What a fun thread. You make that patching look easy
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Another straggler followed me home!
- Thread starter gdrill
- Start date
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I can remember the time I bought one just like that , same color 340 swinger , black vinyl top for $600 back in 79 or 80. Nice car.
Side 1 done!
Lol, patching is easy. All you need are these......
It's making the initial cut in the body that's hard. That's when you gotta find these!
Well, side two is done and the panel is complete! It had one small patch on the inner edge and one long patch all the way along the top. As with the other side, the rust was only up about a half an inch. But I replaced up to the trunk line as it is stronger there and has less chance of distortion.
Add the dollys,plasma and mig,bead roller english wheel and brake. I spent many years gearing up for panel beating.
Time is coming.
Certainly have an eye for the lines. Looks great
Today wasn't a big day, yet. I was away, but I got a little bit of sanding done on the Duster. This side is nice and straight. Even the wheel houses are good! Everything will go to bare steel and be etch primed. I think I will convert the interior to black as well. We'll see, that will be later. The car does supposedly have the original engine and trans so maybe someone would want to redo the original white exterior with gold interior. Anyway.......
I couldn't let it sit like that. The roof was surface rust where the vinyl was. That was a little painful! It's nice to work on a fairly clean car. Even the quarter to roof joints are absolutely fine. Not a spec of rusty intrusion.
Well it was a slow day in the shop. Had a good friend over for a visit and family popped by as well. But I yanked the engine and trans. They are original numbers. Not that a 318 numbers car means anything, but if someone loved Gold Dusters they could save them. The engine is dry seized. Looks good inside, I pulled the pan as it had been lambasted into something! All good in there. The bay is very clean. This car is a pleasure to work on........where I live anyway!
Like gdrill I love the process of repairing the rust and making them whole again! But I can't stand to not get them back on the road, and everything has gotten expensive and quality of parts so questionable. I can't keep them all I could drag home worth the $ (yes hard to find!), and I hate the process of selling.
So I will watch threads like this and watch someone else spend their dollars and do the work!!!!! LOL
So I will watch threads like this and watch someone else spend their dollars and do the work!!!!! LOL
Dartnut
Don't hate me because i'm beautiful
Well, i enjoyed our visit yesterday George, and loved looking at the car(s).
You get my squeal of approval on these ones!
Do you think you can get the grandson to transform them as fast as the one in the driveway you helped him with?
I see he's sizing it up............
All joking aside, you got some good solid projects and parts there!
I'll check out the parts we discussed that you need this weekend and let you know.
You get my squeal of approval on these ones!
Do you think you can get the grandson to transform them as fast as the one in the driveway you helped him with?
I see he's sizing it up............
All joking aside, you got some good solid projects and parts there!
I'll check out the parts we discussed that you need this weekend and let you know.
I'm glad that you watch. I love doing this stuff too. As for money, I spend only what is required. I am a recycler! Most of my steel is cut offs from previous panel I've bought. Gotta love brand new sheet metal! If it's not that pieces from old panels with proper shapes really make the task easier. This is the part of the hobby I love. Seeing them transform. Driving just doesn't do much for me anymore. It's not like when we were kids and out terrorizing the streets!
Thanx Tom. Ya he is always looking and asking questions, This particular time was "why is this on here?". He was asking about the hood spring. He figured it wasn't something that belonged, and in a kids eye he was kinda right!
Let me know when you're ready to head over there and we'll make a list.
I went and grabbed the parts car that came with the 69 Dart. It is a 67 4 door, rusty floors for those who may think I'm ruthless!, slant six auto, with a sway bar. It is rough but it will donate many parts to the future. The rear floor and trunk are great. The rear rails are good and the front pass rail is good, but the driver rail is toast. This car will help others live......specifically mine!. Anyway, then I stopped and picked up some parts in Calgary. I grabbed a lower and upper control arms, Ball joints, front and rear sway bar, 5x4 8 3/4" axles, V8 k-member, and brakes, new, for an 8 3/4. This front bar must be aftermarket. I compared it to my other and it is huge. The rear, I have no idea. But it will stiffen up anything I attach it to, maybe my son's 68 Barracuda - I just have to get him on to it. That all cost $400. But..............then he had to open the shed and show me the rims he changed out as well. Keystones, complete with unilug spacers and nuts. $150, I had to go to a bank machine! Damn, it's tough dealing with this addiction!
![IMG_6763[1].JPG](https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/attachments/img_6763-1-jpg.1715213666/ "IMG_6763[1].JPG")
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Alright, back to this thread! I have done a bit of work to the Dart now. I changed the diff to an 2:71 - 8 1/4 sure grip I had here. It also had 6 leaf springs vs the 4 leaf that were in it. That lifted it a little. This allowed BBP, which the front will become when I switch the K-member for a sway bar. Also the new wheels are 14" vs 13". Then I quickly wire wheeled the rear floors. They are good! Great news.....less welding!
From this.....
To this........
From this.....
To this........
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Thank you. That's what FABO is all about. Sharing ongoing projects and experience.
Is that a Dodge Palomino pickup setting to the left side in front of your shop? and a Warlock on the right side?
Actually, the 78 is a D100 big block that somebody customized way back when. I thought it might have been a package, but couldn't find anything to match it. I actually traded this truck for the Duster! It was another straggler. The other is just my 84 short box 4X4. Just a little 318 auto with some lift.
This morning is Project Passenger Pedals! It's an easy repair, but the Sherman patch panel is a tad bit short at the outside edge hump where the seat bolts in. I will have to fab a small piece in there, but otherwise no issues foreseen. I decided to try and just peel it out, yup, it came out easy!
View attachment 1715204388
Now, I'm no handwriting expert, but I'm gonna guess that car came out of Hamtramck haha. Looks an awful lot like the writing on mine!
Now, I'm no handwriting expert, but I'm gonna guess that car came out of Hamtramck haha. Looks an awful lot like the writing on mine!
That's awesome! I would agree totally!
It's getting close now. I have to do the final cut for sizing. Then burn, burn, burn.
I figured I would show how I cover everything from sparks. I actually screw the cover to the rear window molding. This protects glass and chrome from spark damage. Before I place the pan I cut the front lip down to 1/4". Its too long otherwise and won't allow the pan to sit flat.
I figured I would show how I cover everything from sparks. I actually screw the cover to the rear window molding. This protects glass and chrome from spark damage. Before I place the pan I cut the front lip down to 1/4". Its too long otherwise and won't allow the pan to sit flat.
Prepped.......
This is as far as I got today. Friends and family came by, so the work had to halt! These Sherman panels from Rockauto actually fit very well. The contour and the edges are damn near perfect. They are nice heavy gauge steel too. No, they are not coated like AMD, but that doesn't matter to me. It's a floor pan! It will be undercoated by the time I'm finished. Tomorrow is a road trip to ditch the 67 shell and pick up a friends 68 Coronet 500 project. So I likely wont be back at this till Tuesday. But I want to get the floors wrapped up so I can start in the engine bay. I have to replace the driver side inner fender.
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