Greg's '71 Dart Swinger project
Well, thought I'd get the ball rolling on my current project, my recently {12/08} purchased '71 Dart Swinger. It's mostly original and in pretty good shape. Car was initially from California and more recently southern Utah near Vegas. As far as I can tell, I am the third owner. I wanted a car that didn't need to be completely dismantled to be painted and I got one. This car is pretty much rust-free except for some surface scale in the trunk. I'm hoping I can clean it up with a wire wheel but we'll see, there may be a pinhole or two. No major rot though which is great. Needs a vinyl top and a few dings knocked out. Paint is oxidized but is passable for now. Engine bay is very clean as is the underside. There's been one repair on the driver's side behind the door but a magnet will still stick to it. Both front and back valances are tweaked too - shocker!
It's a 318 car with column shift 904. B5 blue (my favorite color) with black vinyl top, B5 bench seat interior. Right now it has 14" rallies on it. It's got the wheel lip moldings, belt line trim and the rocker guard deal. Accessories are power brakes, power steering and A/C. It's got a map light and an ignition key light.
The previous owner installed a true dual exhaust system with an h pipe and Flowmaster muffs - it sounds pretty good for a tired old oil-burning 318. He also installed a set of air shocks, presumably because the leaf springs were sagging. It was all jacked up in the rear when it arrived. I lowered it down some and still the little wheels rub over large bumps. Yep, needs new springs!
I have some pretty clear plans for the car. I just bought a 340 block off of member Stroked 340 at Englishtown. Thanks Dave! Engine wise my plan is for an Ed headed 416 stroker similar to what he built. So looks like Eddy heads, Air Gap manifold, Holley carb, cast 4" crank, Diamond pistons, etc. Have yet to decide on a cam but it will be aggressive, probably a max street hydraulic. I've toyed with the idea of keeping the 318 - I have a pair of '302' heads, a set of NOS adjustable rocker arms and a steel crank from a 273 I could use as a basis but I'm leaning more towards the 340. The 318 would likely be cheaper since I have stuff on hand already. We'll see.
The trans will be the 904 but it will be built up to handle some abuse. I plan to install a bolt in sprag, some lighter parts and good clutches, reverse manual valve body and a deep pan - a basic high-performance weekend warrior trans. I've posted a few questions regarding convertors and I've come to the conclusion I'll probably need a custom one built for my application. I imagine it will be 'tight' for street driving and upwards of 3,500 rpm stall.
There's an a-body 8 3/4 housing sitting in my garage and an MP aluminum center section assembled with 4.10 gears sitting on a shelf in my basement waiting to be installed. It will get a set of offset spring hangers but probably not mini tubs for now. I'm hoping to fit a 275/60/15 drag radial with this set up. It will get a set of Cal Tracs too and I will finally have a use for the Wilwood front calipers I bought for my Belvedere. Frame connectors will go in at some point and if I run the 11 second times I'm hoping for, I'll need a roll bar.
I've always been partial to the factory race cars - the '65 A990's and the '68 Hemi 'Cudas and Darts. I'm also interested in the 'day 2' look, or the idea that someone would have bought a stripped down car for street racing and immediately put some mag or slot wheels on it to give it a menacing vibe to all comers. It's not an over-the-top look though so I'd like to try to keep the outward modifications as subtle as possible. I'm always of the idea the less is more and like my cars to as stripped down as possible while maintaining the regular passenger car feel. I have acquired a radio delete plate for this car to keep the low-budget sedan vibe going. I have a set of NOS A-100 van seats I'm debating on using. I'd get some blue covers for them but I'm not decided whether or not to go this route since they're not 'period correct' so I might stay with the current bench seat. I also recently bought a set of Fenton Gyro front runners in a nod to the early Pro Stock period. No bumble bee stripes or spoilers for this car, no giant hood scoop, (perhaps a factory A-body dual snorkel or six pack, not sure) no flashy chrome. My initial thoughts are to get a set of Coker classic Pro Trac front runners because they look like tires that someone would have run with these rims in 1971. Also, the column will be converted to floor shift 'cause column shifters are for grandma. I'm also going to get a Tuff Wheel to replace the rim blow on there now. Looks more 'race inspired'.
So, right now nothing is happening. My wife and I just moved in to our house in January and there are still a million things to do. I also am planning on making my garage into a proper shop which will take a lot of money and effort. I don't expect all this stuff to happen quickly either so I'm glad I can drive the car as is for a while. I've been down the project car road before with a '65 Belvedere I post car. I had it for 10 years and never drove it once. I'm not interested in doing that again so the Dart will be my rolling laboratory.
Immediate things that need to be done will require some disassembly but nothing too major that will keep me out of commission for a long time. I need to replace the turn signal switch so the column will have to either come out or at least be partially disassembled. I plan to convert to floor-shift at this time and also use my Flaming River manual box while ditching the power steering. If I do this, I also need to install a floor shifter- I have plans for a Hurst Quarter Stick right now.
I will try to post pics as I do stuff but I can't guarantee that will happen. I also don't know how few and far between post will be, there will likely be long idle periods. In any event, here's some pics to start of the car in it's current state and of some of the stuff I've gathered so far.
'Til next time.
