1969 Dodge Dart Swinger clean up

[autoxcuda]

Good idea to go through a used car like this. Lots of little issues. Some bigger than others. Just things like a bad ground, a loose bolt, incorrect clip... can leave you stranded in the road.

Looks like a previous owner was not extremely mechanically inclined or wanted it shiny for a flip. Even better reason to go through it.

 

[GGs66GT]

Welcome to the A Body side .

Looks like you got a good project there . At the rate you're going should be done underneath in what , a couple of weeks
Kidding

 

[Dartsun]

Funny how shiny paint and interior make it look like such a nice car. But underneath it’s all beat up. My cars are the opposite ugly on outside, solid underneath. Thank goodness no salty roads in Oregon

 

[dadsbee]

Welcome to the A Body side .

Looks like you got a good project there . At the rate you're going should be done underneath in what , a couple of weeks
Kidding

I tore my Bee down to the VERY last bolt in 35.25 hours and then sent the bare shell out for body and paint. That was just shy of 5 years ago so I'm a bit older and slower this round!

 

[dadsbee]

Disconnecting the steering column from the steering box.

Punched out the split pin.

Pry the coupling back..

Coupling clear of the steering box input shaft, so I can drop the front K frame assembly.

Torsion bars coming out. Vise grips clamped just enough so they don't leave tooth marks and a pry bar.

Popped right out, easy peezy, as someone was nice enough to have greased the sockets well.

Torsion bars are Left and Right, don't mix them up.

Even part number, 892, is the right.

Odd part number, 893 is the left.

Leaf spring front hanger nuts all off except one on each side so I can drop the rear axle assembly.

 

[dadsbee]

If people would actually put such "talent" to proper use. Most interesting tip hanger I've ever seen.

My K frame cart isn't going to work as is on this one, thanks to exhaust headers and an automatic.

Sizing up what I need to modify to make it work this round.

Radiator out, and a nice one at that.

Even the correct 066 radiator for a '69 x 340

Shroud needs a bit of work..

Getting the throttle and wiring harness out of the way.

Bread tags..

Ready to come out.

Lunch break..

 

[dadsbee]

Making sure the K frame bolts are going to come out. Not easy, but they all move after 4 days of soaking them with PB blaster through the frame holes.

Suspension lifted up to get the upper and lower ball joint studs lined up.

Usually the uppers pop with a good 5 lb sledge hit, but not these ones. Socket over the lower ball joint nut and milling machine stack-able clamp spacers to fill the gap, with the nut installed backwards.

Cranking the nut OFF the stud to put pressure on the tapered stud until it gets hard to turn. Don't want to strip the threads.

One good wack with the hammer and POP.

Uppers disconnected on both sides. Upper control arm bushings and cam bolts have been recently changed, so not taking them apart.

Had to modify my K frame removal dolly. Big block and 4 speed sat across nicely before. Had to add a pad for the automatic transmission pan so the headers would clear the cart and add 3.5 " at the front for the K frame to sit on

Just needs a trim to clear the Idler arm bracket

Car lowered to just above the cart. Just in case the car noses forward when I drop the rear axle assembly. It has to come out first so I can drop the one piece exhaust system that someone was so nice to weld all together. It's in the way of the transmission coming down.

Amazed that the rear leaf hanger bracket bolts came out without a fight after 52 years.

 

[dadsbee]

Rear axle assembly coming down.

And it's out.

Out of the way and now to drop the exhaust.

Give a guy a MIG welder.. FFS...

Exhaust down in one piece.

Bolts out of transmission cross member.

K frame bolts coming out.

Just a progress shot! lol

Always one! 3/4" ratchet and a 5 foot tube. At least it came out and didn't break the nut that's welded inside the frame loose!

Coming down, or should I say car going up.

 

[dadsbee]

Hoping I can maneuver without pulling the steering column.

Oil filter needs to go and can't get a band clamp around it.

Filter gone allowed me to move the assembly 2.5" to the right.

Congratulations, it's a small block.

Not a driver anymore!

Santa's peeking at the Wife's Christmas present!

Engine compartment not too bad, just needs a bit of cleaning and detailing...

Another successful day, no cuts and nothing broken!

 

[DARTGAME]

Nice work, keeping my eye on this one.

 

[4spdragtop]

I got new shackles and rear hanger from Mancinis, wasnt that impressed, they both needed a touch up with welder to "fix".
Motoring right along! Great progress and documentation!
Are these new rear shackles "defective"?

