Twistgrip's 69 F3 340 GTS Resto

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Not to get too far off subject but me and my son-in law are also restoring a Honda mini trail Z50 for my grandson. Painted F3 green to match Papa's Dart. I am sure it will stir up more interest at local car shows than the Mopar. Gotta love those Honda mini bikes, they never really die.
 
1 3/8 tap worked great for pressing out bushing for LCA, read a thread that indicated this was the dealer service bulletin recommended practice. Finally reassembling everything.
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One thing I love about Mopars is that everything was painted body color. When opening the trunk or looking at the engine it just looks much more finished than the spatter paint and blackout treatment other manufacturers used.
 
Finished the front end rebuild, here is a before and after picture of my steering box.

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Original bellhousing looks like someone sat a battery on it for a long time. Rough would be a kind description. Looking for another one now.

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As I stated previously, my Dart was purchased as a partially disassembled car from storage. The person I bought it from had found it in an old chicken building in the same state of disassembly, bought it and moved it to his storage unit. He decided to sell the car to help with the down payment of a new house. I purchased the car in 1995 after seeing his add in the Baton Rouge newspaper. At the time I was showing a restored 1969 Roadrunner convertible so the car was put up in my shop and not touched until last year. The last inspection sticker was from 1974 so it has probably been off the road over 40 years. The car has its original engine and four speed. I will be running 3:55 gears. I live about 50 miles from New Orleans and equal distance to Baton Rouge, Biloxi is about 90 miles away also so the car will see some interstate road miles to shows and cruises.

Since the engine heads and oil pan were off and the car had been left sitting on the ground the original crank has deep pitting. Since I was going to buy a new crank I decided to make the car a strocker to enjoy the added torque on the street. The engine will be limited by the factory X heads, I will be running an LD340 intake and headers. It will also have A/C, (today it is 98 degF and 90% humidity). I decided to run a retro fit hydraulic roller cam and it came in yesterday. I am hoping this gives the car a very strong mid-range and flat torque curve. Goal is to have 440 type power out of the original block.

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Looks awesome ....F3 is one of my favorite colors. Keep up the good work
 
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Had lots of minor but time consuming fit issues with AMD aftermarket fenders and hood. Don't get me wrong, they are quality parts but expect to spend some time on gap and contour fitmet. Getting closer to paint.
 
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Rear end ready to install, new BBP Moser axles and 2 1/2" brakes. Relocated springs 3/4".
 
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I apologize to the few folks that have been following my restoration because I have not progressed it or posted much in the last few months. I lost my wife this past August after her 3 1/2 year fight with LMS cancer, she was my high school sweetheart and best friend. I am now finally ready to get back on my project and I will start posting again soon.

By the way, I gave in to my major life crisis and indulged myself with a new 2016 Scat Pack 392 Shaker Challenger...love it! It is the fourth B5 blue mopar that I have owned as well as my fourth Challenger. I bought my first car at 16 with money from my bell pepper crop and it was a blue 1973 Challenger also.
 
mbaird said:
BTW... Does "Twistgrip" refer to dirt of street ?
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Like a lot of folks from my generation I grew up riding dirt bikes, during college I swapped to Kawasaki sport bikes, owned a new GPZ550 and after graduating bought a new KZ1000 Eddie Lawson Replica,(wish I had kept that one). Currently ride a V-max.

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I have a friend with a 82ish GPZ750 with less than 1000 miles sitting in storage.
I'm thinking about picking it up... I used to have a H2 750 Triple...
Now I ride a GS650 Dakar and a KTM300 XCW...
Sport bikes got way too fast for me ! I dont have the self control to NOT "TwistGrip" lol Its all about life and liberty....mostly the liberty !
 
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Body work finally done and car is sitting in the paint booth. Good friend will shoot external color tomorrow :thumbsup:.
 
looking forward tom see what she looks like , have a 69 gtsport in a green met also . prior owner was hard on it , its #'s matching .
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my other two were the same color as yours . sorry no pics of the first one a gtsport . this 69 gt ran had a
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383 auto .
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340 auto air ps pb disc's 354 lock'r . bought it at a salvage sell for the engine . but keep it together , going to change it over to an a833 4spd and a 6pck . its always from all that . but at least i built the motor , just waiting for the holster to get done . the car is full of itself right now , and spare parts .
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