1969 Dodge Dart Swinger clean up

[dadsbee]

LOL, it's just a way of life some can't or don't want to comprehend !

2015.. last time we had a good Winter, but way too much snow. Had to get my "laneway" plowed for all my guests to park.

 

[mbaird]

I don't care if it's 50+", I wouldn't drive out on a lake. Wish you the best on that trip. (I suppose if you reply to this you did OK.)

Ha ! My ex wife thought I was lying about the Hwy Plows making roads on the lakes in Minnesota until one of my hockey team mates confirmed it was fact .

@dadsbee
This is a great thread ! I was a bit skeptical at first but WOW you have many great techniques ! I have already employed a few . Even used one on restoring my Maico 490 dirtbike.
I will make this a sticky for myself and re-read several times .

 

[dadsbee]

My Wife was skeptical at first as well, but she's still here 42 years later!!

 

[missing linc]

I remember racing on the frozen Red River in Manitoba, and driving on frozen lakes. All you skeptics should check out Ice Road Truckers, should be available on YouTube, or Discovery Channel on demand.

 

[dadsbee]

Ha ! My ex wife thought I was lying about the Hwy Plows making roads on the lakes in Minnesota until one of my hockey team mates confirmed it was fact .

Like this... ice road to the Bear Island reserve in the hub of the lake...

We're off at first light in the AM. Back on Sunday and then I have to do our three business Corp tax returns before I can get back on the car.

 

[mbaird]

I remember racing on the frozen Red River in Manitoba, and driving on frozen lakes. All you skeptics should check out Ice Road Truckers, should be available on YouTube, or Discovery Channel on demand.

70 mph across Lake Minnetonka in a 77 Monte Carlo . You could hear the ice buckle at times. I am sure there was beer involved . Its amazing we survived the 70s and 80s !

 

[missing linc]

70 mph across Lake Minnetonka in a 77 Monte Carlo . You could hear the ice buckle at times. I am sure there was beer involved . Its amazing we survived the 70s and 80s !

Been there, done the same thing, only in a 67 Buick Skylark.

 

[dadsbee]

Well been to camp for 4 days, also have 3 company year end tax filings all done and got some brand spanking new (correct 1969 and earlier small rivet) rad caps for the Dart and my Bee, hot off the presses from Richard O'Shields. Gotta do the grocery shopping for the next few weeks supplies tomorrow morning and then back on the car! Gotta get my butt in gear as it looks like Spring has come a month early and before I know it I'll be buried in aircraft work.

 

[dadsbee]

Took a shot in the dark and via Amazon ordered some T5 paint and clear coat. It came out of Pennsylvania via Fedex for 90 bucks CDN total.

1969 T5 formula, with no idea if what is on the car is truly factory T5.

The original painter was a bit lazy and while primed, didn't bother to make sure he shot the bottom of the firewall with paint.

Three coats of paint have it looking pretty close.

A bit lighter and probably should have gone another two coats but didn't want to get it too thick so I shot it with clear and called it done.

Looks better than primer and the spotty paint coverage.

Not sure how you break a radiator shroud, but someone managed and still put it back on.

Block of wood, wax paper, lead weights and a couple of clamps to form a mould.

I had almost a full tube of JB Plastic Bonder left from rebuilding my Ramcharger airbox on the Bee and the dispenser tips hadn't hardened up fortunately.

Mixed up and poured in place. Tomorrow will tell the tail.

 

[dadsbee]

Swapped the correct 1969 rocker covers onto the engine, along with the OE air cleaner that I refreshed as well.

Getting close to going back in. Need to install the header gaskets and she's ready to drop the car on it.

PCV and Breather back on their correct sides for '69.

Lined up for home. Header gaskets tomorrow, then onto the rear axle assembly.

 

[scatpackbee]

dadsbee,

Have you got a link to that Amazon vendor of the T5 Paint?

I'd like to see if they've got 1969 F5 green too.

Thank you

 

[dadsbee]

I just went on Amazon.ca and typed in T5 Dodge. Best part being out of the USA, Fedex and customs is their problem if they want to play, not mine!

 

[scatpackbee]

I just went on Amazon.ca and typed in T5 Dodge. Best part being out of the USA, Fedex and customs is their problem if they want to play, not mine!
View attachment 1715714225

Thanks dadsbee,

They have F5 Green too!

 

[Jesus Chrysler]

Like this... ice road to the Bear Island reserve in the hub of the lake...
View attachment 1715708579 View attachment 1715708580 View attachment 1715708581 View attachment 1715708582

We're off at first light in the AM. Back on Sunday and then I have to do our three business Corp tax returns before I can get back on the car.

What part of Antarctica do you live in and are the penguins friendly?

 

[dadsbee]

Peeled the wax paper and if I'd had it a bit tighter, or taped it in place, it would have come out perfect.

Bit of sanding.

Quick shot of paint and it's like new.

