1966 dart convertible

[pyrojim]

Heading down to the MOPAR expo in Indianapolis this morning! If anyone is going to be there, pm me, I'll buy you a beer.
That being said, I got a new antenna was supposed to be for a 66 a body,
Problem is, the existing chrome trim/bezel doesn't seem to work. Had anyone replaced their antenna with success, If so, where did you get it? The threaded nut is too big and nothing really fits properly. Picture shows original hardware on top, new stuff on the bottom.
Thanks!

Does anyone have a picture of the antenna mount on the outside of the car?? I am looking for the proper antenna, but I'm tired of buying crap that is supposed to be "as original" and finding this.
Also, I'm sure there is supposed to be a support from the radio stud to the dash but I have no idea what I'm looking for. Yes, I have the manual, no, doesn't show a lot.
Thanks.
Jim

 

[66Dvert]

They are. two top pieces for the doors and top two pieces for the fenders.
:angry1:

Pyrojim

I was shipping mine in a cardboard tube I got from somewhere, but a member here turned me on to the ultimate shipping container for straight trim
thick walled PVC pipe! that saved me so much grief it isn't funny.

Hardtop pieces are the same.
I'm running a hardtop drivers side door piece and a passengers side fender piece. no alterations are necessary.
Post a wanted add on here and you'll likely get a few offers. sorry bout the damage. it looks like it can be fixed but it'll take a bunch of time to do it.

 

[66Dvert]

Does anyone have a picture of the antenna mount on the outside of the car?? I am looking for the proper antenna, but I'm tired of buying crap that is supposed to be "as original" and finding this.
Also, I'm sure there is supposed to be a support from the radio stud to the dash but I have no idea what I'm looking for. Yes, I have the manual, no, doesn't show a lot.
Thanks.
Jim

here is a picture of the one in the manual. that picture you have is close. I have seen 2 or 3 different types of antennas on these darts and all of them were clainmed to be original. there's a member(Sweden member I think) on here that is doing a 65 restoration from the ground up (AWESOME skills) he should know exactly what type you need for your dart
the rear radio strap looks like a ummm thick plumbers hanger strap. basically it is a strip of metal with holes in it to mount it to the back of the radoi and to the top underside of the dash .
View attachment antenna clip.jpg

here's one I took from the web. but I think it was a polara , I'm still looking for the dart bracket that came on my car.
View attachment radio bracket.JPG

 

[pyrojim]

Appreciate it Kurt. The piece I need is the saddle that it sits in under the fender. Luckily, I helped a buddy put the antenna in his 70 Coronet and he had a spare laring around. Also, I did buy a complete GT hardtop trim package for $50.00 on here. It needs help, but it'll do. Plus, a lot of additional clips in there.
Thanks again Kurt.
Jim

 

[pyrojim]

Well, Finally getting some paint on it. Inside the passenger compartment is finished in single stage!!
Color looks REAL GOOD!!!

 

[pyrojim]

A couple questions. What are the cage nuts for?? I assume the splash shields? #2. The manual shows braces from the fender to the bumper brackets? Can anyone verify this? #3. What are you running for shocks on the back? Don't have any so I'm not sure what the right ones are.
Thanks.

 

[65dartcharger]

The cage nuts are for the inner front splash shield!

 

[pyrojim]

More unidentified parts. Help is appreciated

 

[pyrojim]

One more

 

[pyrojim]

Does anyone know what the support bracket looks like for a 66 dart? And the attachments points??
Thanks

 

[pyrojim]

Finally, a little color!!

 

[mopar_muscle]

Thats exciting! The paint looks great!! I feel like this is gona be a real nice car.

Louwtjie

 

[65dartcharger]

Does anyone have a picture of the antenna mount on the outside of the car?? I am looking for the proper antenna, but I'm tired of buying crap that is supposed to be "as original" and finding this.
Also, I'm sure there is supposed to be a support from the radio stud to the dash but I have no idea what I'm looking for. Yes, I have the manual, no, doesn't show a lot.
Thanks.
Jim

This is how the antenna should be mounted. Let me know if you need additional pictures.

 

[pyrojim]

thanks Dartcharger. I had misc mixed up pieces. I had all the chrome, but couldn't find only the cable and saddle. Wound up with a whole new antenna. Moved on to seat belts. The ones I have are scratched and the webbing is a mess so I've decided to buy new. Anyone have a good supplier?
Thanks.
Jim

 

[66Dvert]

thanks Dartcharger. I had misc mixed up pieces. I had all the chrome, but couldn't find only the cable and saddle. Wound up with a whole new antenna. Moved on to seat belts. The ones I have are scratched and the webbing is a mess so I've decided to buy new. Anyone have a good supplier?
Thanks.
Jim

Jim I saw some on ebay that were for a sunbeam tiger that looked like a super close match. I was thinking on getting them for the white interior for the wife's dart
I have not gotten around to emailing him about the lengths yet but the buckles look really close.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Sunbeam...nbeam|Model:Tiger&hash=item2ed28fef1f&vxp=mtr



BTW Paint looks AWESOME!!! the brackets you have pictured look like none on a 63-66 that I have seen.

