Where to start on my 63 Dart?

[Harrison]

Alright, I'm the (sorta) proud owner of a 1963 Dodge Dart 270. I got it three years ago as a birthday present, intending for me to restore it.

Well, I've been in no place to restore it these last years due to school and moving. I've decided that this summer I will start doing some work on it.

The outer body is in alright shape. No real bad dents, and the paint isn't chipped. The clips that hold the trim in place have been rusted, so there are rust trails going down from them. Some of the trim isn't all the way on. All the hood emblems are missing, as well as the DODGE letters on the trunk. The antennae is loose, and the door handles are needing to be rechromed, as well as the rear bumper.

The engine seems to be alright. It doesn't have a radiator, and the hoses that would be to the radiator are destroyed. The manifold has a bad case of dandruff, and the hose going from the engine to the air filter is missing. It won't start (probably due to having sit for so long that the battery is completely dead).

The inside of the car is a wreck. The oil light stays on, and I don't think the majority of the gauges work. The ignition won't stay in, spinning when you try to crank it. The seats are in good condition, both the front and back are full width bench seats. There are no seatbelts, and many of panels are missing. The floor is covered with a layer of rust, and there are a few holes throughout it.

The gear shift has all of the "crystal" inserts cracked and falling apart. The steering wheel is cracked. There isn't a stock radio, instead some AM radio with a cassette player and a "boost box" (giving FM functionality) is installed. All knobs are also needed to be rechromed.

The front left wheel won't spin, once again probably due to sitting for so long. The other wheels are fine. The original hubcaps are in great condition, with only the black fading.


I'm going to guess that I should start off getting that wheel fixed, and then the motor. What do you all think? Is it worth it, or is it a lost cause?

EDIT: Forgot to mention it's a 270 with a 225 cubic inch Slant 6.

 

[Dartnewbie]

First welcome to FABO. I have a 63 170 four door. Bought it last fall and have slowly been getting parts for it to work on when it gets warmer. It runs just fine and looks good but I added things like reverse lights and trim panel and have fixed my pushbutton shifter which I didn't know was missing parts until I added the backup switch. I fixed all the little things like the turn signal cancel cam, headlight switch, and a missing door handle. I guess the best place to start are all the things you can do for free or little cost. There are great folks on here that will offer advice and parts when needed. If you need something let us know. If we have extras, chances are you can get them here. Post some pictures so we know what you are working with. It's finally starting to warm up here so I will working on things soon. There are also some good deals on Ebay for parts, you just have to keep looking. Remember too that most 64 parts will work on the 63 when searching for parts.

 

[mikeys toy]

the first thing you need to do is sell it to me.......

 

[Tincup]

My 63 GT was just delivered last night, so I'm in the same boat. I am planning on making a hot rod out of mine so I might have some trim pieces for sale or trade (stuff that will not go back on).

 

[Dartnewbie]

If you end up with extra parts you don't want, make sure you post them here as I'm sure there are several of us that could use them. And good luck to both of you with your cars.

 

[pettybludart]

Welcome to the site.Your 1st goal should be to free up that wheel and get her rolling,then attack the motor and see if she,ll run.After that you can look for all the smaller things.I got my car in Dec. and have been working hard at doing things to it that I had planned ahead of time!Good Luck with your project!Post some pics. so we can see what your working with.

 

[Outsider]

First thing to do is get that interior OUT, Pull the nasty carpet. Pull out the seats and store them somewhere cool like a basement. Pull off the door panels, and put them with the seats. Then clean clean clean. Rent a diesel fired steam cleaner, and while the nieghbors aren't looking, steam clean the entire car. Put it on ramps or jack stands in the front and clean the underside as well as the engine compartment. Plug up, tape off, or plastic bag with rubber bands all the things you want to stay dry. Once the car is truly clean, then pull the front wheels off and free up that wheel so it will spin. When you get that done, MAKE A PLAN.
The word "restore" is pretty well OVERused, and you need to decide if you truly want to restore it or just clean it up and drive it. I don't care so much what the car looks like, and I certainly don't care if it runs or not...I just like spending a little quality time with the car, and if that means just sitting back with a nice cigar and going over things in my mind; that is nearly as cool as driving it.
If it were me I'd have it an empty shell in two days. :read2:

 

[Harrison]

Alright, I'm going to have to free that wheel up anyways to get it moved to the new house, so I'll hit that first.

