1969 Dodge Dart Swinger clean up

[dadsbee]

All lined up waiting for a check up!

Two of them 1990 Super Coupes. White one's an auto and my Silver one in behind it is a 5 gear. Gave it to my Son way back in 2000 or so to drive to University. Someone clocked the front end with a snow plow, so I bought the White one for parts. Then the kid forgot to keep the oil up and I think he spun a rod bearing, or a rocker started knocking and we parked it.

 

[scatpackbee]

I don't know what the deal is with that Gulf Station in Perkinsfield.

It never opened and has been sitting closed for about 2 years now.

 

[dadsbee]

By the time I did a couple curb side pick ups this morning, changed the UV bulbs and filters in the furnace, fixed a leaking water valve and had a late lunch there was no point starting airplane work... so I did a 240 mile checkup on the Dart this afternoon instead.

I do love this lift..

I thought the transmission was leaking based on a couple a dots on the cardboard I had down, but it's clean.

Engine is weeping and my fear was front pan/crank seal.

Nice and clean up front, so it's just a bolt weeping by the looks of things. Snugged them all up, we'll see what's what on the next check up.

Drivers side nice and clean, no rocker cover leaks.

Only thing I found even slightly loose. Got a 1/2 turn out of a shock stud nut.

Also fixed a weeping heater hose connection on the Bee, so they're both ready for the next wellness tour !

 

[dadsbee]

Ordered Thursday, received today. Driven right to my shop door by the cute amazon delivery gal. FREE delivery and only 60 bucks each. Can't beat it! Now to find the time to take the noise cans off and install these, so we can drive the thing without going deaf.

 

[missing linc]

What is in it now?

 

[dadsbee]

What is in it now?

Some no name copy of a Flowmaster. While it's cool rumbling up to a stop light like a top fuel dragster it gets old REALLY quickly! Dart and Bee idling side by side and I can't even hear the Bee running and it has a pretty good cam rumble to it.

 

[missing linc]

Bee is much quieter, I had those Dynomax on my 70 Dart and was very happy with them.

 

[scatpackbee]

I've had the same muffler in a 2 1/4 pipe diameter in my Dart for over 20 years.

I really like them.

The lifetime warranty comes in handy when you have an ignition coil cut out while stomping on it and it blows the inside baffles loose....

 

[dadsbee]

Some restoration parts are moving again, only took 5.5 months but I got her catwisker window fuzzies today from Nigel at National Moparts. Even got some free lumber, probably worth more in todays markets than the $169Cdn for the 8pc seal kit, but a great way to make sure they get shipped without being bent.

 

[1969dodgedart]

Some restoration parts are moving again, only took 5.5 months but I got her catwisker window fuzzies today from Nigel at National Moparts. Even got some free lumber, probably worth more in todays markets than the $169Cdn for the 8pc seal kit, but a great way to make sure they get shipped without being bent.
View attachment 1715808738 View attachment 1715808739 View attachment 1715808740

Very nice Wayne, just received the set I ordered from Van's on Friday.

 

[gtgto]

Very nice Wayne, just received the set I ordered from Van's on Friday. View attachment 1715809727

Can those be installed with the door glass in place

 

[dadsbee]

Can those be installed with the door glass in place

Yes, although sometimes you need to remove the glass stop to get the window down a bit lower. Did that on my Bee to insure I didn't chip paint, but I did them without even taking the inner door panels off my SuperBird.. so hope I can pull that off with the Dart as well. Haven't even looked to see if the rear window inners are clipped or stapled like Plymouth B bodies are. Hoping they're clipped.

 

[jcmeyer5]

All clipped.

 

[72Dart6pack]

It's super easy if you drop the glass to the bottom of the door first.

 

[dadsbee]

Fresh out of the mail box from Pennsylvania. Thanks @highwaystar ! A pair and a spare of vent window holders. Absolutely perfect and the top two at least look to be freshly chromed or NOS stock, not a mark on the pivot posts. Chrome job alone around here would be about $250 a PIECE. I've have a "want to buy" out for over a year with no response, but last week highwaystar put these up for sale and I snagged them not even sure if the were correct for the car.

