The Disuster

Loggato · Jul 16, 2019

moparmat2000 said:
I bet it's a bad gage cluster to dash frame ground, Try separate ground wire from gage cluster metal bucket to the car body.

Is that the one that attaches on the steering column bolt? I cleaned that one up and that got the fuel gauge to work (it might have just been chance). Is there a secondary ground wire?

moparmat2000 · Jul 16, 2019

The instrument cluster grounds to the dash frame with its mounting screws. This was prob ok when the car was new. But almost 50 years later I am sure grounding point degradation here has taken place. Most people will fashion up a separate ground wire from the metal cluster housing and run it to a good body ground. I recommend the lower dash frame to body mounting bolt, and a good ring terminal.

The steering column ground wire is for grounding the column to the body as a return for the horn wire.

75slant6 · Jul 21, 2019

As Matt suggested, add a separate ground wire. As you can see in the photo, I connected all the gauge grounds with wire, then connected that wire to the dash frame as well.

Loggato · Jul 22, 2019

75slant6 said:
As Matt suggested, add a separate ground wire. As you can see in the photo, I connected all the gauge grounds with wire, then connected that wire to the dash frame as well.

Brilliant!

Loggato · Jul 22, 2019

This is getting out of hand! I find myself starting to get lazy... Sometimes there is just no way to weld without making more holes... So what does a guy do? just throws a patch plate over it and welds 'er in solid. I'm going for the strength over beauty at this point.

there is a small area on the rear floor board on the passenger side that is starting to be thru-rust.. I'm just going to convert it and seam seal it as it is still 98% solid.. I'm not intending for this to be a perfect restoration after all.

hopefully in the next few days I can get the whole floor converted and primed and then on to the seam sealer.

Question of the day: should I cut the dash for a single-din head unit? or is that just "wrong"?

Loggato · Jul 22, 2019

And for the record: I am perfectly fine if this is used as an example of "what NOT to do!"

75slant6 · Jul 22, 2019

Loggato said:
And for the record: I am perfectly fine if this is used as an example of "what NOT to do!"

While the route you’re taking may not technically be the “right” way to do it, you are putting a classic back on the road instead of leaving it set in a field, so you’re definitely not doing it the “wrong” way either! Do what works for you and what gets the car back to being driven like it was meant to be! Mopar on!

sireland67 · Jul 22, 2019

You could flange the panel and overlap over the old metal, but welding to rust is almost impossible.
Harbor freight makes a air powered flange tool.
Long before they came out, I milled some aluminum plate down and made my own.

dartnlo · Jul 25, 2019

Your rustoration looks a lot like mine! I started with the floors too. BTW I currently have a DIN style radio in the glove box. It's kind of a pain to reach but I use the auxiliary or bluetooth most of the time.
You can buy or create this bracket to make the dash speaker stereo. Slow, Driving Rustoration 1972 Dart

Loggato · Jul 30, 2019

dartnlo said:
Your rustoration looks a lot like mine! I started with the floors too. BTW I currently have a DIN style radio in the glove box. It's kind of a pain to reach but I use the auxiliary or bluetooth most of the time.
You can buy or create this bracket to make the dash speaker stereo. Slow, Driving Rustoration 1972 Dart

looks like you had a lot of the same issues! I was looking at carpets from stock interiors too.. I think I'm going to get black as I don't want an all-green interior.. and I cant find a green dash pad.

Loggato · Jul 30, 2019

Tell me this dont look half bad!!

ready for a top coat.

dartnlo · Jul 31, 2019

Loggato said:
looks like you had a lot of the same issues! I was looking at carpets from stock interiors too.. I think I'm going to get black as I don't want an all-green interior.. and I cant find a green dash pad.

I bought a black dash cap and eventually I'll paint it green.

moparmandan · Jul 31, 2019

Loggato said:
Tell me this dont look half bad!!

ready for a top coat.

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That don't look half bad! Actually it looks great!

