1965 Dodge Dart Charger

[kmccabe56]

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.

Like I said: Lazy. You know how crowded things are downstairs and I just didn't feel like shifting 3-4 piles of stuff to get into that shelf to look. Interesting that somebody finally decided in 1966 that V needed a different floormat than L. I take that to mean that the pre '66 floormat was a mouthful in a V trunk?

 

[slantsixdan]

That's the weirdness of it all: nothing changed about the trunk shapes of Darts and Valiants (respectively) from '65 to '66. Maybe a slightly cheaper mat for the Valiant as a cost-reduction measure...? AFAIR, all the repro trunk mats presently available in North America are one part number for '63-'66 Dart and Valiant. Without looking, I seem to remember some vendors offering Convertible-specific mats. Large physical interchange on these; the '63-'66 A-body repro mat fit nicely in my '62 Lancer (which now has an ultra-deluxe mat sourced from Australia).

 

[kmccabe56]

That's the weirdness of it all: nothing changed about the trunk shapes of Darts and Valiants (respectively) from '65 to '66. Maybe a slightly cheaper mat for the Valiant as a cost-reduction measure...? AFAIR, all the repro trunk mats presently available in North America are one part number for '63-'66 Dart and Valiant. Without looking, I seem to remember some vendors offering Convertible-specific mats. Large physical interchange on these; the '63-'66 A-body repro mat fit nicely in my '62 Lancer (which now has an ultra-deluxe mat sourced from Australia).

Getting off topic, but how is it that the Aussies are repopping/recreating all the good /6 and A-body stuff?

 

[65dartcharger]

That's the weirdness of it all: nothing changed about the trunk shapes of Darts and Valiants (respectively) from '65 to '66. Maybe a slightly cheaper mat for the Valiant as a cost-reduction measure...? AFAIR, all the repro trunk mats presently available in North America are one part number for '63-'66 Dart and Valiant. Without looking, I seem to remember some vendors offering Convertible-specific mats. Large physical interchange on these; the '63-'66 A-body repro mat fit nicely in my '62 Lancer (which now has an ultra-deluxe mat sourced from Australia).

What was the partnumber on the trunk mat for 1964? When you compare the 65 and 66 FPC they even call them different names!! The only difference between a convertible and a hardtop/sedan is the lenght of the kick-up area above the rear end. Convertible cars have a shorter area then hardtop/sedan cars!

Re the masonite cover for the spare wheel, this is the way my best cover look like. I have two of them and they are the same. Any one else having some other model? My car is assembled in LA if there should be any differencies between the plats.

I'm also looking for the right anti-freeze decal for the radiator support. I don't have a car that hasone to compare wuith. Any help is gladly appriciated.

 

[65 Dartman]

Re the masonite cover for the spare wheel, this is the way my best cover look like. I have two of them and they are the same. Any one else having some other model? My car is assembled in LA if there should be any differencies between the plats.

I have several and will see if they're the same as the one in your picture.

{QUOTE] I'm also looking for the right anti-freeze decal for the radiator support. I don't have a car that hasone to compare wuith. Any help is gladly appriciated.[/QUOTE]

I don't remember if my CA-built Dart wagon still had the antifreeze decal but will take a look and report back.

 

[slantsixdan]

Getting off topic, but how is it that the Aussies are repopping/recreating all the good /6 and A-body stuff?

Because Valiants, especially the early ones, are held in much higher regard in Australia than in North America, with accordingly higher prices and resultant bigger market for repro parts.

 

[slantsixdan]

The lowermost decal in your collection was used thru '64. The others are three repro variants of the type of decal that belongs on your '65 car. I'm afraid I don't have enough of an original left to say which of the three repros is closest.

'64 trunk mats were 1613 TA7 (except convertible) and 1614 TA7 (convertible).
'63 trunk mats were 1613 TA7 (except convertible) and 2413 999 (convertible).

 

[65dartcharger]

Here is what I found on Google! This might solve the problem!

Mopar / Chrysler Antifreeze Decals
(All Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth)
● "Simple" Mopar: 1963-and-earlier. Decal is located on center driver side of radiator yolk top. If yolk is too narrow, place decal on grille support bracket. Black and red print on matte yellow vinyl.

● Mopar: 1964 through late December 1968 production. Decal is located on driver side of radiator yolk top. If yolk is too narrow, place decal on grille support bracket. Black and red print on matte yellow vinyl.

● Chrysler: Very late December 1968 through 1973 production. Used beyond these years on trucks. Correct "-20º F" printing. Decal is located on driver side of radiator yolk top. If yolk is too narrow, place decal on grille support bracket. Black and red print on matte yellow vinyl.
● Warm Climate: Pre-1969 models shipped to U.S. Southeast or Southwest. Mopar anti-freeze yellow decal was also used on these cars. Decal is located on passenger side or center of radiator yolk top. Black print on matte yellow vinyl.
 Two versions available: Early: caps/lower case; Later: all caps.

● Mopar: 1974-and-later. Decal is located on driver side of radiator yolk top. Black, blue and red print on matte white vinyl.

