Aaron.M
Well-Known Member
I'm glad I tuned into this one. Great trip.
Slow, Driving Rustoration 1972 Dart
- Thread starter dartnlo
- Start date
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Rustyfish
Member
Nooooooo, not the beer fridge!I'm doing everything I can at home while I wait to pick it up. I feel like an expectant parent getting a baby room ready. I cleaned out the garage. A very small garage. I'll have to turn the car around depending on which end I want to work on. Tools organized, new welder purchased, and motorcycle and parts crammed into the back corners for space. Looks like the bicycles and lawn mower are going under tarps this winter. I may even have to sell the beer fridge to make more room. Luckily it has a loft storage area at the back to store parts!
Also my vintage 1972 Kansas tag arrived today!
Anyone have suggestions for modern headlights? I'm sure I'll be driving the highways at night on the way home at times. I found these:
https://tinyurl.com/y9njdqd4
Anyone have experience with these?
When my dad found out I bought this car he volunteered to drive me there and follow me back. Which is nice because he is part of the reason I don't still have my 70 Swinger
So I'm making a realistic parts list that I feel comfortable with. Safety and reliability are my main concerns. We'll be doing the repairs in an O'reilly's parking lot because the seller is going racing and I can't use his shop. I've narrowed down the list of things I plan on doing before taking off 500 miles towards home.
The fist thing I'm going to do is drive it to see what I bought!
Then:
Complete brake job, drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, and a master cylinder. Hoping if I need lines the local O'reilly's can help me there.
At least a new muffler and tailpipe. I don't want to be noisy and huff fumes all the way home.
New fuel tank sending unit, fuel filter and new stock 2bbl carb (checking gas tank for filth)
Transmission filter kit.
Spark plugs, wires, coil, distributor cap, and a Pertronix ignitor
Battery & possibly alternator & voltage regulator
Belts & Hoses & thermostat.
Oil and filter change
Shocks
Change all exterior lights and lamps
I would think if the engine is in otherwise good shape, this "tune up" will make it road worthy to say the least.
A question on the Pertonix 1381A. Is it really as easy to wire up as removing the ballast from the equation and hooking up the red wire from the ignitor to the positive terminal on the coil and hooking up the black to the negative coil terminal?
Anyone have a windshield washer reservoir? Will this have a foot pump like my 70 Swinger had?
What kind of fuel mileage can I expect?
I hope the radio works.
This is going to be the longest 2 weeks of my life
Baptist_Ben
Well-Known Member
Nice one man, the trip home sounds like it went well and it looks like you have a great base to start with!
First "full" weekend to start working on the Dart. I got up early Saturday morning and headed to the parts store to get a starter. Got back home and drove it 6 blocks to the carwash to clean up the greasy parts and scrub off the oxidized paint. As I pulled into the parking lot it coughed and died, I coasted into the bay and got everything all cleaned up.
Before her bath:
I went to leave and it would start but not run. I had parked it right after the cannonball run home with it. So I figured I was out of gas. I put a gallon in and tried again. I could prime it and it would start but not run. Finally ran the battery down to clicks. I walked back home to get my truck and jumper cables.
By the time I got back and jumped it, it ram and drove. Cool. Got home, parked the dart, jumped on a bicycle and went back to get my truck. Got back home and the battery was dead. By this time it was getting late and I had to be back to work at 5:30. So I decided to just polish it up to see what it looked like. It will be awhile before she gets paint.
It looked better, actually it looked worse in some places because it made the mismatched panel painted section more noticeable. I got it started again and went over to the church parking lot to snap some glamour shots. After the photo session it wouldn't run again. I needed to get cleaned up for work so I pushed it into a parking space and went to work.
After a bath and poilish:
After work, about 11 pm now, I decided to try again because I needed to get it back in the garage. Heavy rain was forecasted starting at midnight and last time it was exposed to heavy rain I ended up with lake Swinger in the back floor pan.
