Snapes 73' Dart Resto

[snapetwo]

Well I have had the dart for a few months now, just getting around to starting on it. Let me give a little background on the car.

I had a nice looking 72' swinger in HS, wrecked and had the dart desire burning ever since.

Found me a 73' swinger in Roswell, NM, so i drove from Colorado Springs, CO and bought her for a $1000. Not a bad price, for the interior and the body, the rest is shot. The guy that had it before me, hacked it up bad. All sorts of parts missing. Suspension bolots missing, tranny held in with a bolt and no nut, engine bolted to tranny with 2 bolts on torque covertor, that kinda stuff. Engine only a shortblock.

So, he we are. Getting Started finally.

 

[snapetwo]

Finally got the work started, yanked the engine and tranny out, took off the fenders and front end metal. Even got the GF involved, how cool is that?

 

[Snappy]

Cool ride, and looks like your other half is into it too, makes the build that much better. Good luck and great buy.:burnout:

 

[snapetwo]

Thanks. Ya she is into it to, she wants to be an auto mechanic and starts school in August. So she is learning on my car.

Well finally got the suspension mostly unbolted. Passenger side came apart easy for most part, torsion bar fought me. Ended up taking a sledge and a bar to it, knocking it out. The person before me musta hit the tb crossmember w a hammer, cuz the inside of the hex hole was all bunged up and keeping tb from sliding out, I'm sure driver side is same, I'll end up dremaling it a bit to clean it up.

Driver side upper ball joint fought, two days now unable to get it out. Tried pen lube, propane torch, tried floor jack under ( actual started to lift car up), the pickle fork was all the way in, even wacked the hell outta the caliper bracket w the sledge, still stud would not come out. Finally ended up taking 4" grinder to it.
New spindles are about $500, do I'm try to d stud out first, Damn that stud is tough metal.

Well quits for the night, night forum

 

[snapetwo]

well was gonna do some more work and put some more pics up, but the smoke outside is just to bad. I live in Colorado Springs, and I can tell you, what you see on tv is nothing like reality, it is so bad here. I know of so many people whos homes have just been burned, and they dont expect the fire to be out for a month.

Thoughts and prayers, thats all i can say.

 

[snapetwo]

So question. When I jacked the front end up under the k, put two jack stands under the lift points near door/frame. The car kinda bends or flexes as u lower the jack....this normal? When it happen I thought " crap I just bent my car n half"

 

[snapetwo]

Ok. So was ripping the old wiring outta my car today, mainly the engine bay and i noticed a pretty big crack in my k member, its on the plate that bolts to the power steering pump. Looks like someone tried to weld it back together, but did a bad job, didn't align it or anything, just layed a bead down.
I'll try to upload a picture later tonight, soon as i can find my card reader.

Based on this type of crack would you try to repair it or try to locate a new kmember?

 

[snapetwo]

Next I think Im gonna try to do is remove all the undercoating on the car, you can see what im talking about in the picture of the a arm and the front door/frame area. it looks like glued on dried mud.
I am gonna try to get one of those needle attachemnts for my air commpressor, see if that works. I just want it all gone, then i'll sand it and seal it it back up.

Any other suggestions?

 

[snapetwo]

Well pulled the power steering, k member, everything is outta the front down to the rails.
Discovered the K member is cracked in a few spots, someone welded it bad as hell. Dunno if its repair able. New thread on that in the body section.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1969519178&posted=1#post1969519178

THink im gonna clean it up best i can, weld it up, straigten out the TBAR area, and then use it till i save up enough for the alterkation kit.

 

[snapetwo]

well its getting dark here in Coloado - land of fire,
Think im Gonna go rip the wiring outta the car tonight (half the wiring is missing and cut, mickey moused so im gonna get a new kit from painless and wire it up right.

Also gonna gut the interior tonigiht, prep the rear wheel wells to be cut and tubbed this weekend.

Its amazing what you can actually do to these cars, just starting off. All you need is time, and the desire...and a great forum to ask questions...wink wink.

Thanks all.

Ps...gotta be up to work at 5am, and its 8:30...damn you car bug. HAHA. only 29, so i can survive.

 

[snapetwo]

Well while the k member and suspension is out, I decided to take the opportunity to remove all the old build up undercoating and dirt. And boy was there alot.

Been picking me up air tools from harborfreight as i need them, so far i have quite a few. This weekend i picked up a needle scaler...damn i love this this.

Here is what I have acomplished after 2 hours. My air compressor is very small so i keep running outta air, but it gets the job done. I'll get the driver side later today, after my hands have a chance to regain feeling.

This afternoon I am gonna start on my old 318, figured while the K member and suspension are out, i might as well put the engine/suspension/K into the car as one piece.

 

[Divenut]

She's coming along nicely brother. Good job! I would think hitting the cracks on your K-member with some decent welds would be a fine fix. Look forward to your updates.

Pat

 

[snapetwo]

ya, thats what im gonna do to the k for now, i ran outta co2 mix for the mig welder, so i can't really make a good bead right now, tried using some flux core i got, but without the shielded gas the welds suck. so that will have to wait.

 

[snapetwo]

Ok, so im starting to round third base on my suspension rebuild.
The cams on this car were already loose and wheels were not even able to steer, so there was nothing to mark when i took it apart.
Now that I have installed new cams, and new tie rods, how do i do an prelim alignment to get it to a shop? or should I just get a tow truck.

