66 Dart GT HT Whatsitgonnabe?

[moparmat2000]

Gaskets to hook up fittings and tubes for smog pump.

 

[360DartGT66]

And I suppose my '66 273 manifolds wouldn't have them, right?

When we're talking manifolds, this exhaust throttle, does it serve any purpose? Mine is seized in the fully open position, so I guess it's pretty useless anyhow, but I'm thinking I should rip it out. I saw someone who did that here on FABO.

Good idea?

 

[65 Dartman]

Gasket sets include stuff for a multitude of years, some of which you won't be using. Where is your battery tray? That would be the safe place to tie secure the battery!

 

[360DartGT66]

Where is your battery tray? That would be the safe place to tie secure the battery!

It's on a shelf along with loads of other stuff!

I'll be putting my battery in the trunk later on, nice and secure. :thumblef: The stock tray is too short for my battery anyway. I got an extra beefy battery (used for $75) just for the extra peace of mind.

Btw, I've got USPS tracking on a shortcut.

 

[65 Dartman]

It's on a shelf along with loads of other stuff!

I'll be putting my battery in the trunk later on, nice and secure. :thumblef: The stock tray is too short for my battery anyway. I got an extra beefy battery (used for $75) just for the extra peace of mind.

Btw, I've got USPS tracking on a shortcut.

OK! just make sure it is well secured. We wouldn't want it to fall over and short it out and start a fire! :banghead:

I've got you on my address list in the USPS address list! It was picked up about 1:15 this afternoon and I expect it will leave the Post Office around 3PM. Then it will go to a place called Merrifield for sorting and then on to Chicago for more sorting and then an international flight. It might go to Sweden, Denmark or whereever for more sorting, then on to Swedish customs where it might sit for a short time or a week or more (I guess it's however, they feel about it lol!). Anyway, it's on the way!

 

[360DartGT66]

That it is! Great! Now we wait.

 

[moparmat2000]

And I suppose my '66 273 manifolds wouldn't have them, right?

When we're talking manifolds, this exhaust throttle, does it serve any purpose? Mine is seized in the fully open position, so I guess it's pretty useless anyhow, but I'm thinking I should rip it out. I saw someone who did that here on FABO.

Hi Anders,

That is a heat riser flap to help with cold starting issues, and carburetor ice. When the engine is cold, the flap stays somewhat closed, and the exhaust is routed up and through a crossover port thats cast into the intake manifold below the carburetor and intake runners to help warm the incoming air/fuel charge. As the engine warms up a bimetal spring slowly opens the heat riser flap allowing the exhaust to flow out that manifold, as its not needed to warm the intake manifold anymore.

My aluminum heads do not have heat riser ports that go to the intake, so i am removing mine off my passenger side manifold, and tapping, and plugging with pipe plugs.

Without it, you just have a bit of a longer warm up time in colder weather, though i doubt you will be driving it in the winter anyways.

Matt

 

[360DartGT66]

No, I most certainly won't be driving in winter.

I knew about the crossover ports but how this interacted with them was news to me. Thank you for explaining it!

I'll drill it out and plug the holes when I pull the engine and transmission to repainted the engine bay.

 

[360DartGT66]

Well, today I think I did the last things I need to do before I fire up my engine. I bolted on the drivers side exhaust manifold after cleaning out the threads on the mounting bolt holes and studs. Put plenty of copper paste on.

Also tapped the dip stick tube in place. Fit perfectly! I was a little nervous about this because I thought it felt like it was too tight the first time I tried. Worked like a charm once I gave it a few good taps with the hammer. Oil level is perfect, btw.

Then I took the crappy piece-built 2,5" exhaust apart and used a couple of pieces to connect to the manifolds and add a stretch of pipe and the mufflers.

My kind of mufflers. A big hole right through. You can see the roses on the other side.

The tubes that fit the manifolds are welded really poorly and they are small diameter and beat up. See pic. One of them only measures 1,5" across at one place. Less than one tube in a decent set of headers ... I think I will have to do something here if my cam is going to be of any use at all ...

Cranked the engine over a little with the ignition key. A good feeling.

How do you like my muffler job?

Oh, and I removed the steering column to make my job easier. I found a lock. Is that to jam the steering column to avoid theft? Is it stock in '66 or did someone change column?

 

[65 Dartman]

The lock on the steering column is definitely not factory 66! Maybe something that was added!
The locking steering column (in conjunction with the ignition key) started in 1970.

EDIT: do you have the key for it?

 

[360DartGT66]

I'll go down and check.

 

[360DartGT66]

Yes I do. Here's what the steering column and turn signal lever look like. The shaft itself doesn't have the collapsible section I've seen in many cars but maybe that came later?

 

[360DartGT66]

I wonder if it might be something that was added to cars here in Sweden? An insurance thing? Maybe Ulf knows?

Dangerous to have it like that. Imagine driving off and the steering wheel is locked ... It's common on old mopeds and motorcycles but then you notice right away that the handlebar is locked.

 

[65dartcharger]

The Swedish Importer ANA added the steering look in 65 and 66. Not sure after 66 though.

Hold on to it since it has the key too!

 

[65 Dartman]

I wonder if it might be something that was added to cars here in Sweden?

I see a PO added an aftermarket steering wheel too!

 

[360DartGT66]

I'm not sure it's the original key.

 

[360DartGT66]

I see a PO added an aftermarket steering wheel too!

Yes, Djakken said it was a Grant wheel? I like it.

 

[360DartGT66]

It's kind of scary to have you lurking like that, Ulf. Whisper your name and you appear mysteriously from the shadows.

 

[65 Dartman]

It's kind of scary to have you lurking like that, Ulf. Whisper your name and you appear mysteriously from the shadows.

I don't know about Ulf, but since I'm following your thread, I get an email anytime someone makes a post on it. And all my email goes directly to my iPhone! And it dings when I have new eMail

 

[moparmat2000]

Hi Anders,

Is your car a factory A/C car? I have never seen an alternator mounting bracket setup quite like the one you have. I am sure that cannot be stock. The mounting brackets for the alternator should look very similar to the pix of the homemade ones i sent you of the denso alternator install i made for mine. With an exception, the triangular bracket has a slight bend to it, not as extreme as how i had to bend mine for the denso.

Maybe somehow we all can find the correct brackets and bolts for you. I know i have a set i can trace onto cardstock for templates, and i have the length of the spacers required. The stock style ones are sold in chrome by the aftermarket too.

I'd offer up the spare set i have however i'm not sure the direction the 69 notchback cuda will go i plan to offer to my son when he gets older. He may want to go late model Hemi as the old LA engines will be like flat head ford V8 are now by that time comes.

You also need to do something to get those spark plug wires up off the exhaust manifolds or they will burn very quickly. OEM mopar valve covers had tabs with plastic wire looms attached to keep the wires pulled away from the manifolds.

Matt

 

[moparmat2000]

Non a/c alt brackets.

First pic is stock steel ones, second is the aluminum ones with my denso alternator. This is setup similar to stock.

 

[moparmat2000]

Check out ebay item # 252108365478.

These are correct style (except for cutout in the middle of the triangular bracket) aftermarket SBM brackets in chrome for $15.99. For this price its not worth it to try to home fabricate these out of steel plate. Since i am installing a non stock alternator not designed for my application, i had no choice but to make what i needed.

Matt

 

[moparmat2000]

I wonder if it might be something that was added to cars here in Sweden? An insurance thing? Maybe Ulf knows?

Dangerous to have it like that. Imagine driving off and the steering wheel is locked ... It's common on old mopeds and motorcycles but then you notice right away that the handlebar is locked.

Hi Anders,

For some reason when i saw that, i thought why not dissassemble the column. Then with a cutoff wheel, chop that goofy assed thing off, file the metal slightly concave, fill it with JB weld, do some body work to it and paint it. Essentially eliminate it. That is unless you want to have one key to unlock the column, and another to start the car. Seems like an inconvienence to me. I would remove it. I did something similar with my column. It was a 3 speed manual on the column. I cut the shifter nub cast into the collar off, filed everything concave, cleaned the old grease out of the cavity, and plugged it with JB weld aluminum epoxy paste. Then i filed it to shape, smoothed it out with a skim coat of auto body filler, sanded and applied a high build sandable primer. Then wet sanded and applied a nice semigloss black enamel. You cannot tell that a.column shift was even there.

Also noticed your craftsman wrenches. Do you have Sears in Sweden? I have a set of craftsman SAE wrenches my dad got me for Christmas when i was 12 years old to get me started. They are inventoried in my tool chest at work, and i use them every day. I am 46 years old now. I will probably use these till the day i die. Great wrenches.

Matt

 

[65 Dartman]

Hi Anders,

Is your car a factory A/C car? I have never seen an alternator mounting bracket setup quite like the one you have. I am sure that cannot be stock.

The main bracket where the alternator is mounted is in fact a stock early A alternator mounting bracket! I probably have 4 or 5 laying around. I cannot clearly see the adjusting bracket so I don't know about it.

You also need to do something to get those spark plug wires up off the exhaust manifolds or they will burn very quickly. OEM mopar valve covers had tabs with plastic wire looms attached to keep the wires pulled away from the manifolds.

Matt

Agreed! You can probably find a spark plug loom that uses one of the valve cover bolts to secure the loom.

 

[moparmat2000]

The main bracket where the alternator is mounted is in fact a stock early A alternator mounting bracket! I probably have 4 or 5 laying around. I cannot clearly see the adjusting bracket so I don't know about it.

Wow i just learned something new. I thought that the LA engines all used the brackets like mine, except for the cars with A/C.