New Project: 1968 Dart Build Thread

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Red_Duster

Red_Duster

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Morning all! I didn't think I would let the 440 Duster go (build thread is on here as well), but last week I got an offer I couldn't refuse so I let it go and decided to start over. I was fortunate to find someone else's project that looks like they might have gotten in a little over their head.

Drove up to Redding, CA and trailered back a '68 Dart with a 383/727/8-3/4. Good bones, but going to need ALOT of work. Chassis is complete and rust free, all trim is present (mostly in the trunk). Car will need to be completely rewired, an interior overhaul, and will probably go EFI again. Ill get some pictures up and start documenting the disassembly the process.

Car did drive on the trailer under its own power, sounds healthy (a little loud for me with the Super 10's and dumps). Initial visual inspection was a March billet serpentine setup, TTI long tubes and the most glaring thing: Weiand Tunnel Ram with Holley 450's. Seller included a boatload of receipts I need to go though, but I did find the Lunati cam card and a Hughes converter receipts.

Plans for this car is to be a bit more mild than the Duster. Definitely going to take my time, dynamat everything, not cut corners on the interior and make a fun cruiser. Working out the budget this morning with what's left from the duster sale, and it looks like I should be include GearVendors on this one (which will be a first).

Daunting things for me: I'm going to try my first mini-tub and spring relocation, and weld up all the side trim holes. This will be new for me. Not too terribly worried about the wiring (the duster was worse off than the Dart is, and I'm going painless instead of OEM this time).

IMG_4865.jpg
 
Red_Duster said:
Morning all! I didn't think I would let the 440 Duster go (build thread is on here as well), but last week I got an offer I couldn't refuse so I let it go and decided to start over. I was fortunate to find someone else's project that looks like they might have gotten in a little over their head.

Drove up to Redding, CA and trailered back a '68 Dart with a 383/727/8-3/4. Good bones, but going to need ALOT of work. Chassis is complete and rust free, all trim is present (mostly in the trunk). Car will need to be completely rewired, an interior overhaul, and will probably go EFI again. Ill get some pictures up and start documenting the disassembly the process.

Car did drive on the trailer under its own power, sounds healthy (a little loud for me with the Super 10's and dumps). Initial visual inspection was a March billet serpentine setup, TTI long tubes and the most glaring thing: Weiand Tunnel Ram with Holley 450's. Seller included a boatload of receipts I need to go though, but I did find the Lunati cam card and a Hughes converter receipts.

Plans for this car is to be a bit more mild than the Duster. Definitely going to take my time, dynamat everything, not cut corners on the interior and make a fun cruiser. Working out the budget this morning with what's left from the duster sale, and it looks like I should be include GearVendors on this one (which will be a first).

Daunting things for me: I'm going to try my first mini-tub and spring relocation, and weld up all the side trim holes. This will be new for me. Not too terribly worried about the wiring (the duster was worse off than the Dart is, and I'm going painless instead of OEM this time).

View attachment 1715793213
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I would choose new reproduction wiring over Painless, but that's just me.
 
abdywgn said:
watching and learning
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Much better guys here to learn from than me! My build threads are more for the guys who know what they are doing having a chuckle as I muddle my way through. The Duster turned out nice enough though, and I learned a few "not to do's" on it.
 
Nice choice. Where are you located? I'm in northwest Fresno and get north to Grass Valley fairly often (my older son and his family live there). Don't go south often except for the Flings (Spring and Fall).
 
Jim Lusk said:
Nice choice. Where are you located? I'm in northwest Fresno and get north to Grass Valley fairly often (my older son and his family live there). Don't go south often except for the Flings (Spring and Fall).
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Galt, so right between Sacramento and Stockton.
 
Looks like a great start. Keep us posted! Funny that you're in Galt. That's where I grew up. It's a cool little town. How long you been out there?
 
Well, got most of the roached interior out last night, and one notable occurrence happened… when I was pulling the cluster I dropped the column down to give me some room… just got home from work and their is a huge puddle of power steering fluid under the car and the reservoir is dry. I’m assuming it is related to the dropping the column? Did I damage a seal? This is my first power steering car.
 
Never mind! Oval’d the front seal leaving it hanging over night. Learn something new every day
 
Quick update. Spent the weekend getting my floor plans cleaned up and re-sealed (original seam sealer was pretty brittle). Also pulled the dash pads and plates off last night... A little more cut up underneath and I would have liked, so it looks like I will be dropping money on the Classic Dash plates. Also considering dremeling off the fasteners and pulling it for paint with the windshield in place (seal is in great shape and already has new trim clips).

Dash.jpg


Floor.jpg


Dash 2.jpg
 
Have I mentioned I still cant believe they cut off the console brackets for that star shifter? Made a good sized rubber seal to fill the original linkage whole since I will be going the Quicksilver route.
 
im curious how you stripped the floors, they look great..... did you sand them or wire wheel them or sand blast? they look like bare steel...Rich
 
A few hours of wire wheelin'. Then prime and sound deadener. Another reason I want to pull the dash, so I can do the same on the firewall.
 
Thinking I will pull the 383, maybe this weekend, to get the engine bay cleaned up and running wires easier. EFI tank from tanks inc. with pump and sending unit are ordered up- so now I need to pic a direction for the top end. I'm torn between selling the tunnel ram and dual quads to offset a Performer RPM, the sniper system and a US body hood for it... or I could keep the tunnel ram, do the sniper 2x4 setup and just pie-cut the flat hood. Net cost would be about the same...

Not going to lie, I do smile when I walk into the garage and see the tunnel ram and butterflies... I just don't know about running one on a primarily street car. PS: Girlfriend likes it too.

Tunnel Ram.jpg
 
Spent last night putting the headliner up with the help of the girlfriend. Almost got it wrapped up before it was time to turn in. We re-used the new headliner that the previous owner had tried to install. He cut it a bit too short in the package tray area, but I think we are able to make it look. It might have one small crease in the sail panel area. The roof turned out great, and what looks like wrinkles are just my poor photography skills. Need to make some cuts and get the mirror and dome light up today. The bowed headliners are a lot trickier than the 73+ cars!

Headliner.jpg
 
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