Sounds just like my wife!
1966 Dart "Rustoration"
- Thread starter 340duster340
- Start date
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Sounds just like my wife!
340duster340
Well-Known Member
yeah, well still no patio set, but i did get in the garage to make some more progress. the front suspension is out, and i will need to do some reinforcing to the shock towers.
once all repaired, and cleaned + painted, the car will be sporting 11.75 oem type disc brake set up with FFI sway bar and tubular UCAs.
one nice thing about having it all apart is that it will be easy to run the brake lines.
before
during:
after:
close up of the shock towers, that were previously repaired... super
once all repaired, and cleaned + painted, the car will be sporting 11.75 oem type disc brake set up with FFI sway bar and tubular UCAs.
one nice thing about having it all apart is that it will be easy to run the brake lines.
before
during:
after:
close up of the shock towers, that were previously repaired... super
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
Looks like it will be a fun little car.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
long time no post, can believe its been 4 months or so since i have been able to do real work on the car. in any case got in the garage today.
mounted the master, prop valve and bent up some lines.
mounted the master, prop valve and bent up some lines.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
also made some reinforcing plates for the K-frame.
66Dartdriver
Well-Known Member
Nice work! Keep after it! It is amazing how time flies during these Restos!! Gotta love the 66 lol!
That's going to be a fun ride when you're done with it.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
340duster340
Well-Known Member
FFI adjustable strut rods, sway bar, rebuilt LCA with reinforcing plate and poly bushings, new 1.1 t-bars. passenger side done. hopefully can get the other side done next weekend and then start on cleaning up and installing the spindles etc.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
well a year+ has passed, and given we have a 2.5 year old and a new born, not much progress on the car.
i have been chop-shopping in my precious spare time which has yielded some extra funds and some GOOD parts for the dart.
most recently parted a 70 dart and kept the 340/727 for the dart, here is a shot of the 340 sitting in place.
i also managed to get a new job, which means i have the next 3 week off, so hopefully can make more progress on the car,
i have been chop-shopping in my precious spare time which has yielded some extra funds and some GOOD parts for the dart.
most recently parted a 70 dart and kept the 340/727 for the dart, here is a shot of the 340 sitting in place.
i also managed to get a new job, which means i have the next 3 week off, so hopefully can make more progress on the car,
Treblig
Well-Known Member
Is that a 60s 340 driver's manifold in the '66 Dart?? It looks like it fits with no problem. What do you have on the passenger's side and why don't you show some pics of the other side?? It's looking great!!
Is that a stock steering box?? You have to give plenty of details (and pics) so other Early A owners will know what to do and which route to take.
THIS IS EXCITING!!! I get many, many requests/questions from early A owners about which LARGE manifolds will work and which won't. It's going to be nice to show them your "restoration" thread to prove what can and can't be done with an early A!!
Keep us posted!! AND GIVE DETAILS!!!
Treblig
Is that a stock steering box?? You have to give plenty of details (and pics) so other Early A owners will know what to do and which route to take.
THIS IS EXCITING!!! I get many, many requests/questions from early A owners about which LARGE manifolds will work and which won't. It's going to be nice to show them your "restoration" thread to prove what can and can't be done with an early A!!
Keep us posted!! AND GIVE DETAILS!!!
Treblig
I hear that! I get the same!
It seems to be an worldwide issue!!
I must admit that you've done a great job on your car. It will look cool when road ready!
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
All ya got to tell her is you have to do all the mechanical stuff to make it reliable first, and then just keep tinkering with it and never finish it. Hey these cars are never done anyways right?
340duster340
Well-Known Member
i will get more pics, there is a lot of room. i also saved the down pipes off the donor car and will see how they fit. my only concern is the steering column, i don't think the factor coupler will clear. but some combination of borgeson coupler and shaft will make it work.
tomorrow i should have the transmission in so i will be in a better position to know what angle the engine will be setting at (right now propped up with a floor jack).
