chrism
New Member
Hi All, I'm new to the group, glad to be here. I hope to learn through others' experiences. And find answers to struggles I face as I work on my car. I have limited experience in automotive work.
As a teen I had a 1960 Plymouth Valiant wagon. It came with a 170ci, I can't remember why but I switched it to a 225 out of a Dart. I changed the clutch a few times, jumped it to electronic ignition, maintained the drum brakes, did a water pump and I remember changing the intake/ exhaust gasket. Looking back at how that car ran so consistently for years, it's a wonder I didn't have to do more. I had that Valiant a good 10 years, all through the 90's.
Fast forward to 2025, I picked up a 65 dodge dart to work on in my spare time and get me off the couch and off my phone. The guy I bought it from got it started, but it took some effort on his part. I can see now he threw whatever parts he had laying around to make that happen. I'm glad he did because it gave me reassurance the car could run. I bought it and had it towed home. Tires were flat and it had to be pulled onto the tow truck, wheels skidding and all. At home I started working on the brakes and wheels first, as I needed it to roll to get in my front yard where it could be an eyesore on my property and not in the street. I got the wheels free'd up and rolling with new brakes in the back where I had to make my first brake line. Now it was in my yard, and I focused on the engine bay. There was no fuel system although it had a carburator which I now know was missing all vital parts to produce a good spray. It did have a distributor that you had to pull toward the passenger side if you wanted to hit all cylinders. There was no cooling system, but a radiator was in the back seat. I got that installed to find out water pump shaft was bent or the bearing was failing and fan spun crooked as all get out. I got a charging system going which included voltage reg and starter relay. The relay was wired, but was lacking any fusable linkages. I found that out the hard way, but remedied that along with new wiring to ammeter, starter, battery and coil. I also put electronic ignition in my Dart. By this time it was running and would idle. I could never get the idle down below 1200 rpm, which I read on the tachometer I installed. I learned about spread bore/ square bore adapters then and if course vacuum leaks. With a new carb and an adapter I could get the idle down low. I started to drive around the neighborhood to find the driverside head was cracked. By this time I had met my neighbors cousin who said he had some heads that I could rebuild. I got them rebuilt using the same springs off the old heads as I was told needed to be done because of the isky 262 cam that was in the car. We both put the heads on and the intake and all that. Fired it up to have all the coolant end up in with the oil. I learned to rtv the water jackets on the intake. And the heads I got were the later bolt angle and my intake manifold that had been wallered out for the old heads Was cracked when I got it and was no good. New intake to go with the new carb. I put the new intake on with no issues, no milkshakes. I had previously flushed the engine 3 times and no signs of the milkshake were left. So by now I've done the fuel system along with sending unit, charging system along with wiring and cooling system. I put aftermarket Guages in and senders. I found the idiot light wire and "T"eed it in with the pressure guage. The cooling system was up and running which includes the transmission lines and am external cooler I mounted.
In going through the front brakes I found all steering components were worn out and hitting the starter when I turned. I replaced all that stuff and worn the help of a Facebook group I put in a new transmission mount which solved the starter steering clearance issues. My Mopar friend Greg helped me though all the head work and knew how to rebuild the steering column joint, so that got done. I was driving again around the neighborhood with 2 for exhaust pipes and no mufflers. I could only drive for 15 at a time and when I was done my head was tatting from all the noise and drone, but I was a happy camper that all the systems were working properly. I started to temp everything after driving it. I forgot to mention there was no kick down linkage and I got a lokar cable made bracket to help the geometry and it would now kick down on the command of my foot. I had a shop make an exhaust somewhat replicating the stock single exhaust with a quiet series 50 flowmaster muffler. I've put about 200 miles on this car so far and am staying to do the weather stripping. Now that it has exhaust I can hear everything else rattling. I'm sure I forgot to say all I've done to this car, and learned from it.
I plan to drive this car like I think it wants to be driven. Above 2000 rpm.
65 dodge Dart GT
273ci
A904 transmission
7 1/4" rear end with 2.76 gearing
Drum brakes.
Thanks to whoever is keeping this forum running, giving the new guy a place to learn.
As a teen I had a 1960 Plymouth Valiant wagon. It came with a 170ci, I can't remember why but I switched it to a 225 out of a Dart. I changed the clutch a few times, jumped it to electronic ignition, maintained the drum brakes, did a water pump and I remember changing the intake/ exhaust gasket. Looking back at how that car ran so consistently for years, it's a wonder I didn't have to do more. I had that Valiant a good 10 years, all through the 90's.
Fast forward to 2025, I picked up a 65 dodge dart to work on in my spare time and get me off the couch and off my phone. The guy I bought it from got it started, but it took some effort on his part. I can see now he threw whatever parts he had laying around to make that happen. I'm glad he did because it gave me reassurance the car could run. I bought it and had it towed home. Tires were flat and it had to be pulled onto the tow truck, wheels skidding and all. At home I started working on the brakes and wheels first, as I needed it to roll to get in my front yard where it could be an eyesore on my property and not in the street. I got the wheels free'd up and rolling with new brakes in the back where I had to make my first brake line. Now it was in my yard, and I focused on the engine bay. There was no fuel system although it had a carburator which I now know was missing all vital parts to produce a good spray. It did have a distributor that you had to pull toward the passenger side if you wanted to hit all cylinders. There was no cooling system, but a radiator was in the back seat. I got that installed to find out water pump shaft was bent or the bearing was failing and fan spun crooked as all get out. I got a charging system going which included voltage reg and starter relay. The relay was wired, but was lacking any fusable linkages. I found that out the hard way, but remedied that along with new wiring to ammeter, starter, battery and coil. I also put electronic ignition in my Dart. By this time it was running and would idle. I could never get the idle down below 1200 rpm, which I read on the tachometer I installed. I learned about spread bore/ square bore adapters then and if course vacuum leaks. With a new carb and an adapter I could get the idle down low. I started to drive around the neighborhood to find the driverside head was cracked. By this time I had met my neighbors cousin who said he had some heads that I could rebuild. I got them rebuilt using the same springs off the old heads as I was told needed to be done because of the isky 262 cam that was in the car. We both put the heads on and the intake and all that. Fired it up to have all the coolant end up in with the oil. I learned to rtv the water jackets on the intake. And the heads I got were the later bolt angle and my intake manifold that had been wallered out for the old heads Was cracked when I got it and was no good. New intake to go with the new carb. I put the new intake on with no issues, no milkshakes. I had previously flushed the engine 3 times and no signs of the milkshake were left. So by now I've done the fuel system along with sending unit, charging system along with wiring and cooling system. I put aftermarket Guages in and senders. I found the idiot light wire and "T"eed it in with the pressure guage. The cooling system was up and running which includes the transmission lines and am external cooler I mounted.
In going through the front brakes I found all steering components were worn out and hitting the starter when I turned. I replaced all that stuff and worn the help of a Facebook group I put in a new transmission mount which solved the starter steering clearance issues. My Mopar friend Greg helped me though all the head work and knew how to rebuild the steering column joint, so that got done. I was driving again around the neighborhood with 2 for exhaust pipes and no mufflers. I could only drive for 15 at a time and when I was done my head was tatting from all the noise and drone, but I was a happy camper that all the systems were working properly. I started to temp everything after driving it. I forgot to mention there was no kick down linkage and I got a lokar cable made bracket to help the geometry and it would now kick down on the command of my foot. I had a shop make an exhaust somewhat replicating the stock single exhaust with a quiet series 50 flowmaster muffler. I've put about 200 miles on this car so far and am staying to do the weather stripping. Now that it has exhaust I can hear everything else rattling. I'm sure I forgot to say all I've done to this car, and learned from it.
I plan to drive this car like I think it wants to be driven. Above 2000 rpm.
65 dodge Dart GT
273ci
A904 transmission
7 1/4" rear end with 2.76 gearing
Drum brakes.
Thanks to whoever is keeping this forum running, giving the new guy a place to learn.
