1965 Dodge Dart Charger

[slantsixdan]

Gary Goers. His catalogue, on page 6, says "Beautiful reproductions cut from the highest quality 'instant rebound' foam on specially designed jigs to match original contours. Backed with burlap and edged with cloth where original. Use with new seat spring 'ladders' and restore your seating comfort. Prevents stretching your new upholstery out of shape, too" etc.

 

[65dartcharger]

Dan! Thanks for the tips. This is what I found also. He for sure have some neat parts I need to get if I cannot find NOS stuff!

 

[65dartcharger]

The backseat ispretty beat up too!

The upper seat looks like sun has left some tracks! Thematerialis gone!!

The center knobs is mounted through the hole upper back seat. The fabrics have date codes from 9-64 to 11-64. I even found the markings from factory on the fabrics. Some kind of material number I guess. The date code is 12-22-64. So some lucky fellow did this 2 Days prior Christmas eve! HoHoHo!

When is cushion was removed there were only some canvas type material left. Anyone knowing if that can be bought?

Last picture, now it's ready for glass beading!

 

[65dartcharger]

If all seats were toast the rear seat bottomwas actually in good condition. The fabrics is rock hard and it's greasy but otherwise than that pretty ok. But I found a nest without honey!!

I even found a date code tag from January 12 1965. Which means that they were close to assembly line date that period.

If I'm lucky I might be able to save some material from the seams that I can use in the knobs. We'll see about that in the morning. Now it's party time!!!

Our friend Katarina is having her 50 year Birthday party! :happy1::happy1:

 

[gtmopar]

You guys can have a seat reupholstering party! Break out the booze!

 

[65dartcharger]

After going through all the old seat covers I finally found one piece that was in good condition. Comparing that to the rear seat cover gave me an idea how fabrics change color over the years. In this case even if it has been covered over the years it changes color!

The covers for the hinges has given me a problem. How can I bleech those covers so I get the white pearl color?

I tried to find the right paint on the seat springs. It seems that the seat springs were painted gloss black! I checked on several spots and the color showed up best on the date code tag!

 

[MOBodyman]

You might try whitewall cleaner on the old material but I really doubt anything will totally remove the yellowing. Vinyl goes through some strange changes as it ages.

It's my belief also that the seat frames and springs were originally gloss black.

Dallas

 

[65dartcharger]

You might try whitewall cleaner on the old material but I really doubt anything will totally remove the yellowing. Vinyl goes through some strange changes as it ages.

It's my belief also that the seat frames and springs were originally gloss black.

Dallas

I will try with some cloth cleaner tomorrow. Would brake claener be too tuff on the fabrics?

I got some great news today! The door strikers came in silver cadmium finish from factory. Next good thing is that the waxed paper gasket that goes between the mecanism and the glass has been found. I stopped by the hardware store on my way back home and they have what I need. It is used as building material!!!

 

[Plaschy]

I just don't have enough words for time and effort you are making on bringing the Dart Charger back to its show room glory. =D>

 

[65dartcharger]

I just don't have enough words for time and effort you are making on bringing the Dart Charger back to its show room glory. =D>

Thank you for the kind Words Plaschy!

Today my friend with the glass beading company called me and said that the drivers seat and the rear seat was done! Sweet! The result was excellent.

After I checked the rear seat I found out that parts from one of the brackets were missing! Part of it! I need to weld in a replacement bracket on the lower rear seat.

Paint procedure started so by tomorrow we will see the result. :coffee2:

 

[65dartcharger]

Has anyone out there painted the seat springs? I can tell from experience that it'll take more paint that you thought!!

 

[MOBodyman]

Has anyone out there painted the seat springs? I can tell from experience that it'll take more paint that you thought!!

I've painted some similar pieces. It does take an incredible amount of paint to get complete coverage, more than it would to just paint a flat surface. :sad7:

4 posts above this one you asked about using brake cleaner on the old fabric to brighten it up. I have never heard of anyone doing this. Let us know how it turns out if you try it.

Your progress looks good as always. =D>

Dallas

 

[65dartcharger]

I've painted some similar pieces. It does take an incredible amount of paint to get complete coverage, more than it would to just paint a flat surface. :sad7:

4 posts above this one you asked about using brake cleaner on the old fabric to brighten it up. I have never heard of anyone doing this. Let us know how it turns out if you try it.

Your progress looks good as always. =D>

Dallas

Dallas!

I continued tonight with the rear seat. Boy does it need paint. It must be al least 85% waist!

