Joe Mc
No Car Like A MoPar!
Drool - nice work bro
1969 Dart GT Convertible
- Thread starter 71autoxr
- Start date
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71autoxr
Well-Known Member
Well I guess I spend too much time in the garage and not enough posting updates. The rear axle assembly is in, with the exception of brake drums. It's detailed stem to stern. I've started refinishing the rest of the brake system: cables, lines, distribution block. The cables took nice to the glass bead cabinet, although it was like trying to fit an angry boa constrictor into a zip lock bag. I also located some older pictures of the Dart likely 1998-1999 - we've come a long way baby!!
71autoxr
Well-Known Member
Well all the brake lines are in. Took only a little finessing with the sub frame connectors in. I took the easy way out and cut in an adjustable proportioning value. Mounted the valve to the sub-frame connector and ran the line in the original location. For the fuel line from the tank I re-routed new line on the inside frame rail, and sub-frame connector. I used the factory clips and I doubt anyone would notice otherwise.
I've got the front hood latch and support installed and the headlight buckets as well as blacked out the behind the grille section. Started on building the k-member. The K-member is black PPG epoxy primer, while most everything else will be cast iron painted. I've spent a lot of time with the bead blast cabinet in the past few weeks and everything was rust-free to begin with so I'm quite lucky. I was missing some hardware for the sway bar bracket and replaced the tie rod end hardware with stainless. Amazing that a small bag of hardware cost $20!!
I've got 2 parts orders from different vendors coming this week so I'll have several other small projects going at the same time: fuel tank install; front inner splash shield install, tail light bezel install. Ive also got a box of parts going out to the chrome shop too.
I've got the front hood latch and support installed and the headlight buckets as well as blacked out the behind the grille section. Started on building the k-member. The K-member is black PPG epoxy primer, while most everything else will be cast iron painted. I've spent a lot of time with the bead blast cabinet in the past few weeks and everything was rust-free to begin with so I'm quite lucky. I was missing some hardware for the sway bar bracket and replaced the tie rod end hardware with stainless. Amazing that a small bag of hardware cost $20!!
I've got 2 parts orders from different vendors coming this week so I'll have several other small projects going at the same time: fuel tank install; front inner splash shield install, tail light bezel install. Ive also got a box of parts going out to the chrome shop too.
71autoxr
Well-Known Member
Well, the rear axle assembly is complete and installed, as well as the entire fuel system (p.s. 5/16" in tank screens, or socks are no longer available from Mopar, or anyone else it seems, but GM has a reasonable replacement). Front suspension is complete except for the steering box which is being rebuilt (outsourced) and 2 anti sway bar mounts. I put the front suspension in as one assembly from the bottom as a trial fit for doing the engine from the bottom. Only took 20 minutes, and easy as cake...or pie. I've got the 1/4 glass tracks, and regulators cleaned, dry lubed and ready to go back in. Had to do a bit of cursing at the rear 1/4 reproduction reflectors which suck,.....and that's being nice. I modified the hell out of them, now they fit like stock, although are smaller in appearance. I recently bought an airbrush to touch up some small imperfections, and painting small pieces, nuts, bolts etc, that were missed in final paint. Works awesome. I should have some chrome bits back by the weekend so some pretty parts will get popped on. I got a bunch of sound deadener/insulation from Eastwoods and install has been good so far, did inside the doors and 1/4s where the glass goes. Definite sound improvement. Door sounds solid, rather than tinny. The car is ready for tires/wheels so those will be the next big ticket item, then I'll likely get started on the brake/clutch pedal resto, then battery locate, and onto wiring this bad boy up. The only cursing I've done so far is at the immense lack of quality in any of the new parts that I have purchased. It is not a vendor issue, but a manufacturing issue. I'll take good used parts any day. Anyhow, enjoy the pics,
71autoxr
Well-Known Member
I need to tear myself away from the garage more often and post more pictures. Things have been progressing. Currently getting the wiring sorted out. Got the relocated battery situated into a poly black box in the trunk with cut off switch and solenoid, cable run in through the car. Tail light housings have been resprayed and installed. Sound deadener and firewall insulation installed, which from initial impressions in going to make a world of difference as the doors sound solid. All the pedal assemblies have been refinished and installed, rear 1/4 glass is in and the regulators have been completely refinished and work as good as new, door latch hardware as well as trunk and hood hardware is in, and the trunk lid and hood got final alignment. Tomorrow going tire shopping (BFG G force Sport in 225 60 15 or possibly 245 60 15) which will cover the shiny Cragar Eliminator 500 with cast gray centers (15 x 7). Hopefully by the weekend I can "roll" the car out of the garage and take some full body shots with it's new shoes.
I'm sure there is more that I did , but it's late and I'm tired. Enjoy.
