Final Swap Report: 1961 to 1974

Doc, yup, axle ratios kind of went backwards: the lightweight early cars with frisky pre-smog engines got 3.55s and 3.23s or, starting in the middle of '62 production, 2.93s with 225/auto. The heavy later cars with weaker desmogged engines got 2.76s. Going the other way round gives nice results. Congratulations on finding the speedometer pinion; that's a toughie!

Glenn, the '61 Dart is not an A-body and all the undercar components are different. You'll want to spend time over at forwardlook.net learning about upgrades for the '61 Dart. Its dual-leading-shoe, two-cylinders-per-wheel brakes are called "Total Contact", and while they are fascinating to study, you'll want something (much) better if you plan to intend stopping the car from time to time.

Also, the '61s had such minimal, useless brake lights that an auxiliary set of bigger round ones was released for the '61s as an accessory sometime after start of production. If you buy a '61 Dart and it doesn't have them, scrounge up a set (they go by on eBay) and add them.