1974 Dodge Dart Sport rebuild

[Builderguy]

Here we go again! You will normally find me over on "B Bodies" but I restore a lot of different makes/models and this time it is an A body. I had a 76 Dart Sport, /6, console, with the fold down seat when I was younger so this car is a little special to me. I had a lot of fun in that car and would like to see someone else make memories with this one. I don't rebuild these to keep, I pass them on to the next caretaker to enjoy during their period of care. Let's get started!

Bought this car less than a week ago in southern Michigan. It spent most of its life in TN before being hauled up to Michigan for a rebuild. It was parked in 1999 awaiting this build but it never happened. It will now! So hang on, it might get a little rough. I will post the progress as best I can but it will take 6-12 months so there may be a week or two between posts. I will try to keep up as I strip it down and build it back up. Normally I would put this car back to the way it came off the line, but not this time. The 318 it was born with is long gone (I do have one I could put in) and a 360/727 resides in its place. So it will never be a "numbers matching" car. That being said, I will leave the 360, change the interior from white to black, change the color (not sure to what yet), put 15" rallye wheels on, add a hood scoop (might actually make it a functional ducted style, and rebuild it . We have the technology. We can make it better than it was. BETTER, STRONGER, FASTER.

 

[RAT ROD AL]

Looks like a good one to start with.

 

[TF360]

Looks great, but the Yellow exterior with white interior is a great color combo. You even have the Console. Just an opinion.. I would keep the factory colors and make that 360 look original. Really nice car

 

[Builderguy]

I managed to get the Dart on the lift for a first look at the underside. All and all, it is in pretty good shape, just some minor issues and a little damage from some earlier tow job.

Last photo shows the only real rust area, easy fix. Not sure who towed this vehicle, but their attachment spot was not so good, also an easy fix. I hope to find the build sheet as this appears to be a factory undercoated car. We will see.

 

[Builderguy]

Looks great, but the Yellow exterior with white interior is a great color combo. You even have the Console. Just an opinion.. I would keep the factory colors and make that 360 look original. Really nice car

I don't mind yellow (I did a 73 Roadrunner in Y-1 Lemon Twist) but I like black trim a little better. My early years Dart (1976) was red. Color still up in the air for now!

 

[Builderguy]

Almost forgot! I didn't even know that a 1974 Dart Sport with V8 and disc brakes, came with BBP wheels. I just happen to have a set of BBP 15" Rally wheels that will fill that wheel opening much better than any 14". A lot more tire choices is also a huge bonus.

 

[hcallaway]

Great pictures. I look forward to seeing this come together.

 

[mpgmike]

We can make it better than it was. BETTER, STRONGER, FASTER.

I got "6 Million Dollar Man" themes running through my head.

I had to post something to subscribe. Looking forward to your project!

 

[Jim Ward]

Very cool car. The Goodmark lower quarter patch panels fit real nice. I’ve done a few of them and the metal is good quality. I’m just south of you.

 

[barbee6043]

Looking forward to your build.

 

[Builderguy]

I did manage to order up the left quarter repair panel (JW, I actually did get a Goodmark piece) for an acceptable price. I also took a few more photos for the before/after comparison.
While I appreciate their attempt at exhaust work, I will never hear the sound these would have made. That pipe has got to go!!!!! Also on the go list is the rear gear. A 2.94 will not work for this build. That 904 just might stay, not sure on that yet, as a 727 is pretty easy to get. IDK. Front discs look savable, and YES there was not a lot of room to the wheel. I was pricing out the interior, and it is not as cheap as I remember. Been a few sleeps since I last priced checked, so I get it. Do not like it, but not much I can do about it. Switching white to black does not matter, same price and the same amount of work. I have a few projects in the shop to finish, then I can flip the switch to full time on this. We'll see how it goes!

