1965 Dodge Dart Charger

[65dartcharger]

Matter of fact I have all the lettering and the Fo exhaust trim for the lower front doors as well

Yes, I would like the D.S but the exhaust ports aI have all NOS.

Yesterday I was able to pick up the radiator. Anders (Brälla) has done a great job and it looks awesome. He has a radiator shop and has ben doind radiators for years. (www.umemaskinkylare.se)

After putting it in place I cannot find the right anti-freeze decal to put on the radiator support!!! I have four of them but who is right?

 

[65dartcharger]

There is alot of small stuff to care with around the headliner! Today I was looking on the roof when I found out that there was a bunch of screws coming down through the roof. I Went to my partscar and found out that there should be small " hockey pucks" made of rubber. They was screwed on from the inside.

I was also able to add the moulding on the passenger that holds the headliner on the sides.

That car also had some left of the trunk moulding. The piece I was looking at had the part# casted into it. I've never seen that before! Just need to find one.....! :banghead:

 

[65dartcharger]

After some welding on the inside of the roof to get the roof bar back in place the roof is now finished. Some paint and the mouldings for the headliner is in place too. I even added one steel tag for the rear back seat. I never thought of that little one. But it's there now!

The wiring for the shifter is restored and needs that special tejp. I need to get that one quick! But I forgot to take pictures on how the wiring was routed.

Anyone out there who has some pictures?

 

[65dartcharger]

For the spare tire I need to use that week 43 Goodyear Power Cushion even if it's used. I can't locate another date coded tire!!:banghead:

But the tire itself need to be mounted on a rim 13 x 4,5". I have one wheel dated H4 which is August 1964 and also one wheel dated December 1965. So the question is if I should use the greenish color on the rim or the later gray paint?? I do not know when they changed the color. I might even be differencies between the different assembly plants.

Anyone who have the factory spare sheel and could shoot me some picture of the Wheel?

When I opened the radiator cap I almost lost it to the ground but I stopped it with my hand. Instead one small bit of paint disapered from the radiator when my hand placed it on the top!!!! :banghead: My plan is to leave if as it is. I guess that the assembly line workers would leave it in place without notice.

Any input or comments?

 

[65dartcharger]

After the headliner has been hanging for the last Three weeks it's time to mount it inside the car. Everything on the inside is ok. The headliner comes with longer channels forn the bow then from factory which means that I need to cut them close to the ends. This is the first time I adding a new headliner so it's going to be interesting to see the outcome from it!!!

Hopefully on Saturday it will de done! :glasses7:

 

[kmccabe56]

Hello

Dan Stern has put me onto your thread on the restoration of your car and I am totally impressed. As I've been reading, I've thought of the answers to several of the questions you've asked, but most were already answered. I can add two quick ones for now.

The little hockey pucks on the screws holding the roof moulding are there just to protect the headliner from tears from the sharp edges.

Second, virtually all of the paint splotches you've found on the car are torque buy-offs for a fastener somewhere near to the splotch. For example the one on the K-frame is probably for the bolts holding it into the frame rails. The ones on the control arms are either for the ball joints or possibly the fasteners holding the arms to the body.

One thing I've noticed you've done that isn't quite production. You mentioned that you took an hour and a half to "stuff" the k-frame, engine and transmission into the car. The guys on the assembly line had about 48 seconds to do that!

Great job. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of `final assembly'.

Kevin McCabe

 

[kmccabe56]

In my last post, I was kidding you about taking 48 seconds to install the engine/trans. The headliner actually took several minutes to install and was done by a single guy who was one of several people who installed them. My Mother bought a '66 Canadian Valiant V200 2dr sedan new in 1966 and on a visit to a relative shortly after she got the car, a neighbour came over to see the car. He opened the passenger door, stuck his head in and took a quick look at the headliner. He said "This is one of (I've forgotten the name now - let's say "Joe's") installations. Apparently every installer had his own unique way of installing the headliner and each of the guys who did it, could recognize not only their own work, but also that of their co-workers.

