Race Inc. 73 Swinger

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Criscobath

Criscobath

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Location
Brenham, TX
I hope it's OK to keep a log of my car's progress here. If it's not, let me know.

The title of the post is in reference to one of my favorite BMX bike companies ever. I always thought their logo and color scheme would look good on a hot rod. One day, I hope to have the logo done on my car as badges. Here's a pic of the logo...

raceinc.jpg


I've owned my 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger for about 8 years. The majority of that time it spent disassembled in our 2 car garage. See below.

DSCN1429.jpg


I bought the car in running and driving condition. The car is a 318/auto car. It's also a California car w/ only 84,000 original miles. Not one spec of rust on it (lucky, I know). My original intention was a 440 build. I spent several years gathering parts. As luck would have it, I aquired a 77 long block for $50. However, about the same time I sold my business and took a job in a different city. In the transition we didn't have a place to keep my Dart. Fortunatley a friend's father said I could keep it in his shop 250 miles away. I sold the 440 long block and asked my friend's father to put the car back together (stock), so I could bring it home when we found a house in our new city of residence.

As luck would have it, about the same time I'm searching ebay and find a NOS Mopar 360ci/380hp crate. A friend in my 20s had the same motor in his Sport Satelite. It was pretty nice. A couple bids later and the motor was on the way to TX from CA. Thus, the real build began about a year ago.

Current setup:

1973 Dodge Dart Swinger
Mopar Crate 360ci/380hp Motor
SMI 750cfm Holley VS/EC
GM 700R4 Transmission from Phoenix Transmission
Redesigned Chromoly Trans Crossmember
TTI Headers (suckers hang low)
TTI 2 1/2 Exhaust (w/ mods to make it fit better, Thanks Rich!)
Strange Engineering S60 Rearend w/ 3.55 gears
Competition Engineering Slide-A-Links
Helwig Sway Bars Front & Rear
Stock Small V8 T-Bars
Mopar Bolt In Subframe Connectors (bolted and welded)
Rebuilt Front Suspension
Hotchkis Leaf Springs (lowers the rear in the weeds)
Full MSD Ignition
Rear Mount Moroso Battery

Soon To Be Installed:

Torque Boxes
Chromoly Braces From Firewall to Inner Fender Shock Mounts
Plate Steel Between Interior and Trunk
17" Wheels & Tires (Possibly Cragar Series 397 or 399 rims w/ Bridgestone Potenza S-04 tires)
Cut a Hole In The Hood For Air Cleaner Clearance (possible Boss 429 scoop)
Reupholster Front Seat or Possible Sebring Covertable Leather Seats.


7/23: Got my car back from the exhaust shop (see pic)

drivehomefromexhaustshop.jpg


exhaust.jpg


7/30: First test drive. Dead Battery and Broken Coil Terminal Fixed. Back running again.

8/12: I drove the car for about 35 miles. It wants to sit at 70 mph on the highway and just cruise. It never ran hot, stumbled, or leaked. No problems at all.

8/13: Another 30 miles under the belt. Another 35 miles and time for me to drain the rearend break in lube.

More pics to come.
 
Thanks for sharing, keep the pics coming we love new cars to follow along with.
 
yep you are at the right place.pictures the more the better.should be a good biuld O and wecome to the site........Artie
 
Used to ride Bmx in the 80s,haven't seen that logo in 20 years! It will look killer.How tempramental is the hydraulic roller in the 380 crate? I did a wide lobe center version of it for my 5.9 magnum.
 
It's pretty docile. It cruises real nice on the highway and city streets. No problems to speak of.

Abodybomber said:
Used to ride Bmx in the 80s,haven't seen that logo in 20 years! It will look killer.How tempramental is the hydraulic roller in the 380 crate? I did a wide lobe center version of it for my 5.9 magnum.
Click to expand...
 
Pic from the second night of break-in. 35 more miles and I can drain the diff and add new fluid. The car looks pretty ratty. I hope to detail it next weekend.

secondnightout.jpg
 
I had a Race Inc. all aluminum bike with clincher rims (20") back in the '80's. That was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the title of the thread. Nice.
 
I know. My dad bought it used at the track when I gave a feeble try at racing one season. Paid $200, which was reasonable, since the bike was pristine. But I spent most of the time I owned it, riding on the street (with different wheels), and it eventually was stolen. Thief probably had no idea what it was, other than light. I don't remember the neck and seatpost, but the cranks were gold anodized, and it looked killer against the blue paint.

