74 Turbo Dart Sport

[Holden Customs]

Last year I picked up a 74 dart sport with a 225 /6 and a 904. It wasnt in running condition but 95 percent of it is there. This year I finally got around to get this thing started. My build idea is to rebuild the engine and tranny, swap in a dana 44 with 3.73s that I had already from a different project, and put a turbo on the engine. I am also doing a basic restoration on the rest of the car. Keeping it mostly stock but adding a more aggressive cam, a turbo, and a holley efi system.

 

[Holden Customs]

Ive pulled the engine, k member, and ditched the old rear end in the car.

 

[Holden Customs]

I have also stripped down the engine and had it bored out to .030 over and put in new bearings, pistons, and rings.

 

[Holden Customs]

Next is to get my new cam and engine parts back in the block and get working on the transmission. Pictures to follow in a few weeks when I am able to get back on it.

 

[Demonic]

Cool! And it has a sway bay to boot!

 

[sireland67]

Nice start, I would not paint the exterior of that car.

 

[dukeboy440]

A dana 44? hmm this should be interesting to see

 

[Holden Customs]

A dana 44? hmm this should be interesting to see

Yeah it should be. It's just something I had around already that had been rebuilt internally.

 

[Dusterdenovo]

Welcome to FABO. It will blow your mind how much information and expertise is available to you here. Also, being up here in Canada with all of our Mopar shopping challenges, there is a ton of info available here on sourcing parts and finding quality vendors down in the States. Good luck with your Sport!

 

[Holden Customs]

Welcome to FABO. It will blow your mind how much information and expertise is available to you here. Also, being up here in Canada with all of our Mopar shopping challenges, there is a ton of info available here on sourcing parts and finding quality vendors down in the States. Good luck with your Sport!

Thanks! And good to know.

 

[moparmat2000]

Subscribed. I love watching all these builds. It gives me ideas for mine. Nice start to a good project.

 

[Holden Customs]

I have been busy travelling around for work most of the summer, but I finally had a chunk of time to get some work done. Spent a good amount of time doing some re-organizing as I picked up some industrial shelves and free'd up some space.

 

[Holden Customs]

Prepped and painted a bunch of brackets, pulleys, covers, and stripped and painted the head for the engine.

 

[Holden Customs]

And finally, I got to rebuild the head. New valves, springs, and retainers. Valves were lapped.

 

[Holden Customs]

Today I got the cam, lifters, head, push rods, and rocker arms installed. Still need to degree the cam and adjust the valves but I threw on the covers to see how its going to look.

 

[Holden Customs]

Near the end of the year I didn't get much time to work on the car, work and a holiday, but I have some time again and am back at it.

I started with rebuilding the steering box and getting all the suspension and steering parts rebuilt, prepped, and ready for paint. I also welded on a stiffing plate to the lower control arms to stop them from spreading.

 

[Holden Customs]

While the parts were drying, I stripped the engine bay and have started some rust repair on the car and engine bay prep for paint. I am hoping to have the suspension, steering, engine, and trans in the car soon to line up my rear end and complete the welding on that.

 

[WTruo]

Looking good man!

 

[Holden Customs]

Engine bay and front half of underbody primed, painted, and cleared.

 

[Holden Customs]

a904 was stripped down and rebuilt

 

[Holden Customs]

Reinstalled the front suspension with new Energy Suspension bushings and proforged/moog tie rod ends and ball joints. Finally plopped the engine and trans back into their place. Next up is getting the rotors on and letting this thing back on its own weight to set up suspension and rear end.

 

[Holden Customs]

I started getting my weird dana 44 rear end mocked up and in place. I am adding in a panhard bar to the back to help with lateral movement. I think I got it in a decent spot for clearance all around when the suspension compresses. I wish it could have been a bit longer but it seems like it will work.

 

[MileHighDart]

Have you checked out Slant6.org ? Several guys there that have done turbo slants. And some are serious slant6 racers.
Something I remember from reading posts there is that the turbo slant's like higher gears (lower numerically) like 2:76 because the turbo's work better with a load on the engine.
I'm no expert on slants or turbos, but you might check it out.

 

[Holden Customs]

Have you checked out Slant6.org ? Several guys there that have done turbo slants. And some are serious slant6 racers.
Something I remember from reading posts there is that the turbo slant's like higher gears (lower numerically) like 2:76 because the turbo's work better with a load on the engine.
I'm no expert on slants or turbos, but you might check it out.

Thanks for the info. I have visited the site but havent read that on there, ill have to look again.

 

[MileHighDart]

Thanks for the info. I have visited the site but havent read that on there, ill have to look again.

Or I may have read it here in the slant section.