I thought about it for a second or ten and deduced that since it was lower on gas than any time since before I had bought it, it must have pulled some rust and gunk into the brand new carb. You see back in Iowa I didn't want to cut the fuel line to the carb and put an inline fuel filter in and risk causing another leak. So I pulled the brass fuel inlet off and sure enough the float needle seat supply orifice was absolutely plugged with rust. I pulled the top off the carb and sucked the crap that had made its way into the bowl. Put it all back together, boom, good as new. 30 minutes after I got it into the garage, POW big old hairy thunderstorm rolled in. Whew!
My new gas tank is supposed to be here tomorrow.
Side note. With my honda motorcycle parked sideways at the back of the garage, the Dart fit in with the door closed. Barely. The front bumper was less than an inch away from the mufflers on the bike and the door cleared by a freckle.
Woke up Sunday morning with no way to hold my head that didn't hurt. Not really but that's a great song!
Immediately went to work. What had been a lovely fall day on Saturday turned into a cold rainy windy winteresque Sunday. I have a nice garage heater and I've done work in here ... on motorcycles. There was no walking in front of or behind the car without opening the garage door which usually got caught on the rubber bumper guard after I had it on jack stands. So ... if I wanted to stay warmish and save time I have to go through the car doors. Fun.
I decided to work on getting the rust off the sail panel, I guess some people call it the C panel, I call it a Kaiser blade. Anyway, I wire-wheeled out what little body filler was left in the rusty weld joint that had previously been covered by something resembling a vinyl top. I continued on with the wire wheel until there was bare metal. I masked off the trim pieces and put some rust convertor on both sides. My next step will be some alum-a-lead, or all-metal, or some other body filler y'all are using in the 21st century, to fill the weld seam. Then I'll prime it and put a crappy rattle can paint job on the roof to match the current state of the body.
The next project for the weekend was to overhaul the brakes. While sitting at the car wash contemplating life in general I stepped on the brake with the door open. I heard a hiss. I could see brake fluid dripping from the left side of the axle. "Yay! Now I know where the leak is!" I exclaimed to no one in particular. So I started on the left side, hoping for a leaky wheel cylinder, which I had a replacement for. Alas it was not a leaky wheel cylinder, twas the axle line from the brass splitter thingy. Not only that, but the right side had already been cut and crimped lol. The good thing about a ruined braked line is it makes it easier, well possible to get a 6 point socket on the fittings! I went ahead and checked the brakes and BAM! nice pedal good front brakes.
I went ahead and changed the rear brakes and wheel cylinders and new hardware. While I was there I decided that I just couldn't leave the drums all rusty. Out came the grinder with a wire wheel and rust convertor again, 30 minutes, a bloody knee, and ripped pants later, a much better looking, somewhat shiny black brake drum. The right side went about the same, except substitute 30 minutes looking for the shoe adjuster pin for the bloody knee. Spoiler alert, it was under the grinder handle. After the first side was done I realized I hadn't paid attention to which side I put the primary shoe on. I got lucky though. 50/50 chance.
That was it for this weekend, next weekend I'm out of town for my mom's 70th birthday party so not much updating for a couple of weeks. I ordered a full brake line set from InlineTube. Wish me luck!
Before her bath:
I went to leave and it would start but not run. I had parked it right after the cannonball run home with it. So I figured I was out of gas. I put a gallon in and tried again. I could prime it and it would start but not run. Finally ran the battery down to clicks. I walked back home to get my truck and jumper cables.
By the time I got back and jumped it, it ram and drove. Cool. Got home, parked the dart, jumped on a bicycle and went back to get my truck. Got back home and the battery was dead. By this time it was getting late and I had to be back to work at 5:30. So I decided to just polish it up to see what it looked like. It will be awhile before she gets paint.
It looked better, actually it looked worse in some places because it made the mismatched panel painted section more noticeable. I got it started again and went over to the church parking lot to snap some glamour shots. After the photo session it wouldn't run again. I needed to get cleaned up for work so I pushed it into a parking space and went to work.
After a bath and poilish:
After work, about 11 pm now, I decided to try again because I needed to get it back in the garage. Heavy rain was forecasted starting at midnight and last time it was exposed to heavy rain I ended up with lake Swinger in the back floor pan.
