Get Running & Driving 2-1965 Dodge Dart

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That doesnt even look like a console bracket as the Autos got a strange A frame looking mount for the console shifter. IIRC it bolted up to this A-frame
 
I’m not sure what that little bracket is welded to the hump.
But there was an aluminum plate on some cars near the gas pedal to protect the carpet.
 
rustyfish said:
Apparently when they created all the Dart Chargers there were lots of upgrade parts left over and many of those parts made it onto others as add-ons.
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The Cragar 13" wheels were an option, regardless of body style. My original '65 Dart GT had them as an option. Dart Chargers had the logo inserted in the cap, or the caps were made especially for Dart Chargers, Ulf would know. Nothing on your car that I've seen came from a Dart Charger. I believe the V8 emblem was placed on '64 Darts. GT's had no exterior
engine identification emblem in '65, which has always seemed odd to me.
 
SSVDP said:
I’m not sure what that little bracket is welded to the hump.
But there was an aluminum plate on some cars near the gas pedal to protect the carpet.
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This car did have that plate. I removed it from the carpet before I threw it out.
 
65ChargerDart said:
The Cragar 13" wheels were an option, regardless of body style. My original '65 Dart GT had them as an option. Dart Chargers had the logo inserted in the cap, or the caps were made especially for Dart Chargers, Ulf would know. Nothing on your car that I've seen came from a Dart Charger. I believe the V8 emblem was placed on '64 Darts. GT's had no exterior
engine identification emblem in '65, which has always seemed odd to me.
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I don't think any of those parts made it onto this car. In fact there are so few options, I think someone just wanted a plain jane street fighter straight off the lot.
 
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Nice find. Looks like a good starting point. Are you missing the side trim for the driver door? I think I have one if you need it.
 
crvtec90 said:
Nice find. Looks like a good starting point. Are you missing the side trim for the driver door? I think I have one if you need it.
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Thanks, actually all the trim is there. Trunk had the side pieces. The chrome piece around the grill is broken though.
 
This week I got the interior gutted (not the dash yet), disinfected all the surfaces with a vinegar solution and let it dry out a couple days. Then Wednesday I rolled her out of the garage and washed/rinsed really well with soapy water. Trying to get all the mousy smell out, got pretty close but I think there is still some nook and crannies to get to but so much better now smell wise.

I also today got to the engine compartment and pulled the wiring harness. My guess is this is why the car was put up on blocks 30 years ago. The harness at and near the bulkhead connector is toasty in several places. See pics. Going t lay it out and unwrap it for further inspection, but not looking too good at this point. Interestingly, the bulkhead connector itself looks to be in pretty fair condition.
 
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Also pulled all the plugs. 2 and 8 are a little carbon fouled, 3 is black because it had no gap. Not too bad.

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rustyfish said:
I posted some info about this car in a couple other threads. This is a Los Angeles plant car that, until Sunday, spent it's life in California. It is somewhat of a time capsule that spent the last 30+ years in a garage, last registered in 1988. I'm sure I overpaid for it, and then paid to have it shipped, but it really seemed like a great project car with a lot of potential. And it's really the kind of car I've really wanted for some time. Not to take anything from my '66 Barracuda, but it's a column shift automatic and the Dart is 4 on the floor Hurst.

So some of the details:
1965 Dart 270
273 Charger high performance engine
Hurst 4 speed
Sure Grip rear end with either 3.23 or 3.91 gears (don't really know yet)

Almost no other upgrades besides these and all the mouse poop remove yesterday. More pics to follow.
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Looks like a good, honest car. Well done you...
 
That tab on the shift hump is for the front screw of the shift pattern plate. It seems too high because the carpet had a backing under it that made it need to be that tall.
 
Pulled all the wiring bulkhead forward out. Layed it all out on a sheet of plywood and secured it. Unwrapped most of the harness and examined it. While much of it is still good, There are so many repairs needed it might be prudent to get a replacement and rewire.

Looking at the distributor its got some issues as well. The wire from the breaker plate is more than suspect. I have an extra Pertronix II. Thoughts on dual points vs. Pertronix?

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Update.

I've been mostly breaking down and inspecting when I have time and researching parts compatibility in other threads.

What I've done so far:
Tear out interior.
Remove bulkhead forward wiring and electrical components.
Pulled the instrument cluster.

Results:
Engine side harness was fried and cooked pretty good sometime.
Lots of melty wires, wire wrap etc.
Under dash harness looks almost like the day it came off the line.
No signs of heated wiring even on the ammeter or ammeter wires. Great news.
Radio works in spite of everything else.
Even the motor turned some with the starter.
Alternator and carburetor were contaminated with mouse "stuff." Was going to rebuild the original Carter AFB but the butterfly shaft is super loose and a vacuum nightmare. Maybe get it rebushed later and rebuild but I have an Eddy 1406 ready with insulated gasket. Hoping the thicker gasket might enable the secondaries to be unimpeded by the cast iron intake.
Got an engine/lighting forward harness from Year One ordered yesterday at a really good sale price.
Lot's of other small parts to order (voltage regulator, starter relay, fan belt, battery cables, ballast resistor, distributor cap, pertronix, etc.)
Going to be christmas around here for a few days while the parts come in.

Amazingly, just got the at least 35 year old mouse infested alternator tested at O'Reilly's and it still puts out like my high school girlfriend.

Really looking forward to getting some parts on this engine and seeing if it'll go.
 
Today I got my back seat stripped of the nasty old material down to the frame and support structure. I wish I could have seen these seats when they were new, would have looked pretty interesting I think.
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rustyfish said:
Today I got my back seat stripped of the nasty old material down to the frame and support structure. I wish I could have seen these seats when they were new, would have looked pretty interesting I think.
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Dang. You're braver than I am takin them seats that far down. ......although I am gonna do mine too, I'm skeered. lol Good job.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Dang. You're braver than I am takin them seats that far down. ......although I am gonna do mine too, I'm skeered. lol Good job.
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It's funny, I probably wouldn't have done it, but now that the garage is finally getting hot during the day, the smell is just getting too much. I cleaned the car as much as I could for now, but man, those seats were really smelly. Particularly the rear seat cushion. That's where all my friends were spending their nights when they were scurrying around the rest of the car.
 
Finally finished stripping all the seats today and washing them down. Front bench seat had a broken spring adjuster on the driver side, so I uncoiled a little and put a hook in it. Hopefully that works alright for now. What I don't seem to have is the bench seat release cable.

If anyone has a pic of one that might be helpful. I can't seem to find one anywhere, at least for a '65.
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rustyfish said:
Finally finished stripping all the seats today and washing them down. Front bench seat had a broken spring adjuster on the driver side, so I uncoiled a little and put a hook in it. Hopefully that works alright for now. What I don't seem to have is the bench seat release cable.

If anyone has a pic of one that might be helpful. I can't seem to find one anywhere, at least for a '65.
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You can look in my thread 1965 Dodge Dart Charger.
 
So I'm getting some things done. Almost done with the engine forward harness install and last wire to go. Coil positive.
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