Daves 1969 Dart Swinger 340 Restoration.

[dbphemi]

I decided it was time to make a thread for my Dart. I'm currently enrolled in an auto body class at my local college and am taking it in tomorrow to do some frame work and rust repair. Ive owned the car for about 19 years and as u can imagine I'm pretty excited to be fixing it and putting it back on the road.
It's an original 340 4 speed dart yellow with black interior black vinyl top . Im gonna try to make it as close to original as i can with out financially killin myself lol.

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[kustom2k1]

Hey dbphemi, I took a course on auto body as well. You should talk to your instructor and see if you can bring your car in as a project. When I took my courses we got to work on another students 57 Chevy and it came out amazing! He paid for paint and supplies and saved himself a load of money. Good luck, subscribed to the thread and looking forward to updates.

 

[dbphemi]

I'm bringing it in as a project . It will be pretty much just me working on it though i'm not opposed to having some of the other more talented students helping me out . We have got close to 20 cars in there now and there only 2 months left of the class so the other guys are pretty busy lol.

 

[Longgone]

If you're enrolled in an auto body work course then half of your troubles are already over. Roll up your sleeves and jump in!

 

[dbphemi]

Got the car to school today started to work on the rocker panels a bit not too much done but i gotta plan for success :toothy7: The little viper green dart is my inspiration. It my teachers 440 ci bored and stroked 6.1 hemi dart.

 

[kustom2k1]

Man I had no Idea there were that many really nice Darts out there. Whats the time frame for your project, when would you "like" it to be completed? Soon as possible, I know...just curious.

 

[dbphemi]

I have 2 months left of the class. I'd like to get all the major rust repair done by the end of the class. I'll do the body work and painting at home. I'm sure I'll never be done working on lol it but id like to get it back in driving condition by the end of the summer.

 

[kustom2k1]

Nothing like completing a project of that magnitude
Trust me, someday you'll sit back and just look at her with satisfaction and know, your done. Looking forward to seeing your progress!

 

[hawkfn18]

Good luck with your project! It will be one sweet car when its done!

 

[dbphemi]

Thanks!

 

[SpeedracerX]

looking forward to seeing the progress you make on the Dart.. I think its gonna be sweet when your done

 

[dbphemi]

No new pics forgot to bring my camera lol. Got the old drivers rocker cut out. Its rustier than i thought was hoping to save part of it but oh well. Cut out and trimmed the rocker from my floor section i bought off ebay. I decided after all my Butt busting work all week to go with the AMD full rocker and ordered one up online. Funny how its always seems easier till you do it.
Looking for a full left front frame rail. I put an add in the wanted section. wish amd would repro them. I hate the idea of putting rusted 40 year old parts on my car.

 

[dbphemi]

Got some new pics. Ive been drilling out the spot welds and removing the remander of the old factory rocker and gettin it ready for the new one. Not as easy as it looks i can tell ya that much. You have to separate the a and b pillar from the inner rocker to put in a full factory outer rocker.

 

[dbphemi]

got some progress finally on the dart. I made some patches and repaired the inner rocker.

 

[dbphemi]

Just got my new factory outer rocker from amd. cant seem to download picks right now but man it is a beautiful piece!

 

[kustom2k1]

Just got my new factory outer rocker from amd. cant seem to download picks right now but man it is a beautiful piece!

/

Looks like your making some good progress. Be careful not to cut any vital arteries Doc!

 

[Longgone]

Ambitious resto...........you're my hero!

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Are you doing your I-Car certifications? Im also an auto body and refinishing student (3rd term in a 2 year program).

Only reason I ask is because I am sitting here with a MOUNTAIN of homework, 18 I-Car packets.

ABS/TCS
Air Conditioning
Brakes 1
Electronics 1
Electronics 2
Electronics 3
Heating And Cooling Systems
Lighting Starting Charging 1
Plastic Repair 1
Plastic Repair 2
Power Accessories 01
Restraints 1
Suspension Systems
Steering And Suspension 3
Steering And Suspension 4
Steering 1
Color Theory Application
Refinishing 4

 

[dbphemi]

It took 19 years of procrastination for me to get ambitious enough to work on it lol. The metal work is not easy but i think anyone that is good with their hands and has a little experience welding could do it. I practiced on a few x brand cars and one mopar before doing this so it helps take some of the fear away lol.

 

[dbphemi]

This was my first Mopar resto lol .Those are before and after shots.

 

[dbphemi]

Before and after shots

 

[dbphemi]

No we have on average 1 homework assignment a month and and ase test after. The class is pretty much all in shop. The first 2 months was all learning to paint. I got to paint buff,repair, strip and repaint a chevy s 10 front end like 10 times lol. Got to shoot dbc2000 and some water born witch is different but kinda cool. The past 6 months its been all in shop time basically like working in a body shop but not gettin paid.

 

[1968FormulaS340]

No we have on average 1 homework assignment a month and and ase test after. The class is pretty much all in shop. The first 2 months was all learning to paint. I got to paint buff,repair, strip and repaint a chevy s 10 front end like 10 times lol. Got to shoot dbc2000 and some water born witch is different but kinda cool. The past 6 months its been all in shop time basically like working in a body shop but not gettin paid.

Sounds like what I'm doing except we have an *** load of homework the first 3 terms.

Next year we have less homework but pick up 3 terms of estimating.

 

[dbphemi]

I have New pics.It was a short week at school. Went to an auto body seminar at Pheasant Run in Saint Charles,IL for class and spent a day taking ase tests. I have the new rocker fitting in there and have been repairing the a and b pillar.
I have some picks of my teachers 6.1 stroker hemi dart at the seminar.:-D:-D

 

[dbphemi]

Welded up the a and b pillar repairs. I threw some temporary screws to hold in the rocker panel and fit the door and fender to make sure everything lines up good before i do any welding. Its looking 1969 good! lol