So, how would I go about freeing it? Jack it up, take off the wheel, but then what?

Also, where would I look for a new radiator and hoses for it? Every hose for that needs to be replaced, including the little ones that went into the bottom.

I'll try to get some pictures of it next week. I don't have a digital camera, so I'll borrow a friends.

 

[Optik]

welcome to FABO, the BEST place to be if you have an A-Body Mopar.

From your description it sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you before the car ever hits the road. Even if you don't want to do a restoration, but instead just get it on the road, there are several things to consider. You will want to work on each system on the car in an orderly manner, and get the foundation solid first. First off, I would check the suspension to make sure that nothing is broken and there are no surprises that will mean other things need to come back apart to fix. Then i would move on to complete brakes rebuild on both ends, from the master cylinder to the wheels including all lines and hardware. This is not an area to consider lightly for your safety. Then once you are sure the car can stop, you can work on making it go. How confident are you that the engine will run? Hopefully it is not seized up. Check fluids, plugs, rebuild the carb, add all new hoses and lines. Check tranny fluid for metal, drop the pan, put in a new filter and fresh fluid. Might want to put a bottle of LUcas in it just in case. You say the car has been sitting for going on three years? Did it leak oil? you run the risk of seals and gaskets drying up and leaking or failing once the motor is running again. For real peace of mind and reliability I can only recommend removal and rebuild or at least a refresh of motor and trans. There is nothing worse than not being able to enjoy your car because you are constantly afraid of something breaking due to age or unknowns. It seems like a daunting task especially when stuff is out of the car and all over the garage but stick with it and take it one step at a time and eventually you will get there and the rewards of a reliable, cool ride that you can ENJOY will be worth all the time and effort.
Good luck with it and make sure to post progress pictures here! Everyone will be happy to answer your questions and/or calls for help!
-Tim

 

[Outsider]

Alright, I'm going to have to free that wheel up anyways to get it moved to the new house, so I'll hit that first.

So, how would I go about freeing it? Jack it up, take off the wheel, but then what?

Also, where would I look for a new radiator and hoses for it? Every hose for that needs to be replaced, including the little ones that went into the bottom.

I'll try to get some pictures of it next week. I don't have a digital camera, so I'll borrow a friends.

Before buying hoses, make sure the car is sound structurally. I once bought a nice original paint, every stripe, performance hood, go wing, Demon. Once I cleaned the entire car, and got all the gunk off the bottom, It went from a nice solid project to a parts car when I discovered the car had been off road early in its life, and had sat in a barn or shed for 20 years. bemt frame rails, bent rad support, bent K-frame, ect... I got taken on that deal, and I'm glad I didn't put any time or effort into it that I wouldn't have had to to part it out anyway.

 

[MadScientistMat]

Alright, I'm the (sorta) proud owner of a 1963 Dodge Dart 270. I got it three years ago as a birthday present, intending for me to restore it.

Well, I've been in no place to restore it these last years due to school and moving. I've decided that this summer I will start doing some work on it.

Welcome to the forum! I got my start into cars with my '66 Dodge Dart 270 myself. A couple things in your post jumped out at me, so I'll reply to them first.

The engine seems to be alright. It doesn't have a radiator, and the hoses that would be to the radiator are destroyed.

Useful tip: If it has a manual transmission, an Aspen / Volare radiator will bolt right in. Automatics require some rerouting the trans cooler lines, but also are close to a direct fit. They don't fit some aftermarket fans though.

The manifold has a bad case of dandruff,

Interesting. I am not 100% sure when they stopped making the first round of aluminum intake manifolds, but I'm pretty sure it was before 1963. This may be a factory item or an aftermarket piece. What sort of carb does it have?

and the hose going from the engine to the air filter is missing.

Unless someone has swapped in a later engine, it never had one. It might have had an open PCV system with a single hose from the rear of the valve cover to the base of the carb, but the air cleaner would not have had any hoses connected to it.

The inside of the car is a wreck. The oil light stays on...

Given you implied the engine isn't cranking, this may not be a malfunction: It won't turn off until you get the oil pressure up, or you unplug the sensor.

There are no seatbelts,

There probably never were, but I'd make adding a set a high priority.

I'm going to guess that I should start off getting that wheel fixed, and then the motor. What do you all think? Is it worth it, or is it a lost cause?

EDIT: Forgot to mention it's a 270 with a 225 cubic inch Slant 6.

That's what I would do too. Replacing the bearings should not be terribly hard.