I thought about it for a second or ten and deduced that since it was lower on gas than any time since before I had bought it, it must have pulled some rust and gunk into the brand new carb. You see back in Iowa I didn't want to cut the fuel line to the carb and put an inline fuel filter in and risk causing another leak. So I pulled the brass fuel inlet off and sure enough the float needle seat supply orifice was absolutely plugged with rust. I pulled the top off the carb and sucked the crap that had made its way into the bowl. Put it all back together, boom, good as new. 30 minutes after I got it into the garage, POW big old hairy thunderstorm rolled in. Whew!
My new gas tank is supposed to be here tomorrow.
Side note. With my honda motorcycle parked sideways at the back of the garage, the Dart fit in with the door closed. Barely. The front bumper was less than an inch away from the mufflers on the bike and the door cleared by a freckle.
Woke up Sunday morning with no way to hold my head that didn't hurt. Not really but that's a great song!
Immediately went to work. What had been a lovely fall day on Saturday turned into a cold rainy windy winteresque Sunday. I have a nice garage heater and I've done work in here ... on motorcycles. There was no walking in front of or behind the car without opening the garage door which usually got caught on the rubber bumper guard after I had it on jack stands. So ... if I wanted to stay warmish and save time I have to go through the car doors. Fun.
I decided to work on getting the rust off the sail panel, I guess some people call it the C panel, I call it a Kaiser blade. Anyway, I wire-wheeled out what little body filler was left in the rusty weld joint that had previously been covered by something resembling a vinyl top. I continued on with the wire wheel until there was bare metal. I masked off the trim pieces and put some rust convertor on both sides. My next step will be some alum-a-lead, or all-metal, or some other body filler y'all are using in the 21st century, to fill the weld seam. Then I'll prime it and put a crappy rattle can paint job on the roof to match the current state of the body.
The next project for the weekend was to overhaul the brakes. While sitting at the car wash contemplating life in general I stepped on the brake with the door open. I heard a hiss. I could see brake fluid dripping from the left side of the axle. "Yay! Now I know where the leak is!" I exclaimed to no one in particular. So I started on the left side, hoping for a leaky wheel cylinder, which I had a replacement for. Alas it was not a leaky wheel cylinder, twas the axle line from the brass splitter thingy. Not only that, but the right side had already been cut and crimped lol. The good thing about a ruined braked line is it makes it easier, well possible to get a 6 point socket on the fittings! I went ahead and checked the brakes and BAM! nice pedal good front brakes.
I went ahead and changed the rear brakes and wheel cylinders and new hardware. While I was there I decided that I just couldn't leave the drums all rusty. Out came the grinder with a wire wheel and rust convertor again, 30 minutes, a bloody knee, and ripped pants later, a much better looking, somewhat shiny black brake drum. The right side went about the same, except substitute 30 minutes looking for the shoe adjuster pin for the bloody knee. Spoiler alert, it was under the grinder handle. After the first side was done I realized I hadn't paid attention to which side I put the primary shoe on. I got lucky though. 50/50 chance.
That was it for this weekend, next weekend I'm out of town for my mom's 70th birthday party so not much updating for a couple of weeks. I ordered a full brake line set from InlineTube. Wish me luck!
She looks great!
I was hoping you wouldn't goop up that new carb....
I was hoping you wouldn't goop up that new carb....
Thanks!
Luckily It must have been big chunks! I'm not starting it anymore till I get a new tank and sending unit installed!
Also I forgot, I changed 1 1/2 rear shocks too. Where can you get aftermarket rear shock mount plates? I can't find anything Dart specific. Looking at my rusted mounts I actually need all new mounting hardware and u-bolts.
Just for fun...
Press pause when you see the ride height you like. Post what number the timer is stopped on when it's your favorite. I'll post my intentions after a bit.
Baptist_Ben
Well-Known Member
8 seconds in does it for me. But I’m all about the lowlife!
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
I personally like a rack low front with the rear up in the air.
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Your making some nice progress I love it!!
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
I have the exact same issue with mine I am gonna use some all metal in the seam. When I repainted my car the first time about 15 years ago. I just used bondo and it cracked and warped after a couple years.
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Here is a better picture you can see how bad it chipped and cracked the second pic is after I started sanding it.
