Tnplumber
Well-Known Member
Not sure how I missed this thread, just went through it, excellent build keep the pics coming.
The Darwin Project
- Thread starter Darwin
- Start date
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The_night_rider
Sheriff of Rockridge
I love how you did the chrome spears for the tail light. I was planning to do that too, I love how it turned out.
Nice.
Nice.
RustyDusty
Rabid Cross-eyed Opossum!
Wow! Thanks for this thread Darwin!! This gives me lots of inspiration for my Duster that has been on the verge of being parted out since I was scared of all the frame rust. I'll have to replace the a pillars on her, I'll be sure and post that in my restoration thread.
Dusterdude72
IN MOPAR MUSCLE MAGAZINE
Cant see how I missed this thread until now!
Great work, that thing has came along nicely!
Great work, that thing has came along nicely!
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Thanks for the kind words guys.
Not much progress to report since my last update. I did order a new front suspension kit from Just Suspension and was planning on changing all the bushings this weekend but the parts didn't show up yet. Looks like that will be my project for next weekend. I'll also be changing the UCA's and spindles at that time, converting to LBP discs up front and LBP rear. I have a different rear end all cleaned up and repainted ready to install.
I better get some pics up quick, I can see some of you guys are losing motivation.lol
Not much progress to report since my last update. I did order a new front suspension kit from Just Suspension and was planning on changing all the bushings this weekend but the parts didn't show up yet. Looks like that will be my project for next weekend. I'll also be changing the UCA's and spindles at that time, converting to LBP discs up front and LBP rear. I have a different rear end all cleaned up and repainted ready to install.
I better get some pics up quick, I can see some of you guys are losing motivation.lol
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Finally got to spent quality car time with my son, he's between school sports right now with swim ending and three weeks til track starts. Between his sports, student council and regular studies its hard to find time to work on the car, but that stuff comes first, the car will always be there. Oh, and did I mention he earned his Boy Scout Eagle award this past summer too, I couldn't be more proud.
On to the car stuff. Back in Dec. we removed the old 7.25 rear in favor of one with a LBP hub, still only a 7.25 but hey, we're not biulding a rocket here. lol. While the rear was out we cleaned up the springs and shock plates and coated them with POR15 and gave them a new coat of epoxy paint. We decided to lower the ride height, so we went down to the local spring shop and had some new u-bolts made up. I ordered 2" lowering blocks from Speedway and we got the rear end put back in today.
I'll try to get pics loaded, got a new camera and haven't figured out the new software yet to downsize pics.
On to the car stuff. Back in Dec. we removed the old 7.25 rear in favor of one with a LBP hub, still only a 7.25 but hey, we're not biulding a rocket here. lol. While the rear was out we cleaned up the springs and shock plates and coated them with POR15 and gave them a new coat of epoxy paint. We decided to lower the ride height, so we went down to the local spring shop and had some new u-bolts made up. I ordered 2" lowering blocks from Speedway and we got the rear end put back in today.
I'll try to get pics loaded, got a new camera and haven't figured out the new software yet to downsize pics.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Here you go
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
This pic shows the car back on the ground with the wheel tire combo we're going with for now. It sits a little lower than I expected but kind of hard to tell without the motor and trans in.
67Dart440
Well-Known Member
Looks great... I think the stance is nice. Very cool you are getting your son involved!! Keep up the great work guys!
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
A couple months back I took my original battery tray to my buddy John at Cool Kustoms Hot Rod Shop to have him weld up the rust holes and make it driver quality. The only thing I told him was, don't mess with the brackets as I want to be able to bolt it back in its stock location. What you see is what it looked like when I picked it up.
Pretty cool huh!
Pretty cool huh!
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Yup!
Thats my son Nick in the last pic, bolting on the shock plate. He's my motivation as this will be his daily driver when we get it done.
HE gave ME a deadline, May 8th he wants to be picking up his date to the jr. prom in this car! Wish me luck.
The_night_rider
Sheriff of Rockridge
I was just thinking about this thread the other day. This is one very nice project, keep it going!
67Dart440
Well-Known Member
That is awesome and he has great taste in cars for a young guy. You guys are making great progress... I think you'll make the deadline without difficulty. Love the tag in your signature...
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
We devoted the entire weekend to getting the front suspension rebuilt.
What a great weekend, no distractions, just the two of us and the 'Cuda.
Here is what I found at my front door Thurs. Complete front end bushing kit, upper and lower ball joints, tie rods. and bump stops. I ordered the complete kit from Just Suspension, its the poly bushing kit.
What a great weekend, no distractions, just the two of us and the 'Cuda.
