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Projects Almost Funny - AWB Barracuda Funny Car Build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by squirrel, Nov 27, 2017.

  1. ceege
    Joined: Jul 4, 2017
    Posts: 204

    ceege
    Member
    from NW MT

    Gutting it sure does change its demeanor. My mind's eye wants to turn it into a pick-up Lol.
     
  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    we already had that discussion on another part of the internet! Not happening...

    When the trunk lid and back window go on again, it'll look right.
     
    Donuts & Peelouts likes this.
  3. rgdavid
    Joined: Feb 3, 2014
    Posts: 347

    rgdavid
    Member

    Wouldnt a flip front be easier ?
    You could take a mould of the original parts after they have been modified,
     
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  4. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    I've been thinking about a flip front, but it would be pretty long, unless I put filler panels between the cowl and the front. There are lots of ways to do this, many of them will work, I still need to decide what my priorities are.
     
  5. Gotgas
    Joined: Jul 22, 2004
    Posts: 7,175

    Gotgas
    Member
    from DFW USA

    I don't know why, but it just now dawned on me that one of my favorite race cars solved a few of your problems this way:

    sachs_sons_comet.jpg

    :D
     
  6. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    That's one way to do it! I want the blower in front of the windshield. Just barely.
     
  7. Designing stuff isn't really all that easy.
    Fixing or replacing a quarter or fender on that bakarruda would be more than enough and a special set of skills. Designing new parts and how they work together then making them parts is another whole different world.
     
    henryj1951, ceege and squirrel like this.
  8. Preachin to the choir....
     
  9. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    since you are stretching the front and moving the engine back. I guess you will not be needing a 'glass hood 100_1435_0001.JPG
     
  10. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    I will need a glass hood, I just don't know yet what it will look like.
     
  11. Cosmo49
    Joined: Jan 15, 2007
    Posts: 1,551

    Cosmo49
    Member

    Way late to the dance here....aren't those cars really heavy, I mean you're going to be launching a rocket there, not a fiberglass Corvette, or your Nova that I love.
     
  12. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    These cars are really heavy...until you cut away most of the weight, and leave only the shell.
     
    Cosmo49 likes this.
  13. Would you consider 2900 pounds stock to be heavy?
     
    warbird1, Hudson31 and Cosmo49 like this.
  14. In my opinion anything but a flat, stretched stock hood would ruin the traditional look.Every car in 66 had a stock type ( don't CARE about rare exceptions, post them if you must, few and far in between). I AM talking about Barracudas here.
    Nothing in my book is cooler that a bug catcher and blower through a stocker.
    NOT a big fan of bubbles, ramps, scoops etc. when it comes to hoods. They don't look good on the Barracuda, possibly exempting Pandemonium.


    And I WAS going to post I have nothing to say! WTF do I know anyway?
    I have, of course, more opinions than knowledge!
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2017
    kiwijeff, Deuced Up!, dan31 and 3 others like this.
  15. Hombre
    Joined: Aug 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,075

    Hombre
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Your comment about weight and this cuda, and then slayers got me curious. To find a Corvette "lighter" than the Cuda you would have to go all the back to the beginning. Only the 1953 Corvette had a even close to curb weight of the 65 Cuda, and they out weighed the Cuda by 50 lbs. Interesting stuff huh?
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2017
    kiwijeff, Deuced Up!, brad2v and 4 others like this.
  16. "Simplify, then add lightness." ;)
     
    t-rod and OahuEli like this.
  17. Cosmo49
    Joined: Jan 15, 2007
    Posts: 1,551

    Cosmo49
    Member

    Thanks all for the weight analysis. Squirrel, I would guess you wouldn't be driving this to the drags, OR WILL HE?!
     
  18. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 4,040

    gene-koning
    Member

    Cosmo49, Jim's intent was to drive the car to Drag Weeks, from his home in AZ. It will definitely be street driven!

    A 65 Barracuda was one of the lightest production ( not counting the drag race specials) cars Chrysler Corp built. That was why they were so much fun with a small V8.

