Cudaroy
Well-Known Member
I also have a small child and wife that works nights but luckily for me,do get some time during the weekends to work on my car. I feel your pain........looks like you have a great foundation and good luck. Nice sled too!
polarman's refurb Claytronic 68 Dart
- Thread starter polarman
- Start date
-
polarman
Well-Known Member
Absolutely. The Dart just wouldn't be right without the groovy paintjob.
polarman
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the replies. I'll keep researching for a disc brake kit. I refuse to change out the wheels.
I got a little work done yesterday while my Mom had the kids. I had to get a bit creative and find something to support the engine so I could drop the trans.I don't have much to work with, but with a can't hook, a ratchet strap, and a chain I was able to rig something up. Classy.
Tranny is out.
The shifter was bolted through the floor and double nutted under the car. It wasn't going to come out with the trans in place. I think I'll install some nutserts to anchor the shifter when I put it back together.
I got a little work done yesterday while my Mom had the kids. I had to get a bit creative and find something to support the engine so I could drop the trans.I don't have much to work with, but with a can't hook, a ratchet strap, and a chain I was able to rig something up. Classy.
Tranny is out.
The shifter was bolted through the floor and double nutted under the car. It wasn't going to come out with the trans in place. I think I'll install some nutserts to anchor the shifter when I put it back together.
polarman
Well-Known Member
I figured out how to scan and found these old pictures in the garage. I'm guessing 1997.
I know clayt has one old pic from back in the day.I'll try to remember to borrow it to scan someday.
I know clayt has one old pic from back in the day.I'll try to remember to borrow it to scan someday.
Man you got some real cool history on that car. You better keep it forever.
justin hughes
Miss my car
my valiant is also used for christmas present storage, the interior is out of my dart, but if i put them in there , they would just drop out of the bottom of the car and the kids would see them!Hey Justin. It's cool to see a local guy! Be sure to piss in a stream whenever you're in the NYC Watershed!
Nothing to report on the Dart right now. With the interior out, it seems the best place to hide the kids' Christmas presents.My wife is working this weekend, so no garage time for me. Well, at least I got my sled ready.....
pntastar69
Well-Known Member
How did you prep the pipes? Painted it with what?
Giller1
Well-Known Member
Awesome project!! I just started on my 73 dart swinger, a ton of stuff to do.
polarman
Well-Known Member
Wire brushed, sanded with 120 grit, rubbed down with paint thinner, and brush painted with 2 coats of stove/BbQ paint.I have no budget, so I will be retaining everything I can. I'm a painter by trade, but structural, not automotive. It will hold up for a few years.
polarman
Well-Known Member
I took some pics of the underbody before cleaning it up. I can't believe how solid it is after all of those years of sitting.
Check out the leafsprings and shocks.Ol' Clayt built these crazy leafsprings way back.With this combo the car wouldn't spin the tires. Just grab and go like hell.It really worked, I remember riding it in when I was a teenager and it seemed to defy the laws of physics.But I have no idea where I'm going to find long replacement coil over shocks like those old ones.
This kind of work requires Saranac. Lots and lots of Saranac.
Check out the leafsprings and shocks.Ol' Clayt built these crazy leafsprings way back.With this combo the car wouldn't spin the tires. Just grab and go like hell.It really worked, I remember riding it in when I was a teenager and it seemed to defy the laws of physics.But I have no idea where I'm going to find long replacement coil over shocks like those old ones.
This kind of work requires Saranac. Lots and lots of Saranac.
polarman
Well-Known Member
It's been a long time since I've updated here. Unfortunately, I had an extremely busy summer, so I didn't get much work done on the Dart at all. I got the carpets and rear seat installed and bolted in the front seat and the seat belts in. I gathered up a couple of parts- a new headliner and a new vinyl top. Now I need to find some black sun visors. And, I need a new front split bench seat worse than bad. My seat looks like a hand grenade victim. I got all of the trim holes filled on my replacement fender for the passenger side and it's sitting on the car, but not bolted yet. I want to undercoat the inside of the fender before I shim it and bolt it on. I'll get some pics up one of these days....
polarman
Well-Known Member
Holy crap, I can't believe I remembered my user name and password as I haven't logged on in 8 years! Though I haven't done much with the car, I have decided that 22 years is about long enough to go without driving it. In that time, I've been collecting more parts including a mint driver side door and a 1970 340 block. I procured an engine stand and hoist last week and finished tearing down the 340 to the bare block. I have been having a difficult time finding an engine builder, and found a problem with the block. One of the ears that the motor mount bolts too is split in half, and the other half is lost in time. That will result in an added expense that I was hoping to avoid. So, considering all of those factors, I'm leaning towards ordering a Blueprint 408 stroker long block and bolting my intake, carb, distributor, etc. onto it.
BluePrint Engines 408CI Stroker Crate Engine | Small Block Chrysler Style | Longblock | Aluminum Heads | Flat Tappet Cam
I walked out of my credit union yesterday with a check for $6,700 to use for the engine and transmission. There's a reputable tranny shop nearby that I'll reach out to and have a reverse pattern valve body installed to make the ratchet shifter much more handy to use. My 727 has a 2500 rpm stall converter in it, and I'm waiting to hear back from Blueprint to see if that's going to be an issue. (They recommend 2000-2400)The Torqueflite was built tight back in the day by a man named Danny Tucker who died of cancer over a decade ago. And what a job he did on it! Even when the old engine was low on compression on 3 cylinders, when you romped on it you would involuntarily look at the headliner for a second when shifting gears. So, the band adjustments will stay as is, just the reverse pattern valve body and fresh seals are required. If I can pull that off on my budget, the car will be running sooner than later. Man, this has been a long time coming! So, let's resurrect this old thread. I'm finally going to get things moving on this old Dart, and there will be questions to be asked once I get it rolling. The biggest being a front disc brake conversion. The old drum brakes ain't gonna cut it with 445 HP under the groovy-*** hood. Scarebird?
BluePrint Engines 408CI Stroker Crate Engine | Small Block Chrysler Style | Longblock | Aluminum Heads | Flat Tappet Cam
I walked out of my credit union yesterday with a check for $6,700 to use for the engine and transmission. There's a reputable tranny shop nearby that I'll reach out to and have a reverse pattern valve body installed to make the ratchet shifter much more handy to use. My 727 has a 2500 rpm stall converter in it, and I'm waiting to hear back from Blueprint to see if that's going to be an issue. (They recommend 2000-2400)The Torqueflite was built tight back in the day by a man named Danny Tucker who died of cancer over a decade ago. And what a job he did on it! Even when the old engine was low on compression on 3 cylinders, when you romped on it you would involuntarily look at the headliner for a second when shifting gears. So, the band adjustments will stay as is, just the reverse pattern valve body and fresh seals are required. If I can pull that off on my budget, the car will be running sooner than later. Man, this has been a long time coming! So, let's resurrect this old thread. I'm finally going to get things moving on this old Dart, and there will be questions to be asked once I get it rolling. The biggest being a front disc brake conversion. The old drum brakes ain't gonna cut it with 445 HP under the groovy-*** hood. Scarebird?
polarman
Well-Known Member
The 340 block- might be for sale soon...
-
