pharmboy
Well-Known Member
****Taken from my Welcome Wagon Post****
Well, after determining that the new scarebird brakes wouldn't allow the stock 14" steel wheels to fit, I managed to find a set of 14x6 aluminum slots (Thanks, Vdart), and tires that were on clearance for $28 apiece(205/70/R14). I found a new master cylinder/adapter(thanks dusterdood71), and got all this on its way to my mechanic.
Next bit of information I get when I call him to let him know more parts were on their way, he informs me that in removing the torsion bars, one of them had snapped...yeah! So, by the next morning, I had a set of .880 torsion bars from Firm Feel on their way to him. I think the .880 bars should last at least another 40 years holding up the slant six, or even a small block.
I've also begun piecing together the parts to build a better induction system, including a 2x1 offy intake(#5041), a pair of 1bbl-2bbl carb adapters and dual holley/weber linkage from langdon's stovebolt, and a pair of Holley/Weber sequential 2bbl carbs(new) originally intended for a 1.6L Escort. All that'll leave is pair of air cleaners, some hard line, and a good bit of assembly and tinkering in my hotel room, and then bring it all home to bolt on.
Also, I've ordered a set of H4 halogen conversion headlamps to let it throw a bit more light on the roadway. They're black projector lamps, which should work nicely with the mostly blacked-out grille on the 68. They also include built-in parking lamp bulbs, which should allow me to move the parking lamps to the headlamp housing, and replace the parking lamps in the grille with driving/fog lights.
I've also picked a color for it, I'm feeling something along the line of Plum Crazy would fit it quite nicely, without being too terribly obnoxious.
I'm an engineer in the pharmaceutical business, and as a result, I get to travel...a lot. I was told I had a job starting in February in Portland, OR (I'm from central Indiana), and that it would last a year, maybe 18 months. So, I figured rather than take my truck (01 Dodge Ram SLT) across the rockies in the middle of winter, I'd just buy a car in Portland, and then I'd have some wheels in both places.
So, I went to Craigslist, and happened across a fairly clean-looking 1968 Dart 2 Door post with a slant six for a very reasonable price (sounded like a fun daily driver). There were some negotiations, and I made a down payment to the owner via Paypal. Well, two days before the start date on the project, my boss calls and tells me it's not happening. So, I wind up flying to Portland for one day to pick up the car and put it in storage. After several months, realizing I'd never actually get to Portland, I made arrangements to have it shipped to Indiana, while I was working in Rochester, NY.
It finally arrived, in one piece, and turned out to be very fun to drive...aside from the complete lack of soft parts in the front suspension, the very sticky choke, non-functioning gas gauge and cracked windshield. Well, after having some electrical issues, I had to get it towed to my mechanic, who informed me the electrical problem was a simple matter of unseen corrosion. Also, at the insistance of my family, I told him to take a look at the brakes. A week later, I get a call informing me that the front suspension needed a complete rebuild, and the brakes were also shot.
So, after a few phone calls, Parts were on their way from scarebird and Performance Suspension (Full Polygraphite front end kit, and a disc brake conversion bracket set). Sadly, due to my work travels (I get home roughly once per month), I'm having my mechanic do the work on the front end. I also had to order him a torsion bar tool from Mancini to let him get the bars out to put in all the proper bushings.
With all that said/done, it looks as though the affordable, fun daily driver is becoming quite an investment, but should easily be worth it. At least that's what I keep repeating to myself over and over.
****New Stuff****So, I went to Craigslist, and happened across a fairly clean-looking 1968 Dart 2 Door post with a slant six for a very reasonable price (sounded like a fun daily driver). There were some negotiations, and I made a down payment to the owner via Paypal. Well, two days before the start date on the project, my boss calls and tells me it's not happening. So, I wind up flying to Portland for one day to pick up the car and put it in storage. After several months, realizing I'd never actually get to Portland, I made arrangements to have it shipped to Indiana, while I was working in Rochester, NY.
It finally arrived, in one piece, and turned out to be very fun to drive...aside from the complete lack of soft parts in the front suspension, the very sticky choke, non-functioning gas gauge and cracked windshield. Well, after having some electrical issues, I had to get it towed to my mechanic, who informed me the electrical problem was a simple matter of unseen corrosion. Also, at the insistance of my family, I told him to take a look at the brakes. A week later, I get a call informing me that the front suspension needed a complete rebuild, and the brakes were also shot.
So, after a few phone calls, Parts were on their way from scarebird and Performance Suspension (Full Polygraphite front end kit, and a disc brake conversion bracket set). Sadly, due to my work travels (I get home roughly once per month), I'm having my mechanic do the work on the front end. I also had to order him a torsion bar tool from Mancini to let him get the bars out to put in all the proper bushings.
With all that said/done, it looks as though the affordable, fun daily driver is becoming quite an investment, but should easily be worth it. At least that's what I keep repeating to myself over and over.
Well, after determining that the new scarebird brakes wouldn't allow the stock 14" steel wheels to fit, I managed to find a set of 14x6 aluminum slots (Thanks, Vdart), and tires that were on clearance for $28 apiece(205/70/R14). I found a new master cylinder/adapter(thanks dusterdood71), and got all this on its way to my mechanic.
Next bit of information I get when I call him to let him know more parts were on their way, he informs me that in removing the torsion bars, one of them had snapped...yeah! So, by the next morning, I had a set of .880 torsion bars from Firm Feel on their way to him. I think the .880 bars should last at least another 40 years holding up the slant six, or even a small block.
I've also begun piecing together the parts to build a better induction system, including a 2x1 offy intake(#5041), a pair of 1bbl-2bbl carb adapters and dual holley/weber linkage from langdon's stovebolt, and a pair of Holley/Weber sequential 2bbl carbs(new) originally intended for a 1.6L Escort. All that'll leave is pair of air cleaners, some hard line, and a good bit of assembly and tinkering in my hotel room, and then bring it all home to bolt on.
Also, I've ordered a set of H4 halogen conversion headlamps to let it throw a bit more light on the roadway. They're black projector lamps, which should work nicely with the mostly blacked-out grille on the 68. They also include built-in parking lamp bulbs, which should allow me to move the parking lamps to the headlamp housing, and replace the parking lamps in the grille with driving/fog lights.
I've also picked a color for it, I'm feeling something along the line of Plum Crazy would fit it quite nicely, without being too terribly obnoxious.
