As soon as I get off work this morning, I am going to pick up my brother from the airport and start work on the Dart for my sisters 4 girls. The oldest starts high school next year so I want to get it out of the way.

The car as it sat Thursday:

The car is virtually rust free with just some bubbles under the top and minor surface in the spare well. It was hit in the front in a parking lot. I had picked up a front clip from a junkyard as a spare since I have a few 70-71 Darts and Demons.

I also had a pair of doors that a friend gave me to get out of his shop. I traded a fender and bumper for a Duster for some SPB rallys with decent tires. I paid $1200 for the car which had sat since 1988 in a garage. I ordered seat covers and top from Dante last year and weatherstripping and carpet this year. I just recieved the gaskets from Detroit Muscle Tech and placed a large Rock Auto order that came in last week. I also picked up Summits line of Paints and Primers. I'm using their Plum Purple single stage and clearing over it.

The car is a 225/904/8 3/4 combo that will just get a Krylon Rebuild for the engine, a rebuilt 904 and a re-finished 8 3/4.

My brother and I both learned to drive in my Grandfathers 1966 Charger. We have both been car guys since, however he has become a Camaro Freak and has all five generations including the 4th ZL1 built. He retired Monday and his first day of retirement he's getting on a plane in Louisiana and coming out to California to do this. One requirement was to bring Crawfish, so thats how Tuesday will be spent.

He's also anxious for a ride in the Biohazard Charger. He had the horsepower title with the ZL1 for a few months until I put in the new bullet. I wish I could give him a ride around the track at Thunderhill, but I'll just find some twisty hills around here and hope not to get caught.

He is staying about 16 days and our goal is:

Four Guys 16 Days

I restored a Pink Cuda for his daughter a few years ago
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/featuredvehicles/e_body/mopp_1102_plymouth_1972_barracuda_340/
so felt it was necessary to do the same for my sisters kids.

Steve and I will be doing most of the work and since he is more of a "Waxer" (his idea of working on a car is cleaning it)this will be his first real complete car. He did come out twice to help with Steph's car, but this time I want to teach him how to do a bunch of things he's never done. He'll spray most of the paint and primers, recover the seats, and a lot of sanding.

I have a few friends that will help as well. Brian, who owns Golden Age Restorations in Orland,CA will help with the body work teaching Steve a little about it, and we will use his paint booth to paint the car. Evan from Affordable Headliners will teach Steve how to install seat covers.

I've already had the sheetmetal media blasted and epoxied. I sprayed the Summit epoxy on too thick and didn't reduce it so it really never dried. I scraped it off with a razor and heat gun and resprayed them with some Northstar Epoxy that I had. I spent a day at Golden Age and had Brian tap out the few dents and spread a little filler. I sanded the filler and put the parts in their first primer surfacer. I took a spare gas tank and radiator to be tanked and rodded. We are going to restore most components as they come off the car and put them on a shelf instead of taking everything apart and having to go back. I have made a worksheet and think this is possible and should come in under $4500 including the cost of the car.

I'll try to take a bunch of pics and some video as well and load them up at "Zero Beer Thirty"

Excellent, I'll be watching for sure. I wanted to do a /6 dart in pink for my niece until my brother went all nutty and monkeyed the plan.
Maybe I'll just do it anyway.

So things are going well. I've coined a new term...Forklift restoration. We're a little behind our schedule but will get back on track. Had to move some things around on the schedule. So we took off the fenders and hood and washed the bottom of the engine.

Using a hot water pressure washer

We rolled it back in the shop after washing the engine from the top to pull the engine.

So the motor is out with suspension and trans.

we then washed the engine compartment and underside

Then we pulled the rear end and suspension.

Then the vinyl top and ground out the filler at the seam.

I put some casters on the front but just used the forklift to get it back on the lift.

Day two we cleaned a bunch of parts ready to refinish. We brought out the hood fenders and doors to jamb.

I sanded the left quarter to get ready for epoxy and bodywork.

While Steve painted

Rear end painted

epoxy for jambs

And underside of hood

Added a little color to the jambs and hood.

Hood

Rear end was re-assembled and put back in after underside epoxied.

Brian before starting on body work

The underside rear of the car will be done when we get some new fuel line and install the gas tank. The engine compartment is ready for epoxy. Tomorrow we'll get to the roof and trunk. Ed will work on the engine and I'll try to get to the suspension. Man I'm tired. Stayed up way too late catching up. Oh yea, the crawfish were delicious.

