Dougs 67 Notch build

[Taxmanth]

its like a concourse build with all your own lil touches like paint matching the engine and the bendy exhaust and them weird hose clamps.

hope ya don't have to take the engine out again or spring a leak, they look like they are one time use only.

keep up the good work

 

[DesertRat]

Thank you for the kind words Taxmanth! It is actually far from a concourse build, there is a lot of equipment yet to go on the car which will make it more of a restomod character. My biggest worry now is taking a lobe off the cam on startup! The rest of the things that can go wrong are just car building and don't bother me. Nothing time and 100$ bills can't fix---right?
Here is to a good summer of accomplishment to all my Mopar brothers-------------------------
Cheers------------Rat!

 

[DesertRat]

Loooong weekend on the car. I had to rebuild my proportioning valve and install & bleed brakes so I could intall left side exhaust without problems. Below are a couple photos, the valve before rebuild, the valve and kit ready for assembly and the valve after reassembly.

 

[DesertRat]

I had a dismal failure taking the car to a shop for exhaust, I brought it home after two days and nothing done. After more research I bought a complete deluxe kit from Accurate LTD for a 1967 A-body, dual exhaust. Below are a few shots of how that went. Suffice it to say that I started the install Saturday morning and finished Sunday afternoon including the Proportioning valve rebuild. I Had the kit in stock for the valve. I installed the exhaust system in my garage with the car on jackstands by myself, the exception my good grandson helping me a bit on each day. Below are some photos of the basics-----Important to note, the headpipes on both sides fit like fine watch parts. I have to install the bung for the O2 sensor and put some heat wrap on the left side to protect the GV overdrive controls but it is essentially finished and now I can start my motor for the first time-I hope this coming weekend---------Cheers all------DR----

 

[DesertRat]

Today I primed the oiling system in the engine. 80 psi, getting ready for first startup Friday. Should be interesting, I have not put any power to the electrical system after blowing it apart and rebuilding it. What could possibly go wrong

 

[DesertRat]

Today I started the engine for the first time! Ran it for 40 minutes between 1000 & 3000 RPM. I started with 35 degrees initial timing and no vacuum connections. I timed it to max vacuum at about 21 inches for a time and played around with it as the distributor was loose enough to turn. Installed a mechanical temperature gauge and depending on RPM and advance it hovered between 190 and 210 degrees. It had a stock distributor with a pertronix conversion and pertronix coil and wires. Tonight I will pull the valve covers and check the oiling, hydraulic lifter lash to make sure everything is in spec. I have a lot of tuning to do so I will be in the FSM tonight to see what the hi-po tuning specs are and I have to figure out the placement of the distributor vacuum advance porting to the Holley carburetor. After prelube and ignition setup it started and ran smoothly on the second revolution Indicators are good at this point.
DR-----------------------

 

[THEWHITEZOMBIE]

Looks great

 

[DesertRat]

Mixed bag for me on my engine startup. The good, 145# average compression, doesn't heat up, seems to run smooth and powerful. Starts easy and runs strong. I set it up at 15 deg initial with no vacuum, but the centrifugal takes it to 40+ at 3000 rpm. Pertronix distributor conversion, have to figure out how to limit the centrifugal advance. The bad:-(rear main leaking oil, no oil pressure on dash gauge, no temp reading or tach in dash, flasher not flashing but turning lights on ok. Good-charging system with mad conversion working good, volt gauge working in dash. Radio, heater fan, wipers, horns and fuel gauge all work. Not looking forward to dropping pan to fix rear main leak:-( I bought Peronix 7MM pre-fit plug wires and that was a mistake, should have bought cut-to fit 8MM like I have on my Comet, you can loom them very nice and the prefit ones seem to be too long. I have video of everything but no way to post it, don't faceplant or yuletube so I will post up some stills of the last couple days.
Feeling a bit defeated-----DR-------:-(-----------BUT-could always be worse, right---------

 

[jaws]

Check your oil sending unit and the distributor for the leak before you take the pan off. Car is looking good.

 

[DesertRat]

Thanks! Good advice, I will check it now! Found the leak! A small weep at the 90 deg oil filter adaptor. Easy fix tomorrow!

 

[DesertRat]

Time to post a couple of my first engine start. First is my homemade priming shaft and guide plate to keep from wearing pump drive shaft bushing. Came up with it on my own after not seeing anything better in my research.
DR------------------

 

[jaws]

glad you didn't have to pull the pan.

 

[DesertRat]

Here are three of the engine running for the first 40 minute breakin period. I have a mechanical temperature gauge, a dwell tachometer and a vacuum gauge all visible from outside the engine bay so I can monitor it. My 24 year old grandson helped with all of this.
DR--------------------

 

[DesertRat]

Here are my latest updates to my build thread. The first set shown the fabrication and installation of my self designed and built fan shroud. I drew it out on CAD and went from there in my shop. Exceeded my cooling expectations.

 

[DesertRat]

Next up is a small custom gauge cluster I fabricated to house a tachometer and mechanical temperature gauge. I was out of room as the upper gauge is my wide band O2 readout so I designed the new cluster to fit on the console ahead of the shifter and ahead of the GV controls shown on the side of the console.

 

[jaws]

Looking good.

 

[DesertRat]

Another update, Photos of the completed engine bay. I fabricated two wire clips to hold the loom on the right side and used Cal custom valve covers with fabricated baffles installed inside. The valve covers are original old Cal Custom that I refurbished and powdercoated. I used SS allen head screws to fasten valve covers. The air cleaner is new to match the Cal Custom style. Heater hoses not in yet as I need a shutoff valve to put in the circuit and will use the Gates hose clamps on them too. Front & rear glass next week

 

[swedefish]

Beautiful, great job

 

[DesertRat]

Today I drove my Barracuda for the first time in 5 years. I was testing it our to drive to the glass shop Wednesday to make sure it was good to go. After sensing throttle issues I brought it back in and fixed a VC leak and left the air cleaner off for test #2. OMG what a car. Feels bigger than a 273 mod! It goes through the gears like a winner and feels real good for the first test drive. I have to solve the air cleaner/throttle interference issue but as I like to say-the indicators are good! Next up front & rear glass with 68 gaskets, then install the front end. I am done bending over the engine bay
Good labors on a labor day today, I am happy------DR

 

[ariffle]

How awesome!
I to just got to drive my 67 Barracuda for it'so first REAL road test on actual city streets this weekend. What a rush!
I'm happy it all worked out well for you..

 

[DesertRat]

I have been very busy working on my car. The first update here is how I handled the heater hoses. I have always had a hard time with how they routed and flopped around. I obtained some HDPE stock and fabricated holders for the hose, removable of course. I used heat shrink hose clamps on everything and installed a shutoff valve to the supply side of the heater core. The brackets are fastened to the alternator and the inner fender, the third one is floating for now.

 

[DesertRat]

The next thing up was cutting and buffing the hood and getting it ready for install.

 

[DesertRat]

I decided to black out everything between the core support and the inner grille fascia. The lever in the left is the battery kill switch.

 

[MOPARMITCH]

Lookin Great Doug !!

 

[DesertRat]

Thanks Mitch! I decided to change the 67 grille, when I polished it all the argent silver was gone so opportunity presented itself. This necessitated changing the tail panel to match the grille. Below are the photos of the masking and paint prep I had to do to get this the way I wanted it.