69 Dart 440 Convertible

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I have a feeling this car is going to be a real head turner :D They always turn out to be a little more indepth than planned LOL It is looking good though sweet ride.
 
Thanks guys.
I spent time working on the nose this weekend, and got the hood and drivers side fender trimmed and it high-build primer. Hopefully I will spray the rest of the body within 5 or 6 weeks, then it's all downhill from there.

George
 
bi block a body ragtop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i like it!!!!!!!!!!
 
Super cool to see ya working on a new project George - I havnt been hangin around FABO 4 awhile cause I got an old 59 panhead project I am tinkering with - but I will have 2 come around and keep an eye on your vert progress!!
See ya, Bill
 
Hey Bill! Good to see your post, buddy!
Thanks for the compliments Bill. I appreciate it a great deal. Hey, whats going on with the Cuda?? Did you put it on hold for the Harley or is it complete?? Hope ya have fun with the Pan, but be careful on that thing!!

George
 
George R said:
Hey, whats going on with the Cuda?? Did you put it on hold for the Harley or is it complete??

George
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Hey George - I still do a little here and there with the cuda - the wife bought me sun visors for xmas they look great - n - i just bought new fasteners for my deck trim and convertible well molding - maybe I will post some updates when I install the trim - I am looking forward 2 driving her more this summer!!!
Talk 2 ya soon - Bill
 
I don't blame ya for wanting to cruise this summer! Big block red convertible with a stick... ya I'd be itching :) Looking good so far!

Grant
 
OneOfMany said:
I don't blame ya for wanting to cruise this summer! Big block red convertible with a stick... ya I'd be itching :) Looking good so far!

Grant
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Thanks bruther! I may have an update later this weekend if the weather holds out like predicted.

George
 
George, the vert looks outstanding! Can't wait to see you and the car this summer. I pulled the heads off the dart. Had an oil leak on both sides between the head and the block. Very wierd. Not a lot but any leak bothers me. Anyway I will have it back together this week as I am off. I replaced the exhaust an welded everything forward of the tail pipes. Only 4 clamps! Would have been two but I didn't want to weld the tip on. Sewed the seat rip and fixed the cross threads on the steering wheel shaft. The pistons in this motor are .030". Cool!. Someone must have overhauled it somewhere along the way.. While it is apart I am cleaning up the valves, and pistons tops. I will replace the transmission pan gasket as well as it is leaking a bit. Then hopefully, that will be it. I think the rear main seal is seeping a little bit, but I can't be sure until I get the head gaskets leak fixed. Eventually i will get all leaks fixed, and it will be dry.

My wife is thrilled that I have something to do to this car. She was worried that I wouldn't be busy enough buying your car, as it was already done. I m very picky and will always find something to do. The motor runs very strong and I love the car. I am taking every precaution to avoid marking up the beautiful paint job you did under the hood. Take care George. Hope to see you and the vert this summer.
Regards, Dave
 
Dave, you're a crazy person! Glad to hear the exhaust has been replaced. I just couldn't afford a good system at the time, and that car deserved better than what I had on it.
I never saw an oil leak from a head gasket before. Are you sure there wasn't a valve cover leak? I did see spots on the garage floor from the trans pan. My fault thinking I could seal it up without any gasket sealer.
Glad you're having fun Dave. Stop by sometime and I'll show you the convert. It would be nice to see the gold car anyway.

Guys, hopefully I'll have an update on the convert this weekend. SOMEBODY is asking for more pix! LOL j/k

George
 
George,

Have frame connectors been considered? This car will be tons of fun to drive, it looks great already. It doesn't get any better than a drop top A body with big HP. How big of a wheel and tire can you fit in there?

Vance
 
Vance, the frame connectors are already installed. They were done by Wild Rides in Carteret NJ years ago. At the same time they installed an inboard spring kit with SS springs.
Right now the car has a 15X8.5 rear wheel and a 29X9X15 M/T slick. I plan to use (and already bought) a set of steelies in back. They're 15X8, and I'll put a street tire on them. They will be painted body color, and with the Cragar's in front will give it that old school look that I'm after. Keith has his 66 Valiant set up like that and it looks fantastic to me.
Thanks for the kind words on the car. Currently doing bodywork which I absolutely HATE doing. I'm not good enough at it for it to go smoothly or quickly, and I feel like my time could be better spent doing other things on the car, but I am at the point where I either "**** or get off the pot" with the paint so I'm going to give it a little more time. If I feel like it won't be done in a reasonable amount of time, I'm just going to put it in black primer and drive it like that till next year. LOL

George
 
Hi George! I hope all is going well on your project. I finished the head gasket replacement on mine and took her out for a ride. Everything went great! It's amazing how much punch that 340 has! The head gaskets on both sides were beginning to seep a mix of antifreeze and carbon between the middle cylinders. Found three bolts that had lost some torque, or were not stabilized the last time the heads were installed. They were around 50 lb/ft. vs. 95. It sounds good with the new exhaust. Welded everything forward of the mufflers. I need to contact Antique Auto Exhaust because I could not use the L/H down tube. They bent it too high and it hit the starter. I cut it off an welded the old tube on. Only had to install four clamps. Could have don't it with two, but I didn't want to weld the tips on. I need to touch up the valve cover, and intake manifld bolts, but other than that, Today, I need to take a look at the dash lights and dome light. Have a great day George!
 
Dave, the dash lights is that damned headlight switch. Sometimes they will come on if you wiggle the switch. It needs to be replaced.
Glad it's back in one piece.

