1968 SS Dart in progress

[132068Dodge]

Cool Zac! You want another Fox? HEHE! I have owned a few 5.0's. My 92 was a beast. Vortech V2 SQ S Trim, methanol injected, after cooled, stand alone EMS. The works. Ready to move into some naturally aspirated big block power with the Dart! Can't wait to get her done...

 

[zac_F71]

Cool Zac! You want another Fox? HEHE! I have owned a few 5.0's. My 92 was a beast. Vortech V2 SQ S Trim, methanol injected, after cooled, stand alone EMS. The works. Ready to move into some naturally aspirated big block power with the Dart! Can't wait to get her done...

I'm in the same boat! I want to keep a few parts off my 83 GT (prostars/ 275/60 Nitto's and 3" Dynomax's) to use on my Demon and sell both fox's to put a 383 in my Demon and get it running driving by mid summer..

 

[132068Dodge]

I am pleased to present and report on lots of progress since February of this year! I sold my 1991 Mustang which afforded me funds to complete all of the chrome, complete the interior (not pictured; seats should be done in the next week), finish restoring the front grill, finish the trunk, purchase the A/C components, etc.. The 440 is progressing as well courtesy of Dad at SS&AFX. The Dart should be up and operational within the next few months ! I've got a 2014 NHRA rule book on the way to make sure the car is compliant with the latest regulations for bracket racing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pictures and progress, I am really excited at this point. I can practically smell the race fuel

 

[805moparkid]

hey chris as long as you have the driveshaft loop and helmet i think your set. I know the bar is already in and you have the battery cutoff.

Looks great!

 

[132068Dodge]

Thanks Ed. Looks like anything 10.99 and faster has to have a bell housing shield for the transmission as well.

 

[WRB426]

This is looking real nice!!! Great job!!
But A/C???? That threw me.

 

[132068Dodge]

Thank you for the compliment. Yep. A/C, got to have it out here in AZ. Nothing like pulling into the staging lane with the A/C on then switching it back on after your run .

 

[132068Dodge]

Just washed her up today. Still 100+ degrees her in sunny Arizona so I have taken hiatus of any major work since last post. Seats are now installed and look great, 440 block is back from Chuck's speed center after all machining and balancing and I completed all deburring! Nasty casting flash! It will be sent back to have .020 shaved off the deck based on piston to deck height measurements and then clean up and assembly of the short block may begin. I will post pictures as the build progresses. I purchased a good used set of TTI long tubes off ebay about a month back for under $350.00 shipped. Some minor repair on a couple the 2" primaries and fresh ceramic coating and they will be as good as new! I cannot wait for the weather to get better soon and finish up wiring the MSD, battery cables, etc...

 

[Moparbrad]

Holy crap!!! I just saw this thread after all these years. That's my old car!!! Haha. I'm kinda jeolus if how good it looks now. Makes me want another one. That's a really nice job you're doing there so keep it up.

 

[Abodybomber]

Damn, that's nice!

 

[132068Dodge]

Thanks for the compliments Moparbrad and Abodybomber. Hey Abody, my wife and I just returnedfrom vacationing at the Family beach cabin there in Oceano. Man I love it out there! Sure beats our weather right now! Couldn't believe how many days were fog free during our stay .

 

[132068Dodge]

No way Moparbrad! Did you own it for part of the 30 years it sat in the weeds ? I have been having fun with the build ever since securing a bonded title for it 4+ years ago. I am glad you appreciate all of the hard work .

 

[davescuda]

nice car and nice work

 

[Moparbrad]

No way Moparbrad! Did you own it for part of the 30 years it sat in the weeds ? I have been having fun with the build ever since securing a bonded title for it 4+ years ago. I am glad you appreciate all of the hard work .

Yeah, I'm the one who pulled it out of the weeds in Texas along with a 68 GTS. Did you buy it from me or did you buy it from the guy who bought it from me? I can't remember who bought it, too long ago

 

[DARTGAME]

Looks awesome man, great job!

