MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/14/1206:53 AM
Well, last week I just bought my 3rd first old car, a 1968 Dodge Dart GT. I found her on Craigslist and she was a decent deal. So I checked her out with my dad and we were able to bargain him down big time, since he said it was a 318 car but was unsure because that's what his relatives told him. Well anyway, the car has been in that one family all it's life and the reason why the owner wanted to sell it is because it was just sitting outside parked for an entire year. They wanted someone who knew and enjoy the car. So I bought it and had him drop it over to my house. She's not perfect but she was definitely a good start and we got her at a great price.
Here's the car when we were checking her out (They're mostly the bad stuff)...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/14/1207:05 AM
Well, for the next couple days after I bought the car, I was shocked. I was always contemplating to myself, "Did I really just buy a car?" It's that weird feeling when you have been patiently waiting for so long to get that one thing that you have really wanted and once you get it you're not really sure you wanted it anymore. Well, that all changed once I started to learn more about her and how she works. During this time I was still searching for insurance and trying to get her registered.
Now, here are the good pics!
Here is a picture of her partially in my garage. It's kind of dark but you get the idea of how she looks.
And here's a side view of her good side...
And here is the rear (one of my favorite views ). Baby got back!
Here are the interior pictures. Most of it has been redone (O and the pedal covers are gone!)...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/14/1207:14 AM
So last week I got bored one day and decided to clean and find what treasures (or junk) were in the trunk. And this is what I found...
So one of the first things I found when I opened the trunk was a box full of paints from when this car had a (bad) repaint. At least I have a little left over for touch ups...
The next thing I found was a ripped bag of 2 disassembled distributors. I don't know why they were disassembled but at least I have something to play with...
The third item I found in my trunk was a bag of opened Champion spark plugs. I don't know if that is a good thing because from what I heard they weren't that good.
The next things on our list are a couple of mats, jack stands, and a container half filled with coolant. I think the reason why the trunk rusted a little is because one of the mats has a big GM symbol on it and I think the Dart is allergic...
Last, but certainly not least, I found ZOMBIE HOMER!!!
After all of that stuff was removed I got down to the big open space and here is the trunk. I did a little test I saw on Gearz where you take a screwdriver and hit the floor to see if you puncture it and the trunk was solid! Unfortunately I don't have the means of cleaning it right now so I just put the mats in the trunk and left it for another day.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/14/1207:52 AM
These are the goals I have for the project.
Now: Fix, Maintain, Drive, and Enjoy. There are little things that need to be fixed on the car to make it better. For instance the driver door is not original to the car and wasn't aligned when bought. I need to clean the rust in the trunk. I obviously need to replace the power steering hose after it blew up Tuesday turning into my garage. I need to fix the locks and probably add a kill switch. And other little things.
Short term: Disc brake, bigger rear end, and slightly bigger wheels and tires all in big bolt pattern. Subframe connectors. Upgrade/redo the audio (have a Sony player in the glove compartment with upgraded speakers). Fix the AC (I think someone exhanged the AC for power steering since the car isn't coded for PS but is for AC and it still has some Ac components).
Long term: Upgraded engine (I am thinking 3rd Gen Hemi or a turbo charged efi small block), T56 manual, new paint job (probably silver or blue), 18" wheels, big brakes, update the suspension (thinking Hotchkis TVS), upgraded interior, side exit exhaust, etc.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/14/1208:05 AM
Quote: These are the goals I have for the project.
Now: Fix, Maintain, Drive, and Enjoy. There are little things that need to be fixed on the car to make it better. For instance the driver door is not original to the car and wasn't aligned when bought.
Is it not shutting right? Or does it just not look aligned?
Quote: I need to clean the rust in the trunk.
Just use a brush and vacuum up the loose stuff. Then castrol super clean and rag and water to clean the dirt.
Quote: I obviously need to replace the power steering hose after it blew up Tuesday turning into my garage.
Was it the pressure or return hose? Did you get the hose yet?
Quote: I need to fix the locks and
What's wrong with the locks?
Quote: probably add a kill switch.
Why do you need a kill switch? Should be last on the list. I wouldn't mess with the electrical until you get the other stuff sorted out and put some miles on it making sure it's realible.
Its really cool that you got that Dart. Should be a good runner, while you do your upgrades. A body parts are plentiful and usually cheap if you're patient. Post what parts you need, when you need them I'm sure we'll help you out. Keep your eyes out for a 73+ 4dr (w disc brakes) to part out and you might be able to get your big bolt conversion pretty cheap once you sell of the leftover parts. Congrats again!
PS, whatever upgrades you do for now be sure to keep the Dart running and driving, and make sure you have the $ for them before you tear into it.
Quote: These are the goals I have for the project.
Now: Fix, Maintain, Drive, and Enjoy. There are little things that need to be fixed on the car to make it better. For instance the driver door is not original to the car and wasn't aligned when bought.
Is it not shutting right? Or does it just not look aligned?
Quote: I need to clean the rust in the trunk.
Just use a brush and vacuum up the loose stuff. Then castrol super clean and rag and water to clean the dirt.
Quote: I obviously need to replace the power steering hose after it blew up Tuesday turning into my garage.
Was it the pressure or return hose? Did you get the hose yet?
Quote: I need to fix the locks and
What's wrong with the locks?
Quote: probably add a kill switch.
Why do you need a kill switch? Should be last on the list. I wouldn't mess with the electrical until you get the other stuff sorted out and put some miles on it making sure it's realible.
1) The driver's door doesn't shut right unless I really force it and the window overlaps the rear windows a decent amount. When you close the door you can here something is interfering with one another in the door latches.
2) Ok! Easy rust repair for the trunk. Thank you!
3) It was the pressure hose. Rockauto doesn't sell them so I was wondering what other places I should go to order them.
4) The lock in the passenger door doesn't work at all. Key won't go in completely and the locking mechanism (or tab inside) will not lock the door at all. You push the tab down and it doesn't go down. Almost as if it is just floating in its spot. The driver's side and ignition work fine.
5) I just thought the kill switch would be a nice idea to slow someone down if they were trying to steal the car.
Quote: Its really cool that you got that Dart. Should be a good runner, while you do your upgrades. A body parts are plentiful and usually cheap if you're patient. Post what parts you need, when you need them I'm sure we'll help you out. Keep your eyes out for a 73+ 4dr (w disc brakes) to part out and you might be able to get your big bolt conversion pretty cheap once you sell of the leftover parts. Congrats again!
PS, whatever upgrades you do for now be sure to keep the Dart running and driving, and make sure you have the $ for them before you tear into it.
Thanks! I definitely want to keep the car running and driving as long as possible. That's why a drivetrain swap isn't due till long term goals.
Here is a picture of the pump. If I recall correctly the 69 Dart service manual called it the 1.06" pump...
With regards to the lock. This is how much the key and the locking mechanism go in (sorry for my poor descriptions)...
And when it comes to the driver's side, there are actually a lot of things that need to be done as I started playing around. First off, this is the kind of overlap I am getting between the rear window and the door (Ignore the dirt, it's been sitting outside and it rained yesterday).
As I started playing around rolling the windows down and trying to find out why things weren't working, this is what I found (some of which I figured out last week but I forgot).
1) The trim piece between the two windows is missing the weather stripping on one side and is bent which is forcing the trim piece to fall out whenever the rear window is scrolled down. Not only that but as I was scrolling down the rear window today, I noticed that it was installed improperly since the window moves around, back and forth and side to side unlike the passenger side which is pretty solid.
2) As I scrolled down the window in the door, I also noticed that it wasn't installed properly either.
3) As you open the door about 30 degrees from the parallel to the car, you feel the interference in the door latch and it makes a small screeching noise. Till you push it the rest of the way and it opens fine.
I am sorry my terminology isn't that great but I'm learning. O! And I'll just throw this out there but my gas gauge doesn't work (or "works when it wants to" according to the seller). I just figured it may be a bad sending unit.
How do the body lines on the door line up before closing, low I'd guess? Is the striker post cracked, in other words can it be moving around. A bodies are notorious for the striker cracking out. How does the door to fender gap look, even or not? The door is fairly easy to adjust, but you'll need a floor jack or two people to it.
Also on the pic of the key in the lock, the key is upside down, on Chryslers the long part goes on the bottom, keyed (grooved) part goes up.
I HIGHLY recommend getting a 1968 Dodge service manual, as it will show and explain how to make everything function as new. Buy the book not the CD, unless you can take your laptop with you.
Quote: How do the body lines on the door line up before closing, low I'd guess? Is the striker post cracked, in other words can it be moving around. A bodies are notorious for the striker cracking out. How does the door to fender gap look, even or not? The door is fairly easy to adjust, but you'll need a floor jack or two people to it.
Also on the pic of the key in the lock, the key is upside down, on Chryslers the long part goes on the bottom, keyed (grooved) part goes up.
I HIGHLY recommend getting a 1968 Dodge service manual, as it will show and explain how to make everything function as new. Buy the book not the CD, unless you can take your laptop with you.
Whoever reinstalled the locks on the newer door installed it upside down. Anyways either way I put the key into the passenger door it won't go in (actually it goes in less when put in correctly).
I have the 1969 Dodge Dart manual on a pdf and I do plan on getting the 68 manual soon.
As far as the door fitness goes, it doesn't look too bad but it does seem that the door is a little lower, barely. I don't have a floor jack but I can see if my brother can help me, maybe. I honestly don't know what a striker post is. Here are some pictures.
The striker is the peg attached to the body that the door latches to. Examine the latch in the door to see if its rubbing on the striker. As the door closes it latches twice, the first leaves the door sticking out an inch, the second pulls it tight to the body. Its the second one that will make u slam it to close it. If the pass door works good, then close it slowly and see how the drivers door should be latching correctly and when it latches. But check for a crack around the striker first because if the striker is moving adjusting the door won't do you any good.
The 69 manual is basically the same, so save the $50 for something else. It should tell you how to adjust the glass & door.
Quote: The striker is the peg attached to the body that the door latches to. Examine the latch in the door to see if its rubbing on the striker. As the door closes it latches twice, the first leaves the door sticking out an inch, the second pulls it tight to the body. Its the second one that will make u slam it to close it. If the pass door works good, then close it slowly and see how the drivers door should be latching correctly and when it latches. But check for a crack around the striker first because if the striker is moving adjusting the door won't do you any good.
The 69 manual is basically the same, so save the $50 for something else. It should tell you how to adjust the glass & door.
The passenger door closes effortlessly. I barely have to push it and it goes in easily. If I put the same amount of effort in the driver door, the striker stops it immediately. And you can tell the striker is feeling it big time.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/15/1212:37 AM
First off, the car looks like a good score. From your pics of the rear of the door and the striker, I'd say your hinge pins are worn. You can usually tell for sure by opening the door slightly, then grab the door edge and see if you can lift it up like there is a little up and down play in it. If you can feel it clunk a bit up and down, it'd basically be more worth it to change the hinge pins and/or bushings before you mess with adjusting the hinges. They can be a pain, but they shouldn't be very expensive. I'll also add to the earlier advice about cleaning the rust in the trunk. Once you are done, make sure you dry up all the water you clean it with. You can back it up in the sun with the trunk open to help with that, too. Obviously, now you will have wire-brushed through the rust and some paint, so you will have some bare metal. You will want to put some paint over that (not just primer--primer is usually porous). Otherwise, as temps and humidity change (especially if your car is outside all the time) the rust will show back up fairly quickly. Unless you are going for some perfect resto, I'd also throw those rubber trunk mats far away. If your trunk leaks or gets condensation in it, they will trap the moisture to the floor and rust it all over again. I got the cheap, thin carpet from the parts store and trimmed it to fit my Challenger. That stuff is breathable enough to not hold water under it, plus your stuff doesn't slide all over as bad back there. That reminds me of another thing...(this is becoming a book, but I hope it helps) Unlike new cars, the trunk walls are your actual outer quarter panels, so you don't want to go driving like Bo Duke with a big toolbox or a floor jack or something back there, or you will acquire some custom outward dents! If you have to carry that stuff, try to stow it so it can't fly around. That will hopefully save you some frustration down the road.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/15/1201:01 AM
Quote: First off, the car looks like a good score. From your pics of the rear of the door and the striker, I'd say your hinge pins are worn. You can usually tell for sure by opening the door slightly, then grab the door edge and see if you can lift it up like there is a little up and down play in it. If you can feel it clunk a bit up and down, it'd basically be more worth it to change the hinge pins and/or bushings before you mess with adjusting the hinges. They can be a pain, but they shouldn't be very expensive. I'll also add to the earlier advice about cleaning the rust in the trunk. Once you are done, make sure you dry up all the water you clean it with. You can back it up in the sun with the trunk open to help with that, too. Obviously, now you will have wire-brushed through the rust and some paint, so you will have some bare metal. You will want to put some paint over that (not just primer--primer is usually porous). Otherwise, as temps and humidity change (especially if your car is outside all the time) the rust will show back up fairly quickly. Unless you are going for some perfect resto, I'd also throw those rubber trunk mats far away. If your trunk leaks or gets condensation in it, they will trap the moisture to the floor and rust it all over again. I got the cheap, thin carpet from the parts store and trimmed it to fit my Challenger. That stuff is breathable enough to not hold water under it, plus your stuff doesn't slide all over as bad back there. That reminds me of another thing...(this is becoming a book, but I hope it helps) Unlike new cars, the trunk walls are your actual outer quarter panels, so you don't want to go driving like Bo Duke with a big toolbox or a floor jack or something back there, or you will acquire some custom outward dents! If you have to carry that stuff, try to stow it so it can't fly around. That will hopefully save you some frustration down the road.
Once I get the power steering fixed, she is going to get washed and put back in the garage until I want to take her out for cruise ins or drives around town so weather shouldn't be too big of an issue. I'll throw the trunk mats away anyways. I knew the inner trunk walls were the quarter panels so I will find a way of securing some of the things I got in there. I'll play around with the door after dinner and reply back.
Edit: Just took another look at the door. There is almost no up and down play when dealing with the door. It seems like one of the door rollers just isn't spinning causing the stop at 30 degrees. Of course I can open the door completely without putting too much pressure on it.
Just went outside this morning and cleaned up the car a bit. I vacuumed the trunk and took out the mats and some extra metal appliances I felt I didn't need. Then I put everything I needed in the spare tire well since I don't have a spare wheel for now. Hopefully I can make it to the store before closing tomorrow to pick up my PS hose and I may have her on the road by Tuesday, I would assume.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/17/1202:31 AM
Well, I ordered the hose online this weekend (with NAPA) under the impression my power steering pressure hose was going to be in today (since I called minutes after I ordered it asking approximately how long it would take before it would come in). I go in and they told me it wasn't ordered, they didn't get the online reservation, and that someone should have called me yesterday regarding my order. I showed them the confirmation email I got from them and they said that they never got that order. Then they told me since the hose is coming from the manufacturer in Indiana and is a special order part I have to pay $8 shipping (which I don't mind), pay it in advance before they even order the part (which kinda bugs me), and it probably won't get in till next Monday. I have been looking for other vendors online (rockauto, summit, jegs, etc.) to see if they have it and none do so I guess I am just going to have to call in tomorrow morning, order it, and wait a week for it to come. Kinda bummed. I wanted to take her out to the local cruise this Thursday.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/19/1203:41 AM
Just went out and checked some of the fluids under the hood. The coolant and oil were low so I filled them up. Trans fluid looked good! Man it took me forever to figure out how to put oil in her. I was thinking it's got to be the breather but didn't want to dump oil in there and find out I put it in the wrong spot. Luckily I gave OzHemi a quick text and he helped me out.
congrats on the sweet score there! Funny, I just sold my 1968 Dart GT a day before your and it's on it's way to michigan at the end of the month. Very impressed with the car you bought and the condition it is in. Keep working those little bugs out and that will be a sweet ride for you to enjoy for the next few years!
Got my hose yesterday (after waiting a full week) and I just pulled my old hose out. I start comparing the old hose to the new hose and I find out that the fitting that's suppose to fit into the gear box is a female end and not a male end fitting.
So, I'm trying to figure out what to do about that if I can make this new hose work. If I try returning it I have to pay a 20% restocking fee. Maybe I could patch this one temporarily till I can find a proper replacement. A couple of people throughout the past weeks have mentioned trying to find a business who makes custom high temp and high pressure hoses and have them fab one up for me.
Kinda bugged. I only drove her for 3 miles and she has been sitting outside for 2 weeks. The previous owner drove her 40 miles to deliver it to my house. Just my luck...
