Doug's '68 Dart

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Douglas Acebal

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2022
Messages
173
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162
Location
Livermore CA
Here is my 3-4 year project. As of yesterday, she's stripped down w/exception to front and rear glass. Need to build a storage rack this week before I pull the windshield/back window.

Current long term plan:
Altercation front suspension
Street lynx rear suspension (w/inboard relocated front hangars)
8 3/4 489, 3:91?
Manual transmission conversion
Small block stroker motor
Wilwood brakes
Fronts 275/35/18, Rears 305/40/18 (duplicating Bill Reilly's '69 setup)

Current undertakings before plastic media blast/body work/paint:

USCarTool frame connectors, torque boxes, inner fender braces, mini-tub, firewall patching.

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Here is my 3-4 year project. As of yesterday, she's stripped down w/exception to front and rear glass. Need to build a storage rack this week before I pull the windshield/back window.

Current long term plan:
Altercation front suspension
Street lynx rear suspension (w/inboard relocated front hangars)
8 3/4 489, 3:91?
Manual transmission conversion
Small block stroker motor
Wilwood brakes
Fronts 275/35/18, Rears 305/40/18 (duplicating Bill Reilly's '69 setup)

Current undertakings before plastic media blast/body work/paint:

USCarTool frame connectors, torque boxes, inner fender braces, mini-tub, firewall patching.

View attachment 1715859318

View attachment 1715859321

View attachment 1715859323

View attachment 1715859324

View attachment 1715859325


You are going to be so happy with this setup! Very close to mine. Have you considered the heavier guage lower rad support? Also, Bill can build a rear swaybar for your setup although it is not advertized. Approx $270.00 if I remember correctly. Also, the drivers side bolt for the rack that comes with the Altercation front suspension is extremely close to the basepan so you may want to modify it before you install the engine.
Great car!
 
You are going to be so happy with this setup! Very close to mine. Have you considered the heavier guage lower rad support? Also, Bill can build a rear swaybar for your setup although it is not advertized. Approx $270.00 if I remember correctly. Also, the drivers side bolt for the rack that comes with the Altercation front suspension is extremely close to the basepan so you may want to modify it before you install the engine.

Great car!



Here's the pic of the oilpan mod if you are using a Milodon Pan.


dscn5095-jpg.jpg
 
You are going to be so happy with this setup! Very close to mine. Have you considered the heavier guage lower rad support? Also, Bill can build a rear swaybar for your setup although it is not advertized. Approx $270.00 if I remember correctly. Also, the drivers side bolt for the rack that comes with the Altercation front suspension is extremely close to the basepan so you may want to modify it before you install the engine.
Great car!

I actually have the core support as well, but when I held it to the car I wondered how much rigidity it really adds? I’m on the fence. Convince me.

I also did see your previous post (somewhere) on the clearance issue and will keep an eye out for it.
 
Im thinking there’s some valuable stuff you probably want be reusing.

hope you saved all the parts.

some stuff that you may think is not valuable is. Check here first before tossing anything.
 
Im thinking there’s some valuable stuff you probably want be reusing.

hope you saved all the parts.

some stuff that you may think is not valuable is. Check here first before tossing anything.

Nothing usable was tossed. In fact, much of the drivetrain was already re-purposed to a fella nearby.
 
I actually have the core support as well, but when I held it to the car I wondered how much rigidity it really adds? I’m on the fence. Convince me.

I also did see your previous post (somewhere) on the clearance issue and will keep an eye out for it.

Here's what convinced me that I was on the right track using the US Cartools products. Before , when I had the car jacked up on one side, front or rear, the doors would not close properly. Now, if I jack the car up , it has no affect on the doors closing at all and there is no change in the gaps. It was obvious to me using all these products together makes a huge difference in structural rigidity and also helps getting the most performance out of the suspension mods.
BTW , did you go with the power rack and pinion ?
 
Here's what convinced me that I was on the right track using the US Cartools products. Before , when I had the car jacked up on one side, front or rear, the doors would not close properly. Now, if I jack the car up , it has no affect on the doors closing at all and there is no change in the gaps. It was obvious to me using all these products together makes a huge difference in structural rigidity and also helps getting the most performance out of the suspension mods.
BTW , did you go with the power rack and pinion ?
.

yes, it was standard in the package/included (power rack).
I suppose I’ll use the core support. I have it and it’s paid for.

image.jpg
 
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yes, it was standard in the package/included (power rack).
I suppose I’ll use the core support. I have it and it’s paid for.

View attachment 1715859393

Definitly if youve already bought it, use it. I'll share a couple of things I had to address that I wish someone had told me when I was doing this LOL! If you are using the factory 4 speed hump with a console, get accurate measurements for the console brackets and the shifter location before you weld it in place. Its a ***** to fix later. Also, notch the driver side frame rail connector for the handbrake cable before you weld it in permantly.
Hope this is of some help. Cheers!
 
Can you share a photo of this notch?

Sorry Douglas, that's one I didn't get. I only discovered it after I had welded the frame rail connector in place. Easy to do though before you weld in the connector. Just lay the connector up against the floor in proper position and you'll see the hole in the rear frame where the hand brake cable goes through. The connector will hide it if you don't notch it .Mark the hole position, notch the hole location and weld in place. Way easier to do this now than after the connector is welded in!
 
