Downunder Dart

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MR4V

MR4V

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Joined
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Location
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Hi all
As you can see by my post I'm still new & I said I would start a tread on my 73 Dart Swinger so here it go's.

The car was bought in Kingman AZ in 2006 & imported by the last owner. I was told it was one owner. The last owner left it in the shed for 3 years & only added Koni adjustable shocks & converted & replaced the diff to disc brake.
It has never been rego in Austraila or complied.
The opions so far are 318, auto, A/C, Pwr Steer, Pwr disc brakes, Trim decor pack, Exterior decor pack, radio & tinted glass. Also found look books & both build sheets.

My palns are to give it a good clean & repair anything machanical & get it to rego. Then start the mods.

It needs a new front end, steering box adjustment, exhaust & a master cyclinder for a start.

Now this project started about 6 weeks ago so you will be able to catch up quickly, i have been a bit busy with work & in the shed to start to this thread

Hope these photos work they are from the night it arrived in my shed.

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65 Dartman said:
Welcome and definitely a nice looking Dart!
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Thanks 65 Dartman.

The first weekend was just checking it out to see what it needed. The last owner cut the exhaust off at the y peice so it a bit load.
Checked all the fluids & had to bleed the brakes as the disc brake rear end was put in & not bleeded.
Noticed it needed top & bottom ball joints & inner & outer tie rod ends.
Put in some gas & it started first go, a quick run around the block much to next doors shock.
Got the scare of my life with the steering......will have to look into that abit more, hit the brakes & blow the master cyclinder.

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Welcome to FABO, MR4V. You're going to have fun here.
Nice clean Dart. Keep the pics coming as you progress on your new 'toy'.
 
Well the front end was stuffed so when PST had there special on I got incontact & ordered the POLYGRAPHITE kit & 10 days later in was on my door step.
These guys are great to deal with & stayed in constent contact I would highly recommend them.Rockauto supplied the master cyclinder & a workshop manual & again good to deal with & 10 days delivery.

Started to strip the Dart to give it the big clean up.

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As you can see some one used a spray can of black enamel on the front end with out cleaning anything frist.
 
Is it true that it's not required to convert older imports like your Dart to RHD? If it is, I expect it would be a pretty big project.
 
65 Dartman said:
Is it true that it's not required to convert older imports like your Dart to RHD? If it is, I expect it would be a pretty big project.
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Yes any import from the USA that is over 30 years or older can stay LHD. Makes it interesting driving on the right hand side of the road.
Scares the wife with on coming trafic.
 
MR4V said:
Yes any import from the USA that is over 30 years or older can stay LHD. Makes it interesting driving on the right hand side of the road.
Scares the wife with on coming trafic.
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I know what you're talking about - my wife prefers not to be a passenger in my RHD Jeep. I got no problems with driving it in our LHD country.
 
wife scares the hell out of me when ive had to much to drink and she drives the dart home here in NZ too hehehe. Actually looking to move to OZ in the near future, just trying to decide weather or not to bring the car yet.
Not to many LHD darts in oz i would imagine, not many here in NZ either
 
The rear brakes were binding on the dics calipars with the standard wheels, so fitted 2 Ford 12 slot rims & it was an instant fix. Oh well up for a set of mags.:cheers:
Started to clean the underbody here are some before shots.

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You can see the disc brake conversion

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Would that diff be a BW? If so, it must have been fitted from an Aussie-built car - maybe a Centura?
 
65 Dartman said:
Would that diff be a BW? If so, it must have been fitted from an Aussie-built car - maybe a Centura?
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Yes well done it,s a BW & it came out of an Aussie Ford ED XR8. It has 4 pinion LSD & is now 3.5 to 1.
That why only Ford rims will fit the back.
 
Here are the after shots, needless to say I'm more than happy with the result.

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You can see the enamel painted front end.
 
Nice ride! Man that brings back memories! I has a 73 dart swinger in High school and it was that same color inside and out!
 
Picked these up off EBay, need a resto & dated 1976. Here are the before shots.
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14 x 7 would love some rear 15 x 8?
 
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