So far, it still doesn't look like I will be taking her to the local cruise on Thursday or the Garden Grove cruise on Friday.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/25/1212:53 AM
Go to a good parts store with a Dorman or similar selection of brass fittings. Take both hoses with you. You are looking for a double male threaded fitting with that flare. Match the threads and flare on the original male - this end screws into the box. The other end should have male threads that your new hose attaches to. And are you sure the bends and fittings on the new one will fit? Pic looks like a very different hose.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/25/1201:00 AM
I also posted it in the Q&A thread and 1 Wild RT found out I have a 75 PS box. So that's why I had the issue with the wrong hose. He found the right hose for me on rockauto.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/25/1201:10 AM
No, why? I have been getting a present from moparts every week now. Last week Tom sent me some "moparts.com" decals if that's what you are talking about...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/27/1205:05 AM
Little bit of an update. Tuesday, Randy (1 Wild RT) helped me with power steering hose problem and found the correct one for me on rockauto. Apparently the guys who switched my car over to power steering pulled it out of a 75 model and did a really shady job converting it over at that. According to USPS it should be coming in sometime tomorrow. If it does I will try to get it installed by Saturday morning, wash her (and put on the moparts.com decal), and take her on some shake down miles throughout the day. If she is running nicely, I might just as well take her to church and my dad's house on Sunday and she will be ready for next week's cruise.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/27/1205:28 AM
So here is a long term update. I was working out with my best bud today and I pitched him the idea for a San Francisco road trip next year and he loved the idea. Then I told him, "In the Dart." And of course he got a little hesitant. He basically told me, "I don't want us breaking down or stuck in the middle of nowhere forever because something major failed." If I can ensure him that he said he would have no problems with it.
So here is my new goal... Get the car 100% mechanically sound in 1 year to take on a road trip up to Northern California. I pitched him some ideas about possibly going up PCH through Santa Barbara (spending some time there) and head out to San Luis Obispo to spend one night. Then from there we just man handle it up to San Fran for another 3 nights. We would like to spend a day at Great America and we definitely want to go to the Fisherman's Warf one afternoon.
Anyways, we have a while to plan it. Back to the car. So now I am trying to get down a list of things I want/need to do to the car to make sure it is safe and sound. Here is the list I have come up with so far. Please feel free to add anything I may miss or haven't even thought of:
Wants and/or Priorities (in no particular order) 1) Fix power steering couple or switch over to power steering column. 2) Switch over to A-body 8 1/4 or 8 3/4 rear end (keep small bolt pattern for now). 3) Install aftermarket radiator to ensure the car doesn't overheat (I have a mechanical fan and shroud, but I better be safe than sorry if I can cool the car down more). 4) Fix/replace passenger door lock. 5) Fix/replace sending unit (gas gauge doesn't work or works when it wants to). 6) Fix temperature gauge (I haven't seen it work at all). 7) Fix driver side window issues. 8) Get the AC going (there's no compressor, but it is usually cooler in North Cal and I have windows that will roll down). 9) Thorough check of suspension, brake, tire, and fluids before trip. 10ish) If time and budget allow, switch everything over to big bolt pattern and install disc brakes in the front. 11) Clean out the rust in the trunk.
Anything else you can think of? Thanks for following me and for the support!
Quote: You are missing a ground on your dash circuit. Do the dash lights work? Time to fix the cheap and simples that go a long way.
I really haven't been in my car at night, but from what I remember 2 weeks ago showing the car to my friend that the dash light was working (behind the speedo at least). I don't recall/know if any of the other dash lights work.
Well, I got my power steering hose early this morning and installed it. Simple and easy. It fit like a glove. Then I decided to take it for a ride. I drove it about 7 miles or so. Unfortunately I forgot the E-Brake on for the first 3 miles. But luckily nothing seems to be damaged. I took it through some curvy and hilly roads and man was the car a hand full, but fun!!! I am sure if I had a firm feel box and some wider tires it would have been much more fun.
Annoying little things I noticed about the car while driving it... 1) The main rear view mirror won't stay in place and tends to aim at the headliner due to the vibrations. 2) It's starting to take a longer time to crank on start up. 3) One of my hoses (not sure which one, I think it goes to the water pump) is way too long and tends to hit the hood and even sometimes the pulleys when I step on it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/29/1212:03 AM
Glad you got to drive it! Take the 3 screws that hold the base of the rearview mirror to the top of the car out. Remove the mirror, and look at the back of it. You will see a plate that captures the ball that the mirror swivels on. Tighten the screws holding the plate until it's tight enough to hold it still, but still lets you move it to adjust it. Install mirror back to top of car and you're done!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/29/1212:17 AM
O, and I found a temporary fix for the loose long hose, I tucked it behind the power steering pump away from the pulley. But it's taking longer than usual to start the car. I wonder if my battery or alternator are going dead. My biggest personal issue right now seems to be forgetting to take off the E-Brake.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/30/1204:14 AM
"tends to hit the hood and even sometimes the pulleys when I step on it."
You might want to check that the drivers side motor mount isn't bad. To check it, open the hood then get in the drivers seat, put your foot on the brake, put it in drive, and give it a little gas. If the motor rocks way over to the pass side then your mounts bad. Its a common problem.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/30/1204:58 AM
Awwwwwwww poopy...
On the good news I took her out again today and drove her to my dad's house. She drove really well! I just wish I had disc brakes in front at least, but the drums are manageable and stop fine. It's fun going around hilly turns with 205's all the way around. The 2.98:1 rear gears in the back take away from the fun though.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/30/1205:23 AM
I don't own a grinder... The column is fine with except for the right turn signal not returning when set. O and the power steering sometimes makes a noise under full lock. But besides that everything seems fine.
Do you have Harbor Freight stores in your area? As a fellow young/poor enthusiast. Cheap tools can be your friend. Like you, my tool collection started with a small Craftsman set (and I would advise you to stick with that), but being able to get cheap stuff that you need (but might not use a bunch) can be the difference between a stalled project and a slowly progressing one
I personally think I would stop driving it and go over the thing with new belts and hoses, as well as new brake parts with all cylinders. If you keep setting that damn parking brake it is liable to get stuck on. I don't know anyone with an old car that uses it on an auto trans.
Quote: I personally think I would stop driving it and go over the thing with new belts and hoses, as well as new brake parts with all cylinders. If you keep setting that damn parking brake it is liable to get stuck on. I don't know anyone with an old car that uses it on an auto trans.
I agree that replacing the hydraulics in the brakes is cheap and easy. Plus you would get to play with brake springs for the first time.
Quote: I personally think I would stop driving it and go over the thing with new belts and hoses, as well as new brake parts with all cylinders. If you keep setting that damn parking brake it is liable to get stuck on. I don't know anyone with an old car that uses it on an auto trans.
I agree that replacing the hydraulics in the brakes is cheap and easy. Plus you would get to play with brake springs for the first time.
I want to drive it to the cruise tomorrow and to Garden Grove on Friday and wait till the weekend before I start getting into it. So a parking brake really isn't needed when parked with an auto? If I'm going to replace brake stuff I might as well find a legit floor jack on CL and buy one this weekend. And wouldn't I need a brake bleeder as well if I'm going to be replacing the cylinders? Where would I buy one, Harbor Freight (not too big of a fan of theirs)?
Quote: Don't need a bleeder if you have a friend. Do you have a friend to help?
If you don't have a one man bleeder from harbor freight is $5. So skip lunch or eat top ramen and buy a kit.
OzHemi is my friend... I think... I can spend like $20-25 on a better bleeder if there's one available. Again, I'm not too big a fan of Harbor Freight. You think a 2 ton floor jack would be sufficient or should I go for 2 1/2 tons? Also going to look for some jack stands. I can find cheap ones on CL and buy it tomorrow or Saturday.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/02/1204:38 AM
A little bit of an update today. I'd like to thank JDMopar for his easy step by step procedure for fixing the rear view mirror. Worked like a charm.
And I'd like to thank Shoozy (and Tom) for a little gift I got in the mail 1-2 weeks ago...
I love it! Representing!!! It was the first time I put on a decal, but I think it looks ok.
O, and tomorrow is my first cruise in the Dart (off Arrow Hwy and Grand Ave, in Covina). It's technically hosted by Beach Side Cafe, but everyone ends up going to IN N OUT. Hopefully, it's a little fun and not too boring. If anyone's nearby, feel free to join me.
Hey I was going through your list of wants and needs....I have a 68 /6 270 dart that will be a LO23 clone but had AC originally. Your welcome to anything from the system I have. It's all still there. My car was from LA so everything removed perfectly. Have a smooth shifting 904 trans too. Pm me if your interested.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1207:00 AM
Went to my first cruise in with the Dart. Overall it was good. With exception of one guy who brought his early 80's Nissan pick up, low rider, with Cadillac wheels I was the youngest guy who brought his car by a good 30 years.
I did talk to some passer bys. First guy who saw it pointed out my missing door molding and told me to contact a mopar resto shop, then he advised me to get some cragars. Second guy asked me if my Dart was a 66 and then realized it was a 68. We then talked about the different engines that came in the Dart. Next guy asked me about transporting old cars from the Philipines. As I was sitting on my trunk lid just hanging out I hear someone at the front of my car yell, "Now this... This is a car! Mopar!" My response, "Hell yeah!" We talked a little, he used to own a 68 Satellite. The last persons was a guy who was only a couple years older than me and his grandpa. The guy had a friend who had a 67-69 Dart so I showed him around. He actually pointed out that my car was one of the only 60's muscle cars there (there were like 5 total out of 40-50 cars).
Most people liked that my car looked stock and wasn't hot rodded. That was actually surprising. Of course I was the only mopar their besides a 50's Petty Blue Panel Van that's there almost every week. The jerk with the yellow 65 Satellite was a no show. This cruise primarily consists cars from the 1930-50's. They're almost all Fords with Chevy's as a close second (I prefer Chevys over Fords).
As I figured the usuals who brought their cars didn't care for my car at all. I actually sat by my car the entire time as the usuals just park their cars and huddle in a big group off by the fountain or by one person's car. I'll bring my car next week and see how it goes. Overall it wasn't that bad. Here are some pictures.
Getting prepped at home...
A shot from where I was sitting...
And my "neighbors"...
I have pictures of some other cars but they're pretty much Ford and Chevys and I don't think anyone here is really into them.
O, and tomorrow I will take my car to work and go to the Garden Grove cruise afterwards.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1207:31 AM
Took the Dart to work and to the car cruise in Garden Grove today (overall about 60-70 mile round trip). She drove nicely at an average speed of about 65 mph. The 2.94:1 gears and 26.1" (205/75/14) tall tires really compliment each other. The ride was a bit bouncy due to the soft shocks. I'll probably get some Blisteins in the Winter. It was really easy to drive. At the cruise OzHemi noticed I had a little bit of a fuel leak so we replaced the hose later that night. After that, I decided to order all new hoses on Rockauto tomorrow to replace my old ones. Also my driver side window fell off the tracks so I am going to pull the door panels tomorrow and reset it. My shifter button fell off while reversing today, it took me a while to find it. It has a threaded member inside the shifter, but I'm not sure how you are suppose to thread it completely with the stop on the button.
I actually got to drive my car in the dark today. All exterior lights and signals work. Most the dash lights light up except for the speedometer (probably just a bad bulb). Only thing was the crappy alternator (which I know is typical for mopars). It's the whole headlights and dash lights fading when gas isn't applied thing. Speaking of the dash, gas gauge never worked but I did notice the temperature gauge started to work. It never got passed the halfway mark (it mostly stayed at the 1/4 mark). So I'm sure the radiator with the fan and the shroud are working well.
On another note... Apparently I already have front disc brakes. OzHemi looked under there and noticed it, then I took a look under there and wallah! Disc brakes! Last time I checked I just took a quick peak, saw the dust shield and thought it was the back of the drums. It still doesn't stop as quickly as I would like it to so maybe I'll get some larger drums or rear discs when I do a rear swap (which won't be for a while since I have discs in front now). I'm just glad I don't have to worry about brake fade as much anymore. But when I get the proper tools to lift the car I will definitely change the pads and do the proper maintenance on the drums.
Here is a pic of my car there today...
I got a lot of flyers for all the car shows for the next 3 months. Someone threw them in my car when I wasn't looking...
We wanted to see what bolt pattern I had on there so we removed my hub and measured it. Unfortunately I have a small bolt pattern so a swap will be conducted in the future. But how do you like these dog dishes? Courtesy of OzHemi! We were just curious if they fit and we thought they looked better (too bad he only had a couple).
I ordered some of the engine bay hoses this weekend and I got the window back on the regulator Saturday night. Unfortunately I am probably going to need a new door skin soon since half the clips are gone/bent, some of the clip slots on the wood are stripped/ripped off, and I cracked a little bit of the cardboard/wood that holds the skin. I was able to put it back on and it still fits ok so I'll keep it the way it is for now.
However, the door fitment is just perplexing me. The driver window will not roll down straight. Even when I straighten it out and close the door there is a huge overlap between the door window and the rear window. I tried adjusting and pushing in the rear window and even though it is loose it is sitting in as far as it can go. As far as the door goes, the body lines are pretty decent. I know I need to grease the hinges but it's still not closing as nicely as the passenger door. It keeps hitting the striker peg. And you can tell that the car has been in an accident because around the peg there is a big crack that almost semi-circles the peg. I'll post pictures tonight.
Glad to hear the cruisin went well. Gotta say that you are all over the map on this, which is typical for a young new owner. Brakes - early style, right? Small pattern indicates that these are not the late style. Get the whole front end lubed, and do the wheel bearings. Check the rotors and turn them only if necessary. They are not cheap to replace! Check over that suspension while you are under there and make sure everything is good. Electrical - flakey fuel gauges and lights out are typical for older Mopars. Set aside a weekend when you can to go through and clean every ground, the bulkhead connector, gauge connections and each light connector and ground. The sending unit has a little ground strap that connects over the hose between the unit and the fuel line. This is the path to ground and is often missing, damaged or just corroded to the point where it doesn't provide ground. If this doesn't fix it, you will probably have to pull the sending unit. Set that aside for another day and continue with electrical. Do not be surprized if the electrical cleanup is needed again a couple weeks later. This thing has been assembled for a long time and between years of dirt and corrosion and driving vibrations, it will tend to have interesting circuit connections. I pull the fuses and clean the clips too. I use a dist. terminal brush to clean the fuse clips and all the bulb sockets. Disconnect the battery first!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/08/1201:25 AM
Thanks John. I definitely want to clean up the electrical system, especially in the engine bay.
As for the door and window here are some pictures. First picture is the window rolled down about half way. As you can see the glass is leaning towards the rear of the car and the clear plastic sleeves that go between the window glass and the door are pretty much worn out. Is that hole in the windshield suppose to mount to anything?
There's also another hole at the bottom rear corner of the door...
As for door alignment, the passenger side is pretty crisp and opens/closes perfectly. Here's a picture of the fitment on the door.
Now here's the driver side. The door overlaps the rear window. by a good amount. This is with the front glass moved as far forward as possible as well as the rear glass pushed back as far back as possible.
And here is where I believe my problem is. You can see the rust circling around the striker. Basically the inner part of that rusty circle caves into the body approximately the length of the tip of a finger nail. That could shift the angle on the striker causing the interference as well as the misalignment. The driver's door doesn't close nearly as well as the passenger door does.
Edit: I was just thinking, since my upper radiator hose is coming in this week and I will be ordering my lower radiator hose this weekend, why don't I just take the radiator out when I plan on changing them, flush it, and put in all new coolant. Kill two stones with one bird.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/08/1203:53 AM
Oh you get to learn how to fix the windows. Let me look in my junk to see if I have some slides. Long story short you need to pull the A frame window to fix this issue. There is a plastic sleeve that usually disintegrates as well. Tom at rtspecialties sell everything new for around $100 a side.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/08/1204:08 AM
He's got you covered on the window. The holes are for that stainless part that is along the back edge of the window.
The striker is an A body issue big time. Best thing to do is get the door adjusted so it is aligned properly WITHOUT the striker. Then make sure the striker is adjusted properly and the supporting metal will withstand the force. This is where it gets tricky. They originally had a captured nut back there so the striker could be removed and installed. A body sheetmetal in this area is thin and it's commonly cracked around the captured area. So, you need to remove the Dr. quarter interior panel. This is so you can reach in and make sure of what is back there. It looks like it's been patched and painted. If so, you need to figure out what was done before you just go unscrewing the striker. It is quite possible that you will need to repair this area properly. I don't go over to A bodys only forum, but I bet they have at least a dozen threads on this.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/10/1205:25 AM
Well I went to the local car cruise today. Really light turnout due to the heat. Only about 20 cars showed up when around 50 usually come. I didn't mind the 100+ degree temperature. It was a good dry heat.
Well anyways I had a couple more folks come and ask me about the car. One guy rushed all the way through the parking lot in his minivan, parked right next to it and started asking if it was for sale. I told him I just bought it, so he asked me what I paid for it. I told him and he flipped out. He couldn't believe it. I gave him a walk-through of the car and he was amazed. He then gave me his business card and told me if I find another one like to give him a call. Then he told me if mine is ever up for sale he is willing to give a "reasonable" offer so long as I am "reasonable." Too bad I'm keeping it till either of us die! He said he was going to bring his 64 Dart later but never did (or maybe it's because I left a little earlyish due to boredum).
