68 GT convertible project

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burdar

burdar

Owen's Dad
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
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Iowa
This is my first A-body and second restoration project. I'm just finishing up my first complete restoration of a 73 Challenger my dad bought new. I went back to stock on that build. This car won't be going back to stock so I have some freedom to do what I want. I've got two options that I'm contemplating.

Option 1. Stock looking engine, body colored steel wheels with dog dish hub caps and redline tires. I'd keep the GT body side mouldings as well as the DART letters on the quarters and the finish panel on the trunk lid. I'd return the interior to stock except for a volt meter conversion and a small tach on the front of the console.

Option 2. Newer aluminum master cylinder, aluminum intake and fabricated valve covers.(basically try to make the engine not look like your typical SBM) 18" front/20" rear wheels. Remove GT side mouldings, DART letters on the quarters and finish panel on the trunk. Interior close to stock except custom gauges in the dash and maybe an aftermarket shifter in the stock console. Rear disc brake kit.

Here are the specs...318/904, PS, manual drum brakes, no sway bar, 7 1/4 rear, QQ1 with white bucket seat interior, center console and white top.
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A GTS hood will be going on the car no matter which option I decide to go with.
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I found a complete disc brake front suspension on craigslist and bought it. I'll most likely do a BBP conversion with the Mustang rotors. I also have a C-body 8 3/4 rear that will be narrowed. I'm going to fit the widest tires on the back that I can. I'll move the springs in with the Dr Diff relocation kit and role the quarter lips if I have to.
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Cool. Install sub frame connectors (I'd go with the US Car Tool version) and it will completely change the ride quality of the car. Also if you install one of these, you might scare the crap of anybody that sees it :twisted: Oh and the last picture you posted is of the K/H brakes with a 5x4 (SBP). You can sell those quite a few bucks.

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I've got a 360 that will be going in the car. It was previously in a 3600 lb 82 Cordoba that went a best of 12.71 at 106mph. It should run pretty good in a lighter car.
 
The car is in good shape. The worst part is the interior. The floor looked pretty crusty but I think it's going to clean up OK.
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The trunk is in good shape. The spare tire well is solid...it just needs to be cleaned up.
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The strikers are pulled away from the door frame but that seems to be an issue with a lot of A-bodies.
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The floor under the back seat was a mess. The convertible pump lines are split and were pumping fluid under the seat where it mixed with all the dirt.
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Everything is coming apart on this car very nice. It's fun working on something that isn't from the rust belt.
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The windshield was already cracked so I just broke it even further and pushed it out. The original windshield gasket is still in good shape. I don't know if I'll reuse it or not.
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Interior is all out. I quickly took a wire brush to the floor and vacuumed everything up. It's looking better.
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Hey man,
Good Start!! Your Dart is in much better shape than mine was. Good choice on the hood, if its not all out pro street there is no better hood. I have a 69 GT convertible, and a couple of things caught me by surprise.... The trim restore was ultra high$$. The grille, trim,and tail panel were $3500. It looks super good, but the dollars set me back, so consider your trim options. If your planning on bigger wheels, go ahead and lengthen the front and rear wheel wells, it will make life much easier for you. If you need it, I can send pics of how I did mine.
Congrats on a great car to start with,
Martin
 
A friend came over yesterday and helped me pull the engine. No more removing/installing engines from above. This works so nice. I'm almost done removing everything from the engine compartment. The grill came off today too. I've got 500 pictures taken so far. There won't be any guessing on how this car goes back together. I wasn't organised when I disassembled my Challenger. All the fasteners were thrown in a big bucket and I didn't take many pics. I spend more time sorting fasteners then actually assembling the car. I'm staying organised with this car. A few extra hours detailing everything NOW, will save me days of headaches later on.
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very cool... look forward to the progress of your ride. Looks very similar to my B5 69 Dart vert-
hopin to get some ideas from you.
Definitely reach out to Martin (2fine69s) if you need anything. He has been a world of help to me in my restore.
 
I'm sure I'll be asking a lot of questions. I'm new to convertibles so there's lots to learn. The top doesn't fold down as far as it should. Maybe the top material is keeping it from retracting fully. The owners manual got wet and all the pages are stuck together. If there were any top instructions in there, they are useless now.
 