Also, your car is awesome. Similar to my '73, in that my mileage is in the 80k's, came out of SoCal, and is a 318/auto (will stay that way, I think). But I'm impressed by your paint. Mine spent most, if not all of it's time outside, and the original finish is burnt to a crisp. I kind of wish I held out for something that could be kept all original, but mine needs paint, no doubt about it.
 
Somewhere there is a bike thief w/ a shed fully of some pretty wicked bikes. The same thing happened to my first "real" BMX bike. It was stolen from a buddy two weeks after I sold it to him. He was pissed and I was sad.

Thanks for the compliments on the Dart. However, the pics make it look better than it is. The passenger side has a green fender and door and every panel has a dent, crease, or scratch. However, you are correct about the paint. It's in pretty good (stable) condition. It spent most of it's life parked under a carport. My plan is to leave it ugly, but really make it shine.

I've had some pretty nice paint jobs in the past and they seem to be a magnet for *** clowns, shopping carts, and birds that drink battery acid.
 
Ha, my driver side fender is Tahitian Gold Poly (rest of car is Forest Green Poly). I actually changed that out myself, due to a dent. My friend who did the legwork on getting the car for me picked the fender up for $80.00 at the Spring Fling '10. I was going to pull the dent from the original until I went over the car, and realized that wasn't the original fender anyhow.

I have thought several times about letting go of this car, and bringing back one with paint I can live with, but I need to work with what I have. I have a cycle of not finishing projects that I have to break. But once I paint it, then the chrome, will look like poop, etc. And of course every ding or scratch will be heartbreaking. But I was in a hurry to get a car, and this is what I got. But any classic on the road (mine is) is cool, no matter how it looks. I just need to take care of the areas with no paint before the east coast humidity takes it's toll.
 
It sounds like our cars are related. :)

I was the same way. Lots of unfinished projects. This one almost wound up in the same pile. However, I made a conscious decision to get it running and where I want it mechanically. It's been a long expensive road but mashing the go pedal makes it all worth while.

Hang in there w/ your Duster. It looks to be a good start. Save your duckets and put some paint on that sucker!
 
Long break between posts.

Some updated pics below.

073.jpg


074.jpg


Checking for clearance of hood w/ scoop.
080.jpg


and more to come.
 
Cougar Eliminator scoop is on the car (pics to come when it stops raining) and it's inspected and registered.

Look out!

Still a few things on the near term to do list.

1. New Gas Tank (in my hands, yet to install)
2. New Alternator (waiting...)
3. New Voltage Regulator (in my hands, yet to install)
4. Still need to cut front fender lips for clearance and more tugging to do on the fender edge also.
 
Next on the agenda. I'm going to polish chrome, replace outside driver mirror glass, replace side markers, install badges, remove side trim, find a fan shroud, try to restore some shine to the SoCal weathered vinyl roof, clay bar and polish the body and drive the stink out of it all summer.
 
Thanks for the compliments.

It's a reproduction 69 Cougar Eliminator scoop. I got it from West Coast Classic Cougars. I'm not 100% thrilled with the quality (couple of chips in the gel coat) but it'll work.

I'm pretty happy with the wheels. At some point I'll have the centers powdered gold. I also need to downsize the front tires to a 205 from a 215. They rub at odd angles.

The car has been a challenge to complete with a small family and a more than full time sales job. The latest bugaboo is a loud clicking from the brand new Strange S60 rearend, at low speed, when turning. Haven't had a chance to sort that issue yet. So, for now, she sits in the garage in mothballs.
 
Also want to give a public shout out to John at The Rod Shop (Brenham, TX) for his help with fixing some issues that I havent had the time or the will to fix myself.
 
Been away from the site for a while and the car has been cobwebbed in the garage. Getting the bug to roll her out and get started again.

Starting to save for one of them new fangled throttle body fuel injection setups? Anyone used one with low vacuumed like I have on this 360ci/380hp Mopar crate?

BTW, Still looking for a beige passenger door and front fender to replace the green ones.

Good to be back.
 
Wow awesome project not sure how I missed it till now.
Build is much like my 74 Swinger that sat in the garage on jack stands for 4 years without being touched and got back to her 2 years ago.
Cant wait for more updates as you have given me some ideas for mine.

One question what is the rim size and diameter as well as the tire size?
 
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