Get Running & Driving 2-1965 Dodge Dart

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Rustyfish

Rustyfish

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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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Very nice, I just had a similar experience, frankly you did way better than me.
 
If its a survivor, it wont have a 3.91. IIRC the tallest gears were 3.55 stock. Thats cool, love the fuel cap...? That dash looks more modern than a 65...? Dart owners?
<<< no im wrong...it looks stock. Valiants smaller pods were older looking i guess>>>
 
pishta said:
If its a survivor, it wont have a 3.91. IIRC the tallest gears were 3.55 stock. Thats cool, love the fuel cap...? That dash looks more modern than a 65...? Dart owners?
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I sent all the info to Ulf already when trying to decide whether or not to move forward and he said the 3.91 was possible, not likely though. The chart I saw said the tallest gears available for chargers and commandos was 3.23. Figuring that out is not high priority though.
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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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Anyone know exactly what the plate forward of the shifter is for? Looks like it would be for a floor shift automatic console, yet this is a documented 4 speed.
 
pishta said:
If its a survivor, it wont have a 3.91. IIRC the tallest gears were 3.55 stock.
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That’s correct per the Dealer Data Book and TSM. It’s possible 3.91’s could have been dealer installed.

rustyfish said:
The chart I saw said the tallest gears available for chargers and commandos was 3.23.
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That was the standard gear when equipped with the 4 speed. Other available gears was 2.76’s, 2.93’s and 3.55’s
 
pishta said:
If its a survivor, it wont have a 3.91. IIRC the tallest gears were 3.55 stock. Thats cool, love the fuel cap...? That dash looks more modern than a 65...? Dart owners?
<<< no im wrong...it looks stock. Valiants smaller pods were older looking i guess>>>
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That's a 65 Dash
 
rustyfish said:
Anyone know exactly what the plate forward of the shifter is for? Looks like it would be for a floor shift automatic console, yet this is a documented 4 speed.
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Can't see it in the photos.
 
Dual point distributor is cool. I swapped one of those and the adjustable 273 rocker arm assemblies into my '69 340 Swinger 45+ years ago as a 'factory' performance upgrade.
 
Feels good to get one back on the road after so much time, doesn't it? I am havin a blast with mine!
 
RustyRatRod said:
Feels good to get one back on the road after so much time, doesn't it? I am havin a blast with mine!
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It's not on the road yet. Just doing the tear down and assessment. But the motor turns and everything is there. Have to figure out what kit I need to rebuild the Carter AFB as it had a mouse nest in it.
 
rustyfish said:
It's not on the road yet. Just doing the tear down and assessment. But the motor turns and everything is there. Have to figure out what kit I need to rebuild the Carter AFB as it had a mouse nest in it.
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Meh, it might as well be. When one gets into the hands of folks like us, it's already on road. It's just a matter of time. lol
 
toolmanmike said:
You'll have to search the internet. I know there was a 4 speed plate for those but no console I don't believe. I'm sure @65dartcharger knows for sure.
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There was a console for the automatics. Looks like it would fit that. And a shift pattern plate for the GT, but seems too tall for that. Might have been slated to be an automatic on the line and changed last minute when they needed a 4 speed.
 
rustyfish said:
There was a console for the automatics. Looks like it would fit that. And a shift pattern plate for the GT, but seems too tall for that. Might have been slated to be an automatic on the line and changed last minute when they needed a 4 speed.
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Could be.
 
I had a 65 Dart post car that was Factory 4/speed ,273, bench seat and it had that plate. The car was kind of a morphadite but all the drive train numbers matched
 
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