Update on the state of things:

Directions have changed a bit due to life circumstances. In June 2023 I was ran over by a car thief while just trying to do my job (thank God it was a lifted Wrangler on big tires, both driver side tires ran me over through my centerline from ass to shoulder and the tire was 1-2 inches from my head, if not for the lift my head would have been oil panned. I seriously don't know how I didn't die that day). Thankfully workers comp was in place or I'd be more screwed, but in my State they cap WC at $100k and they deduct what they've been paying me monthly while going through rehab ... So at the end (sometime in the next couple months) I'll essentially get nothing except the long term nerve damage in my ankle, hip and GI. They did catch the thief and he was sentenced to 10 years back in December, on top of that he had other pending federal charges for counterfeiting and meth production, plus he had a couple of other charges in another county pending.

Link to the story with a video if you're interested. https://kdvr.com/news/local/thief-steal ... -salesman/

So where does that put me now? Thankfully I've been buying and restoring parts for the last 10 years, but I still need to finish body and paint and about 5 grand worth of parts not including the drivetrain. A few months ago I finally said F it, with what happened I know I'll never be able to finish it the way that I wanted to so I was just going to rattle can the whole vehicle and slap it all back together. However, about a month and a half ago an old employer reached out to see if I wanted to cash in a prior pension. It's not much, it would only give me an extra $280 a month when I retire in 15 years, so I said screw it I can put that money to better use by finishing the Barracuda now. As prices on everything just continue to go up and up and up, if I don't get it done now it'll never get done. So that money will be here by the end of December. I've already met with a body and paint guy (oddly enough, he only lives 8 blocks from me), nine grand will get me finished with all of my body work and a good B5 blue paint job. The money left over from that will give me the five to seven Grand worth of parts that I need to finish it, minus the drivetrain, LOL.

The original motor had 137,000 mi on it when it was parked and dad says there was nothing wrong with it when he parked it, so I'm just going to attempt to get it going and hope that it's still is okay. I'll need to replace the intake and exhaust manifolds for sure, both are cracked. After I get my payout I'll post up in the Wanted section and hope that one of y'all has something for me at a decent price, definitely don't want a one barrel again and hoping for a two barrel at least (especially at today's insane prices, it really is mind blowing to me that a one barrel intake manifold is now bringing $200 plus.)

Items that are now off the list for sure: 4spd OD, changing out gears to 3.23 or 3.55, mild power build on the motor (if everything runs okay and the current one, maybe I can put in the RDP RV10 Cam that I got from Dan a few years back?)

This is a video I did of the engine bay a few years ago so that I could visually see where all the different wires and connectors went. Funny to think that I was a month away from getting it into paint at that time, LOL. Stupid Covid
https://youtu.be/HIh-E5p5pMw?si=6fMAwoGUDqOM_yYP

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1970 Barracuda 225 /6, 3spd on the floor, Blue/Blue

Glad you're still here, that ordeal sounds horrid.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.