66 Dart GT HT Whatsitgonnabe?

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Today I've been really busy. First I spent a couple of hours on the computer. I ordered thread insert kits for M10 for our Audi UNC 5/16-18 and 3/8-16 for my LD340 intake. I tried to find taps for the heater and bypass hose fittings but they are silly expensive over here. Maybe I'll try again some day.

Then I started on the front end again. I knew the LCA ball joint hole was full of paint so I needed a good way of removing that without damaging the surface. I came up with a brilliant scheme.

I removed the taper from the extra lower ball joint I got a couple of months back and slotted the tapered surface with my angle grinder to create a makeshift broach. Then I did one for the upper ball joint hole in the spindle too. That worked better. I made twice as many slots. A key grip on the other end completed the tool.

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After cleaning up the tapers it was all about sweat. The afternoon sun shines directly in through our garage door which makes it far too hot to work, really.

After fumbling a few times, forgetting the strut rod, cleaning paint off mating surfaces and finally getting the order right, I actually managed to finish the whole passenger side! Well, I haven't torqued the bolts but it's all there!

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I need UCA bump stops.The old ones are complete garbage.

And hey, I used the first of the box of new UNC hardware you sent, Ray! Washers for the LCA bump stops! :thumbsup:

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Some of you may remember that I got new strut rods from Ulf last winter. Well, it turns out that was a good thing. Some joker turned down my old ones and changed to a metric thread.

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Fun reading, great to watch the progress you're making. You create massiv inspiration.
 
Well your getting there. It looks great so far. I need to start a resto thread on mine, however with my slow progress i think people will be bored watching it.
 
swedefish said:
Fun reading, great to watch the progress you're making. You create massiv inspiration.
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Hey, that's really kind of you, thanks! I'm not sure I'm inspiring all that many but I've certainly been inspired by many others here!

moparmat2000 said:
Well your getting there. It looks great so far. I need to start a resto thread on mine, however with my slow progress i think people will be bored watching it.
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I wouldn't think so. Lots of pics, you know. :) And the level of detail you go for, I'm sure many would be interested and impressed. I know I am.
 
I almost forgot the peak of the afternoon. Ulf 65dartcharger called. I had posted a wanted ad on Facebook in the mopar for sale group. I needed a castle nut for the other LCA rotation pin. He called just as I was sitting down by my computer to brag about my progress, after my much needed post-work shower.

Of course, Ulf had what I needed. He just called to say that he was in the car and wouldn't be back to send it to me until Saturday. Gee, lousy service, huh? So we talked for a bit which is always a pleasure. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your weird cross-ram intake and the lettering on your racer, Ulf!
 
*phew* Finally finished with the front suspension!

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Too what I did yesterday apart to remove the paint in the hole in the LCA for the strut rod first. It wouldn't seat properly. Learning every step.

Driver's side was pretty straight forward until I inserted the torsion bar. The strut rod pushed the LCA backwards so that the bushing didn't seat properly. This made the torsion bar stick out so that the C-clip couldn't be mounted.

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I used a ratchet strap to force the LCA in position.

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Then came the next hurdle. The groove for the C-clip was too tight. Probably from beating on the end of the torsion bar. I had to cut the front end off a grind bit and use my new die grinder to improve the groove.

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1967 'cuda said:
Nice idea using the ratchet strap.
:thumbsup:
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Thanks. I tried using a screw clamp first but it just bent. I really had to tighten that strap. It took a LOT of force to get that bushing all the way. The passenger side went by itself more or less.
ScampMike said:
oh boy - torsion bar 101 - DO NOT NOT HAMMER ON THE END OF THE TORSION BAR
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I wish the previous owners - as well as myself - had known that. At least I used a plastic bounce free mallet and a wooden stake. :rolleyes:
 
I'm back. Sorry for the kind of abruptly ended post earlier. I had to go to IKEA with my daughter. Well, she and her friend wanted to go shopping at this place called Lager 157 (translates to Warehouse 157, it has nothing to do with beer ...) which is right next to one of the two IKEA:s in Gothenburg. She could go because I needed a wardrobe for the youngest so we needed to take a trip to IKEA anyway. So while they were shopping, I was hauling the ridiculously heavy PAX boxes on my own. I totally deserve a glass of red now. I'm not kidding, they're 86 pounds. Putting two of them on the roof rack alone is NOT a task for ... anyone.