Then a Filipino guy and his son came by (around my age). They loved the car. The kid seems to like mopars since he was talking about a 69 Charger down his street and that one of his buddies put a 360 in his 72 Duster. His dad and some other guys were also talking about Coronets and Super Bees. The other guy kept on saying they made some Darts called "Baby Bees" that had the tail stripe with a bee logo on it (it could be what he called it). But overall, I had a fun talk with them about cars in general. A couple of other passer bys came by and asked if the car was for sale or if I actually came to show the car. Of course I came to show the car, there was no for sale sign...
The old men sitting in the shade in the middle of the centerpiece/fountain area (you can see some of them in the background of the first picture) didn't even bother including me in their group. It didn't really matter because I enjoy sitting by my car and talking to new people and not the same old guys.
While I was at the cruise I noticed a very small leak coming from the steering box from the hose I just changed. I am 95% sure I just didn't set the O-ring on the fitting properly. Anyways, I went home and found little puddles of fluid on the floor. I took a cleanish rag and just patted on the ground to see if I can see what color it was. Most of it looked dark brown so I'm guessing oil. And one very tiny puddle was red so I'm guessing I have a tiny trans leak.
I did get some of the engine bay hoses. The upper radiator hose looks kind of cheap and eh, so we'll see how putting that in goes. Plus the fuel filter came with 2 hoses that were only like 1.5-2 inches long so I'm going to need to order fuel lines again. I'll be ordering the rest tomorrow or the day after. Man does rockauto sucks at shipping things or what? So far out of receiving 3 packages, 2 were crushed when I got them.
All in all with the 100+ degree weather and the various leaks, I think the Dart will stay home tomorrow.
Just rewatched Dazed and Confused last night. After seeing that Duster now I just want to just Hot Rod the Dart throwing on some 15's and some fatter tires with a decent 340/360.
Just went back into my garage. I haven't gone in there much because the car has a couple leaks. I went in just now and it's a little worse than I thought. I think it has a tiny trans leak. The power steering is leaking a bit because I think I set my O-ring in wrong, and there is one big spot that is leaking that I am trying to locate the source. Yay...
And I'll probably be swapping out my fuel filter, upper radiator hose, and water pump hose tonight after I get home from school and a baja meeting so any tips and pointers would be nice.
Quote: Just rewatched Dazed and Confused last night. After seeing that Duster now I just want to just Hot Rod the Dart throwing on some 15's and some fatter tires with a decent 340/360.
Do it! It doesn't need to be extravagant. Just make it look how you want and improve if along the way.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/15/1201:44 AM
If you want meats under there mini tubbing is the way to go.....not much room.
A can of brake cleaner can clean off oil, run the car and shut it off and check for leaks. The highest furthest forward wet point is usually the culprit
If it's the trans pan try to get the reusable rubber coated metal gasket
Here's a car I know of.....remind you of anything?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/15/1203:27 AM
Quote: If you want meats under there mini tubbing is the way to go.....not much room.
A can of brake cleaner can clean off oil, run the car and shut it off and check for leaks. The highest furthest forward wet point is usually the culprit
If it's the trans pan try to get the reusable rubber coated metal gasket
Here's a car I know of.....remind you of anything?
Yeah, the larger leak is right underneath the front/underside of the K-member which is really perplexing me. It could have been there before I reparked the car in the garage last week, but I can't remember. The trans leak doesn't seem too bad at all, it was just a little spot. And the Dart looks just like mine except for it actually has the driver's door trim piece and it's a little more rough.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/17/1201:41 AM
Quote: dont forget the "Drips Oil Drops Grease Everywhere" isnt just for fun. if it's not marking it's territory, it's not a dodge!!
Well that's good to know! At least I know my Dart doesn't have an identity crisis. BTW, I just took it out yesterday for a church bbq and afterwards I filled it up with gas. I put 13 gallons in it and it cost me $56.50!
I've been beading around the bush with this idea, but I think after Fall Fling I am going to officially retire the Dart's cruiser state and just start taking it apart to fix the little things and hot rod it.
My friend with the 71 Demon has already given me some ideas on the Dart on how to fix some of the things that don't look so good. Who knows, maybe we could do a thing where one weekend we work on his car and another we work on mine. Right now he's completely redoing the suspension and is waiting for parts to come in. He is kind of bugged and just wants to drive it again since it has been apart all summer.
sounds like a great opportunity for both of you to learn more about your cars! also, putting beads around your bush doesn't sound like great mulching to me but you Cali guys have alot of weird stuff out there .
Quote: sounds like a great opportunity for both of you to learn more about your cars! also, putting beads around your bush doesn't sound like great mulching to me but you Cali guys have alot of weird stuff out there .
My friend already knows a lot and has already restored his Demon once (kinda twice) by himself. He's very knowledgeable and is very good at machining things as well. He got his Demon 4-5 years ago in way worse condition than mine and his looks absolutely amazing for seeing what a guy in his early 20's can do.
He's currently redoing his suspension. He had some alignment issues due to his old upper control arms so he got rid of them and put in some tubular RMS upper control arms. He's currently waiting for his stage 3 box from Firm Feel. His torsion bars should be coming in soon after waiting for them for over a month and a half. He's replacing his fuel cell with a stock tank because he decided he likes the cruising aspect more than the full on race car approach. He also found a weird disc brake conversion kit for like $200 that uses some toyota rotor and weird caliper. The instructions for redrilling the bolt pattern were shady though. So he's waiting to put all of those back in.
But so far he has a built up 318 (carb and headers), a shift kit, home made subframe connectors, adjustable shocks, completely redone interior (with procar rally seats), and he did all the body work himself. It's pretty nice for just a college student making an ok paycheck.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/24/1208:53 AM
Quote: I've been beading around the bush with this idea, but I think after Fall Fling I am going to officially retire the Dart's cruiser state and just start taking it apart to fix the little things and hot rod it.
My friend with the 71 Demon has already given me some ideas on the Dart on how to fix some of the things that don't look so good. Who knows, maybe we could do a thing where one weekend we work on his car and another we work on mine. Right now he's completely redoing the suspension and is waiting for parts to come in. He is kind of bugged and just wants to drive it again since it has been apart all summer.
Don't take it apart! It snowballs then you have a pile of parts! DAMHIK. Try and fix one thing at a time. Sometimes getting in and driving it down the road is needed to refresh your enthusiasm. So please, don't take a bunch of stuff apart at once. Restore it to cruiser status after each upgrade and you will be much happier!
Quote: I've been beading around the bush with this idea, but I think after Fall Fling I am going to officially retire the Dart's cruiser state and just start taking it apart to fix the little things and hot rod it.
My friend with the 71 Demon has already given me some ideas on the Dart on how to fix some of the things that don't look so good. Who knows, maybe we could do a thing where one weekend we work on his car and another we work on mine. Right now he's completely redoing the suspension and is waiting for parts to come in. He is kind of bugged and just wants to drive it again since it has been apart all summer.
Don't take it apart! It snowballs then you have a pile of parts! DAMHIK. Try and fix one thing at a time. Sometimes getting in and driving it down the road is needed to refresh your enthusiasm. So please, don't take a bunch of stuff apart at once. Restore it to cruiser status after each upgrade and you will be much happier!
Well, not completely apart where I've got everything pulled out of the engine bay and all that. In whole it will still be mostly together. I'd like to do a 4 wheel disc brake, bigger wheel, big bolt swap this year so that's what I was talking about when I meant primarily by taking it apart. I was driving it yesterday and the 205/75/14 tires and 2.94 rear gear ratio really dog down the car. But overall, for the most part it should be together.
Interior most likely won't be touched except for the steering column that I'm going to take out and fix (I'm replacing the manual steering shaft for a PS one and I may put in an aftermarket steering wheel). Engine and Trans are going to sit where they are and won't be touched (I am probably going to buy and replace all of the hoses and clean up the engine bay wiring). As far as suspenion goes I'm probably going to replace the shocks and see if my buddy can help me fab up subframe connectors. Paint and body won't be touched. And of course I'm going to work with all the little bugs around the car. I just want to slowly move away from cruiser status.
Quote: I've been beading around the bush with this idea, but I think after Fall Fling I am going to officially retire the Dart's cruiser state and just start taking it apart to fix the little things and hot rod it.
My friend with the 71 Demon has already given me some ideas on the Dart on how to fix some of the things that don't look so good. Who knows, maybe we could do a thing where one weekend we work on his car and another we work on mine. Right now he's completely redoing the suspension and is waiting for parts to come in. He is kind of bugged and just wants to drive it again since it has been apart all summer.
Don't take it apart! It snowballs then you have a pile of parts! DAMHIK. Try and fix one thing at a time. Sometimes getting in and driving it down the road is needed to refresh your enthusiasm. So please, don't take a bunch of stuff apart at once. Restore it to cruiser status after each upgrade and you will be much happier!
Well, not completely apart where I've got everything pulled out of the engine bay and all that. In whole it will still be mostly together. I'd like to do a 4 wheel disc brake, bigger wheel, big bolt swap this year so that's what I was talking about when I meant primarily by taking it apart. I was driving it yesterday and the 205/75/14 tires and 2.94 rear gear ratio really dog down the car. But overall, for the most part it should be together.
Interior most likely won't be touched except for the steering column that I'm going to take out and fix (I'm replacing the manual steering shaft for a PS one and I may put in an aftermarket steering wheel). Engine and Trans are going to sit where they are and won't be touched (I am probably going to buy and replace all of the hoses and clean up the engine bay wiring). As far as suspenion goes I'm probably going to replace the shocks and see if my buddy can help me fab up subframe connectors. Paint and body won't be touched. And of course I'm going to work with all the little bugs around the car. I just want to slowly move away from cruiser status.
Slowly is good. Before you embark on an improvement, make sure everything to do it is right in front of you. Don't be waiting on parts. Don't have ALMOST everything, just need to wait on the money to do that one last thng! This happen, then you are missing one part, you broke the stock this taking it off and you are stuck with a really big paperweight you can't drive or enjoy. That's when you start getting discouraged and tired of the project. I'm just trying to help keep you from making the same mistakes I did. I had a '69 Bee once. If was from Texas, but Texas isn't always without rust. Anyway, it ran, it drove(kind of) and it was complete. Needed tires, carb, alignment(if that didn't help a little, front suspension) a different gear, and eventually a lot of body work. Instead of working on the this I could fix and stick enjoy it, I tore it down to nothing and then spent the next 3-5 years trying to sell it because I didn't have the money or time to put it back together! A set of tires and a carb and I would have been driving a really ugly b5 blue 4spd Super Bee with a '69 hp 440 in it! That's my experience. Hope you see what I'm getting at and how quickly something can spiral out of reasonable control! Good luck, again, on your sweet ride!
I understand. My friend with the Demon right now is acting the same way. He is kind of discouraged waiting for all of his suspension components to come in the mail. Honestly, right now I haven't touched or done anything to the Dart since I changed the PS hose. I just drive it once or twice a week for fun.
I have an upper radiator hose, fuel filter, and by pass hose I bought sitting in the trunk because I am still waiting to buy the lower radiator and heater hose with some new clamps. Just so I can get them all done at the same time. I'm also kind of waiting to get some proper tools. I'm probably going to order some line wrenches this weekend and buy a proper jack with stands at Costco next month.
I won't start the big bolt swap till I have every component when it comes to brakes, spindles, rear end, drive shaft, wheels, and tires. And the little bugs (windows and locks) I can work with the car whether it is running or not.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/26/1212:58 AM
Quote: Know I understand. My friend with the Demon right now is acting the same way. He is kind of discouraged weighting for all of his suspension components to come in the mail. Honestly, right now I haven't touched or done anything to the Dart since I changed the PS hose. I just drive it once or twice a week for fun.
I have an upper radiator hose, fuel filter, and by pass hose I bought sitting in the trunk because I am still waiting to buy the lower radiator and heater hose with some new clamps. Just so I can get them all done at the same time. I'm also kind of waiting to get some proper tools. I'm probably going to order some line wrenches this weekend and buy a proper jack with stands at Costco next month.
I won't start the big bolt swap till I have every component when it comes to brakes, spindles, rear end, drive shaft, wheels, and tires. And the little bugs (windows and locks) I can work with the car whether it is running or not.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/02/1208:13 AM
Just drove the car 55 miles today and she drove smooth. On my way home my average speed was about 70-75 mph and it ran great! Tomorrow my mother is getting married and I should be driving it another 50 miles or so. Maybe I'll get some more shots of the car.
Only bad thing about today is the driver's windshield fell off the regulator AGAIN!!! It was just a little cold on my way home. I really don't want to pull off the door skin again and screw it up more than I already have. My friend is going to lend me the proper tools to do so instead of me prying them off with my hands.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/02/1208:49 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote: I've been beading around the bush with this idea, but I think after Fall Fling I am going to officially retire the Dart's cruiser state and just start taking it apart to fix the little things and hot rod it.
My friend with the 71 Demon has already given me some ideas on the Dart on how to fix some of the things that don't look so good. Who knows, maybe we could do a thing where one weekend we work on his car and another we work on mine. Right now he's completely redoing the suspension and is waiting for parts to come in. He is kind of bugged and just wants to drive it again since it has been apart all summer.
Don't take it apart! It snowballs then you have a pile of parts! DAMHIK. Try and fix one thing at a time. Sometimes getting in and driving it down the road is needed to refresh your enthusiasm. So please, don't take a bunch of stuff apart at once. Restore it to cruiser status after each upgrade and you will be much happier!
Well, not completely apart where I've got everything pulled out of the engine bay and all that. In whole it will still be mostly together. I'd like to do a 4 wheel disc brake, bigger wheel, big bolt swap this year so that's what I was talking about when I meant primarily by taking it apart. I was driving it yesterday and the 205/75/14 tires and 2.94 rear gear ratio really dog down the car. But overall, for the most part it should be together.
Interior most likely won't be touched except for the steering column that I'm going to take out and fix (I'm replacing the manual steering shaft for a PS one and I may put in an aftermarket steering wheel). Engine and Trans are going to sit where they are and won't be touched (I am probably going to buy and replace all of the hoses and clean up the engine bay wiring). As far as suspenion goes I'm probably going to replace the shocks and see if my buddy can help me fab up subframe connectors. Paint and body won't be touched. And of course I'm going to work with all the little bugs around the car. I just want to slowly move away from cruiser status.
Slowly is good. Before you embark on an improvement, make sure everything to do it is right in front of you. Don't be waiting on parts. Don't have ALMOST everything, just need to wait on the money to do that one last thng! This happen, then you are missing one part, you broke the stock this taking it off and you are stuck with a really big paperweight you can't drive or enjoy. That's when you start getting discouraged and tired of the project. I'm just trying to help keep you from making the same mistakes I did. I had a '69 Bee once. If was from Texas, but Texas isn't always without rust. Anyway, it ran, it drove(kind of) and it was complete. Needed tires, carb, alignment(if that didn't help a little, front suspension) a different gear, and eventually a lot of body work. Instead of working on the this I could fix and stick enjoy it, I tore it down to nothing and then spent the next 3-5 years trying to sell it because I didn't have the money or time to put it back together! A set of tires and a carb and I would have been driving a really ugly b5 blue 4spd Super Bee with a '69 hp 440 in it! That's my experience. Hope you see what I'm getting at and how quickly something can spiral out of reasonable control! Good luck, again, on your sweet ride!
I made that mistake too. My first car was non running to start with, a mistake.
Don't start taking your first running project car all apart making it a non running.
Taking the car all apart isn't going to fix the leaks or drivers window.
Yeah, my buddy with the Demon saw the car yesterday and was saying, "Wow, I wish I started off with something this nice." He really liked the interior and flipped out when he saw the lower dash pad because he's never seen that before.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/03/1212:38 AM
Quote:
Only bad thing about today is the driver's windshield fell off the regulator AGAIN!!! It was just a little cold on my way home. I really don't want to pull off the door skin again and screw it up more than I already have. My friend is going to lend me the proper tools to do so instead of me prying them off with my hands.
Door panel? Work carefully with a screwdriver and it will come off. I'm not sure but I think the 1/8" masonit board at home depot or lowes is close to the original board. Maybe you could trace the original wood and make a new one and reattach the vinyl.
Drove the car yesterday for my mom's wedding approximately another 70 miles or so. It drove well for the first 50 miles or so. As I was leaving the reception I went to park my car in their driveway which is kind of uphill and once I put the car in park, the car just started sliding backwards. I slammed the brakes and nothing happened. The car went over the curve and hit a tree. I pulled the car forward and there was no apparent damage to the car or property at the time, but a red light appeared above the speedometer after the crash.