 

[2darts]

Awesome build ! Car, wheel, color combo, PERFECT

 

[z_daddy]

Wow! Thanks for the encouraging thoughts everyone . Fresh pics are attached of completed front suspension restoration including rebuilt manual steering box with 20:1 worm gear assembly, PST graphite urethane bushings, new everything including Wilwood 4 piston dynalite brakes with race length ARP screw in wheel studs, 340 torsion rods , replated hardware, etc. Rear end is SS spec, narrowed 8 3/4 with rebuilt (all new except for backing plates and parking brake levers and spanners) 11x 2 1/2" drums. The rear end will pack narrowed Yukon axles (already own and narrowed) with race length wheel studs, 4:30 gears and sure trac posi. Installed are correct, new 002/003 SS springs and new retaining hardware. Just purchased line loc, master cylinder and am soon to purchase new pre-bent brake lines. This restoration is being completed as I can afford financially as I do not want to rack up credit card debt, so it won't be done real quick. The powerplant will be a very well built 440. The period hemi's aren't exactly cheap.

That's a whole lot cash man / looks great

 

[132068Dodge]

All I can remember is that the sellers back yard was huge and the car was stashed at the north wall of the lot next to 2-3 other cars . I was happy to have picked the thing up for $1000.00. Not much rust, just a lot of dirt.

 

[132068Dodge]

z_daddy you hit the nail on the head! The money does add up but I have saved a lot and gotten lucky along the way with some freebies. I have purchased new only when I had to. Brakes for example. I am really particular about safety and a good braking system was top of the list, so nothing but new would do! Scored big on the mint used wheels for $400.00, lucked out with purchase of the 8 3/4 rear complete with 489 chunk loaded with factory posi for $150.00, clear rear glass out of one of my Dad's customer cars which was brand new, had a very small scratch in the lower corner of which the customer wanted perfect, so I got that glass for free and it looks great, sold a lot of parts I had in storage from past projects to the tune of nearly $1600.00. I performed all of the sheet metal fabrication, rust removal and repair, paint, and body work myself. Lucky again having worked with my Father off and on throughout the years in the automotive restoration business. and having use of the spray booth when the time came. Definitely would not be able to afford having someone build the car for me, Which is a point of pride as you all know. Nothing like answering the question, who built the car it looks great? and answering, I did !

 

[Moparbrad]

All I can remember is that the sellers back yard was huge and the car was stashed at the north wall of the lot next to 2-3 other cars . I was happy to have picked the thing up for $1000.00. Not much rust, just a lot of dirt.

Yep, that was me. That was my friends back yard but my car. Glad you did something with it :happy1:

 

[132068Dodge]

So have you still got some to sell? Any other 68's?

 

[132068Dodge]

Got the block back from Chuck's speed center and cleaned it up last weekend. I grooved the lifter bores for additional oiling to cam lobes since I am running a flat tappet, honed lifter bores as necessary to attain perfect fit and movement, installed all block plugs minus cam plug for now, file fit the total seal rings, mic'd and installed crankshaft, set thrust bearing, installed camshaft, installed number one piston after measuring tolerances, torqued to spec, installed oil pump, and degreed the cam with 2* of retard so as not to run out of top end in 1/4 mile. The timing chain is soaking in oil and I will resume the build next Saturday when I will finish installing rings on pistons and drive the remaining slugs home . I am not rushing the build and Dad is a huge help in making sure the 440 build runs smoothly. What he says goes!

 

[132068Dodge]

Well, I just received my new 440 source stealth aluminum heads, 1.5 ratio rocker shaft and roller rocker assemblies today. Everything looks great and I cant wait to get it all up to my Dad's shop, tear the heads down and check everything :burnout:. I also threw in some pictures of my freshly finished front seats and polished vintage holley valve covers.

 

[EL5DEMON340]

Very nice !!

 

[HemiMark]

Love the progress................ Looks fantastic. :cheers: