1969 Barracuda project

Welcome! The Barracuda is a great boat and well worth the effort. I'm just finishing my floor after much procrastinating. I am not a carpenter, but the job was very doable. All you got to have is time and patience, and occational support from fellow members on CCF.

The engine should have lifting rings. I used a board bolted to 2 trees and a come along. Other members can guide you on the support for the hull. I did everything but the main stringers, so I didn't have to do that.

Joe,
How about some pictures?

The 60's hulls were quite thick and I really don't feel you need to worry very much about hull distortion. On the trailer is fine or the 3 point method. In later years, the hulls got thinner and relied more and more on the stringer system/foam to maintain the hulls shape. Doing one stringer at a time is really a good method. Besides keeping the basic shape, it also gives you excellent reference points for checking locations and dimensions.

Thanks for the inputs. Photos to come tonight.

Roachie wrote: Does anyone know what colors the '69 was originally available in? That may get my wife a little more interested.

If you haven't already, spend some time looking through the 68 brochure in the ref. section. We don't have the 69 but I don't think the colors changed or were added onto until 70. This will give you a idea of what the interior is supposed to look like. Then you can go to the diaries and look at the 69 Cuda's. You should be able to spot the originals over the non. Interior colors didn't necessarily match the hull colors. I've seen some rear "off" combinations like your brown with a blue hull. I really don't think CC had a staff of interior designers back then. It was more like Billy Bob grabbing a roll of vinyl they had on hand!! Get your wife going on looking at the pictures. She'll do a much better job and hopefully enjoy getting involved. If you find a picture you (and your wife) like, post it and we'll be able to tell your if it is original or has been done originally.

A hard item to find will be the flooring used. It is actually commercial grade vinyl wall covering. Lots of it is available on line but I've never been able to get close to a match by looking at the on line samples. Go into a wall paper shop with a sample and see what they say.

When you get to the upholstery, you will not be able to do the fake heat stamped pleating/paneling done originally on the seat backs and bottoms. Have the upholsterer stitch it in by stiching the vinyl skin to a 1/4" sheet of foam backing. He'll know how to do it.

Now the fun work starts - foam and stringer work!!! BTW, I'm one for not refoaming under the floor.

Pulled the engine and about 4 garbage bags of wet foam today. I started looking for douglas fir for the stringers, but nobody in the Montgomery area carries it. That's just one more reason I hate Alabama and can't wait to move.

Is there an alternative to douglas fir to use when replacing stringers?

As for the foam/no foam decision... Does the foam have any floor support, acoustic, or vibration mitigation qualities to it?

Welcome to the site; good to see the little guy getting his hands on this project. Thanks for the pictures, we are all boat voyeurs.

Chuck

Looks like a great project! I agree with TRBenji- see what the original gel looks like, cant beat a Green Machine!

storm34 wrote: I agree with TRBenj...Can't beat a Green Machine!

Tim's last green machine. (no joke, it really is)






That bit of humor aside, looks like a great project...good luck with it.

I too like the father son aspect of it. Always enjoy it when I have the engine cover up and my son walks by and starts asking questions. How many kids know anything about internal combustion engines any more. Certainly can't point out the basic stuff on new car engines.

TRBenj wrote: ... but I really did like the color! Id love to have a Mustang in the same combo.

Agreed.

This is all new to me. I tore the engine down this week to see what I'm up against. Looks like #3 is bad. I'm working to get this to the point I can get it in to the machine shop this week. I hope they can help.

Sounds like things are moving right along.
When you take the block and heads to the machine shop, make sure that you tell them that it is a marine reverse rotation engine.

Also may want to tell them about EGGE as they will have the intake and exhaust valves you will need. They will also have pistons if needed. My machine shop said they looked for 2 weeks when I called for a status update. Gave them Egge's 1-800 number and they called me back in 10 mins to say the parts were on the way... Thanks to Reid for this site.

No OCD here. Just too cheap to buy a proper engine stand. I think I'll need one though when it comes time to pick the engine up and reassemble it.

sanity wrote: BTW, the boat that the excavator is picking up...looks like something I would bring home.

Hmmm... it looks like something I did bring home.

If the only issue regarding the foam vs. no foam decision is floatation/safety, consider packing the cavities between the hull and floor with pool noodles. I think I will be going this route on my next restore.

I really like the noodle idea too. Sounds silly, but I like it.
Cheap, easy, floats, and doesn't absorb.
I need to find some blue ones for the Mustang.

BuffaloBFN wrote: It could easily be my memory, but maybe some have changed their opinion on foam? Maybe some of the older threads on this are worth a re-read?

LOL...if that is in reference to me - heck, I've already gone from painting the boat to keeping it original. :)

For a first boat project... I'm not doing so bad. and I'll keep everyone in suspense.