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Before the Restoration

After the Restoration

After the Restoration (2018)

Goodbye

Restoration Journal
  2001:
    January
    February
    March
    April
    May
    June
    July
    August
    September
    October
    November
    December
  2002:
    January
    February
    March
    April
    May
    June
    July
    August
    September
    November
  2003:
    January
    February
    March
    April
    May
    June
    July
  2008:
    August
  2017:
    April
    June
    August

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Welcome to my site! These pages detail the restoration process of my 1968 Barracuda Fastback, featuring a detailed journal, with tons of images. Hopefully this site will be useful to anyone restoring a car, although it is obviously Mopar specific.

Just follow the links on the left hand side of the page. In addition to the restoration journal, you'll find lots of technical reference material, and even some audio/video.

History

The car was purchased on April 30th, 1968, in West Allis, Wisconsin (a suburb of Milwaukee).  The original owner, whom I have contacted and was kind enough to send me some pictures of the car when he owned it, drove it for 36000 miles.  My Dad bought it in 1970.  I even remember the day he brought it home (I was four)!  From '70 to '76, it was the family car; fetching groceries, taking the family to the drive in movies (me and my sister would fall asleep in the back with the seat folded down).  By 1976, it had 73000 miles on it.  No longer needed, it was parked in the garage and largely forgotten.

In 1986, I needed a car, so it was unretired.  After the mice were evicted and the carburetor was rebuilt, I had a driver.  I drove it until college graduation, in 1988, moving the odometer up to 86000 miles.  During these two years, the radiator core and master cylinder were replaced, and I did a really lousy job of filling some small holes in the quarter panels.

I got a job and purchased a new car.  Once again, she was placed in the garage (but not forgotten), and collected dust until January 2001.

Specs

The car was never previously restored; numbers match.

Originally:
Engine Stock 318 V8
Carter 2 bbl
Transmission 4 Speed 833
Differential Open 8 3/4", 3.23 gears. 657 case!
Exhaust Stock Single Exhaust
Brakes 4 Wheel 10" Drums, Manual
Body Fastback
Suspension Factory Sway Bar; Heavy Duty Springs (trailer towing package)
Exterior Forest Green
Interior Black

After Restoration:
Engine 340 V8
10.5:1 Compression
X Heads
Edelbrock Performer 1406 (600 CFM)
Edelbrock LD4B Intake
Electronic Ignition
Transmission 4 Speed 833
Differential Sure Grip 8 3/4", 3.55 gears. 742 case
Exhaust 340 HiPo Manifolds, 2.5" TTI Exhaust System
Brakes Front Disc Brakes (Kelsey Hayes), Rear 10" Drums, Manual
Suspension Factory Sway Bar; New Heavy Duty Springs; Poly Front End Rebuild
Exterior Forest Green (without the stripe)
Interior Black