HB1 Barracuda build

[Ronbo73]

I guess I should have made a post of the build of my Barracuda that my daughter named "sky". It's been 35 years in the making. This what she looked like after the first bodyshop did basically nothing other than making the car worse. Oh yeah they went out of business and I had to enlist the police to find the car....

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Bodyshop Jail is horrible.
Glad you were able to get the car back before it disappeared.

Looks to be in pretty darn good shape in the one picture.
The google photo folder won't open.

I'll follow along with your thread. Sounds like a fun one!

HB1 is a phenomenal color.

 

[Ronbo73]

@ body shop #2. Upper cowl and both inner fenders were replaced. Normal rust spots at drain of upper cowl, hood hinge area and shock towel blistering at seam.

 

[Ronbo73]

Both quarters and trunk extensions were replaced.

 

[Ronbo73]

Tail light panel was also replaced.

 

[Ronbo73]

@ body shop #3, nine years from previous post. When you deal with family, its hard to not trust things will get done but enough was enough.

 

[Ronbo73]

Building the engine, painting it and installing it on an engine run stand that I made. This way I could break the engine in and look for leaks. Once in the car it's a lot harder to fix leaks etc.
440 bored 30 over, Purple shaft magnum cam (was bought before buying the 6 brrl set up.) 440 source aluminum heads, factory HP manifolds powder coated gray, summit ready to run distributor and Eddie motorsports serpentine system with one wire alt. The engine will be connected to a 3" TTI exhaust.

 

[Culvers]

Why blue engine paint? Shouldn't it be orange?

 

[Ronbo73]

Yes, but I like the turquois color from 1968. Everyone's 440 is orange.

 

[Deathproofcuda]

Yes, but I like the turquois color from 1968. Everyone's 440 is orange.

Looks great! Looking forward to more pics.

 

[Ronbo73]

Dash assembly refinishing was needed along with the dash pad. I used Year One to refinish the dash pad. It is not exact but looks very good in the car. The pad had the finish of new Vinyl. You get what you pay for.

 

[Ronbo73]

Dash reassembly complete and installed with a Dakota Digital instrument cluster. Used a chrome pen from Amazon to refinish the chrome accents around the bezels, heater controls, vents etc.

 

[Ronbo73]

Steering column and emergency brake refinished.

De-rusting with Eastwood rust removal liquid. Works great but it will deteriorate small, thin metal and springs. No pitting like media blasting. Repainted pedal with satin black paint. Looks like brand new. Don't have a picture post painting. You can see it in the dash refinishing pictures.

 

[Ronbo73]

Adding brake lines etc.. Had the brake booster and proportioning valve both rebuilt. Master cylinder was new from Inline Tube. The heater box was rebuilt by SMS in NH, which is now out of business. The wiring harness is from Painless Wiring with a two piece firewall mount like the factory. I used the factory hole with slight modification. Four months of running wires, cross referencing the FSM, this website and using parts of the original harness and finally done with wires...

 

[Ronbo73]

Trunk stuff.... Used 1972 rear bumper bracket so I could remove the filler.

 

[Ronbo73]

Once the gas, brake lines and other firewall stuff was in, it was time to install the engine and trans. I chose do install the engine, trans and front suspension from below as one unit. It went super smooth with two of my buddies assisting.

 

[6PKRTSE]

Looking great so far.

 

[Ronbo73]

Looking great so far.

Thanks 6PKRTSE. I Have been working on it for a year and a half and hopefully will have it ready for the first car show in June.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

Well it looks stunning!

Love the pics as things get installed.

 

[Ronbo73]

Radiator install with 2 13" SPAL electric cooling fans from Mattson's Custom Radiator. I installed a bung for the 3 way temperature switch to control the fans. The 26" 3 core radiator was bought in the early 90's from Modine when they were made in the USA. A local radiator guy braised the bung in and once painted, looks factory. To hold the fan to the radiator I installed rivet nuts. The shroud was painted satin black to blend in. It was very scary adding a hole to a perfectly good radiator.... I'll add a picture of it installed.