I bought this car, September of 2003 on Ebay. That is when I logged on and found that, I needed to re-register, since there was a total restart at Moparts in 2003. Obviously, I didn't get on the site that much back then.

The previous owner did not divulge the fact that it had a bent frame rail, and a whole list of other problems. It needed quarters, rf fender, back seat, on and on.

So I ended up spending my alloted budget and time on repairs I didn't intend on making. I yanked the /6 and gave it along with the trans to SlantZilla. I think I conned him into taking the K frame etc. as well.
Here is the car that winter. http://public.fotki.com/HemiEd/68-barracuda/?cmd=fs_slideshow

Now the car was starting to show some wear and tear, after five years. The doors were not as straight as I wanted, and the rear pan was full of bondo from the same wreck I assume that got the frame rail. I didn't replace the rear pan back in 2003 because I couldn't find one. Last fall, I found one on ebay. I sent it to Redi Strip, then I have spent many hours drilling out the spot welds and leading in the defects.

Here are some pictures of this last weekends progress.


This weekend, I rented a spot welder and everything is welded back up now.


The new Wizard cooling radiator required me to cut out a section of the lower radiator support, so I fabbed a new piece this weekend. Spot welders are cool!

new piece clamped on

The hood and doors are arrow straight now. The hood is my second one. The previous one had issues, but this one is really nice. Too bad I spent $200 having the other one stripped.

Looks like that trunk pan is in nice shape.

I feel like a have been in a hand to hand combat battle, the last two nights. Had to take a break from the body work, and do some wrenching.

Back in 2003, when I changed the car's K frame to a v8, I also put the lower control arms, that accepts a sway bar, and the sway bar. Also, converted it to disc brakes, from a mid 70s Duster. Purchased a complete front end rebuild kit, that included everything.

Accumulating all of those parts, the old lower and upper contol arm bushings, looked nice. So, at the time, I didn't go through the battle of replacing them, since I don't have a press. I just set the new ones aside for later use.

Well, that 40 year old rubber just wasn't what it used to be.

I have a way of doing it without a press, but it requires a lot of differnent hammers, heating, freezing and cutting with a chisel. It is not a job I enjoy, and like it even less, the older I get.

Fortunately, while doing my Dad's 65, I purchased the special tool for removing and reinstalling the upper bushings. It makes pretty quick work out of those, and it used to be a total pain in the rear.

For the last two nights, that is what has been going on with the Barracuda. So far, about 9 hours, with a couple more to tonight.

About a month behind schedule, but it is getting really close to being ready for color. Haven't taken any pictures in quite a while.

Put a new Comp Cam,small 470 solid and A-1 Converter. Daughter game me the Flaming River part for Birthday.

That body is looking real straight! Nice job.

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brought it home from the paint shop today, it came out better than I could have expected. The body shop owner was very complimentary, and he put in extra effort on shooting it. He is amazing masker, learned a lot.

Looking VERY good!

Looks very nice/ I can't wait to restore my 'vert too

Thanks guys, since those piotures were taken last Sunday, I have wetsanded with 1500, and did a two stage "rub out." It is coming out better than I had thought it might.

Grilles, bumpers, door handles, badging is all back on.

Well, it was a long week, many, many hours wet sanding with 1500 and buffing out.

My arms are black and blue (blood thinners) from putting the windows/mechanisms back in the doors on Sunday. I think that job would go better for a smaller person.

Put the new heater core in last night, so now I am free to put the interior back in.

Everyone kept asking me when I was going to wash the top, so I finally obliged them.

Took some quick shots at lunch today, since the sun is out. Getting close, just a little more buffing out and one heck of a lot of cleaning. But all the parts are pretty much back into one chunk.

The new "thumper cam" sounds incredible, and dual 4s work great.

WOW !!!
You should be very proud, sweet ride you got there.