Cliff notes: 1971 Dodge Dart. Short term goal: stock/cheap 360 and black primer for paint.
The long version!
I am starting in yet another online forum!
In 1998 I bought a 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger from an older lady in PA. I lived in New Jersey at the time. The car was a slant six; brown with a cream interior. I forget the right name for the interior color.
I was 16 when we bought it for 2500$. It ran well and only had some quarter rust. I put a 1975 Valiant front end on it so I could have disc brakes. Later I bought a 500$ Duster that had a 318, a 727, and an 8 3/4 rear with a 3.23 limited slip. I put it all together to find out that it ran a whopping, hold on, 18.xx something in the quarter. It was faster with the 6! The 318 was really, really tired. I put it in storage in 1999 when I joined the Navy.
I plan on pulling it out within the next few years and am looking to get it up and running. I am not going to do a full resto right away since I have 2 girls (4 years old and 3 months old) who are going to need a college fund. I know some of you understand what I am talking about! Basically, I don't want to do a cheap restoration that would need to be redone. When I parked it, the interior was in really nice shape, and hopefully it still is. It is parked inside a mostly waterproof trailer. I started fixing rust so the car is partially primered.
To get it up and running, I am thinking of putting in a used 360, or a rebuilt longblock with a slight cam. I am not dumping money into a motor that isn't going to stay in the car. I will get the small stuff to go with the 318 to 360 swap. The 727 has a shift kit in it, but I will rebuild it even though when I parked it the trans was fine. The rear is going to get 5x4.5 axles since it has 5x4 right now with 5x4.5 up front! Along with a few other odds and ends, I think I can get it going for around 3-4000$. As for the paint, "Primer is finer"! I will spray the whole car with black primer. I just want to get it driving, safely, again.
The ultimate plan for the car is a forged small block, possibly with a turbo or two. I am thinking of keeping the cream interior and going with a two tone exterior, brown on the bottom half and cream on the upper half. I don't want a cage, so 11.50's are the quarter goal. I want the car to be a driver, not a "street car" that needs race gas, has a 5000 stall, only gets 3 mpg, etc.
I may change my mind about what I am going to do, but I really want a turbo. I know a lot about turbos and have fabricating skills. I think it would be a fun project.
What are your opinions?
The long version!
I am starting in yet another online forum!
In 1998 I bought a 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger from an older lady in PA. I lived in New Jersey at the time. The car was a slant six; brown with a cream interior. I forget the right name for the interior color.
I was 16 when we bought it for 2500$. It ran well and only had some quarter rust. I put a 1975 Valiant front end on it so I could have disc brakes. Later I bought a 500$ Duster that had a 318, a 727, and an 8 3/4 rear with a 3.23 limited slip. I put it all together to find out that it ran a whopping, hold on, 18.xx something in the quarter. It was faster with the 6! The 318 was really, really tired. I put it in storage in 1999 when I joined the Navy.
I plan on pulling it out within the next few years and am looking to get it up and running. I am not going to do a full resto right away since I have 2 girls (4 years old and 3 months old) who are going to need a college fund. I know some of you understand what I am talking about! Basically, I don't want to do a cheap restoration that would need to be redone. When I parked it, the interior was in really nice shape, and hopefully it still is. It is parked inside a mostly waterproof trailer. I started fixing rust so the car is partially primered.
To get it up and running, I am thinking of putting in a used 360, or a rebuilt longblock with a slight cam. I am not dumping money into a motor that isn't going to stay in the car. I will get the small stuff to go with the 318 to 360 swap. The 727 has a shift kit in it, but I will rebuild it even though when I parked it the trans was fine. The rear is going to get 5x4.5 axles since it has 5x4 right now with 5x4.5 up front! Along with a few other odds and ends, I think I can get it going for around 3-4000$. As for the paint, "Primer is finer"! I will spray the whole car with black primer. I just want to get it driving, safely, again.
The ultimate plan for the car is a forged small block, possibly with a turbo or two. I am thinking of keeping the cream interior and going with a two tone exterior, brown on the bottom half and cream on the upper half. I don't want a cage, so 11.50's are the quarter goal. I want the car to be a driver, not a "street car" that needs race gas, has a 5000 stall, only gets 3 mpg, etc.
I may change my mind about what I am going to do, but I really want a turbo. I know a lot about turbos and have fabricating skills. I think it would be a fun project.
What are your opinions?