 

[65barracudadude]

I got my ' 65 barracuda a couple of months ago and thats just what I did. I cleaned the hell out of it. Pulled all of the interior. Then got it running real good. It didn't move or run for 18 years. I did all of the body work after that. Got all of the missing parts from our wonderful members here and ebay. And now I'm on the interior. I'm getting it suitable to drive. I'm not restoring it right now. And I may never do that. I am not interested in having a car I'm afraid to look at because I have just too much time and money invested in it. I want a real cool early A- body that I can work on for ever and enjoy. And I got the original /6 running real good, doing the brakes and whatever else that I need to so I can have a nice clean driving car. And some people have seen what I've done in the small amount of time I've had it. And it's going along just fine. I'm doing the interior right now. Then I'll be driving it. And I got just about all of the things needed to V8 it when I'm ready to do so.

 

[Tincup]

Here is a pic of my 63 GT, just spent some quality time with it today ( we finally had a nice day here in MA.) and can't believe how nice the body is. with the exception of a golfball size hole in the RR quarter, and two spots in the front floor boards there is no other rust on it. This is going to be sweet with a HEMI in it....

 

[Harrison]

Useful tip: If it has a manual transmission, an Aspen / Volare radiator will bolt right in. Automatics require some rerouting the trans cooler lines, but also are close to a direct fit. They don't fit some aftermarket fans though.

It's an automatic. If those lines are the little ones that went into the bottom, I have to replace them anyways. Those radiators are pretty pricey though...

Interesting. I am not 100% sure when they stopped making the first round of aluminum intake manifolds, but I'm pretty sure it was before 1963. This may be a factory item or an aftermarket piece. What sort of carb does it have?

http://www.slantsix.org/articles/supersix/ss-installed-sideview.jpg
I think the one that I'm talking about is the gray one beneath the blue one. With how little I know of cars, that's probably not a manifold. =/

Unless someone has swapped in a later engine, it never had one. It might have had an open PCV system with a single hose from the rear of the valve cover to the base of the carb, but the air cleaner would not have had any hoses connected to it.

Until I can get a hold of a camera, would you happen to have a picture of how the engine should look?

Given you implied the engine isn't cranking, this may not be a malfunction: It won't turn off until you get the oil pressure up, or you unplug the sensor.

No, the engine used to crank, but I'm pretty sure the battery is mostly dead. Even after running for a while the light would stay on. Probably didn't have enough oil. =/

That's what I would do too. Replacing the bearings should not be terribly hard.

How hard would it be for someone with next to no car maintenance experience?

 

[MadScientistMat]

It's an automatic. If those lines are the little ones that went into the bottom, I have to replace them anyways. Those radiators are pretty pricey though...

I found one for cheap in a junkyard.

http://www.slantsix.org/articles/supersix/ss-installed-sideview.jpg
I think the one that I'm talking about is the gray one beneath the blue one. With how little I know of cars, that's probably not a manifold. =/

Actually, that was my mistake - that is a manifold, and it's the exhaust manifold. I was thinking the "dandruff" was a type of corrosion you only see on aluminum.

Until I can get a hold of a camera, would you happen to have a picture of how the engine should look?

Yes, I've got a very good picture of an early Barracuda with the stock air cleaner and PCV system right here.

How hard would it be for someone with next to no car maintenance experience?

It's not much harder than changing a tire: You unbolt the wheel, pry the center cap off with a screwdriver, remove the cotter pin with a wire cutters, and then remove the big nut in the middle of the spindle. The drum should then come off if you pull on it hard. I'd probably have a machine shop press in a new bearing race. Not particularly hard.

 

[Harrison]

I found one for cheap in a junkyard.

Alright then, I'll call around.

Yes, I've got a very good picture of an early Barracuda with the stock air cleaner and PCV system right here.

Hm, maybe someone did drop a later motor then. My air filter looks more like this one, and looks like it would connect in the same place. http://www.allpar.com/images/mopar/slant-six.jpg

Or, maybe someone just replaced that with a different one. I need to get pictures...

It's not much harder than changing a tire: You unbolt the wheel, pry the center cap off with a screwdriver, remove the cotter pin with a wire cutters, and then remove the big nut in the middle of the spindle. The drum should then come off if you pull on it hard. I'd probably have a machine shop press in a new bearing race. Not particularly hard.

Where would I buy the new bearings and all from? Also, could I put the race in myself? I can't think of any machine shops around here.

