'67 Barracuda Convertible Body Restoration Project - Natural Selection - Invasion Of The '67 Barracuda

Beware, for the most significant factor in restoring a convertible Barracuda is the amount of chrome and polished trim. The windshield header and vent-window chrome components were sent to Paul's Plating, while Iverson Automotive received all of the stainless trim for expert repair and polishing.

Fortunately, A-Body window felts are available from Year One for the '67 Barracuda, but we still took extreme care removing the originals. Just another fallacy of the A-Body restoration that has been debunked.

The striker assembly in the A-Body had been previously repaired. As we've mentioned in previous articles, striker repair is commonly needed and anticipated as part of the restoration of most A-Bodies.

The first sign of any previous damage was from a light hit in the right rear quarter-panel. The sheetmetal was wrinkled beyond repair and the framerail was kinked 1 1/2 inches. That required replacement sheetmetal from Year One, and frame alignment provided by a local specialist near Chippewa Falls.

Once the unibody was within spec following the frame alignment, the Year One quarterpanel was grafted in place.

With the sheetmetal work completed by the crew at Muscle Car Restorations, the car is shown here in PPG DP90 epoxy and PPG K36 Filling Primer. Factory-appearing seam sealer has been applied using a method which duplicates the original process.

Final wet sanding was accomplished prior to the application of the Viper Red basecoat/ clearcoat PPG system.

The dash frame is coated with gloss lacquer black. John recommends two wet coats over one coat of DP90, and no sanding.

How does a shop like Muscle Car Restorations run 12 months a year considering the frigid cold that Wisconsin winters can deliver? This supplied air system from Titan Air Corporation provides constant air temperature so the temperature-sensitive paints catalyze properly and result in the highest quality finish, regardless of the ambient temperature outside.

Notice the gray primer where the white interior color will be added after the color and clearcoat have been applied and the particular part color-sanded and buffed. Upon completion of the door, the interior basecoat is applied.

The plan all along was a red exterior (Viper Red) and white interior. John notes that the particular color he chose has no metallic in it, and is well suited for panel painting, as demonstrated with the inner and outer fenders shown here. John says, "Panel painting match-up is not an issue with the PPG Concept DCC single-stage acrylic urethane paint."

The rebuilt door hinges are also painted off the car to get the best finish possible.

Here the underside of the chassis is apparent, as is the PPG Concept, DCC Acrylic Urethane paint. John prefers the high-gloss, "wet-look" that this PPG system offers. For more information, see the sidebar "Product Focus: PPG CONCEPT, DCC Acrylic Urethane."

As the color-sanded and buffed car body heads towards Muscle Car Restoration's assembly building, we bid adieu in this first installment. Next, we'll watch as Muscle Car Restorations tackles the drivetrain installation.

For a complete list of the Year One components on this '67 Barracuda, visit our Web site, www.moparmusclemagazine.com, and click on "Invasion of the '67 Barracuda."