"Rookie-Touring" '69 Dart
- Thread starter swisswill
- Start date
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rapidtransitric
LX/LC platform a body swap pioneer
awsome will i need some friends like that
4mulaSvaliant
Well-Known Member
Subscribed! Insane!
swisswill
Well-Known Member
I've met some great guys through the power of the internet that have been a huge help and the connection with Dave is 100% providencial. He has been toying with my SRT-8 car manifolds and has been able to gain almost an inch of clearance on the passenger and 5/8" on the driver side. I have a pretty good handle on getting the front geometry figured out, just deciding which software to purchase in order to get it 100%.
What I'm planning though is the largely maintain the stock Viper pick-up locations fore and aft, just moved out. The UCA is 1.5" inches shorter than stock which is about 16.7% so I'm planning, for now anyway to shortern the LCA 16.7%. I'm then going to recess the shock mount in order to get use the Ride Tech Shockwave built for the Viper and maintain full suspension travel. My problem there was the length of the shock and the shorter UCA were not jiving. All should be good now though. I'm also considering using dual round DOM tubing for the front frame rails which will give me up 2.5" of additional clearance for the steering rack which will be coming from Woodward. Using the DOM tube to gain additional rack clearance "may" even give enough additional clearance to use the stock front cover and accessory drive. If not, I'll be turning to March Performance and will use their system which relocates the PS pump, A/C compressor, and alternator giving all the clearance I need.
Things on the front end are getting figured out and coming together and I'm real happy about that. I hated to leave in January with so many lingering questions but it has been a true blessing as it's giving me time to do some brain-storming, get things figured out and come up with a plan for the issues. February should be REAL productive and Lord willing I'll have a rolling chassis by the end of it all... More to come.
swisswill
Well-Known Member
rapidtransitric
LX/LC platform a body swap pioneer
sounds cool will can't wait
swisswill
Well-Known Member
Scheduled to arrive February 13 and leave March 5. I pretty much have the front geometry worked out, just finalizing a couple ideas on the chassis. Trying to get creative with the back brace design so I can run exhaust under the drive line and drop the front seats down an extra couple inches (at 6'6" I need all the room I can get). I'm thinking run stacked off-set 1.5" tube for the back brace, then where the kickup will be for the back seat, bring the exhaust tube between the offset tubes, and mount the muffler underneath the back seat, then spit it out the rocker... I need to get it down on paper though because everything seems to work just fine in my head...
Hey Will, I ended up buying Hushpower mufflers. I really wanted the Dynomax, but after making a mock up muffler, there was no way it was going to fit. Sounds like you will also have space constraints, check out the Hushpowers.
swisswill
Well-Known Member
That's looking awesome 2darts. I was originally going to use RMS all the way around but the more I thought about what I wanted, the more the plan changed (escalated). Are those pictures ride height? Are you going to use RideTech controls or somebody else? What color are you going to paint it? Looks like you have the jams done but I can't tell the color. What size wheels are those too, 18s? Your Dart is looking real good. I love the way these cars look sitting low like that. I can't wait to get mine on the ground.
I'm jonesing to get back, big time! I've got a solid plan for the next 3 week trip and hope to have a roller by the time I leave.
I'm jonesing to get back, big time! I've got a solid plan for the next 3 week trip and hope to have a roller by the time I leave.
Thank you, I got 20's up front and 18s in the front. AirRide digital controls and leveler system. The ride height isn't figured out yet, the motor (340) isn't in yet....soon I hope. The frame is 4" off the ground. The interior is basicly going to be stock red buckets, that may very well change once we start going around the corners, It will be black with flat black rear stripe. I like the details you did on yours, amazing work. hat's of to you man! Cheers
swisswill
Well-Known Member
The stance at 4" is killer on yours. I'm looking forward to seeing mine at 5" on the ground. The 20s look surprisingly good on the back of yours. I will say though, your 18 up front looks WAY different than mine, and your at 4". Mine looks tucked into the fender WAY further than yours, same with my rear 19 (I'm going to have a heck of a time figuring out how to do a tire change...). Do you have any clearance issues with the top of the tire and your inner fenders? I have a feeling you'll want to at least add some side lumbar to those stock buckets. If you are going to reupholster them you should check into adding it. Just a thought, and it may save you some extra time and cash doing it up front...
I'm still up in the air who I'm going to use for controls for my Air, but I'm leaning towards AccuAir. Plenty of time to figure that out. I'll get it on the ground before I even pick up the RideTech stuff.
I'm still up in the air who I'm going to use for controls for my Air, but I'm leaning towards AccuAir. Plenty of time to figure that out. I'll get it on the ground before I even pick up the RideTech stuff.
swisswill
Well-Known Member
I just realized the difference in height between ours. I'm 5 inches to the rocker. With you at 4" to the frame, your probably around 6" or so to the rocker? Looks great either way, I'm looking forward to seeing more progress on yours.