340duster340
Well-Known Member
my wife is great about it (the cars), she knows its my therapy. her only request is for them to be in nicer condition. the junk cars are all part of a strategy for her to be OK with my buying a restored mopar of some kind. bigger house first, + need to finish this 66... BUT then a road runner or perhaps a high option 340 duster. or more likely more rusted out a-bodies.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
here are some details / updates on the manifolds:
- 1970 hipo 340 manifolds, mated to a 340 / 727 combo
- stock 273 mounts and brackets, i need to weld a tab to the passenger side
- stock manual steering box (rebuilt)
exhaust routing will be tricky, but looks do-able
- 1970 hipo 340 manifolds, mated to a 340 / 727 combo
- stock 273 mounts and brackets, i need to weld a tab to the passenger side
- stock manual steering box (rebuilt)
exhaust routing will be tricky, but looks do-able
Treblig
Well-Known Member
EXCELLENT PICS!!!! It's looking really good!! That looks like a column shifter car, if you had a console shifter column you'd probably have more room for the factory steering coupler but Borgeson should fix the problem. I wonder if one of my custom made 120 degree mandrel bent 340 down pipes would work in your application?? I make these for 67 and up A body members who buy my 340/360 manifolds sets. It's almost impossible for a muffler shop to make a super tight radiius 2 1/2" mandrel bend, if fact, they can't!!.
treblig
treblig
340duster340
Well-Known Member
i am not even sure if a 2 1/2 pipe will fit between the t-bar and the engine with all the crowding under there.
BUT if you want to send one out here i am happy to test fit it for you. if it fits, i might even buy it. .... i haven't even talked my exhaust guy, but i was thinking i might have to neck down the down pipe for clearance. we'll see.
++ the 727 has to come out again so i can clearance the tunnel. what a nightmare. that thing is so darn heavy, i am really dreading it.
BUT if you want to send one out here i am happy to test fit it for you. if it fits, i might even buy it.
.... i haven't even talked my exhaust guy, but i was thinking i might have to neck down the down pipe for clearance. we'll see.++ the 727 has to come out again so i can clearance the tunnel. what a nightmare. that thing is so darn heavy, i am really dreading it.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
here is an update so folks don't lose hope on their projects. as long as you keep working on the car it i will eventually get done! that is what i keep telling myself at least.
i started replacing the floors, once this is done the car will move to completion quickly.
with some basic tools and moderate skill level, i think most folks can do this work. i am going to flange and lap weld to save time as i am doing this between naps from the kids. to cut the floor out and very rough fit is about 2 hours of work so far.
this is my first attempt at this type of repair and i have to say, its really not that bad, just take your time and have the right tools.
i started replacing the floors, once this is done the car will move to completion quickly.
with some basic tools and moderate skill level, i think most folks can do this work. i am going to flange and lap weld to save time as i am doing this between naps from the kids. to cut the floor out and very rough fit is about 2 hours of work so far.
this is my first attempt at this type of repair and i have to say, its really not that bad, just take your time and have the right tools.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
long story short ... nearly a year has gone by and i bought a welder, discovered how awesome cleco fasteners are, broke down and got a good spot weld cutter, bought the rear most floor pan section from a member here, and installed the rear floor pan sections and US car tool frame connectors.
i hope to have the front floor pans done by the end of the month and will do all the remaining welds and finish work then. after that its all down hill - fuel system, brakes, wiring.
for those that have never done sheet metal work (like me ) i would say if you have average or better fabrication skills its really easy to replace the floor pans.
i hope to have the front floor pans done by the end of the month and will do all the remaining welds and finish work then. after that its all down hill - fuel system, brakes, wiring.
for those that have never done sheet metal work (like me ) i would say if you have average or better fabrication skills its really easy to replace the floor pans.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
also i picked this up and since i have to take the trans out to do the floor pan, the 4 speed could be going in soon.....for the early a body folks out there, what are my options as far as a floor hump goes? also need to figure out the z bar situation.
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Nice job. Yes clecos are awesome. I use em every day as an aircraft sheetmetal structural repair mechanic. I use em on my automotive as well. At about $5.00 a dozen its worth buying about $20 worth for doing auto sheetmetal repair/replacement.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
thanks, made some more progress today....front floor almost done.
to finish off the passenger floors i need to make at patch for the gap that the replacement pans didnt cover, weld the underside panel seam, and weld the floor to the US car tool contoured frame connectors.
to finish off the passenger floors i need to make at patch for the gap that the replacement pans didnt cover, weld the underside panel seam, and weld the floor to the US car tool contoured frame connectors.
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