Header installation. Front and rear head holes are open to the cooling system, my go to is Aviation Gasket Sealer. Permatex non-hardening would be my next choice.

Sealer on front and rear head holes, a bit of anti-seize on the dry holes so the bolts don't seize in place.

Anti-seize on the slip joint of the #7 pipe. The removable pipe allows header install without removing the torsion bar. Tip on anti-seize, keep it in the shop fridge so you don't look like the Tinman after using it!

How I tighten a flange. Both bolts at the same time, same amount of turning so the flange stays flat/straight.

All that purdy just to stuff it back in the engine bay!

Header gaskets a tad bigger than required, needed a trim to get plug wires on, let alone plugs in/out.

Cap and wires going back on.

 

[dadsbee]

The Blue Mopar Performance Race wires are a nice touch on a Turquoise engine.

Passenger side on and firing order checked twice.

Engine and exhaust set back into assembly position.

Ready to drop the car on it. I need the engine almost up into place so I can re-hang the exhaust. Stupid H pipe is below the transmission tailshaft housing.

 

[dadsbee]

U bolts snugged up enough to put the assembly together and into the car. True tightening will happen after assuring the axle isn't "dog tracking".

Sock on a stick, not the same as sock on a door knob. Cleaning out the axle housing to make sure there are no glass media particles remaining.

I saw the light..

Nice that I have seals left from the Bee restoration. I ended up with doubles, as I rejected these on the Bee being single lip vs double, but they'll do.

A 3/4" drive x 2" socket is perfect size for knocking the seals into place.

RDS 6583 / FEL-PRO, gasket for the pumkin/carrier.

Many put'm in bare, I don't do leaks.

Nearly fresh Yukon 489 w/3.55 gears.

Easiest way to get 4oz of the stinky stuff in without getting it on my hands.

Round and round and 45 foot lbs.

 

[dadsbee]

Axle housing to backing plate gasket #55032

Backing plate in place.

Packed the cleaned bearings with wheel bearing grease.

Axle retainer gasket #13800

Gasket into place.

Bearing packed with grease.

Axles into place and end play checked.

Front spring hanger brackets put into place, nuts OUT.

Gasket pattern for wheel cylinders.

Transferred to some high density packaging foam.

 

[dadsbee]

Gaskets cut out and put on wheel cylinders prior to bolting them on.

Almost installed the old hand bent brake lines and then remember I had a spare set of plain steel ones from when I went stainless on the Bee. A bit of coaxing the ends made them work on the narrower rear housing.

Brake lines on ready to install the rear axle assembly to car.

Hack job exhaust system that we're gonna have to live with, but I found the reason for the pfff pfff pfff....

Hole welded up.

Car lowered onto K frame/engine/transmission.

Transmission mount x member snapped right into place, bolt holes perfectly lined up with no help.

Steering coupling even dropped into place on it's own onto the splines.

The heart has been returned.

Hooked up the upper ball joint.

 

[dadsbee]

Torqued the K frame bolts to 150 ft-lbs.

Exhaust going up, just gotta remember not to get under the back of the car as lift is not locked.

Had to cut this to remove as they welded the bracket to the car. Lined up with a 2 x 4 holding it up tight and TIG'd it back together.

Exhaust up into place, other than collector flanges are just pegged.

First time door #4 has been up in 3 months.

My helpers putting the rear axle assembly into place.

Made sure the car balanced okay before I pulled the K frame holder out.

Lowered the car almost to the floor and put the front hangers into place.

Almost there.

Remember shop safety!

 

[dadsbee]

New shackles going into place. Sure not much room to work on an A body to get the shackle plates and nuts on the inside.

A bit cleaner than day 1.

Spring hanger brackets and shackles all torqued.

Glad I was convinced to leave the battle scar.

Remflex 8002 header flange gaskets.

Everything bolted up and enough for a long day. Old man is hurting..

One more shot of the underside. Still needs torsion bars and sway bar installed.

Rear axle from the front side. Bet these mufflers suck for drone as well..

The "snap" right at the end is the transmission mount x member snapping up into place. Holes lined up perfectly with no assistance!

 

[mbaird]

Great job ! That is the best way to install an engine trany combo .

 

[71dodgechargerrt]

Wow that looks amazing.

 

[RealWing]

Great job ! That is the best way to install an engine trany combo .

Agree!!!

 

[dadsbee]

Well I spent Monday night after I crawled out of the shop, Tuesday and most of the early morning today out of action with a Diverticulitis flare up and then for ***** and giggles had to sit in my truck for 5 hours waiting for my Wife to come back out of a Barrie medical centre today. At least I took some reading material and still got a few things done late this afternoon before calling it a day.

New rear shocks. Monroe 31131

"Short" oil filter.

Filter installed in it's miserable spot.

New Monroe 32022 front shocks installed.

Rear shocks in place. Thought about painting them Black, but we move forward towards buttoning this thing up.

Power source hooked up. Fuel hose from frame rail tube to pump.