Sorry Douglas, that's one I didn't get. I only discovered it after I had welded the frame rail connector in place. Easy to do though before you weld in the connector. Just lay the connector up against the floor in proper position and you'll see the hole in the rear frame where the hand brake cable goes through. The connector will hide it if you don't notch it .Mark the hole position, notch the hole location and weld in place. Way easier to do this now than after the connector is welded in!

oh, I know what your referring to. No worries.
 
Also Doug if u don’t like the holes that are in the lower radiator support call John at US car tool and he can make u the support without the holes. I had this done to my charger much cleaner look. And yes u will need to drill a hole for parking brake pre drill first and add a 3/8 tube for strait through access also did that on my charger. I can send u pictures of both if interested. Jesse
 
Also Doug if u don’t like the holes that are in the lower radiator support call John at US car tool and he can make u the support without the holes. I had this done to my charger much cleaner look. And yes u will need to drill a hole for parking brake pre drill first and add a 3/8 tube for strait through access also did that on my charger. I can send u pictures of both if interested. Jesse

There’s a YouTube install video that points out the brake line situation.

Yes, I think it would be a cool look with just the lightening holes vs laid over top of the old. Some have removed their stock ones and replaced with this, but not sure that would aid in the stiffening. Defeats the purpose.
 
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yes, it was standard in the package/included (power rack).
I suppose I’ll use the core support. I have it and it’s paid for.

View attachment 1715859393

Must mock up those inner fender braces with your 275/35/18 front tires with your car at ride height.

I’ve seen much narrower tires rub when the car has a lowered ride height. Then the fender braces were notched for clearance.

88A2ACC1-2A85-4E08-97F2-BB34E857629C.jpeg
 
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what kinda time and what did you use to get that engine bay down that far? Cause ill be getting there shortly.


Hey Kemikal,

1. Washed down and scrubbed with varsoil.
2. Pressure washed and air-dried.
3. Used various sizes of abrasive nylon wire wheels to get to bare metal. (See Below)

Twisted Wire Shank Mount Wire Wheel Brushes
1PBH1_AS03?$lgthumb$&hei=300&wid=300.jpg

"Twisted Wire Wheel Brushes feature wire ends in twisted bundles that help provide excellent strength and very aggressive brushing. Models are available for cleaning and remove rust, corrosion, and paint from metal surfaces. Nonsparking brass and bronze brushes are ideal for environments where potentially explosive or flammable materials may be present. Shank Mount models are mounted at the end of a central shank that can be inserted into a chuck or collet for use with power tools and machines ."



Finished off with sandpaper, dremel tool and D/A.

Sprayed with hi build primer.

This took approx 4 days to do.

Cheers!
 
Here is my 3-4 year project. As of yesterday, she's stripped down w/exception to front and rear glass. Need to build a storage rack this week before I pull the windshield/back window.

Current long term plan:
Altercation front suspension
Street lynx rear suspension (w/inboard relocated front hangars)
8 3/4 489, 3:91?
Manual transmission conversion
Small block stroker motor
Wilwood brakes
Fronts 275/35/18, Rears 305/40/18 (duplicating Bill Reilly's '69 setup)

Current undertakings before plastic media blast/body work/paint:

USCarTool frame connectors, torque boxes, inner fender braces, mini-tub, firewall patching.

View attachment 1715859318

View attachment 1715859321

View attachment 1715859323

View attachment 1715859324

View attachment 1715859325

Hi again Douglas,
I re-read your description of your build plans above and I saw something else you might want to check before you proceed.
If you are going to move the mounts inboard, you may have clearance issues with the exhaust system as it pretty tight with the Street Lynx as it is.
Here's a pic of 18 x9 " wheels on my car with the stock mounts and no tubbing. Also loads of clearance for the coil over shocks and the upper link mounting points.

dscn5089-jpg.jpg
 
Hi again Douglas,
I re-read your description of your build plans above and I saw something else you might want to check before you proceed.
If you are going to move the mounts inboard, you may have clearance issues with the exhaust system as it pretty tight with the Street Lynx as it is.
Here's a pic of 18 x9 " wheels on my car with the stock mounts and no tubbing. Also loads of clearance for the coil over shocks and the upper link mounting points.

View attachment 1715859700

yes, Bill points the tailpipe issue out in the product description. No rear exit exhaust with a Dana for sure. I’m using 8 3/4, but I thought I’d dump out the side NASCAR boom tube style. I like the look. My concern there is getting past the frame connectors. Maybe folks can help by posting their exhaust solutions?

That looks close. Bill pulled off 8x10s with a more aggressive backspacing, but when I plug in his numbers there’s very few off the shelf rims in his configuration.
 
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yes, Bill points the tailpipe issue out in the product description. No rear exit exhaust with a Dana for sure. I’m using 8 3/4, but I thought I’d dump out the side NASCAR boom tube style. I like the look. My concern there is getting past the frame connectors. Maybe folks can help by posting their exhaust solutions?

That looks close. Bill pulled off 8x10s with a more aggressive backspacing, but when I plug in his numbers there’s very few off the shelf rims in his configuration.
Could notch subframe connectors , also I have seen were the exhaust is raised coming through the rear floor boards to exit is rear quarter before tire. Chris birdsong did that on one of his videos on you tube 69 charger looks awesome but it’s some work required.
 
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