If the creases running front to back are still in the headliner, as shown in the photo, you might want to use a slightly warm iron to get them out, otherwise you may have difficulty pulling them out when you install it.

 

[kmccabe56]

Earlier you were asking about the clamps on the rubber portions of the fuel line at the gas tank being red. I believe any spring clamp that is part of a safety related system was red to make it easy to verify that the clamp was in place so that there would be no leak. There may also be some fasteners in the brake system that are colour coded this way as well.

 

[65dartcharger]

Earlier you were asking about the clamps on the rubber portions of the fuel line at the gas tank being red. I believe any spring clamp that is part of a safety related system was red to make it easy to verify that the clamp was in place so that there would be no leak. There may also be some fasteners in the brake system that are colour coded this way as well.

Thanks Kevin! That red paint might be a warning thing. Inside the front drums is copper nuts as well. It seems to be for securing bolts! Never seen it before.

The headliner was tricky to ironing! I got rid of the wrinkles so now it's ready for installment. Another thing is that the headliner insulation was done in Three parts. All restoration replacement stuff is a two piece replacement!! I wonder why they can't do it the way it was. Way much easier!

The last inside front splash shield arrived awile ago. Now it's glass beaded and got the right paint. I had the rubber parts frpom DMT so know everything is ready for installment again.

I was also able to get a mint clip for holding the fuel return pipe in plave inside the trunk So know everything inside the trunk is done.

 

[kmccabe56]

So know everything inside the trunk is done.

Do you have the tire changing instruction sheet for the underside of the decklid?

Did you cut out a new piece of masonite for the spare tire cover?

The trunk mat in your pictures looks really good. Is it the rubber backed mat or the flannelette version?

 

[65dartcharger]

So know everything inside the trunk is done.

Do you have the tire changing instruction sheet for the underside of the decklid? Yes, I have put it in place. Check!

Did you cut out a new piece of masonite for the spare tire cover? Yepp, it's done. Check!

The trunk mat in your pictures looks really good. Is it the rubber backed mat or the flannelette version? It's a rubber backed mat. Check!

Thanks for that Dan. Dantes had them and they looks really good. Tomorrow I will make date stamps for them from potatoes!!
I even added the small blackphosphated clips that holds the wiring harness inside the trunk lid!

Today I used my brother-in-laws's old headliner to get all the measurements. Hey, we even found a date code and a IMP stamp inside!!

After some measuring I chopped the channels on the backside cause they were too long. Now the bows is visible about 2 inch on each side. According to the shop manual the start was at the rear glass. Attach the rear headliner bow with the spring in the rear upper roof bow. And after a while me and my friend Johan stopped with the front bow. Then we glued the front of the headliner and then at the back. BUT, I forgot I need the cardboard sides on the inside of the C-pillar post. So they need to be made before I can do the sides on the headliner.

So far the result is ok, I have never done this before!!

 

[kmccabe56]

If I'm reading the coding correctly on your replacement headliner, it can be used in both 4dr sedans as well as two door hardtops. Your installation looks good thus far. Now comes the fun part of pulling it tight to the sides!

Do you have your finish panels for the base of the roof pillars painted and ready to go?

 

[65dartcharger]

If I'm reading the coding correctly on your replacement headliner, it can be used in both 4dr sedans as well as two door hardtops. Your installation looks good thus far. Now comes the fun part of pulling it tight to the sides!

Do you have your finish panels for the base of the roof pillars painted and ready to go?

I will give it a try with help of my friends. The finish panel needs paint. Why was it black? The insulation is/was white!

 

[kmccabe56]

I will give it a try with help of my friends. The finish panel needs paint. Why was it black? The insulation is/was white!

The pieces I'm thinking of go at the bottom rear of the quarter window, cover some of the painted panel at the base of the window and basically finish trim the headliner at the roof pillar. And they're paint the interior trim colour.

At the moment I can't think of what piece you're referring to that would be black.

