Drove the Dart, first time since I got it.

[flyboy01]

The Dart is running again. Well, it ran for about 20 minutes after I replaced the fuel tank, pickup, filter and carb, then it died. I thought it was bad wiring to the ECU, so I replaced all that, put in a new OrangE Box Mopar ECU and cleaned up the wiring, no dice. I next thought it was a clogged fuel line, but when I pulled the off the fuel pump, fuel ran out, it had to be the fuel pump, so I replaced that, and it started! I drove it around the parking lot a bit, but could not take it on the road, since I have no tail lights in it. The throttle cable is sticky, I am overcoming it with a heavy spring, but I need to get that fixed.

When I finally got the Dart out of the garage under its own power last Sunday, I decided I need to take a few updated pics. This one has been slightly photo-shopped, I took out the side trim on the door and pasted in a bumper, but otherwise, its pretty accurate, but this is the good side, you can see the peeling paint on the hood, roof, and trunk. I want to get it painted by the end of summer. 

[fasttcars]

   feels good dosen't it.. ...good luck...

[MikeR]

Very cool!

[flyboy01]

  feels good dosen't it.. ...good luck...

Nope, it sucked, because I realized I need to spend more money on these:

1. 3.55:1 gears
2. Stiffer springs
3. New KYB shocks
4. Sway bars
5. Looser converter
6. Much more power!

[tnplumber]

Just look at it  as one project at a time.  You'll get it together.

Scott
72 Dart

[DartKnight]

Nice; I'm seriously thinking of going with a 68 this time around. I had it narrowed down to another 69 or a 72, but I've been there, done that enough already. Nice color on there, too. 

[Capt Jack]

thats beautiful.
mines on stands right now.  cant wait to drive it again   

[moparrr07]

at least its a smallblock, im still puting around back and forth to school in the 6er

[fasttcars]

ya at least you can get in her and fire her up..put her in drive.......can't do that yet with my little b@#ch

[attachment deleted by admin]

[flyboy01]

Well, I came to a sad realization last night.    I have to put the car on the back burner for about 2-3 months, my company did not pay the quarterly bonus to the employees for the first time in 5 years, since we missed our 15% growth goal by 1%. My regular pay goes towards bills entireley, and my bonuses go toward the Dart. So that means no money, no Dart. 

I am going to try and do all the small things that the dart needs and any work that just requires my muscle. It looks like I am going to be doing a lot of sanding, so as of right now, the Dart will go into hibernation for the summer. The crappy thing was, I was planning to drive it to the Mopar Nationals in August, but that looks like it might not happen at all this year. And, as far as just driving it for the summer, I need about $600 to make it drivable legally on the street, so unless I can hatch a good plan, the Dart will be relegated to driving around the parking lot. I might think about selling a few parts I have accumulated so I can at least make it a driver.

[Bakaruda]

That is why it is taking me so long to build my car. When I have extra money I work on it. When money is tight it sets. I refuse to build my car on credit of any kind.

[flyboy01]

Yeah, I got in trouble about 8 years ago building my old Dakota on credit. Since then, I have managed to get rid of all credit cards. The only credit I have at all is my truck loan, everything else is cash. Credit is a bad way to build a car, because when you are done, you have to sell the car to pay the credit.

[Ace]

I feel your pain.  I don't plan on taking a note out or using CC's to get my Dart done, and it's a LONG ways from done.

[Tacfire11]

I hear your brother, we're in the same boat.  Trying to remember what a bonus looks like  .  I was shooting to get the dart on the road by May, Hmmmm.... June and counting.  Maybe August.

[MVRCorp]

I gave up on this year a few months ago.    Still waiting on the Hemi.   Maybe next year. So now this summers project is the deck and hot tub. 

[flyboy01]

I actually have a small side investment deal I'm working on right now, I buy out electronics stores that are going out of business on the last day they are open. Its tricky becuase you have to have the cash ready at the right moment and you have to know what you are buying and if you can re-sell it. I might be able to turn $1k into $4-5K next month. I did it once before and turned an 800% profit, this time it might only be half that, but its better than nothing.

[flyboy01]

I gave up on this year a few months ago.    Still waiting on the Hemi.   Maybe next year. So now this summers project is the deck and hot tub. 

Boy, some people have all the big problems. No Hemi? Wahhh! 

[urchinhead]

  feels good dosen't it.. ...good luck...

Nope, it sucked, because I realized I need to spend more money on these:

1. 3.55:1 gears
2. Stiffer springs
3. New KYB shocks
4. Sway bars
5. Looser converter
6. Much more power!

When I first bought my car, I rebuilt the front suspension and upgraded the brakes, adjusted the timing, and took it for a spin. Then after a few spins, i drove it across the city and parked it in front of my apartment. That's when I began to realize the car needed a complete restoration. I still can't forget the drive though; wheezing out of the rotten exhaust, my engine revved enough to fly up the hill behind Twin Peaks as I struggled to keep the deteriorated tires on the pavement. Thank god the smell of burning oil kept me focused. I must be insane to be so happy about that, but I am! 

[b569rr]

At least the hard part is complete. You find a nice '68. The Dart will still be there. As for me, the summer time is the worst time to work on the cars: the Honey Do list takes priority. I am accumulating more parts waiting for the rain to come back. BTW, is that a factory color? I like it.

Tom