1969 Dodge Dart Swinger clean up

[1969dodgedart]

I feel your pain . Its insane the money we have to dish out getting parts across the border . Just put in a fairly large order with Classic Industries a few weeks ago and I'm trying something different. Having CSA transport pu the order and Near North do the brokerage for the shipment, hopefully saves some serious dough. A few years ago I needed a fairly large batch of parts for the Dart's motor etc from Summit , Stinger , Schumacher and so on so I ordered everything had it shipped to a hotel in Buffalo then took my wife down to do some shopping. Everything was sitting there waiting when we arrived so the next day loaded up and we hit the border at Lewiston told them we had stuff to declare, walked in pd gst on the value of the order ,took 5 mins and we left . Went very smooth and only pd tax on the US value, they didn't convert back to Canadian before figuring it out.

 

[dadsbee]

Taping up the rocker covers for blasting. Don't want media behind the baffle plates to ruin the day some where down the line...

Supper ready for the oven.. I mean blasting cabinet.

All the engine parts that need to be Black ready for paint.

A couple quick coats of semi-gloss on everything. Parts on cans make for a nice "lazy susan" for even paint, especially on the fan blades.

Everything moved to the bake oven.

Figured while I was spraying I'd get the rocker cover bolts into Turquoise.

Found a a piece of an old tool box that is the perfect thickness for wiring clips. Jen's clown was in the shot on purpose, but some things in my shop I don't see anymore.. LOL

Remember that at the end of the day, a happy wife equals a happy life!!! Working on year 39 here..

 

[mpgmike]

Back in the '80s I drove delivery truck for a local Canada Dry distributor. I agree with the "Happy Wife..." statement. Awesome work!

 

[dadsbee]

I drove milk truck for Beatrice '77 to 80 or so to pay my way through school. It wasn't the Canada Dry bike rack piece I hadn't noticed until I posted.. LOL

 

[Joe Mc]

Some jackass cut the back (front actually) out of a perfectly good OE cleaner top.

Not sure if you thought of this, you have a welder... with your skill set I'm thinking you could butt weld, smooth off strip and repaint and even you would be pleased. Of course unless you can find another easily. Or, as mentioned, if 6 cyl one is same?

 

[dadsbee]

Oh, I've been there before Joe..

 

[Joe Mc]

Figured you might have been. Nice work.

 

[dadsbee]

I've made enough mess blasting in the shop, so wire wheel it is on the engine clean up.

Wire wheeled and then some sanding after this to get the bare spots to clean metal.

New torque converter cover.

Sprayed a few coats on the rough areas and let sit overnight.

Sanded down the rough spots and smoothed it out and then went to town on paint.

Promo picture. I endorse this paint. Nice colour and sprays well.

Camera never shows true colour. Actual is somewhere between this....

..and this. Much nicer and tamer than the incorrect bright Blue.

Why I don't cover cars, I have an issue with flat surfaces.

 

[dadsbee]

In between paint coats I did some playing and patterning for a drivers side engine mount restrictor, for the non-OE engine mount I've got to work with.

Cardboard to steel.

KAchunk...

Cut to shape and then bent to required shape.

Fits nice with a 1/4" travel allowance.

Slotted so it can simply be slipped into place. Was my test piece but I'm going to weld in some reinforce gussets and if that doesn't work make another from thicker gauge, but I like the idea so far.

 

[dadsbee]

What are hopefully the final parts that I need for this Dart arrived today. The Canpar driver put on his big boy pants and made it all the way here today, after turning tail again yesterday at the first sign of snow.

New rear leaf spring shackles and bushings. Nice quality item.

New rear shackle hanger brackets. Cut out and formed nicely.

But I guess for a mere $150Cdn/pr I shouldn't expect them to be welded properly. Looks like we're welding those before install, maybe when I'm doing my rocker cover wiring clips.

 

[scatpackbee]

Dadsbee,

Who would you recommend for an alignment on a classic car in town?

 

[Demonracer]

You have all of the good toys (tools). How about you adopt me so I can finish my race car. LMAO

 

[Swingin Chrome]

What are hopefully the final parts that I need for this Dart arrived today. The Canpar driver put on his big boy pants and made it all the way here today, after turning tail again yesterday at the first sign of snow.
View attachment 1715674123
New rear leaf spring shackles and bushings. Nice quality item.
View attachment 1715674124
New rear shackle hanger brackets. Cut out and formed nicely.
View attachment 1715674125
But I guess for a mere $150Cdn/pr I shouldn't expect them to be welded properly. Looks like we're welding those before install, maybe when I'm doing my rocker cover wiring clips.
View attachment 1715674127

I guess you can’t buy quality anymore, lucky for you, you have the skill sets and equipment to make it right. RJ

 

[Swingin Chrome]

You have all of the good toys (tools). How about you adopt me so I can finish my race car. LMAO

Me too! RJ

 

[dadsbee]

You have all of the good toys (tools). How about you adopt me so I can finish my race car. LMAO

Sorry, I have enough dependents! Can't build airplanes without good tools. Well you can, because I have, but some just make life a lot easier..

