Arizona Swinger

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bmaudlin

bmaudlin

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Joined
Apr 21, 2010
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Location
Tucson, Az.
Well I finally have my 70 Dart Swinger 340 back in Arizona after six weeks of trying to arrange shipping from back East! This car originally came from this part of the country, so very little rust, but spent this past winter in chilly Wisconsin. My plans were to originally restore it back to original, but with F4 and F8 green outer panels, and a two tone green interior, maybe just a little too much green for my tastes. Plan as of now is to paint the exterior 2010 Dodge 'detonator yellow', and since it has the two tone trim, i.e.vinyl top trim, a black vinyl top. Add a black tail stripe, 'go-wing', maybe a black out hood, and a black interior. Add a six pack set up to the 340 engine, keep the 727 transmission, and maybe a 3.55 rear gear. Of course, ALL of this is subject to change! I'll download some pics of the car as I received it, along with some more showing what rust will have to be dealt with, as well as pics of a stripped down body, which was shipped off to the stripper this morning. I hope you enjoy the journey, as I hope to have this car ready for fall cruising! (Famous last words!) Ben.

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More pictures of the tear-down process. My goal is to keep the complete project under 15k, but we all know how 15k turns quickly into 30k! Ben.

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One last group of photos before going to stripper. Will post more when car gets back later this week! Ben.

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Looks like a great project. Be sure to take a hard look at the qtr pnls, ( I cut mine completely out). Rust eventually always shows up there. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the advice. Looks like I need to just replace the lower panels behind the wheels. The inner drop offs look good--at least before it went to the stripper. We'll see if they still do after it gets back
 
The car is actually in very good shape for its' age. A lot of holes to fill to remove side molding, etc., but very nice floors, trunk and frame rails. Those of us who live in this part of the country are accustomed to finding cars like this with minimal rust. I have a new found respect for those of you who have to deal with extensive rust and rot and turn what we might send to the crusher into some very nice cars.
 
We all have our crosses to bear...in the Southwest, we get nice clean sheetmetal. But the sun and heat that keep away the tin worm do a number on the interiors. Your dash pad looks ready to disintegrate. Northeast dash pads tend to hold up pretty well.
 
Very true! But I'll take replacing a dash pad over replacing frame rails any day of the week!!Ben.
 
It looks like you were also fortunate to find a very complete car. Sad to see a potential project in such good shape get out of this part of the country!
 
Two tone green inside and out :love7: and you're gonna paint it yellow? (A single tear slides down Slantsick's cheek as he chokes back a sob)

Seriously, looks like a nice project.. and yes, you southwestern guys are definitely spoiled when it comes to rust.
 
Gathering up engine parts at this point, so nothing glamorous to report! Car has been at the stripper for almost two weeks for a job that was suppose to take 3-5 days. With summer monsoon rains coming down on a fairly regular basis, who knows how long it might take!! Ben.
 
Slantsick said:
Two tone green inside and out :love7: and you're gonna paint it yellow? (A single tear slides down Slantsick's cheek as he chokes back a sob)

Seriously, looks like a nice project.. and yes, you southwestern guys are definitely spoiled when it comes to rust.
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Like most of the numerous projects I've done over the years, the initial color choice doesn't always get sprayed. I can remember a 68 El Camino I wanted to paint a buckskin brown color--even had the paint in the paint gun to spray--and at the last second decided to use what I had left of a 70 Chevelle red color on it!!Ben.
 
bmaudlin said:
Gathering up engine parts at this point, so nothing glamorous to report! Car has been at the stripper for almost two weeks for a job that was suppose to take 3-5 days. With summer monsoon rains coming down on a fairly regular basis, who knows how long it might take!! Ben.
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Be sure to post up pic's when you get her back, or better yet while in progress.
 
this car is my cars opposite twin mines ef8 bottom with ff4 light green top VO2 two tone paint code dont really see too many two tone painted cars from 1970 with the side trim to boot havent really seen 340 swingers with chrome trim down the sides mostly all have been stripes hopefully the factory scheme grows on you it did on me and i was gonna go panther pink/ black interior with a 4spd but i went with green and green and oh'yeah more green maybe some other green

either way very solid lookin swinger you have there and goodluck lookin forward on the updates
Terry
 
ef8340 said:
this car is my cars opposite twin mines ef8 bottom with ff4 light green top VO2 two tone paint code dont really see too many two tone painted cars from 1970 with the side trim to boot havent really seen 340 swingers with chrome trim down the sides mostly all have been stripes hopefully the factory scheme grows on you it did on me and i was gonna go panther pink/ black interior with a 4spd but i went with green and green and oh'yeah more green maybe some other green

either way very solid lookin swinger you have there and goodluck lookin forward on the updates
Terry
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Driving into work this morning, I was thinking about the two tone green!! Much simpler--forget the stripe, vinyl top and rear wing! I've got a basic plan; I'll just have to wait and see what color actually comes out of the spray gun! Ben.
 
i think yours looks more like a sleeper 340 swinger mine came with a go-wing and ledger green tail stripe
Terry
 
Still mulling over these paint colors. The greens are f4 and f8 original colors. The yellow is 2010 Dodge 'detonator yellow'--what do you think? Ben.

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And you already know what I think.. I'm biased of course, because my first car ('70 Dart Custom sedan) was F8 w/ a white painted top, my father had a '69 Valiant Signet that was the same color w/ a matching vinyl top and interior when I was about 13 (I loved that thing)- and something about those muted greens and browns just seems right on an A-body. And I'm generally not in favor of removing or painting chrome trim, for that matter. Plus, I hate yellow cars. But ultimately, it's your choice of course- and it'd be a kickass car even if you chose (shudder) Panther Pink.
 
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