Progress on the 71 Dart Swinger

Just a little update on my project. Nothing special but it is getting closer!! Still a lot of things to clean, polish, paint and detail but it is coming along!!

Looking good

Thanks!!

looks good!

Looking good. Its all in the details.... It shows. :-)

Larry G

Yes thats going to be one sweet Dart ! Ron

looks good! cant wait to see the finished product!

i cant wait till i can afford to make my scamp RUN and look better....

Thats the cleanest 318 2bbl Ive ever seen. Looks real good !

Thats the cleanest 318 2bbl Ive ever seen. Looks real good !


Only cause everyone yanks the 2bbls off and adds 4bbls!! It is not really that "detailed". We are just building a driver car. ( I gave my Dad a hard time for not painting the crankshaft pully bolts!!) :) :) Anyway, the car went back to the bodyshop this morning for final paint. They are painting the area behind the grill, inside the trunk area, redoing the black on the interior door frames and of course redoing the FE5 exterior. Like I have mentioned in other posts about the car. IT will never be a show car or even close for that matter. It is just a project that my Dad and I have been talking about doing for the better part of 15 years and I could finally afford the car and the redo (not resto) and my Dad had the time since he retired in Feb. Now that this project is getting closer to being on the road I am trying to find a 68 or 70 Charger to replace one the cars that my Dad had to sell to put food on the table years ago. If I can find one of those (or a 71 RR,GTX or Satellite which I had in high school), we will take our time and do a better job on the rebuild. But I could not see paying to power coat the suspension parts, paying to sand blast all the brackets and things like that on this car being our first project in a long time. But IF we can get ahold of another Charger (or RR) I will do it right!! :) Now off to search for a project!!! :-))))))


By the way,
THANKS for all the compliments!! I really appreciate it!!!

is that color called something else than FE5? think my duster had that color when it was new, please show us a picture of the car when its painted would like to see how it looks:)

FE5 is Rallye Red. I will post pics when the car is painted!!! I hope within a month!!

FE5 is Rallye Red. I will post pics when the car is painted!!! I hope within a month!!
thanks i just checked and my car was that color from the factory i have just seen it shine thru at some spots and it looks like a realy nice color:)

Although not the best picture of the color (FE5). But on my photo page listed in my sig there are some pics of my Dart when I first bought it last year wearing the original paint. The paint was still shiny but it was getting really thin in places.

thats a nice color:)

Well it has been a LONG while since I posted any progress on the Dart. But here is what it looked like yesterday!!!!

Niiiiccceee!!

Looking good !

No! That look's real good and Give your dad a hug and tell him thank's :goodman:
Glad to here he is enjoying his retirement with you.
That dart look's great. :blob:

Beautiful. Love That Red!!

1/4 extension are on. Bumpers are on, door handles installed, and marker lights installed. Still have a ways to go but it is getting there!!

It is getting closer!!!

Good to see another Swinger getting the attention it deserves.Great job,it is looking great.
Here is a couple pics of my Swinger project.

Take care.

looking real good guy's.
carcrazyguy that red looks good :thumbup:

goll darnit those pics make me all goose pimply :) real nice job

Thanks for the compliments!!

Can anyone suggest where to get the factory style exhaust tips????

Carcrazyguy

I checked out all your pics and noticed your car originally had side moulding.

Can you tell me a little bit about the process you used to fill in the holes?

Thanks
John

From what I understand the bodyshop had to grind the tabs down. Weld up some low areas and then a skim coat of filler to make it as smooth as possible. It was not an easy task because there is a body line along that edge. But overall I think the car looks pretty good. It is not a show car, rather just a family project. I will be in Amarillo in a few weeks to drive the car for the first time since I bought it!!! I will plan to take plenty of close-up detail pics of the car!!! I can't wait to see it with my own eyes!!!

Okay, now the next step in the process. I am trying to decide on how to finish the car. Here is what I am tossing up......

black stripe, go wing, factory dual hood scoops with hood blackout
white stripe and red factory dual scoops
black stripe and red factory dual scoops

Which combo do you all think would look the best???


low quality pic with wheel centers and trim rings on. Still need to install all the windshield, backglass and side rain gutter(?) chrome.

Lookin Great

wow that looks awesome :thumbup:

Black stripe,go-wing.
Blacked out hood & scoops. :thumbup:

Black hood, black scoops with Go-Wing

Well a couple more things to check off.....front end got aligned today and the exhuast tips got welded on!! It is getting a little closer!!

Your Dart really came out great:thumbup: I've only just begun my journey;)

Question about the rear bumper. Was the 4 light rear bumper on '71s and '72s?

I believe 4 lights were 71 and 72. 72's would have a different grill and clearance lights are not recessed on 72's. I wanted a 70 back bumper for my car but never found one before I got ready to install it.

nice job! dont stop now almost done!:cheers:

Hi...Great Work Man!!!

I Think only the ´71 Dart has 4 Lenses... my Friend has a 72 Scamp and he has only 2 Lenses.
My Dart was BBuild in 70 but i have the Rearbumper from a ´71 whitch has 4 Lenses.
A ´70 Dart has 2 Lenses.
So thats my Knowledge....:confused:

nice job! dont stop now almost done!:cheers:

Thanks...

Not planning on stopping just yet. Still need to get the dual scoops installed, rear stripe put on and a go-wing. Not to mention the carpet and seats still need to be finished. Then plan my next project.....either redo another car or buy a couple of project cars while I takke time to enjoy this one a bit.

looking good carcrazy. i am looking at your car trying to get motavated to work on mine. i started tearing it apart a few weeks ago and keep finding things that will need to be fixed. more then i bargened for, but hey I got me a DART, right. good luck with the finishing touches.
Jeff

E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T !! You've done a great job and I love the look. You should be very proud of you car and yourself. :)

i am looking at your car trying to get motavated to work on mine. i started tearing it apart a few weeks ago and keep finding things that will need to be fixed.
Jeff

Thanks again for the compliments!

As for getting motivated....hang in there. We have been working on this car since I bought it in late 2004. Started out like this.......

New carpet and seat covers are in! Still have a bunch to clean and all, but it is slowly coming together!!

Front seat is in as well.

Another pic of the front seat.

Thanks for posting up the pics, looks great!!!

Wow nice project!!!

BTW, my 73 Swinger has 4 lenses on the rear.

Wow nice project!!!

BTW, my 73 Swinger has 4 lenses on the rear.


Yep that would be correct for 71-73 Dart Swingers. :)


Oh yeah, we put the right lug nuts on. It had black lugs and they just didn't look right! So we put the long closed end chrome ones on!! Much nicer up close!

Just wanted to say THANKS to all those that have helped answer the many questions I have asked over the last 3+ years!!! I finally got my 71 Dart project inspected and tagged today!! It is not "done" still needs the rear stripe installed and possibly a go wing and factory hood scoops. But at least now I can legally get it out and enjoy it a little!! It is not a "show quality" car, and was never meant to be!! But it will be plenty fun anyway!! Once again thanks to all who have helped answer all my questions!!

Excellent job dude, that thing looks really sharp. Drive the hell out of it and enjoy it!

Looks great. I am still waiting on my 3 year mark, i may have done something with mine by then. Now go yee forward and drive like the dickens

The last pic above was as my Dad and I were loading it up on the trailer to go get the inspections sticker on it!!!


I spent 3 weeks up at my Dads (cross state/850 miles away) and got the car tagged the day before I had to leave town. So I never got to drive it myself. However my wife and I are headed back up there Tuesday for the holidays. So if the weather holds out I will get to drive it a little!!

Once again THANKS to all those that have helped answer my questions!!!