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VADodgeDart340

VADodgeDart340

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Location
Herndon Virginia
Hello, and thanks for welcoming me to the forum.

I have been looking at posts as an "outsider" for a while and finally decided to join up and really reap the benefits of this forum. Everything I have read so far seems really positive.

I am an A-Body fan from way back. In the 70's I had a 1972 340 Demon, two 340 Dusters (71 and 72), a 69 Barracuda and a few Dusters and Darts with slant six's in them. I even had a 1979 Dodge Aspen with a 360 and a manual transmission when I was stationed in Norfolk Virginia. It was the first new car I ever bought and was an interesting ride (and had A/C which was new to me). I recently inherited a 1972 340 Dart that was neglected, a 67 GT that had been sitting in a very humid garage/carport, and eventually will inherent a 68 GTS that has been under a car cover for 10 years... not the best way to get an A-Body but it will keep them on the street and not at the crusher.

So anyway, thanks for having me and I hope I live up to this forums expectations...

Mike (VADodgeDart340)
 
Thanks... I have tons of pictures of all the different cars...

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7862986@N05/sets/72157624890292769/"]1972 Dodge Dart project - this time with Joseph - a set on Flickr[/ame]

For some reason I also liked taking pictures of cars so I started early and still shot a cool car anytime I can
 
I will post the pics as soon as I can. All my different cars are on my FLICKR page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7862986@N05/

Current lineup: 2005 Acura TL (Daily driver), 2002 Mazda 626 (Wife's car), 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport (I hate this POS... but there is a long story behind why I got it), 2007 Mustang coupe, 2000 Chevy Astrovan (I'm in a band)...

Classic lineup: 1967 Mustang coupe with a 351C HO, AOD, converted/modern power brakes and power steering... this has been a total restoration (Mustangs are easy) with our oldest son as it was a gift from his grandfather. 1972 Dodge Dart Swinger - originally a 340 car, then converted to a 360 with A/C from a Dodge van. The original 340 block was in the trunk when I got the car, cracked on the right side from front to back. The rear was replaced with a Duster rear and the 8 3/4 rear put in a race car... many stories on this one, but I got it from the original owners only living relative. This is a project with my middle son.

On tap are some real classics from a lifelong friend (in his will): Two 1955 Chevrolet Nomads - one with a Hemi under a tilt front end, Pontiac rear... built a bit back in the late 70's and now sitting under a car cover. The other a stock, second owner, V8 three speed that was suppose to be a 100% restore but put in the barn and left for 25 years. 1974 El Camino big block, 1986 Hurst Olds.

Finally the MOPARS: 1956 Chrysler 300B, 1957 Imperial, 1956 Windsor Wagon, 1968 Dodge Dart GTS (340, auto, P/S, P/B, A/C - interesting car). All these cars belong to my lifelong friend Mark and he has left them to me. I am trying like hell to get the 68 Dart out of the driveway and into the shop... It sucks getting old!

The 1967 Dart GT I got from a friend... Well that is another story all together: This car was his grandmothers daily driver. I got it and it did not "speak to me" so I let it go to another friend NoVa_MXer (Donnie B) and he is making it a daily classic driver wit his daughter.
 
Wow quite a list and story. Looks like the garage is full as well as your hands. Good luck with your builds!
 
Welcome aboard! Quite a collection ya got there. Looking fwd to your posts and knowledge! $100 for the cuda eh?? By the badge she was a formula "S"!!
 
BlackBrick said:
Wow quite a list and story. Looks like the garage is full as well as your hands. Good luck with your builds!
Click to expand...

Interestingly enough I am in search of a place to put the stuff. We had a nice three car garage in Fredricksburg Virginia behind the house (we rent the house out) and we just last year tore it down to build a five car garage with storage space for parts. The basement is full of NOS 55 Chevy parts just gathering dust.

The Barracuda was a Formula S car and being a stupid kid in 1976 did not know what I had... hindsight is 20/20. I have had many cars over the years, just getting to a point where I can "afford to enjoy them" and also "afford to afford them".. :snakeman:
 
Thanks for the warm welcome - MOPAR People R-O-C-K!

Things are progressing. I finally finished cleaning the underside of the car and getting the dual exhaust remounted. That was a fun Saturday. Then I got the hood re-drilled and made it a functional dual hood scoop set-up - Happy MLK day! I know, I know: The dual hood scoops did not come on the 1972 models, but I like them and this will not be a numbers matching car (the original motor has gone to the junk heap with a non fixable crack) so what the heck. :bootysha:

Picked up a re-built 727 for a small block A-Body in Baltimore and some of the sweetest parts for the body from a very cool guy up in PA. Kohr's Classics. Man, this guy has some really nice MOPARS and the talent to make them like new. Just hanging around with him for a half hour was worth the trip from Northern Virginia. Nice guy, reasonable used parts prices... check him out on FABO!!! :sign10:
 

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Welcome!!! An original '72 340 Dart is a very rare car (Canadian only I think) I would have save the original engine and put it on a stand as a conversational piece.
 
67valiant 100 said:
Welcome!!! An original '72 340 Dart is a very rare car (Canadian only I think) I would have save the original engine and put it on a stand as a conversational piece.
Click to expand...

The car was originally purchased at Banning Dodge in Hyattsville Maryland in late 1972 or early 1973. It was ordered by the then sales manager for his nephew. The car was passed down to the youngest son in the family when the oldest son passed away in the early 80's. I lived up the street from the family that owned the car in Adelphi Maryland... they were lucky enough to have a two car garage so the car was almost always garage kept. I knew the car when I was a kid. I had a 72 340 Duster and a 72 340 Demon.

Sometime in the mid to late 80's the car ended up back with the uncle in Maryland, up near the PA border. The motor and trans had been replaced, the rear had been replaced, car painted a lighter color, and the donor car had been crushed - The original block had a huge crack down the right side and had been gutted and was in the trunk when I got it. It went to the scrap yard... the car was sitting in a shed when we had a big snow storm and the rear of the shed caved in, causing the uncle to want the car "gone". So I got it.

Slowly but surely am putting this inherited classic back together...

Thanks for all the support on FABO!
 
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