 

[65dartcharger]

It took 4 potatoes to make the stamps for the trunk mat. They became excellent but now as I'm writing this I need to change the partnumber from 1648BA7 to 1613TA7. ****!! Oh my! Well, that'll be changed tomorrow! But 1,5 hours hurts your back big time! :banghead:

 

[slantsixdan]

Here is what I found on Google!

Careful, Ulf. "I read it on the internet, so it must be true!" isn't true. Moreover, what you found does not resolve the issue of which of the three "reproduction" decals you originally showed, each with the same text arranged a little differently, is closest to the original.

 

[slantsixdan]

It took 4 potatoes to make the stamps for the trunk mat.

Your patience, steady hand, and resourcefulness (potatoes!) are truly awesome.

 

[kmccabe56]

Not to throw cold water on your excellent efforts with your potato stamps, but isn't a mat from August a little off for a January built car?

Actually, you do get a bit of a pass as far as dates go for an L.A. built car. Since there would have been very few suppliers in the immediate area, I'm thinking much of what the plant assembled into cars was shipped a considerable distance. Under FWIW, I have a '79 Aspen wagon that was built at Hamtramck with an engine built at the Windsor Engine Plant. Both have the same build date and the engine is original to the car.

 

[chryslerfat]

In America we eat potatoes. Just kidding it looks great

 

[65dartcharger]

Not to throw cold water on your excellent efforts with your potato stamps, but isn't a mat from August a little off for a January built car?

Actually, you do get a bit of a pass as far as dates go for an L.A. built car. Since there would have been very few suppliers in the immediate area, I'm thinking much of what the plant assembled into cars was shipped a considerable distance. Under FWIW, I have a '79 Aspen wagon that was built at Hamtramck with an engine built at the Windsor Engine Plant. Both have the same build date and the engine is original to the car.

Kevin!

On my car I have found parts from April 1964 to week 5 of 1965. There might several reasons;

1. The supplier shipped the parts with a regularity that Chrysler required without any problem. These parts have a short time supply which means date codes are close to assembly date.

2. Same scenario as above but the supplier had problems. The time for storage at the plant is longer which means older parts for the assembly line.

3. The supplier had huge problems with just-in-time shipments which required shipments from other plants. I know that the LA plant had most of the parts produced by suppliers in the neighbourhood.

4. I've heard rumors about some supplier that had huge problems with delivery due to some unknown problems. That caused the scenario that the plants were pulling cars off the line until the required parts showed up!!

On my car the most common date codes are August to October of 1964. That is simply the reason for choosing August 22 as date code. Since my friend Johan had his trunk mat with that code it is easier to have something to compare with so the fonts and style is the same when I did the stamps.

 

[65dartcharger]

OK, the rest of the stamping is done. The masonite for the trunk fllor will arrive tomorrow. Then I will cut it and make it correct looking.

A thing that I have been looking for years is a correct master cylinder cap. Today it arrived and it looks great. Now I'm just waiting for the brake line between the rear axle and the front brake tee.

 

[kmccabe56]

Kevin!

On my car I have found parts from April 1964 to week 5 of 1965. There might several reasons;

1. The supplier shipped the parts with a regularity that Chrysler required without any problem. These parts have a short time supply which means date codes are close to assembly date.

2. Same scenario as above but the supplier had problems. The time for storage at the plant is longer which means older parts for the assembly line.

3. The supplier had huge problems with just-in-time shipments which required shipments from other plants. I know that the LA plant had most of the parts produced by suppliers in the neighbourhood.

4. I've heard rumors about some supplier that had huge problems with delivery due to some unknown problems. That caused the scenario that the plants were pulling cars off the line until the required parts showed up!!

On my car the most common date codes are August to October of 1964. That is simply the reason for choosing August 22 as date code. Since my friend Johan had his trunk mat with that code it is easier to have something to compare with so the fonts and style is the same when I did the stamps.

1. Agree

2. Don't understand this one. If a supplier has problems with producing/shipping a particular part, the date codes should be even closer to the build date of the car.

3. Haven't done any homework on the supply base to L.A. assembly, so I can't confirm or refute.

4. Back in the day, this was a FAR more common occurrence that you would imagine. At Windsor Assembly, there is a huge holding area in the front of the plant that is visible to anyone walking/driving past the plant. To those who didn't know better, it was just the plant displaying new cars prior to shipment. In reality it was their outdoor repair yard. Not uncommon to see it absolutely full to the brim.

 

[65dartcharger]

1. Agree

2. Don't understand this one. If a supplier has problems with producing/shipping a particular part, the date codes should be even closer to the build date of the car. I think if the supplier had delivery problems Chrysler ordered larger quantities to reduce the problems on the assembly line. Due to that date on suppliers stuff was older.

3. Haven't done any homework on the supply base to L.A. assembly, so I can't confirm or refute. I have a list of the material that was provided by suppliers in the state of California. And it is more then I thought of!

