1973 Dodge Dart Swinger back from the dead to claim rubber.

To begin, I am a novice at this. I am currently a fresh graduate from college and have since landed my first, what I can safely say, legitimate career. Being a responsible, educated male I did what any sane peoples would do. I went out and got myself a money pit, having no kids and little over head means I am freely able to spend my excess income on the one thing that will eventually come to destroy my would be marriage if I had one. Thank God I don't and the only person I am currently seeing doesn't seem to mind as much, even so far taking interest in how I will make this work.

My previous daily driver was a 1991 Toyota Supra I had purchased from an elderly gentleman on my 16th birth year. I have since toiled away at department store hell, pizza factory nightmares and bland office job limbo from then on to make it something more than just a ricer with a bit of spritz. The car was turbo'd, a larger intake, manifolds and exhaust and the body cleaned and painted. Last time I dyno'd the vehicle it had made close to 420 WHP. I being a man of all tastes see that there is a lot of love and hate in the car world. I like it all, classic European, JDM, American muscle, you name it.

While I have plans to bring the 1JZ to higher power levels and use it as an unofficial/official scare the **** out of my friends-mobile right now I am working with what I will most likely become a money pit. A 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger - Why this car though? Well I have to say the styling is rather...Pedestrian. It doesn't scream 70's crazy in it's current state, not like a Challenger/Cuda nor like a Super Bee or Corvette. What the car does have going for it is lightness. This car is light even by today's standards, 3000LBS give or take, and I figured not a lot of them are done to standard around my area. Aside from my own vanity of wanting a $70,000 early '70's Cuda I knew that there had to be a realistic budget. I am fresh out of college and while ambitions and dreams arise; reality seems to kick. The odd part is - the more I look at this odd little pedestrian car the more I seem to love it. It has character and a certain undertone that says: "Hey, I can be gruff too!"

Anyway, on with the point. The vehicle was picked up last month for a measly $350 dollars. The car included the original 318 and 904 automatic, spare parts and glass. The engine turned freely and the car had little to no desperately deteriorating rust. Few panels are going to be replaced, mainly the front wheel well will need replacing due to a leaky battery that corroded through the sheet metal.

I have a lot of plans for this car and it hopefully should only be a 12 to 18 month long project, save for unexpected situations. I have already sourced a rebuilt 440 and I will be adding a lot of go-fast parts. Running a similar build we've managed 575-595 HP. Suspension goodies will stiffen the ride and make the power more manageable. Chassis stiffing will help with keeping the car straight and not a pretzel, bigger brakes, better rear end, and a hell of a lot more. So come ride along while we continue to make or break the bank!

(Updates might be sporadic, I was put on a project at the end of last month in Maryland for 8 months. Luckily I am just the bank account and my father will be doing most the work while I am away so I have something to look forward to when returning. Sad to witness this all through his eyes (camera) but it should be fun none-the-less)
This is about as bad as the rust gets on the entire car. The floors were solid which I hear is pretty rare for these things.


Then again, when someone tries to rust-repair like this who knows what is bound to be hidden on the vehicle.

I will be needing a new steering column when we go to the floor-shift 727 I am thinking about ordering from Cope Transmissions here in the coming months.
I have no idea what I want to do with this interior yet, the panels are in good shape and all the chrome bits are there but I really hate that wood texture look. The dash bezel might be replaced - Thinking of lacquer black or something molded for all the wood pieces. Need advice for center console when we transition to buckets. Will be trading/selling the split bench when it comes time if anyone is interested in making a trade.

Panels are salvageable but I might replace/have customs done. Thinking if I keep them I will prep/wash/paint with SEM product. Not sure yet.

The car came with a matching number 318/904, already traded the beatup but good order 318 for a rebuilt 440, friend owed us for a similar trade about 2 years ago. The 904 will be for sale/trade if anyone has anything interesting (Cough, center console, cough). Not sure if I am going to add emblems to the car yet but these are original and in good condition. Might refurb and put back onto the car. I love the look of them.

Anyway, thats all I have for right now. Please stay tuned!

Nice motor. Is that the 30GAL?

Bruh - We roll deep. That's the 50GAL.

Well...the body does look largely solid and as you know, that’s the biggest hurdle.
The sky is the limit with this one...just don’t forget to make those student loan payments!

Please keep us posted.

Are you in Columbia, MD?
Im in the process of bringing back a 73 swinger as well.

Yes actually, I am on a project here for 8 months in Columbia. So far not a bad city, more spread out than I am used to though.

The car, though, is back in California. If my project becomes much more long term I will probably fly back and drive it here or ship it via truck.

It just came to my attention but this IS a complete car - the previous owner removed the bumpers/front panels and hood to get to the engine (I don't know why). Anyway, I suppose it looks like a much larger project than it actually is. All the pieces are there and in good shape given the year of vehicle.

I have a new driver side inner fender(this is what your calling the front wheel well) that I can sell you. I bought a pair for my car but ended up only needing the passenger side. Im about 1.5 hrs south of you if you wanted to make a trip down. I might possible have a 73 front header panel.

Well I am currently in Maryland for work, the car is in California where I am from. I don't know how much shipping would be but if it is a good price maybe.

I know it is a about a year old thread but did you ever finish your build?

Yeah, the Maryland project extended well over a year. Finally got sick of being on the road. Quit and came home. We've, we being me and my father, have just begun again on the build. Engine is sitting In a machine shop now with aluminum heads waiting to be ported and polished. I have a stroker kit in the mail now from 440 source and a comp Cam from jeggs. I am making payments on a kit from SST for their T56 Magnum kit and I am about half way paid through on that.

It's been a lot more enjoyable now that I am free from corporate tyranny haha. I'm actually able to get my hands dirty and experience this myself.

I've been back about 6 months now, still settling in and getting used to the budget changes. That and my time is split between the dodge and a 1990 Mercedes 190E that I'm building a M104.99x for. Gonna turbo and install the standalone and fuel fail from turbo bandits. Currently it's in the install process for a repop of the EVO 1 body kit. Was supposed to be a budget build of about 8-10k but it's ballooned into another full build of about 25-30k.

Will be cool when done, 550hp beast.