Words: Bob Comstock
Photos: Larry Martinelli
"It wasn't hard for me to get hooked on Mopars during the '60s & '70s while growing up near Detroit when my own brother, Howard, and a few good friends were actively into drag racing. Dean Nicopolis was an inspiration, racing Hemi Barracudas at that time with one being sponsored by Ramchargers for many years. It was a thrill to hang out at his shop, but before they'd even let me in the front door, I had to bring coffee for all of the guys! Every now & then, Dean actually allowed me to help on the car. Hopes of building my own Barracuda one day were slated because as they say, "life happens". Marriage, kids, and a job. The craving for my own 426 Hemi car had to be shelved, but it was never buried.
"About four years ago, I found it - the perfect project car. A rust-free '68 Barracuda located in the Central Valley. It had a 340 motor and 833 transmission with 8-3/4 correct rear end. I sold the drive train to help offset costs of my new build (at least, I tried to off-set costs!). I accumulated parts over a two year period and made developed plans to strengthen the car for the speed of the HEMI motor. I opened the floor pan and tied the front & rear frame rails together in addition to making new back-half frame rails. I installed a Chris Alston 4-bar system with coil over shocks. Without a doubt, my Ironworker skills of 30 years helped through the fabrication process.
"All of the parts I chose, I chose with a purpose. For example, I liked the R.M.S. front suspension for its street-friendly driveability. The aluminum gas tank I crafted has a 25-gallon capacity to help on long cruises. The Auto Meter gauges are performance oriented, which worked well in the dashboard I fabricated. To ensure comfort and add style, I used 2005 Charger SRT8 seats as the main platform for the interior.
"Planning and building this car was truly an awesome experience. There's about 500 miles on the car now, but this Mopar muscle has much more asphalt to cover. It's a car built from youthful Detroit dreams wtih many more fun memories in the making.
