Just bought my '66 Dart and have some questions!

Hi! One piece of happy but cold as hell Swede here!
I just got home with my '66 and apart from som minor issues
mostly caused by the PO being a complete idiot the car is in
better shape then most of the Darts in Sweden since they were driven until
they broke and tossed away some twenty years ago.

'Bout the car!

Freshly rebuilt 318 with 360 heads, intake, Holley 750, 10:1 compression, 8,3/4 rear, rebuilt 904, dual exhaust, some crappy electrical made by PO :toothy10:


First some pictures, Then questions! :cheers:

By wesslan_frimodig at 2009-10-26

By wesslan_frimodig at 2009-10-26


By wesslan_frimodig at 2009-10-26


By wesslan_frimodig at 2009-10-26


By wesslan_frimodig at 2009-10-26

Questions!

1: Engine heater. Would like to be able to get the engine a bit warmer in the mornings since it's a daily driver and it -40C in the winters :angry7: how do you get a engine heater in my old 318 =p One of these small ones that you put in the water circuit?

2: Coupe heater? (inside) how do you get a 230V (standard household in Sweden) plug in the car? just plain cable from the front and in?

3: Disc brakes in front how? or more like it, what's cheapest? Would like to be able to stop too :cheers:

4: Power stearing, same as the brakes, how to get one, what parts is needed and what's cheapest (used parts!)

5: My temperature gauge has failed, the fuel gauge works but not the temp. so I'm suspecting the gauge itself? Or is it simpler than that?

Well that's all for now, I'm going to re-do the wiring on the inside and engine-bay tomorrow, I've just bought a hundred meters of cable in diffrent colors, going to do it according to stock 8)

NorthernSwede said:

Hi! One piece of happy but cold *** hell Swede here!
I just got home with my '66 and apart from som minor issues
mostly caused by the PO being a complete idiot the car is in
better shape then most of the Darts in Sweden since they were driven until
they broke and tossed away some twenty years ago.

'Bout the car!

Freshly rebuilt 318 with 360 heads, intake, Holley 750, 10:1 compression, 8,3/4 rear, rebuilt 904, dual exhaust, some crappy electrical made by PO :toothy10:


First some pictures, Then questions! :cheers:

Questions!

1: Engine heater. Would like to be able to get the engine a bit warmer in the mornings since it's a daily driver and it -40C in the winters :angry7: how do you get a engine heater in my old 318 =p One of these small ones that you put in the water circuit?




2: Coupe heater? (inside) how do you get a 230V (standard household in Sweden) plug in the car? just plain cable from the front and in?

3: Disc brakes in front how? or more like it, what's cheapest? Would like to be able to stop to :cheers:

4: Power stearing, same as the brakes, how to get one, what parts is needed and what's cheapest (used parts!)

5: My temperature gauge has failed, the fuel gauge works but not the temp. so I'm suspecting the gauge itself? Or is it simpler than that?

Well that's all for now, I'm going to re-do the wiring on the inside and engine-bay tomorrow, I've just bought a hundred meters of cable in diffrent colors, going to do it according to stock 8)

Click to expand...

1 the car has a heater, I can see the hoses going to the firewall.
you may want to go with a 192f thermostat.

2 plug in heater? to heat the water or the interior?
for 230v stuff your stuck with having to buy mostly in Europe.

5 temp guage, aftermarket.

I suggest get an aftermarket cab underseat type heater to add extra heat to the interior.

-40 is the same c or f, its COLD>

Yeah, Oh I see I hasn't quite made myself clear... Don't know how to put this in words, but I'm talking heat as warming up engine and interior without starting the engine. Can't find any such electrical anywhere.


And oh, I don't want no ugly aftermarket gauges, I want the stock housing and a stock look! I Already have one of those uglies =p As seen in the picture.

I recall some new cars used a freeze plugs water jacket heater. I know the Taurus did. Living in a warm start(Texas) we don't see these often. If you could find one of these plugs the same size as the 318 plug, it should be hard to wire up with a toggle switch.

Hmm, I'll look into that. Anyone else who know something that might help? =)

Google block heater by Mopar,this might help.Here in Canada most vehichles come from the factory with block heaters.(cold winters)Also they make quick-start products were you could start your car from inside your home(using a key fob) so your car will be warm when getting in.(time laps about 5 mins.)Hope this helps.
P.S Most car parts stores carry block,heaters!

1. Engine heat: Spent a winter in Wisconsin once :angry7:. What I did was buy a heater that went in the bottom radiator hose. It had a pump to circulate the coolant and a heating element to keep it warm. Ran off house current via a pigtail sticking out the grille. Also installed a blanket on the battery that plugged in and kept it warm. Wired the battery blanket into the pigtail for the block heater. Got all that at NAPA and never had to walk in that freezing *** cold again. It was -56F the day I left to come home.

2. Interior heat: Small space heater plugged into an outlet or hard wired to the engine block heater pigtail. You have the right idea on this one.

3. Disc brakes: About the cheapest way to go would be a Scarebird conversion. You can find them at www.scarebird.com. The only problem I have with the kit is the use of GM parts. They don't cost an arm and a leg, you have good brakes, but you also have GM calipers. If you can live with that, that would be the way to go. Next on the cost list would be stock '73-'76 A body discs. Guess what I have on my '66 Valiant. Either way you go you will need a dual master cylinder for disc brakes and a proportioning valve. My personal favorite for a master cylinder is a 1974 Charger manual disc brake unit.

4. Power steering: You will need a '64-'72 A body power steering box. Fortunately your Pitman arm off the manual box is the same as the one for a power box. You will need some sort of coupler since the manual box uses a larger input shaft than the power box. The power box also needs a shorter steering column shaft. You can either find a power steering column from a '63-'66 A body or cut your manual steering shaft to length and use a coupler from Flaming River that fits the box and welds to the steering shaft.

