'74 swinger project

-
N

notenoughcash

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
865
Reaction score
8
Location
TX
Well, finally getting this project underway.

'74 Swinger, originally 318/2bbl/auto, thats long gone, previous owner had put in a 400/727/8.8 rear end, thats on it's way out.

Front suspension shot, most of the bushings are history, bad brake lines on fronts, probably replace with Alter-K

floorpan needs replacement, front fenders are iffy, drivers has had one ugly fix done to it, trunk pan in good shape.

Plans are 505ci RB, 5 speed, D60 w/3.91 gears, new interior, fresh paint, subframe connectors, minitub, cage. Will post more pics as I get it apart. Sure there will be plenty of questions as I go.

This weekend it's get the trans out and strip the interior

IMG_0275.jpg

IMG_0274.jpg
 
Well, seats out, carpet out, trans out today.

Floor is shot, time to order up a pan and 4 speed hump.

IMG_0353.jpg

IMG_0351.jpg


Next up, loose the hacked in exhaust and get it over to body guy for evaluation early in the week
 
Meh, work's got me busy for the next two weeks so not much progress to be made. I got the windshield out to start on dash removal. Ugghh....must have been two tubes of silicon crap holding both the glass and trim pieces in. 50% of the clips for the trim were missing.

TO get the trans out required a sawzall, exhaust was real, honest to god fence post :angry5: and wouldn't let the trans drop out without removal.

Will have more pics when I get back on this. Time to order up floorpan and hopefully get that started. Then it's onto seats for placement so the main hoop (decided on a custom cage to go with the subframe connectors) I'm thinking about adding front bars to tie the front frame to the cage so I can remove some of teh inner fenderwells for clearance while still maintaining structural .
 
Meh, not much to update but I figured may as well note the little stuff.

1st -- finally got rain here so that killed last weekends working in the driveway, I'm not complaining.

Got my 4 speed pedal set from member prrc,one more step towards the conversion from an auto (excellent transaction, paid via PayPal, got notification on shipping complete w/tracking number, pedals look good, I'm happy!)

Heading out tomorrow to the San Antonio Mopar clubs annual show, goin with a friend who's bringing his '70 Cuda. Hoping to find odds-n-ends at the swap meet area, get to meet more locals and check out the rides.

Hopefully next update will actually include progress and pics.
 
Nothing much to update except the car went off to get blasted today. Upon return from yet another work trip I'll know just how fubar the sheet metal is....
 
Random update

:angry5::angry5:Damn I hate the altered version of time that seems to set in when a car goes to a body shop. Still 'waiting my turn' behind other cars to get anything moving.:banghead:, been there long enough for one of my neighbors to ask if I scraped the project

So, in the meantime got new gauges for the dash:

Gauges.jpg


Ordered new wiring harness, Highway 22 from American, battery disconnect, external battery posts.

Trying to get a short list together for options on seats/rims/tires and work on paint color, that's keeping me busy enough so I don't loose it. Still need to get a rear diff sorted out as well...
 
Dash panel from classicdash.com arrived today so I test fitted the gauges. Not to shabby:

Dash_Pod1.jpg


Headers and wiring harness due in next week :)
 
notenoughcash said:
Random update

:angry5::angry5:Damn I hate the altered version of time that seems to set in when a car goes to a body shop. Still 'waiting my turn' behind other cars to get anything moving.:banghead:, been there long enough for one of my neighbors to ask if I scraped the project
Click to expand...

I just got done with doing the same here. I was told that it would take 2 1/2 months
and now 8 months later I am just now today getting my car back!!!
I think it’s the bondo fumes.......Kills all them "Get it done on time" brain cells
 
Heh, "Since" it was blasted :) They haven't gotten to it yet ! Will be back there again Monday to pester them. Seems there is a never ending line of finish up work ahead of me. I'm not so much mad, just getting impatient, I knew what I was in for when I dropped it off. And I guess this is one way to self budget the build, I don't have a lot of room to store large parts so I'm forced to wait until they are needed.

Ah well, on the bright side I've been getting rain for the past two days,only 15+ inches short for the year..
 
Well I finally got mine back today. I tell you what....like I told this guy "if you tell me 2 1/2 months and it is getting to be 7 months and it isn't even close to being done(with as little that needed to be done)something ain't right" Here's a look at what I brought home.