Then as I was about to leave with my mom and step-dad the owner comes out and starts demanding my mom money since we had 50 more chairs. Actually what happened is, we got to the reception, the table arrangement was screwed up, everyone was at the wrong table, some people had no where to sit so they added tables and chairs, my relatives were serving food because their waiters weren't doing jack, it took forever for the food to get out, the employees were giving everyone an attitude, the main course wasn't even cooked well (by then half our guests left early), and when we agreed on free valet the valet workers were demanding people $3 tip. The manager's response to all this was we f'ed up a little so let's call it even. The owner's response was, "I want more money because we counted 50 more chairs." Of course this all occurs by my car and I'm already pissed off so when he says that I open my big mouth and tell him, "For what?! Sh!tty service?" He gets "insulted" and starts ranting. I then go to walk to my front door to put my jacket in the car and he stands in front of my door saying, "I can't let you leave." I respond and say, "I'm putting my jacket in my car." He repeats, "I can't let you leave." I responded saying, "Well, I'm not leaving." And he repeats it one more time and that's when my step-dad steps in and tells him what he's doing is illegal because he is holding me hostage and keeping me from my property.
So more of my family comes in trying to talk the guy down and the guy eventually calls the cops because we didn't pay the money we "owe" (not because I yelled at him). We all said, "Go ahead, we did nothing wrong." Cops come kind of annoyed and hear both sides to the story saying it will probably go to a small claims court. Cops didn't even bother talking to me but one of my mom's cousins made sure to file a report for keeping me from my car. As we are about to leave and the cops are waiting for us to go, the manager goes up to my mom and my Aunt and starts apologizing. Then he comes up to me and says, "And you, you need to just chill." I got pissed off at him and said, "Well you! You have crappy service, and right now I am chill."
So I limp the Dart home slowly and on the last big hill to my house I had major brake fade. The car wouldn't let me shift it to 1st gear to lower the speed (I was in 2nd), brakes didn't work (it didn't occur to me to pump it till afterwards), hand brake didn't work. So at the light (green) I made a sharp right turn at 30 mph and took it home another .5 mile. I checked the car this morning and frames look solid, there's just a small scuff on the bumper, and the rear quarter panel paint is chipped. I just want to park it in the garage right now and not look at it for a long time.
I just took my mom and step-dad to the airport and my lower back is kind of sore so I may go to the hospital today or tomorrow. Besides that the wedding ceremony was perfect and I did have some fun with my family dancing.
So that's my night. Don't expect too many updates on the Dart any time soon.
Wow. That is quite a day. Step away from it for a week or so. The bug will hit you again. You've waited for a while to get something, I'm sure it won't be too long before you are itching to get going again. I just lost the front brakes in my Swinger. Hope to get to it to diagnose the origin this week. Seems to be left side front. Line, hose, caliber. I'm betting hose.
Sounds like your master cylinder is going out. Put the car up on all corners take all the tires off and check the brakes. I've had new wheel cylinders leak also so you might want to check the old ones. Also you could have a brake hose that is bulging from a blockage.
When you have the car up find the gear selector on the transmission, unhook the selector lever rod and move the gear selector all the way in park and adjust the rod to he selector.
You probably need to adjust the drum brakes also when you pull the drums. Look for he star wheel near the bottom of the backing plate.
Don't get discouraged its probably only the master cylinder a fix that takes less than an hour.
Yeah, one of the best parts of the day for me was driving around in it. Although some of my passengers complained about no AC and how the interior may be "dirty," I still enjoyed it till the problems arose. But I'm done with it for now. Just waiting to move the cars so I can park it in my garage.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/04/1201:38 AM
Quote: Just drove the car 55 miles today and she drove smooth. On my way home my average speed was about 70-75 mph and it ran great! Tomorrow my mother is getting married and I should be driving it another 50 miles or so. Maybe I'll get some more shots of the car.
Only bad thing about today is the driver's windshield fell off the regulator AGAIN!!! It was just a little cold on my way home. I really don't want to pull off the door skin again and screw it up more than I already have. My friend is going to lend me the proper tools to do so instead of me prying them off with my hands.
Driver's 'windshield'? Don't you mean 'driver's door glass'?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/10/1208:46 AM
Quote: Just wondering if you were done being mad at your car yet and started working on it again?
I haven't touched/looked at it. I need to order some tools first. I still don't have a way to lift the car. The friend I took out on Saturday was wondering why I didn't bring the Dart with me to LA (since I promised her a month or two ago I'd bring it the first chance I get). Then she was grateful I left it at home when I told her the brakes weren't working properly and I hit a tree. She really wasn't in the mood to die yesterday.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/11/1204:50 AM
I'm going to order some line wrenches tonight and within the next week or so I'm going to go buy a jack with some stands from Costco and Harbor Freight (respectively), so I'll be working on the car soon. I also have to fix the door alignment and window issues still... That's another project on its own.
O, and how do I check brake fluid levels? That's one I forgot to and didn't know how to check when I first bought the car.
Quote: I'm going to order some line wrenches tonight and within the next week or so I'm going to go buy a jack with some stands from Costco and Harbor Freight (respectively), so I'll be working on the car soon. I also have to fix the door alignment and window issues still... That's another project on its own.
O, and how do I check brake fluid levels? That's one I forgot to and didn't know how to check when I first bought the car.
You just pop the bale(wire retaining clip) over to the side on the master cylinder. Both reservoirs should be full. Someone will have to help me out on this, I haven't messed with drum brakes for a LONG time, but on my Dart the rear reservoir is what controls the front brakes. If one is empty that will help narrow your issue.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/14/1204:42 AM
I finally found time to just pop the master cylinder top off right now. The rear reservoir is completely empty. Does that reservoir go to the front or the rear? Does that mean I'm going to have to add/bleed the system? If so I better by a bleeder and jack stands this weekend...
Edit: Just read on another thread that the light that came up above the speedometer after my rumble with the tree probably came on because one of my brakes failed. So hopefully that light will go away after I get this all sorted out.
I kinda want to get the car running again so I can take my friend out like I promised since she's stopping by in this area to visit her family next week.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/14/1205:44 AM
Look at each wheel I bet one is wet from fluid. The wet one had the leak. The one man brake bleeder is under ten dollars but you need to open all the lines since air is trapped in there now.
Lowes has a jack and stands for $125 it is a good jack for the money.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/14/1205:55 AM
Quote: Look at each wheel I bet one is wet from fluid. The wet one had the leak. The one man brake bleeder is under ten dollars but you need to open all the lines since air is trapped in there now.
Lowes has a jack and stands for $125 it is a good jack for the money.
Where do I look when it comes to the wheels? And I'll take a look at Lowes probably on Saturday. I was thinking about just going to Harbor Freight as well like you said and picking up the brake bleeder then.
Once school starts (1 week from today), income is going to start getting a little short due to working less hours at work (less than half the hours I am currently doing) so there probably won't be many upgrades unless I find a great deal or I am gifted some parts.
Quote: Where do I look when it comes to the wheels?
Just get down on one knee, and look at the back side of each tire/wheel. One of them likely will look very shiny and wet. That will be the wheel with the failed caliper (front) or wheel cylinder(rear).
If you don't find it that way, I'd give the brake lines a quick once over. That fluid had to go somewhere.
Quote: Where do I look when it comes to the wheels?
Just get down on one knee, and look at the back side of each tire/wheel. One of them likely will look very shiny and wet. That will be the wheel with the failed caliper (front) or wheel cylinder(rear).
If you don't find it that way, I'd give the brake lines a quick once over. That fluid had to go somewhere.
You don't have power brakes, do you?
I checked last night and I didn't see anything that caught my eye. I'll check again later today. And I do have power brakes. I believe they were standard with the Kelsey Haynes disc brake package.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/15/1203:28 AM
If you have lost that much fluid, it should hard to hide. Like any other oily product, it usually spreads out...a little makes a big stain/wet spot. That much should not be hard to find (assuming it was full when you got it...which I guess we don't know for sure?)
You could try pulling the wheels and checking things over, but again, if it's a large leak, you should be able to spot it without doing that.
Same with the lines...the black flex lines at each front corner joining the steel lines to the calipers, and at the rear axle, joining the hard line on the body to the tee on the axle. If you find nothing in these 3 places, try tracing the steel lines from the master cylinder on out to each corner.
Next, check inside. Is there fluid running/dripping off the pedal assembly or it's linkage? Look up under the dash to be sure.
If you stil lhaven't found it, you should check your vacuum booster. If the master cylinder leaks at the back of it, it drains into the booster. From there, at can be drawn into the intake manifold via the rubber vac. hose that runs from the booster to the intake. Pull the booster vac. hose off at the intake. Is the inside of the hose wet with brake fluid?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/15/1203:59 AM
All 4 corners are dry and there is no wetness at the pedal. MC is dry as well and no fluid at booster or intake manifold. However, it's hard to tell in the front since the front end of the car is extremely greasy. I did happen to see some wet spots on both UCAs.
On some side notes: -All front end parts are ridiculously greasy and are going to need some cleaning. -The Y-Connection for the exhaust looks really wet/greasy. Idk what that may be related too. -I always though my car had a unique rumble. I found out I have an aftermarket muffler. I don't know which one. I just know it's made in the US. Again, like everything else in the car, it is mounted by crappy, unprepped MIG welds to scrap.
I also went to Lowes and Harbor Freight today. I got the brake bleeder at Harbor Freight. I also found the 3 ton jack and stands on a poster Lowes had by the other jacks but they told me to order it on the internet since they don't carry them in store. I go on the internet and it's not there.
We're going to Costco today, so if I don't find a good one there I'll order it this afternoon... Only thing is that none of the stores have it in stock and they don't ship it by UPS/FedEx/USPS so I'm guessing it's going to take a while.
Quote: ...I pulled the car forward and there was no apparent damage to the car or property at the time, but a red light appeared above the speedometer after the crash. ....
So I limp the Dart home slowly and on the last big hill to my house I had major brake fade. The car wouldn't let me shift it to 1st gear to lower the speed (I was in 2nd), brakes didn't work (it didn't occur to me to pump it till afterwards), hand brake didn't work. So at the light (green) I made a sharp right turn at 30 mph and took it home another .5 mile. I checked the car this morning and frames look solid, there's just a small scuff on the bumper, and the rear quarter panel paint is chipped. I just want to park it in the garage right now and not look at it for a long time....
You've got to check, inspect, and maintain your car so it is safe for others around you on the road.
Put some brake fluid in it and check for leaks.
You don't need a brake bleeding tool to bleed the brakes. You've got a bigger issue than just air in the line anyways.
Either the rear wheel cylinders are leaking or it needs a master cylinder. Both things you can get at the parts store. Wouldn't be a bad idea just to change the master cylinder just for safety reasons.
I just went to Costco and they had a 3.25 ton without the jack stands for $105. A little much for me. I'm going to head out to Harbor Freight later today and probably pick everything up.
Just a quick question with regards to brake fluid. I've got some dot 3 in my cabinets, but I opened it about 2-3 months ago to fill up the brake fluid in another car. Is it still good? I heard they go bad quickly due to their ability to absorb moisture or something.
Quote: I just went to Costco and they had a 3.25 ton without the jack stands for $105. A little much for me. I'm going to head out to Harbor Freight later today and probably pick everything up.
Just a quick question with regards to brake fluid. I've got some dot 3 in my cabinets, but I opened it about 2-3 months ago to fill up the brake fluid in another car. Is it still good? I heard they go bad quickly due to their ability to absorb moisture or something.
Good enough for what you are doing to fill up the empty master to see what is wrong.
You will end up replacing the master and/or wheel cylinders very soon. Like immediately. So don't sweat the open brake fluid container. It's NOT a humongous deal anyway.
Quote: I just went to Costco and they had a 3.25 ton without the jack stands for $105. A little much for me. I'm going to head out to Harbor Freight later today and probably pick everything up.
Just a quick question with regards to brake fluid. I've got some dot 3 in my cabinets, but I opened it about 2-3 months ago to fill up the brake fluid in another car. Is it still good? I heard they go bad quickly due to their ability to absorb moisture or something.
Good enough for what you are doing to fill up the empty master to see what is wrong.
You will end up replacing the master and/or wheel cylinders very soon. Like immediately. So don't sweat the open brake fluid container. It's a humongous deal anyway.
Ah, lovely. With regards to the Harbor Freight coupons, where can I find them. I have the pamphlet with some of their sales and I didn't see the 3 ton aluminum one for $60. I also checked their online coupons and couldn't find them.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/16/1212:55 AM
Well, I added brake fluid, started the car, and pumped the brakes a little. The red light above the speedometer disappeared and the car doesn't have the "Brake Systems" light when I push the pedal to the floor. The pedal is definitely more firm than the first day I bought it. Now what do I do to further diagnose this problem?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/16/1202:06 AM
Get a friend to help you bleed all four brakes. Also check for wet spots everywhere, check your flex hoses for any weathering. If nothing out of the ordinary is found watch your fluid level every day for awhile.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/17/1204:06 AM
So yesterday I decided not to bleed the brakes and just give it time to find the leak. Well, I think I found it. The master cylinder definitely didn't look like that yesterday.
I can't believe that one person has not posted what I am about to say, and by all means I am not trying to be a dic4
For approx. $150 you could have 3 new hoses, 4 wheel cylinders, and a master cylinder. This should have been the 1st thing you did, rather than almost killing people including yourself each day its on the road.
Also, take a look at the news where people DIE under cars where jacks fail, etc. I could not imagine trusting my life to China Freight jack stands, let alone pay $60 for a jack that will most likely give up soon.
Think of it this way, and I am late and thinking it myself: You pay the small amount now. Wait a few months and it gives up and you are back spending it again. You could have spent the $103 and been fine, even though I would probably save up and go alot higher.
All in all, you have waited this long to get a car. Have a little patience and fix it right the first time and move onto the next issue.
Well, it was kind of my mom's wedding so shoot me if I got a little excited and wanted to drive the car on my mom's special day. Anyways the car has been sitting in the garage since then and it won't be moving for a long while the way I see it, no matter how much I'd like to drive it again (probably won't be taking it to Fall Fling). If you recall, I still have another major issue to deal with and that's my steering couple. If one of those POS shafts breaks while driving the car, I have no steering (which is just as bad as no brakes imo). I still haven't bought any of the China Freight junk yet, so there's still some hope for me there I guess.
Thank you for your concern and I really appreciate your help. I know I should have listened to you earlier on in the thread but I got a little too ahead of myself. And just to let you know the hoses, MC, and wheel cylinders are on my top priority on things to buy.
I started up the car today to keep the battery fresh and when I turn on the headlights I still get the red light above my speedometer and the brake pedal is really stiff. I'm guessing that light means I still have no brakes.
Also when I started to rev the engine a little soon after starting it, the car stalled. I'm guessing that's just a cold start thing but just in case I'd bring it up.
I'm going to be ordering my MC, a hose or two (I still have some I ordered a couple months ago), some wheel cylinders, and possibly some brake pads/shoes. I still haven't bought the jack or stands. I just want to drive and enjoy the car for now.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/29/1202:47 AM
I'm not sure we can confirm the application of those parts specifically to your vehicle (these links go right to the part #, without the year/make/model/options info a parts counter guy would need to order you the RIGHT parts). But it looks like you've got the right idea.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/29/1203:04 AM
Quote: I'm not sure we can confirm the application of those parts specifically to your vehicle (these links go right to the part #, without the year/make/model/options info a parts counter guy would need to order you the RIGHT parts). But it looks like you've got the right idea.
The jack and stands look like nice pieces.
I figured shortly after I posted that. I ordered the MC, rear wheel cylinders, and the last radiator hose I needed. I am 90% sure I ordered all of the right parts. So hopefully I can get to work next weekend and getting this running safely. So plan for next weekend is getting brakes up to par, changing hoses, and possibly flushing the radiator.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/02/1201:22 AM
It sounds like maybe your high beams are on. Hit the foot switch and that red light should go off. People will probably sstop giving you the finger at night also.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/02/1202:34 AM
Quote: It sounds like maybe your high beams are on. Hit the foot switch and that red light should go off. People will probably sstop giving you the finger at night also.
I don't know what you're talking about. The car hasn't left the garage since the accident. And the headlights haven't been on. Now which foot switch is this? I believe there is a manual pump on the floor for the windshield washer fluid reservoir (has been cut by previous owner so no worky). I'll check when I have the time. Will be at school late most of this week.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/03/1212:23 AM
Quote: On the floor next to the kick panel by your left foot. Its a round button, tap that with your foot.
Ok, so that's what it is. Then how would I use the wiper fluid reservoir (not that it matters since the lines have been cut).
