1969 Dart Street/Strip (Re)Build

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Clint we are overly critical of our own rides, I am the same way. I think you're right to demand what you paid for. I might have let the rear bumper slide but not the bubbling in the front bumper.
 
Yeah rear ended back in November and been in body shop ever since. They got all the lines straight but where it was hit, they didn't do a great job of getting it back to what it was. Won't be as noticeable once I'm done with it.

Haha well I'm glad you gave them 3g's so you could make it look right!
 
Haha well I'm glad you gave them 3g's so you could make it look right!

I know right? Total what they got was just under $10k for insurance and what I paid to get the whole rest of the car repainted. I mean all in all, the paint is way better, my inner rockers are replaced now so I know now this car has got to be 95% rust free. I don't know where that other 5% is because I haven't found it yet lol. And they even admitted that the trunk lid should have been replaced as well as the bumper brackets. So they knew but just didn't. When it's all said and done, no one will notice but me. Like Brian said, we're overly critical of our own cars and working in the aerospace industry has made me even more critical and anal about everything. It drives me nuts that the little things drive me nuts. I just need to drive forward and get the trans swapped out and get ready for the spring meets that I'll probably end up missing, again!

Oh and my other Mopar/Dart buddies want a meet-up with you and your ride!
 
I know right? Total what they got was just under $10k for insurance and what I paid to get the whole rest of the car repainted. I mean all in all, the paint is way better, my inner rockers are replaced now so I know now this car has got to be 95% rust free. I don't know where that other 5% is because I haven't found it yet lol. And they even admitted that the trunk lid should have been replaced as well as the bumper brackets. So they knew but just didn't. When it's all said and done, no one will notice but me. Like Brian said, we're overly critical of our own cars and working in the aerospace industry has made me even more critical and anal about everything. It drives me nuts that the little things drive me nuts. I just need to drive forward and get the trans swapped out and get ready for the spring meets that I'll probably end up missing, again!

Oh and my other Mopar/Dart buddies want a meet-up with you and your ride!

We need to get something going soon I leave in like a month lol is there a cars and coffee thing comming up?
 
We need to get something going soon I leave in like a month lol is there a cars and coffee thing comming up?

There's always the Friday night thing and central and west. Cars and coffee is the third Saturday of the month. March 11th is the first day of test and tune at KID
 
I know that was directed at Taxmanth but I wouldn't mind a Midwest meet up sometime. My Dart WILL be on the road this spring.

Heck yeah man would like to have a meet up. Another guy Mike is up that way too with his Barracuda that I met in Tulsa. 416Cuda is maybe his username. Can't remember. But yes plan something up!
 
I wanted more comfort and more support than the current bench seat was offering and have debated this for probably over a year now whether to get the bench foam redone or go bucket. I personally have always liked bucket seats for looks and support. Looked at various aftermarket seats in cars at shows and online. I like the bolstered seats but they just don't look right in the old cars to me. Just too out of place. So I went with the Procar 90 series with head rests since they look a lot more period correct than some of the others. These have been around for a long time but I like the look and I think they'll fit right in and do the job.

Well I was going to post pictures but something with this new phone won't copy the img link correctly from Photobucket.
 
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Ok just going to have to do things a little different now with posting pictures.

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Seats look better in those pictures than in the stock photos.

I was kicking around the idea of doing the same - throwing out the bench and going with buckets - but elected to keep the bench for originality.

After seeing your pics of the 90s, I'm kind of wishing I hadn't already dropped off the bench to get reupholstered...

Looking good man!
 
Seats look better in those pictures than in the stock photos.

I was kicking around the idea of doing the same - throwing out the bench and going with buckets - but elected to keep the bench for originality.

After seeing your pics of the 90s, I'm kind of wishing I hadn't already dropped off the bench to get reupholstered...

Looking good man!

I went back and forth myself. But figured I might spend a fair amount just to have the bench torn apart to replace the foam and still have the current upholstery. It's not that the upholstery is bad necessarily on the bench. Just not crazy about it. So like with anything, I've found that I may as well spend a little more and get what I want rather than paying a little less now and not be as happy with it, only to end up buying what I really wanted later. But they have a nice feel to them. Good lumbar support, not too soft on the cushion, not too firm.
 
