Cross-Country Road Trip in a '68 Barracuda

[autoxcuda]

LA to Iowa back as forth 4 years every summer...

This was the last trip. With all my cr@p. Had air shocks in back. Didn’t adjust front ride height enough and cracked K-frame.

The stuff on the ground is JUST out of car top carrier only.

 

[Chained_360]

LA to Iowa back as forth 4 years every summer...

this was the last trip. Had air shocks in back. Didn’t adjust front ride height enough and cracked K-frame.

the stuff in ground is just out of car top carrier

View attachment 1715731323

Holy cow, now THAT'S a haul! What caused the K member to crack? Did the suspension just bottom out too many times? And just for my reference how much weight do you think you were hauling? Did the air shocks help any?

 

[George Jets]

Here are the load leveler rear shocks you need. Ride nice and does not take a lot of air pressure to raise the car to where you want it.

Monroe are the ones you want:
1968 Barracuda

(Do not buy the gabriel Hijackers, they ride like a lumber wagon, and have fitment issues at the top and your gas tank.)

 

[RedFish]

I bought my one owner 67 notch at ebay. Owner lived in Sammamish Washington. His story... In 1992, he removed nearly all the trim and badges at home, prepped the body, then drove it to a brother-in-law somewhere in New Mexico for fresh red paint. On return trip the master cylinder failed. Of course he got brake fluid on the fresh paint. His partial palm print remains on top of left fender to this day. You never know what you might need. You can't take a 2nd everything.
My story.. In 2006, I rode 4 different size planes to get there. My return drive began at Walmart. I bought the most complete emergency road side kit they had (42 dollars I think).
I could have taken a less direct route to visit here and there but that wasn't my goal. Trip clock in speedo showed 2854 miles to Easley SC in 3.5 days. A lot of coffee and gasoline. The one thing that I really wished I had was cruise control.
I opened that road side kit once, about a week afterwards, to add a note pad, a pencil, and a tape measure.
I wouldn't put air shocks under it. They can break the upper shock mounts. A set of half leaf helper springs are better, easier installed and removed too. I put them under our first B'cuda many years ago to haul 3 passengers, trunk full of luggage, and my brothers boat to a fishing tournament about 400 miles away. I liked the slightly higher stance, so I never removed them.
Be careful. Good luck

 

[missing linc]

@missing linc , I will be sure to let you know if the route deviates that way, and I greatly appreciate the offer!

Here's the route I'm taking, I've planned it this way because I can stop and see family along the way. I'm planning on taking extra jets with me for the Holley as we go through the mountains and then back down onto the great plains.
View attachment 1715731322

Looks like a great trip you have planned, I wish you the best of luck, and keep us updated on your travels.

 

[pishta]

Just make sure your battery is secured! @ckjarr
>Bring a sharp knife and a small section of PVC that will fit inside the radiator hoses and 2 extra hose clamps. If you get a hole anywhere in any hose, you can just cut at the pinhole/rip, place pipe inside and double clamp the hose back down on it.
>Bring a pair of nylons.....you can loop and tie them together as a makeshift belt to get you to the next town.
> a few inline fuel filters!!!!
>a 8" piece of 5/16 and 3/8 all-thread and a few nuts and a small hacksaw, make almost any bolt!
>A set of points or ECU (Id just pack a points distributor if yours is electronic)
>If your hardcore on fixing a tire, get a $8 radial patch kit and a HF foot pump, both weigh less than a lb together. Has the better push awl and plug needle. Find the nail in the flat tire, pull it out, ram the awl into the hole to enlarge it and then push the gooey rope seal in and pull out the needle quickly. Trim (with your sharp knife) and fill. Best done in the motel parking lot in the morning when you realize you picked up a nail the night before.
>movers blanket. To lay on, lay under, or as a shade. laying in dirt/mud on the side of the road and then getting back in the car covered in it is gonna be uncomfortable......can also wrap metal stuff in it so it doesnt rattle in the trunk. Imagine 1400 miles of stuff clanking and rubbing in the trunk.
>make sure your spare is aired up. a flat spare is dead weight.
>a few jugs of water to drink and to fill a rad.
>Duct tape
>2 tubes of silver glitter radiator seal, never know if one will do it.
>a few extra fuses if your lighter fuse blows charging your phone or compressor.
>a GOOD >500 Lumen LED flashlight!!! Heck bring 2 and duct tape them to your fenders if you lose your lights......
>a bottle of oil.
>6 in 1 HF screwdriver. The 2 size bit shaft fits the hose clamp bolts perfectly as a socket! Way better than trying to use as a screwdriver.
>a few pieces of 12G wire with insulated alligator clips on the ends. you may have to jump something somewhere in the harness.
All this stuff sans the water can fit in a shoebox.

