Really glad I reached out on Facebook small block Mopar and Mopar Engines only group, A Bodies group. Made finishing up tuning so much easier car is running great now. Running cooler, timing is good, startup is fine with no choke will be glad to have the manual choke if needed. Drives great now on 91 octane no ethanol, wont run great on ethanol but with a boost additive it did. I wanted the boost out of the picture can create other issues. I have to gear up for the next upgrades so will probably less updates for a while. I hope my experiences and fumbles helps the next new guy trying to start their first restomod.
74 Dart 360 Sport
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DionR
Well-Known Member
4-bar / back half the HemiDenny / HDK way
this Dart will be low, the actual ground level (up 3") simulated by hi-tech stacked 2 x 6 scraps. Gas tank will be 8" off the ground. Plenty of room for the rear mounted coil overs , panard bar and tail pipes running between the rear frame rails and gas tank.
www.forabodiesonly.com
Just so as to not clutter up Denny's build thread, I figured I would comment on your question in your build thread instead.
I have run into a similar issue where I am out of adjustment on one side of my car and am limited on what I can get and have a balance. One thought I have is that the mount holes in the k-frame have about an 1/8" of slop and I think I have my k-frame a little twisted and off to one side. Could be that is also an issue for you. You might try loosening the bolts and prying it as far forward as you can, this should force the k-frame to center up on the bolts and maybe help with your issue.
Now, this is just speculation on my part. I've never seen anyone comment on getting the k-frame square in the car, so maybe it isn't an issue. I do know mine is slightly off to one side and it does seem to fit how mine is off in the alignment.
The other question would be, are you using offset bushings in the upper arms? I am and still don't have enough adjustment. But maybe it would help you with yours?
I have settled for something that works for now on my car but plan to take better care with mounting the k-frame when I do my G3 swap and will probably go to the adjustable arms @BergmanAutoCraft sells.
BAC/SPC 1.0 UPPER CONTROL ARM - Bergman Auto Craft
Upper Control Arms allow the highest degree of adjustment on the market. These arms allow adjustment without touching the factory eccentrics.
bergmanautocraft.com
I have not found any offset bushings for A body upper A arm, so if they exist that would be a place to start. I'm leaning with just going ahead and doing the full coil over swap as the prices I saw were little high for arms only. I'm concerned I do this then change my mind and I just wasted a lot of cash on a part again I won't be able to keep with a full K swap out.
DionR
Well-Known Member
Refurbishing Upper Control Arms (UCA)
This how to article is my way of saying thank you to everyone who shares their time, talents and posted on this site. I have benefited so much from your posts I felt it was time I gave back. Upper control arms (UCA)....here we go! I purchased...
www.forabodiesonly.com
Moog Chassis Parts K7103 Moog Control Arm Bushings | Summit Racing
Free Shipping - Moog Control Arm Bushings with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Control Arm Bushings and Bearings at Summit Racing.
Other than buying some pipe and such, you could install them yourself and be less than $50 into the whole deal.
Can't vouch for the quality anymore though. That's what I run but they are several years old and I have heard less than stellar reviews of Moog parts of recent.
I did find the Moog kit after I redid my search looks like its not really worth the work to add them. Looks like the tubular arms get you a better upgrade and I want to be sure I get the larger upper ball joint seen some threads on that. Sucks I didn't catch this sooner during the rebuild of the front end.
Changed my mind again wife stopped on the automatic 727. When I got all the parts added up even doing myself and free rebuild I'm still close to 2000. Still an 8.25 rear end as well. We're going to o see how things go at tax time and order the TKX or a a Brewers. I have not found anyone that has a stick setup used A833 or TKX hoping I find one eventually. I don't think a T5 will take what I'm throwing at it. New would be nice I think for reliability. But 4 speeds are easy rebuilds.
Finally found the right steering u-joint to replace the stock rag without spending 300 bucks. Received the Borgeson 014921 3/4DD X5/8 36 C spline this works with the stock power steering box. Also ordered from Bergman Auto Craft the SPC adjustable A arms. This will change how the car handles and give me the proper clearance for the headers. Hoping this clears up the sometimes scary behavior with cracks on rougher roads. Transmission is still in the works for this winter and back on the road.
Oh before I forget I actually talked with Peter Bergman what a great guy we are lucky to have him. It was a great talk about my concerns on handling, as I have to do a little at a time for budget I look forward to changing things up suspension and steering a bit and enjoying the car safely.
Oh before I forget I actually talked with Peter Bergman what a great guy we are lucky to have him. It was a great talk about my concerns on handling, as I have to do a little at a time for budget I look forward to changing things up suspension and steering a bit and enjoying the car safely.
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So they came today Bergman makes a very nice custom set of upper Arms for a killer deal. Amazing quality Dion was right! Call Bergman they know A body suspension. These are not the SPC you buy at site. Berman assembled via parts and improve on the original SPC item sold for twice as much! You will not be sorry and the adjustments are crazy compared to a tubular arm or stock.
