffle. I'm hoping the rest of this house goes faster. I know I'd said that most of the next year or two were gonna be busy with this place but I haven't even made it to the strip once this year yet. :crybaby::crybaby::crybaby:
 
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John, tell me there are jack stands under that car with the jacks!!!!!! Those puny aluminum jacks give out all the time. Go through them like cord wood. Pieces of ****. :protest:
 
SNKEBIT said:
John, tell me there are jack stands under that car with the jacks!!!!!! Those puny aluminum jacks give out all the time. Go through them like cord wood. Pieces of ****. :protest:
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wood blocks and steel square tubing
 
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You are doing a sweet job on the house, are you going to rent it or sell?
Don't make it nicer than the rest of the homes in the neighborhood or you will never get your money out of it if you sell.
You always want to be the 2nd or 3rd nicest house on the street.
Words of advice from somebody who has been there.
 
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