Brazilian Dodge Dart 76 (similar to 69 usa)

chuckwagon2004 · Dec 22, 2009

Where in Brazil are you located? I work along the coast down here currently in Vitoria ES... Been all up and down the east coast of Brazil and have only seen two old cars. I didnt know the year models differed so much from back home!!! I wonder what year model that cuda I saw in RIO was it looked to be a 69 from the road or what we call a 69 model.
Keep up the good work and keep posting pics.

pastortom1 · Dec 22, 2009

Outrageous looking model in that pic........Outrageous !!

It seems the foreign models always have a certain "custom" flair that most of the US cars lacked in one way or another.......Still great in the US, but MAN........that car is OUTRAGEOUS in styling!!

alex_borges_br · Dec 22, 2009

hi chuckwagon2004

I'm from Belo Horizonte, in Minas Gerais state. In fact there aren't old cars in the street. They still rare. But in Rio and Sao Paulo there is a greater number than in others cities.
Allmost all old vehicles are small block (318 mopars and 302 ford).

You may see a lot of "Opala" ... a GM national car, based in an Opel model. It was fabricated from 1968 until 1992. But allmost all are 4 cilinders and some of them are 6 inline cilinders.

When you will came back to Brazil?

alex_borges_br · Dec 22, 2009

Hi pastortom1

I love US models... but I think Brazilian (and some other guys) did a nice work because they only worked in an A-Body. We do not have B bodies (or any other big car from chyrsler in our gold car ages).

I think that the tail up ther rear quarter of our Chargers are great.. but I really love US dart gt and 69 chargers. I'll try to make my car look like a gt. I do have the hood (but not the hood inserts), and I also have front grille...

thanks for your comments..
Alex

chuckwagon2004 · Dec 23, 2009

I'm in Brazil now and heading back to the US tomorrow hopefully. Keep working hard on your car, most people would get discouraged because they cant find replacement parts.

alex_borges_br · Dec 23, 2009

of course I will work hard on my dart.
yesterday I left my seats on a worker (dont know how to speel in english). He will make a new cover. I painted the seats structure with hammerit paint.
tomorrou I will go to a junkyard here. Hope to find good parts.
merry christmas..
ps: follow a photo of the junkyard I took a couple months ago.

71dodge · Dec 23, 2009

that dart is too cool they look better then ours almost LOL very very very cool i like the grill

1972Swinger · Dec 23, 2009

I agree. South-American MoPars are really cool. My favorite is the Dodge Polara R/T, which was sold in Argentina. (They also sold the Polara and DODGE GTX!) The Brazilian Charger's and Dart's are really cool too.

One day I want to import a Polara R/T. Doubt it will ever happen though.

Cool car!!8) Good luck with the resto.

alex_borges_br · Dec 25, 2009

Went to the junkyard yesterday. Found some good stuff. Bought cluster, front door interior cover, two wheels, some trims and some more stuff...

follow some photos (try to search the f* spider that bite me)

billstickly1 · Dec 25, 2009

are you working on the car in a parking garage?

alex_borges_br · Dec 27, 2009

instruments cluster I found in junkyard.
Note that our A bodies have differente gauges. I think we use barracuda's gauge

alex_borges_br · Dec 27, 2009

last week I disassembled front seats and painted them.
Now, both, front and rear seat are in a shop to get new cover.

Longgone · Dec 27, 2009

I`m sorry to hear about your friend. I hope you continue the work you`ve started, it looks like you`re doing a very good and comprehensive job. I like the style of the Brazilian Dodges too. Here`s some more:

ramenth · Dec 28, 2009

Alex, I have to say that I'm impressed with the working of the floor pans. It looks like you're making some great progress.

rumblefish360 · Dec 28, 2009

ramenth said:
Alex, I have to say that I'm impressed with the working of the floor pans. It looks like you're making some great progress.

Tell me about it! Some work huh!?!

David273cars · Dec 28, 2009

Alex, keep up the great work.

I love the grills on those cars.

It amazes me....when you can't just pick up the phone, order a part and wait for it to be delivered,.....

what you can do, when you want to rebuild a car!

Amazing.

