Need advice on what to do...

[Sick Boy]

Like I stated in my "welcome wagon" post I'm a newbie to Moper,and picked up a 73 Dart Swinger that I fell in love with.The car runs great,and only needs a gas tank,tie rod,and about a weekends worth the body work.

Now heres my problem-I'm in the process of changing jobs (because of the poor economy)after being at my last job for 11 years.With this being said I won't have have a lot of money to put in this car for a few years.I was thinking of mini tubing it this winter and swapping a used 8 3/4" in it,tieing the sub frame,pulling the engine and the just work on it when I get extra money here and there.Or I was thinking of pulling the engine cleaning the engine bay and engine up,fixing the small things,paint it and put it back together and just drive like it is until I save up the money to do what I want to it.

What would you do?

 

[Sick Boy]

Here are a few pics of the last project I did so you can get and idea of what I can do.I'm a welder/fabricator and I love to do metal working.

 

[memike]

If it was me I would enjoy the /6 and drive the HWY's with it after the tie rod and tank was replaced and do your body work as time and money lets you
Now if you have another driver I would do what your hart says :happy10:
I see you have a 225/ and an automatic =P~
Do you have a shop to keep it in ? It is allot of fun and takes time to get everything ready for paint under the hood, I am sure you know that
You have to know I love these /6 cars :-D:cheers:
Welcome to this great site and enjoy every minute you get to spend with your 73 swinger :cheers:

I need to pull my little LG 170/6 and paint my engine bay to :-D

 

[4spdragtop]

Welcome aboard, in my opinion with the job situation, I would pull the engine and do a clean up. You planned to do that anyway right?? the 8 3/4 with suregrip is gonna cost you anywhere from $500-$800 at least. So do the engine and compartment. That will be mostly elbow grease and not cost you much. That way once engine bay is done, it is still driveable. It will give you more time to find 8 3/4, buy the frame connectors etc. My .02 worth

 

[memike]

I just seen your second post !! wow , you do have the skills to do what you like :cheers:8)=P~

 

[Sick Boy]

No this is not my daily driver,just a project that I picked up.I do have a garage/shop to work in I just don't know it I want to tear it apart ant leave it sit for a few years,or cruise it this summer. Memike,thanks for the comments on my 61 Belair,as you can see I'm not afraid to cut her apart...:snakeman:

As for saving up to buy frame connectors,and a mini tub kit things like this I can make.The cost would be pretty cheap,mostly my time.

 

[Sick Boy]

Deleted a double post

 

[mopardude318]

drive it and enjoy it...

 

[Badawg]

Id say go ahead and get the little stuff done and drive it for now. Save up the money and start picking up parts for the mini-tub project and when you are ready then go for it. This way you get to enjoy it for a while rather than having it be apart in the shop.

 

[justin hughes]

welcome, nice cars.just do what you can when you can, thats how im going. no stress if i dont get something done right away. although i am getting anxious to drive mine.

 

[Backtobasics]

Elbow grease is CHEAP.

I say pull the engine, degrease, detail, gaskets, and re-install.

Somewhere along the way, somoene might have a header, 2bbl "super six" conversion, chrome valve cover, etc that could be installed for a detailed underhood like Memike's.

Time, degreaser, and rattle can paint cost almost nothing, and can go a LONG WAY.

When it comes time for the larger painting, much of it is preparation time. You can buy supplies to prime, body and paint a car for a couple hundred bucks.

 

[Popdart]

I agree . . . working on it is only part of the pleasure of owning a Mopar . . . driving it is the rest

 

[PanGasket]

Elbow grease is CHEAP.

I say pull the engine, degrease, detail, gaskets, and re-install.

Somewhere along the way, somoene might have a header, 2bbl "super six" conversion, chrome valve cover, etc that could be installed for a detailed underhood like Memike's.

Time, degreaser, and rattle can paint cost almost nothing, and can go a LONG WAY.

When it comes time for the larger painting, much of it is preparation time. You can buy supplies to prime, body and paint a car for a couple hundred bucks.

Yours and back to basics ideas are the best here! I would do them both!:-D
Man, you got some real skills!!

 

[Sick Boy]

Had a little time on my hands today,so I started taking her apart.

 

[gerahead]

I think you made the right move. Have fun. L8r

Jim

 

[HemiPar]

Looks like you are where I was last winter, a drivable porject. And it looks like we done the same thing. I pulled the front end off as you did Then motor/trans and all engine bay stuff off. Sanded, painted the bay. Cleaned, painted motor\trans, re installed. I sanded hood and fenders primed and painted the bay side and left the outer in primer. Drove it. I also was working on interior at the same time.
This winter is to do body work and prime in epoxy and hope to have all the done for spring\summer to finsh paint.

 

[green1]

You already know what to do...

 

[Sick Boy]

Finished up today,what I started yesterday...8)

 

[805moparkid]

If it was me I would enjoy the /6 and drive the HWY's with it after the tie rod and tank was replaced and do your body work as time and money lets you
Now if you have another driver I would do what your hart says :happy10:
I see you have a 225/ and an automatic =P~
Do you have a shop to keep it in ? It is allot of fun and takes time to get everything ready for paint under the hood, I am sure you know that
You have to know I love these /6 cars :-D:cheers:
Welcome to this great site and enjoy every minute you get to spend with your 73 swinger :cheers:

I need to pull my little LG 170/6 and paint my engine bay to :-D

u stil need to rotate that carb 90*

 

[Sick Boy]

I guess the /6 is not going back it. I just pulled a 360 out of a mid 80's 1-ton van. The van was owned by the state, and th engine ran great with 56,000 miles on it.They were taking it to the scrap yard, because it has been sitting without being used for so long. Best of all it was FREE...:cheers:

 

[PanGasket]

I guess the /6 is not going back it. I just pulled a 360 out of a mid 80's 1-ton van. The van was owned by the state, and th engine ran great with 56,000 miles on it.They were taking it to the scrap yard, because it has been sitting without being used for so long. Best of all it was FREE...:cheers:

Sounds like my engine!8) Im interested in what your gonna do to it. My engine came out of an '85 3/4ton van

 

[memike]

u stil need to rotate that carb 90*

That's the plan one day, But I will let 66aCUDA advise me on that when we put my new head on, about 60k milled and over sized valves and just a small amount of porting 8) Then we will see 8) I have seen that they should be rotated for better mixture

I guess the /6 is not going back it. I just pulled a 360 out of a mid 80's 1-ton van. The van was owned by the state, and th engine ran great with 56,000 miles on it.They were taking it to the scrap yard, because it has been sitting without being used for so long. Best of all it was FREE...:cheers:

Know that my friend is to cool :cheers: I wonder if the trans will fit and work for you ?

 

[Sick Boy]

Here's a little update.

 

[dennday67]

Nice work. I need to do that to my 68 Valiant as soon as I have a place to do it.