I'm sure there is more that I did , but it's late and I'm tired. Enjoy.
340_dart_power
Well-Known Member
Beautiful work and progress; love the quality and look of the front end suspension/spindles/etc.
71autoxr
Well-Known Member
well Tires and wheels are on, heater box has been rebuilt and awaiting install, column is ready for paint and install, dash has been disassembled and ready for paint. Started under the hood wiring, MSD install. Once the dash is installed the engine will come soon after.
TheGreenSlime
Well-Known Member
71autoxr
Well-Known Member
The wheels are Cragar Eliminator 500 15x7 4.125 backspace all the way around with 225/60/15 rear and 225/50/15 fronts.
To update since it has been a while...
The heater box was finished and installed, the dash was stripped, put in Epoxy primer and painted with SEM trim paint reduced 50% with enamel reducer for an almost exact match. I am awaiting the dash pad to be recovered for final install.
All the glass (save the windshield) is in the car and works better than new since everything was cleaned and lubricated. I installed a wilwood clutch master cylinder and have a slave cylinder from an Altima (push style) for mock up once the trans is back from the builder.
Currently the front k-member and suspension is out, on a dolly with the engine attached and being "dressed". I should have the transmission back within a week. The engine is a mostly stock 70 vintage 340 with an edelbrock performer intake, hi po exhaust manifolds, and a holley carb. The motor served me well in my 71 Challenger for the past 18 years with limited, albeit, severe usage. Upon inspection there were 2 damaged exhaust valve seals (which turned into determining that the rocker shaft bolts were over torqued by the engine builder (not me) and one snapped into the pedestal and was luckily easily removed). The core plugs were brass so a few were removed for inspection and all was good. The plug at the rear of the camshaft was just starting to seep, so it was pulled in favor of a new one. The water pump was good condition, but calcium or ?? built up started to strip the paint off, and it was just as easy to replace with a new unit then spend any time cleaning. Otherwise a set of gaskets and 2 cans of turquoise paint (yes it looks blue in pictures) and the motor was transformed into a 1969 vintage 340.
There is always so much little, behind the scenes work that is done, that never amounts to much. Tail light lenses were cleaned and polished; light bezels were re-chromed, then blacked out where appropriate; bumper brackets blasted and painted; steering column disassembled, cleaned, painted and rebuilt; door weather strip installed; all the dash bezels were polished; dash lens cluster was disassembled, detailed, cleaned, polished and re-installed; all wiring was repaired, cleaned, tested; all switches were cleaned; all the dash bezels were stripped, and re-painted. The coup de grace was i had an electrical wizard friend of mine test and clean the original am radio and add a hidden ipod jack. Enjoy!!!
To update since it has been a while...
The heater box was finished and installed, the dash was stripped, put in Epoxy primer and painted with SEM trim paint reduced 50% with enamel reducer for an almost exact match. I am awaiting the dash pad to be recovered for final install.
All the glass (save the windshield) is in the car and works better than new since everything was cleaned and lubricated. I installed a wilwood clutch master cylinder and have a slave cylinder from an Altima (push style) for mock up once the trans is back from the builder.
Currently the front k-member and suspension is out, on a dolly with the engine attached and being "dressed". I should have the transmission back within a week. The engine is a mostly stock 70 vintage 340 with an edelbrock performer intake, hi po exhaust manifolds, and a holley carb. The motor served me well in my 71 Challenger for the past 18 years with limited, albeit, severe usage. Upon inspection there were 2 damaged exhaust valve seals (which turned into determining that the rocker shaft bolts were over torqued by the engine builder (not me) and one snapped into the pedestal and was luckily easily removed). The core plugs were brass so a few were removed for inspection and all was good. The plug at the rear of the camshaft was just starting to seep, so it was pulled in favor of a new one. The water pump was good condition, but calcium or ?? built up started to strip the paint off, and it was just as easy to replace with a new unit then spend any time cleaning. Otherwise a set of gaskets and 2 cans of turquoise paint (yes it looks blue in pictures) and the motor was transformed into a 1969 vintage 340.
There is always so much little, behind the scenes work that is done, that never amounts to much. Tail light lenses were cleaned and polished; light bezels were re-chromed, then blacked out where appropriate; bumper brackets blasted and painted; steering column disassembled, cleaned, painted and rebuilt; door weather strip installed; all the dash bezels were polished; dash lens cluster was disassembled, detailed, cleaned, polished and re-installed; all wiring was repaired, cleaned, tested; all switches were cleaned; all the dash bezels were stripped, and re-painted. The coup de grace was i had an electrical wizard friend of mine test and clean the original am radio and add a hidden ipod jack. Enjoy!!!