George
 
Hi George! I know is sounds crazy but it really looked like oil. I agree it didn't make sense coming from the head gaskets, but I laid under the car while it was running and I could see black oily stuff bubbling right in the seam between the head and the block. It wasn't oil, it was antifreeze that had burned and turned black from combustion gasses forcing it by the gasket and down the sides of the block. I took a photo. Definitely not from the valve covers. Anyway, its all fixed now. I just need to find blue engine paint to touch up bolt heads. Where is a good place to buy that paint? BTW... There was red paint in the valley under the intake manifold that was a mess to clean up, It looked like someone painted the block at the last overhaul, to improve oil flow and either used the wrong stuff or didn't prep the block properly prior to painting the coating on. I will give you a call, as I would love to see you car! Do you want any of the old exhaust system? Still like new!
 
Thanks George. I will take a look at the headlight switch. If I need to replace it I will.

Much Appreciated!

Dave.
 
Dave M. said:
Hi George! I know is sounds crazy but it really looked like oil. I agree it didn't make sense coming from the head gaskets, but I laid under the car while it was running and I could see black oily stuff bubbling right in the seam between the head and the block. It wasn't oil, it was antifreeze that had burned and turned black from combustion gasses forcing it by the gasket and down the sides of the block. I took a photo. Definitely not from the valve covers. Anyway, its all fixed now. I just need to find blue engine paint to touch up bolt heads. Where is a good place to buy that paint? BTW... There was red paint in the valley under the intake manifold that was a mess to clean up, It looked like someone painted the block at the last overhaul, to improve oil flow and either used the wrong stuff or didn't prep the block properly prior to painting the coating on. I will give you a call, as I would love to see you car! Do you want any of the old exhaust system? Still like new!
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Dave-
I don't know who rebuilt the engine last. As far as I knew, it wasn't rebuilt. The last owner told me that. I've never been a fan of painting the inside of the engine.
Anyway, I could probably use the old system on the convert if you don't want too much for it.
I think I still have a little of the engine paint left in the garage. I'll give it to you if it's still there. I bought it at NAPA, they called it Chrysler Blue.
Stop by anytime.

George
 
Hi George! You can have the old system no charge. Thanks for the offer on the paint. I will take you up on it if you have any left. If you are around this weekend I will will give you a call and maybe stop by. The reason I say the engine was overhauled is because the pistons are .030" over. Don't get me wrong George, I am not complaining to you in any way. Everytime I drive this car, or just look at it, it makes me feel good. Just sharing information with you about the things I am doing to keep the car we both love, in great shape. :}
 
I didn't take it that way Dave. It's all good. Glad the car makes you happy!
I'll check for the engine paint tonight after work. You can swing by anytime Saturday. My little guy has baseball on Sunday, so it will be better on Saturday.
Thanks for the pipes! They aren't good enough for the gold car, but they're perfect for this convertible!!

George
 
George, my good man. How's it going? It's been a month or so since the last round of car ****. We need updates man! UPDATES!!!! Oh and more **** too. =P~



Wylde1.
 
No doubt these pipes will sound great with that big block George! Glad you can use them! See you Saturday. I'd like to show you what I've done to the dart George, but as long as I am going your way, I'll save you a trip and briing the pipes in the truck.
 
Wylde1 said:
George, my good man. How's it going? It's been a month or so since the last round of car ****. We need updates man! UPDATES!!!! Oh and more **** too. =P~



Wylde1.
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Wylde-
I've been doing bodywork....which I HATE! LOL
I worked all weekend on 1 quarter and it still sucks. There really aren't any new pix to post 'cause the car still looks the same!
I think I'm gonna drive it in primer this summer, and paint it next winter. I wanna drive it, not work on it, and the body work is taking too long.

Dave M. said:
No doubt these pipes will sound great with that big block George! Glad you can use them! See you Saturday. I'd like to show you what I've done to the dart George, but as long as I am going your way, I'll save you a trip and briing the pipes in the truck.
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Dave, I feel bad that you can't bring the Dart! I know you want to bring it here, and I'd sure like to see it again. Will the pipes fit in the trunk??
I'll be here all day Sat. If you wanna leave the pipes home, I can drive to your place some other time. Whatever you decide.

Hey! I found the engine paint! There's about 1/4 can left. Should be more than enough to touch up the bolt heads. I've made touch up's with this paint before, and it's always a perfect match so you should be all set dude!

George
 
George,
I couldn't get the pipes apart at the mufflers to make them short enough to fit in the trunk without messing them up so I air chiseled the joint at the down tube to front pipe. You will need to cut off as needed anyway to adapt to you fender well pipes. But it will be a breeze to install the way it is now. If I can get them in the car without a problem I will. See you later this morning! Thanks for the paint!
 
Dave-
It was great seeing you and the car today! You're taking great care of it and it sounds fantastic with the new exhaust! I had a good productive day too. Got the rest of the brake lines installed, bled the brakes, installed the shifter and the driveshaft, and got primer on the door and the quarter panel.
Then I cut the grass. Man, I'm bushed.
I'll dig the stock rear shocks out of the shed next time I'm in there. I can drop them by your place one day after work.
Thanks for the pipes. They'll do fine under this heap.
Hope to see you soon.

George
 
Me too! Weed whacked and cut grass, then pulled out the radio and found the interference problem. It was one of the two wires that are part of the speaker, grounding to the speaker frame. I just insulated them and all is well. I actually like a.m. radio. Reminds me of the old days! I checked the pressure in the rear shocks. Still at 40 PSI so they don't leak. I am not sure if that is enought pressue though. I don't want to raise it up too high. Great see you and your family today! I felt bad that I left and didn't say goodbye to "the misses". You have a very nice family George. Thanks for the offer on the shocks. It is a little too floaty at 60 but good shocks will solve that problem. Later my friend!
 
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