4. Back in the day, this was a FAR more common occurrence that you would imagine. At Windsor Assembly, there is a huge holding area in the front of the plant that is visible to anyone walking/driving past the plant. To those who didn't know better, it was just the plant displaying new cars prior to shipment. In reality it was their outdoor repair yard. Not uncommon to see it absolutely full to the brim.

I think you are right. I now problems for auto makers today and they had the same poroblem then too. It was a way to keep the production running. It was cheaper to put away unfinished cars instead of having the assembly line standing still.

 

[65dartcharger]

It took some time but I enjoyed the result.

Before and after!

Now I just to get a date coded rim!

 

[toolmanmike]

Nice work Ulf......................!

 

[slantsixdan]

It was cheaper to put away unfinished cars instead of having the assembly line standing still.

True, and that is why I am kind of baffled by guys who will spend big money having grease crayons specially made so they can "exactly duplicate" the "correct colour" of the inspector's scribble mark on the rear axle housing (or whatever). Um...that mark was almost certainly whatever colour of crayon fell to hand. They weren't going to stop the line because they were out of a particular, specific, exact shade of yellow (or whatever).

 

[65dartcharger]

True, and that is why I am kind of baffled by guys who will spend big money having grease crayons specially made so they can "exactly duplicate" the "correct colour" of the inspector's scribble mark on the rear axle housing (or whatever). Um...that mark was almost certainly whatever colour of crayon fell to hand. They weren't going to stop the line because they were out of a particular, specific, exact shade of yellow (or whatever).

You got a point there Dan! I've seen markings that is not exact what other cars has. However there seems to be some kind of standard even if there is difference in markings between cars.

I was in the wheel department today. I was chasing down nice looking wheel without rust! After a couple of hours I found two beautiful wheels. However adrer removing the tire I found out that they were newer. That is picture number one. You can also see that the center section is different then picture two. That wheel is older and from mid-sixties. My son Kevin has taken the tire off so I will get it later tonight.

So this seems to be my lastchance for a correct wheel. Otherwise I need to start looking over in US!

 

[kmccabe56]

True, and that is why I am kind of baffled by guys who will spend big money having grease crayons specially made so they can "exactly duplicate" the "correct colour" of the inspector's scribble mark on the rear axle housing (or whatever). Um...that mark was almost certainly whatever colour of crayon fell to hand. They weren't going to stop the line because they were out of a particular, specific, exact shade of yellow (or whatever).

All of the plants bought these grease pencils, or paint daubers or whatever other sort of marking device they used by the case lot from the cheapest vendor. And when they went to general stores to req them out to use, if G.S. didn't have a particular colour, they'd use whatever was on hand.

I don't think in any of the chassis graphics books I've ever seen there's a callout for a torque I.D. mark to be a specific colour. Those marks are all a visual confirmation for a quality control check.

There's a slim possibility that the colour changed with the shift, or an even more remote chance the colour was specific to an individual operator. Inspection stamps are may have been specific to the inspector using them, but that's as close as you'd come to tying a specific mark to a specific individual.

 

[65dartcharger]

All of the plants bought these grease pencils, or paint daubers or whatever other sort of marking device they used by the case lot from the cheapest vendor. And when they went to general stores to req them out to use, if G.S. didn't have a particular colour, they'd use whatever was on hand.

I don't think in any of the chassis graphics books I've ever seen there's a callout for a torque I.D. mark to be a specific colour. Those marks are all a visual confirmation for a quality control check.

There's a slim possibility that the colour changed with the shift, or an even more remote chance the colour was specific to an individual operator. Inspection stamps are may have been specific to the inspector using them, but that's as close as you'd come to tying a specific mark to a specific individual.

Thanks for the updates. I will go through some old documents with splots. I think I have late 60ies!

When I continued in the Wheel department I had my luck today. A ruyst free rim with the date code M4. That indicates December of 1964. So I started to glass bead the darn thing but my glass is almost like baking powder!!!

Tomorrow I will get a new bag of glass to continue glass beading. I think this rim will do good with right primer and the right black face. Then I will add the 7.00 x 13 white wall even if it's used. I I ran into another tires I can always change.

 

[kmccabe56]

Thanks for the updates. I will go through some old documents with splots. I think I have late 60ies!

When I continued in the Wheel department I had my luck today. A ruyst free rim with the date code M4. That indicates December of 1964. So I started to glass bead the darn thing but my glass is almost like baking powder!!!

Tomorrow I will get a new bag of glass to continue glass beading. I think this rim will do good with right primer and the right black face. Then I will add the 7.00 x 13 white wall even if it's used. I I ran into another tires I can always change.

Here's another tidbit you may or may not have run across. Kelsey-Hayes operated a wheel plant in Windsor for many, many years. Finished wheels had a runout spec for the tire mounting surfaces, and .000 runout was considered scrap! Unfortunately, I never heard what the upper runout limit was.

 

[kmccabe56]

Ulf

Here's one of those oddball exhaust clamps you were looking for. No date on the part I'm sure, so ignore the applications listed as well as the part number.
ebay: 271371119850