And a little update. I'm off to pick up my jack and stands and a package arrived at my house earlier today. I believe the MC and my hose came in. I think the wheel cylinders won't come in till Thursday. So I most likely won't be making the cruise with the Dart since I'll be at school today and Wednesday till midnight.
So right before I left for school this morning I quickly opened my package to make sure what I got. I opened the box holding the MC and I'm a little perplexed... Did my ignorance cause me to order another wrong part? Anyways, I just checked rockauto to make sure I ordered the right MC and I got the only kit that was for front disc, rear drums, and power brakes. The MC on there now only has 2 mounting points where the one I received has 4. Now going through rockauto I looked at all the MC's (manual/power) and all of them have 4 mounting points (stupid me for not checking). I was in a hurry this morning, so I didn't take too much time looking into it. Any or insight out there please?
Pictures...
Original MC still on the car...
Looks like it should mount where the brake booster would go...
Besides that I got my last hose and my wheel cylinders should come in tomorrow. I got Autospecialty / Kelsey Haynes 15/16" wheel cylinders so they should fit on my car. Besides that I'm not too bumbed out. I can work on hoses, fluids, and cleaning up the grease under the front end this weekend if I need to get another MC. Thanks for all your insight and help! Btw, I turned off the high beams this morning.
Edit: So apparently I don't have a Dodge Dart booster or MC (thanks for pointing that out autoxcuda! ). Man these mods that the previous owners have done are killing me. Anyways, I forgot to mention I picked up my jack and stands yesterday from Lowes. The only one that had them was the one by my work. If you haven't noticed, I'm a little tired/sleepy and have been at school till midnight for the past couple nights (tonight as well). I probably won't be able to work on the car till Friday night.
With a small tip from Autoxcuda and reading through the 69 Service manual. I figured out which MC I need and will be picking it up tomorrow/Friday (so I'll be returning the one I got in the mail). I also figured out I do have 10" drums and that I ordered the proper size rear wheel cylinders. I'm a happy camper now.
Well I was finally able to do 1 thing on this car. Sorta like killing one stone with 2 birds. Due to my issues with the wheel cylinders I thought it would be a good idea to head on down to the front of the car and work in the engine bay a little. I said to myself, "Hey, you bought a fuel filter 2-3 months ago, why not put that on?" I replied, "Sure! Let me watch a youtube video on how to." Hmmmmmmmmn. Youtube video said some fuel may come out due to back-pressure from the pump. No worries, it should be fine.
So I take off the fuel filter and as I expected fuel came out, but then what I realized is that really really smart engineering guy (previous owners) who had the car before decided to wire the alternator right by the fuel filter and now some fuel got into the little "protective" tube he put around it. That other super smart and devilously handsome engineering guy (now I'm talking about myself) didn't take the proper precautions and think enough before he did.
Well, from what I learned in school is that when you have ignition + a source, you get fire. So I kinda don't want to start the car right now. Anyways, I think I may have found out I have a leaky fuel pump as well (I just tightened the fuel lines going to the fuel filter so we'll see what happens). There are also plenty of other leaks all around the car I'm trying to find. If you can't tell, I'm a wee bit frustrated.
It doesn't seem like I'm going to make this safe enough to get it to Fall Fling this year. And the worst part about it is when I told my dad about Fall Fling, he got excited and said, "You're uncle is flying in the day before from Lebanon (first time in America), I'm sure he'd love to go! We should all go together."
This death trap may very well be my coffin...
And every post needs a picture... Yes, there's fuel all over the intake manifold (don't know if that's safe) and inside that pink "tubing" mabober which contains wires.
Thanks. I'm going to flush the radiator, replace the upper and lower radiator hose, and replace the bypass hose (may even possibly by a proper battery tie down because all that's there is a bungee chord) on Thursday or Friday. With regards to the fuel pump link, I think I just loosened the lines when putting on the fuel filter. It doesn't seem to be leaking anymore.
As for now, I really need to get on my homework and get ready for one of my friends 21st Birthday parties. My friend with the Demon is going to be there so I'm going to ask him if he could help me out next weekend since I know he's got more tools than I do and he's done the brakes on his car.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/07/1201:36 AM
Write out a list of all the stuff you need to get done before fall fling and work through it. You can do it. Cruising with you Dad and Uncle to Fall Fling should be some great motivation. Just think you can turn your Uncle in a Mopar lover!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/11/1205:43 AM
Did a little work on the car today. My uncle (mom's side, not the one from Lebanon) came in tonight because he's catching an early flight tomorrow and we're closer to the airport. A little background on my uncle, he came in to the US when he was a teenager and has currently been doing body work for the past 50+ years. Well, I showed him the car for the first time, I'm not going to lie but I was kind of excited. He helped me align the door better so now it closes nicer and doesn't squeak. Then he saw everything else (from paint, to the steering shaft, to AC, to windows, and all that) and he basically told me to fix the brakes and then sell the car or not to put any more money into it.
He really didn't like the rust and didn't believe it was a CA car. He just thinks it's too much work and stuff. I'm a little bugged and pissed off right now because I have school and work to deal with. It kind of sucks to have your Uncle's disapproval. After a while he started to realize I was getting bugged and said, "Well, at least you're learning." I get he's looking out for my best interest and doesn't want me to go bankrupt, but still.
The plan as of now is replace radiator hoses and flush the radiator on Friday. Saturday I hope to replace the MC so I could maybe just go to Fall Fling with the car. If not I'll just take my other uncle in my Scion.
Sorry, I just needed to vent. A little discouraged.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/12/1202:37 AM
Quote: Does your uncle have any classic cars? Don't get discouraged he probably is old and doesn't have the energy of youth like your have.
Not really. His oldest car currently is a '87 Celica. He used to have other older Toyotas (usually 80's cars). But he's had a couple VW Beetles in his day as well and he has been doing body work for a long time.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1205:31 AM
My friend just stopped over after our Baja meeting so we can make a mental checklist of what we need to get the job done. We're going to try to do as much as we can. MC is definitely first priority and will be swapped out. We might as well change the wheel cylinders since we're going to bleed the brakes and I already have the wheel cylinders.And it seems we may change a couple lines (he already has the flaring tools as well as the line bending tools). When brakes are done, we'll flush out the radiator, that way I can get it closer to a hose and not make a mess in the garage. It should be fun.
And my friend never believed I had a Metallic White paint job. After he saw it under the light he thought it was cool. When I repaint her (who knows when) I think I might just keep the color. I still have the paint cans on my shelf.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1207:30 AM
You're getting a lot farther on yours than I am on mine. I stop by the storage unit and start it, sometimes even drive it out of the unit. Had a guy come and look at it and drove it down the road. Seems like the master cylinder just dried out the rear seal and emptied its contents. The part that has fluid seems to work fine. Lol. Once I get me moved tomorrow, and get a friends Durango straightened out, I will get back to work on it. Or sell it and buy a California Bee...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1207:42 AM
Quote: You're getting a lot farther on yours than I am on mine. I stop by the storage unit and start it, sometimes even drive it out of the unit. Had a guy come and look at it and drove it down the road. Seems like the master cylinder just dried out the rear seal and emptied its contents. The part that has fluid seems to work fine. Lol. Once I get me moved tomorrow, and get a friends Durango straightened out, I will get back to work on it. Or sell it and buy a California Bee...
Nah, I've hardly done anything to the car. So far I've only fixed what's broke. This will probably be the most work and biggest fix on the car. Hopefully we'll be able to fix it so I can take it to the Fall Fling. It seems his Demon is up and running again too. I'll have to ask him if it's driveable enough to make it to the Fling as well.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1207:55 AM
Quote:
Quote: You're getting a lot farther on yours than I am on mine. I stop by the storage unit and start it, sometimes even drive it out of the unit. Had a guy come and look at it and drove it down the road. Seems like the master cylinder just dried out the rear seal and emptied its contents. The part that has fluid seems to work fine. Lol. Once I get me moved tomorrow, and get a friends Durango straightened out, I will get back to work on it. Or sell it and buy a California Bee...
Nah, I've hardly done anything to the car. So far I've only fixed what's broke. This will probably be the most work and biggest fix on the car. Hopefully we'll be able to fix it so I can take it to the Fall Fling. It seems his Demon is up and running again too. I'll have to ask him if it's driveable enough to make it to the Fling as well.
Like I said, you are getting more done than I am! I'm not even fixing what is broke! I'll get to it. Eventually. My former neighbor got his '69 340/4-speed Cuda ragtop back on the road recently. He dropped his driveshaft the other day and after he gets it put back in, he wants me to bring the Dart to the track and see what both of them will run. He thinks his best time was a 14.18. Not sure what gear he ran at that time, but when I let him it was a 3.55. '72 340 with TRW's, .484 purple shaft. Nothing exotic. I saw it run a 14.52, I think. Anyway. Hope to get it stopping to take it in the next couple weeks. Would make my winter nicer looking at a car that dipped into the 12's every time I visit the storage unit!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1208:08 AM
Yeah, I'd like to take it to the track and run an 1/8 a mile run or two at Irwindale Speedway with the stock setup for fun. I figured I'd run 16's or 17's. That would just be a basis and I could hit the track to see how drastically it improves with each upgrade. But upgrades don't happen too often so idk. Plus, I'm more of a corner carver guy.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/14/1205:33 AM
My friend came over today to try and help me fix the brake issues. Trying to take a step forward today on the project ended up taking us 2-3 steps back. The power brake issue is just a cobbled up mess. The booster itself is some sort of GM or aftermarket booster and to fit it on they cut off the studs then trimmed up a big hole in the firewall. So next step is to fix all that to as close to factory as possible and then convert it to manual brakes. Idk if I'm still going to use my 1980 Dodge Aspen MC (Bore ~1.03). I think I'm only going to use it if there's some sort of adapter plate and push rod I can buy. We can fab up a panel and weld it in there, we just want to make sure we do it right and so that my foot doesn't go through the firewall in emergency situations.
Well, after all that, we decided we might as well and replace the wheel cylinders. Well we started with the Driver's side and after I removed the wheel cylinder I realized it obviously wasn't a stock one (or one that belonged on the car for that matter). The bolts looked nothing like the passenger side which we know to be correct. So we left it at that since I don't have extra bolts lying around.
As you can see in the pictures I have air shocks in the rear with no air in them. The entire rear system is worn out. Their are some signs of tire rub on the rear wheel well. That's probably why the rear tires are different from the fronts. Too much sag.
Then we went to working on the windows. And man, that was even more of a pain in the butt from when I fixed it last time. In examining that we found the rubber stopper isn't missing, the clear film is torn up and gunked up in the rails, the sliders aren't even completely on the rails, and the rails aren't even straight. To sum it all up, the windows are very angry! We were able to put it back on the regulator and roll it up a bit but after my uncle realigned the door, the window doesn't fit as it should and now there's a gaping crack since the window is crooked or whatever.
The underside of the engine bay is very very scary. So much grease has accumulated over the past 45 years it is absolutely terrifying. It's all black. That's all going to need to be cleaned with some engine degreaser or some sort of pressure washer.
Looking through the car, it just gets scarier and scarier. We noticed some signs of bondo today. You could see it sanded down a little on the lip of the wheel well. That's probably why there's bubbles in the paint. From the el cheapo $500 paint job on the car. However, we're still diggin' the metallic white paint job so we can leave it at that.
At least we know what we're dealing with now. Next time we'll work on the car will be after midterms (3-4 weeks) or after finals (6-7 weeks). I will not be going to Fall Fling in the Dart but I still want to go and take pictures of cars as well as possibly snagging some goodies from the swap meet.
Even though we were a little bumbed and the car is in a worse condition that before the MC broke loose, we still had a fun time working on the car and cracking jokes about how cobbled together this car is. On our way to get parts we passed by the Downtown Covina annual car show (I didn't even know it was today). So we stopped by and snagged some pictures I'll post in the General Section. Definitely a lot more mopars than usual. It was the most he's seen in one spot at one time.
There is generally always more wrong than originally thought. At least you still have the desire and ambition to keep plugging away. My suggestion is still the same as it had been. Fix the brakes, so you can still drive and drive it. Then slowly work on the rest of the stuff. Safety items first. Brakes/steering/suspension. Might want to talk to Rhinodart. He may have a parts car to cut the piece you need out of. Mancini racing has a lighweight master with a small bore(I think) that I will be putting on my GTS. Idk if a-bodies have it, but b-bodies have a plate on the firewall for support. Keep working!
Quote: There is generally always more wrong than originally thought. At least you still have the desire and ambition to keep plugging away. My suggestion is still the same as it had been. Fix the brakes, so you can still drive and drive it. Then slowly work on the rest of the stuff. Safety items first. Brakes/steering/suspension. Might want to talk to Rhinodart. He may have a parts car to cut the piece you need out of. Mancini racing has a lighweight master with a small bore(I think) that I will be putting on my GTS. Idk if a-bodies have it, but b-bodies have a plate on the firewall for support. Keep working!
That's the plan, just get the brakes working okilly dokilly so that I could cruise around in it some. Then probably fix the steering column couple, and then update the suspension some (probably will get some Blistein RCD's before the New Year and who knows what goodies at Fall Fling).
With regards to the hole, someone on my Q&A question replied saying DrDiff has the replacement panel and studs along with the adapter to hook up my 1980 Dodge Aspen MC to my firewall, so I may go that route. I'm not sure if I want to stick with my master cylinder or not. I'm not sure if a 1.03" bore is good for manual brakes or not. Lots of people are saying that they haven't seen the firewall support in a-bodies and the only reason why I wondered was because my friend said he had one in his Demon.
I remember the support on my B-bodies, but I really haven't messed with a-bodies enough to remember. I would imagine they have the same type of support so you don't warp the firewall. Especially with manual brakes. I would go look at my Dart, but I can't get close to the front of it right now, did a final push to get moved this weekend and the back of the storage unit is packed full of 'stuff'. Time to reorganize...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/28/1204:45 AM
I actually got to do some work on the Dart this afternoon. I got a lot of little stuff done and I feel, combined, comes out to be equal to a big stuff.
So I was going to start off my afternoon pulling out the steering column, but as I flipped through the service manual I couldn't find any info. Not only that, but I kinda sorta forgot I don't have a grinder to cut the welds off the previous shaft.
So I thought I'd do a maintenance day today. Out I go to Pepboys and Walmart to pick up a couple parts, tools, and fluids. I come home and start with the air filter. I bought one when I was out figuring I'd need one (without even looking at it beforehand) and what do you know?
While I was at it I decided to take the air filter carrier device and wipe off all the dirt off the top with some Clorox wipes. So out with the old and in with the new (minus the cover).
Next I decided to go to the rear of the car and work with the trunk a little. With my brand new wire brush, I just started brushing away trying to chip off all the larger chunks. Unfortunately, I didn't spot any of that Castrol rust remover stuff mentioned earlier in the thread.
Here's a before shot (when I first bought the car):
And an after shot:
It's not much better, but it's at least something. I also found out I have some small holes from the rust in the trunk. O well, at least it's not that bad...
Next I went back to the front of the car to work on the electricals a little. Idk if you guys remember but my previous battery tie down was a simple worn out bungee chord with a wood block underneath the battery to try to keep the chord in tension. Over time at constant tension bungee chords like to loosen up a bit. So that's got to go. At pep boys I got a cheap universal battery hold-down. I also got some new battery connector mabbobers since the ones on my car were rusty, cracked, and had some sort of sulfur build up on them. So, out comes everything. I took the tray out even and wire brushed it a little and put it back in. Still a little rusty but it's nothing I'd be worried about. As for the universal hold-down, the studs were too long (obviously) and the strap wasn't long enough width wise (luckily the rubber stretched, sorta). Well to cut the studs, you need some sort of sharp object. I took out my saw and it's as dull as ever. Took out my bandsaw, and it was angry and didn't like it. So I clamped the stud down and filed each one to the proper length for 30 minutes each. I finally got it to fit and for less than $5 I guess I'm happy with it. The Battery is tight and not moving anywhere. Here's a picture with everything connected (currently disconnected, almost shocked myself a couple times because I thought the negative side was disconnected when it wasn't).
Well, since I just went through the effort of getting the battery situated, I figured, "why not go through the entire line?" So I took some 60 grit sand paper out of the cupboard and sanded down all my grounds. I think I got them all but I'm not sure. The headlights and dash lights look brighter (which could all be in my head) but we'll see if I still have my dimming lights problem when I get the car running and on all 4 again.
As I had my battery stuff out. I also decided it was time to change out my power steering return hose. When my friend came over last time he noticed it was hard, cracked, and leaking. I guess he found one of my mystery leaks. So I picked up some hose and new clamps at the store and installed them on there.