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Got the driver's upper left arm in and onto the right passenger. Also about to put steering wheel column back in. FYI that roll pins sucks and the rag joint is gone. I used a big hammer and planned as you can do this without pulling everything out. Hint a long extension with 5/16 roll punch and a 5/8 spark plug socket over the punch! Drive it out from the female side. Kept it all nice and steady knocked right out. I have power brakes and headers so I have no room for a hammer but with a long 3/8 extension you will. I have 3/4 roller to 3/4 DD adapter that will be welded on.
Or buy regular roll pin punches off amazon for like $15
Last one installed easy after you have been all through the car lol over 40 years tearing stuff apart like this A body. Still waiting on the coupler delayed to tomorrow. Best part I can easily pull out the column now and will the switch alot easier. I sure hope this alignment is better and drives out better. I want to do more but I want to be sure I shouldn't have gone coil over. Was not a lot in this Dion made this purchase happen he is right Peter Bergman has some quality stuff great prices.
Successful alignment today went really well. Tate Boys was real happy with new upper A arms installed. The guy I use there has a Dart big block and a couple E body cars. Was shocked at price with BAC. Driving the car very much on a different level now. No longer has nose diving behavior and no more hunting cracks in the road.
Here was my solution for a stock power steering box and column with Summit headers. I need to shorten the one Allen screw header side in picture, does not touch now but still. I have plenty of room and I can easily pull this out of I ever need to. I quickly ground down welds a bit made sure I had good penetration and I did a V groove all the way around.
Yeah the one I had was like 10 inches long. But I refused to remove all the brake stuff to do it. I spent 15 dollars I think at Harbor Freight on them set of 5.
Yeah I need to clean it up a bit this was just getting it in there for now. Like I said shorten the Allen screws they are a 1/4 to long. It did make a huge difference vs the rag joint all that slop is gone along with the arm change I will do the Borgesen box as well most likely.
Big changes coming for starters let the list begin.
ZF 8hp70 8 speed torque flight
3/8 fuel line front to back with new no return 3/8 sending unit
New silencer tunnel from Challenger for console and trans installation
Seats bucket and rear bench from 2013 Charger SXT electric driver seat
New drive shaft obviously
Sound German programmer for transmission
JVX LA adapter no crank sensor
Adding Tps to Holley carburetor
US cartool frame ties and spring relocation kit
Mini tub if needed told Dart Sports/ Duster/Demon will fit a huge rear tire with spring kit
Charger/300 console
All new door cards front and rear in black with all black interior
Changing the decal as well RT black most likely or a rear tail Dart GTS style
New front grill, new door handles, new bullet sport mirrors l, new tail light bezels
8 1/4 rear disc brake conversion Dr diff
new bearings rear end has no issues in great shape
Who knows what else car is fun but gaining ET is a goal here and ability to cruise highway with better mileage. Creature comforts as well were needed. Tulsa cruise night is an hour away and I want to enjoy the drive and not be white knuckles when I get there. Suspension and front brakes are great dialed in now.
ZF 8hp70 8 speed torque flight
3/8 fuel line front to back with new no return 3/8 sending unit
New silencer tunnel from Challenger for console and trans installation
Seats bucket and rear bench from 2013 Charger SXT electric driver seat
New drive shaft obviously
Sound German programmer for transmission
JVX LA adapter no crank sensor
Adding Tps to Holley carburetor
US cartool frame ties and spring relocation kit
Mini tub if needed told Dart Sports/ Duster/Demon will fit a huge rear tire with spring kit
Charger/300 console
All new door cards front and rear in black with all black interior
Changing the decal as well RT black most likely or a rear tail Dart GTS style
New front grill, new door handles, new bullet sport mirrors l, new tail light bezels
8 1/4 rear disc brake conversion Dr diff
new bearings rear end has no issues in great shape
Who knows what else car is fun but gaining ET is a goal here and ability to cruise highway with better mileage. Creature comforts as well were needed. Tulsa cruise night is an hour away and I want to enjoy the drive and not be white knuckles when I get there. Suspension and front brakes are great dialed in now.
Floors modified for 2013 Charger bucket seats. The Dart was a bench seat car so I had to remove the raised mounts. Way to tall otherwise. Then I had to remove front bracket and flip the front hole down. I made my own bracket out of 14 guage sheet metal. Then tacked in new floor board and put some ribs in it for strength. I will weld in some plates to strengthen mounts up. Based off what I saw for bench seat mount it was not SAFE.
DionR
Well-Known Member
Looking forward to seeing pictures of the seats installed.
Welp here is the first test fits I did a bit of driving will work out well. I need to change the seat location in the track I believe I can move it back a bit more. In the picture that's all the way forward its electric ya know cuz this little car needs that lol for the driver of course. It is so comfortable I can't stress enough how much better this is! The seats were 85 dollars front and back!
I got my 850 Pro-form reworked with new custom metering blocks. Sharpton Racing in Dewey Oklahoma hooked me up. I gave him all my engine information cam and so on. Then he turns it around in a month! These were blank blocks very impressive. Car runs amazing now can't wait to have the new ZF transmission in this car is going to be stupid fun! The bottom blank metering block bottom in picture is the new one and some other tricks were done. Basically out of box if your car is highly modified and big cam spend some good money on carb or EFI. The Brawler or Quickfuel style was a waste of money in my opinion if you have to tear into and change it. Would custom order from start going forward. The new metering block has five emulsion circuits huge difference.
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