Bring my 73 dart swinger back to life.

[GEO]

Well this is the new change I made. Sending unit is now below the thermostat. #1 is looking in from the end. You can see the prob reaching half way through. No restriction of water.#2 Is the is the original hose. just cut an inch out of the middle. Then some fine tune clipping.#3-4 Are the same. Just one is better than the other.

Man that is uglyops:

 

[AJ/FormS]

Ugly? yeah. Blowtie? Maybe. Will it work? Absolutely yes.Certainly not how I would have done it, though. But then, I have nothing but stock guages on my project.

 

[Dart swinger 73]

When I got this car, the wiper arms were disconnected and laying on top of the heater box. I installed all new everything. But the 2 drive arms.
#1 is the right wiper. Note where it is.

#2 is the motor arm.

#3 Is a picture of both arms.

The wiper arm is extended as far as it can go to the left. Now look at the motor arm. It appears to be about 90* off. I think. This is where I need help. Not knowing if I have the correct drive arms. My drive arm seems to be to long. Maybe someone can measure their drive arm, from the motor to the left wiper connection.:coffee2:

 

[adiffrentcity]

Maybe... Take the outer wiper arms off, rotate wiper shafts until drive arms line up, then re-install outer arms? In my mind this works, though last time I messed with wiper arms was to install new bushings so I didn't have alignment issues. Good luck!

 

[Dart swinger 73]

This is what I did today. I disconnected the drive arm. Then moved the wipers to the park position. Connected the battery to turned on the wiper motor with the switch, And turned it off so it would return to the park position. Sounds good and looks good on paper.:cheers: But, now I don't have power to the switch:banghead: I got out of the car disconnected the battery and went home. I'll deal with it tomorrow.:coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

I been working on her for 11 months. I'll just keep adding to this section of the forum.
I'm finished in the engine compartment. Started under the dash. Took a brake from the dash today. I am going to connect the subframe. Never did this before. The only thing I got going for me is. I was a welder for 45 years. I'm open to people who have done this job to give me some tips. Here are 3 pic's of what i did today. In the first view I have made a gosset it where i'll bolt to the floor. This is only 2-3/4" long. I will install another on the other side. Is 2 bolts good enough, or should make that bracket 5" on both sides and 2 bolts on each side. I plan to use 1/2" x 1-1/2" bolts with 1/4" backing plates inside the car. The ears will be under the front seat. For weep holes, four 1/2" holes on each connector. I plan to weld a plate on the front and a strap on the back. I only have a 318 in her now. But, I want to put a big block once I get court up with my $$$$$ flow. :coffee2:
If you go to my album you will see what's going on.

 

[Dart swinger 73]

I should have started hear on this section of the forum when I first got this Dart 11 months ago. Now I have all my threads all over the forum. If the person in charge of this forum could gather up all my posts and put them all under this title " Bring my 73 dart swinger back to life." Would be great. That way I could get answer and constructive criticism on thing I've done and, what I'm going to do. :coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Connecting the frame today. Tomorrow I'll finish welding and bolt them to the floor.

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Today I took out the steering column. I think I'm missing a few parts. This column is stock standard . The coupling was full of rust and dirt. You can see what is left. can I just soak this coupling in WD-40 then pack it with grease and buy the cover for it. And reuse it. Am I suppose to have a bearing, bearing support, spring and spring retainer. Can I get some input.
The shaft connected to the coupling, just clean and it will be OK. Right? :coffee2:

 

[grumpuscreature]

You can get the parts you need to rebuild your column here http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/lostcoha.html among other places. Carry on with your work, I have a bucket to catch the drool...