 

[Outsider]

Alright then, I'll call around.


Hm, maybe someone did drop a later motor then. My air filter looks more like this one, and looks like it would connect in the same place. http://www.allpar.com/images/mopar/slant-six.jpg

Or, maybe someone just replaced that with a different one. I need to get pictures...


Where would I buy the new bearings and all from? Also, could I put the race in myself? I can't think of any machine shops around here.

Since this is your first car, you are going to need to do a little networking. The internet is a great place to get information, but the actual process of redoing a car will require you to have people close by that will be able to assist you in the hands on part. You need to get to a cruise night or local Mopar club, and start talking to people. Before you go looking for late model interchanges, you should see what people in your area are able to do for you. The fact that you bought an early A-body is probably the best first step you could have made. If you bought a Charger or Challenger, ect... You would be charged an arm and a leg for EVERYTHING, to the point that redoing the car would be finacially impossible. For example, I have a MINT /6 Dart radiator, that I'm sure I'll just give to someone in your position. (Sorry, but I'm not interested in shipping) Since you are redoing a /6 car and really have no interst in dropping in a blown aluminum Hemi... chances are you will be able to find someone who is doing a /6 swap, and buy EVERYTHING in one package deal. Don't rush into things and start spending money all over the place. TRUST ME...the second you buy this stuff piece by piece, and spend money on obscure interchanges, someone will tell you they just swapped out a running slant for a crate 360, and you can have everything you need if you will just haul the stuff out of their garage, PLEASE! I know this because I just crushed a rotten '66 Dart GT, and all the drum and slant six stuff went with what was left of the shell. I just don't store /6 stuff.

 

[MadScientistMat]

Hm, maybe someone did drop a later motor then. My air filter looks more like this one, and looks like it would connect in the same place. http://www.allpar.com/images/mopar/slant-six.jpg

If your valve cover has three holes, it's a later valve cover at least. I'd check the manifold side of the block; the original motor would have had three freeze plugs; many later ones have five.

Where would I buy the new bearings and all from? Also, could I put the race in myself? I can't think of any machine shops around here.

I believe Timken still makes them, and you can buy them through most chain parts stores. NAPA is a good source for hard to find parts, though these bearings may not be all that hard to find. It requires a press to get the bearing races in and out. I'd be very surprised if there aren't any machine shops near you; they're probably listed in the Yellow Pages.

 

[Harrison]

If your valve cover has three holes, it's a later valve cover at least. I'd check the manifold side of the block; the original motor would have had three freeze plugs; many later ones have five.

Alright, I'll look tomorrow.

I believe Timken still makes them, and you can buy them through most chain parts stores. NAPA is a good source for hard to find parts, though these bearings may not be all that hard to find. It requires a press to get the bearing races in and out. I'd be very surprised if there aren't any machine shops near you; they're probably listed in the Yellow Pages.

About how much can I expect that to cost?

I should be getting a camera tomorrow from a friend. Any specific things that you all want me to focus on?

 

[MadScientistMat]

Not much, I'd be very surprised if it went over $30 to change the bearing races.

 

[Harrison]

Alright then, I guess once I get paid I'll see if I can get that fixed up.

I guess I'll need to check out all the brakes after that, right? I wouldn't be too surprised if they all needed to be rebuilt. Probably a good idea to do that anyways. It'd be hell to get it all running, only to ruin the whole thing when the brakes decide to go.

EDIT: Oh man, I just remembered. To move it up here, we disconnected the drive shaft just in case the transmission decided to go into something other than neutral while we were moving up here. There any problems with starting the engine (or attempting to) without it connected, or will it be alright?

 

[66dartgt]

I dont think it should be a problem, but its no big deal to throw it back in. Your age car should have the ball and trunion u joint which wont leak at the back of the trans without a driveshaft attached.

 

[Harrison]

Alright, I'll just leave it disconnected until we get it moved. I doubt I'll be able to get it fixed up fast enough to where I can drive it the ~7 miles to the new house.

Still no camera. =/

 

[Harrison]

Got the camera today, about to go take pictures.

Where would the VIN be in my car?

 

[Dartnewbie]

The VIN is located inside the driver's door pillar between the two hinges. It is glued and not riveted on. The two holes you might see were just to align it when gluing. The VIN will be something like 7137131234 depending on what model you have. There should also be a fender tag under the hood on the driver's side on top of the inner wheel well.