engine bay resto has started........

[redfastback]

well it started today. all the stuff in the engine bay is coming out so it can be painted. everything is bagged and tagged. my buddy will come in and tig up all the holes that i want filled. i am going to take it down to bare metal myself and prep it and mask it myself so all the body shop has to do is spray it.

gotta clean up the sloppy seam sealer job the guy at the factory did. it was built on thursday july 11th, 1968 but you would think it was monday or friday!

 

[jimrat]

wow that sure is a cherry!! will be extra nice when your done with the engine compartment. here is how I cleaned my engine compartment.

 

[65dartcharger]

Hej bth! Nice job on your cars. Jimrat, did you sandblast it?

 

[GTXperience]

It's going to really nice once the compartment is finished. Let's race to see who finishes first - your compartment detailing or my heater core in the Ram. I just got the bug that has been going around so I probably won't be starting on mine until Wednesday or Thursday. Ready ... set ...GO!

 

[crackedback]

That's going to look really nice as if it isn't nice already!

Sloppy seam sealer??? Take away from the care and love the assembly line people put into the car when stoned out of their minds in the 60's. Come on now! :-D

 

[redfastback]

here is what else i am doing during this engine bay resto. i bought a new engine/forward light harness from year one and first thing i did was hack it up:evil4:
i opened up the wrap, cut out the ballast resistor, took the start and run wires(brown and blue/white stripe)12volt wires, put a new connector on them, crimped/soldered it, and will do the same to the red msd(small) wire. i also cut out the voltage regulator and field wires to the alternator. i am having a local shop her build me a 60-75 amp alt that is internally regulated for the same $ as summit.
the headlights are now going to get relays, and new 12 ga wire to new plugs/connectors to carry the load for the new lights. new grounds as well. all connectors are crimped/soldered.
lastly, i am having my new 15x8 cop wheels painte at the same time the engine bay is getting sprayed. these will get new 255/60r15 tires that are ready and waiting.

 

[redfastback]

oh yeah, the new alternator charging wire is that 8 ga red wire.

 

[b67cuda]

Man are those the original wheelwells?? - If I ever do another car I will
go to Ca to get it - I spent months getting my engine bay that solid!
Good stuff, Bill

 

[69 Valiant Kid]

hey red fast back...nice work...and that wiring harness from year one...what did that set you back?...im looking to do the same for my /6 to v8 swap...

 

[AdamR]

Engine harness is about $100 to $150 and worth every penny. Some models also use a forward light harness wich is usually another $150

 

[redfastback]

yeah those are original wheelwells. this car was about as rust free as you could get being an oakland street racer from time to time and only had 36,000 miles on when i bought it in 98'. now it has 50,000 miles.
these year a bodies use a engine/forward light harness as one harness. it was around $175? something like that. i just finished all that needs to happen for the engine/trans to come out this afternoon.
here is my mostly completed harness. the 2 spades are the headlight feeds from the relays. i just got my new #59 terminals for the headlights(they are just a hair bigger than standard spades) and crimped/soldered them and put them into the original black headlight connectors. the original headlight feed wires are what wil trigger the relays. the relays will mount below the headlight buckets so you have to be on the ground to even see them. the alt wire is an 8 gauge with a 12 gauge fusible link that gets power at the starter relay stud. i then rewrapped it with the original style non adhesive vinyl wrap for the original look. the alt terminals are gold plated copper for the best conductivity.

 

[1966 dart wagon]

very nice, those wiring harness i though were more then $150? That was a while ago since i looked though. Tires and rims look good to. Keep us posted, and lots of pictures :thumbup:

 

[redfastback]

i finally got the engine out. why is it easier on customer's cars than on mine? she's been puking oil for a while. she runs great, but needs a reseal.

well now the engine bay gets stripped of paint, holes filled, masked and sent out to paint!

 

[dmsween]

Defiantly making progress there. It looked clean before you pulled it all apart. I'm sure it will really look good when you get done with it.

 

[FASTBACK340]

Looks good Steve. When Amy & me come out to San Francisco later this year we'll have to get together again so I can see it finished. You've also inspired me to cut my harness open for those head light relays as I want H-4's in my car too. I'm also doing my MSD harness this weekend too, weather permiting.

Keep us posted. I personally just LOVE watching in-progress installments!

 

[redfastback]

well all the brake lines are out and the drips of sealer have been scraped off. next is to mask around just the engine bay and cover the entire car. most of the interior holes are covered.

i also got obsessed cleaning the distribution block..............

 

[redfastback]

almost everything is masked off. i'll probably start stripping paint by the weekend. my buddy might start welding the holes as well.

 

[dmsween]

Distribution block looks very nice cleaned up. Are you putting in all new brake lines as well? If not I would suggest it. I had to put some in when the engine was still in the car and it wasn't the easiest thing to do. I used to work at a place that does pre-bent brake lines and fuel lines in oe and stainless. You can pm me for detail or I can post up here if more people want it.

 

[AdamR]

What company did you work for ? I've bought from Fine Lines before and was very happy with them.

I need to get all new lines for my Dart. The brake lines fell apart when I went to remove them.

 

[redfastback]

i have all new stainless lines from year one( i think they use either fine lines or right stuff detailing) and have polished them to a mirror shine.

i got my alternator today! i had them take a round back style and convert it to an internal regulated style putting out 75 amps. they also blasted and painted the case dull aluminum so it doesn't oxidize and painted the stripe and the internal fan orange for me.:cheers:

i got started on the engine bay this weekend but didn't get to finish due to coming down with a cold or something. but here are some pics for you guys.

 

[FASTBACK340]

Looks good so far! What alternator are you using? I went with a Powermaster unit and the late model voltage regulator.

 

[redfastback]

the alt was the original round back that was in the car. they made it internally regulated(buchanan electric) for cheaper than the same thing from powermaster by about 20 bucks.

 

[redfastback]

well the engine bay is pretty much stripped. all i have to do is feather in the edges of what remains. next week the holes get filled.

 

[dmsween]

I worked at Classic Tube. I got an internship there while I was at college. Phone # is 716-759-1800 and one of the sales guys, Mike, is into mopars.

 

[mullinax95]

I really didn't know how the heater blower came apart until I looked at your pictures. I've been working around it! (thanks!)

The area you have taped up along the fenders is where I'm at now trying to get smoothed out better than what it was when it was painted. Especially around the hood bumper areas up front. They seemed to not have spent much time in those areas before they painted it.
I know that doing the areas that are hard to get to makes the ends of my fingers sore! LOL.

It seems the more I sand and smooth up the more I find. I feel like it just keeps mushrooming.

You are coming along nicley there Steve. I kind like the chrome look! (jk)