All that's in 2 days. Man, am I slow or what?

Mind if I ask how much $$ you expect to spend and how many manhours you'll put in?

I'll probably have under $5000 including the purchase price. I have $2150 in interior weather striping and parts. Another $450 in paint. and probably $300 in shop supplies like sandpaper etc. In my spreadsheet I have 175 man hours, but more than likely it will go 250. Remember there is no rust repair and that save a ton. Even the lower 1/4's and area under the battery tray are completely rust free.

Back to work!!!!!!!

Thanks for that.

Got alot done today. Ready for paint in engine compartment trunk and jambs.

Post deleted by HUSTLESTUFF

Didn't have time to post so I'll catch up on yesterday (day 3).

The rear end is back in the car. Have to put nuts on after painting them.

We sanded the deck lid and cowl to prep for epoxy.

Then we decided to pull the interior before prepping trunk and jambs. How is this for a mint build sheet. Hamatrack plant.

seats

And perfect floor pans. Even I haven't seen them this clean.

Then we pulled the dash.

Then we started scotch brighting the engine compartment, trunk and door jambs.

A little more work on the vent grille and we were ready for epoxy.

We also sanded the roof.

A couple of tips from the pro and Steve was off and painting.

I had to put in my two cents as well...

Brian and I were drinking beer and taking pictures while Steve painted

Epoxy is on

2

Trunk

The roof and we called it a night.

Today we started by sanding the right quarter and dutchman panel

I tore apart the front end....remember this is a forklift restoration

LCA bushing removal

A little prep...

And two hours later ready for paint

Ball Joints were still good so I won't change them out

Remember the forklift????

Brian came over and finished the body work and we epoxy'd all the bare metal

Then we put on some Primer Surfacer

And went on to paint the trunk, jambs and engine compartment

We used Summit's Plum Pearl

It's a pretty color

So I think were doing pretty good for 4 days. Our hands are tired, bellies are full of good food and beer. 12 more days to go.

Looking good, is there metallic in that purple? Hard to tell on a computer but it does look close to FC7.

Sheldon

There's a lot of metallic and pearl in the color. I think its close to plum crazy. So day five we started by installing the gas tank and hoses.

The I rebuilt the front suspension with new bushings, tie rods,and idler arm. Ball joints and pitman arm were good.

I still have to turn the rotors but having a hard time finding the inner seals. We started the Krylon rebuild of the engine. I planned 8.5 hrs but in all it took about 14 hrs to complete, and didn't finish till end of day 6. Here it is before calling it a night on day 5. We used POR15 manifold paint for the exhaust.

Day six started just blasting and painting all kinds of parts. Not a lot of good pics, but then Brian came over and helped hang the sheet metal. Everything lined up pretty good except the passenger fender to door.

Other side

I decided to forgo the tranny rebuild for now. The car drove ok, I wanted to do it more for the seals, so Steve wire wheeled the case and I blasted some parts and hit it with some wheel paint.

I still have to get a carb kit, but I cleaned it up for now. I somehow forgot to order an oil pan gasket so one will be here in am.

So the motor is almost ready to go back in, but Day 7 will start by removing K member and putting on casters and Block sanding. I have to get some primer surfacer and I found some SBP slots that I had because the ralleys I was going to use are LBP. I may have them powder coated if time allows, if not I'll polish or brush them. We are probably in it 140 hrs so far and will probably hit 300+. Oh well, you know they say double the time and double the cost.

It has been a busy last few days. I really want to thank Steve and Brian from Golden Age Restorations in Orland, CA.
So far it has been the three of us doing the work.
Steve has been an incredibly hard worker keeping up with my pace and my high standards. We have had a few deep conversations and some drama, but we both know that we love each other as well as our hobby of old cars, and have had our grandfather, "Snake" on our minds the entire time. Brian probably has 14-15 hrs of body work and sanding but his value has been the final inspections and touch up to get the body straight as well as the help in how to apply the paint supplies and order of sanding. At the end of Day 10 we have a Plum Purple Dart.

I'll recap the last few days.

Day 7 started with a trip into Chico to look for a few parts. Found some new rotors and the oil pan gasket came in. We put that on, removed the completed front susp and k-member and married the motor, trans, and k-member. We added all the accessories and I put on the new rotors. I started block sanding while Steve continued to spend hours refinishing all the engine compartment items and the heater core.