Here is what I found at my front door Thurs. Complete front end bushing kit, upper and lower ball joints, tie rods. and bump stops. I ordered the complete kit from Just Suspension, its the poly bushing kit.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
We started by removing the torsion bars. The right side, no problem, the left side, not so good. It took over an hour of beating and banging on the left bar and we finally resorted to the old fire wrench (torch) to the hex on the LCA. Amazing what a little heat and a lot of persuation can accomplish.
If you look closely inthe first pick, you will see the tool bolted to the torsion bar which made removal much easier.
If you look closely inthe first pick, you will see the tool bolted to the torsion bar which made removal much easier.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Next, removed the old spindles, UCAs and strut rods.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
If it Don't Work...Get a Bigger Hammer lol
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Here is the UCA after sandblast and new paint, before ball joint and bushings were installed.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Next we installed the bushings and ball joints on the UCAs and pressed new bushings into the LCAs
Unfortunately, I did not get a pic of the tool used to remove the lower control arm bushings, but they came out much easier than expected.
Unfortunately, I did not get a pic of the tool used to remove the lower control arm bushings, but they came out much easier than expected.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Best time all weekend was putting everything back togehter and that great sense of accomplishment. I just wish I hadn't put this part of the project off so long. Now that its back on all four, I see light at the end of the tunnel.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
Another Great Weekend!
We got the new master and power booster installed as well as a new prop. valve. Installed the front calipers and hoses as well as a new rear hose. All new brake lines that we made ourselves, just need to bleed the system.
Also had some time last week to take apart the front seat brackets and sandblast those and paint them, we're going to replace the bolts with stainless.
This week, going to give the /6 a tune up and replace the leaking water pump. The carb is going in for rebuild, and I need to reattach the brackets to the radiator. If I can get that all done the engine should be going back in next weekend.
We got the new master and power booster installed as well as a new prop. valve. Installed the front calipers and hoses as well as a new rear hose. All new brake lines that we made ourselves, just need to bleed the system.
Also had some time last week to take apart the front seat brackets and sandblast those and paint them, we're going to replace the bolts with stainless.
This week, going to give the /6 a tune up and replace the leaking water pump. The carb is going in for rebuild, and I need to reattach the brackets to the radiator. If I can get that all done the engine should be going back in next weekend.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
We're on target to get the engine back in this weekend. Nick just learned the fine art of an old school tune up, plugs, points, condensor, rotor, dist. cap and wires. Getting the point gap was a challange for him, I swear he moved the points back and forth an inch each way trying to get the .018 gap. He's a quick study though, so when he got that buttoned up he went right for the water pump. He got that changed out in no time.
We worked quite a while trying to get the brakes bled, detected leaks in a couple of the fittings and got those tightened up. I think we got all the air out of the system and have a pretty firm pedal but the travel seems a little excessive, goes about half way down. Am I supposed to cap the vacuum port when bleeding the brakes, when I hold my finger over the vacuum and have Nick press the pedal it comes right up where it should be. Any advice would be a great help.
When it comes to the booster, I plan to replace the fitting in the intake where the performance gauge was located to get vacuum to the booster but then what do I do for a vacuum source for the gauge. Can I put a fitting with a tee in it and run both from the same port? Thanks in advance for help here too.
I'll try to post some pics when the engine goes in.
We worked quite a while trying to get the brakes bled, detected leaks in a couple of the fittings and got those tightened up. I think we got all the air out of the system and have a pretty firm pedal but the travel seems a little excessive, goes about half way down. Am I supposed to cap the vacuum port when bleeding the brakes, when I hold my finger over the vacuum and have Nick press the pedal it comes right up where it should be. Any advice would be a great help.
When it comes to the booster, I plan to replace the fitting in the intake where the performance gauge was located to get vacuum to the booster but then what do I do for a vacuum source for the gauge. Can I put a fitting with a tee in it and run both from the same port? Thanks in advance for help here too.
I'll try to post some pics when the engine goes in.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
/6 is back in car after 20 long months. Here are a few pics of engine going in.
Darwin
Evolutionary Member
A couple more pics of engine finally in. Still need to install radiator, battery and fill with coolant. Carb is off being rebuilt, should have it back in the next couple days.
Man we're stoked...its gettin' close now.
Trans will be going back in soon and need to decide what we're doing with exhaust.
Everything is moving along as planned for our target date of May 6, Nick asked his gal to prom, so the pressure is on.lol
Man we're stoked...its gettin' close now.
Trans will be going back in soon and need to decide what we're doing with exhaust.
Everything is moving along as planned for our target date of May 6, Nick asked his gal to prom, so the pressure is on.lol
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