66 Dart GT HT Whatsitgonnabe?

[360DartGT66]

Well I'm glad you guys got the alternator bracket sorted out without my help!

There is one odd thing. I think the PO used some old mounting "hole" as a spacer for the adjustment bracket. See pic.

As you can see, there is a bolt missing in the water pump/timing cover. Tried finding one but the ones I had were too short.

The adjustment bracket is probably stock but welded and bent beyond recognition. It is truly ugly. I will sort that out too. Get a new one and give them a nice paint job.

Yes, I will definitely be sorting out those spark plug wires. It annoys me that I bought them in the first place. They were the cheapest available at my parts store and it turns out they are exactly the same make and model as the ones on my old dizzy cap. What I will do is buy - or more likely make - ones in a nice color with 90 degree connectors in the distributor end and those slightly angled (or 90 degree) ones in the spark plug end. Then I will route them nice and out of the way.

I've got some ideas for the manifolds too. I think I will be making my own headers some day.

 

[360DartGT66]

Hi Anders,

For some reason when i saw that, i thought why not dissassemble the column. Then with a cutoff wheel, chop that goofy assed thing off, file the metal slightly concave, fill it with JB weld, do some body work to it and paint it. Essentially eliminate it. That is unless you want to have one key to unlock the column, and another to start the car. Seems like an inconvienence to me. I would remove it. I did something similar with my column. It was a 3 speed manual on the column. I cut the shifter nub cast into the collar off, filed everything concave, cleaned the old grease out of the cavity, and plugged it with JB weld aluminum epoxy paste. Then i filed it to shape, smoothed it out with a skim coat of auto body filler, sanded and applied a high build sandable primer. Then wet sanded and applied a nice semigloss black enamel. You cannot tell that a.column shift was even there.

Also noticed your craftsman wrenches. Do you have Sears in Sweden? I have a set of craftsman SAE wrenches my dad got me for Christmas when i was 12 years old to get me started. They are inventoried in my tool chest at work, and i use them every day. I am 46 years old now. I will probably use these till the day i die. Great wrenches.

Matt

Well, I'm certainly not planning on using the steering column lock for the reason I mentioned. But I don't really see any reason to go through the trouble of removing it either.

What I would like, however, is a collapsible steering column to make the car a little safer to drive ...

The wrenches are my dad's. He bought them in the US (no, we don't have Sears here but I'm quite familiar with them) to use on his kit airplane ten years ago or so. He bought an almost completed Falco that sat in the shop of his company for a number of years before he finally sold it. He's into flying and still maintains his license even though he hardly ever flies.

A project you work on is a good thing. If it just sits there and stares at you, it turns into something negative.

Anyway, he bought those shorties and a set of weird semi-ratchet ones. Pretty useless in the open end but the ring end is good and they are nice and long for good leverage. They do seem like good quality to me.

 

[Plaschy]

The Swedish Importer ANA added the steering look in 65 and 66. Not sure after 66 though.

Hold on to it since it has the key too!

I got that steering lock on my column as well (but no key). Mine is a 67 Valiant but the column is from a 68 Valiant. It had to with Swedish insurance policies back in the sixties I have been told.
When I bought my car it had the original column with no steering lock which I had to change for different reasons.
Maybe it differed back then depending on which insurance company you had?

Oh, 360DartGT66, you´re doing a great job!

 

[360DartGT66]

Well hi! Welcome to my thread!

Then my initial guess was not too bad.

Thank you very much! I don't think I've actually done much yet, mostly taking things apart and wire brushing.

I'm doing a lot of thinking, though. I'm considering seat options, for instance. I don't have a budget for buying seats but I would really like some seats that have headrests and preferably ones that look a little race-ish. :burnout:

 

[moparmat2000]

Lots of nice seats you can find in the salvage yards. Not sure of the interior color you are going with, but black interiors are pretty popular on newer cars. You should be able to find a newer more comfortable set you can use.

Btw my project sat for a number of years while my wife worked weekends as a drug and alcohol rehab nurse, and i worked during the week as an airline mechanic. On weekends i watched our kids. Our son was a newborn at this time 3 years ago. No project time at all. I had to build an addition onto our house. Did this by myself after work during the week, weekends spent watching the kids. It payed off in the end, since i was able to pay off my home. Now my wife is home with the kids, and i get weekends off. After 3 years i was getting frustrated that i couldent work on my project, now i am back into it. It was getting close to being to me what the homebuild aircraft kit was becoming to your dad.

I have a friend who was building an RV4 kit plane. He has the tail completed, and has lost all interest. The work completed so far looks great. Working full time, and a wife and kids will do that to you. I still dont get to the shop as much as i'd like to. Mostly because by the time the weekend comes i am freakin tired.

