65 Dart Wagon

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timbolia

timbolia

65Wagon
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
578
Reaction score
7
Location
Culver City
I am not looking to show, or even race this car, I just want a cool car to run the kids around in and run around town. Maybe someday pull a little teardrop trailer with for summer vacations. It is a local car it actually still had dealer plates from Santa Monica and was built here in So Cal to. For all I know it has never left the LA area. the PO only had it a month his Mustang mechanic was going out of business and he picked it up for his son. The son was going to use it to go to Santa Monica College and as a surf wagon. But he dropped out. He was asking 1500 but by the time I showed up he had gotten 2 tickets for parking his wifes car on the street. So I offered him 1000, and he said yes! He said the PO before him was a mechanic and had had the wagon for 12 years, mostly sitting in his shop. He had put in a 4 speed Hurst shifter from a 69. (69 what I don't know) I had test driven it around the block so knowing nothing about old cars I drove it home the 10 miles or so on the LA freeway. In the next week it started getting hot (the guages even worked) I replaced the thermostat, waterpump and then the radiator when it could not handle the pressure of the new pump. If you look at the pick of the pump it is a miracle I got home that first day.

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So I would assume that it would flow water now that the pump actually resembles a pump. Make sure to flush the hell out of the block, and unfortunately with that much corrosion you might wind up with a leaky freeze plug.
 
Nice score, and a 4-speed! It's sooo good to see these wagons being saved, seems like you were just the person to do it.
 
Awesome! My first car was a 65 Dart wagon, that was back in '78. Wish I still had it.
 
Thanks guys, it is great to find so many people that agree in my taste in cars. Most people just don't seem to get it. Especially here in LA. They all want new cars it seems.

I have not noticed any leaks at all since I did all of that work. I have put 800 miles on it since then acording to the incredibly inaccurate odometer. The speedo rattles and the needle jumps around. I went by a sign that tells you how fast you are going and it said 24 while the guage said 40. I have no idea how many miles are on this car. Where is the freeze plug?
 
there are either 3 or 5 i believe depending on the block. they are under the exhaust. here are mine. they are the brass plugs.

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So here is a look at the interior. Check out those armrests. CUSTOM. I have already replaced those with some from a Valiant that I got at Fall Fling. I also picked up stock 13s with nice white walls and a set of pretty bucket seats, all from a 65 valiant convertible I think. No pics of the headliner, but there is no headliner. That is a project for this weekend. Also here is a shot of the Slant 6. I think it was originally 3 on the tree (judging by the column)
It is a 270 whatever that means and has a power rear window, and power nothing else.

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Also the gauges quit working. I am going to put in a new voltage regulator this weekend also.
 
timbolia said:
Also here is a shot of the Slant 6. I think it was originally 3 on the tree (judging by the column)
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The picture of the slant shows a later model valve cover - probably a late 60s early 70s. Could indicate a later motor. A 65 slant is gonna have 3 freeze plugs and the valve cover will have 2 stovepipes - one for the oil filler cap and the other for a PVC valve.

timbolia said:
It is a 270 whatever that means and has a power rear window, and power nothing else.
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The 270 is the trim level. Would love to have a power rear window on my wagon. Mine does have PS and will be adding PDB LBP.
 
I guess it is possible that the engine is a 69 like the trans, maybe dropped in together. I put in a new aluminum radiator for a 70 that bolted right up with a newer top hose.

The left rear wheel bearing makes noise, it looks like the rear end was replaced or rebuilt not to long ago.

I will get more pics this weekend too.
 
So I did a little work on the wagon this weekend. I got the buckets in it. Found a couple of surprizes while I was at it. Apparently there are many homeless mice since I bought the car. There was rodent poop between the carpet and the cheap padding. Also more rust than I want to think about. It looks like the shifter hump is an add on fiberglass thing, maybe home made. Also the rear windo is not going down now, Dammit.
But the seats look good. I got a deal on them ($120) so I could not be picky on the color. But seeing them in there I think It might look cool with a Scrambler/Rebel Machine type paint scheme. It already has red white and blue going on.

Oh and you can see the new armrests, BIG improvement.

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So I have been doing a little research. (nothing else to do at work is there?) I ran the Vin through a decoder and it says the wagon is a 170 but the dash emblem says 270. The fender tag is missing. I'm not that worried the vin says it is a /6 and the engine and tranny are not original anyway. This was never about building a factory perfect show car. I am not even really concerned about resale (don't tell my wife though, I keep telling her we can get all the money back out of the car if we want to) I was just hoping to find out the original colors and options if I could. I think I might look for any build sheets this weekend. I still have to fix the gauges too.
I read a couple of places here about using Ketchup to clean the circuit board. Is that right? It sounds a little crazy.
 
71dodge said:
lol i like the armrest
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Yeah, I think someone cut the legs off of a table to make those.
I was walking around with one of those at Fall Fling to match up the screw holes and I got a lot of laughs when I told them that it was my armrest. A few people suggested keeping them, even carving Tiki Heads on them or something. I am happy with my replacements, even if they are rear armrests from a Valiant.
 
Yeah thanks for that, It made it through the mail without getting bent in half, thank goodness. (I used to unload trucks for UPS and I could tell you some horror stories.)
63VALIANT*KISS, I was looking at your restoration and I was going to ask you if there was any way you might trace a template of your spare wheel cover and send it to me. I have to build a new one. I am trying to figure out what the best material to use would be. I am toying with the idea of plywood with a nice veneer, then staining it coating it in Polyurathane and maby adding some chrome strips. Sort of a Criss Craft kind of look.
 
timbolia said:
Thanks guys, it is great to find so many people that agree in my taste in cars. Most people just don't seem to get it. Especially here in LA. They all want new cars it seems.
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Add me to the list of folks who like the early A wagons. I don't mind if the LA people want new cars, as long as they let the old ones go to the enthusiasts instead of the crusher. Kalifornia seems pretty excited to encourage the latter, unfortunately.

I have put 800 miles on it since then acording to the incredibly inaccurate odometer. The speedo rattles and the needle jumps around. I went by a sign that tells you how fast you are going and it said 24 while the guage said 40.
Click to expand...
The question is good, the issue is common, and the answers are worthy of their own thread in a technical section. I took the liberty of starting a thread for you, here:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=739558

- Erik

64 Valiant, 170 3-spd
82 Volvo wagon, 5.0 5-spd :)
 
Not much progress lately on the Wagon, with Christmas and all. Plus we had a small fire. 2 hours after I put up the outside lights on the 35 foot tree up against the house it went up in flames. Luckily no one was hurt and it did not catch the house or anything else on fire. So during the holiday break I will be working on the car and chopping down a tree.

Now fun stuff!
Not that I think I would ever do it, but I was playing in photoshop and thought I would see how the Wagon would look done up in SC Scrambler colors. Kind of fun.

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waggin said:
Timbolia,in the pic of your tailgate is that the g for dodge I need the g
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I think that is the G. I also think I got a whole set of those letters at Fall Fling. I will have to take a look, but if so I have an extra G.

I will take a look and let you know.
 
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