 

[kmccabe56]

This is the piece I'm referring to.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...=rc&uact=3&dur=1204&page=14&start=642&ndsp=52

 

[65dartcharger]

The pieces I'm thinking of go at the bottom rear of the quarter window, cover some of the painted panel at the base of the window and basically finish trim the headliner at the roof pillar. And they're paint the interior trim colour.

At the moment I can't think of what piece you're referring to that would be black.

Kevin! The first picture is the cardboard gthat is behind the headliner on the C-pillar post. That's why I wonder why it was black? Does not make sence since the rest of the insulation was white. It might even be that you can see through in punched holes! The cardboard is attached by one screw too!

This is the digits that needs to be done for the trunk mat. I going to make three potatoes cause otherwise it will be too long.

 

[kmccabe56]

I'd say that black piece is like the other sound insulation material you've found elsewhere in the car. Of necessity, it had to be thin, so applying that tar-like coating to it, would help with noise transmission through the unibody. Didn't you find something similar at a building material store?

As for the mat, I'm guessing that's the date of manufacture (8 22) with 1 being the shift and 1648BX7 being the part number. Not sure what the small "H" would represent.

 

[slantsixdan]

H'mmm. 1648BX7 is formatted like a colour-coded trim item, but the number seems much too low for an item that didn't exist until 1963. I can't find the trunk mat in the '65 FPC, though.

 

[65dartcharger]

H'mmm. 1648BX7 is formatted like a colour-coded trim item, but the number seems much too low for an item that didn't exist until 1963. I can't find the trunk mat in the '65 FPC, though.

Thanks for your input guys. I think 8 is August, date is 22, 1 might be the first shift but can H stand for type of mat? Like Herringbone, Gray plaid etc?

Dan! I checked out the interior section too but no trunk mat! In section 23-20-29 I found Mat, rear deck floor part#1613TA7 but I'm not sure it's the right one!

Did get some thicker paper today at an Art Shop. They even had it in black! I transferred the dimension and used a sizzor to cut them in shape. So now I can add them next time I'll do the headliner.

 

[slantsixdan]

Ah, good spotting, I see the same thing in '65: 1613 TA7 for all Darts and Valiants except convertible, 1614 TA7 for convertible. Your 1648 BX7 does show up in '66 for Valiants, while Darts continue to specify 1613 TA7.

can H stand for type of mat? Like Herringbone, Gray plaid etc?

No, don't think so.

 

[65dartcharger]

Ah, good spotting, I see the same thing in '65: 1613 TA7 for all Darts and Valiants except convertible, 1614 TA7 for convertible. Your 1648 BX7 does show up in '66 for Valiants, while Darts continue to specify 1613 TA7.



No, don't think so.

Dan! In that case my friend Johan must have a 66 Valiant trunk mat. I'll just switch the numbers to 1613 TA7. Thanks for the help Dan! I need to get some new potatoes.......:banghead:

 

[kmccabe56]

I'm too lazy to go downstairs and look. Does the FPC show the same trunk floormat for Valiant and Dart? I could see where there'd be a difference between the two cars because of the wheelbase, but I can't think of anything offhand that would require a different p/n for a convertible, unless it uses a more sound absorbing material for the mat.

 

[slantsixdan]

Er…kmccabe56, the answer to your question is right up there in post #2245 of this very thread!

Slightly different cutout shape of the trunk mat for convertibles, IIRC.

 

[65dartcharger]

Er…kmccabe56, the answer to your question is right up there in post #2245 of this very thread!

Slightly different cutout shape of the trunk mat for convertibles, IIRC.

Dan! What about the masonite that covers the spare wheel. Is that the same for hardtops, sedans and convertibles? Or is the convertibles different too? I'm about to cut that one tonight and I don't know if the two ones I got is the same!

 

[slantsixdan]

I have seen some variation in the shape of the masonite spare tire cover, but it's been by year (and maybe assembly plant), not by body style. At 23-04-229, the '65 FPC shows 2419 361 for all A-bodies except wagons and Barracudas. Same in '64 and '66.