Btw, you are doing a great job. Sometimes you need to do cleaning, and small jobs. I have done a lot of that and now have restored parts ready to go in boxes in the loft above my shop. If you try to do everything at once you can get overwhelmed. A wise friend of mine said to me once, "How do you eat a whole elephant?" I replied how? He responded "One plate at a time" restoring the wiring harnesses, wiper motor, steering column and other individual components should be looked at as a start to finish job of itself. This way the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak is short, and you derive satisfaction and a small triumph for completing that particular job.

Matt

 

[360DartGT66]

I totally agree with that. One of my issues I have to work with in overcoming my current "state" or "condition" is to try to do just that, divide larger tasks into smaller ones ao that the reward of finishing things comes every once in a while.

Like this master cylinder, for instance.

Cleaned, bore polished and re-assembled. Seems to be working fine. The seals didn't look worn at all.

 

[360DartGT66]

Tonight we'll be having pulled lamb, by the way. Nom nom.

 

[moparmat2000]

Master cylinder piston assy looks great. Check the bore in the master cylinder housing for any pitting and scoring. I bet rockauto has a seal kit to freshen it up.

Will you be doing the bodywork as well? Or do you have a source to do this for you? From what i could see of the floorpans it looks pretty solid.

As far as a collapsable column goes i am not sure if a 67 to 69 column will fit as a bolt in. Maybe ask the question on a different forum. I'm sure somebody has the answer. About the only thing i do know is that the splines on the coupling to the steering box are different from manual to power steering. As far as a 67-69 fitting a 66 though i am not sure.

The lamb looks good. My wife makes pulled pork. We usually eat it on butter toasted buns with barbeque sauce.

 

[360DartGT66]

The cylinder looked like it had a rough patch near the opening but it buffed out. I'm going to try it without re-sealing it first.

The body has actually been fixed up by the PO. New trans tunnel to fit the 727, new front floor panels, patched trunk drops and rockers have been worked on too. The welds have been sealed and the whole car primed and the underside coated with some thick rust protector.

I wish he hadn't done that, though. I'd much rather have seen the patching before it was covered up beyond inspection. Now I have this dilemma; scrape all that goo off just for peace of mind or leave it and trust his work.

The front frame rails need patching after a couple of poor fixes in the past. I've shown that earlier in the thread. And both fenders are fixed up very poorly. It's under the hood but it's not like it's hidden ...

Most of the car is actually pretty close to paint. High build primer is the grey you see and most of it is pretty close to finished.

Under the rockers and rear quarters there is some filling and sanding to be done (the old guy who apparently did the work was unable to bend down and do the job down there). The rockers I'm seriously considering stripping clean because I want to know what condition they are in.

If I'm going to add frame rails and torque boxes, now is the time to do it so those regions will have to be cleaned anyway.

 

[360DartGT66]

I'm also debating whether to close up all the trim holes that I'm not going to use. I'm planning on having the car almost completely clean. Just the dodge, dart and GT emblems.

Not sure, though.

 

[moparmat2000]

I plan on running DOT 5 brake fluid. Its silicone based, unlike DOT 3 which i think is ester based and eats paint. My dad used DOT 5 on his last restoration, and put a tag on the master cylinder as a reminder to not mix in DOT 3.

 

[360DartGT66]

DOT 5 is all I ever use. Remnant of my old biking days. Higher boil point and less susceptible to water absorption, I believe.

 

[Djakken]

The cylinder looked like it had a rough patch near the opening but it buffed out. I'm going to try it without re-sealing it first.

The body has actually been fixed up by the PO. New trans tunnel to fit the 727, new front floor panels, patched trunk drops and rockers have been worked on too. The welds have been sealed and the whole car primed and the underside coated with some thick rust protector.

I wish he hadn't done that, though. I'd much rather have seen the patching before it was covered up beyond inspection. Now I have this dilemma; scrape all that goo off just for peace of mind or leave it and trust his work.

The front frame rails need patching after a couple of poor fixes in the past. I've shown that earlier in the thread. And both fenders are fixed up very poorly. It's under the hood but it's not like it's hidden ...

Most of the car is actually pretty close to paint. High build primer is the grey you see and most of it is pretty close to finished.

Under the rockers and rear quarters there is some filling and sanding to be done (the old guy who apparently did the work was unable to bend down and do the job down there). The rockers I'm seriously considering stripping clean because I want to know what condition they are in.

If I'm going to add frame rails and torque boxes, now is the time to do it so those regions will have to be cleaned anyway.

I recommend you to hone the master cylinder. I have the tools, just come and get it.

 

[360DartGT66]

Morning, Per!

I just might! Thanks for the offer!

The thing is I actually might have one too. I think I bought both a small one and a large one for when the head cracked in my old diesel rider mower. Never used them. I ended up buying another mower in stead. Kept the old one for parts.

The honing tools are out in the summer house, though, but my wife's parents will be coming down this week-end and they live out there so I might be able to convince them to bring them.