Anywaymy friend Emil at Metal Madness did a super job on the brackets for the rear quarter windows. It looks almost as stainless steel!!

Progress around the corner!

:burnout:

 

[65dartcharger]

I wonder how many of the car judges that will ever check out the restored date code tags under f´the seats!! This is monent when I start wondering what the heck I'm doing!!

Anyway, only one seat left. Will take away the rusted brackets. And hey, It was not one bracket that was bad, it's two!!:banghead:

 

[65dartcharger]

FYI, I found another seat in way much better condition! I will use that one instead. The seat springs was not something youplay with. Lesson learned!

The second Cragar wheel needs to get better welds on the backside. After one hour cleaning its ready! I will start to grind the welds....!

The switch inside the steering coluum is another thing that I have been thinking about. After searching for an NOS one for over 20 years with no luck I start to think that Slantsixdans switch will be a reliable and great replacement. That will be the closest I can get. I talked to 4Sign who has helped me with all the small decals and they will make a tape stripe with is about 20 inch long with the right text and part numbers!! That will take care of it!

 

[65dartcharger]

Tonight I took an hour just to grind of the old welding inside the rim. Hopefull my friend Johan will make the last welds that is needed soon.

The plastic straps that holds the wiring harnesses to the body seems to be possible to get in different lenght!!! This is what I bought "NOS" for early A-body!

The factory ones seems to have some kind of numbers casted in! Nott sure how to proceed with this strap!

Does anyone know where to get the right lenght?

 

[65dartcharger]

The remains if old decals with partnumber were toast.

Today I got a call from 4Sign telling me to stop by.I did and to my surprise the decals was done. Sweet! They did a superb job!

The sad thing is that nobody will ever see these decals! :banghead:

 

[MoparDaddy]

I think the car shows are going to need a "most correctly restored" award lol

 

[65dartcharger]

MoparDaddy! We will see what they do!!

The wiring harness that goes to the shifter on the floor needs some attention! They seems to be put together by some sort of plastic clip that was heated in place. I will start clean it tonight!

The rear of the door moulding clips was glass beaded today and I found out that they were green. That's the color behind the gasket!

I also glass beaded some pulleys and a 1965 crankshaft pulley has a marking on the side. Never seen it before.

 

[65dartcharger]

The wiring harness for the shifter turned out great after a good two hours of tooth brushing!! I wrapped the end in old style hockey tejp! Now I just need the part number tejp!

I also did the end on the wiring harness for the trunk lid. Does anyone else know if both ends on this harness should have tejped ends_

 

[65dartcharger]

I started cleaning all the body plugs last night. After a couple of hours I start wondering if there are reproduction kits availible? A quick search gave me this kit. Have any FABO member out there bought these? I want to know if they are exactly as the factory ones?

Any help is appriciated. Thanks FABO

 

[65dartcharger]

Another package showed up today from Eric. New finished bolts and nuts! Even some clamps wasin the box! As a matter of fact, there isn'tso much stuff left on the engine&tranny.

And the inspection cover is back in place too!

From Keith I got a cotter pin for a tie rod end. That cotter pin had silver cad finish. The ones that can be bought here in Sweden is silver zinc. I know that there is black phosphate ones here in Sweden too. But what did the assembly line workers use when they assembled the car back in 1965?

Silver or zinc?

:glasses7:

 

[65dartcharger]

Tonight I picked up the plastic cover for the seat hinges. It's been in a cleaning stuff since last week.I don't Think it can be any better! To be honest, I need to get a new idea on this!

Does any other FABO member redo their white/gold interior? I have ever seen a repopcover for the early As! Compare to the new upholstery it look way off how it should.

I was able to find some building material for houses today. Here in Sweden we use a asphalt coated paper for wind on the houses before we add the outside material. That asphalt coated paper was just what I needed for the gasket for the side glass.

 

[65dartcharger]

The hook that holds the gas tank has a silver zinc finish. However after searching for years I found a nut that was in mint condition. After glass beading and adding new black phosphate finish it looks new. The big issue was to get back the plastic lock strip!

After consulting our neighbour Daniel, he found out that a lawn trimmer had the same diameter in the plastic strings underneath the cover. We checked and I was the right diameter. After cutting new pieces and using a hammer the locking nut is reborn!!

In the package from US all the clips that goes on the window mecanism is back in place with new finish!

 

[65dartcharger]

The last of the seat springs wasglass beaded today. Finally I can add the tag with the date code and then the seat is ready!

I just need to get the front seat cushion then it's off to the upholstery man.

:cheers: