65 Dart GT Revisited

[Deleted member 38666]

Old Dart 66 here with the beginning of the 65 Dart GT dug out of the corner of the garage where it has been patiently waiting for the past few years. Clean car to start....came from, and lived its entire life in Arizona. It, most likely, will be at least, a winter's project, at most a few years. I will call the project "65 Dart GT Revisited" as I owned a Dart Charger back in the early '70s. I will post as I progress. Thanks for all the help that fellow members gave to me on the 66, with a special thanks to 65 Dartman.....D.H. from Va. The plan is a 340 with a 904 with a 3.23 Sure Grip on the back. Just a quick photo, also, of the 66 GT now complete. Thanks, Old Dart 66.

 

[65 Dartman]

Hey Jerry - that 65 looks pretty clean! Sure you don't want to reconsider keeping that factory AC and the slant? By the records and numbers Ulf sent me only 1943 65 GT' hardtops were equipped that way! Will be following your progress for sure my friend!

 

[xLURKxDOGx]

Old Dart 66 here with the beginning of the 65 Dart GT dug out of the corner of the garage where it has been patiently waiting for the past few years. Clean car to start....came from, and lived its entire life in Arizona. It, most likely, will be at least, a winter's project, at most a few years. I will call the project "65 Dart GT Revisited" as I owned a Dart Charger back in the early '70s. I will post as I progress. Thanks for all the help that fellow members gave to me on the 66, with a special thanks to 65 Dartman.....D.H. from Va. The plan is a 340 with a 904 with a 3.23 Sure Grip on the back. Just a quick photo, also, of the 66 GT now complete. Thanks, Old Dart 66.

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I love that color on 66’s.

Jake

 

[65dartcharger]

Great project to start with. I love that white and gold interior. When is the car assembled?

 

[Deleted member 38666]

I love that color on 66’s.

Jake

Thanks on the color comment. The color is simply "yellow" from the archived 65/66 mopar color charts. What I used to match that color is PPG Lamborghini yellow. Yes, on my 65 dart charger the paint was this yellow I believe. I plan on painting the 65 the same color. Thanks again. Old Dart 66

 

[Deleted member 38666]

Great project to start with. I love that white and gold interior. When is the car assembled?

Hello Ulf, Yes, the car will be a great body to start with. Don tells me that not too many 65s had a slant 6 with air. I will look on the vin to see where the car was assembled. Thanks for the response. Old Dart 66 (JJ)

 

[65 Dartman]

Great project to start with. I love that white and gold interior. When is the car assembled?

It could actually be a GO-GO Dart!

 

[65dartcharger]

It could actually be a GO-GO Dart!

You know, that's what I thought too!

 

[Deleted member 38666]

You know, that's what I thought too!

Do you mean the one I had in the early 70s, or the one I just posted. The car I had in the early 70s had the notch in the rear driver side for the exhaust. I recently found a photo of the car which confirmed the notch.....Did the GoGos have the notch? I would be curious to know. Thanks. Old Dart 66

 

[Deleted member 38666]

It could actually be a GO-GO Dart!

Hi Don. Do you mean this current 65 or the one I had in the early 70s. The one I had, based on the notch in the rear driver side for the exhaust would suggest a Dart Charger. I recently found a photo of the car I had in the early 70s, and based on the notch, it would be the Charger. The car also had the pie pans on the fender and the dash. Thanks, JJ

 

[65 Dartman]

Hi Don. Do you mean this current 65 or the one I had in the early 70s. The one I had, based on the notch in the rear driver side for the exhaust would suggest a Dart Charger. I recently found a photo of the car I had in the early 70s, and based on the notch, it would be the Charger. The car also had the pie pans on the fender and the dash. Thanks, JJ

Your current 65. GO GO cars were initially painted the pale yellow (Code 881) and could be a slant or V8. The 65 convertible I parted out 2 years ago was a GO GO model according to Ulf's information. Being from NY it was a rust bucket underneath!

 

[Deleted member 38666]

Your current 65. GO GO cars were initially painted the pale yellow (Code 881) and could be a slant or V8. The 65 convertible I parted out 2 years ago was a GO GO model according to Ulf's information. Being from NY it was a rust bucket underneath!

Daily, I learn something new, Thanks to you Don and the so-knowledgeable people we have who are so willing to share all of this great information on our forum. Greatly appreciated. JJ

 

[Johnny Dart]

Who knew a 84 Lebaron steering wheel would fot on a 65 Dart ?

 

[Deleted member 38666]

Who knew a 84 Lebaron steering wheel would fot on a 65 Dart ?

Thanks for the comment. Did not know it was from an 84 Lebaron, and maybe someone will have a use for it. Of course, I will have to find an original as I move forward, I would like to be as original as I can on the resto. The steering wheel came with the car. Thanks for the interest. Old Dart 66 (JJ).

 

[txas2step]

Hello Ulf, Yes, the car will be a great body to start with. Don tells me that not too many 65s had a slant 6 with air. I will look on the vin to see where the car was assembled. Thanks for the response. Old Dart 66 (JJ)

I have a '65 dart GT /6 with air. Bought it for trim and interior. body real rough. Looks like you have a keeper there.

 

[easyrider]

txas2step, would you be willing to sell the buttons off those seats?
easyrider

 

[txas2step]

txas2step, would you be willing to sell the buttons off those seats?
easyrider

Sorry,restoring seats for another project.

 

[Deleted member 38666]

Its been awhile, but I have gotten a few things done on the "65 Dart GT Revisited." Enclosed are a few photos, first, getting the 225 out, and finding an empty engine bay. Got the W.S. and rear glass out, trim off, and interior out. Of course, a bit of rust #@^***? Dash out, fenders off, doors, hood and deck lid are all off. I have the K frame out which I will convert the front end to disc brakes. Bought some nitro axles for the 8-3/4 S.G.....photos to come. A bit slow for some, but speedy for others! Retired, and work on it when I can. Hope to be finished by mid Feb to beginning of March. Wish me luck. Thanks to all the members who have helped me with advice. Right now, it is just a shell sitting on the jacks. I will mount the car on the rotisserie soon, and start stripping paint. Best. Old Dart 66

 

[65 Dartman]

Looking good Jerry!

 

[Deleted member 38666]

Looking good Jerry!

Like the old Johnny Cash song about the Cadillac, one piece at a time. It will get done, and well rescued. Looking forward to it. Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 38666]

FABO MEMBERS. Been a while since I have updated, but I have been busy on the Revisited Project. Here are some photos for the folks who are following this thread. By the way, there is a welding shop site where a full set of plans including the material list, cutting list, and drawings for the rotisserie can be found. Best part, the entire plans are free....for now. I will post if anyone is interested. I built the rotisserie for less than $700.00 including the center rail, but not the casters as they were salvage yard finds. I initially reported in with a rust free Arizona car; however, as I began to strip the paint, what appeared was a bit unwelcome. Rust. The floor pans are good, fortunately, but there was a slight bit of rust on the passenger side front fender bottom rear, the passenger side rear quarter rear of the wheel well, and the wheel arch on the driver side. I had the parts to weld in, so things were slowed a bit with those repairs. I am up on the rotisserie now, completing the weld-in on the USCT sub-frame connectors....they fit nicely. I believe that the frame connectors will be a good investment as the car will have a 340, Racer Brown Cam, 1968 internals along with a 4bbl. carb. I am more of a body/paint man than a mechanic, so most of the mechanics is work that has been advised by 65 Dartman (thanks Don), and some local mechanic friends of mine. My next post will be after I get the body/chassis stripped and the fenders, doors, hood, deck lid, and the valance painted and cleared. Most of my parts are purchased, but seeing the funds fly, very well, to all parts of the country.....let us keep the economy going. Enjoying the project....for a 66 year old retired building contractor.....not dealing with saw dust, just paint, primers, and welding fumes...much more enjoyable. Special mention to Rod7515 on tips to remove the rubberized undercoating....must have stripped 25 pound of that stuff off, and I still have the underside of the car to go.

Thanks to all who are following, and sorry to be slow in posting. Enjoying the weather....below zero for sure in NW Iowa. My anticipated completion, later than I expected, will be sometime in April. I will post more often. Thanks again to all for your help along the way. Old Dart 66

 

[65 Dartman]

Looking good Jerry!

 

[Deleted member 38666]

Looking good Jerry!

Hey Don, Like most say when they are on vacation.....??? Wish you were here, could use that at times. Thanks for your help through these early As. Much Appreciated. Old Dart 66

 

[Deleted member 38666]

Another update on the 65 Revisited Project. I have the car off of the rotisserie and on to the body cart. The Underside of the car is complete with that nasty nasty undercoating all removed, and Thanks to Rod 7515 for his removal advice. I primer/sealed the underside with PPG DPLF90 I had a few holes in the floor pan, but not very large. I cut them out, and welded in a patch. The interior has been completely removed with the floor redone with incidental debris all removed and the floor redone with seam sealer inside and out. I have removed the dashboard. I will say this, that stripping a dash that has the paint sun baked for the past 53 years is no easy task, but it is done. I am, now, working on the misc. dents and door dings on the chassis of the car. The fenders, doors, hood, and decklid are all primed and blocked out ready for primer sealer, paint and clear coat. Was a bit side tracked with a bit of a health issue, but I am back at it working a few hours a day. Thanks again to 65 Dartman for the advice along the way as well as Rod 7515. So many other to thank in our membership, but you guys know who you are......thanks a bunch. Enjoy the photos with more to come in the near future. Hope to be on the road by mid-summer. Changed my mind on the engine, and I will be going with a HiPo 273 fresh build with a 904 and a SG with 3.23 gears. Best to all. Old Dart 66

 

[Deleted member 38666]

I guess I can only upload 10 photos per post, so here are a few more. I took the car down to bare metal with aircraft stripper. YOu can see some residue on the car. I air DA'd the car down to clean the residue, and placed the bondo today. Not too many dents, but being over 50 years old, under the paint, there is bound to be a few dings and dents. Should have things filled and blocked in a week or so. Thanks again for watching along. The paint color will be daffodil yellow with a black vinyl top. Same as my 66. Best. Old Dart 66