1968 Hemi Dart wheel well templates

-

chryco69

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2013
Messages
98
Reaction score
5
Location
Indiana
I recently obtained Super Stock rear wheel well templates from Bill Reilly (Reilly Motorsports). I placed them on the car and they do not look correct in my opinion. Too much would be taken out of the front portion. I don't want to hack up these quarter panels if its not correct.

It seems like everyone has their own template.

Your opinion? Has anyone done this?

Thanks Moparts!
 
The front portion that got cut on these cars was after they allowed bigger slicks in 69/70.

Here's how Troy did it on his Hemi Dart clone. It was in MCG a couple years ago if you remember it.

Helpful links with tons of info:...

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=5287809

And

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=6498737&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1

And

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=153383&page=2

0932b93f75c753962c336d12a8f80905.gif
 
There is a good photo in the Hemi super stock authenticity guide by Jim Schild.
I used that as a loose guide.
But in the end I just kind of winged it to fit the tires I had.
I moved the opening as far forward as the inner well would allow. Got rid of a lot of Indiana rust as a bonus.
In this picture the car is on stands, gap closes up at rest. Looks better lowered.
Tires are 29 x 13 on 11" wheels. Narrowed Dana with inner wells moved to frame.
No templates but I'm happy with how it looks and fits. I still have to re arc the SS springs.
They let the body down on the tire. Still have to weld in inner fender also to finish it up.
Kind of ugly during the construction but thinking it will look good in new paint. I put a 1/2"
lip around opening to stiffen up the raw edge.

img_20140901_183845_305-jpg.jpg


View attachment IMG_20140901_183845_305.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
There hasn't been any movement in this thread for quite some time. Seeing that I recently did some wheel openings on my 68 Dart I thought I'd post a few pictures for the heck of it.

Took lots of time figuring out my wheel openings and made templates out of thin plastic sheets. There are only 2, but just flip them around for doing the opposite side.
IMG_3547.JPG

IMG_3548.JPG


Left side finished. Also removed the filler cap at the same time.
IMG_3608.JPG


Finishing the inside lip was a lot of work but was worth the time. 1/2" wide lip.
IMG_3603.JPG


These are a 10" rim, I narrowed the Dana for a 12" width rim, so finished rubber will be flush with the quarter. Speaking of quarters, it's pretty tough to install a new AMD Quarter panel and then start cutting but no regrets. Come this fall work will recommence. Makes the winters fly by.
IMG_0505.jpg
 
There hasn't been any movement in this thread for quite some time. Seeing that I recently did some wheel openings on my 68 Dart I thought I'd post a fewTook lots of time figuring out my wheel openings and made templates out of thin plastic sheets. There are only 2, but just flip them around for doing the opposite side.
View attachment 1715364645
View attachment 1715364646

Left side finished. Also removed the filler cap at the same time.
View attachment 1715364648

Finishing the inside lip was a lot of work but was worth the time. 1/2" wide lip.
View attachment 1715364647

These are a 10" rim, I narrowed the Dana for a 12" width rim, so finished rubber will be flush with the quarter. Speaking of quarters, it's pretty tough to install a new AMD Quarter panel and then start cutting but no regrets. Come this fall work will recommence. Makes the winters fly by.
View attachment 1715364649

looks great ! What size is the rear tire ?
 
looks great ! What size is the rear tire ?
---
Thanks! The black rims were 315's, 60R15 on a 10" rim. They were from my other car.
The tires on the car now that is is blue are 29X15.00R15's on a 12" wide rim. 15.2 cross section, 13.5" tread.
59959350379__73E7E4DC-0B49-4BDD-B87B-0AA094BAFFF4.JPG

IMG_2236.jpg


IMG_2660.jpg
 
---
Thanks! The black rims were 315's, 60R15 on a 10" rim. They were from my other car.
The tires on the car now that is is blue are 29X15.00R15's on a 12" wide rim. 15.2 cross section, 13.5" tread.
View attachment 1715462476
View attachment 1715462475

View attachment 1715462477
You're building my dream car!
Is it going to be an automatic, or are you going with a 4 speed?
A couple of interior, front end, and engine compartment shots would be nice for us droolers.........
 
I recently obtained Super Stock rear wheel well templates from Bill Reilly (Reilly Motorsports). I placed them on the car and they do not look correct in my opinion. Too much would be taken out of the front portion. I don't want to hack up these quarter panels if its not correct.

It seems like everyone has their own template.

Your opinion? Has anyone done this?

