Dartin for Divorce

[moparmat2000]

Lots of great ideas on speakers and such. A stock package tray with factory slots in it will hide a nice set of 6x9s under it without cutting into the metal package tray or fiberboard top.

I have a set of blow moulded plastic kick panels for both cudas that will hold 4x6 speakers, and I made my own aluminum plates to mount dual 3&1/2" speakers in the center dash speaker opening. Wire your 3&1/2 dash speakers with bass blockers to the 4x6 ones in the kick panels.

Heres pix of the kick panels, and the dash speaker plates. I am making custom grilles for the kick panels since I didnt like any that I saw.

This helps out with the speakers. Theres many hidden audio setups that use a plug that jacks into your phone headphone jack and allows you to use your phone as a head unit picking up pandora and such. This way you can keep the stock thumb wheel radio intact.

 

[DentalDart]

Done... now we can start her up tomorrow!

I also cleaned off my shift lever from the 727 and I'll see if it is any longer than the one from the 904 and if it will help shift better. Right now you have to give it a pretty good push to get it into park, then if I adjust it back it's the same for going into 1st.

 

[Gearhed73]

looks good

 

[halfafish]

Depending on what you want to do, audio in the car is fairly simple. The cleanest - and most original looking setup - is to send your thumbwheel radio out to get transformed into a modern stereo. Looks old, works and acts new. I put a pair of 4" speakers in the dash and a pair of 6x9's in the back and am pretty pleased with the way it sounds.

 

[DentalDart]

Depending on what you want to do, audio in the car is fairly simple. The cleanest - and most original looking setup - is to send your thumbwheel radio out to get transformed into a modern stereo. Looks old, works and acts new. I put a pair of 4" speakers in the dash and a pair of 6x9's in the back and am pretty pleased with the way it sounds.

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Yea I've seen a guy that will rework your radio with am/FM and usb port on Facebook mopar pages before but I'm scared to even see the price.

Those dash speakers, is that where the original speaker is? I dont even know where my speakers are. I dont know if I want to cut holes in the back seat area either

This one looks cool!!! Can also purchase kick panels with speakers built in. Look how easy that would all go together, even a dentist could do it... but then again its electrical. body work I dont want to do electrical Im scared to do lol.

 

[Dartsun]

Yea I've seen a guy that will rework your radio with am/FM and usb port on Facebook mopar pages before but I'm scared to even see the price.

Those dash speakers, is that where the original speaker is? I dont even know where my speakers are. I dont know if I want to cut holes in the back seat area either

This one looks cool!!! Can also purchase kick panels with speakers built in. Look how easy that would all go together, even a dentist could do it... but then again its electrical. body work I dont want to do electrical Im scared to do lol.

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Those AM radios look pretty sweet I should get one for my 69. Yes the only speaker is in the dash.

 

[DentalDart]

Those AM radios look pretty sweet I should get one for my 69. Yes the only speaker is in the dash.

That radio has everything- hands free blue tooth for your phone, am/fm, Sirius xm radio, usb, aux ports, they have new speaker for the dash and kick panels.
Heres the link-
​1968-69 Plymouth Barracuda Redondo RT Thumb-Roller Radio

Shoot interior and radio would be a 2 grand do it yourself job .... I need to get a job lol

 

[halfafish]

Those dash speakers, is that where the original speaker is?

Yup, the original dash speaker was junk. I took it out, made a template for the spot, and stuck a pair of 4" speakers in there. I did use bass blockers so they didn't destroy themselves.

Speaker placement is something that always involves trade-offs. Kick panel speakers work but the sound is down by your ankles. My ears are on my head so that wasn't something I wanted to pursue. Speakers in the dash are a clean install but won't have the same audio quality as other locations. I went the route I did so the car mostly looks stock but sounds a whole lot better. And yes, retrosound is one of the folks that will rebuild your radio to modern specs.

 

[DentalDart]

Yup, the original dash speaker was junk. I took it out, made a template for the spot, and stuck a pair of 4" speakers in there. I did use bass blockers so they didn't destroy themselves.

