1965 Dart Crewcab daily driver

BKCowGod · May 3, 2023

RustyRatRod said:
Love the disc conversion! This is turning into a nice little car!

I agree. Now I just need to chase down my newfound transmission leak, get a UV tint on every window, and get over my fear of adjusting the shift linkage.

rich_mc · May 6, 2023

BKCowGod said:
Still deciding what I will do on my summer road trip - North to Alaska in my 4x4 or East on Route 66 in the Dart. Leaning on the latter, though the Squarebody does have cruise control which is nice.

I did my motorbike up to Alaska in 2017... was a good time but a llllooonnnggg way! Depending on your motivations, there's not really a reason the Dart couldn't make that trip- my plastic covered sport touring bike made it there and back just fine, albeit dirty by the time I got home...

BKCowGod · May 6, 2023

rich_mc said:
I did my motorbike up to Alaska in 2017... was a good time but a llllooonnnggg way! Depending on your motivations, there's not really a reason the Dart couldn't make that trip- my plastic covered sport touring bike made it there and back just fine, albeit dirty by the time I got home...

My goal is Deadhorse, and while I know a Dart could make it I would much rather do it in something tall enough to not get sandblasted by everything in front of it. Also wouldn't mind doing some offroad stuff along the way. But more and more I think I will likely wait another year for that trip. I do two solo road trips a year usually - one in Aug-Sep and one in December. Yay academia!

mygasser · May 7, 2023

RustyRatRod said:
I sure hope that upper thermostat housing bolt doesn't shake loose. It'd tear up all hell when it hit the fan.

agreed, it needs a zip tie round the handles to make it a permanent repair

BKCowGod · May 7, 2023

mygasser said:
agreed, it needs a zip tie round the handles to make it a permanent repair

It may or may not have had a zip tie for some time. I was able to drill it out and do it right finally though.

sireland67 · May 7, 2023

That is one clean car, you west-coast guys are lucky.
I cant wait to see you adventures on 66.

BKCowGod · May 7, 2023

sireland67 said:
That is one clean car, you west-coast guys are lucky.
I cant wait to see you adventures on 66.

It definitely looks better in pictures. The paint has orange peel and a few bubbles, and there is a bad rust repair in the passenger floor pan. But it is 60 years old and I haven't found a single rusted bolt yet so yeah.

I am definitely leaning towards Rte 66. Last time I did it was in one of my Land Rovers in winter - it snowed on me in the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, that was neat!

sireland67 · May 7, 2023

Snow out west must be a treat.

Darter6 · May 7, 2023

It happens more than you think.

BKCowGod · May 7, 2023

sireland67 said:
Snow out west must be a treat.

Oh we get snow out where I am - but I for some reason didn't realize how common it was in Arizona. This is my friend's house a couple of months ago. We are less than 10 miles from the Pacific, a little south of San Francisco.

Bigb9412 · Jun 5, 2023

BKCowGod said:
Woohoo, finally some updates. Installed the Pirate Jack disc brake kit, as well as a few new suspension components scored from @tubbedamx and a bunch of new bushings. Car is at the old school alignment place getting a proper alignment, and tomorrow I get back on the road.

Still deciding what I will do on my summer road trip - North to Alaska in my 4x4 or East on Route 66 in the Dart. Leaning on the latter, though the Squarebody does have cruise control which is nice.

Now I just need to figure out if there is any market for some lightly used brake components.
View attachment 1716085727

Any grinding or direct fit?

BKCowGod · Jun 5, 2023

Bigb9412 said:
Any grinding or direct fit?

Dropped right in. Supposedly mild grinding is needed for 14s, but I went to 15" due to eternal backorders. The brake pads it came with aren't the quietest so I will be switching to some ceramics. Absolutely worth the change - drums stopped me fine in dry weather, but the unpredictability of which way they would pull and the dwindling availability of quality components clinched it for me.

BKCowGod · Sep 6, 2023

Oof, it's been a while. Been playing with my truck and driving the Dart too much to do anything to it!

Finally got around to mailing my BBS out to Daytona Parts Co. They called me and let me know it was too far gone to rebuild, but they had this gorgeous thing on the shelf for what I considered a very reasonable price. Bolted it in and as soon as the bowl filled the car started up without a tickle on the gas pedal, then settled in to a smooth idle. First start in three days. Used to require a pump or two unless I had just shut it off. I am pleased.