IMG_0200.jpg
 
At least there is progress on the engine :)

James505-1.jpg


James505-2.jpg


James505-3.jpg


James505-4.jpg



440 block
4.350 bore 4.25 stroke -- 505ci :burnout:
7.100 beam rod wARP 2000 bolts
4.25 stroke forged 8 bolt crank
26.7cc dish Forged piston (10.35:1 final static compression)
Aluminum main caps w/main stud girdle
Milodon oil system Road race pan/pickup/pump
IJ crank scraper
Milodon cam gear drive
Victor heads CNC ported w/tool steel ret/dual springs
Victor EFI intake w/fuel rails
Hughes roller rocker kit w/billet hold downs
Custom solid roller cam 255/263 @.050" .624" net lift w/1.6 rockers
SFI damper
Aluminum water pump/housing kit
Billet rear main seal retainer
Billet valley tray end rails
ARP head/main bolts
Aluminum fab valve covers
TTI 2" headers to 3" dumped at the axle
*
Fuel delivery -- Accel DFI
Main EFI kit w/wide band O2
Sensor kit
Dual sync dist for sequential fire
55# injectors
1550 cfm 4bbl T-body
DFI 6A ignition box w/E core coil


Now I need to get moving on a transmission/rear end so I can mock up in January
 
Update time! Between crazy work and backup @ the shop things have moved slowly….

Got the body stripped down, blasted and ready for work. Not as bad as I thought it would be, floor is shot, previous owner did some weird stuff to one front fender , it looks like a grenade went thru the lower corner and was patched with 2 cans of filler and aluminum foil

IMG_0503-1.jpg


need to find a replacement. Other dent repairs done with the old screw and puller method :(

IMG_0506.jpg


Car is square within 1/8"

IMG_0523.jpg


Minor rot around the trunk lip and where the A and C pillars meet the body. My body guys said no big deal, easy repairs.

IMG_0511.jpg

IMG_0509.jpg


More pics:

IMG_0504.jpg


WTH ?!?
IMG_0512.jpg



Engine ready to go :)

DSC00103.jpg


http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=180005

Hunting for a D60 to get ready for mock up in the next few weeks while basic sheet metal work is getting done.

Smoothing the firewall out now, then bye bye trunk floor for new custom fuel cell.

IMG_0522.jpg


Out with the old K, to be replaced with Alter-K :)

IMG_0521.jpg


Still need to find a new dash frame as the one in the car was rotted to hell on the passenger side, need seats, steering column soon to begin placement of 10pt in the car then on to getting a transmission.

Should keep the updates going now that things are moving along
 
It doesn't look like it was all that bad. I fixed a lot worse on my 70 RoadRunner. You'll start making some good progress on it now. Ronnie
 
more random updates (pics tomorrow I hope, stupid iPhone acting retarded tonight)

Alter-K installed for mock up
Street Lynx installed, waiting on diff housing
Firewall smoothing done

Engine due in next week
T56 due next week
Moser M60 w/4.10 gears due in next week

All of the above will be installed for mock-up while I'm out of country, damn I want to be here for the initial installs, oh well.

Just for giggles we stuffed a 345/35-18 in the rear wells, damn if it didn't almost fit with a minitub :glasses7:, would half to roll the fender lips. If the cost of replacement rubber wasn't so silly for something that size...sticking with 315/35-17 back there. Will be sizing the fronts next week once the fenders get temp'd back in place.

Going with American Muscle 17x10.5 in the rear with Nitto NT555 rubber for now, probably 17 x 8 up front, hoping to fit 245s

Contemplating a different approach to exhaust exit since there won't be a usable back seat. Exit in front of the tires thru the quarter panel. Since it needs work anyway we're going to try it on the bad sheet metal and see how it looks. Will need to come over the rear frame rail with the pipes. If it sucks I'll dump the exhaust in front of the diff.
 
Some pics:

Alter-K installed and firewall basics finished:

IMG_0529.jpg


Trunk cut for custom fuel cell:

IMG_0531.jpg


345/35-18 tucked in for fun :D

IMG_0530.jpg
 
Fuel cell, 15 gallon, should tuck up out of sight and still leave some room in the trunk. Filler neck will attach to stock fill tube will minimal mods, 2 x -10 AN outlets, will have -8 return and -8 vent/rollover

IMG_0532.jpg


IMG_0533.jpg


IMG_0534.jpg
 
A few more updates and a grumble…

I'm happy now!

37.jpg


M60 housing and parts :

38.jpg


:angry4::angry4::angry4:
Rear wheels/tires showed up Tuesday, I ordered Black, they shipped Anthracite :banghead: Need to call em today, didn't find out till last night when I got these pics (out of town for work) Kinda like the look now that I;ve seen it but still gonna ***** about it to American Muscle, order clearly states Black :( Probably gonna be a huge PITA to swap em back, the color is going to be along the lines of a burgundy, would you keep these or deal with the inevitable mess of return/replace for the black ones ? They haven't been bolted up, just slid under the car.

Test fit rear rubber (315/35ZR17 Nitto NT555):

53.jpg

54.jpg


Plenty of room:
55.jpg

56.jpg


Damn, that will tuck up tight :)

58.jpg


More happiness!

Stopping power:

59.jpg


Don't think I'll keep it quite this slammed but nice to know I could.

65.jpg


Bye Bye rusty floor…

69.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top