5. Temperature gauge: Pull the wire off the temperature sender and ground it. Turn on the ignition and watch the gauge. If the gauge moves, you need a new sender. If the gauge doesn't move, you have a bad gauge or the wiring to the sender has problems. This could be a corroded connection at the bulkhead connector or instrument panel board, bad splice, break in the printed circuit board runner, or just an open wire.

6. Welcome to FABO and if you have any more questions fire away. Hope you have a long and enjoyable stay.

That's an amazing answer! Thanks!

That told me basically everything I wanted to know!

Just a couple more questions!

1: Since English isn't my native language... What is a pitman arm? :cheers:

2: How much power will my 904 hold up to?

3: I have a leak... It drips water on my left foot when it's raining, why?
Is it something as simple as a clogged drain? Common prob? :angry7:

1. The pitman arm bolts to the output shaft on the steering box and connects to the steering linkage.

2. Dunno. Never had any problems with one. I would say anything more than 350 HP will need a performance build.

3. More than likely a wiper arm pivot seal is bad. Schumacher Creative Services (www.engine-swaps.com) got their start making kits to fix this problem. Pretty common problem even on new cars. My dad drilled 3/8" holes in the floorboard of our '67 Valiant to give the water that leaked in a way out. Wouldn't hurt to clean out the cowl drains either. Keeps the bottom of the fenders from rusting out.

4. You're welcome. That's what we're here for.

God, this is good help! I will be departing for my local junkyard in 8 hours =D
By bus... Since the not-liked-anymore previous owner did such a poor job shortening the driveshaft that the whole car shakes down the road like a bloody rattle... Anyway, thanks once again, will be back tomorrow, probably with new questions!

Best regards to all of you!

for an interior heater, I use a metal 5-gallon can (like a lacquer thinner can, which I have plenty of) I cut the top off and make a cross out of scrap chunks of 2x4. Mount a cheap light fixture to it, (cheapest one you can find at the hardware store) add a cord and a light bulb, poke 4 holes about an inch square around the bottom. Turn it over and plug it in and away you go. I use a 100-300watt bulb, whatever I can fit in there, and it keeps the moisture out of the car (long term storage) or keeps it a bit warmer in the winter. This is pretty cheap to make and pretty safe in the car. I keep one in my wife's 68 Mustang all winter and have never had a problem with it. I slide the pass seat fwd, tilt it fwd, and put the heater on the floor in the back seat. I used to keep one in my boat all winter long as well and never had any mold problems. I'm in Seattle so not quite as cold but real wet!

Welcome to A bodies.

Welcome, thats a very nice dart, 66?

Try j.c.Whitney for nice heaters.

I've had 4 dash clusters with an occasional connector pin that breaks off, and interrupts the current flow to the gauge. Those pins are very delicate. I've had good luck setting a tiny brad nail inside the brass pin, and then re-soldering it to the circuit board.

Welcome to FABO. Nice Dart All-door. It's very clean! Do you know, are cars like yours built in the US and imported or are they produced in Europe?
toolmanmike

They're imported as far as I know, Never heard of an european built U.S car. But changed a bit before sales in diffrent countries, almost all swedish-sold cars for example have engineblock warmers original, though obviously not old mopars =D But there are incredibly many late-import cars in Sweden, I've heard that we have one of the highest amounts of U.S produced cars per citizen. And we have a really big U.S car meet called "Power big Meet", Last year we counted some 10.000 american cars and visitors from 26 countries Some of you may actually save money on importing cars that are common over here back to the states! Haha, well now I've been ranting for long enough! Of to the junkyard. I've heard some rumors that he owner of the yard has a original 1967 426 hemi laying in some corner =O And the best part, he's a good friend! Might try to free him of it, not expecting any luck though ;D

I belive that some early valiants were put together in Sweden in the good old days when SAAB-ANA were importing chrysler products.

NorthernSwede said:

That's an amazing answer! Thanks!

That told me basically everything I wanted to know!

Just a couple more questions!

1: Since English isn't my native language... What is a pitman arm? :cheers:

2: How much power will my 904 hold up to?

3: I have a leak... It drips water on my left foot when it's raining, why?
Is it something as simple as a clogged drain? Common prob? :angry7:

Click to expand...

grumpuscreature is a steal trap here :cheers: One of many great tec's that will help and knows his stuff Thank you grumpuscreature for helping our NorthernSwede new member :cheers:
My 66 Valiant is in good shape NorthernSwede :happy10: But when the time come to upgrade we have some of the best of the best here to help you along.:cheers: Welcome to this great site. That is a very nice 66 and I bet you will have it all working good soon. :cheers:

Nice looking 66. Welcome aboard.

Well things are moving forward =) Found a light switch in a van at the junkyard thats near enough identical, switched the button itself over from the old one, if you don't check behind the dash you wouldn't know it's diffrent! The drive-shaft is now straight as hell if I may say so myself! No vibrations what so-ever. The sad part is I'll have to do something to my instrument, as someone suggested before some of the connector pins are all but broken off, loose to say the least. I have a couple of meters left of wiring then I will have redone all the wiring in the interior and engin compartment. After that I will install a type of block heater which includes a small pump and a heater that you basically put in a radiator hose =) A friend that's been doing holleys since the 70's is coming over to help me sort out the carburetor since it's running a bit lean, especially when cold =( Anyway, the only problem that I can't seem to get around for now is finding a round of original steel wheels to put winter tires on since it's required by law after october 1 to may.... And they ARE impossible to find these steelies!

Anyway, thanks for the help! I'm sure I will have more questions quite soon since I don'tt plan on stopping this build until everything is the way I want it!

Best regards!