The pair on the car are heavily pitted.

Now the fun parts is going to be tearing the door and glass apart to swap them out.

 

[dadsbee]

NOW.... where were we.... OH yah f'n shifter shaft / throttle shaft seals. Headers are an absolute PITA....

 

[1969dodgedart]

NOW.... where were we.... OH yah f'n shifter shaft / throttle shaft seals. Headers are an absolute PITA....
View attachment 1715898069

I'm not going to lie Wayne I'm envious of your hoist .

 

[dadsbee]

I'm not going to lie Wayne I'm envious of your hoist .

As long as it's just my hoist you want to play with!! Even with it my back isn't letting me enjoy the day. Nerves are pinching off and been picking myself up off the floor the last two days but I'm going back out there shortly to see if I can get them changed without pulling the transmission or the headers!

 

[1969dodgedart]

As long as it's just my hoist you want to play with!! Even with it my back isn't letting me enjoy the day. Nerves are pinching off and been picking myself up off the floor the last two days but I'm going back out there shortly to see if I can get them changed without pulling the transmission or the headers!

Lmao . Well it will keep you out of trouble .

 

[dadsbee]

Time to tackle the transmission leaking out the shifter shaft / throttle shaft seals. Wish I'd done them when it was all sitting on the floor, but there was no sign they leaked before tear down. Gonna let my stubborn Irish side have a go at doing this without pulling the headers out of the way, or dropping the transmission.

Many think they have a leaking pan gasket, you have to look closely to see that red fluid sitting under the shift lever, held there by surface tension.

What a place to try and work. I can get one hand in and not that well.

Throttle shaft lever bolt loosened off via 12" of of extension from the rear.

Shift lever bolt accessed from the front.

Levers popped off and you know you're in the right place!

Time to play dental hygienist !

Amazing how hard it is to find the throttle shaft seals (the small one). Tried everywhere, got two off Ebay last year. The bigger shift shaft seal is available everywhere.

Snap clip and washer removed from throttle shaft and new seals ready to go in.

Out come the dental picks. Stab and try to hook the throttle shaft seal out without breaking off the pick.

 

[dadsbee]

Old seal out..

Break out the dental drill. Like I said I'm not pulling this transmission to get this done.

Carefully drilled two holes as close to 180 degrees as I can. Not easy up in there. Gotta feel around to make sure I'm drilling the seal

Two deck screws threaded in. #2 Roberston bit and a 1/4" wrench.

And just like that.. it pops out.

Old seal out.

Now to get the new seals in. Shifter seal set in place over the large shaft, ready to get it into place somehow.

Can just get a carpenters clamp between the pan and the headers.

Socket on top of seal and then a stack of washers on top so the clamp clears the cooler line. Tighten up the clamp and the seal is pressed in.

Throttle shaft seal going into place. Seal, then washer.

 

[dadsbee]

Deep 3/8 socket to push the seal into place.

Then the washer and circle clip back into the shaft grove and reinstall the levers.

These noise makers have to go. Kinda neat pulling up to the lights like a top fuel dragster, but it grows old in a hurry.

Picked these up last Fall, $60 each to the door off Amazon.

Dynomax Super Turbo 17733. 2.5" in and out.

Love to shoot the exhaust guy... great place to try and grind welds.

One side apart.

Passenger side fighting me but I got the tailpipe loose so supported the pipes so not to stress the header flanges.

Enough for the day..

 

[4spdragtop]

Mirror was handy, good idea. 904 transmission? I should order seals "just in case"

 

[CFD244]

Yikes.......Pretty easy to drop the valve body. I'd be afraid of nicking the one of the sealing surfaces working like a contortionist. You are a better man than I

 

[dadsbee]

Yikes.......Pretty easy to drop the valve body. I'd be afraid of nicking the one of the sealing surfaces working like a contortionist. You are a better man than I

Not pulling a non leaking pan or playing with a valve body to change a couple of seals. That drill and I have a long understanding relationship!! Headers certainly made it a PITA though... hate the things.