Get Running & Driving 2-1965 Dodge Dart

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65dartcharger said:
It will help you to connect the wiring to thecoil the right way!
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Thanks! Looks like I’ve got most of the wiring harness done. I still need to address the battery and starter wires. Don't think I want to spend $200 for a repro set which is hit or miss on correctness anyway.

I've been trying to find a heat insulator gasket for the 1406 to raise up the butterflies a little so they don't interfere with the intake but no luck yet.

Pretty close to trying to fire her up for the first time in at least 30 years!
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So no luck so far in finding a heat insulator gasket that will fit the stock 4 bbl intake, so I decided to not worry about that for now. I hooked everything up and hoped I remembered to install everything and correctly. I connected the fuel pump up to a small gas can under the radiator. And then attempted to start her up for the first time in 30 years. Here is the result.

 
66fyssh said:
Yeehaw!! Sure sounds good for sitting so long. Gotta love the little 273.
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Yep, it is a little smokey though. So the Get Runnin part is somewhat done. I need to remove and inspect the gas tank and fuel line, rebuild all the brakes, and test the clutch and transmission for the Drivin part.
 
Today I figured I'd pull the gas tank and check out its condition. Pretty safe to say I need a new tank and sender. Hopefully the line is in better shape.
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And in a touch of irony, the tank was already replaced once before and from a '66 Barracuda.
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So after the initial startup, I ran it again this morning warming it up long enough to cycle water through the radiator. The warmer it got it started lightly smoking grayish barely visible smoke. On startup it didn't spew anything at all. So I'm thinking valve seals and or stuck oil rings.

Ideas?
 
Make sure to put premium gas, I remember a customer told me he had a commando barracuda back in the 1990s and it ran crappy had to mess with the timing a lot finally some guy told him that bad boys got 10.5 to 1 compression lol
 
Slantsix64 said:
Make sure to put premium gas, I remember a customer told me he had a commando barracuda back in the 1990s and it ran crappy had to mess with the timing a lot finally some guy told him that bad boys got 10.5 to 1 compression lol
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Yeah, I searched out and got premium without ethanol. It seems to run really well actually. I really think it has some stuck rings.
 
rustyfish said:
So no luck so far in finding a heat insulator gasket that will fit the stock 4 bbl intake, so I decided to not worry about that for now. I hooked everything up and hoped I remembered to install everything and correctly. I connected the fuel pump up to a small gas can under the radiator. And then attempted to start her up for the first time in 30 years. Here is the result.

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Not sure, but have have what you need, is it a factory item original to this motor?, is the AFB that different that you can't find one? I'll post a pic of what I have.
 
Actually before you do anything you should adjust the valves, maybe .001 looser. I had a 273 that sat for years 25 at best, set the lash totally different idle and attitude.
 
Slantsix64 said:
Actually before you do anything you should adjust the valves, maybe .001 looser. I had a 273 that sat for years 25 at best, set the lash totally different idle and attitude.
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Yea, I hear ya. I might try to do that cold, not liking the hot adjustment process running.
 
A buck says all your valve seals have disappeared into the bottom of the heads or into the pan. They get rock hard and just crumble. I bought my 65 when it had '76 tags on it and it was '96 IIRC. It started and ran like ****. 40 miles later, 8 new plugs and a pair of points and it was running like yours, on its original AFB. Mine had no mice though. Sweet! Sometimes those senders can be rebuilt, dont toss it. A quart of diesel into the crankcase and a 10 minute idle will produce some interesting oil change discharge....
 
pishta said:
A buck says all your valve seals have disappeared into the bottom of the heads or into the pan. They get rock hard and just crumble. I bought my 65 when it had '76 tags on it and it was '96 IIRC. It started and ran like ****. 40 miles later, 8 new plugs and a pair of points and it was running like yours, on its original AFB. Mine had no mice though. Sweet! Sometimes those senders can be rebuilt, dont toss it. A quart of diesel into the crankcase and a 10 minute idle will produce some interesting oil change discharge....
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Yeah I'm pretty sure the seals are long gone. To be fair, I haven't timed the engine yet or adjusted the valves. Once I got it started I began to start a brake parts list and was looking at the gas tank and fuel line. Always one thing at a time.
 
Earlier this week I got some Por-15 and went to town on the surface rust in the floor pan and trunk area. Felt pretty good to get that all sealed up.
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Then my brake hardware parts came in so yesterday I got the driver side rear brake assembly put back to functional order.
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Felt pretty good to get going on that. This morning I went to go start on the passenger side rear. Jack up, pull the wheel and drum. Then realize part of the lever is broken off and and hiding inside the drum.
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Go look online for a replacement. I can order one but it'll take delivery time. So I decide I'll take the one from up front so I can get the rears done and work on the front end next week. Pull the front wheel apart. Low and behold, no brake parts whatsoever. Time to order more parts.
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#classicmoparlife
 
You had no brake hardware up front? Thats crazy. Fortunately all this stuff is still available.
 
Is it just me looking at the first brake picture, if that is the drivers side, you have the shoes on backwards, the short shoe goes to the front of the car.
 
Black or grey smoke is gas, running too rich. White smoke is water or coolant getting into the combustion chamber. Very light blue smoke is oil. I think it sounds great.
 
sireland67 said:
Is it just me looking at the first brake picture, if that is the drivers side, you have the shoes on backwards, the short shoe goes to the front of the car.
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I didn't replace the shoes, just springs and hardware, but yes I think you're right. I didn't even bother to think about it.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Black or grey smoke is gas, running too rich. White smoke is water or coolant getting into the combustion chamber. Very light blue smoke is oil. I think it sounds great.
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Hard to tell in the garage, but if I had to guess I'd say it's light grey. Can't hardly see it until it builds up inside.
 
So I've got all my brakes rebuilt. Waiting on a new dual master and brake line kit from In-Line Tube. I have a distribution block, supposedly correct for the conversion except it has 4 exit holes and I only need 2 for the front and one for the rears. The plug I have fits every hole except the one hole I need to plug. Anyone know what size that odd hole is? Pretty sure it's the one I'll need to plug or spend another $40 getting the correct block.
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What the heck man? You ain't drivin this thing yet? Who needs brakes? They just slow you down. Chop chop Hop Sing. lol
 
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