Slowly coming apart. There haven't been any surprises so far. Everything is looking really clean. Here's a good shot of the radiator blackout.
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Nice work, looks like a great car to start with! I helped my buddy restore his 68 convert, and he just finished it this spring, check out my post " 68 gts convertible" if you have any questions we can help you out! His car was taken apart every nut and bolt, and rotisorie restored, so we know these things inside and out. His was in alot worse condition then yours, can't wait to see your progress! Those windshields are a ***** to find, Sam got the last one that our glass guy could find in stock a couple years ago, I know you can get them, but it wont be cheap, if you got any questions let me know.

Jeff
 
Are the convertible windshields different then the hardtops? I know the side glass is different. I got a good used windshield with the car but I haven't really looked at it closely. I had to buy an AMD windshield for my Challenger...there was a rock chip in the original one.
 
burdar said:
Are the convertible windshields different then the hardtops? I know the side glass is different. I got a good used windshield with the car but I haven't really looked at it closely. I had to buy an AMD windshield for my Challenger...there was a rock chip in the original one.
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I do not think they are different .....all a body s...just check AMD
 
burdar said:
Are the convertible windshields different then the hardtops? I know the side glass is different. I got a good used windshield with the car but I haven't really looked at it closely. I had to buy an AMD windshield for my Challenger...there was a rock chip in the original one.
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Yes, hardtop and convertible are the same, I see AMD makes them now, sorry been a while since I bought one, for a while nobody was making them. Just make sure You get the right gasket, they are different.

Jeff
 
I found some crappy previous bodywork that was done to the car...probably from the late 70s or early 80's. We'll see how bad it is when the car is stripped. It almost looks like someone brushed a guardrail or something. There are holes drilled in the PS quarter and door as well as some is the DS door. There's filler sticking out of all the holes.

I think I've decided to not put the GT side mouldings and trunk trim panel back on. I've got a couple ideas for a trunk graphic to replace the trim panel. It will kind of mimic the 68 GTS tail stripe. We'll have to see if it looks good on the car though. I don't like most custom stripes...I think they look tacky.
 
This is kind of backwards but I'm taking the seats to the upholstery shop tomorrow. The seats are taking up space in the garage and I don't want those nasty things in my house. I removed the seat tracks tonight. They look pretty rough. A long soak in a rust remover should clean them up. I'm missing the pieces under the seats that connect the track reliece levers. Was there just a wire connecting them or was it a spring of some kind?

The springs in the seat backs are very rusty. Hopefully they will be usable. Once the frames are stripped, I'll take them in to be blasted and powder coated. Then they will go back to the upholstery shop.

The front seats still have the chrome inserts in the seat backs. There isn't one on the rear seat...should there be?
 
Got mine from P&G classics, here they are. What chrome inserts are you talking about the emblems in the top middle of seat? If so yes there should be one in the center of the rear seat, I see them for sale once in a while on ebay, or you may find them on here also

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RemoveProduct(s)Qty.Price Per.TotalSeat Track Release Cable 13" $19.95$19.95
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RemoveProduct(s)Qty.Price Per.TotalSeat Track Release Cable 13" $19.95$19.95
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It was supposed to have come out of a 72 so no...it should be a SB K-member. I need the space so it will probably find its way under the car this winter.

Thanks for those pics. Yes, I was talking about those emblems in the seats. I guess I'll add a rear one to my parts list.
 
I'm still slowly taking it apart. I got the tail lights and rear bumper removed yesterday. I've only broken one bolt so far. That one was while removing the wheel well splash shields. Right when I was about to stop and back it up, it snapped. The only big things I have left to remove are the rear axle and convertible top.
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Yesterday I also removed the upper control arms. I figured the cam bolts would be rusted solid in the UCA bushings but they came right out. Then I test fit the disc brake front suspension I bought. Everything fit.
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burdar said:
It was supposed to have come out of a 72 so no...it should be a SB K-member. I need the space so it will probably find its way under the car this winter.

Thanks for those pics. Yes, I was talking about those emblems in the seats. I guess I'll add a rear one to my parts list.
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Maybe put a feeler out here on the forum for the seat emblems, they are pretty hard to come by, my buddies apololstery shop threw his out with the old covers, he found some on ebay.
 
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