I would guess that is more about rust reforming than anything. I can't Imagine there is too much flex going on back there unless you were rocking some serious HP before. I think regular body filler is a little more forgiving in the flexibility aspect. The "all metal" fillers are a lot more rigid. I'll use something like all metal filler just because that's what I've always done on rust repairs.
On my 1st Dart 30 years ago, I did a super fast weekend rust cover and paint the day I bought it. Just used expanding foam into wire brushed and rust stop - rust holes in the quarters and rocker panels. Used All Metal filler. It still didn't have any rust bubbles 4 years later when I took it apart to restore it. Then I stupidly sold it for parts while I was away at college.
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I like it low but, I want it to be easy to drive around. I'm more like at 2.5 seconds. I'm going to lower the back an inch and then make the rockers parallel to the ground with the torsion bars.
Like this?
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
It wasnt from flexing it was just a piss poor job I didnt know what I was doing and the bondo was way to thick!! Polymer fillers are not suitable for more than a thin layer. I cant remember exactly but I want to say like a 1/16 of an inch thick tops. That wan more like 3/4 thick in places! You can see on the other side I ripped it all out how deep it was lol. But yea you are right I didnt do a very good job at removing all the old rusty surface either. This is my 2nd time around I will do a better job lol
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Yes. Now add some steelies or rallies!I like it low but, I want it to be easy to drive around. I'm more like at 2.5 seconds. I'm going to lower the back an inch and then make the rockers parallel to the ground with the torsion bars.
Like this?
View attachment 1715236546
Baptist_Ben
Well-Known Member
I’ve just had my C pillars done by a Panel beater (body shop to you fellas) and they have used body filler for it, they said that body fillers have come along way since they first came on the market apparently, fingers crossed haha.
Yeah, I was just reading up on it. The all metal fillers have aluminum in them. Apparently over time the difference in contraction and expansion between aluminum and steel can cause repairs to show back up. I'll have to do some research to find out what people are using nowadays.
That's my plan. This is about the height I'm looking at achieving. I wish repair work was as quick and cheap as photoshopping!
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Heck yes!!! Now we are talking that's bad a$$!!!! Love it
I think you have a good plan. Keep working it. Make the car safe and predictable. New springs, torsion bars, shocks, front and rear suspension wear items, etc will go a long way to keep your driving experience more enjoyable and that's a BIG part of what keeps a rolling restoration rolling.
plumkrazee70
Well-Known Member
Great stance. If you want a decent alignment with the front that low, you are going to need to install the Moog offset control arm bushings or get a set of adjuatable ones. Do a search for Moog offset in titles and lots of info comes up.
Not going to get anything done because I'm out of town with my family this weekend, but I ordered some more parts for the most pressing items. I broke a rear shock mount stud trying to change them so I found a pair on FABO and they'll be on their way soon. Also ordered some longer u-bolts, a new perch, and a lowering block, because the existing perch looks like it could return to the earth any day now.
The new gas tank is in, and one of the 2 sending units I ordered is correct.
Then it's on to installing all new brake lines, doing the front brakes and master cylinder and she'll be far more roadworthy than when I drove it home from Iowa. I also included a photo of the most structurally important rust I've found. The left rear seat belt mount. I'll have to get it off and see how much is salvageable. Otherwise it looks like a fairly easy fabrication.
The new gas tank is in, and one of the 2 sending units I ordered is correct.
Then it's on to installing all new brake lines, doing the front brakes and master cylinder and she'll be far more roadworthy than when I drove it home from Iowa. I also included a photo of the most structurally important rust I've found. The left rear seat belt mount. I'll have to get it off and see how much is salvageable. Otherwise it looks like a fairly easy fabrication.
I had an evening off on Monday so I got a little done after having other plans this weekend. Got the shock mount plates and u-bolts in the mail from Slantsix64 so I cut the old u-bolts off and replaced the shock mount on the right rear. The lowering blocks I got were too long and wide for the perches so I'll tackle adding the new perches and u-bolts when I find some that fit a 7.25" rear.
I got the gas tank out, I had to cut the j-bolts off, so waiting to install while those replacements arrive. Decided to wire brush some surface rust hidden between the car and tank. Also cleaned up the spare tire well. I thought it was all surface rust there but did find 3 pinholes. Pictures are midway through the process.
