Guess that would keep fuel consumption to a minimum!
65 Dart Wagon Conversion to a Sedan Delivery
- Thread starter 65 Dartman
- Start date
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I’m sure it would certainly help. Our 93 3.9 4WD Dakota gets around 22 on the highway so I figure the 65 will get at least that much if not more with the 273
On my red station wagon I get 18 MPG. It would be great coming down to 22 to 25 MPG!
I took this picture before the upper crossmember was completely welded in place to each side of the remaining crossmember. You can see where it had to be lengthened on each side for height clearance. I also needed to trim The firewall for more clearance as the A500 has this ridge on top which was barely touching.
It looks like I might be able to use both mounting holes on both side to install the fabricated support. The passenger side will have a steep angle on the inner hole; the driver’s side less so.
Have been busy the last few days. The upper crossmember is completely welded in place AND the new transmission tunnel has been fabricated and welded in place with the welds ground down where needed. I should have taken in-progress pics but didn’t but of course did with the finished product
All tacked in place:
welds ground where needed:
All tacked in place:
welds ground where needed:
Keith Mopar
Mopar Nut
You've made some great progress. The new tunnel is looking good.
Great job on the body mods .
This for anyone considering overdrive in an early A , Gear Vendors unit will fit with only minor mods to the lower cross member . Hope this helps someone.
This for anyone considering overdrive in an early A , Gear Vendors unit will fit with only minor mods to the lower cross member . Hope this helps someone.
Quick update as there’s no update and won’t be until i get back on my feet from a complicated gall bladder surgery that left me 2 weeks in the hospital. Am home now but that doesn't mean we’ll do any work. One step forward 3 or 4 back in my case.
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Keith Mopar
Mopar Nut
Concentrate on getting better the car work will always be there for you.
Hopefully you can recover quickly and get back on your feet.
Hopefully you can recover quickly and get back on your feet.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
Glad you're home Don, but take it easy for 4 - 6 weeks. I jumped too soon about 3 weeks ago because I was feeling great after surgery, and it set me back a little. Hang in there!
crvtec90
Well-Known Member
Now you have lots of time for research and development. Hope 2 see you back at it again real soon. Good luck
67dartgtgo
Well-Known Member
Gosh...glad you're home and recovering. That's the best place to be now for sure.
Get well first ...car second.
Get well first ...car second.
Research is what I’ve been doing! I contacted ACC, Stock Interiors and others and find no one will sell more than a yard of loose material. I know i will need at least 2 yards of flat carpet to cover the floor from the seat back to the tailgate. Reason: in case the mills close due the virus they (ACC and others) will have sufficient quantities in stock to cover orders. I already know that the standard front floor carpet will need to be modded due to the new tunnel for the A500. I was thinking about ordering TTI’s early A headpipes but will they fit with the A500 and larger tunnel. Yep, lots of research to do.
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if you order carpet, that's an order. warehouse guys at my work always seem to have this thinking, "i can't let you have that, i only have two and someone else may want it". oh well... get better, i'm enjoying your build
Maybe what i should do is place my order and get my 1yard and get my Mopar buddy to place an order for one yard then i would have what i need lol
Take care of yourself first, brother. The car ain't goin nowhere. You've made great progress. It's gonna be cool as all get out.
A week or so ago i received from a Canadian member the trunk trim panel from a 65 Dart GT. My thoughts were could it somehow be fit between the inner tailgate lights and trimmed/modified to fit where the power window bezel is. Well, i finally got down to the basement just to remind myself the wagon was still here waiting on me. Anyway, i think it just might work! Even the wagon’s tailgate trim should work!
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So the wagon could be a cross between a 270 (which it is/was) and a one off GT sedan delivery. So should I add the door and fender portholes to finish the GT look? Or add the Dart GT inside door emblems - I do have a nice set of Dart 270 inside door emblems as well?
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crvtec90
Well-Known Member
The portholes would be a nice touch for either a 270 or Gt look.
I had to call in a favor To a bodyman friend of mine for rebuilding the driver’s side rear quarter panel. i just can’s get down on the floor (or get up for that natter!). From the start of fitting the Layson’s hardtop lower quarter repair panel to getting it in paint ready primer, it took him just 5 hours! He’s coming back tomorrow to take care of my mistakes on the passenger quarter panel - he did look it over and said not bad, not bad at all for an amateur bodyman! He makes me look like a rank amateur which I am lol!