Lastly, I figured I could probably do at least one more thing, I decided to check out my passenger seat and why it won't scoot back when the lever was pulled. Initially I picked up my WD40 since I thought the tracks may have been a little rusty or it just needed some lubricating. The first thing I did was look underneath the seat and I see this one doo hickey clip thinger mabbober connected to two springs lying on the ground and not connected to the hookey thingy. Well, in my mind I thought the two would go lovely together so I hooked her on, sat on the seat, PULL THE LEVER! (Emperor's New Groove Movie Quote ), and wallah! My passenger seat works again!
I also picked up some engine degreaser so I can start cleaning up the scariness underneath the front end.
I'm still figuring out steering column and brake stuff. I've been doing some research and asking around for info. I also need some new bolts for my wheel cylinders in the back (I believe they're 3/8"?). I know I sound like a noob, but where can I get some SAE grade hardware?
So that was my day. I feel accomplished. Now it's time to relax for the rest of the night.
Way to go Mu! Glad to see you plugging away at the Dart, keep it up!
IF you're going to degrease it all do yourself a favor and go do it a local spray & wash. Just don't hose down the ditributor cap in the process, DAMHIK.
Quote: My friend came over today to try and help me fix the brake issues. Trying to take a step forward today on the project ended up taking us 2-3 steps back. The power brake issue is just a cobbled up mess. The booster itself is some sort of GM or aftermarket booster and to fit it on they cut off the studs then trimmed up a big hole in the firewall. So next step is to fix all that to as close to factory as possible and then convert it to manual brakes. Idk if I'm still going to use my 1980 Dodge Aspen MC (Bore ~1.03). I think I'm only going to use it if there's some sort of adapter plate and push rod I can buy. We can fab up a panel and weld it in there, we just want to make sure we do it right and so that my foot doesn't go through the firewall in emergency situations.
Well, after all that, we decided we might as well and replace the wheel cylinders. Well we started with the Driver's side and after I removed the wheel cylinder I realized it obviously wasn't a stock one (or one that belonged on the car for that matter). The bolts looked nothing like the passenger side which we know to be correct. So we left it at that since I don't have extra bolts lying around.
As you can see in the pictures I have air shocks in the rear with no air in them. The entire rear system is worn out. Their are some signs of tire rub on the rear wheel well. That's probably why the rear tires are different from the fronts. Too much sag.
Then we went to working on the windows. And man, that was even more of a pain in the butt from when I fixed it last time. In examining that we found the rubber stopper isn't missing, the clear film is torn up and gunked up in the rails, the sliders aren't even completely on the rails, and the rails aren't even straight. To sum it all up, the windows are very angry! We were able to put it back on the regulator and roll it up a bit but after my uncle realigned the door, the window doesn't fit as it should and now there's a gaping crack since the window is crooked or whatever.
The underside of the engine bay is very very scary. So much grease has accumulated over the past 45 years it is absolutely terrifying. It's all black. That's all going to need to be cleaned with some engine degreaser or some sort of pressure washer.
Looking through the car, it just gets scarier and scarier. We noticed some signs of bondo today. You could see it sanded down a little on the lip of the wheel well. That's probably why there's bubbles in the paint. From the el cheapo $500 paint job on the car. However, we're still diggin' the metallic white paint job so we can leave it at that.
At least we know what we're dealing with now. Next time we'll work on the car will be after midterms (3-4 weeks) or after finals (6-7 weeks). I will not be going to Fall Fling in the Dart but I still want to go and take pictures of cars as well as possibly snagging some goodies from the swap meet.
Even though we were a little bumbed and the car is in a worse condition that before the MC broke loose, we still had a fun time working on the car and cracking jokes about how cobbled together this car is. On our way to get parts we passed by the Downtown Covina annual car show (I didn't even know it was today). So we stopped by and snagged some pictures I'll post in the General Section. Definitely a lot more mopars than usual. It was the most he's seen in one spot at one time.
Quote: Way to go Mu! Glad to see you plugging away at the Dart, keep it up!
IF you're going to degrease it all do yourself a favor and go do it a local spray & wash. Just don't hose down the ditributor cap in the process, DAMHIK.
Yeah, we have a local one over here. I'll just wait till the Dart is driveable again.
O, and I have one more thing to do on the car. If you recall, the last time I drove the Dart I was heading down a steep hill without any front brakes and plenty of brake fade. So you can assume my rear drums are glazed over more than a Krispy Kream Doughnut. I have plenty of sand paper so maybe I'll take a couple minutes to rough up my shoes and inner drum cover.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/29/1203:09 AM
To get the column out, get a punch and knock the roll pin out that I circled in your pic. Unplug the wiring,remove the bolts that hold the bottom plate of the column to the firewall, and take the nuts off the bottom of the mount, and then the column should pull out. You may have to pry the coupler back at the steering box to get it started out. 2 people work better than one doing this the first time. One to pull back on the column, and one to pry the coupler back. Hope this helps.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/29/1203:50 AM
Quote: To get the column out, get a punch and knock the roll pin out that I circled in your pic. Unplug the wiring,remove the bolts that hold the bottom plate of the column to the firewall, and take the nuts off the bottom of the mount, and then the column should pull out. You may have to pry the coupler back at the steering box to get it started out. 2 people work better than one doing this the first time. One to pull back on the column, and one to pry the coupler back. Hope this helps.
Thanks! It's actually funny because another guy on FABO just happened to post a very similar reply and I just asked him to make sure what the roll pin was. Would you say this roll pin would be reusable as the coupler I have is lacking one?
Still don't know what I want to do with regards to fixing the car. I probably won't get to steering for at least another 2 weeks, if that. And I'm still deciding what to do with the brake issue. My goal is to get the car driving safely by mid December (let's just say Christmas).
For the firewall and brakes it seems like I am, for sure, going to go with Dr. Diffs replacement panel and studs along with his adjustable pushrod. I just don't know if I want to get his aluminum master cylinder (still manual brakes), use the MC I have with an adapter (still have receipt and haven't used it), or switch to "OE" power brakes MC and booster from NAPA (the most expensive, but for the most part correct for the brake system I have).
Lots of people on the board say to switch to manual, "there isn't much difference." I've heard from other close friends (yes, even older fellas) to keep it a power brake car because you "lose so much braking without the booster." I'm really on the fence here. I've never driven a manual brake car. I won't necessarily mind putting more effort in braking, just how much is more?
Just a side note... I would like to upgrade to much bigger brakes all the way around within the next 2-3 years.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/02/1212:10 AM
Read the articles on Ebergs green brick, then start building your car. The steering issue is small nothing an angle grinder can't take care of in minutes.
Sell your sbp brakes and get some bbp off a later model car. If you just follow these tried and true and you won't have to ask the question what should I do next.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/02/1201:49 AM
Quote: Read the articles on Ebergs green brick, then start building your car. The steering issue is small nothing an angle grinder can't take care of in minutes.
Sell your sbp brakes and get some bbp off a later model car. If you just follow these tried and true and you won't have to ask the question what should I do next.
I've been wanting to go bbp, but it's only going to come at a big price since at the very least I'm going to have to swap spindles/hubs, UCA's, wheels and tires, and rear axles. Where can I find Eberg's article?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/02/1202:24 AM
Quote:
Quote: Read the articles on Ebergs green brick, then start building your car. The steering issue is small nothing an angle grinder can't take care of in minutes.
Sell your sbp brakes and get some bbp off a later model car. If you just follow these tried and true and you won't have to ask the question what should I do next.
I've been wanting to go bbp, but it's only going to come at a big price since at the very least I'm going to have to swap spindles/hubs, UCA's, wheels and tires, and rear axles. Where can I find Eberg's article?
Pull a Parts are your friend sometimes you get lucky and get new parts that were just replaced. You should be able to get $200-$275 for your sbp brakes. Planning is key to get thru this hobby with out giving your wallet away. Look for a 8.25 bbp rear they still out there.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/02/1202:44 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote: Read the articles on Ebergs green brick, then start building your car. The steering issue is small nothing an angle grinder can't take care of in minutes.
Sell your sbp brakes and get some bbp off a later model car. If you just follow these tried and true and you won't have to ask the question what should I do next.
I've been wanting to go bbp, but it's only going to come at a big price since at the very least I'm going to have to swap spindles/hubs, UCA's, wheels and tires, and rear axles. Where can I find Eberg's article?
Pull a Parts are your friend sometimes you get lucky and get new parts that were just replaced. You should be able to get $200-$275 for your sbp brakes. Planning is key to get thru this hobby with out giving your wallet away. Look for a 8.25 bbp rear they still out there.
Idk why, but my laptop doesn't like the magazine specific websites so it won't load the link. I'll check it on a different computer later. I've been wanting to go to a pick a parts for a while. I just haven't had the time to or the vehicle to bring over the large stuff (unless I borrow my mom's SUV). For the rear, couldn't I also find a 65-67 B-body 8 3/4 and just move the spring perches in? It will be a little longer but should fit.
Well, I was a little sick today and had the day off, so instead of moping around all morning I decided to drive on down to the parts store and pick up some hardware for my wheel cylinders as well as some Castrol Superclean Degreaser to clear out the surface rust in the trunk. Overall, not a bad product. Worked wonders. My friend thought I used a wire wheel when I texted him the before and after shots. Cost me about $11.50 for a gallon. Anyways here are before and after pics...
Before:
After:
I'm still trying to gather up all the parts I need for my MC swap. My friend and I should get started on that in about 2-3 weeks. Hopefully the Dart should be ready by Christmas time.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/06/1206:22 AM
Going to work on the Dart Saturday morning with my friend. We're probably going to pull out the steering column to replace the shaft and the coupler. Also was looking around the car and as I was looking for what I was going to need for the column, I spotted my AC box/vent. It doesn't seem like I'm going to need that anymore. I'm thinking of just taking everything AC related out of the car. Because as of now I have no compressor, random hoses in the engine compartment that go nowhere, and no effective way of transferring air flow to the cabin.
O, and I was also looking around the engine to see if I can spot the numbers to confirm whether or not it was a 273 or 318 (just wondering if the original engine was swapped because when I bought it, it was advertised as an "original" 318 even though it's a coded 273). I couldn't get a good angle from either inside or under the engine bay to get the numbers. Anyways, I knew the 273 exhaust was pretty restrictive, but does there seriously need to be a huge @$$ dimple in the exhaust right next to the torsion bar? I figure some headers, a larger diameter exhaust, and x-pipes would really give this car a little kick.
I'm thinking about just pulling out some of my Castrol Superclean Degreaser and start scrubbing the underside of the front end as well. Boy is it greasy.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/07/1206:18 AM
Quote: What is the casting number on the intake? That will at least tell you something.
Oooooo. Good call. these are the number by the distributor right? It's a little greasy and the casting is a bit iffy in some spots, but I believe these are the numbers.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/09/1203:27 AM
Alrighty. Well I've been working on the Dart all day. My friend came over in the morning to help me out. The first thing we did was finish up the wheel cylinders. He taught me how to work with them so with the proper tools I should technically be able to work on any drum brake set. Then we went to replacing the steering coupler and shaft. We basically removed and took apart the column. As it was out my friend asked me, "You want to paint it?" I looked at it and said, "Well if it's out, I might as well. At least I'll have one nice looking thing on the car." So off to Home Depot we went. Got some sand paper, steel wool, primer, and black paint. Then we went back to my place, prepped everything, and he showed me how to spray on the primer (I've never been good with paint). After that he had to leave to a friends so I finished the job spraying 2-3 coats of paint. Overall, I'm really happy with the turnout (except for a couple spots where the paint pealed because it was lying on the cardboard, but I just touched them up). Anyways, here are the pics I always provide...
It's a little more roomy in the car. While the column was out we took out the brake pedal assembly and we're going to fix it in the shop probably sometime this week.
Old vs. New Coupler and Shaft. Kind of a scary thought looking at the welds. Some of the welds cracked and others didn't even look like they would hold at all. I bet you I could break it easily with a hammer. Bye bye steering... Crash!... Injured/dead.
Disassembly of the steering column:
Parts laying out waiting to be painted:
In primer:
After a coat or two of paint:
Plan for the car is to be driving, safely within the next month. At this point, our schedule is up in the air between both our works and baja, but there should be a couple more updates coming up within the next week or two. I would like to get the car back on the road for old times sake.
As far as brake stuff goes, the column is going to stay out till we get the MC installed. I decided to go manual steering with the new MC and an adjustable pushrod I already have in stock. We're basically going to take out the old, cut rivets on the brake pedal assembly and weld those in. We're also going to cut out the firewall and replace it with some new sheet metal. Going to go with 2, Grade 8 bolts to hold the MC in. I already have new brake lines on hold as well.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/26/1206:36 AM
Had a fairly good day today and made some progress with the car. Well, I got a set of Bilstein RCDs this morning for Christmas so I got a little excited and decided to install the rears since my wheels were already off the ground. I got to work and my mom's husband walks into the garage and tells me I should take a bunch of pictures of the car how it sits now just so 30 years from now I could talk to my kids about it. So we took a bunch of pictures and I continued to remove the shocks. When trying to install my new shocks I needed some oil from my uncle and when I told him about it, he just went at it when he got here trying to work as fast as possible to get these shocks on. Anyways, here are my pictures from today and I hope you enjoy them.
I had a blessed Christmas today and had some real fun with my family. Overall, I'm fairly happy with these shocks. It seems to have lowered my ride just a tad but that's what I want anyways. I still have to get to the fronts though. I'll probably get working on those within the next couple days. I also need to find time with my friend to work on the brake issue and putting the steering column back together. Merry Christmas Moparts and have a great night!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/26/1208:23 AM
Looks good, I still don't know if I will have any exhaust or wheel rubbing problems since I made the same switch as you. I went ahead and bought these though to raise up the rear a bit in case they do. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mrg-1288 You can get them from probably any parts store. mr gasket part # 1288
One of the most important things I see in those pics are the tools. You seem to have developed a habit of putting them back in the cases instead of letting them get scattered all over the garage. It really sucks when you spend half your wrenching time looking for the wrench. A bonus is that friends are more willing to help when they know it won't end up in a game of hide and seek with tools and parts.
That old steering shaft was so scary....glad to see that gone. I think I'd keep it as garage wall art though...a good way to remember how far you've come, and the shortcuts that you are NOT taking.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/27/1206:46 AM
Ok. I'm finally done for the night. I'm pretty happy right now. I believe this is the first time I've ever done anything major to the Dart without any physical help or input on what to do. Just finished putting on the front shocks right now. I had some questions along the way and I just thought it through. The instructions weren't much help but I got them in just fine. I didn't clean up the grease on all the suspension components because I'm just going to pressure wash it all in the future anyways. Another note, found out that the previous owner replaced a stud on the driver side and put on some metric bolt and thread pattern. Unfortunately for me I just ordered a new lug nut from rockauto (extra $3 due to shipping). O well, it's nice to have spares. Here are my pictures...
Overall, I'm happy with the shocks. Front end is sitting a little high but I figure the shocks need to settle. The car is definitely stiffer; however, when you rock the car up and down you still get just a little bounce. That's not firm enough for me. It's obvious the next things that need to be upgraded are going to be my torsion bars and leaf springs (after I get it driving and rebuild the suspension).
My tools are tucked away beneath the car and I'm currently cleaning up the garage. I had a lovely date with my Dart.
Quote: Good work man! I like the way it looks with white walls and no hub caps!
I've been actually thinking about leaving the hub caps off since it's a pure driver quality car and has plenty of big paint chips and irregularities. If anything, I'd probably swap out the fronts for the backs as the whitewalls on the front are thicker than the backs (2 brands of tires). I'm not too big of a fan of the 70's hub caps I currently have. I'd rather have some dog dishes.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/30/1204:50 AM
Sometimes, us old guys are like that. If he's like me, he may have meant to take it off and change....but got wrapped up in what he was doing and forgot!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/30/1205:12 AM
Quote: Sometimes, us old guys are like that. If he's like me, he may have meant to take it off and change....but got wrapped up in what he was doing and forgot!
I don't know. I told him from the beginning before he got dirty.
Anyways, I have the front end up again. Going to try to see if my pads are good or not. Rotors look a little shiny. They may need to be turned. I just hope they're thick enough, or else I may need new rotors.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/30/1205:37 AM
If you're going to put BBP stuff on it I wouldn't mess with the rotors.
Have you fixed the bum brake booster? If not, I could see that potentially causing them to get glazed. Fix that then go romp on the brakes good a couple times, that should take care of the glaze.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/30/1206:09 AM
Quote: If you're going to put BBP stuff on it I wouldn't mess with the rotors.
Have you fixed the bum brake booster? If not, I could see that potentially causing them to get glazed. Fix that then go romp on the brakes good a couple times, that should take care of the glaze.
Thanks. I have no bbp stuff on me. I may get to the MC swap tomorrow, but there's a lot of work. It's pretty cold and I don't know if we'll have enough time. Pads look good. Lots of material left on them. Steering column may be done and together tomorrow.
