I've loved darts since I was 16 (22 now) and wanted to turn whatever Dart I got into a big block street/strip car. I bought this car as a roller with the intent of keeping it as a project for a while. It seemed like an excellent platform to create a street monster out of. I bought it mini-tubbed, with an 8-point cage, relocated springs, Strange spooled 8 3/4 with moser axles & green bearing conversion, relocated battery, aluminum fuel cell, six-pack glass hood, and 15x10 centerlines with 28x13.5 MT ET streets.

Well, plans changed and I had to get it running ASAP. I had a complete 400 sitting in my garage that I had torn down so I decided to have it rebuilt to put in my car. It was a very mild rebuild with a Comp Cam XE274, ~9:1 compression, stock cast pistons, turned cast crank, reconditioned rods, and stock 452 heads, 650 demon, and schumacher headers.

Here are all the other parts I put on the car to get it running:
-Shortened driveshaft
-Fuel system: fuel cell to carb
-Cooling system: Summit aluminum rad, mechanical cluth fan, B&M trans cooler
-Custom exhaust dumps at rear-end
-Electrical: Gauges and full engine wiring
-Ignition system: recurved dizzy by FBO, Mopar chrome box
-Transmission: 727
And all the odds and ends like valve covers, oil pan, conversion mounts, etc...

Since it's been running it has gone through two transmissions, dropped the driveshaft on the freeway, put the fan into the radiator, had choke problems, charging issues, and burned through a plug wire.
As it sits now, I have a new denso alternator, 440source WP and housing, Taurus electrical fan (which I'm having issues with). It's running pretty good. I also have new plug wires, wire looms, wire protectors, and a 750 carb waiting to be installed. Hopefully within the next month I will be buying an intake also. After that it's heads and I'm done messing with this engine. I've been contemplating buying the stealths but not sure if they're worth the extra $400 i would be saving. Also, my boyfriend has a kit he isn't running which I'm thinking of throwing on but I'm a bit apprehensive with having cast pistons/crank. Anyways, that's the whole story behind my car. Hopefully I will have some more recent pics to post. Sorry for the extreme detail.

Pictures from the craigslist ad I found it in:


Here's the engine before installation:

Pictures with it together:

Nice car. Your on the right track. Just keep up the hard work. And the stealth heads would be a great addition to your project. If you have the dough to spend. If not enjoy it. And keep working out the bugs.

Good luck to you! I hve been building big block Darts for 30 years since I bought the Turquoise 383 4-speed GTS in my sig pic in 1978. Sounds like you are on the right track, don't get discouraged, I sure have over the years, but I keep plugging away!

That's a cool project, keep at it! I vote on spending the money on engine upgrades instead of the nitrous.

Looks good..i like its stance and how the larger tires on the rear look to tucked in there just right.