- Greg
Well, thought I'd get the ball rolling on my current project, my recently {12/08} purchased '71 Dart Swinger. It's mostly original and in pretty good shape. Car was initially from California and more recently southern Utah near Vegas. As far as I can tell, I am the third owner. I wanted a car that didn't need to be completely dismantled to be painted and I got one. This car is pretty much rust-free except for some surface scale in the trunk. I'm hoping I can clean it up with a wire wheel but we'll see, there may be a pinhole or two. No major rot though which is great. Needs a vinyl top and a few dings knocked out. Paint is oxidized but is passable for now. Engine bay is very clean as is the underside. There's been one repair on the driver's side behind the door but a magnet will still stick to it. Both front and back valances are tweaked too - shocker!
It's a 318 car with column shift 904. B5 blue (my favorite color) with black vinyl top, B5 bench seat interior. Right now it has 14" rallies on it. It's got the wheel lip moldings, belt line trim and the rocker guard deal. Accessories are power brakes, power steering and A/C. It's got a map light and an ignition key light.
The previous owner installed a true dual exhaust system with an h pipe and Flowmaster muffs - it sounds pretty good for a tired old oil-burning 318. He also installed a set of air shocks, presumably because the leaf springs were sagging. It was all jacked up in the rear when it arrived. I lowered it down some and still the little wheels rub over large bumps. Yep, needs new springs!
I have some pretty clear plans for the car. I just bought a 340 block off of member Stroked 340 at Englishtown. Thanks Dave! Engine wise my plan is for an Ed headed 416 stroker similar to what he built. So looks like Eddy heads, Air Gap manifold, Holley carb, cast 4" crank, Diamond pistons, etc. Have yet to decide on a cam but it will be aggressive, probably a max street hydraulic. I've toyed with the idea of keeping the 318 - I have a pair of '302' heads, a set of NOS adjustable rocker arms and a steel crank from a 273 I could use as a basis but I'm leaning more towards the 340. The 318 would likely be cheaper since I have stuff on hand already. We'll see.
The trans will be the 904 but it will be built up to handle some abuse. I plan to install a bolt in sprag, some lighter parts and good clutches, reverse manual valve body and a deep pan - a basic high-performance weekend warrior trans. I've posted a few questions regarding convertors and I've come to the conclusion I'll probably need a custom one built for my application. I imagine it will be 'tight' for street driving and upwards of 3,500 rpm stall.
There's an a-body 8 3/4 housing sitting in my garage and an MP aluminum center section assembled with 4.10 gears sitting on a shelf in my basement waiting to be installed. It will get a set of offset spring hangers but probably not mini tubs for now. I'm hoping to fit a 275/60/15 drag radial with this set up. It will get a set of Cal Tracs too and I will finally have a use for the Wilwood front calipers I bought for my Belvedere. Frame connectors will go in at some point and if I run the 11 second times I'm hoping for, I'll need a roll bar.
I've always been partial to the factory race cars - the '65 A990's and the '68 Hemi 'Cudas and Darts. I'm also interested in the 'day 2' look, or the idea that someone would have bought a stripped down car for street racing and immediately put some mag or slot wheels on it to give it a menacing vibe to all comers. It's not an over-the-top look though so I'd like to try to keep the outward modifications as subtle as possible. I'm always of the idea the less is more and like my cars to as stripped down as possible while maintaining the regular passenger car feel. I have acquired a radio delete plate for this car to keep the low-budget sedan vibe going. I have a set of NOS A-100 van seats I'm debating on using. I'd get some blue covers for them but I'm not decided whether or not to go this route since they're not 'period correct' so I might stay with the current bench seat. I also recently bought a set of Fenton Gyro front runners in a nod to the early Pro Stock period. No bumble bee stripes or spoilers for this car, no giant hood scoop, (perhaps a factory A-body dual snorkel or six pack, not sure) no flashy chrome. My initial thoughts are to get a set of Coker classic Pro Trac front runners because they look like tires that someone would have run with these rims in 1971. Also, the column will be converted to floor shift 'cause column shifters are for grandma. I'm also going to get a Tuff Wheel to replace the rim blow on there now. Looks more 'race inspired'.
So, right now nothing is happening. My wife and I just moved in to our house in January and there are still a million things to do. I also am planning on making my garage into a proper shop which will take a lot of money and effort. I don't expect all this stuff to happen quickly either so I'm glad I can drive the car as is for a while. I've been down the project car road before with a '65 Belvedere I post car. I had it for 10 years and never drove it once. I'm not interested in doing that again so the Dart will be my rolling laboratory.
Immediate things that need to be done will require some disassembly but nothing too major that will keep me out of commission for a long time. I need to replace the turn signal switch so the column will have to either come out or at least be partially disassembled. I plan to convert to floor-shift at this time and also use my Flaming River manual box while ditching the power steering. If I do this, I also need to install a floor shifter- I have plans for a Hurst Quarter Stick right now.
I will try to post pics as I do stuff but I can't guarantee that will happen. I also don't know how few and far between post will be, there will likely be long idle periods. In any event, here's some pics to start of the car in it's current state and of some of the stuff I've gathered so far.
'Til next time.
- Greg
