68-72 to 73-76 front end interchange.

[derrangedgadgeteer]

One thing about my dart which I don't terribly like, is the front end. I'm sorry, but all of detroit got hit with the business end of the ugly stick in the 70's. I have recently found a local junkyard though, with a whole bunch of older darts and valiants, any number of which have serviceable front clips.

I know the hood, fenders, bumper, grill and valence would have to be changed over all together. but my question is this: Would I have to switch out the inner fenders too? Radiator support? or will that swap even work at all without cutting out everything from the subframe forward and welding it under the car?

The ol calibrated eyeball indicates there's not much different from the firewall back. It does indicate, however, that the inner fenders look somewhat different, and I can't tell if the subframe is different or not. I just wonder if the older sheetmetal will bolt to the newer inner fenders and whatnot, and if not, if the older inner fenders will fit in place of the newer inner fenders. If both answers are no, then I'll live with my current front end and put push bars on it.

 

[gilgalad1138]

Should be able to bolt on the front grill assy and fenders without changing the inner fenders. It should be a bolt in job with no welding. Haven't done this myself, so I can't guarantee anything, but from what I've seen, I should be right. If not, I'm sure someone will jump in to correct me, as it's a rather common swap.

 

[JayD]

There's a couple of guys on here that have done it, the clip is a bolt on without any mods to the radiator support or inner fenders. Not sure about the bumper brackets though, 73 should be no problem but I think the 74-76 had the shock type bumpers and I'm not sure if the rails on those are already drilled for the earlier brackets or if you would need to drill them. There's also a member that not only swapped the front clip but also changed the rear of a 74/75(?) to a 72. Hopefully one of the guys that's done it will chime in with details on anything you might encounter.