Brazilian Dodge Dart 76 (similar to 69 usa)

[alex_borges_br]

a friend draw a preview for me

I think will be very nice the dart SE... the dart 76 will be green.. will try to make a sketch for it too.

 

[msarni1]

Looks great!!!

 

[gerahead]

Alex,
Are the wheels on the front of your car as shown on the roll-back unique to the Brazilian models? I like those and have never seen them before. Keep up the good work. L8r

Jim

 

[alex_borges_br]

Hi

Chrysler did a big mistake on wheels here in brazil (on A bodies)...

The short history is.. Chrysler used old machines from a previous factory park.. based on French cars (Simca). Thus.. our wheels are 5 X 4 1/4". I think must US cars are 5 x 4 1/2".
Oficially we have 2 wheels (with some minor modifications during years). The first model is called Rally.. cheap and most common.. some dart models came with center hubs and 10 rings around the each wheel

the second model is called Magnum. I was used in some Dodge chargers (brazilian charges are A bodies with some mods as rear colum)

There were some aftermarkts wheels made with magnesium league or aluminum.

the front wheels on my dart are from a friend.. they are magnesium league. The big problem is that they break easy.

about 79 or 80 ( I don't know exactly).. Chrysler brazil was the first factory to sell a car with aluminum wheels

I will try to take some more photos and tell about chrysler in brazil

Alex,
Are the wheels on the front of your car as shown on the roll-back unique to the Brazilian models? I like those and have never seen them before. Keep up the good work. L8r

Jim

 

[fstfish66]

alll A body american cars had 5 lug 4 inch bolt pattern from 1962 till 1973, 1973 and later A bodies had 4 1/2 bolt pattern,,all other mopars came with 4 1/2 bolt pattern

 

[alex_borges_br]

Hi fstfish
really a good piece of information.. I will write it in my personal mopar notes.

sometimes I think work a bit on my hubs and remake bolt pattern ... just to use US mopar wheels.. I think you have a large number of really beautifull wheels.

for example:

alll A body american cars had 5 lug 4 inch bolt pattern from 1962 till 1973, 1973 and later A bodies had 4 1/2 bolt pattern,,all other mopars came with 4 1/2 bolt pattern

 

[fstfish66]

Hi fstfish
really a good piece of information.. I will write it in my personal mopar notes.

sometimes I think work a bit on my hubs and remake bolt pattern ... just to use US mopar wheels.. I think you have a large number of really beautifull wheels.

for example:

the wheels u pictured in these 2 pics are mag style hub caps, for 14 inch rims

 

[alex_borges_br]

today I did a paper model of the front grill missing piece.

Now I'm living in a tiny apartment.. and I can't work as I enjoy.

 

[LH23H2R]

Hello Alex . I hope all is well :thumbup: .

The bolt circle pattern for "A" Body wheels varied over the years :

1960 - 1972 : All had the 5 lugs on 4 inch ( 101.6 mm )-circle pattern except for the virtually non-existent , 1968 Hurst-Hemi Dart / Barracuda twins , with their 5 lugs / 4.5 inch circle .

1973 - 1976 : All V8's had the 5 lugs / 4.5 inch ( 114.3 mm ) pattern ; Slant Six models had the (stupid) small pattern ; by 01-01-1976 , disc brakes were standard ( probably a Federal Mandate ? ) and all were the desirable 4.5 inch ( 114.3 mm ) pattern .

The hot setup here States'-side is the 1973 - 1976 single piston "slider" calipres / rotors . These were super-common on Darts , Dusters , Dart Sports , Valiants and Scamps of those given years.

The photos you have posted are of the 1968 and 1969 Dart GT+S 14"
( 355.6 mm ) wheel covers ( different from "hub cap" , though the 2 terms interchange in layman's terms ) .

 

[alex_borges_br]

I did some minor work in my front grille. I'm using sand paper to remove not original white paint. It's a disgusting work.. grille has small squeares and I have to clean them

I also removed the grille trim to turn work easier

 

[alex_borges_br]

I'm building a car stand (don't know the name people use). I will have the dart painted next month (20th march it is going to the paint shop). I will remove engine and front suspension

Last saturday I went to a friends metal shop and in 5 minute we cutted and welded some metal pieces.

Next saturday I will weld a little enformcement and wheels

I'm getting crazy. I'm living in a tiny apartment and I can't work on car as I like.

 

[a68postcar]

be patient Alex! once the car is done, you won't be too worried about the appartment anymore. you will be out mmost of the time, cruising!!!

 

[alex_borges_br]

Hi, thanks for all messages guys.. Now I realized I'm almost a guess in a tibetan monastery... I cleaned very slowly all 108 little craps of my dart grille... 108 little tiny short squares where old owner painted with a strange white paint.

I used dot 3 brake fluid do help me. The remainder paint is very strong and I think I will use it as base coat

 

[momoparman]

Brake fluid?

Alex you may have issues re-painting if that brake fluid seeps into that old dry plastic. You may want to clean up again with rubbing alcohol and set that grill out in the sun so it can bake the oil residue off.

I would hate to see you have to clean all 108 squares again...

Keep up the good work.

Mop

 

[alex_borges_br]

Hi momoparman

I know I will have to clean the grill a lot before paint. But first step is to remove week paint.

