got the old upper control arm bushings pressed out, cleaned them up, cleaned up the offset oil filter mount and the steering box, gave them all a fresh coat of paint
My 69 Dart "AKA" The Blue Mutt
- Thread starter billsdartgt
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with the K-member out of the way, the steel freeze plugs have been knocked out, had a little funk along the bottom just inside the block, otherwise looked pretty good, pretty sure there wasn't much prep done when the orange paint was sprayed over the blue, or maybe just the antifreeze doesn't like orange paint. Will put in the new plugs next weekend and probably tear the engine down to take the cam out. I also finished cutting the rear spring relocation steel out of the way and got my new front hangers installed, total win for the weekend, it seems like with progress slow as it is I hope to get done and back on the road by May sometime. you can see in the second picture on the right hand side the results of the fire still showing.
LOL
LOL
slow progress, mostly cleaning and fresh coats of paint. The K-Member was a PITA, baked on grease, rust, and several coats of paint and overspray. just for the hello of it I added stiffener plates to my LCAs, wasn't like I had anything else to do LOL. I'm generally more of a globber/grinder with my welding but was happy these turned out fair, still some grinding to do, press in the new pivot shafts and paint and they will be good to go. Started removing valve springs, cheap spring compressor wasn't working so well so I moved back to the part cleaning, will order a different type with the new valve stem seals. Can't see it in the photos but also had to do some filler welds on the K-Member and the motor mounts, PO must of lanched this car hard with loose mounts, holes were a little enlarged.
here was a disaster waiting to happen find - scary to think when it would have broke, have finally made a little progress beyond just cleaning parts, a day off today will get some more progress hopefully, feel like I have been on a weekend camping trip with nothing but cash to burn for the campfire, gonna start looking for my local chapter of carholics anonymous today LOL
Lucked out on the valve, Melling part # V1307 seems to be a perfect match to the stock one, makes me want to order 7 more just like it LOL
have some more picts with progress coming soon
have some more picts with progress coming soon
small amount of progress, have all the parts and tools now to get going on the heads so will get after them next weekend, I also need to clean up the rear leafs and put a coat of paint on them. bushing in on the control arms, used the offset MOOGs in the uppers and used the Proforged Pivot shafts and bushings in the lower, I also cleaned up so exhaust tips I got at the swap meet in Reno last year, they will be ready to go when I actually get to the exhaust, for 30 bucks I couldn't pass them up, already had the two adapters for a 2 1/2" inlet.
^ only other name that makes sense is Heinz 57 LOL
Starting to at least feel like Im seeing daylight, got a few things done this weekend, probably the biggest thing is I got started on cutting the seats down on one of the heads, I've ended up well beyond what I was going to do to the motor, now I've since changed my goals and hoping that the extra money and effort turn out to be a blessing instead of dead money.
Got the leaf springs cleaned up and added a coat of paint, got my new speedo gear installed after cleaning the fink off the housing, had to clean up the garage a bit, floor space had become a premium with all the parts laying around so they all went in the trunk. The head I worked on I cut the seats down to where they will all be installed within .002 tolerance of the 1.7" spring height recommended by Comp Cams, took several hours to do so I know now when I get started next weekend what I can expect to do, also chased all the threads and lapped the valves. I also got my ebrake cable bracket mounted and my rear shock bolts mounted, the hole was wallowed out so I had to fab a mounting plate to get them in, will add a weld to them once I burn the gas out and can have plenty of ventilation. I'm sure considereing after today paying to have the gears changed by someone instead of myself, tax return will be just enough to cover it, or get the grill that got posted on here yesterday
Got the leaf springs cleaned up and added a coat of paint, got my new speedo gear installed after cleaning the fink off the housing, had to clean up the garage a bit, floor space had become a premium with all the parts laying around so they all went in the trunk. The head I worked on I cut the seats down to where they will all be installed within .002 tolerance of the 1.7" spring height recommended by Comp Cams, took several hours to do so I know now when I get started next weekend what I can expect to do, also chased all the threads and lapped the valves. I also got my ebrake cable bracket mounted and my rear shock bolts mounted, the hole was wallowed out so I had to fab a mounting plate to get them in, will add a weld to them once I burn the gas out and can have plenty of ventilation. I'm sure considereing after today paying to have the gears changed by someone instead of myself, tax return will be just enough to cover it, or get the grill that got posted on here yesterday
Progress is looking great!
yeah, gonna look better when I start hanging it on the car LOL
not too much done, finally got the heads finished and ready to be assembled, gonna replace the steel freeze plug but nobody around has them so Summit gets more money. Also got the balancer cleaned and ready to be installed. Will need to clean and paint block then I will finally be on the way to full assembly, hopefully all goes well with that. The rearend is about to get its turn with the degreaser and grinder.
not much accomplished, spent excessive amount of time looking for parts I have bought since I started a few months ago, really need to start getting parts on the car. Finally done with engine clean up and painting, will start assembly next weekend if I get done cleaning the grimy rear end, plan on taking to a shop for the gear install, just don't want to mess with it. I also finally did install one part, had to use a bolt to spread the ears but driver side UCA is in YIPPPEEE! Did a little mock up to see how the new manifold would work, not so good but the engine is jacked up right now and didn't work out Decided to give up and just go grill some ribs LOL Im gonna try and figure out what this engine came from, just curious since its a 72.
Looking good! If it makes you feel any better, your car is in WAY better shape than mine - it needs a complete go-through from stem to stern. We should get together with DD and all the other 69 Dart owners to start a support group.
