My '73 Dodge Dart

[DQ81]

As I bought her about 9 months ago:

The exhaust, still this way now, Hooker headers, crappy Raptor mufflers, I intend to replace these, with what I don't know yet, and then have tailpipes either come out just behind the doors in front of the rear tyres or straight out the back under the rear bumper.

I've since replaced the tired 904 with a good one from a donor and done some mild surgery and bodywork and paint (Hammerite and roller style). Replaced the ignition, 2bbl carb, adjusted kickdown and replaced fluids etc.

The outer rear wheel wells were rotten and I wanted to be able to fit larger wheels/tyres back there, as I don't have a donor or the metalworkig skills to fix the rot:

I decided to cut out the rears inspired by the Hemi Dart. Took the whole car back to it's origional paint/primer and the put the whole thing in flat grey primer and rustproof it:

Rustproof it! :

In flat grey but still a long way to go:

at this point it still needed rims/tyres, better stance, more power, exhaust etc.

 

[redhot]

it looks like you are getting there keep it alive

 

[retsud_043]

lookin good:cheers:

 

[Keith Mopar]

Dam you've come along way.

Great pics,,,and good work.

 

[DQ81]

This past week i've gotten into an engine swap.

I bought this D250 ex millitairy truck a month ago:

With this engine which was pulled apart pas Xmass and had all seals and rings replaced, Edelbrock Race Cam, Edelbrock Performer Intake, Holly 600cfm and will mate up to Hookers headers/dual exhaust:

Pulled the stock 318 out of the Dart:

and stuck it in the D250 with some better looking valve covers:

Runs a lot better now for some reason, lol. Sometimes it just helps to pull it all apart and put it back together. Also replaced 2 leaking freeze plugs, and swapped the oil pans and pick up tubes.

Powers the truck just fine and that should be off to a new owner some time this week.

Here's the Darts engine bay, all grimey and ready to be tackled. By the time it's done it should all be black and have a new hood:

Here's the engine out of the D250 and ready to go into the Dart, first I'm putting in power steering.

 

[DQ81]

Sorry for the messy timeline:

A month or two ago I scored my dream rims for this car, and immediately painted it matt black.

Got some 5 spoke Cragars, 8j front sportin 235/55/15 Pirelli's, and some 10j 295/50/15's in the rear.

Hell yeah 295! I love those cutouts, lol.

Here's a few phone camera snaps of it.

Then painted which I think looks a lot better, still have to do the headlight surrounds:

As of yesterday she's at my buddy's engineless, looks like a gasser!

This week I'll be putting the recently reconditioned 318 with the Eddy cam/intake and Holly carb up matched to my dual exhaust with Hooker headers. Should run pretty well.

Future plans involve:

Power steering, which I'll do this week before the engine, starting tommorrow night!

Redo exhaust with an X-pipe and new mufflers, have tired Raptors now and would like more grunt and the tailpipes to dump out before the rear tyres or under the rear bumper.

Get the rear about 2 to 4 inches higher by lengthening the shackles, I'd prefer not to use HiJackers just 'cause I think it might get to bouncy.

Redo the carpet

Tint the windows

Restore the rims (just a question of gettin' of my butt and polishing)

Gauges and stereo goodies.

 

[Burntorange70]

Looking good.

 

[Dart Shawn]

Looks good!, gave me an idea actually, I think i will do the fenderwell cut outs on my dart seeing that I need to replace a quarter panel any ways it'll be no big deal!

Thanks for sharing!!

Shawn.

 

[DQ81]

Hey Shawn glad I could help ya out! I figure, if I don't like it or ever wanna go back origional and minitub I can still graft it in anyhow...

I just took a few pictures of Hemi Darts and copied them loosely. Then cut out one side and used cardboard to copy the other.

Some guys have said I should copy the form of the front wheel well to the rear, I don't think that would look good. I might make them a little more rounded but for now the rot is gone and I'm runnin' 295's in the rear

Good luck and post your work, I'd love to see it!

 

[DQ81]

After having some trouble with the manual to power steering swap it's finally done. Power steering rocks.

Only having time in the evenings I've been working on the Dart all week but finally the new engine is in.

Needs some tweeking and is leaking at the new filter so I'll have to sort that out.

Still have to:

tighten filter
set timing
replace trans mount
set kickdown linkage
fix trans dipstick oil leak
Hope and pray the trans pump isn't leaking as well!

I have gotten the engine bay all black so the motor looks pretty good in there, will post some pics soon.

David

 

[2 Darts]

I have a lot of respect for you guys overseas that manage to patch one of these old Mopars back together. It's not like there were tens of thousands of these things shipped outside of the US. That doesn't give you a big pool of salvage parts to work with. My 73 is a /6 so I appreciate the peculiarities of the body style. My 72 Demon has a modified 318.

How much are you able to drive the Dart? What fuel grade do you use, how much does it cost (ε) on average per liter, and how many liters do you use per 100km. What kind of inspection process does the car have to go through in order to be licensed for road use? How often does it have to be inspected?

Just curious. I don't think I'd use my /6 as a daily driver at the prices I've seen on fuel over there.

 

[DQ81]

I have a lot of respect for you guys overseas that manage to patch one of these old Mopars back together. It's not like there were tens of thousands of these things shipped outside of the US. That doesn't give you a big pool of salvage parts to work with. My 73 is a /6 so I appreciate the peculiarities of the body style. My 72 Demon has a modified 318.

Thanks man, it sure ain't easy to find parts, nor cheap. You have to get very creative (like cutting out wheel wells, lol) or learn how to beat panels and graft.

How much are you able to drive the Dart? What fuel grade do you use, how much does it cost (ε) on average per liter, and how many liters do you use per 100km. What kind of inspection process does the car have to go through in order to be licensed for road use? How often does it have to be inspected?

Just curious. I don't think I'd use my /6 as a daily driver at the prices I've seen on fuel over there.

You have to be pretty passionate about your cars to drive the stuff I drive IMO. A lot of guys do LPG conversions to keep the costs down and it's better for the envoirment in terms of emissions.

To answer your questions:

Gas costs € 1.34 a LITER, so that X 4 = gallon price
so € 5.36 a GALLON, with today's exchange that's 7.81 USD a gallon.

I average 3km's per liter. 12km a gallon.

The above is for 95 Octane BP or Texaco gas. (we have 95 or 98)

Safety inspection for "Oldtimers" (cars 25 years of age or older) is basically: lights, brakes, bal joints, suspension etc. it's more stringent than the MA inspections I'm used to but there's no emissions on Oldtimers. You also have an exhaust DB limit but my guy apreciates what I drive.

A '78 or older only needs to be inspected once every 2 years and is road tax exempt. Insurance is about 100 USD a year, not bad.

Police are pretty forgiving of US cars because they simply don't know any better, if were to get pulled over on exhaust noise I can just claim it's stock and they'd be pretty cleuless. They all think anything old and American is supposed to be very loud, lol.

It's expensive to run, not terrible to insure or inspect but a ***** to get parts.

David

 

[richkcmo]

looking great...doing great there!

 

[res1vw21]

very cool! I love the cut out idea, work with what you have got and they look good to boot!

 

[juergen]

Hi David, you´re on the right way with your dart. I love the cut out rears. Will do so with my ´69.
Greets from germany
Juergen