I'd say it's time for new bushings and a hanger bracket. All already ordered.
View attachment 1715644332
Emergency brake cables detached so I can drop the rear axle assembly.
View attachment 1715644333
Passenger side emergency brake cable unhooked and out of the way.
View attachment 1715644334
Rubber cap, perfect size to seal off the rear brake line.
View attachment 1715644335
Hard line to flex line disconnected and quickly capped so I don't drain the master cylinder.
View attachment 1715644336
Look at that.. original T5 under the axle stop bumpers.
View attachment 1715644337
Tried for two days now to find these stop bumpers. Part #2834929. Last hint of a supply was about 11 years ago, best I can find on the internet. Have a reproduction part manufacturer that we met at Talladega's Aero meet last year that's is going to considering tooling up.
View attachment 1715644338
Just about ready to drop front and back suspension / engine / trans. Just need to unhook a bit of wiring and the top radiator hose.
View attachment 1715644339
Looks like the fuel tank will clean up nicely. Looks like new. Not sure if a previous owner was oiling this thing or it was doing it itself.. LOL.
View attachment 1715644340

 

[dadsbee]

I got new shackles and rear hanger from Mancinis, wasnt that impressed, they both needed a touch up with welder to "fix".
Motoring right along! Great progress and documentation!
Are these new rear shackles "defective"?

Well hopefully what I get from Nigel are better than that, but if not it's a short drive to shove them somewhere...

 

[scatpackbee]

dadsbee,

Since you have your radiator out of your car, could you please mic the outer diameter of the rad inlet and outlet ports where the upper and lower hoses go on the rad and post them?

I want to confirm if there is a difference in lower and upper rad hose diameters.

Hopefully it's not too much trouble.

Thank you

 

[dadsbee]

Pretty sure they're both the same, like a SB in a B body, but I'll check later today.

 

[R4Sedan]

Wayne good progress. You should have it back on the road by the New Year.

 

[dadsbee]

dadsbee,

Since you have your radiator out of your car, could you please mic the outer diameter of the rad inlet and outlet ports where the upper and lower hoses go on the rad and post them?

I want to confirm if there is a difference in lower and upper rad hose diameters.

Hopefully it's not too much trouble.

Thank you

Both are 1.5" diameter..

 

[dadsbee]

Break out the varsol.

2.5" stainless exhaust and new mufflers.

Hold onto these for a bit fella..

Off to one side for now, as I need to make some room in the shop so I can tear things down. I also need my engine hoist back from my Nephew.

Guess I should power up the line lock solenoid and see if it still works. Maybe hook it back up..

Look like I'll be doing some fabricating on the rear spring bracket attachments.

Stuff that just makes my head hurt...

Cue the Martian music...

Too lazy to take the marker reflector out and instead they cut the decal around it. Yet they took it out to paint it the wrong colour when painting the car!

A quick glimpse that someone at least spent money on the engine build. Roller rockers.

 

[scatpackbee]

Both are 1.5" diameter..

Thank you very much!

 

[dadsbee]

Off with the 40 year old Gold Monroe Air Jackers! They still hold air!

Lots and lots of scrubbing. Realized it's the film that spectra ships their tanks coated with, plus a lot of road grime. Fairly new tank it appears.

Tank mostly cleaned up and no way I'm dropping it out with the quarter panel filler tube, so I'll get creative so I can refurbish the tank straps.

That should hold it.

Straps coming off.

Good to go

Engine compartment scrubbing and some paint over spray removal, caused by the engine being touched up with a spray can while installed.

The engine that's driving this thing at this point.

Not my greasy hand prints on a nice new windshield washer container.

That's better
.

 

[dadsbee]

Getting there, still needs some finer detailing.

Why.. why.. paint the speedometer cable. Bugger to get back to black..

The old bondo check in the usual spots.. looks good.

No cheese here either.

Nice solid body panels.

Ordered Monday from PST in New Jersey, here today at 5PM.

Same Poly kit I put in my Super Bee, but using OE rubber bushings for the lower control arm pivot. Will be doing the same on this one.

 

[dadsbee]

Nice, where is your "clean up" thread?

 

[gtgto]

Not the quality of yours for sure....Oops I meant to put it in the WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOUR CAR TODAY. I am old....hahaha

 

[dadsbee]

I ain't no Spring chicken either at almost 59...

 

[gtgto]

I ain't no Spring chicken either at almost 59...

You got me beat by a few years. I'm 56. I am feeling older than that right now though. I tweaked my back putting my trans into my cars trunk today. Having some issues moving right now. Well worth it though. Not complaining.

 

[dadsbee]

Good, cause I wouldn't listen anyhow!! LOL I just keep moving so that I can keep moving. Had this fall on me (I was under all them bricks) when I was 18 years old. My L3/4/5 are all toast...