Speaker placement is something that always involves trade-offs. Kick panel speakers work but the sound is down by your ankles. My ears are on my head so that wasn't something I wanted to pursue. Speakers in the dash are a clean install but won't have the same audio quality as other locations. I went the route I did so the car mostly looks stock but sounds a whole lot better. And yes, retrosound is one of the folks that will rebuild your radio to modern specs.

This is true, I'm just scared of cutting holes in the car then not being able to patch the holes or find a replacement part. I guess I'm a wimp, the 6x9s probably sound great though and could make things much cheaper for installing a radio. I could probably find a cheap radio, put it in the glove box and wire some cheaper speakers around the car and call it a day... if I knew how to do electrical stuff.

 

[moparmat2000]

The rear package tray sheetmetal is already stamped with holes for 6x9 rear speakers. No cutting is required. Remove the back seat, slide the fiberboard package tray out, install your speakers, and reinstall everything. Heres the rear deck on my sons 69 cuda. The package tray is already stamped for 6x9 speakers. One at either end. The 2 round holes in the middle were for a rear window defogger. Package tray even has pilot holes stamped in for mounting the speakers.

Upsize the pilot holes then stick your mounting screws through from the top then lock washer and nut them on the bottom sandwiching the speaker deck package tray sheetmetal in the middle. Now you have mounting studs, and you fit the speakers in from the bottom up. This way if you have to change one out you dont have to remove the fiberboard package tray to get them out. If your fiberboard package tray already has speaker hole slots in it, pitch the cheezy plastic speaker grille covers and slip it back in place. Or get one that's got the slots in it and hide your speakers

 

[kursplat]

I'm not a huge fan of the woodgrain overlay, I really like the chrome look.

until the sun is hitting it just right, shining in your face. dang, you almost got it done on the weekend

if you can't get the shift lever correct right away, it would probably be better to go into park properly, than 1st

 

[moparmat2000]

Yea I've seen a guy that will rework your radio with am/FM and usb port on Facebook mopar pages before but I'm scared to even see the price.

Those dash speakers, is that where the original speaker is? I dont even know where my speakers are. I dont know if I want to cut holes in the back seat area either

This one looks cool!!! Can also purchase kick panels with speakers built in. Look how easy that would all go together, even a dentist could do it... but then again its electrical. body work I dont want to do electrical Im scared to do lol.

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Yep the OEM AM radio had a single speaker in the center of the dash. That's what the pic of that black plate with the 2 holes is for. Dual 3.5" dash speakers to replace a big single speaker.

The reason for the 2 6x9 holes in the rear deck was if you had AM/FM "stereo" back then there was a fader knob from front to rear and only 1 speaker in the front and 1 6x9 in the rear. The other "speaker" hole was used for the air intake on an optional rear window defogger. It had a metal speaker grille, and a blower motor, a hose and a vent that blew at the back window. Your dart has a long rectangle stamped slot in the sheetmetal under the fiberboard tray for that optional defogger vent. It sucked in cabin air and blew it at the back window lol. Electric grid line defogger came out around the mid 70s on MoPars. Around 1975.

 

[DentalDart]

until the sun is hitting it just right, shining in your face. dang, you almost got it done on the weekend

if you can't get the shift lever correct right away, it would probably be better to go into park properly, than 1st

Almost? I did get it all done didnt I? Ok ok, I forgot to attach the exhaust to the header and I didnt tighten down the passenger seat lol. I know I'm a slow worker...

The shifter is adjusted pretty good right now. I just am starting to wonder if I would get better adjustments using the 727 transmission shift lever.

 

[DentalDart]

The rear package tray sheetmetal is already stamped with holes for 6x9 rear speakers. No cutting is required. Remove the back seat, slide the fiberboard package tray out, install your speakers, and reinstall everything. Heres the rear deck on my sons 69 cuda. The package tray is already stamped for 6x9 speakers. One at either end. The 2 round holes in the middle were for a rear window defogger. Package tray even has pilot holes stamped in for mounting the speakers.