Quote: Sometimes, us old guys are like that. If he's like me, he may have meant to take it off and change....but got wrapped up in what he was doing and forgot!
sounds like me. I've ruined countless pairs of jeans because I ran out to the garage to 'look at something' and ended up working on something, meaning to come back of after I changed. By that time they are already dirty.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/31/1204:03 AM
So there was some good and bads in today. I'll start with the goods just to keep the glass half full. The good part about today is the steering column is all done and we started on working on the firewall. Here are pictures of the entire steering column assembly (I didn't restore the steering wheel)...
And of course here are some pictures of the firewall and how it is now. We're planning on wire wheeling around the new cutout and bending a new piece of sheet metal to replace the old one.
Now for the bad news. Taking a better look at my disc brake assembly at the very least, my pads and rotors are way gone. The rotors are way glazed over and have this little notch/crevace on them that made the pads stick to them. You can even see in the picture how bad the pads are. At the very least my calipers may need a rebuild and who knows if they are even rebuildable or worth rebuilding/replacing. I'm wondering if I should switch to bbp now or what I should do... Anyways, here are pictures of the carnage.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/31/1208:35 AM
Pads look fine to me. Hard to tell for sure without a side view, but it looks like plenty of 'meat' left. My guess is the last owner, or some previous owner, ran the pads down metal to metal, and the rivets dug a groove. When they got around to changing them, they never turned or replaced the rotor. So the new pads wore to the surface that they were given. Are both inside and outside pads close in thickness? If one is metal and one has life left, you could have a calipers/brake hose problem. If they are equal, or close to it, you have a sticking piston or the calipers isn't sliding.
Quote: Pads look fine to me. Hard to tell for sure without a side view, but it looks like plenty of 'meat' left. My guess is the last owner, or some previous owner, ran the pads down metal to metal, and the rivets dug a groove. When they got around to changing them, they never turned or replaced the rotor. So the new pads wore to the surface that they were given. Are both inside and outside pads close in thickness? If one is metal and one has life left, you could have a calipers/brake hose problem. If they are equal, or close to it, you have a sticking piston or the calipers isn't sliding.
Both pads have quite a bit of meat on them; however, it's like this on both sides of the rotor.
Quote: Pads look fine to me. Hard to tell for sure without a side view, but it looks like plenty of 'meat' left. My guess is the last owner, or some previous owner, ran the pads down metal to metal, and the rivets dug a groove. When they got around to changing them, they never turned or replaced the rotor. So the new pads wore to the surface that they were given. Are both inside and outside pads close in thickness? If one is metal and one has life left, you could have a calipers/brake hose problem. If they are equal, or close to it, you have a sticking piston or the calipers isn't sliding.
Both pads have quite a bit of meat on them; however, it's like this on both sides of the rotor.
Someone ran the old pads into the rotors. That tells you the calipers don't have sticking pistons and they are sliding like they are supposed to. Your pads are just worn to the grooves that the lack of maintenance provided. Look at the steering coupler and firewall. Do you think regular maintenance was performed!? You are moving right along! Borrow a mic or find out if your auto parts store of choice can mic/turn them for you and keep you within replacement spec. I'm pretty sure the small bolt rotors are plenty expensive. So as for changing to big bolt now, I'm not sure what would be more cost effective. Does Rock Auto have a listing for the rotors? Best case scenario is that you can turn them flat, throw some new pads on it, and have fun! Can't really tell how bad the grooves are in there. Back in the day my dad actually had a rotor brazed because he couldn't find a replacement and possibly couldn't afford a new one. (International Travelall) We used to do strange stuff to vehicles. I once rebuilt an alternator instead of replacing it! Wow, that got long. Keep up the good work. Fingers crossed you can save the rotor and some money.
Rotors and pads from rockauto are going to cost me about $100 + shipping, which I honestly don't mind paying. It just may take a couple extra days to get here. At least the pads aren't sticking (which is good). I'm going to see if I can take off all the pads and rotors within the next 2 days for better inspection.
At that price, screw messing with the old stuff! Put new rotors and pads on and enjoy your car! I don't know what turning them would cost, but if they are close to the end of their life cycle, why gamble!
Quote: At that price, screw messing with the old stuff! Put new rotors and pads on and enjoy your car! I don't know what turning them would cost, but if they are close to the end of their life cycle, why gamble!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/01/1301:29 AM
Small bolt pattern rotors for $100? Is that each, or for both? Double check before you get too far along. Last time I checked on a set of small bolt pattern rotors, they were like $175 each. Not being critical of what you're doing,cause it's a good plan if the rotors and pads are that cheap.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/01/1301:38 AM
Quote: Small bolt pattern rotors for $100? Is that each, or for both? Double check before you get too far along. Last time I checked on a set of small bolt pattern rotors, they were like $175 each. Not being critical of what you're doing,cause it's a good plan if the rotors and pads are that cheap.
It was about $40+ per rotor on rockauto. It should be 5x4 as they quote it's for A-bodies between 68-72 (only sbp vehicles).
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/01/1308:51 AM
More work done tonight and more to come tomorrow. I degreased my steering wheel a little to clean it up and get some of that crud off. Also took off my oil breather and repainted it. Lastly, I started to remove all the rotors and pads. Almost done. Just waiting for the PB Blaster to work on the passenger side. Of course, pictures are always provided...
Breather:
Driver's side brakes:
Even if these pads and rotors may still be usable, I'd have more of a piece of mind if they were replaced so I ordered some new rotors (not CD/Slot) and pads. Plus it was a good learning experience trying to take apart the entire disc brake setup.
Great progress!! You're going to have to knock out the old studs to reuse the hub on the new rotors. you can have them pressed out somewhere or use a hammer at home. The way I did it was to thread a spare lugnut on backwards to get the nut and stud at the same flat height. Then smack it flatly with a smooth faced hammer/3lb sledge. When its loose then un thread the nut and repeat 9x. The lug nut will be ruined but the thread and stud will be saved. If you need some spare lug nuts let me know I've got some spares you can have. Keep up the good work!
It was about $40+ per rotor on rockauto. It should be 5x4 as they quote it's for A-bodies between 68-72 (only sbp vehicles).
That's awesome! More than likely,it's just the rotors, and you will have to take both your new and old rotors to a machine shop and get the hubs pressed off the old rotors and pressed onto the new rotors. If they show up as unicast rotors/hubs in small bolt pattern, that's even better, as they are less prone to warping.
Thanks guys, I actually have access to a couple presses at school so I can take it into the shop after hours one day to press out the studs and press in the new ones (if I get them). I should pull off the passenger's side today (those caliper bolts were super angry yesterday) and I may work on some little details around the car.
Great...that will save you some more $$. Don't forget to take a few lug nuts with you (L&R) to screw down on the studs when you press them out. The threads are easy to screw up. DAMHIK!
Quote: Great...that will save you some more $$. Don't forget to take a few lug nuts with you (L&R) to screw down on the studs when you press them out. The threads are easy to screw up. DAMHIK!
That's the funny thing though. When I was taking off the wheels earlier, I believe someone has already replaced my studs with RHT studs. I'm going to check it out later today to make sure.
Hey MuuMuu, I ran gouged rotors for a while due to lack of funds. It just means you'll need new pads when you do the rotors.
I also got my front rotors at Autozone and they have been fine. It's probably about the same price.
BTW - I won't say alot of good about big box autoparts stores but I will say that Autozone is the only place I can find Timken wheel bearings which I prefer.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/04/1312:21 AM
Quote: Hey MuuMuu, I ran gouged rotors for a while due to lack of funds. It just means you'll need new pads when you do the rotors.
I also got my front rotors at Autozone and they have been fine. It's probably about the same price.
BTW - I won't say alot of good about big box autoparts stores but I will say that Autozone is the only place I can find Timken wheel bearings which I prefer.
Just rotors, no hubs, correct? Starting to look for the brake pieces to get my GTS stopping. Good point on the Timkens, too. I did notice they are the only ones that carry them.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/06/1306:58 AM
Some updates. Mostly from today, but some from earlier in the week. So after I pulled my rotors and hubs off, I got bored and wanted to try to take out the grease off my UCA's. I'm not sure if the pressure washer would be able to get the hard stuff off so I worked at it for like an hour or so with some engine degreaser, a chisel, a hammer, and a wire brush. This is a comparison of how it used to look like (passenger side) vs. how it looks like now (driver side).
Earlier this week, my new rotors came in. Here's are pictures of them still in its package. They look like they'll work perfectly. There's definitely a lot more material on these guys than the ones I pulled off. The vented fins are also thicker as well so they should perform quite well.
Earlier tonight my friend and I got working on the firewall, brake pedal, and MC ordeal. I ended up wire wheeling the outer trim of the hole I cut out of the firewall for when we plan on welding the new panel (probably next week). We also made the new panel, just need to do some measurements of where to locate the MC and such. Lastly we worked on the brake pedal assembly (since it had more holes than swiss cheese) and basically we cut off the rivet/stud tabs and we're going to weld on new pieces with holes to mount the MC in the right spot. All the sheetmetal we used was .060" chromoly. Of course, more pictures...
My friend is going to fill up his welding tanks this weeks and we may start welding next week. My pads should be coming in on Tuesday and my studs should be here by Thursday. Hopefully by the end of the month all the brake stuff gets done. There's still quite a bit of work to do.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/13/1304:56 AM
Was a little bored today so I decided to paint something. Took the air filter breather off and worked on that. It wasn't my best work, but it came out better than before so I'll leave it at that. Kind of bittersweet and depressing sitting by the car and not being able to drive it. My friend and I may start working on it a little next weekend. Now with school and baja, time is becoming harder to find. As always, here are the pictures. All the pictures were taken with a fresh coat of paint. I touched them up a little afterwards.
I'm thinking about taking the calipers off and rebuilding them on my own time since the firewall and MC are going to take my friend and I a while before getting finished. I'd also like to paint the calipers black as well as the hubs when I get the studs off just in case I want to go with bigger wheels later on this year (after a suspension rebuild). I'm thinking about these if they will fit due to limited bs options.
Cheap, local, and the right bolt pattern. I figure I could get new wheels and tires for under $1k. I'd like a 275/35/18 series tire all the way around but with the bs offered, I don't think it's going to happen. I may end up going with a 17" (idk whether 7" or 8" wide) wheels with a 245(or 255 if it fits)/45/17 tire. That way the brakes don't look super small and I have less rotating mass.
Quote: Hey MuuMuu, I ran gouged rotors for a while due to lack of funds. It just means you'll need new pads when you do the rotors.
I also got my front rotors at Autozone and they have been fine. It's probably about the same price.
BTW - I won't say alot of good about big box autoparts stores but I will say that Autozone is the only place I can find Timken wheel bearings which I prefer.
Just rotors, no hubs, correct? Starting to look for the brake pieces to get my GTS stopping. Good point on the Timkens, too. I did notice they are the only ones that carry them.
The autozone pieces I got were hub/rotor all 1 piece. Originals I believe were 2 piece.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/15/1306:11 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote: Hey MuuMuu, I ran gouged rotors for a while due to lack of funds. It just means you'll need new pads when you do the rotors.
I also got my front rotors at Autozone and they have been fine. It's probably about the same price.
BTW - I won't say alot of good about big box autoparts stores but I will say that Autozone is the only place I can find Timken wheel bearings which I prefer.
Just rotors, no hubs, correct? Starting to look for the brake pieces to get my GTS stopping. Good point on the Timkens, too. I did notice they are the only ones that carry them.
The autozone pieces I got were hub/rotor all 1 piece. Originals I believe were 2 piece.
So here's the deal. Friend came over last night and we had our hand with the studs. Got 9.5 out. I screwed up the nut so much it won't unthread so we're going to cut it off today. Also, we took a closer look at my calipers and it seems like they are going to need a rebuild. My seals are all rotted away so if I have to take it apart I might as well restore/rebuild them. Anyone know where to get parts? While I'm at it, I think I'm going to paint them black along with the hubs and rear drum covers.
We also took out some of the AC stuff in the engine compartment last night. All the stuff under the dash is a little confusing though.
I also went to the tire shop yesterday since I needed my tire to be plugged and had a look at a lot of 17" tires (primarily 215/45/17 and that range). They don't seem too bad of a size for the fronts. I'm just worried that if I decide to go with bigger wheels and tires later in the year that my 7 1/4 will go capoot.
That's it for now. More progress on the firewall later today though. The more I go through this the longer it seems to take as I keep finding more and more wrong. I guess that's just what we have to go through on 45 year old cars.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/20/1307:43 AM
So here's all the progress of the weekend. Been working slowly but we're pushing through little by little. Got the firewall welded and grinded a little. May do some more work on Monday and work with the pedal assembly as well. I'm going to probably rebuild my calipers since the seals are bad. Also may get new wheel bearings as well since I've practically rebuilt the entire brake system.
Also took out some of the AC stuff from the engine compartment to reduce weight and clean it up a little.
Went to the tire shop on Friday to look at tires. I'd like some 17's but don't know if my axles can handle them in the rear. Also looks like I'm going to need a skinny front (was hoping for something like a 245 or more).
Here are my progress pics...
Hubs and studs:
Going to need a rebuild and a fresh coat of black paint:
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/03/1306:34 AM
Quote:
Quote: Ordered some more parts and am currently degreasing my UCA's. My friend may come over tomorrow night and we may work on the Dart a little.
STOP STUDYING and get back to work.
I haven't been studying much and I have hardly touched my Dart. I got a bunch of stuff in the mail this week. I've been spending most my time in Baja, machining parts. All I've done is taken off the bearing seals on the hubs so I can clean them.
Quote: Baja is great to develop your skills for YOUR project! Do you have access to a parts washer at school?
I'm learning a lot. Even on my Dart when my friend is helping me. I really need to absorb as much as I can in the shop the next couple months because there will only be 4 returning members out of 10 or so of us.
Now that you mention it, I do have access to a parts cleaner. Right now it's crunch time. 10 weeks till we are off to Tennessee. Then 3 weeks after that we're off to Washington.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/15/1306:59 AM
Very small update. No Valentine's Date tonight (must be a curse of the engineers) so I decided to spend some time with the Dart. I changed the upper radiator hose and wire brushed the UCAs. I was going to try my hand at block sanding the firewall, but I didn't have a block with me that wasn't too big so I may just borrow one from the shop tomorrow. Don't worry, I've been sanding so much in baja this year I've earned the nickname of "Sandy Samy." I've sanded everything from aluminum to fiberglass to carbon fiber.
Progress is going to be really slow for a while. All free time and weekends goes to the baja car till our competition in Tennessee, April 16th. Then we have another one 3 weeks later in Washington. I sure do miss driving the Dart.
Cookeville is between Knoxville and Nashville, on I-40. That used to be my gas stop every 2 weeks when I was cannonballing to go see my then girlfriend. That was the good ol days....lived on adrenaline,Big Macs and ! I've since had to cut out the Big Macs. Have fun in TN.
So I guess I'm delving deeper and deeper into mopardom. I just went out this morning in response to a CL ad and bought myself an 8 3/4. The deal was a pretty good deal to not to pass. Basically it's an A-Body 8 3/4, open, 2.76 gears, sbp, 489 case, with all the brake lines intact. It's just a little dirty and greasy but that should clean up no problem. I didn't mind the gear ratio as I'd like lower rpm for highway cruising. The guy I bought it from worked on differentials beforehand. He was a diehard Ford guy who had about 2 E-bodies, 1 A-body, and a couple Jeep projects (none of which were even close to being complete besides the Jeeps).
Right now the diff is off to the side as my 7 1/4 was working fine before I started working on the car. I'll swap this guy in when I change out my leaf springs and possibly get new wheels this summer. I probably won't get any real time working on the car for another 2 months or so. The baja car is going fine. We should be testing around campus this week and then next weekend it's off to the desert! Of course I will always include pictures. I should really start working on my Dart as my parts are just stacking up in my garage and I'm running out of room!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/24/1305:59 AM
Quote: Cool ! Were you able to get the u bolts and shock plates with it? If not, be on the lookout for some. They are different than the ones on your 7 1/4.
That didn't even come accross my mind when making the purchase.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/29/1301:14 AM
I think a running,driving,68 GT with interior and body complete n that nice, is an awsome project,first timer, whatever !!! Good find !! Good job !! Keep us updated,please !! Thanks !!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/29/1307:05 AM
Quote: I think a running,driving,68 GT with interior and body complete n that nice, is an awsome project,first timer, whatever !!! Good find !! Good job !! Keep us updated,please !! Thanks !!
Thanks. It is much uglier in person and no longer running and driving. I tried putting the brake hub together today but it was no good. I stripped a couple lug nuts trying to man handle the studs in the hub. Couldn't even get one in all the way. Luckily a guy on FABO offered me to use his press and air tools for free, so luckily in a couple month or so I may be able to take a trip and have him give me a hand.