My bodyman friend started on the passenger quarter a couple of weeks ago as a big favor to me. He hopes to get it in epoxy primer the next time he comes by.
In the meantime it’s work on the dash time for me!
In the meantime it’s work on the dash time for me!
Right from the gitgo when I bought the wagon, I decided I wanted a 66 Barracuda dash since it had the the oil pressure gauge and the option of a tach. That evolved into having Dakota Digital do a digital dash conversion on it after I had the dash, glove box trim end trim chrome plated and painted.
I cut out the radio and ash tray area and fabricated a panel to hold the lighter receptacle (to use as a phone charger) and for the tailgate power window switch as I knew I was adding that option. The panel looked a little bare so i had a couple of idiot lights - DOOR AJAR and FASTEN SEAT BELTS laying around I could use. My wife asked if the seats were going to be heated (she really liked them in this Jeep we had)! No, but there are kits to add it. So to complete the panel, the heated seat controls would be added.
After sandblasting the exterior and inside of the dash, it got a coat of white paint on the inside and primer on the outside. I needed to do some body work on the panel that replaced the radio and ashtray area where all the auxiliary stuff was going.
I will be using an A500 so I will need an On/Off Switch to control the OD. I found and ordered a custom Overdrive On/Off pushbutton switch from Billet Automotive Switches in Australia. It takes a 28mm hole (just about an inch and between a 1/16 th and an 1/8th). I screwed up and didn’t check my hole saw and drilled an 1 & 1/4 -way to big. So after repairing my screw up, the 1 inch hole saw (25.4mm), then got it close with a grinding stone in my drill taking it out to 28.1 mm. The OD bezel is about the same size and the lights and wiper bezels so a good spot was right under the lights and wipers. Just waiting on my switch now.
Got the top of the dash painted dark blue and the front painted light blue metallic that matches the upper door jambs. Time to start the assembly!
Some of the switches
headlight dimmer sensor from Dakota Digital
Heated seat swith
Lower dash in light blue
View attachment 1715552757
More lower dash
I cut out the radio and ash tray area and fabricated a panel to hold the lighter receptacle (to use as a phone charger) and for the tailgate power window switch as I knew I was adding that option. The panel looked a little bare so i had a couple of idiot lights - DOOR AJAR and FASTEN SEAT BELTS laying around I could use. My wife asked if the seats were going to be heated (she really liked them in this Jeep we had)! No, but there are kits to add it. So to complete the panel, the heated seat controls would be added.
After sandblasting the exterior and inside of the dash, it got a coat of white paint on the inside and primer on the outside. I needed to do some body work on the panel that replaced the radio and ashtray area where all the auxiliary stuff was going.
I will be using an A500 so I will need an On/Off Switch to control the OD. I found and ordered a custom Overdrive On/Off pushbutton switch from Billet Automotive Switches in Australia. It takes a 28mm hole (just about an inch and between a 1/16 th and an 1/8th). I screwed up and didn’t check my hole saw and drilled an 1 & 1/4 -way to big. So after repairing my screw up, the 1 inch hole saw (25.4mm), then got it close with a grinding stone in my drill taking it out to 28.1 mm. The OD bezel is about the same size and the lights and wiper bezels so a good spot was right under the lights and wipers. Just waiting on my switch now.
Got the top of the dash painted dark blue and the front painted light blue metallic that matches the upper door jambs. Time to start the assembly!
Some of the switches
headlight dimmer sensor from Dakota Digital
Heated seat swith
Lower dash in light blue
View attachment 1715552757
More lower dash
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And the business end of the dash along with glove box and end trim
some may wonder what that long rectangular hole is above the HVAC area - it’s for a true map light from a 66 Chrysler
some may wonder what that long rectangular hole is above the HVAC area - it’s for a true map light from a 66 Chrysler
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JDMopar
Well-Known Member
That looks nice Don. Great call on using the 66 Barracuda dash! Hope your recovery is going well. I know from experience that it's hard to just sit around and think about all the stuff you could be in the garage doing. Keep up the good work!
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