Copes 71 Dart Swinger Rattle can resto. (Lots of picks not for dial up)

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Cope

Fusing with fire
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
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Location
San Jose, Ca.
HI folks.

This is my first mopar and my first V-8 build. I'll be building this car on a limited budget and tool supply, Hence the rattle cans.

I'm the third owner of this car. I believe it to be a CA. car as it has almost no rust. The guy I bought it from found it sitting with no title and the original owner had passed. He went through the trouble to get a new title and drove it to work for about six months before trading it to me. She's a high option car with front and rear sway bars, Power steering, Cruse control and who knows what else.

My plans for the car are to restore the car to its orignal metallic blue, Paint the black stripe on the the trunk and add a factory style six pack hood scoop. Raise the rear with the SS Springs, add a four or five speed and build a 360 stroked to 390+.

Here She is as She first came to me.
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The most awesome seat cover you've ever seen...
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The original gauge cluster didn't work so I built this. I got all the gauges off a friend for two hundred bucks.

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More picks and up dates to come, Thanks for looking.
 
Well the gauge cluster turned out to be more work that I thought...
I still have no gauge lights, but hope to have that figured out soon. The Tach read WAY off, At idle it's reading 1,500 with throttle it goes up to 6,000 I'm pretty sure my tired old 318 aint spinning 6,000 RPM.

I still need the sending unit for the oil pressure and to figure out the fuel gauge.

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Gauge wiring, I combined all the ground leads for all gauges and lights. The red wire is illumination and black is the main ground. The ignition on bolts directly to the Volts gauge. (Lead not pictured)

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I think today I may make a plate to fit the back panel below the rear window. (I can't remember what that area is called?)

I also need to pull the thermostat. Yesterday it stuck closed and the motor got way to hot 250+.... I'm thinking about removing it altogether or cutting the plunger out and making a restriction plate.
Any thoughts on this?

More picks to come when it warms up a bit.
Thanks for looking.
 
I also need to pull the thermostat. Yesterday it stuck closed and the motor got way to hot 250+.... I'm thinking about removing it altogether or cutting the plunger out and making a restriction plate.
Any thoughts on this?

More picks to come when it warms up a bit.
Thanks for looking.


Cool car, Cope. I'm sure I won't be the only one to say.... you should consider buying a new thermostat instead of running without one. A good quality thermostat is still very inexpensive and easy to find and will make a big difference to the way your car performs. Especially over the next several months in Tahoe!
 
Arrgh...

Here's what I found when i went to pull the thermostat housing.

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The bolts are froze tight and I fear they will shear. I've been soaking then for the last day and a half with PB Blaster. (A decent penetrating oil)
Seeing as I'm broke and don't have the cash for the housing, easy outs, thermostat and gasket. I used plan B, I poked the thermostat with a screwdriver and now it seems to be freed up.....

Oh well so much for that plan.

I bought a "Core" 360 the other day and while I was moping around the garage worrying about shearing the housing bolts I noticed this.

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This is a electric oil pressure sender right? Do you think I can save a few bucks and use this with my (Electric) Auto Meeter Oil pressure gauge?

While I'm on the gauges the tach now seems to be working?,.... Not sure why I did not change any thing, but now it appears to reading true..

Here's the completed new gauge cluster, All Auto Meeter Ultra Light Sport Comp gauges.

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A new rattle can can update on the outside.
She got a new stripe and some shine on Her shoes.
I also started removing some of the over spray off the windows courtesy of the previous owner.

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Thanks for looking.
 
Nope thats an oil pressure light switch. The electric (Mopar/Introl) senders were pretty good sized cans. Not sure what your AutoMeter set requires, but use what they specify.
 
Replace that housing. I had to do the same thing on my wagon, mine looked similar when I went to replace the thermostat. New thermostat and and housing were less than $15 at Kragen. Not much more than a rattle can.

My waterpump had both of the hose fittings almost corroded off also. that was $45 + gasket goo. I had never done any of this stuff before, but these cars are so simple and cheap to work on.

Good luck.
 
I ordered the water out let ( thermostat housing) it should be here tomorrow . I'm also grabbing a 160 thermostat.

On to the real question. To paint or polish?
I finished roughing out the dash panels and I'm in need of input on the finish. What do you think, Polish them or paint them to match the dash paint. ( dash paint still needs finish sanding and a few more coats.) I was thinking that all black might hide some of the miss cuts. (I formed it all with a hammer and cut the holes with my dewalt.)

No matter what i got to remove them to do some finish work and the dash needs sanding and paint so.....????

The glove box is held closed with rare earth magnets, very light and strong. The door on the glove box is not aligned or finished in these picks.

Thanks for the help and advice.

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cool project and 200 bucks is a steal for this autometers :thumbup:
 
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