I wish to try paint remover but I was pretty sure that it would melt the grill plastic. Thus, I googled for plastic paint stripper and some forums told about brake fluid..

I left it about 30 min... plastic is ok.. A key point is brake fluid (dot 3 i.e) is highly higroscopic. It means that brake fluid likes water a lot and absorves it from enviroment... thus.. a lot of water cleans brake fluid very easy. Another piece adivse a friend told me is to use hot water and Dish Washing Liquid Detergent.

finnally, I tested in my grill a degreaser.. works fine and does not attack plastic

Now I'm grease_fobic on my parts .. irate:

I will try to glue plastic pieces using acetone.. pieces of plastic melted on acetone. Later, I will use a thin fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin to reinforce some places.

Brake fluid?

Alex you may have issues re-painting if that brake fluid seeps into that old dry plastic. You may want to clean up again with rubbing alcohol and set that grill out in the sun so it can bake the oil residue off.

I would hate to see you have to clean all 108 squares again...

Keep up the good work.

Mop

 

[momoparman]

I understand the theory...reality is another matter....only mentioned it because I had some issues on a motorcycle some years ago with brake fluid seeping into the plastic and paint not sticking.

Nevertheless you must make do with what is available and I agree that acetone and a lot of other thinners may have caused you more grief than anything else.

I am interested in your process to fix the plastic. I am about to start on our grill and I have several broken areas to attend to. I was planning on using a high fiber filler to repair the cracks.

Please let us know how the acetone works and keep up the good work.

Mop:mrgreen:

 

[alex_borges_br]

Now it's time to glue pieces together... It's not the "weld" process.. I'm justing putting everything in place to check what else I have to do

I used C.A glue (like standard super glue). For example, note this photo

Now broken piece is resting in piece in its original place. Note the marks across the piece I glued. I just used a very small portion of glue.. Just to put broken plastic in place

I also glued some plastic parts I've made.
For example:

I used a thinner plastic... I intend to reinforce the plastic with fiberglass cloth.. thus, when I do this, parts will be smoothed "welded"... without any disruption on the plastic face.

I'm using a flexible plastic.. I think it will be resistent to car body torsion.. and will not break/crack.

For example, I will use this 10"x1" pice where headlight bezels joint the grill.

I also made some grill inner pieces... take a look at this 1 week ago photo and the yesterday photo.. Yesterday I started to cut this "tooth"

1 week ago:

Yesterday:

Finnaly, I have some screw problems.. don't know yet how to remove and replace it

 

[momoparman]

You could drill through the plastic at the front to get the old screw out then once the new screw is installed and glued into place you could fill the hole in the front and smooth it over....

Nice input on your ideas...helps to make my ideas work.


Mop

 

[fstfish66]

Try running a die over the screw and save it,, im sure it will break the plastic if you try to remove it

 

[alex_borges_br]

Hi, today I tried a die.. old screw is breaking.
I think I will cut it and drill .. I also tough to warm the screw until it melt the plast .. but I think it will not work

Try running a die over the screw and save it,, im sure it will break the plastic if you try to remove it

 

[momoparman]

It may...if you warm and twist at the same time...you may be able to twist it out.

I feel your fear about melting that little nub though.

That would really complicate things eh?

I guess go slowly is about all you can do at this point....I have a feeling that you will figure it out if you haven't already.:toothy9:

Mop

 

[alex_borges_br]

Hi, today I did not worked on grill.. but I think warm and twist may work fine.. I will try tomorrow, as soon as I back home. Today I came to my wifes mother home (my mother in law). I also went to a junkyard :colors::colors::colors::colors:.. found some nice parts as original fuse box cap..

Yesterday I did some minor thinks on grill.. will describe in next message

It may...if you warm and twist at the same time...you may be able to twist it out.

I feel your fear about melting that little nub though.

That would really complicate things eh?

I guess go slowly is about all you can do at this point....I have a feeling that you will figure it out if you haven't already.:toothy9:

Mop

 

[alex_borges_br]

I did glued grill pieces in place using C.A. glue ..

Than, yesterday I did some "structural weld" on plastic.. It is my methodology and may vary a lot from work to another work..

what I call structural weld? C.A. glue is weak to grill torsion. We have to melt plastic.. melting two pieces together until they became just one.

I do not weld the entire crack or pieces joint.. I melt small pieces (1/4") along a crack or pieces joint.. for example.. 3 o 4 welds along a 5" crack..

I use a eletronic soldering gun.

I use small pieces of plastic (the same material from the grill) to work as a soldering iron.. I also made small holes at the end of each crack.. I did holes using the soldering gun.


I will take some photos tomorrow.

Next steps.. After structural weld, I will make a V on cracks and pieces joint to put the plastic/acetone mixture. This will completly fill the cracks..

here a youtube examples

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuA6d49Z7Rc"]YouTube - Plastic Welding with Soldering Iron[/ame]

 

[mopardrt]

cars still looking great man good job with the grille cant wait to see how it comes together

 

[alex_borges_br]

I'm attaching 3 pictures. I used soldering weld to put pieces together. Works fine..

Now I have to use a sand paper and work more.. at least plastic is easy to sand.