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My 68 Barracuda
https://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61820		 Page 7 of 14
Author:  DadTruck [ Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
The next project is to finish the AC install. I do intend to drive the car to races and events, having climate control in the car will make it all more enjoyable.

I am using a kit from Classic Auto Air, it is a very complete kit, although I had them delete the AC compressor mount as I had purchased a slant compressor mount from Charlie S as I like the way he positioned the bracket to fit the crank pulley in the OE or inside position. The Classic kit puts the crank pully outboard. I also had Classic not crimp the hoses as I planed to route the hoses in the fender well and under the radiator to hide them.

photos show the through the inner fender piping and the AC compressor mount and the left side alternator and the hoses cut to length with fittings.

Attachments:
AC Wheel Well Conections.jpg
AC Wheel Well Conections.jpg [ 110.36 KiB | Viewed 4809 times ]
AC Compressor.jpg
AC Compressor.jpg [ 96.54 KiB | Viewed 4809 times ]
AC Hoses.jpg
AC Hoses.jpg [ 87.53 KiB | Viewed 4809 times ]
Author:  DadTruck [ Tue Oct 27, 2020 6:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
routed the AC lines and started the evacuation process today

ran the vacuum pump for 30 minutes and it had pulled down to 28 inches of vacuum
shut the pump off for 10 minutes and the vacuum held
started the pump back up and ran another 10 minutes, shut it down and will re check in the AM

so far so good!

Attachments:
pulling vacuum.jpg
pulling vacuum.jpg [ 76.41 KiB | Viewed 4767 times ]
low side gauge.jpg
low side gauge.jpg [ 105.23 KiB | Viewed 4767 times ]
Author:  DadTruck [ Mon Nov 02, 2020 12:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
Last spring I rebuilt the manual steering box in the 68 Barracuda with a kit from Firm Feel. With the rebuild kit I ordered a 20:1 worm gear assembly FF part number MSBFR20.
This fall I had the car back together enough to drive it out of the garage and around the block. I was surprised at the low speed steering effort.
Today I am setting up in the garage to give a go at my 'garage alignment' process. With the front end up, I took a moment to check the steering wheel turns from lock to lock.
It is 3 1/2 turns lock to lock. Firm Feel sent me a 16:1 ratio worm gear. A 20:1 would be 4 1/2 turn lock to lock. I checked and the front end steering assembly is going full travel.
The stops on the LCA hit the stops on the steering knuckle. An interesting surprise, but no big deal.
Should not be an issue on the strip, straight is straight,, right? And should help at Autocross. So the analysis says there is a 0 ( no impact @ drag racing) and a +( could help @ autocross), may be a good thing. Concerning low speed parking, not planning this car to be a grocery getter anyway.
Author:  slantzilla [ Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
Sounds like a bonus to me! :mrgreen:
Author:  DadTruck [ Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
Quote:
Sounds like a bonus to me! :mrgreen:
One of those times when you go with the flow. It will be OK.
Author:  Dart270 [ Tue Nov 03, 2020 4:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
The stops always hit on aftermarket parts. I always grind them down with an angle grinder until I get full turning travel in both directions, and I just barely touch the stops at full lock.

I prefer 20:1 for street, and it works very well on road course and autoX too. 16:1 is in my 64 Dart and that is nice too, but the front of the car is very light. Alignment specs can make a huge difference in turning radius and steering effort.

Lou
Author:  Rob Simmons [ Tue Nov 03, 2020 7:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
I have the 16:1 in my '72 Dart with a 318. It is too much effort for parking and likely autocross. I would rather have the 20:1.
Author:  DadTruck [ Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
The little bit that I have driven the 68 B it seems manageable. I have taken some weight off the front end: last year cast crank motor, fiberglass hood and front bumper, aluminum front bumper mount,,,
If it is truly problematic, there is always one of those electric power steering swaps.
Author:  Rob Simmons [ Tue Nov 03, 2020 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
Yeah. My Dart is all steel with the V8, thick torsion bars, sway bar, steel wheels, I’m old... :lol:
Author:  DadTruck [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 6:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
Completed a front end alignment on the 68 Barracuda, The numbers that I got are
Toe 1/16 in each side
Camber + 1.031 Passenger side
Camber + .916 Driver side
Caster +2.525

For comparison, Barracuda alignment settings from a 1968 FSM
Toe 1/8
Camber Left +1/2
Camber Right +1/4
Caster Manual 0 to -1
Caster Power 1/4 to 1 1/4

I used the formulas for the calculations of caster and camber that are in this post.
https://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=65513

The car has the 73 and up large ball joint upper control arms with the Moog off set bushings, stock lower arms, C body tie rod ends.
The upper control arm adjustors were set with the front bolt rotated all the way out from center and the rear adjustor bolt set all the way in.

I worked a while setting up a string frame to measure toe setting against. I just could never get comfortable that I was really setting up two parallel lines.
My extension tape had flex. I was working alone in the garage. So I made a hard frame of PVC pipe. And I like that. Easy to center around the car, move one side an inch in and the other side moves an inch out. I think it is really robust and will be easy to set up again. I glued one side on each 90 degree fitting and lightly sanded the non glued pipe to allow a full depth fit that can be pulled apart.
I also verified that the rear wheels on the car are square, with no toe. They are.

I also made a set of turn plates, used for checking caster. Basically two plates of steel with the bottom plate being a bit wider and marked with the 15 degree angle targets. These are not slide plates, so the car has to be rolled up on them, but that was not difficult to do. The problem that I found is the epoxy floor in my garage is so slick that the entire plate assembly would turn with the tire. I could probably fix that by gluing some rubber to the bottom side, or I may just let that go and make up a set of angle extensions to mark the 15 degree extensions. In the photo I did that with tape.

So I am satisfied with the garage alignment project, between the PVC pipe and the steel plates I spent a little less than $80.00 a shop alignment would cost at least that much. I plan to use this same set up to check and adjust the alignment on the D150 and then maybe again on the 68 B if I swap in aftermarket upper control arms.

A couple of days in the garage, a couple of days of fun.

Attachments:
68B alignment cage.jpg
68B alignment cage.jpg [ 41.11 KiB | Viewed 4615 times ]
turn plates.jpg
turn plates.jpg [ 39.08 KiB | Viewed 4615 times ]
turn plates turning.jpg
turn plates turning.jpg [ 37.05 KiB | Viewed 4615 times ]
Author:  Joshie225 [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 7:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
You have positive camber? The top of the tire is more outboard than the bottom?
Author:  DadTruck [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 7:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
yes, one has to look to see it, but it is there
Author:  emsvitil [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
You usually try to get a little negative camber for handling..............
Author:  DadTruck [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 7:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
Quote:
a little negative camber for handling.
and I think one can do that by backing off the rear adjustor a bit.
I believe a bit of positive camber is said to improve straight line stability
and make for easier steering.
I plan to drive the car a bit and then make adjustments, that was
the reason for being able to do my own garage alignments.

But I am certainly always open to recommendations.
Author:  Joshie225 [ Thu Nov 05, 2020 8:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My 68 Barracuda
Positive camber will give you nothing but understeer. Positive caster makes for more stability, but increases steering effort. In fact manual steering A bodies specified negative caster.
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