Thanks Moparts!

bills template came right from an original hemi dart from what i remember. i doubt any two darts were the same. they pretty much hacked those cars to **** to get them on the track.
 
You're building my dream car!
Is it going to be an automatic, or are you going with a 4 speed?
A couple of interior, front end, and engine compartment shots would be nice for us droolers.........
----
Sure, some shots for sure. Hemi build is just starting now. Have the block, putting together the parts list. Yes, 727 from a 68 GTX with the 4 gear planetary and the narrowed dana has 3.54's on split mono leafs.

IMG_2611.jpg


Hood is still in Gel Coat. From AAR.
IMG_2655.jpg


Right side shock area modified for valve cover space
IMG_6582.JPG


Off set MC, mods to K frame, using an engine plate.
IMG_2571.jpg


Hurst Auto Stick II from 1975.
IMG_2555.jpg


6 point bar, kept the original GT interior.
IMG_2663.jpg


15G fuel cell. Sunk into tire space. Mini tubbed.
59865143985__D0855085-AC37-4649-8418-DF7FB3C29B04.JPG


572.
IMG_2585.JPG
 
bills template came right from an original hemi dart from what i remember. i doubt any two darts were the same. they pretty much hacked those cars to **** to get them on the track.

Seems like there were production groups or runs of cutout styles.

Also, “Original” cars are rarely original. These were race cars. There are no original paint/primer cars known.

The tire rules changed and openings changed with them.

Here’s a pic from the Hurst lot. I think it’s Charlie Castanalo’s delivery/pick-up pictures

Note: White gas cap and brazing burn marks on cutout.

772A9996-A408-453E-A5CF-8EE65555A8E8.jpeg


C8B02B32-51CD-4055-BF38-7740A76AEF31.jpeg


A1F55D02-9FCC-4E55-87E1-DD0495ED4BAF.jpeg
 
Seems like there were production groups or runs of cutout styles.

Also, “Original” cars are rarely original. These were race cars. There are no original paint/primer cars known.

The tire rules changed and openings changed with them.

Here’s a pic from the Hurst lot. I think it’s Charlie Castanalo’s delivery/pick-up pictures

Note: White gas cap and brazing burn marks on cutout.

View attachment 1715462755

View attachment 1715462756

View attachment 1715462761
---
I found that when I was doing mine, the original lower body line where it changes direction and goes up over the wheel well lip, both front and rear, and the cut wheel wells, they intersected and also changed directions at the same spot. (Hard to explain, check the picture). It made it easy to keep the panels nice and straight.
I installed new AMD panels before cutting, the wheel wells and reworking the tubs was twice the work as it was to change the full quarter. Despite all the work, no regrets at all.

Front flush to tub, lower body line edge and cut wheel wells meet, shape change.
IMG_3581.JPG


IMG_0148.jpg
 
IMO.
the style that looked better was one that
Kept curves not angled cuts....
 
Note: White gas cap and brazing burn marks on cutout

View attachment 1715462756

1[/QUOTE]

Sorry, but if you blow up that pic you will see there are no burn marks, those are shadows of dents from the lip being roughly rolled with a hammer. Take a closer look.
 
Note: White gas cap and brazing burn marks on cutout

View attachment 1715462756

1

Sorry, but if you blow up that pic you will see there are no burn marks, those are shadows of dents from the lip being roughly rolled with a hammer. Take a closer look.[/QUOTE]
---
Agreed.
It's well known that the wheel lips were crudely done back in the day, the same as the front right side shock areas.
 
I cut out front guard wheel openings and welded them into the rear quarters. Puts a factory lip on the opening.
 
There hasn't been any movement in this thread for quite some time. Seeing that I recently did some wheel openings on my 68 Dart I thought I'd post a few pictures for the heck of it.

Took lots of time figuring out my wheel openings and made templates out of thin plastic sheets. There are only 2, but just flip them around for doing the opposite side.
View attachment 1715364645
View attachment 1715364646

Left side finished. Also removed the filler cap at the same time.
View attachment 1715364648

Finishing the inside lip was a lot of work but was worth the time. 1/2" wide lip.
View attachment 1715364647

These are a 10" rim, I narrowed the Dana for a 12" width rim, so finished rubber will be flush with the quarter. Speaking of quarters, it's pretty tough to install a new AMD Quarter panel and then start cutting but no regrets. Come this fall work will recommence. Makes the winters fly by.
View attachment 1715364649


Do you by chance still have these templates? would you be willing to make a copy of them???
 
-
Back
Top