My Dart Project

[Natural]

Hi everyone ... long time lurker here. Thought I'd post some pics of my current project.

Here's what we started with after stripping the car and filling in the body side trim holes.



Here she is, back from paint.



Here's a picture of the small block engine that's going in it soon ... hopefully. I know I should have a big block but this will have to do for a while. It's a 318 with Aerohead Racing 360 heads, Mopar dual plane intake and Demon carb. The headers that are in the picture were just put there for pictures, actually going to try to use the Hedman block hugger headers.



Here it is with the AAR Six Pack Hood Mounted. The hood is currently back at the body shop being painted black. Bought the low tension springs for the fiberglass hood from a forum member.



Oh, and that's my brother-in-law and his 73 Road Runner in the background.

A new black vinyl top will be going on. I'm going with black powder coated steel wheels, 14X5.5 in front and 14X7's in the rear that I had widened by Stockton wheel, and the dog dish caps.

Brakes (power ... front disc, rear drum), suspension and rearend (8 3/4 suregrip with 3.23 gears bought from a forum member) have been completely rebuilt.

We're at the reassembly and redoing the interior stage ... hoping for a late summer cruise. Let me know what you think!

Jon

[Ed]

Looks good.  I have this 68 that needs some body work...ha.

[Lars]

Looks real good! Careful with those block hugger headers, if they are center dumps they more then likely won't work, as they will direct the pipes into the steering linkage.

[Rate]

Nice, that color looks really good on the car

[dangerdawg]

good job, did someone say bodywork? I could use some help there also.

[Natural]

Looks good.  I have this 68 that needs some body work...ha.

Body Work .... I can't help you there! I'm a computer programmer and really not much use at all when it comes to cars!  I'm a good tool/beer getter and manual laborer at best. My Brother-in-law is the mechanic in the family. He mig welded all the trim holes closed on the body and cut in the Barracuda flip-top gas cap. I did some grinding to finish the welds. A friend with a body shop did the rest of the body work and paint, that just cost money and took a LONG time.

As bad as the car looks in that first picture, it started out as pretty clean car from California. It was a Western Sport Special with the slant six. Paint was faded to nothing and the interior was pretty much deteriorated down to crumbling dust because of the sun out that way ... but it was structurally very solid. Bought the car and a small block V8 k-frame about 2 years ago and we proceeded to strip it down and redo/replace everything.

Definetly learned a few things and would do several things differently if I could start over again.

[Jim_Lusk]

It's looking good.

[Alexandre_Garcia]

Looks cool. But would like to ask: Whenever I do some body work on my cars, always remove the gas filling hole on the quarter, and move it to the trunk, I really do not like to see it in the quarter panel. Did it in all my 3 cars. Am I the only one, or is there anyone else also disliking it?

[Natural]

Looks cool. But would like to ask: Whenever I do some body work on my cars, always remove the gas filling hole on the quarter, and move it to the trunk, I really do not like to see it in the quarter panel. Did it in all my 3 cars. Am I the only one, or is there anyone else also disliking it?

It's hard to see from the picture but we actually cut in a Baracuda flip-top gas cap. The body panels were cut to allow it to "sink" in tight to quarter. From there, with a little wiggling, it mounts right up to the standard filler tube. I think I have a better picture of it at home and can upload it tonight if you're interested.

Saw the modification in a Mopar Muscle mag a couple of years ago and thought it was cool. I'm definetly not a fan of the el-cheapo twist off filler cap.

[Alexandre_Garcia]

I'd like to see!

[Natural]

I'd like to see!

You can sort of see it in this picture.



I, hopefully, have some better detail shots of it home ... in both it's rough initial stage and the final painted stage.

[b569rr]

Looks great. I like the cap. Can't go wrong with steelies either.

Tom

[Rate]

Looks cool. But would like to ask: Whenever I do some body work on my cars, always remove the gas filling hole on the quarter, and move it to the trunk, I really do not like to see it in the quarter panel. Did it in all my 3 cars. Am I the only one, or is there anyone else also disliking it?

You're not the only one, I plan on filling everything on the side of my car smooth except the door handle.

But that's just my preference, that flip-top cap looks pretty damn cool there as well

[Alexandre_Garcia]

Rate,

yes, that cap is much cooler than the stock one, but I guess I'd rather have it shaved...no holes in the quarter.

[Natural]

I checked at home for some better pictures of how the cap is cut into the quarter, but didn't have any.

We might be dropping the engine and trans in this weekend. If we do, I'll get some more pictures of the gas cap and the latest progress and post an update.

[mopar stu]

 i have also seen the same cap as natural but on the top of the quarter like the charger,my pro street scamp i shaved the gas cap cuz i have the fuel cell in the trunk anyway,it looks better if you leave the side markers or have stripes to break up the big surface area.on my dart i installed a flip open gas door from a donor car in place of the stock cap i also took advantage of the trunk opener cable that was built into the gas cap release lever,I'll try and post pics tomorrow.

[FinDart]

Nice project! I like that restrained colour. I think too many Mopars are painted with bright colours
(which gives me a head ache).    But thats just my opinion, and i don't expect anyone to agree!

[Rate]

Nice project! I like that restrained colour. I think too many Mopars are painted with bright colours
(which gives me a head ache).  But thats just my opinion, and i don't expect anyone to agree!

Heh, that's the Mopar pedigree, bright, loud, and fast

That being said, my car is also not going to be a bright one >_>

[dustertogo]

 I like to shave the gas cap as well, it just cleans things up a bit imo but it's whatever you like. I'm a bodyman by trade so if ya have questions to ask i will do my best to help. Nice looking car you have there.

[abodyjoe]

thats a good looking car...

[mopar stu]

here is a couple of pics of my custom gas cap door.