 

[65 Dartman]

As far as a collapsable column goes i am not sure if a 67 to 69 column will fit as a bolt in. Maybe ask the question on a different forum. I'm sure somebody has the answer. About the only thing i do know is that the splines on the coupling to the steering box are different from manual to power steering. As far as a 67-69 fitting a 66 though i am not sure.

I bet with a little work, a collapsible column from a 68/68 Dart/Valiant will work. You would need to compare the length of the original and replacement and possibly trim the lower part of the column to match the 66's length. You might have to swap center shafts to keep the same spacing as original, perhaps not. Nothing insurmountable. For example, I am using an 81 Dodge Mirada column in my wagon along with U Joints and a Double D shaft cut to fit. Years ago I swapped a 75 Cordoba steering column into a 66 Coronet and it was pretty much a bolt-in!

The front frame rails need patching after a couple of poor fixes in the past. I've shown that earlier in the thread. And both fenders are fixed up very poorly. It's under the hood but it's not like it's hidden ...

I agree with you on the front fenders! They look kind of rough! Under the hood needs to look as nice as the rest of the body!

I'm also debating whether to close up all the trim holes that I'm not going to use. I'm planning on having the car almost completely clean. Just the dodge, dart and GT emblems.

Not sure, though.

I forget what model (GT, 270 or 170) your Dart is. If it's the 270/170 I think it would look better without the side trim. :cheers: My wagon is the 270 and all the side trim will be removed for that nice clean look. Like yourself, I am keeping the hood center medallion and DODGE script emblem (both NOS!).

DOT 5 is all I ever use. Remnant of my old biking days. Higher boil point and less susceptible to water absorption, I believe.

I like Dot 5 and use it as well.

 

[360DartGT66]

I think the steering column might be a little difficult to find but if it's possible to hack up some newer parts then I might be able to solve it.

It's a GT hard top. I've got loads of trim in a big pile and I instantly felt that I wasn't going to put all of it on the car. I've never been a chrome guy.

Oh, and I lied about the DOT 5. It's DOT 4 I keep buying. Sorry.

I cleaned the old brake lines. Before and after. Amazing what you can do with a wire wheel ...

And at the bottom is my little makeshift brake system test setup I just put together. A little difficult to bleed but I should be able to test the master cylinder for function and leaks at least.

 

[65dartcharger]

It's kind of scary to have you lurking like that, Ulf. Whisper your name and you appear mysteriously from the shadows.

Dr Franke...... I mean Dr Dart! Lol :glasses7: Your'e doing a great job on your Dart Anders!

 

[360DartGT66]

Thank you Ulf. I try to be thorough when I do things.

I need to get a flange tool for 3/16" brake lines. And a roll of tube and some fittings. I should be able to get that over here. I think US Car Parts in Uddevalla might have stuff like that.

 

[65 Dartman]

There is one odd thing. I think the PO used some old mounting "hole" as a spacer for the adjustment bracket. See pic.

As you can see, there is a bolt missing in the water pump/timing cover. Tried finding one but the ones I had were too short.

The adjustment bracket is probably stock but welded and bent beyond recognition. It is truly ugly. I will sort that out too. Get a new one and give them a nice paint job.

I should have an extra adjustment bracket and can throw it in your box. :cheers: The missing bolt I believe threads into a water jacket! I'll see if I have an extra

 

[moparmat2000]

You will need a tool that does whats called an inverted double flare. 45° automotive style. I practiced with mine for awhile on a short length of scrap tubing until i was able to get the double flare correct when i was rebuilding a 60 chevy el camino. Had to buy a 50 ft coil of brakeline tubing, and make all my own line for that car. The evenings of practice payed off. I had one leaker in the whole system. I cleaned it up a bit, and tightened it up. No leaks.

 

[360DartGT66]

I should have an extra adjustment bracket and can throw it in your box. :cheers: The missing bolt I believe threads into a water jacket! I'll see if I have an extra

You are all too kind, Don!

I've read about that bolt that leaks. Good thing I found that out before I filled the coolant...

 

[360DartGT66]

You will need a tool that does whats called an inverted double flare. 45° automotive style.

Why does all SAE stuff need to be so backwards and awkward? rotest:

I should get an old BMW in stead. Nice and metric.

Oh, well. I suppose I can find one somewhere. Maybe Djakken has one, even.

 

[360DartGT66]

My package from Don and Matt passed through the sorting facility in Chicago. Should be in Europe by tomorrow, I suppose.

*giddy*

 

[65 Dartman]

My package from Don and Matt passed through the sorting facility in Chicago. Should be in Europe by tomorrow, I suppose.

*giddy*

As long as it doesn't end up someplace like Bumfuk Egypt (old service joke :wack

 

[65dartcharger]

As long as it doesn't end up someplace like Bumfuk Egypt (old service joke :wack

Is that the box with my parts Don?