383 SCARE. A CAUTIONARY TALE

[John Johnson]

I like this one, sloped windshield and not a stinkbug stance with the stretched frame.

I'm about a foot and a half longer than all the other TBuckets in the Phoenix area (except one which has a back seat and looks like Santa's sleigh...) I also sit lower than those with a bench seat. I sit on a cushion on the floor and my legs are extended so that brake and gas pedals are controlled with ankle movement. My knees don't touch my cheeks like so many others do! Great for long distance rides!

 

[John Johnson]

Hey John, beautiful ride you have. Being from the "Gates of Hell" also, my eyes immediately fell to the a/c compressor. How much relief do you get when it's 115*. LoL

It (Vintage Air under-dash unit) blows enough cold air to survive 115+ temps. But I still pray for a tractor trailer at stop lights to get a little shade!!

 

[John Johnson]

Beautiful ride!! I bet its loud ! Have a video ?

Beautiful ride!! I bet its loud ! Have a video ?

I have several videos - my favorite is my granddaughter driving it! - but the site doesn't seem to allow video uploads...
But to answer your question - Yes, it is loud! Before the exhaust tips were welded in place, I took a step drill to the center baffle in the glass pack and enlarged the hole until a Harley rider next to me at a stoplight had to check his tach to see if his bike was running!

 

[Mike67]

I'm about a foot and a half longer than all the other TBuckets in the Phoenix area (except one which has a back seat and looks like Santa's sleigh...) I also sit lower than those with a bench seat. I sit on a cushion on the floor and my legs are extended so that brake and gas pedals are controlled with ankle movement. My knees don't touch my cheeks like so many others do! Great for long distance rides!

It a sweet ride!
If you want to upload vids here create a YouTube channel first and load them there, copy the url and then you can post them.

 

[John Johnson]

BTW, here's why I opted for the 383 in my TBucket...
Bought my new '67 Barracuda when I got out of the Navy in June of '67 (Yeah I'm an old fart!!) 383, 4 speed, 4 BBL, Formula S package. Had the car for 29 years then sold it to my best friend's 14 year old daughter. Went to the crusher 6 months later... I still dream that it's out there somewhere...

 

[Cojohnso1]

I know about "The dream!" I bought my current '69 GTX to fill the hole of losing my first some 30 years ago. Had to sell to buy a mini van when 4th child in 5 years was born. Although same exterior color. Same near stock 440 4 speed performance package. Same Dana 3.54:1 rear. Very similar engine sound. But different personalities. Because of taller 15" rimmed tires? This guy is not as quick thru the gears. But is far more a highway beast. But most importantly? The dream stopped. (I should say it was a reoccurring dream of finding my old GTX. Hurt of course. And having a strong emotional reaction to its condition.) My point? Think about another Barracuda?

 

[John Johnson]

I know about "The dream!" I bought my current '69 GTX to fill the hole of losing my first some 30 years ago. Had to sell to buy a mini van when 4th child in 5 years was born. Although same exterior color. Same near stock 440 4 speed performance package. Same Dana 3.54:1 rear. Very similar engine sound. But different personalities. Because of taller 15" rimmed tires? This guy is not as quick thru the gears. But is far more a highway beast. But most importantly? The dream stopped. (I should say it was a reoccurring dream of finding my old GTX. Hurt of course. And having a strong emotional reaction to its condition.) My point? Think about another Barracuda?

Beautiful story. Thanx! And yes, I've considered buying another Barracuda and duplicating what I had. But it just wouldn't be the same. I had spent so much time working on that car that I knew every nut & bolt, every square inch and every cubic inch. I could go head to head with Mark Worman (Graveyard Carz) on the minute details of the original build. Not to mention the value that it would have today, numbers matching and all. Not that I would ever sell it! I had said for years that when I die I wanted to be buried in the Barracuda, cut-off jeans, hand on the shifter, $hit-eating-grin on my face!

 

[super-bee_ski]

Wow
"Dodged" (a little play on words...tee-hee-hee) A Bullet!
Congratulations!

 

[MoparDanMan]

View attachment 1054439I just had a major scare. My '23 TBucket's big block Mopar 383 was running the best it had in a long time. My neighbor and I had taken it out around town for the evening, setting off a few car alarms in the process...
When I started the car the next morning I was met by a horrifying 'rod knock'!!! It sounded like someone was inside the engine, trying to beat their way out with a sledge hammer!!! Tweaking the timing didn't change anything. My heart sank...
I drained the oil and found no metal shavings. Whew! Then I pulled the pan, fully expecting to find a crankshaft or rod that had committed suicide. In order to remove the pan, I had to remove the dust shield on the front of the 727 transmission. It was about then that my neighbor and I found that 2 of the 4 bolts that mount the torque converter to the flywheel had backed out about a 1/4", just enough that the stampings on the heads of the bolts were hitting the edge of the block!!! Added Loctite and re-torqued all 4 bolts. Disaster averted!
NOTE TO SELF (and you!!): Add checking those bolts to the Routine Maintenance Schedule!!!

View attachment 1054438

A/C on a T-Bucket? Interesting.

 

[MadMax3426]

I had the same problem on my 70 'Cuda thought the worst only to find out that one had back out to make the noise. Loctited ever since.
By the way...Nice ride.

 

[Ray70Chrg]

John, You and I must be living in parallel universes. I bought my 1st charger while getting out of the Navy in 1970. Lived in New Milford, Ct. for 9 years, now we're both Arizonians. Happy Moparing.

 

[John Johnson]

John, You and I must be living in parallel universes. I bought my 1st charger while getting out of the Navy in 1970. Lived in New Milford, Ct. for 9 years, now we're both Arizonians. Happy Moparing.

Awesome! I moved here in '98 and never looked back! Best move of my life! Snow and ice are soooo pretty... on the Weather Channel!!
Hope to see you at a cruise when things get back to normal (whatever that is!).

 

[John Johnson]

A/C on a T-Bucket? Interesting.

It makes 100+ days bearable, and heat is great when it's in the 30s...

 

[hangn0ut]

About the bolts. If the flex plate is well used and the bolt holes get a little oversized the bolts will back off. As hot rodders your winging your high perf motor. Full throttle up on ramps. That flex plate carries that power and it’s not very thick and the metal is not that hard. It needs to flex. And if the plate slips at all relative to the converter the bolts will start backing out. And it does not help that there are no washers. Lock tight did not work for me. And that’s a long ways between bolts for safety wire. Not to mention the thin bolt heads. New flex plate is what I do when the bolt holes get a little big.

 

[dadsbee]

..you could safety wire each bolt head to the plate ear, if you had a drilled bolt head. Thin bolt heads get a hole through a head corner, not the center.

 

[hangn0ut]

..you could safety wire each bolt head to the plate ear, if you had a drilled bolt head. Thin bolt heads get a hole through a head corner, not the center.

I would not use a bolt drilled thru the center. That sharp a bend in the wire just absolutely kills the strength of the wire. And a hole in the plate is the same problem. Sharp bends kill the wire strenght