Not new to FABO, but my very first post.

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74SwingerSpe

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
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Location
Meridian, Idaho
Hi FABO,
My name is Travis and I live in Meridian, Idaho. I joined FABO in January 2015, but have been getting information from this forum for many many years. My first car was a 1974 Dodge Dart Swinger Special. It was passed down to me from my grandfather the summer before my senior year in high school. I drove this car my senior year as well as the whole time I was in college. It never let me down (Well, maybe a few times). I still have it, but it hasn't ran for 12-13 years. I have many memories of riding in the back seat of this car with my cousins as a small child. Some day, when my kids have moved out, I'll have the time and money to bring it back to life. It has the typical rust damage (trunk, quarters, floor) and I know the cost to repair will by high. It just has too much sentimental value to give up on it. It's my car and I still love it.
Right now, I have another project that my oldest son and I are working on. He has his drivers permit and will have his license before this summer is over. Although, I knew a newer car would be much safer for him, he convinced me that getting a classic Mopar for him to drive was the thing to do. He wanted my dart, but I just couldn't take the risk of a teenager driving my dart and possibly wrecking it. So I started looking for an A body that I could get replacement fenders, bumpers, etc. for. Although I hope he is never in a wreck, I know it's likely inevitable. I ended up buying a 73 duster. All three of my kids are in sports and other activities year round, so time and large sums of extra money are not something I have much of. That being stated, I certainly got us in over our heads with this project. Mainly due to the very slow progress, I won't be creating a build thread. I have been taking some pictures and will likely some day create a post-completion build thread.
My goal is to make it as "safe" as I can, so I'm upgrading the suspension as best as money allows. Most, if not all of what led me to these upgrades were based on information I've received from this forum. I traded the manual steering box for power steering, and had Firm Feel upgrade it to a stage 3. I've bought many new suspension items from P.S.T., including 1.03 torsion bars and Bilstein shocks. I appreciated the FABO discount for those purchases. The car already had front disc brakes, but I'm considering the 11.75 rotor and caliper mount upgrade. I bought a K-frame reinforcement kit from Firm Feel, and used that project as an excuse to learn to weld with a MIG welder my wife bought me about many years ago. Since he won't be road racing (that I know of), this likely was over-kill, but I'd like to keep the suspension as stiff as possible and still be comfortable. Progress has been very slow, my welds have needed grinding to be pretty, but I've received confirmation that my welds are good from a friend that welds for a living.
The car didn't come with front seats, or an engine and transmission. I have a 360 and 727 that I bought about 12-13 years ago to put into my dart. It's been sitting in the garage the whole time, so I'm going to try to put new gaskets throughout the engine, and go through the normal process for getting an engine running that has been sitting for years. It was running very well when I bought it from a friend, so I'm hoping I won't have to have it rebuilt. To make it run more reliably for my teenager during cold Idaho winters and wet springs, I plan to install a FiTech efi on it. Again, I've gained a great deal of knowledge on this forum regarding the FiTech and I'll be ordering it from Johnny @ Pace to repay him for all of the help he has given folks regarding it. I'll be ordering this late in May, so I can still take advantage of the rebate and have more time to save. The car had been torn down to start a restoration at some point, so I have a few buckets of bolts and hardware to figure out where it goes and the wiring will need replaced too. I spend some time almost every night gathering more information from you folks and also to see your ongoing progress on your projects. This keeps me motivated to tackle my son and I's project, and I appreciate it.

Thanks,
Travis
(74SwingerSpe)
 
A belated welcome, lucky son you have. I'd say you could put "stealthy member" in your avatar!
 
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