Found the leaky gas tank culprit, a couple of tiny pinholes on the lower level tank top.
Also see why the car was bucking after I would get off the highway at a town and try to take off again. I think each fill-up was stirring all of this crap up into the fuel-filterless fuel system. I had about a cup of the same stuff that was blocking my float inlet when it wouldn't run once i got it home. Also the tank sending unit float was gone, but the sock looked intact. I ordered a new tank pad too.
I have tomorrow evening off. I'm going to work on getting the new brake lines installed from the back to the front and maybe sling a little body filler on the sail panel joint. Hopefully the weather will be nice this weekend and I can finish the brake lines, rebuild the front brake hardware, install a new master cylinder, a starter and possibly spray some F7 on the top where the vinyl was.
Cheers!
I got the gas tank out, I had to cut the j-bolts off, so waiting to install while those replacements arrive. Decided to wire brush some surface rust hidden between the car and tank. Also cleaned up the spare tire well. I thought it was all surface rust there but did find 3 pinholes. Pictures are midway through the process.
Found the leaky gas tank culprit, a couple of tiny pinholes on the lower level tank top.
Also see why the car was bucking after I would get off the highway at a town and try to take off again. I think each fill-up was stirring all of this crap up into the fuel-filterless fuel system. I had about a cup of the same stuff that was blocking my float inlet when it wouldn't run once i got it home. Also the tank sending unit float was gone, but the sock looked intact. I ordered a new tank pad too.
I have tomorrow evening off. I'm going to work on getting the new brake lines installed from the back to the front and maybe sling a little body filler on the sail panel joint. Hopefully the weather will be nice this weekend and I can finish the brake lines, rebuild the front brake hardware, install a new master cylinder, a starter and possibly spray some F7 on the top where the vinyl was.
Cheers!
I didn't get the brake lines installed. The left rear brake line wasn't made correctly for the rear tee. So I uncoiled the rest of the brake line just to make sure everything else was right and got the left rear bent into a shape that works. By the time I got that done I wasn't up to fighting rusty fittings at the distribution valve so I decided to pull the rear seat out and work on the seat belt mount rust.
Of course I found the broadcast sheet, YAY! Pulled off the seat belt, mounting plate and all. Then started wirebrushing the wheel well around the seat belt mounting rust hole. I've been using this rust restorer spray on the surface pitting. This is how I left the rust hole tonight. Looks like I may be visiting the local salvage yard and seeing if I can find a seatbelt and mount plate. Then maybe I'll be doing some welding.
I took the back seat into the house and decided to vacuum and clean it up before I store it for a few days...weeks...months. I ordered some fabric and vinyl from SMS for the front seat and some vinyl for the roof eventually. Also ordered some carpet from stock interiors. The fabric will have some fading to do to match the back seat but I'm not too worried about it. The spots that look like stains are where it was still wet from the cleaning.
This is the replacement carpet sample compared to carpet from the car from under the sill plate. Have I mentioned I don't like plush carpeting?
I will get the brakes done this weekend. It's supposed to be sunny and low 70s this weekend, so I can get out of the tiny garage!
Of course I found the broadcast sheet, YAY! Pulled off the seat belt, mounting plate and all. Then started wirebrushing the wheel well around the seat belt mounting rust hole. I've been using this rust restorer spray on the surface pitting. This is how I left the rust hole tonight. Looks like I may be visiting the local salvage yard and seeing if I can find a seatbelt and mount plate. Then maybe I'll be doing some welding.
I took the back seat into the house and decided to vacuum and clean it up before I store it for a few days...weeks...months. I ordered some fabric and vinyl from SMS for the front seat and some vinyl for the roof eventually. Also ordered some carpet from stock interiors. The fabric will have some fading to do to match the back seat but I'm not too worried about it. The spots that look like stains are where it was still wet from the cleaning.
This is the replacement carpet sample compared to carpet from the car from under the sill plate. Have I mentioned I don't like plush carpeting?
I will get the brakes done this weekend. It's supposed to be sunny and low 70s this weekend, so I can get out of the tiny garage!
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