Loggato · Aug 5, 2019

Floors painted. used low-gloss implement paint from Tractor Supply. it's good stuff! still a little sticky where the seam sealer is though. that will either dry, or always be that way. I spent about two hours cleaning out the cowl area which was literally packed up to the grates! They didn't make it very easy to clean that area either! I had to use a radiator hose on the end of my vacuum to be able to get all the valleys.. still not completely cleaned but now it's functional.

Then, in order to protect my "nice" "new" floors, I installed wiper pivot seals. I got the kit from Retromotive and it seems like a solid kit and even came with instructions which were handy. I broke all the old wiper arm bushings in the process.. fortunately I had a bunch laying around from other projects.

So onto a couple of other things. I'm looking at getting A/C equipment, power steering stuff and a cylinder head from a '66 dart. I need the cylinder head because it has all the exhaust studs in it still. My current one has a couple broken off.

1. Will I need to swap out steering columns for power steering?
2. Is there a difference in pitman arms or steering linkage with power steering?
3. besides for rebuilding, what else can be done to the 225 cylinder head to increase power? can I have more material taken off for a higher CR? I will do some research, but thought i'd start out with it here.

stay tuned.

Loggato · Aug 9, 2019

Got some work done on the right rear. This is the side where the shackle mount was completely disconnected. I'm not sure why this side decided to do that. The frame rail was eaten through, so the first matter of business will be to make that solid again. No big deal, just some 1/8" plate and some JB weld.... just kidding, I'll use gorilla glue....

Couldn't help myself.. I had to do some tugging on the mess which was the quarter panel. some previous owner had covered the rust issues with aluminum plating and up to 3/8" of bondo. The Drivers side is the same way. It looks like I'll need to buy a couple of panels.

If all goes well, I should have something for that shackle to bolt to by the time a go to sleep tonight.

Gearhed73 · Aug 9, 2019

Nothing wrong with these methods of floor pan repair. Ive performed full pan replacements, panels and exactly the way you just did it (the seam sealer is a nice touch BTW). One tip you may find helpful.. I noticed on your trunk floor repair you have a puzzle piece to fill, sometimes its much easier and cleaner to just open the area up and make more of a standard size panel.. rectangle, square etc.

Jim Kueneman · Aug 9, 2019

Loggato said:
3. besides for rebuilding, what else can be done to the 225 cylinder head to increase power? can I have more material taken off for a higher CR? I will do some research, but thought i'd start out with it here.

All you need
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NF5N6LL/?tag=fabo03-20

Doug hangs out here and on Slant Six Forum

Jim

moparmat2000 · Aug 10, 2019

I believe you can mill a slanty head up to .120" dont take my word for it though. You will have to cut the tips of the headbolts down though or they will bottom out before squeezing the gasket tight enough.

Can you get the air cleaner lid off that 66 dart in your pic? I might be interested in it.

Loggato · Aug 10, 2019

I'm so relieved this section is done....

It's just primed for now to keep from flash rusting. I'll finish off that whole rear end with some actual weather proofing when I get to the rear quarters.

The car drives so much quieter now that the leaf spring isn't banging up into the trunk floor!

Loggato · Aug 16, 2019

Last few days:
1. got all the headlights and tail lights working.. even reverse lights!
2. put a coat of primer on the underside of my floor repair
3. located all the rust on the front left frame rail.. should be repairable.. with the removal of everything...
4. pulled the headliner and am exploring repair options. the rear panel is in rough shape. thinking about cutting it off and replacing it with the piece shown below. Also JB welded some cracks in the interior plastics.
5. I started peeling at the drivers side rear quarter.. HOLY COW! 1/2" of bondo! Whoever did this work was thorough, and also pretty decent at making things look normal when they are not.

I ordered a new piece for the passenger side, but I believe I can repair the drivers side with just a section of steel. Most of the structure is still there.

At this point, I can fix all the little rust and drive the car for a while, but eventually the engine, trans and K member will need to come out. I guess I should save that for last, then I can paint the engine bay!