Anyway, I tried to get the brake calipers mounted too but I couldn't figure out what thread the bolts are. I tried 7/16"-14 but they won't go in easily and I don't want to ruin the thread. 7/16" is really the only bolt size that fits in the holes in the calipers. M12 and 1/2" are both too large and anything smaller (that I have) will go right through the threaded hole.

Can anyone give me a definitive answer here? Original Kelsey-Hayes front disk brakes.
 
IIRC it's kind of a special bolt and the threads are fine thread I believe.
 
i've got these for when I do the Kelsey Hayes conversion to the Barracuda. I thought someone once said they are like Hen's teeth, dinosaur eggs, unobtanium to find - could be mistaken on that though! And I think a member was reproducing them but like the rest of what I try to remember . . . .
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Thanks guys!

I had no idea this was such a hot item. I guess I'll have to remanufacture my own. Thanks!
 
360DartGT66 said:
Hey, that's really kind of you, thanks! I'm not sure I'm inspiring all that many but I've certainly been inspired by many others here.

I wouldn't think so. Lots of pics, you know. :) And the level of detail you go for, I'm sure many would be interested and impressed. I know I am.
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Aaaaah thats just my OCD.
 
360DartGT66 said:
Thanks guys!

I had no idea this was such a hot item. I guess I'll have to remanufacture my own. Thanks!
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I just reviewed the links 67 Cuda provided and remember reading them. So the member in Canada had a few sets made and sold out! Interesting!
 
65 Dartman said:
I just reviewed the links 67 Cuda provided and remember reading them. So the member in Canada had a few sets made and sold out! Interesting!
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I read through them too. I was thinking last night. There are really two options. Re-make proper ones like HemiMark did or modify the spindles and calipers to accept a metric version. There are standard bolts easily available here but one would need to fiddle around a bit. It's probably the quickest solution. Using standard bolts is probably not a very good idea, to be honest. There will be a clearance between bolt and caliper and the way the thread sits 1/4" in the hole of the spindle, the bolt will be subjected to large bending and shearing forces.
 
I got my thread inserts, step drills and Knipex Cobra pliers today. Yay! Now I can fix the intake bolt holes (all of them, essentially) and the rear sway bar on our Audi A4.

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Ok , heres the skinny on the fatty, shorty. The plating place i talked to said they can do a gold tone yellow zinc plating or gold tone cadmium plating. They stated for the parts i want done either $50 for the zinc, or $100 for the cad. They stated the cad is more durable in a corrosive environment however this car will not be seeing a corrosive environment so i am not concerned. Cad is more expensive because its more toxic to deal with. I have since blended out all the pitting on my front booster half, and have asked a few other questions.
 
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Say, isn't this weird. I thought the serial number part of the VIN plate and the fender tag were the same?

I actually haven't looked at the door jamb VIN plate until today. The reason for this is that the car is parked really close to the wall on the driver's side.

Anyway, here is the door jamb plate:

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... and here is the fender tag:

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Apart from LP23, Not much is the same.
 
Ok, I used the VIN-decoder at mymopar.com:

Make: L = Dodge Dart / Demon
Price Class: P = Premium
Body Type: 23 = 2 Door Hardtop
Drive Train: D = 273 180HP 1-2BBL or 235HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL
Model Year: 6 = 1966
Assembly Plant: 2 = Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA
Sequence Number: 584933 = 484932th Vehicle

Is that sequence number really correct?
 
360DartGT66 said:
I got my thread inserts, step drills and Knipex Cobra pliers today. Yay! Now I can fix the intake bolt holes (all of them, essentially) and the rear sway bar on our Audi A4.

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Knipex are great. I have a 12" smooth jaw linear plyers from them. I use these at work a lot. Pricey but good. The step drills are great too. I keep a set of these at work and at home.
 
Man, does THIS feel good! First time on its wheels since ... June last year. I think the nose will come down a bit but I need to drive it first.

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