The Other 68 Dart Resto Project

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Here are some pics of my weekend project. A few people have been able to adapt B-body B engine Hedman headers to fit an A body, not me. I had battled with these for a while, I dented up a set and still could not get enough clearance, the #4 head tube hit the steering box, tie rod, and the torsion bar, the #2 tube hit the steering coupler and the tie rod, and the #8 tube hit the steering shaft. No amount of denting would make it fit. It seems that my engine seems to sit in the K frame about 1/2" lower than other cars I have seen. I took a leap, ordered some j bends and some weld alignment rings. It was time to start cutting and welding.

Its hard to tell but the tube was reduced almost half hitting the torsion bar, and still interfered.
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I tried to mock it up, but the steering shaft hit 3 different tubes, plus the box hit the header.
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This is the mocked up steering shaft, you can see it clears all the tubes by 3/8"
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Another view of the same.
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Here is the final form, I had to modify all the tubes except #6, the #4 comes straight up, folows the top of the torsion bar, the cuts over just before the steering box, then curves up behind it hugging the block.
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#2 had to make a dogleg around the coupler, and #8 had to be cut and clocked toward the block. All the tubes now clear the linkage, starter, steering box, and the shaft. Whew! That was 14 hours worth of test fitting, and welding.
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Thats some nice work. Your car is gonna be real badass! Just curious though. The #2 tube isn't gonna block the sparkplug on #6 is it?
 
Update,

The stroker engine is coming along, I got the pistons and rods together now, the heads are being milled right now, then the block is going to the machine shop next to get the end rails machined. I am going to modify the oil feeds to the rockers for full time oil pressure. After that, the 432 stroker assembly begins.
 
Nice work brotha. When you going to get out there and start wetsanding and buffing the hell out of that car. We want to see SHINE.
 
Still working on the engine, but I have been focusing on my 75 Dart these past few weeks, getting ready to swap in a 360 in place on the slanty.
 
Its been a long time, but I have been working on my 75 Dart for the past few months.

On the 68 Dart, all is not forgotten...I have been ordering parts and working on the 432 Stroker motor for it. I now have a lot more engine, suspension, and interior parts for it. As soon as I am done with the engine swap in my 75 Dart, I am back on the 68.
 
Actually, it was a good diversion, gave me some time to work on a project that I could finish! :toothy10:

It also gave me some time to re-evaluate and turn the car into what I always wanted, a full tilt, straight line terror. Turning is for sissies like Jeff Gordon. :happy10:

The engine is pretty much turning into a Drag motor, with some streetability (but not much)! lol
 
Coming along well, man that was alot of work on those headers but you saved yourself a bunch of coin! Looks great, and I think it will sound good too. Can't wait to see the engine it;s going to be nice.

Not to change the subject but they lost a National Guard kiowa chopper in Ark yesterday, they where weed searching and ended upside down in the Bufflao river, everybody is okay thank God.
 
Vic Storm said:
Coming along well, man that was alot of work on those headers but you saved yourself a bunch of coin! Looks great, and I think it will sound good too. Can't wait to see the engine it;s going to be nice.

Not to change the subject but they lost a National Guard kiowa chopper in Ark yesterday, they where weed searching and ended upside down in the Bufflao river, everybody is okay thank God.
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That makes 6 in the past 6 weeks. The units are training hard getting ready to rotate out to IQ and AF again.
 
I have been following this post for well over a year from the sidelines, I am also working on a 67 Dart that just keeps taking longer because I too keep changing things. My question is when you mount that scoop to the hood, are you bolting it directly to the painted surface or are you placeing between the hood and scoop? If so what do you plan to use?? Keep up the great work.:cheers:
 
kzcountry said:
I have been following this post for well over a year from the sidelines, I am also working on a 67 Dart that just keeps taking longer because I too keep changing things. My question is when you mount that scoop to the hood, are you bolting it directly to the painted surface or are you placeing between the hood and scoop? If so what do you plan to use?? Keep up the great work.:cheers:
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I am planning to use a double stick foam tape as a gasket and to make the scoop extra secure, as well as keep the sheet metal from warping
 
Thanks, that is what I was thinking about using also. I found a scoop just like yours for $75 in a yard sale. Still doing body work on mine, my Dart was in really bad shape after digging thru 7 color layers and filler. Congrats on a great job.8)
 
Hey Fly, glad to see you back at it. Glad the slanty to sixty swap is on it's way to completion. Now that you're back on this one I'll have to dig around to find the old drool cup. It's a custom unit I made out of an old pair of eye glasses and a plastic pint cup, this way I just hook it to my ears and chin so I can use both hands freely to type - the pint cup allows for longer sessions without having to dump the cup and start over. I know it's here somewhere . . .
 
Wow. It took me three days on and off to make it all the way through this thread and now I too am left needing results! Your paint job is beautiful. I've been dreaming of a home setup like that to paint my rust buckets in... Can't wait to see you put that thing together and roll it outside!
 
Unfortunately, the 68 Dart took a back seat while I was working on the 75 Dart, I hope to be back on the 68 in August, I am almost done with the 75.
 
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