Valiant/Dart mixbreed..HELP??

[Easy]

Hello. I used to be Dodgenut64, but couldnt log back on for some reason..its been several years so maybe I got booted out of the system. I had a 64 dart convertible project that I had to sell when I moved down to florida, now Im back in Missouri, divorced/single, and looking to find a new project to busy my mind. Im gonna get a driver this time and do each project one step at a time.


Anyway..Im am looking at maybe mixing things up this time around and was considering swaping a few early A parts around. I am curious as to what can be interchanged. I would like to take a 64 or 65 Valiant convertible and put a 64 dart from clip on it. I know the vactory put Valiant fronts on dart bodies for some cars outside of the US. When I see them, it looks like the valiant frontend is too short for the darts mainbody. The dart wagon already kinda has the Valiant rear so I think it could look cool but I worry the dart front clip on the valiant body may look too long. So before I rush out and buy a car I thought Id ask..

A few question I have:

1. How much different are the dart and the valiant in length? Is the Wheelbase shorter on the Valiant,longer on the dart?

2. I noticed the 64 deck lid is smooth down to the opening of the trunk and the 65 goes down and then angles sharply to meet the trunk opening. Can you interchange decklids on the 64 and 65 or does the area around the 65s deck lid opening angle aswell (couldnt see this in any pics)?

3.If any valiant and dart owners would be so kind to take a measurement for me I would be very thankful. Can you measure from the the front of your cars to the back (bumber to bumber), then wheel center to wheel center, then the back of your door to the rear of your car, then finally the front of your door to the front of your car. I think this would answer my questions as to the difference in lengths (if any)

Thanks for your time, looking forward to hanging out on here..

 

[Easy]

64 valiant body with the 64 darts front clip might just look really cool. The pic of the wagon is to show how the rear of the wagon resembles the valiants rear...somewhat anyway (valiant and dar wagons had the same rearend but with different taillights I believe)

 

[Dart_Doctor]

Ok all early front clips with fit 63 to 66 vals and darts .. no the trunk of a 65 val and 64 val will not enter change . but 63 and 64 darts will . I dont have the measerments for you sorry i hope i di dread this right and helped you

 

[Darter6]

A guy put a 63-64 Dart front on a 66 Barracuda and called it DARCUDA. Looks good.

 

[67Dart273]

Bara d' Cuda?

 

[Easy]

Thanks. I'm kinda going for a 1960's GT sports car theme. Plan on doing the 5.7 swap, only after Ive upgrated the suspension. I figure if the front of the darts fenders are longer than the valiants..Ill just cut them down.

 

[crvtec90]

Welcome back.

 

[bcschief]

Canadian Valiants Valiant front sheet metal on Dart bodies and the Dart's longer wheel base.

Brian

 

[Dart_Doctor]

Thanks. I'm kinda going for a 1960's GT sports car theme. Plan on doing the 5.7 swap, only after Ive upgrated the suspension. I figure if the front of the darts fenders are longer than the valiants..Ill just cut them down.

I could be missing what your sayin ..... But you dont have to cut any thing thay will swap wiht out cutting any thing .

 

[Easy]

Thanks, crvtec90. Its good to be back.

Without having both cars in front of me I can only guess, but from looking at these pics it appears the dart has a few more inches between the front of the wheel opening to the front of the fender compaired to the same area on the valiant. If thats true, then the 64 dart fenders on the 64 valiants body might be too long making the car look off (long nose). Keeping with the valiants shorter wheel base and cutting the darts fender/hood length to match that of the valiants would fix that...maybe.

OK, youll have to forgive the last pic, I was trying to mess with a 64 valiant by moving the lights and gill up, making them bigger, and removing that swoosh from the fender just so that I could see what it might look like with a dart front clip on it...sorry, its late and Ive nothing to do here. Thanks for all the input..

Also.. looks like the darts front bumber is higher than the valiants..could just be me though.

 

[Easy]

Should have did this with those first two pics the first time.

 

[Easy]

I did a chop on the front end of the dart. That white bar is the amount i pushed back. And now the bottom front portion of the darts fender is close to the length of the valiants. I took into account the darts front bumber is higher than the valiants (its almost the hieght of the rear bumber).

 

[Dart_Doctor]

Ok but you dont have to do that is what im sayin . thay bolt right on . And dont look outta place . Would you like to have a 65 barracuda instead lol . I can help you ther lol

 

[jos51700]

 

[Easy]

Nice find, jos51700. Ok, so it looks cool together for sure. I want to use 64 or 65 valiant convertible body (I like both of those cars tail lights best)and a 63 or 64 dart front clip.

Again, kind of want to go with a 1960s "GT" theme with this. I was reading a Motor Trend Magazine from the 1960s, a few years back, and it was talking about what a "GT" car was supposed to be. At the end of the artical it had the 64 Dart as a "potential" GT car. I want to..make it so. Wiki def below..


"A grand tourer (Italian: gran turismo) (GT) is a performance or luxury automobile capable of high speed or spirited long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement.
The term derives from the Italian phrase gran turismo, a tribute to the tradition of the grand tour, used to represent automobiles regarded as grand tourers, able to make long-distance, high-speed journeys in both comfort and style. The English translation is grand touring.

Grand tourers emphasize comfort and handling over straight-out high performance or spartan accommodations. Historically, most GTs have been front-engined with rear-wheel drive, which creates more space for the cabin than mid-mounted engine layouts. Softer suspensions, greater storage, and more luxurious appointments add to their driving appeal"

I dont even know if the Karmann Ghia below was on the list, but it sort of has that 1960s sporty GT look about it.

 

[Easy]

Check out this link. Several cars, including a 64 dart, in classic Ralley race, in Europe..http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f19/adac-bavaria-historic-rallye-part-4-a-65887/

 

[Easy]

I did a chop..or an erase really.. Yep. I think Ill be on the hunt for a 64 valiant convertible and a donor front clip off a 64 dart this fall or spring.

 

[jos51700]

I still wanna see a '67-'69 Cuda front end on a Demon or Duster.

 

[Easy]

WOW! This is kind of what I want to do. Check out this video of Jay Leno driving a 66 Sunbeam Tiger. Interesting note, Chrysler bought Sunbeam from Ford, tried to fit a 273 in the Tiger, but it didnt fit, even sold a few Ford powered Tigers with the the Pentastar logo on the side. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyqo03zmzZw"]Jay Leno's Garage: 1966 Sunbeam Tiger Mark 1A - YouTube[/ame]

 

[bad440]

that is cool!

 

[Darter6]

Yep that's "DARCUDA" Was racing in the Slant Six Class at Mopars At The Strip in Vegas.