Another fine mess...75 Dart Swinger...

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flyboy01

Its almost done!
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Well, this is another fine mess I have gotten myself into...

In addition to my 68 Dart Resto Project , I went out this weekend and picked up another Mopar, a 1975 Dart Swinger. This one is actually a runner! Yes, it runs and drives! It has a /6 and I assume a 904 trans behind it. Its fairly rust free, as far as I can tell.

I woke up this morning, did the usual craigslist search, and came across a 75 Dart for sale, it looked good in the one small pic, so I called the guy and went to go see it. Two hours later I had a title in my hand, 4 hours later, it was parked in my Driveway. I need this car like I need another hole in my head, but its done, and it was relatively cheap. Drag car maybe? I do have a low compression 400 sitting in the garage...

Specs:
75 Dart Swinger
Recent white paint, crappy but shiney.
/6 with an auto
Drum brakes F&R
? Rear
Small bolt pattern w/rallye wheels and new tires.

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I have definately seen worse, it is very presentable.

Low compression BB begs for supercharger, or TURBO! :)
 
Congrat's flyboy01, Dive it around awhile and enjoy it a bit.
Good looking car and all the glass and bumpers and lights ,trim look great.
A cool ride in white for the hot days. Glad to see it found a good home.
 
Looks like a pretty nice project. Best thing with you telling us you got it pretty cheap is that you have it drive while you get the Dart finished up. After that you already have your next project in hand and had the chance to enjoy cruising around in it already.
 
Sweeet!
I'm quite partial to the 74-76 Darts, even though I prefer the front end of the 74.
I would have loved to have found one in that condition for a good price.
Instead mine is in primer, but, it did come with a 318 instead, and I did get it for a good price, so I can't complain tooo much! :D
Looks like a fun car to just tool around in and enjoy while you're restoring your other one.
 
Fly - I hear ya! But congrats on the "new hole in the head". Definitely a nice parts / go to work type car. Or, sweet place to drop the lo comp 400 . . .
 
Nice driver there. Be careful with that spare tire well rust. I needs to be strong enough to hold the tank up. If you put the spare tire hold down bolt in place that would provide extra insurance. Mine was like that and I butt welded a patch panel in the bottom to fix it.
 
340sFastback said:
Nice driver there. Be careful with that spare tire well rust. I needs to be strong enough to hold the tank up. If you put the spare tire hold down bolt in place that would provide extra insurance. Mine was like that and I butt welded a patch panel in the bottom to fix it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there is a patch welded in up top, but the bottom was never fixed, they just left it. It looks like all the rust was under the brace that the spare j-bolt hooks up to. When i get a little bit of time, I am goung to rip up the carpet in the trunk and interior to see whats under it, I suspect there are patches, just need to see what quality.

Today I tranfsfer the title, got insurance, and bought registration tags through May 2010. I Also bought a whole tune up kit, Lucas Stop Leak for the trans (just temporary until I can find another trans), and new flasher and bulbs. The car does not smoke, and I suspect that the 44K miles might be original, but the trans is hemoraging fluid in my driveway. I will be parking it over a pan until its fixed, just have not had time to work on it since I brought it home.
 
Cool. I'd just fix the mechanicals and drive it while you work on the other one. Have some fun going to some cruise nights etc. The body looks nice and its good to be driving an old mopar.
 
The Dart reminds me of one I got kicked out of the house for Dragging home 22 years ago! My wife finally gave up on the idea of me quiting working on Mopars! Drive it and enjoy it for a while,looks like it could be sharp.
 
Very cool car, you should definitely do something with it. I had one of those a long time ago, was the first b.b. abody I built and I liked it. They look really good in white.
Good luck,
Marvin
 
Good find! I'm kinda surprised it has SBP though. I thought that went away in 73...

j
 
Nice car! Good find. That would make a good BB drag car. loose them heavy bumpers. I just took off and weighed the rear bumper and bumper mounts on my 75 Duster and it was 80 1/5 pounds!

Good luck with the build.
 
I ordered a new grant steering wheel and a set of KYB shocks for it, this weekend I need to take a look and see where all the fluid is coming from, its leaking while its sitting there, so It cant be a pressure leak.
 
Nice looking car but I think you should finish up the black one before you really touch this one, other than the minor stuff, so you have a driver while you finish the other one up.On the leak take a look at the tranny pan. I always seem to get 904's with the stupid cork trans pan gaskets and they leak horribly just sitting there. If its the gasket pick up a trans kit from either napa or carquest (probably others too) and they have the black rubber type gaskets in them they are so much better than the cork gaskets no leaks at all. You probably already know that but just trying to help. Justin
 
I would guess the seal at the shifting rod or kick down seal.
Just a thought.
 
Well after futzing around with the 904 trans last weekend, and getting nowhere, I fixed the trans.

I bought a new one, attached to a 318 engine from a Diplomat.

A swappin is a comin! :cheers:
 
I ordered the Schumacher mounts yesterday. Now I am looking for a used performer intake and a 600 edelbrock carb.
 
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