2, if i just have it towed to a shop, its it better to have the drive train in before alignment? Im guessing yes, because of the added weight that will affect ride height...speaking of ride height, i have read about adjusting the TB for the height I want, before going to a shop, this still true?

I know when i go to get it aligned, i am gonna try to stay away from places like pepboys and mineke..cuz they are clueless about cams.

 

[OwdKasd]

I would wait for the drivetrain to be installed. There's a great thread on here with alignment specs. I would bring the specs with you when you take it in to a Good alignment shop. Here's a link to the thread about alignments. Check out the chart in post #3. You are doing some great work. Good luck & Git-R-Dun. :tonqe: P.S. There's some debates about the Specs between Manual & Power steering so read the whole thread to be sure but that Chart will be a great start.
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=195810&highlight=alignment+spec

 

[snapetwo]

just bought a power steering box from trudysduster , so soon as it gets here i'll throw it in and get the suspension together, still debating on putting the engine on the K (as the k is still outta the car) and bolting it all up as one unit, or just put the engine in afterwards...the engine does need some work.

Maybe try to pick up a set of wires and distrocap and coil today, see if i fire the engine while its sitting on an old tire on the floor..hehe so redneck, dont' even have headers.

 

[snapetwo]

Gonna be a while before I can post anything good. Hurt my back, DR tells me i have a bulging herniated disc.
YAY...dart sits again.

 

[Divenut]

Gonna be a while before I can post anything good. Hurt my back, DR tells me i have a bulging herniated disc.
YAY...dart sits again.

That sucks Dude. :banghead:

Get well soon,
Pat

 

[snapetwo]

I have a question about these bushings i pressed into my LCAs
Both are solid on the outer shell, i cannot press anymore.
HOWEVER
one of the piviot arms "collar" above the bushing is only 1/4" from the inner bushing shell.
the other is 3/4" from the inner shell.
If you look from TB side, the 1/4" pivot arm is pressed all the way up against the torsionbar opening
the 3/4" has a gap between it and the TB opening.

Which is correct? Did I over press one? did I under press one?

I will attach pics to better explain my issue.

if need be, i'll press both back out, cut off the bushings, and start new.

 

[snapetwo]

FYI, the very top picture, the HIGHest collar by my hand is actualy the waster, not the pivot arm collar, which is on the bottom

 

[snapetwo]

Anyone got any input or suggestion?

 

[snapetwo]

Gonna redo this bushing tonight in my LCA, hopefully correct this time.

Had a question, when i start reassembling the suspension parts, what do i need to grease? all the joints have zergs, i get that part needs greasing..but like do any of the bolts need greasing? any of the splined shafts on say the pitman arm? Do i need need use locktight and the cotter pins? etc etc.

thanks

 

[snapetwo]

Also, what is the proper procedure to put the steering coupler on the shaft and connect to gear box?
With the engine in the car the first time I did this I had issues, as teh gear box splines were jb welded to the coupler (half assed attempt by previous owner...new gearbox now) So i had to grind the first set of splines off the gear box shaft, then take a sledge hammer and wack the coupler on, then slide the steering shaft into it...then I was forced to try and get to the pin and with a long bar tap the pin into place...however I was not able to put the coupler "top bracket piece" on..

now that I have a new gear box..i am hoping the coupler will just slide on nice and easy, in which case I'll just put the coupler on the steering shaft now, with engine out of bay so i can get to the locking pin easier, then slide it onto the gearbox shaft.


any input or suggestions would be appreciated.
thanks

 

[snapetwo]

Working with the woman tonight on the car. I'm telling ya, she gots no problem digging in and getting dirty, we have put the K member back in and power steering gearbox. I hurt my back last week, and she has been lugging them around with no comlaints. She starts auto school i August....I think she is gonna kick *** so bad.
Thanks to trudysduster for KY for selling the pws gearbox.

 

[snapetwo]

Got the suspension put in today, hope I did it right.

OK. So here is what I ended up doing, trying to follow the great advice of Snake ( I think i ran him off with my ignorance in a post on the forum..sorry bud).

I undid the upper control arm, let the LCA hang.
The LCA pivot arm bolt was finger tight (lotta bar on the tb crossmember side on the pivot arm...)
Strut bar was loose on both sides too.

Ok so the setup, the car has been on jack stands at the crossmember for the TB. I left it there holding the car up, LCAs hanging down.
I inserted the TBs thru the TB member, had to fine adjust the position on the TB socket in the LCA - so i used the little arm that the TB adjust screw pushes up agains to adjust on the position of the TB socket in the LCA arm, got the TB slid into the LCA and the TB cross member.
THen I tightend the stut bar on both ends, tighted the LCA pivot arm but.
Then I put the upper control arm ball joint in, tighted it down and the lower ball joint.

That is where I am stopped until next pay day, I unfortunately forgot I did not have shocks, so I can't set her on the ground (or attempt to set her on the ground). I have $200 left for the car project, and its gotta wait until tomorrow, I found a guy wanting to get rid of a 5.7 2006 hemi for only $200. Says it has a slight knock, but ran coming outta car...worth a shot.

Let me know if I did this procedure wrong, or right or any opinions.

Thanks to all for help.