 

[autoxcuda]

Holy cow, now THAT'S a haul! What caused the K member to crack? Did the suspension just bottom out too many times? And just for my reference how much weight do you think you were hauling? Did the air shocks help any?

Car was way overloaded.

My car at that time weighed 3500 lbs w/driver on a grain scale.

Packed loaded in every crevice and car top carrier it weighed 5600 lbs w/driver.

The leaf springs were reversed arched and mufflers were about 3/4” off ground. So I dug into the trunk under the rear seat for used set of air shocks I had just in case of this. With the air shocks pumped up the rear was still lower than normally unloaded height for my 30 year old leaf springs.

The front was already lowered years before. But I had .99” torsion bars that were double stock rate. No problem when it weighed 3400 lbs. So I thought the big front springs would take care of me...

....Wrong. It now weighed 5600 lbs. Looking back I should have raised the front torsion bar adjusters. And I would have been fine.

During the trip on big bumps it bottomed out BAD in the front more than a few times.

About a week after the trip, I noticed the tire was slightly tilted wrong way!! .... time to upgrade to a 73-76 k- member !!

 

[missing linc]

Just make sure your battery is secured! @ckjarr
>Bring a sharp knife and a small section of PVC that will fit inside the radiator hoses and 2 extra hose clamps. If you get a hole anywhere in any hose, you can just cut at the pinhole/rip, place pipe inside and double clamp the hose back down on it.
>Bring a pair of nylons.....you can loop and tie them together as a makeshift belt to get you to the next town.
> a few inline fuel filters!!!!
>a 8" piece of 5/16 and 3/8 all-thread and a few nuts and a small hacksaw, make almost any bolt!
>A set of points or ECU (Id just pack a points distributor if yours is electronic)
>If your hardcore on fixing a tire, get a $8 radial patch kit and a HF foot pump, both weigh less than a lb together. Has the better push awl and plug needle. Find the nail in the flat tire, pull it out, ram the awl into the hole to enlarge it and then push the gooey rope seal in and pull out the needle quickly. Trim (with your sharp knife) and fill. Best done in the motel parking lot in the morning when you realize you picked up a nail the night before.
>movers blanket. To lay on, lay under, or as a shade. laying in dirt/mud on the side of the road and then getting back in the car covered in it is gonna be uncomfortable......can also wrap metal stuff in it so it doesnt rattle in the trunk. Imagine 1400 miles of stuff clanking and rubbing in the trunk.
>make sure your spare is aired up. a flat spare is dead weight.
>a few jugs of water to drink and to fill a rad.
>Duct tape
>2 tubes of silver glitter radiator seal, never know if one will do it.
>a few extra fuses if your lighter fuse blows charging your phone or compressor.
>a GOOD >500 Lumen LED flashlight!!! Heck bring 2 and duct tape them to your fenders if you lose your lights......
>a bottle of oil.
>6 in 1 HF screwdriver. The 2 size bit shaft fits the hose clamp bolts perfectly as a socket! Way better than trying to use as a screwdriver.
>a few pieces of 12G wire with insulated alligator clips on the ends. you may have to jump something somewhere in the harness.
All this stuff sans the water can fit in a shoebox.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
All great advice, and I bet lots of it from first hand experience.
When I took my Dart on the Hot Rod Power Tour in 2005, I had a small tool box with what I felt were essential tools, and some additional nuts and bolts, wire and connectors, a small aluminum trolley jack, 2 jackstands, spare ballast resistor and ecu, couple quarts of oil and trans fluid, and a gallon of coolant. Otherwise the trunk was full of luggage, (my then wife had to bring damn near everything). The car performed great, had zero trouble with it, but my buddy's 66 GTO was a whole different story. He had several issues, mostly minor except for a couple things. Like when the starter engaged as we were heading up the freeway on ramp in Milwaukee on day one. We had to pull off into a parking lot and open up the wiring harness, finding a dead short where a previous owner had spliced it, or when his shifter linkage bolts fell out coming into Indianapolis, leaving him with only 3rd gear.

 

[Blucuda413]

All I've ever needed going up or down the rockies is a little additional timing. I lived in the Springs a few years and would always have to change timing after coming down Raton Pass to the flatlands (69 Charger R/T). One other time in a 455 Olds 98 Regency the thing actually quit before I got to the top of Raton Pass, a quick timing adjustment and away we went.

 

[autoxcuda]

All I've ever needed going up or down the rockies is a little additional timing. I lived in the Springs a few years and would always have to change timing after coming down Raton Pass to the flatlands (69 Charger R/T). One other time in a 455 Olds 98 Regency the thing actually quit before I got to the top of Raton Pass, a quick timing adjustment and away we went.

I didn’t have too many issues going through Eisenhower tunnel with my Barracuda.