The parking garage, the engine in the back of a car....working with what you have!!

alex_borges_br · Dec 28, 2009

Thanks for your comments ramenth
I'm working hard on my thesis, so I can not apply too much time in my car.
I think that I will have more spare time in Feb. 2010.
I just work in my car when I'm resting.. for example, 2 times a time, 15 or 30 minutes.
Now, since last Friday, I'm on "vacation". I came to dady's home. Work less at night or during the day, but I get time to visit junkyards and my friends ;)

alex_borges_br · Dec 28, 2009

Hi David273cars
thanks for your comments. They encourage me.
I'll take some pictures of our Brazilian charger with the grill you enjoy.
I'm going to try to make a chronological line with all our models. They all belongs to the same body (A body family). They have some minor differences between among them. For example, our Charge is nothing more than a A body dart with a tail and special grill. All of them uses 318 engine. It is rare to find a Brazilian dodge with auto transmission (in the old ages, Brazilian did not like auto trans).

alex_borges_br · Dec 28, 2009

Hi guys
I have to answer some questions about the paint I used in may seat frames.
The Hammerite product is a paint that we can apply directly in the sheet metal. It converts rust. But I cleaned all rust before paint the seat frames.

I saw in a off-road forum and in a European Classic cars forum that this product is very good. So I decided to to my own test. I approved at first instance.

Covers metal very well, seems to be very resistance and it is very easy to apply.

I'll use it in the car bottom and inner panels (for example, door panels). But not for now. I have a lot of work before painting issues.

Take a look at hammerite can.

ramenth · Dec 28, 2009

rumblefish360 said:
Tell me about it! Some work huh!?!

alex_borges_br said:
Thanks for your comments ramenth
I'm working hard on my thesis, so I can not apply too much time in my car.
I think that I will have more spare time in Feb. 2010.
I just work in my car when I'm resting.. for example, 2 times a time, 15 or 30 minutes.
Now, since last Friday, I'm on "vacation". I came to dady's home. Work less at night or during the day, but I get time to visit junkyards and my friends ;)

As someone who's had to hand fabricate a lot of sheetmetal over the years I can tell you that everytime I see someone do it without the fancy tools, being innovative enough with what they have on hand, and have it come out right always gets my attention. You may or may not appreciate this, Alex, but with the TV shows we have here in the US on building cars too many seem to get it in their heads that you can only do it by investing thousands of dollars in equipment first. You and guys like you just proved 'em wrong.

VENOM800 · Dec 30, 2009

nice dart man !! and post more pics !?

alex_borges_br · Dec 30, 2009

As I'm on vacation, I will post some old pictures...

I used to have a 4 door dart. It is a 79 brazilian dart luxo. 3 speed column shifter and 318 la engine. Pretty simple but pretty good.
I sold it because I did not have place (and money) for 2 darts. Unfortunately I just have 1 parking garage.
I decided to restore my 2 door because I love 2 doors.

alex_borges_br · Dec 30, 2009

When I was using my 79 4 door, I noticed that clock illumination was pretty bad.
I decided to rebuild my panel (don't know the real name in English).

First I discarded all bulb lights and used Leds. Leds aren't hot and thus, they do not make damage to the plastic.

Second, they illuminates much better than bulbs. I used 3 leds each hole.

Notes:
I sanded leds so the lights spread more. We may also cut the top of the led.
I washed all cluster panel using kitchen soap. Works nice.
Finally, I covered the back of the cluster box using a chromed adhesive. I think this helps the light goes to the clock instrument.

alex_borges_br · Dec 30, 2009

I also printed dash signals (light signal and window washer).
I traded all acrylic from instrument to a glass one that I made. Glasses are much better than acrylic (much more clear).
The only problem is that clock instrument has a pin used to adjust it. I made a jig and bought a proper glass drill. I think that I broke 3 glasses until I finally made a good one.

The 79 Brazilian model was optionally equipped with a stereo tape. I was from a local industry called MotoRadio. I didn't have the original stereo but I bought the same model from the MotoRadio. I printed "Chrysler" logo and glued at the stereo.. this way, I custom made my original Brazilian Chrysler tape stereo.

alex_borges_br · Dec 30, 2009

Well... not so easy as I intend to present, but I encourage everyone to do.

All Brazilian 79 models have a wood adhesive over the panel. Since I was a child I dreamed with a wood panel in my car. So I decided to buy a wood sheet and cut it. First I draw in Corel draw a panel masked, tested if it fits and them, I finally cut it (past sentence...) using a blade.

I painted it with a thin layer of varnish and tried to polish.

I also repaired the hole in the original stereo place. I welded plastic pieces. It is pretty easy to do. Use a scrap plastic piece, heat it with a weld gun. To enforce it I made a layer using epoxy glue plus fiber.