Hello, my name is Zach, and I'm a 69 Dart owner. I spend way too much on my car. I bought it knowing it needs a ton of work much of which I have no idea how to compete. I tackle simple projects to find only a complete rebuild will work. I try to wean myself off the project but I keep coming back. Please accept me into this chapter of Dartaholics!
Hello, my name is Zach, and I'm a 69 Dart owner. I spend way too much on my car. I bought it knowing it needs a ton of work much of which I have no idea how to compete. I tackle simple projects to find only a complete rebuild will work. I try to wean myself off the project but I keep coming back. Please accept me into this chapter of Dartaholics!
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hahahaha, I didn't expect the cleaning escapades but OCD kicked in and now here I am over 3 months later when all I was going to do was change 2 strut rod bushings and 6 steel freeze plugs - WTF happened
I hope all ends well, I have run through my Blueprint engine savings pretty good, better be a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.
I'm Bill and I'm ready to joint the 69 Dart Club, I admit that due to Amazon, Summit, and others I have no self control.
I hope all ends well, I have run through my Blueprint engine savings pretty good, better be a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.
I'm Bill and I'm ready to joint the 69 Dart Club, I admit that due to Amazon, Summit, and others I have no self control.
@DentalDart, time to sign up buddy. We are starting a movement...
Oh man. First step in addiction recovery is admitting addiction and I won't do it. Nope no I won't!
Also @billsdartgt that engine and bay looks way better than mine, bring your OCD butt to vegas and help a brother out.
Hey Bill, sign me up for your help too! Nothing like an OCD guru to get things cleaned up. In return, I can offer to spend your money on parts that don't fit, break things while trying to take them apart, and research things for you while coming to glaringly incorrect conclusions. And, we are neighbors so stopping by on the way to Vegas would be very efficient!
Oh man this support group is actually turning out to be a good thing.
I forgot how much time cleaning takes, I pulled the engine out of my anniversary Mustang back in 2011, spent 6 months cleaning bolts and installing new parts before I was done with it, hopefully this doesn't go that long
not sure Im ready for a cleaning roadshow right now, it could be a while, I suggest you guys get started and I will catch up to you in a bit
not sure Im ready for a cleaning roadshow right now, it could be a while, I suggest you guys get started and I will catch up to you in a bit
got off my butt tonight and put the motor mounts on and set the engine down on the Kmember. I generally wait a few days for my paint to dry more but getting a little antsy now that Im done with most all the cleaning and will be starting reassembly. I need to move and lower my jackstands to put the engine back together, working off the shorty ladder is a pain. its gonna look good in there when Im done.
famous bob
mopar misfit
Wondering what caused that , never seen a valve like that before !
made me curious also, typically what Ive seen is rust or some other long term direct wear, no sign of anything else in or on the head, and surely the PO didn't put it in there on purpose. it has pained me to spend all of the money I have now gone through to get this car back driving but with surprises like that I am hopeful I will get more than planned, especially since this killed my short term hopes of having one of Blueprints engines.
sloooow weekend, dropped the rear off today to get the gears swapped, got at least a first round of cleaning, after getting rid of a 1/2" of grease found some numbers on the bottom, rear should be done this week - YEAH!
then after what has been an excessive amount of time finally a little more assembly, for some reason I kept putting the wrong shim on the number 1 exhaust and intake, I would read "E" on my paper and install the shim for "E", finally I realized that the exhaust valve is first on the head but I wrote the numbers down on my sheet as I first DUH! LOL, now I need to pull # 1 valves back off to put on my checking springs, will get to test out the spring compressor assortment that I bout to see which one works best on the car, should get cam installed, degreed, and heads back on next weekend.
then after what has been an excessive amount of time finally a little more assembly, for some reason I kept putting the wrong shim on the number 1 exhaust and intake, I would read "E" on my paper and install the shim for "E", finally I realized that the exhaust valve is first on the head but I wrote the numbers down on my sheet as I first DUH! LOL, now I need to pull # 1 valves back off to put on my checking springs, will get to test out the spring compressor assortment that I bout to see which one works best on the car, should get cam installed, degreed, and heads back on next weekend.
actual progress, cam and heads are installed, ICL per Comp is 104, cam dialed in at 103.5, thanks to some additional insight Im gonna bump up to help get the overlapped centered, will need to retard about two degrees per the website yellow rose recently posted about in another thread, looks like another posted before he used it. I can't believe that the first bolts I needed for assembly were some I hadn't cleaned - ugggggg!
found true TDC before installing the heads, f***ing gauge is one sensitive ****, went back and forth numerous times, very repeatable so I called it good.
Heads on, had a major WTF moment, tried to stick the adjustable pushrods through the inspection hole, couldn't figure out why the hell they were misaligned so bad, that wasted too much time. didn't get a shot with the dial setup while degreeing, ran the sequence twice and called it good at 103.5. Gonna order a new gear set and some offset keyways, should cover me for the retarding of the cam.
found true TDC before installing the heads, f***ing gauge is one sensitive ****, went back and forth numerous times, very repeatable so I called it good.
Heads on, had a major WTF moment, tried to stick the adjustable pushrods through the inspection hole, couldn't figure out why the hell they were misaligned so bad, that wasted too much time. didn't get a shot with the dial setup while degreeing, ran the sequence twice and called it good at 103.5. Gonna order a new gear set and some offset keyways, should cover me for the retarding of the cam.
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