[SOLD] 1973 Dart Swinger - Revisit

-
Status
Not open for further replies.

Bullethead

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2023
Messages
23
Reaction score
45
Location
Texas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Contact seller
All,
After 6 good years of "no change" in the brain cancer tumor, slight new growth has been detected in the last MRI. I want to get rid of the Dart. I'm reposting since last was in January. I'll take $8500 cash for it to move it with no hassles. Leonard, Tx northeast of Dallas. With no response from FABO, I'll move on to Classic Autotrader or similar in a week or so. A prayer will be very appreciated for success with the new drug I started a month ago. Thanks.

From previous posts in January...

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING NEW or REBUILT
Engine

Bill Spence Motors machine shop
* 0.40 over 318
* Heads completely overhauled including valves
Comp Cam valvetrain components with steel timing gears & chain
Edelbrock Carb with Wieland intake
Summit Run-Ready Distributor Ignition and 8mm wires
Drivetrain
904 Transmission with mild shift-kit with stock torque convertor
7¼ rear end
Suspension & Brakes
Shocks and Leaf Springs
Borgeson close-ratio steering
Power Steering Pump
Helwig Swaybar, OA1 Swing Arms - corners great with very little understeer
Pitman & Idler arms, Tie Rods and Bushings
Power Brake Booster and Proportioning Valve, Front Brake Lines, Pads and Shoes,
Body & Interior
Rare Original Sunroof - new drain tubes
Repainted in original Chrysler Lt Blue
Tinted Front Windshield
Bright Blue Carpet and Seat Covers
Head Liner, Hat Deck, and Sails
Weather stripping, trim (some), marker lights
15” Rally Wheels & Tires
Heater Core and Bypass Valve
Radio Antenna (not shown in some pics)
Windshield Washer

Factory AC car - not currently installed but I have the components. Was planning to upgrade to aftermarket AC.
Factory AM Radio - works.
I have many factory parts and trim pieces.

Pics of the factory sunroof. The worm gear & cable components for the sunroof were non-functional when I got the car and the gaskets were a wreck. Frankly speaking the worm gear mechanism was representative of cheap production components of that era. I search for replacement pieces to include the gaskets. I ended up developing a method with a cam locking mechanism and a way to manually open and close the sun roof. I used the original crank hardware. Those are the original visors by the way. So its functional. If someone has a source for all of the worm gear and cable mechanism assemblies, maybe they will speak up and the next owner can try to completely restore the factory functionality. I'm no longer interested in doing so.

Rust...
The hoses from the sunroof were apparently leaking and the front floor pans were rusted enough that I cut the bad sections out and replaced with OER pans from Classic Industries. The rear passenger pans had some surface rust so I cleaned and then sealed the with POR 15 - expensive stuff if you've never bought any.

There was some surface rust in the trunk that I cleaned up and primed and painted. The trunk seals were shot and have been replaced. There is surface rust under the car as you can see. Detroit, and maybe especially Chrysler products, went on the very cheap to practically non-existent on undercoating. I sprayed after-market undercoating in the wheel wells. Some of the forum readers may remember when Bob Barker on the Price Is Right would actually make special note about the car in the "Show Case" having undercoating. So to find a completely rust-free car from the mid-70s is going to cost you a lot of money in restoration in my humble opinion. I knew the original owner of the car but knew his son much better. I bought the car from a guy that owned it a short time after buying it from the son. I know that his dad had the car out in Big Bend area of west Texas for a long time but I can't say it was always out there. It did have a lot of west-Texas red dirt and sand in and on it.

The car was originally a vinyl roof car but the intermediate owner had stripped most of it off as it was in bad shape and there was some rust underneath what was left of the vinyl material. I cleaned it up, primed and painted. There was no pitting so not hard to do. I wasn't after a restoration and didn't want the vinyl roof so you see the car has a more "modern era" look to it with side trim also not reinstalled plus some of it wasn't in the best condition and I didn't want to spend the money to replace all of it - I have all of the original trim. It's not perfect for $8500 but much better than when I bought it.


IMG_4649.JPG
IMG_4648.JPG
IMG_4639.JPG
IMG_4551.JPG
IMG_4549.JPG
IMG_E3451.JPG
.
IMG_E3444.JPG
IMG_E3436.JPG
IMG_E3432.JPG
IMG_E3431.JPG
 
First, do you have a clear title for the car in your name? I also have a question about the sunroof. You mentioned it works currently... correct? Does it leak at all, from rain, when fully closed up? Can you please share a good picture of the crank mechanism/handle from the interior?
The front brakes are factory power disc correct?
Do you have a short video of the car while running, exhaust note? Oh .. also, do you have a couple pictures of the driver's side of the Dart, you can post please?
 
The odometer reads 46851. But who can know if that has rolled over once?

First, do you have a clear title for the car in your name? I also have a question about the sunroof. You mentioned it works currently... correct? Does it leak at all, from rain, when fully closed up? Can you please share a good picture of the crank mechanism/handle from the interior?
The front brakes are factory power disc correct?
Do you have a short video of the car while running, exhaust note? Oh .. also, do you have a couple pictures of the driver's side of the Dart, you can post please?
First, do you have a clear title for the car in your name?
Yes.