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Spent the day cleaning the shop.:cheers: I have lots of hand tools. Enough to have a set of basic wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, dikes. In every part of the car. You must know how it goes. If you need a wrench and your working under the car. It will be inside the car, under the dash or in the engine compartment. Anywhere but where you are.:banghead: When I start a project I start by putting some basic hand tools In the car, under the car. In the trunk. In the engine compartment. This way starting goes smooth for a while. After a couple weeks there isn't much left in my tool box drews.#-o Electric tape for example. Four rolls gone. One under the bench, sink. rolled in the other room, out the door under my truck.:violent1: Then all the other crap that just collect on the floor. It's really nice having a lift. But, when the lift is up it's a great place to put whatever you can't put on the bench because you can't find any room. because of the soldering iron. hand grinder, heat gun, nuts and bolts, spools of wire and so on. All tools are cleaned and put away. Place looks good. Expecting more parts from Classic Industry Monday. I'll be under the dash again. And I'll start all over again. I call this fun, now that I'm retired. I use to call it work. The only thing different. I don't have as much money now. As I had then.:glasses7:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Took the drums off to check. Was surprised to find everything were in great shape. I decided to paint the drums and calipers. Wire wheeled the drums and sprayed them with osflow, it's a rust inhibitor thats why the drum looks like that. After 24 hrs. wire off the white power.
A good coat of primer then the yellow heat paint. While I was working on that side. I decided to fill in the antenna hole. I'm moving the antenna to the rear fender. I also installed the new speedometer cable. Tomorrow I plan to paint the floor with that truck bed liner stuff. Picture will follow tomorrow night. :coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Easy day today. I just painted the floor with bed liner, 2 coats.

 

[Dart swinger 73]

ttt

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Have been a little lazy for the past few days. This is all I've done. Primed the floor. :coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Changing bearing / bushing in the column. Never did this before. It was a little nasty in there.

#1 cleaned it out with WD-40 and removed the shaft.
The turn signal switch looks good. BUT, I'm going to change it anyway.

#2I would like some feedback from somebody who has disassembled the key section to change out the bottom bushing. Was it difficult lining up the shift gear on the top with the arm down below?? Got any tips before I start?

#3 The bearing came out easy except once i removed the retainer clip.

#4 Is the bottom bushing and seal

#5 There is a little wiggle in the steering lock. Is the supposed to be like that? Doesn't spin just wiggle.

:coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Got column apart and cleaned it real good. Found out my column is a 70/71. Not a 73. just another glitch in the Canada built Dart. I picked up the upper bearing at a local bearing supply house. Tomorrow i'll take the shaft and tube there and match up a real bearing with a connecting set screw collar. Stock nylon bushing and clip is out dated by 40 years.

After cleaning everything, it appears the top has been rebuilt. at least the locking parts and the turn signal cancellation. Wires are in good shape except for the wire plug i broke and replaced it with a square plug. Now I know why the stock plug was flat. So it could be pulled through the column. Now I gotta find a flat male/female connector before I can put everything back together. Hope to have this together next week.

Tomorrow the wiper mechanism under the dash. :coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Replaced plugs for the steering column wiring today. Soldered all wires. All I need is the bottom bushing and I can install the column. Bushing is on backorder, they say 2 weeks. will see. :coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Waiting for parts to be delivered. One from Mancini and one from Classic Ind. Are there any other places to buy Dodge parts? I'm getting to the point where they don't have what I need for my 73 Dart. What's a guy going to do. I need a part. It's small and mounts to the bottom of the A-pillar. It's S/S or chrome pot metal about 1-1/2" X 1/4".:coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Some pictures of where I'm at. Just wish I new how to rotate the pictures. Anyway, body is ready for finial sanding. The last I did was with 320 grit. I primed again. Witch is better for the last sanding before paint, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit. Need to fix the wipers linkage before painting the dash. Today I painted the steering wheel and column. The dark brown paint I got for the plastic is different than the dark brown I got for the metal dash. You know it's the little things that get me.:banghead: I've got the engine running. Have to install the new brake booster and master cylinder. I found out I didn't have any back brakes. I only drove her around the block. The brake proportioning valve couldnt send fluid to the rear. So I bought everything new in the brake system. I can't paint until I can drive the car 3' back so I can paint the front, then 6' forward so I can paint the rear. That's the drew back of having a 4 column lift. Good thing I kepted the stock wheels. :coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

I tryed to post these pic's with my last thread. Only one attachment went through. Here are the others.

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Took it easy today with the Dart. Just painted the steering wheel. Then worked on 1 of my bikes.

 

[TylerW]

"Chivvy" went to senders in the head some time ago. This is a far better setup in my opinion.

Yes, 1968 to be exact

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Only have a couple of spots left to block and I should be finished. Today I clear coated the dash. The color in this picture is brown wet paint You couldn't tell by the color of the dash now with the paint still wet. When it's dry it will look like the steering wheel. Tomorrow I might install the dash pad. If I do I'll post the picture.:coffee2:

 

[Dart swinger 73]

Spent most of the day blocksanding. Chasing down the little rippels. I modify my brake booster bracket today and painted it. tomorrow i'll prime the master and install the system. Hope the have brakes when I'm finished. Will report progress next time. Ho, ho, ho!!