But I had a 67 Chevy II nova with a 194 6 cly powerglide and CA smog pump. That thing would slow down to a crawl just before the tunnel

 

[Chained_360]

That's one loaded cuda! And I thought I was the master of tetris when I had my miata packed up on the way back from CO

I see multiple suggestions to have backup ignition components and while I have extra ballast resistors, I have no idea what kind of ECU I have. I'm very certain that it's an electronic ignition, but I don't know what brand. In the photos below, it's the scratched up blue box on the passenger inner fender. Any ideas? Also, don't worry about the horrible choke wiring on the driver's side of the car. I've since grown a second brain cell and learned to wire it properly.

 

[dibbons]

I would not tow a small trailer which will drop your legal speed limit to 55 mph in most states.

Your front end alignment is important. I had my '72 BBody checked before I left and even replaced a few front end parts. However, when I arrived at my destination (about 1,500 miles later) I was shocked to find the steel belts showing on the almost new front tires. A loose ball joint had thrown off the toe-in (although the vehicle tracked just fine down the highway). Keep an eye on the front tires at every fuel stop please.

 

[Chained_360]

I'll definitely keep an eye on tires and gas! I wasn't able to identify the ignition box, so I bought a new points distributor for much less than an MSD or a factory electronic ignition conversion kit. I also happen to have a spare set of points and a condenser I'll be bringing with me just in case. It'll certainly do in a pinch! I'm hoping I won't need it, but it's there if I do.

I just finished my spring semester of Junior year, so now I have time to get a packing list and official route plan together. More updates to come!

 

[dart4forte]

Car was way overloaded.

My car at that time weighed 3500 lbs w/driver on a grain scale.

Packed loaded in every crevice and car top carrier it weighed 5600 lbs w/driver.

The leaf springs were reversed arched and mufflers were about 3/4” off ground. So I dug into the trunk under the rear seat for used set of air shocks I had just in case of this. With the air shocks pumped up the rear was still lower than normally unloaded height for my 30 year old leaf springs.

The front was already lowered years before. But I had .99” torsion bars that were double stock rate. No problem when it weighed 3400 lbs. So I thought the big front springs would take care of me...

....Wrong. It now weighed 5600 lbs. Looking back I should have raised the front torsion bar adjusters. And I would have been fine.

During the trip on big bumps it bottomed out BAD in the front more than a few times.

About a week after the trip, I noticed the tire was slightly tilted wrong way!! .... time to upgrade to a 73-76 k- member !!

View attachment 1715731425

View attachment 1715731428

View attachment 1715731429

View attachment 1715731430

Damn Steve, you need to audition for Road Kill.

 

[Mike69cuda]

I am in Kansas City if you need anything.

I used to drive my 68 fastback to Colorado skiing back in the day. Was great. Put the seat down and loaded the skis in. One of use would sleep in the back while the other drove. It was a little doggy in the mountains, but still ok.

I don’t like a lot of heavy stuff to fly around in the car in case of an accident. Ship all the heavy stuff you can.

 

[Chained_360]

I am in Kansas City if you need anything.

I used to drive my 68 fastback to Colorado skiing back in the day. Was great. Put the seat down and loaded the skis in. One of use would sleep in the back while the other drove. It was a little doggy in the mountains, but still ok.

I don’t like a lot of heavy stuff to fly around in the car in case of an accident. Ship all the heavy stuff you can.

Thank you! I'll certainly let you know if I do! I'm going to secure the cargo as best I can, but thankfully I have a notchback so the rear seat should keep the heavy stuff in the trunk in a worst case scenario. The only heavy thing that will be in the back seat will likely be a Yamaha electric keyboard, which I will secure with the rear seatbelts!

 

[famous bob]

Just make sure your battery is secured! @ckjarr
>Bring a sharp knife and a small section of PVC that will fit inside the radiator hoses and 2 extra hose clamps. If you get a hole anywhere in any hose, you can just cut at the pinhole/rip, place pipe inside and double clamp the hose back down on it.
>Bring a pair of nylons.....you can loop and tie them together as a makeshift belt to get you to the next town.
> a few inline fuel filters!!!!
>a 8" piece of 5/16 and 3/8 all-thread and a few nuts and a small hacksaw, make almost any bolt!
>A set of points or ECU (Id just pack a points distributor if yours is electronic)
>If your hardcore on fixing a tire, get a $8 radial patch kit and a HF foot pump, both weigh less than a lb together. Has the better push awl and plug needle. Find the nail in the flat tire, pull it out, ram the awl into the hole to enlarge it and then push the gooey rope seal in and pull out the needle quickly. Trim (with your sharp knife) and fill. Best done in the motel parking lot in the morning when you realize you picked up a nail the night before.
>movers blanket. To lay on, lay under, or as a shade. laying in dirt/mud on the side of the road and then getting back in the car covered in it is gonna be uncomfortable......can also wrap metal stuff in it so it doesnt rattle in the trunk. Imagine 1400 miles of stuff clanking and rubbing in the trunk.
>make sure your spare is aired up. a flat spare is dead weight.
>a few jugs of water to drink and to fill a rad.
>Duct tape
>2 tubes of silver glitter radiator seal, never know if one will do it.
>a few extra fuses if your lighter fuse blows charging your phone or compressor.
>a GOOD >500 Lumen LED flashlight!!! Heck bring 2 and duct tape them to your fenders if you lose your lights......
>a bottle of oil.
>6 in 1 HF screwdriver. The 2 size bit shaft fits the hose clamp bolts perfectly as a socket! Way better than trying to use as a screwdriver.
>a few pieces of 12G wire with insulated alligator clips on the ends. you may have to jump something somewhere in the harness.
All this stuff sans the water can fit in a shoebox.