Expensive transmission holder..

 

[dadsbee]

Dadsbee,

Who would you recommend for an alignment on a classic car in town?

Nobody in Midland would touch my Bee, too scared they'd scratch it. I hauled it over to Jim Wilson Chevrolet in Orillia, of all places, and had an FBBO members son do the alignment. He's a Mopar guy stuck in a GMC world....

 

[Demonracer]

I don't want to be a dependent, I want to be able to learn to work with all the toys. I've always worked with my hands & I don't do the "book learning" thing. I can read all there is but until I use tools in real world application I don't have a clue other than theory.

 

[missing linc]

I don't want to be a dependent, I want to be able to learn to work with all the toys. I've always worked with my hands & I don't do the "book learning" thing. I can read all there is but until I use tools in real world application I don't have a clue other than theory.

One of the reasons why I was in auto shop instead of computer science in high school.

 

[4spdragtop]

I got same "quality" parts from Mancini. Shackles needed welding too.
Question...looking for 69 F8 green(or close) in a spray bomb. Any cheap suggestions?

What are hopefully the final parts that I need for this Dart arrived today. The Canpar driver put on his big boy pants and made it all the way here today, after turning tail again yesterday at the first sign of snow.
View attachment 1715674123
New rear leaf spring shackles and bushings. Nice quality item.
View attachment 1715674124
New rear shackle hanger brackets. Cut out and formed nicely.
View attachment 1715674125
But I guess for a mere $150Cdn/pr I shouldn't expect them to be welded properly. Looks like we're welding those before install, maybe when I'm doing my rocker cover wiring clips.
View attachment 1715674127

 

[dadsbee]

Shackles are perfect... hangers are another story, but nothing 10 minutes of TIG work can't make pretty. Good thing Nigel gives me a discount from time to time...

No idea on the paint, other than a local body shop that can mix you up a bit and you use a touch up gun. Finding someone with solvent based is the biggest crux..

 

[mpgmike]

One of the reasons why I was in auto shop instead of computer science in high school.

I have considered myself a "car guy" for the past 40+ years. About a decade ago I realized that to be a car guy these days, one must have at least a working knowledge of electronics & electrical (aka digital & analog). I bought a Radio Shack basic electronics book, a bread board, some proto boards, and a fist full of resistors, capacitors, comparators, op-amps, & 555 timers, etc. It's been quite a journey, but now I work with surface mount components driven by PIC microcontrollers that I program, touch screens, and some other awesome stuff.

The punch line is you can learn anything you set your mind to. I found a way to visualize what is happening within the electronic circuit as mechanisms. I am a mechanical minded person (which it sounds like you are too). The visualization process made electronics (& computers) possible for me.

 

[Mineallmine]

I got same "quality" parts from Mancini. Shackles needed welding too.
Question...looking for 69 F8 green(or close) in a spray bomb. Any cheap suggestions?

Not a "Cheap" suggestion, but if you get stuck and need it you can go to carquest and they will mix you up a spray bomb in any color you want. I had them mix me up a few in the new F8 Green for the engine bay on my Dart. It's proper autuomotive paint too...with all the fumes to go with it...lol

 

[dadsbee]

Already had it unbolted, so may as well clean up the transmission dip stick tube and install a new O ring. Common leak point.

Transfer of custody, from gantry to engine hoist.

Looking spiffy and closer to going back on the K frame.

Engine in the vicinity of the paint "bake oven" and set to high...

It's the rocker covers turn in the blasting cabinet.

Hours later.. thanks to 3 layers of paint. Also blasted the OE leaf spring hanger bolts and the new rear hangers. I always like to weld on clean metal.

Need to make some new wiring tabs. One for the end by the alternator.

And need 2 new tabs on the side of the cover. Tomorrows work hopefully.

 

[moparmat2000]

In between paint coats I did some playing and patterning for a drivers side engine mount restrictor, for the non-OE engine mount I've got to work with.
View attachment 1715673685
Cardboard to steel.
View attachment 1715673686
KAchunk...
View attachment 1715673687
Cut to shape and then bent to required shape.
View attachment 1715673688
Fits nice with a 1/4" travel allowance.
View attachment 1715673692
Slotted so it can simply be slipped into place. Was my test piece but I'm going to weld in some reinforce gussets and if that doesn't work make another from thicker gauge, but I like the idea so far.
View attachment 1715673693

I have this setup if interested

 

[dadsbee]

Old Man Winter has to stop cutting into my shop time!!! Full morning is shot, but it's purdy at least...

Afternoon will be mostly lost getting my trailer hooked on and everything ready to go pick up my 4 post 9000lb extended Direct lift tomorrow! Still hoping to get some welding done before calling it a day.