New A body owner

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Iron Oxide

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2019
Messages
145
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112
Location
Huntsville, AL
Hello, I'm picking up my first A body this Saturday and I'm pretty excited. I've owned a few Dodge vehicles in the past (learned to drive in an 81 K car, bought a 2002 Dakota new, currently driving a 2013 Dart). I grew up in a Chevy household and branched out into Ponchos and Olds over the last 20 years, but have never had a Mopar project/fun car.

Needless to say I'm very happy with the condition of the car for its age, price and location and I'm looking forward to driving it home Saturday!

Its a 66 GT, 225 slant with column shift.

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Welcome to FABO from North Georgia!!

I bet you're excited to get behind the wheel of that! Great looking car!!
 
Welcome to FABO from North Georgia!!

I bet you're excited to get behind the wheel of that! Great looking car!!

Thank you, and I am! I've been slowly working on a Cutlass frameoff for 3 years, so that car has been down for the count. I don't plan on anything crazy for the Dart initially, although I am a tinkerer and I can't help myself sometimes...
 
Welcome from Oregon, sweet looking dart. I like the vinyl top don’t see many on the early A bodies. Dustin
 
Welcome from Oregon, sweet looking dart. I like the vinyl top don’t see many on the early A bodies. Dustin

Thanks! I like the look of the vinyl, but I can tell from the outside that I've got a rust issue hidden beneath it...

Did non-vinyl cars have the roof trim as well?
 
Welcome to FABO. Nice looking 66 you picked up there. It will be a fun car for you to enjoy. I started a 66 Dart thread. Feel free to check in with photos and descriptions. Let me get the link for you. 66 Dart Owners thread
 
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Thanks! I like the look of the vinyl, but I can tell from the outside that I've got a rust issue hidden beneath it...

Did non-vinyl cars have the roof trim as well?
Bummer on the rust, worse part about vinyl my 67 Belvedere the same. Yeah on 65-66 Dart GTs they got the roof trim with or without vinyl.
 
Bummer on the rust, worse part about vinyl my 67 Belvedere the same. Yeah on 65-66 Dart GTs they got the roof trim with or without vinyl.
I can fix the rust, I just need to resist the urge to peel the roof back the day I get it home!

Glad to know about the roof trim. I like the contrast in color, just not keen on dealing with vinyl's dirty little secrets.
 
The vinyl on my 66 was in bad shape so I scraped it off. No damage underneath. It seems the cars with vinyl tops that cover the sail panels and back glass channels have issues.
 
I've said for years that 66 AINT my favorite year in Dodge OR Plymouth......or really anything....LOL but I must admit the 66 A bodies are kinda startin to grow on me. That one looks like it has tons of potential!
 
You're a friendly bunch, I appreciate the welcomes. I'll check my history of painting engine bays black at the door! :lol:
 
You're a friendly bunch, I appreciate the welcomes. I'll check my history of painting engine bays black at the door! :lol:
Good idea. Some of us can be pretty heartless about that subject. Lol. It's un-Mopar like. I did on my 66 but I was ready to set the engine in and decided I had better freshen up the engine compartment. It was over the weekend and gloss black is what I had. I might paint the car black is my excuse. Oh, our limited slip rear ends are Sure Grips and not posi's. That's a Chevy thing. LOL

engine 296.jpg
 
Good idea. Some of us can be pretty heartless about that subject. Lol. It's un-Mopar like. I did on my 66 but I was ready to set the engine in and decided I had better freshen up the engine compartment. It was over the weekend and gloss black is what I had. I might paint the car black is my excuse. Oh, our limited slip rear ends are Sure Grips and not posi's. That's a Chevy thing. LOL

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Sure Grips? I've got some learning to do.
 
Like the white with black vinyl - nice looking ride!
Welcome from VT
 
Welcome from Wisconsin!
Nice ride!
Paint your engine bay a nice pink. You won't get that crap that guys have with black bays. :)
 
Pretty much every brand manufacturer that use Limited Slip Differentials has a name for them.

Limited-slip differential - Wikipedia

My apologies if I sounded ignorant. :lol: I don't have any experience with classic Mopars, thank you for the link.

My current project is an 85 Cutlass that I'm putting a '72 455 into. I spent the summer boxing my frame and welding up a truss to mount an Explorer 3.73 8.8" Trac-lok LSD in using the stock 4 link geometry. I've been at the car for a few years now.

Prior to that, I've spent time tinkering with Corvairs, about a decade with GM F Bodies, a 79 Trans Am, etc. My very first car that I owned was a 1963 Chevy II, which I got my senior year of high school. It was optioned similar to my new Dart GT. That Chevy II was an inline 6 and it was my driver for 3 years before I swapped a SBC into it.
 
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