show me your early A!

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Here's my 64 vert at Springfling this year. We be crusin!!!
 
My 66 S car (Hairy Canary)
going back to stock/showcar/garage queen

My 66 Valiant Wagon (Scary Canary)
Getting the hotroded 318 out of the Cuda + more goodies....still gonna be a beater for now

and my 64 Dart GT (project Lawn Dart)
dead before it started.....for sale
 

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Here are my two cars. I've had the '64 for 6 years, has a Commando 273, with an automatic behind it. The '65 Formula "S" has only been here for about a month. It appears to have most of it's original paint, and the interior appears to be the original material. This car is also an automatic.
 

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Nice reserrected thread! Some pics and stats on my '65 Formula S. Was missing engine and AC system when I bought it ? years ago. Goal is to restomod it using only bolt on changes that can be reversed if someone (after I'm long gone) ever wanted to restore it. Trying to use as many factory or Mopar Performance parts as possible (minimize aftermarket stuff) and stay true to factory design.

'76 Duster front disk brakes, 2" B body rear drums
8 1/4 out of '76 Valiant (3/4" narrower than stock 7 1/4!), completely rebuilt with new 3.55 and suregrip
'89 Police 318 (360 heads, 340 cam), 273 adjustable rockers, LD340 intake, 650 Vac Sec Holley, Spitfire headers into 2.5" Y pipe into 3" single pipe/muffler/resonator out the back, homemade dual snorkel air cleaner,
clutch fan, modded CHEVY Blazer fan shroud (fits/works superbly)
replaced fuel system with 3/8 line tank to carb, 110 gpm Carter mech. pump
replaced entire brake system front to rear
999 trans with reverse manual valve body, shift kit, kevlar clutches, deep sump pan, low 2.73 1st gear
homemade bolt in tube subframe connectors
offset spring mount kit in rear
rewelded k member, all ploy bushings front to rear, completely rebuilt front suspension & steering, Moog offset upper control arm bushings
factory front sway bar & 6 leaf HD springs, Edelbrock AIS shocks
Hurst rachet shifter (V-matic?) in stock console
$60 junkyard old Western alum rims - same dim/offset as cop wheels
225/60-15 BFG front, 245/60-15 BFG rear
stripped undercoating and repainted everything with POR 15 chassis coat black/gloss black

Hope I didn't bore you with detail. Someday I may even get to drive the BEEOTCH!

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How did you fit that clutch fan...did you use an early water pump? I am guessing yes due that outlet on the rad...
 
How did you fit that clutch fan...did you use an early water pump? I am guessing yes due that outlet on the rad...
I rummaged around in the local Pick A Part Chrysler section and located a good clutch fan that was close to the same depth and fan diameter as the stock 4 blade fan and spacer. I believe it came off a '90s Jeep Cherokee. The clutch fan doesn't use a spacer just mounts to the water pump per the flanged shaft much like an axle is shaped. Remove the spacer and it bolts right to the water pump with stock hardware. I looked for a fan shroud at the same time and the small Chev Blazers have a nice deep shroud that fits an early A radiator perfectly. Made some L brackets to mount it to the side of the radiator using the four factory provided nut inserts. Had to trim the flanges off the front of the shroud to make it flat like the radiator. It is spit into top and bottom sections so it is easy to remove and install. I'm real happy with it. Yes I used a water pump for a 273. My radiator was in great shape so I didn't want to have to replace it. You have to use 273 upper and lower hoses as the early rad and pump use smaller inlet and outlets than the later pumps and rad.
 
Getting ready for paint. Shot this on to see if the color is correct. Looking to do a 2-tone, blue over silver.
 

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I’ve had dozens of early A’s over the last 28+ years, here are a few of them

My first car I’ve had for 28 years now that I got when I turned 16

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Here’s my other fish I’ve had for 11 years now, it’s basically stock except for the Cragars.

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Here’s another 65 I had back in 1985 or so.

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Here’s an old 66 Valiant I picked up last winter, still not sure what I’ll do with it, I really want a 65 conv. So it will probably get sold or traded off.

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This is the second mopar restoration I attempted. About a year into it, I felt like I had fallen into the deep end of the pool. If I had known how much work it would take at the outset, I probably would have passed on it. It was a very early production model off the LA line.
 

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Here ya go
 

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Whats your wheel & tire combo? Looks so cool. nice ride.

American Racing 15" wheels 7" in back 6" up front with 225/60 back and 205/65 up front. I replaced the rear end with a 8.25" from a '74 Duster with 3.73 gears. This gave me the LBP in back and it is a bit narrower. (Necessary to fit the wheels) Up front I have for the time being 1" wheel adapters to convert to the LBP to fit the wheels. When I can locate the funds I will swap front drums for disc brakes with LBP.
 
if you get rid of the long shackles in the rear it would look lots better...very good looking 4-door though

I'd like to eliminate the shackles but love the stance. I may try some spring lift blocks instead of the shackles to see how it sits. Anybody try this?
 
that will lower it....just put some stock shackles on it...trust me you will love it
 
Here's my 65 Barracuda in street trim.
 

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