71autoxr
Well-Known Member
Crap more than a month has passed since I last posted. Life sometimes gets in the way, had a few days out of town, etc but have been sweating my AZ off in the hot summer heat. I decided to send the transmission out to be freshened up since I had no history with it and I figured my time could be spent doing something more constructive. I expected it to be a week or so and I wasn't in a hurry........7 weeks later....UGH. Reverse gear was chewed up and needed replacing. It came back a day before I went out of town. I have a steel Mcleod 18 pound steel flywheel coming along with a new clutch and pressure plate and all new hardware to install it. Once I got the trans back I couldn't get the shifter into reverse. The lever actuated ok, but the shifter was not working correctly. So the shifter came apart got cleaned, and rebuilt. The thing is smooooooooth now.
While I was waiting for the transmission I found the original wiper motor, took it apart, repaired a mess of wires, and while I didn't get it plated per original it sure does look good and work quietly.
I also took apart and cleaned the top pump it wasn't too bad considering the top had not been up or down in at least 20 years. Need to get a new seal for the pump. Any idea if that is just an "O" ring??
I also had a good original east coast dash pad with just a few minor cracks, so I had a local guy add 1/4"layer of foam and recover it. Once I got that back (ironically also a day before vacation) I was able to install it and put the dash back into the car one final time. Then it was onto installing the wiring harnesses.
Other small odd jobs been done too, blasting and painting bumper brackets, sorting through all the stainless and grab the buffer out of storage to polish all the trim, made the bracket for the slave cylinder, etc...
I think once the flywheel and clutch etc get here I should have the engine/transmission/k-member assembly in the car.
note some of the pics were too large to load so you'll have to do with just these for now.
Enjoy!!!
While I was waiting for the transmission I found the original wiper motor, took it apart, repaired a mess of wires, and while I didn't get it plated per original it sure does look good and work quietly.
I also took apart and cleaned the top pump it wasn't too bad considering the top had not been up or down in at least 20 years. Need to get a new seal for the pump. Any idea if that is just an "O" ring??
I also had a good original east coast dash pad with just a few minor cracks, so I had a local guy add 1/4"layer of foam and recover it. Once I got that back (ironically also a day before vacation) I was able to install it and put the dash back into the car one final time. Then it was onto installing the wiring harnesses.
Other small odd jobs been done too, blasting and painting bumper brackets, sorting through all the stainless and grab the buffer out of storage to polish all the trim, made the bracket for the slave cylinder, etc...
I think once the flywheel and clutch etc get here I should have the engine/transmission/k-member assembly in the car.
note some of the pics were too large to load so you'll have to do with just these for now.
Enjoy!!!
340_dart_power
Well-Known Member
Coming together. The dash looks fantastic.
71autoxr
Well-Known Member
08/20/2011 Engine Install day. After waiting what seemed like forever i got my 18 pound Mcleod lightweight steel (18 pounds) SFI approved flywheel on Thursday. Bolted that M'fer to the crank, slapped the clutch and pressure plate over it, bolted the trans to the engine and slid it all under the car. Slickest, easiest engine install I have ever done. Took all of about 25 minutes to get the hoist right so it wouldn't smack the hood, slide the motor/trans combo underneath, and then remember I had to remove the shift rods. Once lowered I tightened up the 4 K-member bolts, the 4 trans cross member bolts, and it was done. Next day say the UCA bolts, t-bars, wheels, and partial steering column go in. Just remember it's in AZ and it's really hot in the summer. Once I can get the car turned around from where it sits I can get busy on the finishing of the engine wiring, etc and fire it up.
doug 371
Well-Known Member
great job! thanks for the pics... 
SpeedracerX
Still on this side of the dirt member
looking sweet....
340_dart_power
Well-Known Member
Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.
Wylde1
"No Value Added" Member
Awesome build! That's gonna be one sweet 'vert when she's all done. rayer:
Wylde1.
rayer:Wylde1.
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
wondering how I missed this build..... subscribed :thumblef:
daves66valiant
68 Dart 340/727:66 Signet Vert 340/5spd: 68 D100
Beautiful!!! Love the wheels. IMO loose the wires after you get her tuned up. Firecore wires on that motor would be perfect. They look oem but are better.
340sFastback
Well-Known Member
Excellent work, love the color of the car. Yeah black spark plug wires would look so much better.
71autoxr
Well-Known Member
I hear ya on the wires. They didn't look so bad on the motor when it was orange. There i$ $till a lot of money to $pend, $o plug wire$ on far down on the li$t.
I've spent the weekend doing some wiring. The car got converted to Denso Alternator with internal regulator, trunk mounted battery and MSD from points as well as relays for headlights. It sure does take time to make everything look nice.
sleepyhead416
Well-Known Member
Well done !!!!
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