 

[Builderguy]

TF360. Kinda like this one? This one was a numbers matching car so I put it back as close as I could. I still miss that car! I might do the "Original" treatment with this 360 if the forced air from the scoops becomes too big of an issue. Pretty open to ideas now, at least this early in the build. But as money get short, so do ideas.

Looks great, but the Yellow exterior with white interior is a great color combo. You even have the Console. Just an opinion.. I would keep the factory colors and make that 360 look original. Really nice car

 

[Builderguy]

Got a couple hours of work done on the Dart last night. Pulled the front buckets and the rear seat. Always amazed of what one finds in these cars! The black carpet had been replaced at some time so holding out hope for a build sheet/broadcast sheet was pretty low. As I was pulling the carpet out, what used to be a build sheet fell from under the dash.

Old watch that was under the carpet,

Remains of build sheet:

But sometimes you get lucky:

Ordered more parts today so now we are on the clock. Let the fun begin!

 

[TF360]

Looks like you have a complete Build Sheet! Yea, yellow like that!

 

[Builderguy]

Could end up close to this but with Rallye wheels. 14's on the front and 15's at the rear. Still a few months from that decision.

 

[Builderguy]

A lot has happened to the Dart in the last 3 weeks or so and I will post pics shortly. Right now I have a quick question concerning the 1974 vs 1973 bucket seat frames. I know the
seat covers are a little different (the type of vinyl grain used). The 74 has the sides and back one grain (Oxford) and the insert, a different grain (Shallow Elk) ; while the 73 also had two different grains (not shown with arrows) but they were Coachman and Elk. I really don't see that much difference in grain but there is some. That is not my current situation. I would like to put a 1973 bucket seat cover over a 1974 seat. I have both parts books but I could not locate the seat frame to verify they are the same. Figured I would ask you "A" body experts. Are are the 73 and 74 frames the same; and, are the seat foams the same? Thank you all in advance.

 

[TF360]

I think they are the same, but I'm not positive

 

[Builderguy]

Made some progress. Bumper, door cards, and those PITA 5 MPH bumper shocks are gone. The wonderful seatbelt interlock switch is still there! The blue wires are the PO's bypassing the switch with his dashboard toggle switch.

 

[Builderguy]

Some more work done. These are the original rotors and I might be able to save them. From the tag you can see that this car is still in it's factory paint (no tape lines). The fenders are in great shape. This last bumper shock refused to come apart. The others came off fairly easy, but not this @#$%^!@. Had to basically destroy it to remove it.

 

[Builderguy]

Still catching up on what has been done. Bumper filler is in great condition but there is too much space so it will be removed and the bumpers pulled in. The rear drums are original and still sport their red paint. They will be saved also. Speaking of red, the trans fluid was either just changed or recently rebuilt, perfect!

 

[Builderguy]

A little more information/pictures. Still sporting the 3 point castle nuts and the original corbin spring clamps. Was able to source an OEM exhaust/muffler hanger for the new
dual exhaust. K-frame was dropped, the car was placed on the rotisserie, and moved to the body work station.

 

[TF360]

Nice, you're moving quick. It's great to see all the original stuff in good shape. It's hard to believe the Brakes are still there. Looks like it wasn't driven too much!

 

[Builderguy]

This is how that POS bumper shock came out of the car. Spent more time on this one than the other 3 combined!!!!

 

[Builderguy]

I found an answer to my seat question. The seat foams being sold are for 73 thru 76. So if the foams are the same I am going to trust that the seat frames are the same.

 

[Builderguy]

Need some thoughts on this build sheet. It shows D AXLE 51 and D8 SIZE 1
I read this as D51 axle and D81 size. Now comes the issue. I show D51 as a 2.76 ratio and D81 as a 7.25" axle. That is not what this car has, It is definitely an 8 1/4" axle with a 2.94 ratio. From the rust/age this axle has not been changed nor have the gears. Am I reading this sheet wrong and it should be the D81 being an 8 1/4" axle and D51 being a 2.94 ratio? Little help please.