I went back and forth myself. But figured I might spend a fair amount just to have the bench torn apart to replace the foam and still have the current upholstery. It's not that the upholstery is bad necessarily on the bench. Just not crazy about it. So like with anything, I've found that I may as well spend a little more and get what I want rather than paying a little less now and not be as happy with it, only to end up buying what I really wanted later. But they have a nice feel to them. Good lumbar support, not too soft on the cushion, not too firm.

I hear ya. Mine was in pretty bad shape...

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I ended up getting it completely reupholstered at a small shop out here for $350. Talk about a deal!

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Came out pretty killer.
 
Started taking the bench out and seeing what the new seat will look and feel like. Feels like I'll have more leg room with these and much more supportive. I think I'll be happy with them.

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Started taking the bench out and seeing what the new seat will look and feel like. Feels like I'll have more leg room with these and much more supportive. I think I'll be happy with them.

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looks kick a$$, really thot about doing the same. have u weighed the bench and both buckets for comparison on weight ? I should have bought those seats before they went up$$$, but had mine recovered, they look nice, but was very sloppy job for so called professionals to do, and have redone one, and have the other out now.
 
looks kick a$$, really thot about doing the same. have u weighed the bench and both buckets for comparison on weight ? I should have bought those seats before they went up$$$, but had mine recovered, they look nice, but was very sloppy job for so called professionals to do, and have redone one, and have the other out now.

Don't know how I'd be able to weigh that big cumbersome bench seat but my guess is that the weight difference is negligible. The bench really isn't that heavy for it's size and the bucket seats don't weigh a lot themselves until you add on the sliders and mounts. Then I think the combined weight is probably about the same.
 
Don't know how I'd be able to weigh that big cumbersome bench seat but my guess is that the weight difference is negligible. The bench really isn't that heavy for it's size and the bucket seats don't weigh a lot themselves until you add on the sliders and mounts. Then I think the combined weight is probably about the same.
they look good !!
 
Just pick up the bench and jump on the digital bathroom scale........do the same with the buckets/tracks. Deduct your weight if it takes an extra weigh with the buckets.

The racey look alone is worth the effort of the swap
 
Just pick up the bench and jump on the digital bathroom scale........do the same with the buckets/tracks. Deduct your weight if it takes an extra weigh with the buckets.

The racey look alone is worth the effort of the swap
that's the way I do it . a surprise I got was, my raised port victor type heads are only 6 pounds lighter apiece, than a stock 915 head !
 
Just pick up the bench and jump on the digital bathroom scale........do the same with the buckets/tracks. Deduct your weight if it takes an extra weigh with the buckets.

The racey look alone is worth the effort of the swap

That bench was a whole lot heavier than I thought it was, picking it up by myself! Just an awkward piece. I got 89 lbs for the bench and 74 lbs for the bucket seats with everything on them. So about 15 lbs shaved off so it did help take a little weight out. But the looks, leg room, and support far outweigh the weight benefits.
 
That bench was a whole lot heavier than I thought it was, picking it up by myself! Just an awkward piece. I got 89 lbs for the bench and 74 lbs for the bucket seats with everything on them. So about 15 lbs shaved off so it did help take a little weight out. But the looks, leg room, and support far outweigh the weight benefits.
nice !!
 
After spending several hours trying to get the seats mounted, they're finally in. The driver's side was a breeze. The passenger's side wasn't so easy. Since the tunnel is offset to that side, it made things tight around the tunnel and hump area for the old seat mount and I'm honestly a little concerned how the new carpet will fit in between. But I suppose I'll cross that road when I get there. Two of the floor mounts I had to make extra wide to kick out further to pick up the seat bolts because there wasn't a good place on the floor to go straight down with the angles. So a couple have a funny offset to them. But the interior already looks much better and updated.

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Those look good! Have you tried fitting the seat belts?

I haven't yet but don't foresee any issues. The passenger side shoulder mount is off center from the seat so I may end up cutting that off and mount it centered. But it should still work for now. The driver's side was mounted perfectly in line with the steering wheel and I mounted the seat centered on the wheel so that worked out good.
 
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