I also have a question about the sunroof. You mentioned it works currently... correct?
It's functional but not per the way it was delivered from the factory. The original gearworks weren't made well and the worm gear wears and begins slipping which only makes it wear more. I made a way to manually open/close the roof and latch in place. I searched for replacement parts and finally gave up.

Does it leak at all, from rain, when fully closed up?
Probably some. The gaskets are no longer available and once again, I looked. I put together a facsimile of the factory gasket but it's not perfect. It could no doubt be improved upon to make it better.

Can you please share a good picture of the crank mechanism/handle from the interior?
See images. Those are the original crank handle, cup, visors, and mirror. You no longer will multi-turn "crank" it open/shut. The handle engages/disengages a cam of sorts to latch in place on the front and there are finger holes to engage/disengage the breakover mechanism that lock the back the roof. It uses some original hardware but with the original operation of the crank worm gear and cables, the manual way provides the functionality.

The front brakes are factory power disc correct?
Yes.

Do you have a short video of the car while running, exhaust note?
I have one but need to figure out how to post it. Maybe someone can tell me how to do it.

Oh .. also, do you have a couple pictures of the driver's side of the Dart, you can post please?
See images below.

IMG_4548.JPG
IMG_4545.JPG
IMG_4543.JPG
IMG_E3444.JPG
IMG_2765.JPG
 
Thanks for the info and pictures. So how difficult is the sunroof... to open/ close, the way you currently have it set up?? Is it easy enough to open/ close for a teenage kid to do it? I would like to see pictures of the driver's side OUTSIDE of the Dart...but I do appreciate the inside pics you posted.
All gauges and lights ( inside and out) all function properly? How long ago was the car repainted?
Does it still have the factory original fender tag?
Is this Dart, a good daily summer driver, or does it need work first? If so, what does it need to make it a reliable driver?
Thanks again.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the info and pictures. So how difficult is the sunroof... to open/ close, the way you currently have it set up?? Is it easy enough to open/ close for a teenage kid to do it? I would like to see pictures of the driver's side OUTSIDE of the Dart...but I do appreciate the inside pics you posted.
All gauges and lights ( inside and out) all function properly? How long ago was the car repainted?
Does it still have the factory original fender tag?
Is this Dart, a good daily summer driver, or does it more need work first? If so, what does it need?
So how difficult is the sunroof... to open/ close, the way you currently have it set up??
Not difficult once you know the order of steps.

Is it easy enough to open/ close for a teenage kid to do it?
I should think so. The back breakover mechanisms are manipulated by index finger - one on each side. Pop then aft to unlock the rear which basically lets the rear of the panel fall enough so it can slide aft like original. The front latch is zero issue. Takes about a 1/4 turn to unlock the front. Then slide it back to open. Opposite to close. Takes less than a minute.

I would like to see pictures of the driver's side OUTSIDE of the Dart...but I do appreciate the inside pics you posted.
See below.

All gauges and lights ( inside and out) all function properly?
All outside lights work. Dome, map, turn signals, high-beam, and backlights work - I can recheck. The idiot oil pressure light in the dash does not work. I use the after-market pressure gauge.

How long ago was the car repainted?
Two years ago. I did it. It's not perfect but I wanted to do it and didn't want to pay $1000s to have it done.

Does it still have the factory original fender tag?
Yes.


Is this Dart, a good daily summer driver, or does it more need work first?
I didn't build it with the intent to be a daily summer driver but I suppose it could be used for such. It will drink more gas than more contemporary cars - a Holley Sniper EFI would help on that end. Something I was also considering along with aftermarket AC.

General statement - It's 52 yrs old. So I would never tell anyone that it will be a flawless car. That said, I would go get in it right now and drive to Greenville 30+ miles away no hesitation. It does have a current inspection sticker on it. I have driven it to local car shows and such. It's won two small shows as Best Mopar and Best Modified 70's.

If so, what does it need?
I put a new, and correct resistance fuel sender unit in it. It works but still seems to read off scale some as you burn down gas. It may be the 5V regulator in the dash that needs some attention.
One of the headlights needs to be aligned. I just haven't done it.

I intended to put after-market AC on it. If driving in the summer, that would be my primary improvement. It is a factory AC car and I have the original parts.


IMG_4385.JPG
IMG_E3457.JPG
IMG_3428.JPG
IMG_4620.JPG
IMG_4585.JPG



Does it still have the factory original fender tag?
Is this Dart, a good daily summer driver, or does it more need work first? If so, what does it need?
IMG_4420.JPG
IMG_6155.JPG


IMG_3315.JPG
 
Last edited:
Neither the body work or the paint is perfect but looks nice. It's also priced less than you would probably pay for a really good paint and body work and way less than for a show quality paint and body work. It's a 73 Dart so I didn't want to put $1000s into just paint. If it was my Barracuda from high school or my 340 Duster, it might have been a different matter.
 
Thanks for the updated info on the car. Sounds like a nice car. Let me think about it, can you pm me your contact phone number please?
Thanks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
-
Back
Top