1974 Dart Swinger

[Button]

I found this 1974 Dodge Dart Swinger in Central Texas a week ago. My 14 year old son and I bought the car as a "father-son" project which will be his first car when he turns 16. We bought it from the original owner who has had the car since 24 Jan 1974. It has about 95,000 original miles, 318 engine, auto trans, original 14in ralleye wheels, AM radio, and even the polyglass spare tire. Hardly anything was missing with the exception of some small trim, badges, and the vinyl roof. We found the factory build sheet yesterday behind the rear seat springs and it was complete with no rips. The car was built in St. Louis and sold in Los Angeles where it stayed until 1978 before coming to Central Texas. While we're not doing a full blown restoration, we are going to keep the car as original as possible and clean it up to include chroming the engine and such.
The color is Avecado Gold Poly and that is the original paint. We first used Kit Scratch-Out to clean the paint, then Turtle wax rubbing compound to polish it before giving it a Turtle wax regular car wax application. The bumpers were shined up useing Meguiers Metal Polish.
The rotton muffler was replaced by a Thrush Turbo with a short turn down pipe right before the rear axle. Painted up the axle and brake drums while we had the wheels off for polishing. We also removed as much of the aluminum trim as we could and hand polished them before reinstalling them.
I am including before and after photo's of what we've done in just one week to clean this Dart up.

 

[BigStrok3]

wow that looks alot better! Gl with your build.

 

[Bigmacdak]

Looks like a cool project for you & your son. I cant believe how much the paint & chrome cleaned up! Unreal!!

 

[Button]

These are pictures of the car as we saw it when we drove out to answer the ad on "Craigslist". I eye-balled the car pretty good looking for missing items we might have to replace or find. I was pretty suprised at how complete the car was and with the exception of the damage to the front left fender, everything was pretty straight to include the bumpers and grill. The interior was the typical sun-baked and cracked southern car. But all the knobs and trim were inplace even though the door panels were in the trunk with an old Haynes manual. All the windows were crack and pit free and easily crank up and down. Even the remote drivers mirror still worked. The under dash heater hoses are shot, the carpet is faded tan, dash cap needs replaced as well as the visors and headliner. About the only missing part was the round dome light lense.
I spit on top of the drivers fender and rubbed it with my thumb and the painted started to shine, turning my thumb the same shade of green as the car.
The guy seemed eager to sell the car and I offered $500 less than he was asking. He thought for a few minutes and finally agreed. We returned a few days later to get the car but first replaced the plugs, airfilter, PCV valve, and fuel filter, as well as adding 10 gallons of premium fuel and a bottle of Champions "Tune Up In A Bottle" and airing up all the tires before attempting the 20+ mile trip home.
Hope to have new rear shocks, radiator hoses/thermostat and Firestone Indy 500 tires on her this week if we can squeeze it in between military obligations and both my sons sports activities.

 

[Button]

Cleaning the old guy up. There was about 6, small wasp nests in the engine bay, wheel wells, and transmission tunnel. Not to mention what looked like a small birds nest behind the rear licence plate. Pine needles were in the trunk lids lip and under the wipers, but luckily no tree sap. We will probably leave the side trim all off and only replace the fender badges and trim around the rear window.

 

[mguner]

That's some quality guy time there! Congrats! Heck, I bet a timing chain and some valve seals and it will go another 95,000...

 

[lhearold]

I lived in Killeen in the mid 80s (retired from the Army at Ft. Hood) over on Crestridge Drive. That looks like a car an old man in Florence had. His last name was Crocker. I helped my neighbor, who was his nephew or something, pull the vinyl top off because it had come loose around the windshield. May not be the same car but it sure is the same color.

Larry

 

[mac daddy mopar]

Your son a buckeys fan?:cheers:

 

[Button]

The car came to Central Texas in 1978 from L.A. The owners last name wasn't Crocker, it was Lilley. The car was passed down through three generations in that family before sitting for roughly 3-4 years. They had intended to fix it up but sold it instead. I took the title over to the son two days ago to have his mother sign it over. She and her husband who has since passed, are on the title since January 1974. When I told him what I had done thus far and still wanted to do as a project, he seemed happy that the car was in a good home and wants to come by and see it. I asked him to provide any history he possibly could on the car to included the dealers name if possible.
And yes, we are Buckeye fans. The wife and are are from Central Ohio, Delaware and Sunbury to be exact. We try to pick up Buckeye stuff each time we go there.

 

[RedFish]

Nice car ! Lucky young man too. Wish I had had a computer full of vertual uncles to help me with my first car.
A set of half leafs from JC Whitney is the least expensive way to lift the rear a little. A more correct stance will improve the appearence almost as much as the clean up did.

 

[Button]

Yesterday we picked up new Gabriel Hi-Jacker air shocks and new radiator hoses, thermostat, gasket, and clamps. I hope to get all these put on this Saturday. Then I hope to have new Firestone Indy 500 tires installed within the week on the ralleye wheels. I'm going with 215/70R 14 on the front and 225/70R 14 on the rear. These should fit my rims and really change the look of the car along with the new stance my air shocks will give it.

 

[Backtobasics]

Awesome progress!
Perhaps a sanding on the roof, and then a flat black treatment, to cover the removal of the vinyl roof, and give it a real street fighter appearance?

The improvement in paint is amazing.....good old mopar.

 

[70dart]

nice solid project, nothing like that around here, your son is a lucky guy. How much did it cost you if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Swingin74]

Hey thats my car!:toothy10: J/K good luck! You got a nice project.