 

[66Dvert]

A couple questions. What are the cage nuts for?? I assume the splash shields? #2. The manual shows braces from the fender to the bumper brackets? Can anyone verify this? #3. What are you running for shocks on the back? Don't have any so I'm not sure what the right ones are.
Thanks.

I just ordered gas charged shocks. (for my driver they are monroe shocks) for the wife's I will order Bilstien or KYB gas charged " lots more money" and a better shock

these are the monroes I use on mine for now.
http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1965/dodge/dart/suspension/shock_absorber.html

 

[pyrojim]

Thanks Kurt. I ordered the KYB gas adjust. Had em for the front, so I matched the rear. They were the KG551. Bolted up fine.
I know we've been through this before, but, I'm still looking for repop clips for the rocker moldings. Anyone have a good source?
Thanks. They look like this.

 

[pyrojim]

Can anyone tell me if this is factory or a home made conversion? I know the car started with power steering, now has manual. I want to rebuild the steering coupler and not sure if that's even possible here???

 

[pyrojim]

On a brighter note, dash is pretty much assembled. Find a picture online and had to make the radio support bracket. At least I know how it attaches. I think I'm going to make a ground strap from the radio support post to the dash to the body. the support from what I can tell just sits in the bottom of the dash frame.

 

[66Dvert]

Thanks Kurt. I ordered the KYB gas adjust. Had em for the front, so I matched the rear. They were the KG551. Bolted up fine.
I know we've been through this before, but, I'm still looking for repop clips for the rocker moldings. Anyone have a good source?
Thanks. They look like this.

Hey Jim
there might be a substitute on "justclipsauto.com" , you won't find anyone making the original ones. I'm waiting on a response from the place as to the total height of the clip. it does not have the 2 pinch clips to lock it onto the car though. just 2 holes that looks like a close match to the holes in the car. they are narrower than originals
sample board 5 has some 2787 looks good but might be small. but they did say give em a call. so far I know they go on a 66 dart and a 65 Plymouth satellite and have not seen that size on many others. cuda and such use a smaller clip.



Dash looks GOOOOOOOOD!


and yep the steering coupler is stock factory. check for play in the coupler ,a little slop here makes the steering whel move a LOOOOOng way. There is a rebuild kit out there for later models(keep your original spring clip and top gasket metal cover for re-use since the newer parts won't work on the 66's), but if the coupler is worn it will help a little but you'll still have slop. if so the you can go to a Ujoint type coupler that removes the slop but doesn't give you much forward/backward flex as the original but does give you a solid "when the wheel turns so does the gear box" feel.

 

[pyrojim]

Hey Jim
there might be a substitute on "justclipsauto.com" , you won't find anyone making the original ones. I'm waiting on a response from the place as to the total height of the clip. it does not have the 2 pinch clips to lock it onto the car though. just 2 holes that looks like a close match to the holes in the car. they are narrower than originals
sample board 5 has some 2787 looks good but might be small. but they did say give em a call. so far I know they go on a 66 dart and a 65 Plymouth satellite and have not seen that size on many others. cuda and such use a smaller clip.



Dash looks GOOOOOOOOD!


and yep the steering coupler is stock factory. check for play in the coupler ,a little slop here makes the steering whel move a LOOOOOng way. There is a rebuild kit out there for later models(keep your original spring clip and top gasket metal cover for re-use since the newer parts won't work on the 66's), but if the coupler is worn it will help a little but you'll still have slop. if so the you can go to a Ujoint type coupler that removes the slop but doesn't give you much forward/backward flex as the original but does give you a solid "when the wheel turns so does the gear box" feel.

I appreciate all the good info Kurt! Good stuff coming your way!!

 

[pyrojim]

Can anyone tell me, is this the emergency brake light switch?
Thanks

 

[66Dvert]

Can anyone tell me, is this the emergency brake light switch?
Thanks

hmm nope to me it looks like a throttle idle solenoid for the carb. but I could be wrong and am frequently (wife says so all the time) The service manual shows a wire P1 to light and p2 (light blue to switch.) but it's not in my harness and I don't see a switch in the diagram. there is only 1 mention of it in the wiring diagram no where else. Ans I don't see a light for it in the dash either.

 

[pyrojim]

Thanks kurt

 

[pyrojim]

I feel like I should know where these go? Where do these go?
And, do we know the location of the nap light under the dash? Should there be a lens? Hmmm?
Thanks