    Funny things happen when you start moving parts like this car is going to see, one change can effect 20 more things, then changing any one of those things can effect 20 other things. It sounds easy, but it gets complex pretty quickly if you work through most of the things that will be effected before you begin. Then, as the build progresses, different things you didn't think of, or had no idea would have had to be altered will present themselves. Fun and games, but not for the weak at heart. Jim tends to make this stuff look easy. I'm following along because I know I'm going to learn a bunch of stuff through Jim's experience. Gene
     
    mad mikey, brad2v and Gary Reynolds like this.
  19. 0NE BAD 51 MERC
    Joined: Nov 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,782

    0NE BAD 51 MERC
    Member

    Jim drives everything everywhere! :)
     
  20. GearheadsQCE
    Joined: Mar 23, 2011
    Posts: 3,375

    GearheadsQCE
    Alliance Vendor

    I'm in the 'Unbearable Lightness of Being' camp.

    To see if a part is too heavy, you throw it in the air, if it comes down it's too heavy!

    I had an early Vette. I think the frame weighed more than the 1965 Barracuda
     
    Fabber McGee likes this.
  21. classiccarjack
    Joined: Jun 30, 2009
    Posts: 1,465

    classiccarjack
    Member

    I'm hooked on this topic.... I may have to buy some popcorn... I am so interested in seeing how the barracuda turns out.

    Sent from my XT1585 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  22. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    "heavy" is all relative. The car is pretty darn light, until you add a blown hemi and a Dana 60 rear end...

    I've been looking at the body structure. I intend to cut out the entire floor and firewall, and replace it with a rectangular tube chassis, necessary crossmembers, and aluminum panels. I expect I will leave most of the door jambs, and the rocker panels.

    There is a LOT of bracing inside the edges of the roof, and the rear window surround. The fun question is, how much can I cut out? I know I need to leave the edge of the bracing, but I think I can cut away most of the tube shape (there is an upper and lower piece around the perimeter of the roof). I can add some bracing from the cage to the roof, although I don't know if that's a good idea or not.

    I am pretty sure I will cut out most of the inner quarter panel, and probably the lower half of the inner brace between the trunk and the rear window. I also plan to trim away most of the area around the trunk hole, which currently is used to support the weatherstrip.

    Every pound is worth about a thousandth of a second...

    IMG_20171206_202340.jpg IMG_20171206_202403.jpg IMG_20171206_202431.jpg IMG_20171206_202506.jpg
     
  23. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    I don't intend to drive this car to Drag Week...that would be really stupid!

    wait...I've said that before...
     
    t-rod, WTF really, Deuced Up! and 7 others like this.
  24. APACHE FS
    Joined: Feb 20, 2007
    Posts: 569

    APACHE FS
    Member

    I would never say don't cut something up, but man that is one solid rust free machine. Nice to start with a good one, and go straight to the modifications.


    Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.
     
  25. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Every pound of that original iron down there may help someone out where mean ole man winter and mother nature wreak havok on period steel...Do you find homes for this stuff other than the back 40...such a clean car that is...
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2017
    mad mikey and Gary Reynolds like this.
  26. dirty old man
    Joined: Feb 2, 2008
    Posts: 8,910

    dirty old man
    Member Emeritus

    Jim, I built more than one dirt track car that had nothing but the outer "tin" hung on the roll cage. I realize you plan to drive this thing from place to place, but there ain't much more abuse you can put on the body metal than a season on the"bull ring" clay ovals of the Southeast back in the 60s and 70s. Will they allow and would you be willing to climb in the window instead of opening a door? Welding the outer door skin to the roll cage and rear quarter adds a helluva lot of strength to the body structure.
     
    redlineracer42 likes this.
  27. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    The doors have to work. I plan to make fiberglass doors. I also want to keep the original design for the side windows, the quarter windows will be stationary, but I want the vent windows to work, and the door windows to go up and down (but with a strap to hold them up). I think all the windows except the windshield will be Lexan.

    I would like to sell the complete floor, with the suspension attached....I know there are folks that want it...the hard part is getting it to them.
     
  28. I hope the next picture has sparks and sheet metal hitting the floor
     
    Doctorterry likes this.
  29. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    I'm not quite there yet.

    I need to get some rear wheels, so I can work on the rear axle. I need to get the front axle so I can figure out how wide the frame will be.

    I think I will put a 4 link in the back, with coilovers (but an older design, not modern billet shocks). This is not right for the period, but I think it's something I have to do to make the car go fast and be driveable, and also have the adjustment I think it will need, since I don't really know how everything will work.
     
  30. Awwwwwwwww.
    If you must. What's wrong with MoPar super Stock leafs, reversed with a huge snubber?
    Spoilsport.
     

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