 

[Button]

I have a friend hopefully coming over this weekend that has had some of his autos worked on by shops in Dallas and Waco that specialized in vinyl tops and upholstery. I'm hopeing he can hook me up with a good source at a reasonable price. Ohterwise I may just have the roof painted for the time being, probably gloss black.
I picked up the air shocks this afternoon and the radiator parts but the upper hose that Auto Zone ordered isn't even close to what I need so it will be going back and a new one ordered.
Being that I'm in the Army, I have a limited budget so I was looking for a good project car cheap. I paid $1,000 for the car, he was asking $1,500. I'm keeping a running tab on everything thats going into the car to include cleaners and fluids, not just parts. I hope to post more pictures at the end of the weekend.

 

[70dart]

Thats a pretty good price for the shape of the car! Keep us updated on the progress.

 

[Button]

Well today we got the rear Gabriel Air-Shocks installed. It took less than an hour to remove the old shocks, install the new ones, and route the air lines. The old shocks didn't have much life left in them. The new shocks have a 25-200 psi limit. Once we got them to about 65psi, they gave the car a nice "raked" stance over the old shocks. We applied a coat of Turtle Wax to the air-shocks to give them a little better chance of lasting longer under the weather conditions. I'll be posting "before and after" pictures of the stance shortly.

 

[sneke_eyez]

Sweet!
Looks like a really solid project car you have there!
I love 74 Dart Swingers!
I'd have loved to have had my 74 Dart as my first car, but alas, I bought my 2002 Intrepid ES instead.
Although, I did mod it out during high school and its pretty sweet...

Nothing like a good 74 Dart Father-son Project!
(From a 19 year old with a 74 Dart 318 that is also my father and I's project)

We did air shocks this summer as well, we went with Monroe air shocks though, but they make the stance look a lot better.
We keep them inflated to 65 psi as well, because thats what looks the best to us in terms of stance.

 

[Button]

Since we finished getting the air shocks installed after dark last night, I couldn't get any pictures of the finished product till this morning. Well here is the finished stance of the car with the shocks set at about 65psi. I have included the pictures from last weekend for reference.

 

[Bigmacdak]

Man, that looks alot better! If your new tires are white letters, it will really give it a nice look. It still has that grandma look to it with the whitewalls on it! LOL!

Did the air shocks make it ride harsh/rough??

 

[Button]

We plan to get Firestone Indy 500, raised white letter tires this next weekend. We're palnning on 215/70R 14 on front and 225/70R 14 on the rear. I've always told my son that tires and wheels can make or break a vehicles appearance. I believe these tires will absolutely help the overall looks, because I agree with your assesment that it still looks like a grandma-mobile.
We haven't had a chance to really drive the car with the new air-shocks because we haven't got current tags yet, but we did drive it around a few blocks of homes around here. Yes it did firm up the ride but in a good way. No more hitting a dip in the road and bouncing for the next 300 feet. We are running about 65psi in the shocks to achieve the height in the photo's. The shocks are rated for 25-200psi.
Future work will include the following;
1. changing out all radiator hoses/thermostat and fluids, (the radiator itself looks real good).
2. Oil change and lube will be done soon.
3. New front shocks and replacement of all front end rubber and bushings which are all dried out.
4. New brake master cylinder and brake work.
5. Replace all window rubber and seals.
6. Have roof painted.
7. Have dual exhaust tips run to rear.
These are just a few of the things we want to do and not in any particular order, depending on what we can do at the time.
Does anyone have any particular company they use for these services that doesn't charge an arm and a leg that is still good quality?

 

[Button]

Well today I ordered the rear tires and instead of the Firestone Indy 500's, I went with the BFG Radial TA's instead. I little more pricey but I really like their look on 60-70's cars. I purchsed 225/70R 14's for the rear through the Fort Hood Army AirForce Exchange Service, (AAFES). I'll drop off the rims tomorrow and pick them back up after work. Tonight however my son and I pulled the rear rims off and painted up the brake drums and checked the internals. Once the rears are on, I will be getting the fronts, (205/70R 14's) and it should really make a difference in the appearance. I'm not sure who's more excited, me or my son! My son was checking the underside of the car in what appears to be him napping as I paint the drums.

 

[Button]

When we went to buy an upper radiator hose, the one we took home was no where near fitting. It routed from the top of the motor to the right of the radiator. However mine goes to the left of the radiator. I think my car has a 225, slant-6 radiator installed. Does anyone have a take on this? I haven't had any over heating issues, "yet". Thanks ahead of time for the help.

 

[sneke_eyez]

Well, this is a picture of my 74 Swinger's engine bay, and the radiator in my 74 is stock based upon what I was told.

Based on this Ebay 73 Dart Swinger /6:

I'd say that yes, you do have a slant 6 radiator right there.

Seriously, I'm enjoying watching your project.
Its reminding me of my summer which was spent ripping the 318 out, fixing every freeze plug, rebuilding the motor, and dropping it back in.
I wish I had taken pictures of the process like you are.

 

[razoreyes45k]

Sir,
I do believe I've seen your Dart in Killeen Texas. In fact, I have a friend who lives next door to the people who may have owned the car at the time over by East Trimier Rd. The son who owned it at the time said he really wanted a Ford Maverick instead. Anyway, happy times ahead for you and your father/son project. By the way, If you decide to use Hooker headers, they WILL NOT clear the P/S gearbox. An OEM or a Flaming River box are two ways to go. Also, if you are in the Central Texas area, Ron Stit who owns "Texas Acres" is retiring by the end of 2008. He has a ton of Mopar only stuff at his yard.
Best of times, Razoreyes