Will see where the girlfriend lands on the first corner, maybe she'll want to buy some different buckets seats. The crossmember is 3" from the ground but the rocker are 6.5" off the ground. I did have to cut the reinforcement in the wheel well for clearance. The rear wheels are tight in the back, will have to see if i will need to mini tub it.
swisswill
Well-Known Member
Almost go time, again!!! Can't wait to get back to town Sunday for my three week mega thrash! Parts are stacking up, mostly stuff to build my LCA's. While I will likely not need the amount of articulation provided, I have a bunch of Del-Spere Pivot Joints coming (enough for front and rear LCA's), some Howe Precision ball joints already in house, motor mounts coming, trans mount in house, picking up some DOM tube upon arrival along with my rear-end.
I ordered my Del-Sphere's direct from Spohn and found out they have a HUGE metal brake so I am having them CNC bend some one piece inner rocker panels that should be there when I arrive Sunday. I still need to order some rod ends for my rear steering arms but I'm not sure what size so I'll have to wait for that. I'll need to pick up some extra steel for mocking things up in place as well. The plan is set and Lord willing I'll have a rolling chassis in 4 weeks. Once that is finished I can get measurements taken for my custom Rick's tank and Charlie's oil pan for later this year. Planning to buy a small tig machine later this year also and start on some body work and exhaust routing next Christmas... One step at a time though, install inner rockers while getting front and rear suspension finalized, build LCA's and reset front and rear suspension, get this chassis built, attach to car, set on the floor, install trailer hitch (why not...). Got a full plate but I also have a lot of time since the entire trip is planned for car building. Should be a lot of fun!
I ordered my Del-Sphere's direct from Spohn and found out they have a HUGE metal brake so I am having them CNC bend some one piece inner rocker panels that should be there when I arrive Sunday. I still need to order some rod ends for my rear steering arms but I'm not sure what size so I'll have to wait for that. I'll need to pick up some extra steel for mocking things up in place as well. The plan is set and Lord willing I'll have a rolling chassis in 4 weeks. Once that is finished I can get measurements taken for my custom Rick's tank and Charlie's oil pan for later this year. Planning to buy a small tig machine later this year also and start on some body work and exhaust routing next Christmas... One step at a time though, install inner rockers while getting front and rear suspension finalized, build LCA's and reset front and rear suspension, get this chassis built, attach to car, set on the floor, install trailer hitch (why not...). Got a full plate but I also have a lot of time since the entire trip is planned for car building. Should be a lot of fun!
swisswill
Well-Known Member
Well, I'm back and working on my junk again! Working in the garage all day doesn't leave much time for updates, but I got a few pics for you. All day Monday was spent running around and getting my junk together, a little bit more of that yesterday but then started cutting more tube and getting my perimeter frame rails put together. Also was double checking some measurements on my front spindle to make sure the geometry I have is solid; all is well on that front. So, here are some pics...
Got caught dealing with jet lag around 10 to 6 yesterday morning
Getting frame rails put together
Assembling the front 2/3 of the frame
And where I'm at now with the frame
I've got my welder dialed in pretty good for this 1/8" stuff; now if I can get the operator dialed in I'm good to go... I also started building my jig for the LCA's and will finish that up tomorrow with the hopes of getting the new LCA's put together. I'll get some pics tomorrow, but I received my Del-Spheres from Spohn, those things are beautiful, as well as my Howe ball joints, those are super nice too. In addition to getting the LCA's going tomorrow, I'll be trying to get the rear frame rails finished and added to the chassis along with getting the back brace measured up, cut, and tacked in place as well. If I get through all of that I'll work on the front cross member and hopefully start building suspension mounts this week(end). More to come but things are going well and I'm real happy so far.
Bis Morgen!
Got caught dealing with jet lag around 10 to 6 yesterday morning
Getting frame rails put together
Assembling the front 2/3 of the frame
And where I'm at now with the frame
I've got my welder dialed in pretty good for this 1/8" stuff; now if I can get the operator dialed in I'm good to go... I also started building my jig for the LCA's and will finish that up tomorrow with the hopes of getting the new LCA's put together. I'll get some pics tomorrow, but I received my Del-Spheres from Spohn, those things are beautiful, as well as my Howe ball joints, those are super nice too. In addition to getting the LCA's going tomorrow, I'll be trying to get the rear frame rails finished and added to the chassis along with getting the back brace measured up, cut, and tacked in place as well. If I get through all of that I'll work on the front cross member and hopefully start building suspension mounts this week(end). More to come but things are going well and I'm real happy so far.
Bis Morgen!
67Dart440
Well-Known Member
Awesome fabrications skills... definitely jealous!! Can't wait to see more... keep up the great work!!
Glad to have you back, Will....I know I'm just a rookie...but I prefer to tack...good strong tacks....and test fit..... everything..... before I really lay "the heat" to it....makes it a little easier to cut apart when I'm forced to go to "plan B"..........or I get a better idea in the middle of the night.....................maybe that never happens to you.
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