Finally got a few pics of the "new" Dart!

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butterball

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Well... here it is! Thanks for all of the advice in the previous thread about the Dart: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=157202

I need to fix some rust under the vinyl top and install a new one. Still haven't found the source of the vibration, but it isn't bad enough to scare me away from cruisin' around a little. It has an Edelbrock carb and an aluminum intake on it, and I'm not sure about the cam but it has definitely got a nice lope to it. The shifts are very firm, so I'm assuming there's a kit in the tranny. Only one tire spins, but it's still fun to drive!

As a bonus, of all the 30+ Mopars I've owned, this one is the first one that still had the broadcast sheet in it!
 

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zhandfull said:
Nice I like it. Did you clean it up or was it that clean when you bought it?
Click to expand...

I haven't touched it. It's actually gotten a little dirtier from me driving it around, especially when I made the mistake of opening one of the vents on the way home... it obviously hadn't been used in years and was full of leaves and crap. This is the pic from when I saw it for sale last week... it had just left the detail shop at a car wash.
 

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Oops, almost forgot the broadcast sheet! I don't know much about these, anyone here able to tell what day it was built, and where?
Scan_Pic0019-1.jpg
 
Such a nice car. It went to a good home!
 
Butterball,

I don't know how to tell on the brodcast sheet, but if you have a snapshot of the fender tag I can tell you.
 
J-MacsMopars said:
Butterball,

I don't know how to tell on the brodcast sheet, but if you have a snapshot of the fender tag I can tell you.
Click to expand...

A guy on Moparts said it was built on May 19, 1971. I found a bunch of paperwork in the glovebox. There's a warranty card with the original owner's name, the dealership info (Callaway Dodge in Cleveland, TN), and the date of purchase - September 21, 1971... exactly 40 years ago yesterday. Found a lot of paperwork tracing the car from Cleveland TN to Dresden, TN - Jackson, TN - Franklin, TN - Athens, AL - Muscle Shoals, AL - Burns, TN - then to Centerville TN where I bought it. The original owner had it at least until 1984, and the owners include 5 different used car dealers. An Alabama bill of sale from 1998 says it sold for $3,900 back then.

Tonight I found out that it has a 318 (casting #2536030) dated 4-27-71, probably the original engine but I don't know for sure. With it being a 318, the vibration isn't coming a from 318 converter left behind in a 318-360 swap... the balancer appears to be OK... I need to do some more investigating.
 
Very nice car, does the air cond. work?? when are you getting the vibration?? at idle, driving down the road etc.??
 
Do you know for sure whether it's a 360/ other? Find out which engine, look at the driver's side front of the block immediately below the deck. Should be a long string of no's. Your CID will be I thing no's 2, 3, 4, as in X360XXX...... I believe.

Then crawl underneath, remove the front cover on the trans, and see if the torque converter has weights on, or if it has a stock/ non stock flex plate

Have you determined if it's ENGINE vibration, or IN MOTION? That would be the no1 job.

If you determine it's "engine" remove the belts and see if that changes things. I used to fight an aftermarket A/C setup until I found that the belt was harmonically vibrating, all it took was to turn the idler on it's pivot, and substute a different belt length.

Next would be to eliminate tires, and check rear wheel bearings for play. If possible, swap another pair of tires on the rear, or even rotate the tires front/ rear.

Check U joints, REMOVE THE SHAFT. You cannot check U joints with shaft in place, as they can rust/ become dry and "seem tight."

Check pinion for slop--might be leaking-- and check pinion angle

Inspect drive shaft for obvious missing weights (mysterious patters/ rust spots) and dents or other damage.
 
67Dart273 said:
Do you know for sure whether it's a 360/ other? Find out which engine, look at the driver's side front of the block immediately below the deck. Should be a long string of no's. Your CID will be I thing no's 2, 3, 4, as in X360XXX...... I believe.

Then crawl underneath, remove the front cover on the trans, and see if the torque converter has weights on, or if it has a stock/ non stock flex plate

Have you determined if it's ENGINE vibration, or IN MOTION? That would be the no1 job.

If you determine it's "engine" remove the belts and see if that changes things. I used to fight an aftermarket A/C setup until I found that the belt was harmonically vibrating, all it took was to turn the idler on it's pivot, and substute a different belt length.

Next would be to eliminate tires, and check rear wheel bearings for play. If possible, swap another pair of tires on the rear, or even rotate the tires front/ rear.

Check U joints, REMOVE THE SHAFT. You cannot check U joints with shaft in place, as they can rust/ become dry and "seem tight."

Check pinion for slop--might be leaking-- and check pinion angle

Inspect drive shaft for obvious missing weights (mysterious patters/ rust spots) and dents or other damage.
Click to expand...

RPM related, in idle or in gear. It has a 318 (casting #2536030) dated 4-27-71. There are no weights on the engine side of the converter, or on the flexplate. There is a crack on the starter ring, but it is still secure.

I may take the belts off tomorrow and run it for a few seconds to see if that changes anything. If not, the pan comes off...

Worst comes to worst, I can throw another heart in it...:burnout:
 
UPDATE:

 I replaced the balancer, dropped the pan to check the rotating assembly for problems, replaced the rod bearings (but the old ones were fine), checked the flexplate and converter. The converter was correct but had a crack on the starter ring.

I replaced the converter - and the vibration is gone! Now I just need to cut and reflare one of the fluid line fittings on the tranny that I must have overtightened, and the Dart will be truly road-ready and vibration-free for the first time since I first spotted it over 5 years and three owners ago.

:burnout:
 
Nice car.It looks very similar to the one 65Vart just bought.Same Butterscotch with a white roof,but his is painted white from the factory.
 
Great looking car and glad to see you found the problem.
 
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