Day 8 I finished blocking the car with Brians help and we decided it needed another application of primer surfacer. Steve and I were up spraying till 2 am. Steve spent the day cleaning the door parts and installing all the engine compartment items.

Day 9 I blocked the car with 220 dry followed by 400 wet. Once the doors and most of the sides were done, we took it to the lift and installed the engine, trans, and k-member. Brian came over to help with the final touches on the wetsanding, but he said I had it pretty straight.

Day 10 Steve and I loaded the car on the trailer and took it to Golden Age Restorations to get ready for paint. We washed the car and dried it really well, cleaned out the paint booth and pushed it in. We jacked it up and took off the wheels/tires and began masking. The really bad part for me was that I had to leave for work at 4 PM. Brian went to his sons track meet for most of the day and returned about 6:30. Steve had finished up the masking and they began the final prep. At 9:30 the put on the sealer and at 10:55 the purple was on the car. Three coats were applied and they said it looked great. They plan on clearing the single stage paint in the morning. Brian will wetsand the area around the white vinyl top on Monday while Steve and Evan from Affordible Headliners will recover the seats and put on the top. I have to work nightshift Sat, Sun, and Monday and will get home early Tuesday. I'll see if Evan can install the door glass while Steve and I install the interior and work on the bumpers. Then two more days of work on the car and Steve leaves Friday. I hope the last 4 days are as fun as the first 10 have been.

Last one Steve sent.

Wow what a pace. Car looks great!

On Day 11 Brian and Steve clear coated the car and put some rallye's off my demonon the car. Brian did the bodywork on the rear valance. I have a list for Steve to do in the morning but it should be an easy day.

Steve really wants the Chrome Ralleys that we put on the pink Cuda so we might have to order them up. Need to do some research on the widest tires that will fit.

Steve spent some time today cleaning the shop. He hotsy'd the floors and put away a bunch of stuff.

And spent some time polishing all the trim. I'm still at work, wishing I was there.

More parts

Steve's been working hard

More

Parts cart

Mr Clean Magic erasers and a bunch of elbow grease

A couple more

next to last for the night

So on Day 12 Steve has really come through. There are only a few more things to restore. Tomorrow Steve and Evan will recover the seats while Brian wetsands and polishes the dutchman panel. Then the vinyl top goes on. I'll be home Tuesday morning and can't wait to get back to work with my brother. This is a working vacation for us and the play vacation will come in June when we take Biohazard on the Power Tour.

wow! insane pace you have going!

Things are moving along thanks to Steve. Evan came over and Steve recovered the seats. Took about 5 hrs he said, but did them himself.

After covering the seats, Steve and Evan went over to Golden Age Restorations to put on the Vinyl Top. A little trimming and a bit more stretching after this photo and all was good.

Wow, this is awesome!

Steve is on his way home to Baton Rouge. We almost finished it while he was here. We have been non-stop since I came home from work. I went to Golden Age Tuesday morning and couldn't wait to see it. It looked awesome in the sun. There is a definite blue side tone in the color. It looked amazing.

We loaded it on the trailer and brought it home after spending most of the day finishing the other parts we needed to paint.

We got up early and started working. I started on the calipers while Steve started on the bumpers. He's been trying to restore those for days.

New vs old

That forklift does come in handy

Steve painted the backs of the bumpers with Dupli-Color truck bed liner

We installed the dash and steering column before we left Golden Age and Steve added the rear speakers

I painted the door frames in a gloss black

Brian came over and did some polishing around the emblems.

Check out the reflection. I always think of the member on Moparts with the user name "Reflections" when I see this stuff.

Reflections of the shop

Thursday, the last day of work with Steve. We started by putting the rear of the car together, starting with the bumpers

And tail lights

Installed

We spent a couple of hours on the grille masking and painting

Evan came over and started the carpet and package tray while I worked on the door glass. He put in the headliner the night before but had to pick up a couple of clips from Valley Wide Fasteners.

We put in the front and rear glass the night before.

We installed the grille bumper and valance and rolled it out for some pics.

That's Evan and Brian along with me

And that's where we left off. How much beer does it take to restore a Dart? About 11 cases along with some Jack and Belvedere!!!!!!!