Upsize the pilot holes then stick your mounting screws through from the top then lock washer and nut them on the bottom sandwiching the speaker deck package tray sheetmetal in the middle. Now you have mounting studs, and you fit the speakers in from the bottom up. This way if you have to change one out you dont have to remove the fiberboard package tray to get them out. If your fiberboard package tray already has speaker hole slots in it, pitch the cheezy plastic speaker grille covers and slip it back in place. Or get one that's got the slots in it and hide your speakers

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No cutting holes I like that.

Do I see 2 fishies in those pictures? They are twins!

 

[kursplat]

The shifter is adjusted pretty good right now. I just am starting to wonder if I would get better adjustments using the 727 transmission shift lever.

i don't know if those shifters were different for a 904 vs 727. without the shifter hooked up, do you have any problem running the trans through the gears?

 

[DentalDart]

i don't know if those shifters were different for a 904 vs 727. without the shifter hooked up, do you have any problem running the trans through the gears?

They are different 904 vs 727. Heres the 904 (one with a bend) vs the 727 (straight). The only slight problem I found was the screw that holds my cable adjuster was to long and sitting on the shift lever. I shaved the screw down a little to give it some more room.

I have no problems rowing through the gears without the console shifter hooked up.

Also sprayed some contact cement on my foam to help keep it from breaking apart so much and getting all over my car.

 

[DentalDart]

Tried to start the car and it wouldn't turn over. Took the ignition coil plug off to check for spark. With the key turned on but not cranking the engine I'm getting a constant spark from the ignition coil. Tony says he has never seen this before and it's not normal, any advice???

 

[dukeboy440]

Tried to start the car and it wouldn't turn over. Took the ignition coil plug off to check for spark. With the key turned on but not cranking the engine I'm getting a constant spark from the ignition coil. Tony says he has never seen this before and it's not normal, any advice???

Had a similar problem with my Polara just last month. Ballast resistor or an ammeter circuit problem. Mine was actually both.

 

[DentalDart]

Had a similar problem with my Polara just last month. Ballast resistor or an ammeter circuit problem. Mine was actually both.

Ampmeter problem from the alternator?

 

[billsdartgt]

car started and ran fine but wouldn't move properly, rebuild transmission, car won't start and has a weird problem. DD you have officially made it into the car hotrod and mod world. I think its time you go and get a second project, one that you will do everything differently now that you have learned so many things. yeah, I think that's how we all do it LOL

 

[DentalDart]

We got it to start and run normal. Just needed to have a little more gas in the carb

Rebuilt transmission didnt turn the driveshaft though... so something isnt working properly... I have the car from the devil...

 

[dukeboy440]

We got it to start and run normal. Just needed to have a little more gas in the carb

Rebuilt transmission didnt turn the driveshaft though... so something isnt working properly... I have the car from the devil...

Silly question, check and make sure you remembered to bolt the flex plate to the converter... don’t ask me how I learned that the hard way.

If it is bolted, are you sure you got it seated fully into the pump?

also make sure you got enough fluid in it.

 

[DentalDart]

Silly question, check and make sure you remembered to bolt the flex plate to the converter... don’t ask me how I learned that the hard way.

If it is bolted, are you sure you got it seated fully into the pump?

also make sure you got enough fluid in it.

Bolted up and spins, Fluid full, it was fully seated onto the pump but I cant check to make sure its seated anymore without pulling the transmission

 

[70aarcuda]

the trans i thought was a 904 is a 727,,,,but it looks like a virgin valve body.....i got a box of them in the shop.....good news...

I found two more 904 case in the back of the shed....****...that give me 11 ......

 

[Tooljunkie]

Done... now we can start her up tomorrow!

I also cleaned off my shift lever from the 727 and I'll see if it is any longer than the one from the 904 and if it will help shift better. Right now you have to give it a pretty good push to get it into park, then if I adjust it back it's the same for going into 1st.

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So shift lever on trans needs to be shorter. Adjust for park ,go to 1st and disconnect rod from lever. Make sure trans is in 1st. Move rod inwards on lever until it looks like it would centre the hole on lever. Should be about 1/2” in from existing hole. Mark and drill hole about 1/8” further out. Too far in and it will make shifter stroke too short. Before drilling hole make sure it will be suitable for both ends of shift range. Royal pita. If the duster wasnt flat on the ground, i would check how long lever is.