Need a little restoration guidance

[KevinB]

Background:

My car is a 66 Dart GT...took out the /6 and am building a 318 for it. Ford 8.8 Axle swap in progress (Axle is almost ready to be closed up and have perches welded on)

I'm 90% sure that I want to paint the engine bay before I install the 318.

My questions regarding pinion are as follows:

1. I need new rear Leaf springs...Do I need to have those springs before I set the pinion angle with the perches?

2. Should I put the 318/702 in the car before I set the pinion angle? If so, does it need to be close to complete so that is the correct weight?

3. I will probably change to somewhere around a .89 to 1.03" torsion bar up front eventually, and set the ride height based on that bar. Will that need to happen before I can set the pinion angle?

Other Questions:

5. Should the car be sandblasted? Right now it is pale yellow...the color I'm leaning towards is a pearl effect yellowish orangeish color.

4. Should I have the car sandblasted and painted at this stage in the game? I want the engine bay done before the engine goes in, so it it possible to just paint the engine bay and worry about the rest of the car later?

THANKS!!

 

[Woods74]

#1 Yes.
#2 Absoluetly.
#3 Not a big deal, what is, having your cruising around weight in the car, including spare tire.

Common accepted angle is 4* down. Worked for me and may others.

#4 Only sandblast it if the paint really sucks. Painting the engine bay first is common.
#5 Only sandblast it if the paint really sucks. Or the majority of the paint is missing, or there is excessive rust everywhere, in which case I would get it primed right then. Bare metal sitting around gets rusty quick.
#6 Where is your build thread? Put it up!

 

[KevinB]

Thanks for the info!

So painting only the engine bay for now is an ok route to go?

The paint is pretty terrible in the engine bay. The paint on the outside isn't very good but I've got a body shop guy coming by soon hopefully to evaluate it

 

[j par]

Can we see some pictures ?

 

[KevinB]

Heres a link to my thread...not much happening lately but I'm hoping to get the block in to be honed and cleaned up soon

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=309771