u forgot , LOADED 9 MM.

 

[autoxcuda]

Thank you! I'll certainly let you know if I do! I'm going to secure the cargo as best I can, but thankfully I have a notchback so the rear seat should keep the heavy stuff in the trunk in a worst case scenario. The only heavy thing that will be in the back seat will likely be a Yamaha electric keyboard, which I will secure with the rear seatbelts!

you can slide stuff behind your rear seat over the forward ledge of your trunk. Good for the extra regular rear shocks to put back on for the temporary air shocks. And it’s more forward weight.

This picture is in Ames Iowa and the droplight is to see area behind the rear seat to drop stuff in there.

 

[George Jets]

Packed a '74 Dart Swinger with parts like that, it was down on the suspension stops all 4 corners.

Only difference was it was road trip FL to MN, but the car was up on a trailer.

Pulled into a gas station, a guy was looking over the car saying we had one like that and I see you have it lowered already.

I said no, opended the passenger door . . it's full of carparts packed to the ceiling, the trunk is full too.

Good Times . . .

☆☆☆☆☆

 

[SpeedThrills]

I see duct tape was mentioned. I'd also suggest vicegrips and wire ties.

Or, you could just fully restore the car before your trip!

Remember, the road is a very dangerous place! Get way off it if you have trouble.

 

[Chained_360]

Well, the car is finally packed up and on the boat to Seattle! I'll be (hopefully) picking it up this Friday at the port. I thought I was going to have maybe 300 or 400 pounds of cargo, but no... I managed to pack 600 lbs into it! I have a 4-speed ratchet strapped in the trunk above the rear axle, a clutch, brake parts, intake manifold, toolbox, misc. spares, two bellhousings, a spare tire and jack, jack stands, fluids, and much more in the trunk, and then a Yamaha electric keyboard in the back seat. I didn't have time to organize the trunk super well, but I'm going to have to repack it so we have room for our bags and such.

I don't have a photo of everything before it went in the car, but here it is packed:

...and here is the rear suspension unpacked vs. packed:

 

[nothingbutdarts]

Will be following the drive & hope it goes without problems!

 

[autoxcuda]

Well, the car is finally packed up and on the boat to Seattle! I'll be (hopefully) picking it up this Friday at the port. I thought I was going to have maybe 300 or 400 pounds of cargo, but no... I managed to pack 600 lbs into it! I have a 4-speed ratchet strapped in the trunk above the rear axle, a clutch, brake parts, intake manifold, toolbox, misc. spares, two bellhousings, a spare tire and jack, jack stands, fluids, and much more in the trunk, and then a Yamaha electric keyboard in the back seat. I didn't have time to organize the trunk super well, but I'm going to have to repack it so we have room for our bags and such.

I don't have a photo of everything before it went in the car, but here it is packed:View attachment 1715745460

View attachment 1715745466
...and here is the rear suspension unpacked vs. packed:
View attachment 1715745461

View attachment 1715745462

Nice job.

Yes, need better organization in trunk. Get tools, jack and gas near back of trunk for access. Put oil and gas in plastic bags to capture any spillage or leaking. Some huge pothole or evasive maneuver and things can get punctured.

Same burgundy exterior and white interior color as my car.

 

[4spdragtop]

Good luck! Me and a bud took a 6000 mile trip over a 10 day stretch thru the US in my 72 Olds Delta 88 convertible. Time of our lives. Only car issue was I had to replace a cooked battery.
Great fun, enjoy!

 

[GSXcite]

@missing linc , I will be sure to let you know if the route deviates that way, and I greatly appreciate the offer!

Here's the route I'm taking, I've planned it this way because I can stop and see family along the way. I'm planning on taking extra jets with me for the Holley as we go through the mountains and then back down onto the great plains.
View attachment 1715731322

One thing to check is the rubber brake line from the chassis to the differential. Make sure it is not close to the tailpipe especially if you have a single pot master cylinder. Melt that hose and you have no brakes.