Baja is baja. It definitely can get stressful at times. We got the car running and driving. Right now we're testing and trying to work out all of the bugs. R&D, testing, and tuning is pretty cool and possibly something I'd like to do as a possible career path.
Quote: So here is a long term update. I was working out with my best bud today and I pitched him the idea for a San Francisco road trip next year and he loved the idea. Then I told him, "In the Dart." And of course he got a little hesitant. He basically told me, "I don't want us breaking down or stuck in the middle of nowhere forever because something major failed." If I can ensure him that he said he would have no problems with it.
So here is my new goal... Get the car 100% mechanically sound in 1 year to take on a road trip up to Northern California. I pitched him some ideas about possibly going up PCH through Santa Barbara (spending some time there) and head out to San Luis Obispo to spend one night. Then from there we just man handle it up to San Fran for another 3 nights. We would like to spend a day at Great America and we definitely want to go to the Fisherman's Warf one afternoon.
Anyways, we have a while to plan it. Back to the car. So now I am trying to get down a list of things I want/need to do to the car to make sure it is safe and sound. Here is the list I have come up with so far. Please feel free to add anything I may miss or haven't even thought of:
Wants and/or Priorities (in no particular order) 1) Fix power steering couple or switch over to power steering column. 2) Switch over to A-body 8 1/4 or 8 3/4 rear end (keep small bolt pattern for now). 3) Install aftermarket radiator to ensure the car doesn't overheat (I have a mechanical fan and shroud, but I better be safe than sorry if I can cool the car down more). 4) Fix/replace passenger door lock. 5) Fix/replace sending unit (gas gauge doesn't work or works when it wants to). 6) Fix temperature gauge (I haven't seen it work at all). 7) Fix driver side window issues. 8) Get the AC going (there's no compressor, but it is usually cooler in North Cal and I have windows that will roll down). 9) Thorough check of suspension, brake, tire, and fluids before trip. 10ish) If time and budget allow, switch everything over to big bolt pattern and install disc brakes in the front. 11) Clean out the rust in the trunk.
Anything else you can think of? Thanks for following me and for the support!
So it's been 10 months since I made my goals and so far I'm nowhere close to reaching them. The car has been sitting for 4-6 months now with little to no work being done. It doesn't seem like I'll be able to take my San Fran road trip this year. I've been getting that big itch to just finish up the brake system so I can drive her already.
Unfortunately school, work, and baja are getting in the way. Our last baja competition is a week from Tuesday in Washington. After that I'm going to need to catch up on school work a little and 3-4 weeks after that I should be done with school for this year. I'm going to see if my friend is up to helping me fix the firewall and brakes (essentially what we started) right after comp, but he may be a little burned out as I am. All I know is that I don't believe I can finish the brake stuff myself. We'll see how it goes.
New goal... Get the car running nicely during early/mid summer and start driving it. I want to redo the entire suspension this summer as well even though I'm probably not going to get to it; however, I'm not even going to touch or order anything until brakes are done and the car is moving. Things on my list are poly-bushing suspension rebuild kit, subframe connectors (probably custom), f/r sway bars, new leaf springs, new T-bars (I'm thinking 1.00" or greater), FF Stage 3 box, and 17" wheels and tires (probably some polished Streeters from Show Wheels).
The only thing on my agenda for the summer is working M-F, working out, and some designing and testing on my free time for next year's baja cars. So, I should have plenty of time to work on the Dart. Wish me luck. I'm probably going to be asking lots of questions.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 05/07/1303:12 AM
Quote:
Quote: So it's been 10 months since I made my goals and so far I'm nowhere close to reaching them.
Sorry to hear that, but it's not entirely surprising.
When yo ustart measuring project time in years (and I hope for your sake you never do), let me know.
I was thinking about the car today... Plan is to get back to work in a couple weeks. I'm thinking, once I get new wheels, to take off most the GT trim and put a butt stripe on it even though it will have all of the trim holes. I was also thinking about making Carbon Fiber interior door panels and possibly dash in the future...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 05/07/1304:45 AM
I've found that just doing something, anything, that shows some kind of measured improvement will help. Or the idea of heading towards improvement. I have half a stripped 383 in the garage. Stripping it is a PITA. But I'm taking some cans of paint with me on Wednesday and hope it has two coats on it when I leave. Still not in the car or running, but having a fresh looking engine is going to get me moving faster. My problem is wasting time. People stop by to chat. The die grinder keeps the compressor running. So the challenge is in stepping away and being productive on something else! Hope to see you back on it soon!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 05/07/1305:55 AM
Quote: I've found that just doing something, anything, that shows some kind of measured improvement will help. Or the idea of heading towards improvement. I have half a stripped 383 in the garage. Stripping it is a PITA. But I'm taking some cans of paint with me on Wednesday and hope it has two coats on it when I leave. Still not in the car or running, but having a fresh looking engine is going to get me moving faster. My problem is wasting time. People stop by to chat. The die grinder keeps the compressor running. So the challenge is in stepping away and being productive on something else! Hope to see you back on it soon!
I'll definitely be starting it soon; however, my problem is not having the confidence or time to work on the car. My family is starting to ask about it.
I don't think you should have a confidence problem. Everything you've done you've done well. You've listened to advice given and took your time. The time is a problem noone can seem to help with! Lol. Keep plugging away and keep using the vast resources on the board. You'll be back on the road before you know it! You lucky hippos and your clean cars....
Well I briefly talked with my friend yesterday. I told him, "Hey! When summer comes around, we should get back on the Dart." He was not very enthused and said, "Well, I got my car I need to work on." He's talked to me about his Demon before and all I know it needs is an alignment as the entire suspension and brake system is new from last summer. He said, "It still needs small things." So I guess if I want things to get done more quickly I'm going to either find another helper, or go buy a bunch of tools and attempt to do it myself. Which also means I'll have less money for upgrades. Super nervous about doing it myself but a guy has got to learn some day I suppose. This would probably be a good time to pick up a welder and learn how to weld.
So this is a list of what I need done so it will hopefully be running and driving: 1) Press wheel studs in rotors/hubs (FABO member offered to help me with that) 2) Replace/rebuild calipers 3) Clean welds on firewall from replacement panel 4) Weld new "ears" (for MC mounting location) for brake pedal mount 5) Drill holes in firewall and brake pedal mount to mount MC 6) Install and bench bleed MC 7) Bend and install new brake lines from Distribution Block to MC 8) Bleed entire system 9) Install Steering Column (ready to go)
It doesn't look like my friend is going to be much help, so I'm going to need to buy most the tools and do it myself, I guess. Since I didn't have the tools and I was bored today, I decided to tinker with the driver's door a little. I figured out I'm missing a roller that goes into the window track. Since that's not there, my window rolls up and down at an angle and often gets stuck. I had to pull the plastic film that was on the tracks as it was getting the window stuck also (it was already torn up to begin with). I knew the door wasn't original to the car, but I figured out that the adjustable mirror didn't belong to the door as I started to take it off to make sure all the adjusting cables were intact. The hole to mount the adjusting knob mechanism doo hickey was only drilled to barely clear the threads and not the trim ring that goes into it. Then there's still the issue where the window is crooked on the door and won't close properly. That one perplexes me, but part of the problem is that the car is raised in the front by jacks. I'd need to see it with all 4 wheels on the ground. The previous owners are killing me.
So, the plan for this summer is to buy some tools and fix the Dart so at least I can drive it around school time. I figure I'd need a cut off wheel to grind the welds, a hole saw to cut the hole for the MC input, brake line bending tools, line wrenches, etc. Anything else you guys can think of? I'm not sure if I want to get a welder just yet as I'd like to practice first. Unless I just buy it and practice at home.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/08/1306:27 AM
Went to the pick-a-part today and pulled out the brake pedal assembly out of the 75 Valiant so I don't have to reweld, measure, and drill holes into the one I had. I tried getting the spindles out of the Cordoba but I was getting tired (went after work) and I didn't have the right hammer to get the studs on the UCA off the spindles. O well, it's not a necessity. I have pictures but it's taking forever to email them to myself.
Plan on getting back on the Dart in a week. I have finals this week. Hopefully I pass my classes with all the school I missed from baja.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/17/1305:49 AM
Ok, it's my first weekend since I've failed all my finals and I am absolutely bored to death. Perfect reason to get back into the Dart on my free time. I've got a lot of questions and all I need is some tools and some cajones. Let's get this Dart back on its toes.
I am (pretty) sure you are kidding about failing all your finals. If not, You have a good basic set of tools and this board should give you all the cajones you need. So get to work
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/18/1301:17 AM
Quote: I am (pretty) sure you are kidding about failing all your finals. If not, You have a good basic set of tools and this board should give you all the cajones you need. So get to work
The sad part is that I'm not kidding. Still waiting for grades for the two classes I'm not too sure about. I just bought a grinder and hole saw and should be getting to work this week. Dying of boredom.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/19/1303:04 AM
Started getting back to work and building up my cajoneses... Going to be working for awhile tonight.
Edit: And only a half an hour or so later I already got too carried away and now am going to need some bondo/filler for some gouges I made in the weld area.
Edit 2: It's worse than I thought (definitely not a bondo fix)... I broke the welds and there's a hole all the way through in 2 spots. -_-
Quote: Well I briefly talked with my friend yesterday. I told him, "Hey! When summer comes around, we should get back on the Dart." He was not very enthused and said, "Well, I got my car I need to work on." He's talked to me about his Demon before and all I know it needs is an alignment as the entire suspension and brake system is new from last summer. He said, "It still needs small things." So I guess if I want things to get done more quickly I'm going to either find another helper, or go buy a bunch of tools and attempt to do it myself. Which also means I'll have less money for upgrades. Super nervous about doing it myself but a guy has got to learn some day I suppose. This would probably be a good time to pick up a welder and learn how to weld.
Not trying to be out of line here but it sounds like instead of having feelings of your friend won't help you, turn it around and go help him finish his ride, Then the two of you have a Hot Rod to hit the streets in and at night or weekends he'll be more than happy to finish up the Dart with you.
One Hand Washes the Other!!! You'll build a stronger relationship with him and you'll also learn from him.
Back in 1978 if it wasn't for my friend Matty helping me do the clutch in my Satellite I would have been paying people to work on my car's my whole life!! Ron
Quote: Well I briefly talked with my friend yesterday. I told him, "Hey! When summer comes around, we should get back on the Dart." He was not very enthused and said, "Well, I got my car I need to work on." He's talked to me about his Demon before and all I know it needs is an alignment as the entire suspension and brake system is new from last summer. He said, "It still needs small things." So I guess if I want things to get done more quickly I'm going to either find another helper, or go buy a bunch of tools and attempt to do it myself. Which also means I'll have less money for upgrades. Super nervous about doing it myself but a guy has got to learn some day I suppose. This would probably be a good time to pick up a welder and learn how to weld.
Not trying to be out of line here but it sounds like instead of having feelings of your friend won't help you, turn it around and go help him finish his ride, Then the two of you have a Hot Rod to hit the streets in and at night or weekends he'll be more than happy to finish up the Dart with you.
One Hand Washes the Other!!! You'll build a stronger relationship with him and you'll also learn from him.
Back in 1978 if it wasn't for my friend Matty helping me do the clutch in my Satellite I would have been paying people to work on my car's my whole life!! Ron
I would more than love to help him out with his Demon, but there isn't much I can offer to the table with regards to help. It would basically be him teaching me how to do things on his car the entire time and he might get annoyed/irritated. We just spent an entire year building a baja car so we're a little burned out from working with one another. Plus it seems all he's worried about right now are "pools and beer."
So buy a case of beer and that might get him interested. Thats how it is with all my buddies, beer makes them work with ya for a while, till they get to hammered
Quote: So buy a case of beer and that might get him interested. Thats how it is with all my buddies, beer makes them work with ya for a while, till they get to hammered
I wouldn't have a problem with that. I just can't really drink any as I believe I'm allergic. After 1/5 a bottle my face starts to flush and I get nauseous. O well.
I really don't know what I'm going to do with the firewall. I got dimensions for where the MC studs and pushrod goes on the firewall from FABO. I'm thinking about getting the studs, rotors, and hubs together myself. Throw them back on the car, momentarily reinstall the steering column, and call a tow truck to take it to my shop to deal with. I just want to drive the car more than anything right now so I can work on other things and upgrades later. I know it's taking the easy way out, but it's been 9 month since the accident and I'm anxious.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/23/1312:19 AM
So, I went to the pool yesterday to hangout with my baja friends. We were talking cars and when some of them asked what I was doing with the Dart I told them about the firewall. One of my friends told me "O, that's an easy fix, just use a welder." I told him I didn't have one and my friend who was helping me before just dropped his head and said I could find cheap gas welders on CL.
Anyways, today I went over to a FABO member's house and he helped me press in my wheel studs. He was giving me tips and showed me a couple of his buddy's cars. He had a 66 Valiant and 78 Cherokee that were pretty cool. It was also nice to hear him and his buddy's old stories of them street racing in their old mopars (mostly A bodies). He offered to help me rebuild my KH calipers as well since he has compressed air so I'll be back there within the next couple weeks.
It feels good to have another thing crossed off my list. Still have a ways to go.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/29/1307:54 AM
Got to work on the Dart for a couple hours tonight. Getting better with the grinder but still made a couple mistakes. I am going to need to cut, repatch a small piece of the firewall, refill and grind the welds on some new holes I made. I figure I'll either buy or borrow a welder within the next month or so. Almost done grinding the welds but have hit a couple trouble spots. I've got some measurements to mock up the holes for my pedal assembly from FABO so I may be doing that early tomorrow afternoon. Anyways here's my progress. It's not very pretty. I just want to get this nightmare over with. This sucks.
Good to see some progress But what sucks is not what you're doing. What sucks is trying to work on rust belt cars. Yours looks brand new compared to the ones many of us have spent years with. Keep getting your hands dirty, both you and the Dart will get better.
Quote: Good to see some progress But what sucks is not what you're doing. What sucks is trying to work on rust belt cars. Yours looks brand new compared to the ones many of us have spent years with. Keep getting your hands dirty, both you and the Dart will get better.
Yeah, I know. Californians are spoiled. What sucks for me is not really knowing how to fix the problem and messing up other spots all the time. I currently have 2-3 threads on FABO trying to fix this issue. I would like to get this all situated by the summer and be able to drive the Dart during the year.
Edit: Just pulled the calipers. I hope to take them apart and put new seals on them some time this week (possibly paint them too). Going to try to see if I can use the shop air at school.
Ordered a some tools this weekend I should get in by tomorrow. I also need to order a MC adapter from Doctor Diff I'm hoping to get by next week. I just found out that one of my bases at work is having a car show on September 28th. I think that would be a good goal to try to motivate me to get the Dart running. A little over 110 mile round trip for that ride and it's 2 days after school starts.
OK you've had the new tools for a couple days now - is the car done? Again, don't fear this project. There is very little you could screw up that can't be fixed. That is called education and the way that most of us learned.
Quote: OK you've had the new tools for a couple days now - is the car done? Again, don't fear this project. There is very little you could screw up that can't be fixed. That is called education and the way that most of us learned.
No... I haven't had much time to work on it during the week but I'll be cranking on it today and tomorrow. Just need to eat breakfast first.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/21/1312:33 AM
Went to the shop to use the compressed air to remove the pistons from my calipers since the seals were broken. I was only able to get 7 out of the 8 out. Hopefully I can get the last one out sometime during the week. I plan on resealing and cleaning the pistons and then installing the hubs, rotors and calipers back on the car so I could put the car back down on the ground and roll it around as needed. Work is slow... Just trying to think less and do more.
Finally was able to fix the brake pedal assembly today so it fits and all the mounts line up. New, remanufactured calipers are coming during the week. Next weekend I should be going to a friend's house to press in new bearing races into my hubs. Hopefully, the following week, the car is on all 4's.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1302:52 AM
Should be getting some work done this weekend. My friend with the press is sick and can't work on anything for another month so I'll have to remove and press these bearing races at home. Don't really know how, but I'll figure it out I guess. New calipers also came in yesterday. They sure are shiny to say the least. Car may be on all 4's this weekend.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1303:07 AM
Knocking them out is easy a big socket to persuade them in is secondary to a press. Have you talked to a machine shop or automotive shop about pressing them in?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1303:22 AM
Quote: Knocking them out is easy a big socket to persuade them in is secondary to a press. Have you talked to a machine shop or automotive shop about pressing them in?
I don't have a large enough socket at home and don't know of many/any machine shops in the area. My mechanics are only open for 8-12 tomorrow and are generally busy. I can stop by in the morning but they don't really know I have a Dart and generally make me feel dumb or unwelcomed whenever I go in because I was naive with my Stealth. I'll try anyways.
Someone mentioned cutting the races out with a grinder. That doesn't seem like it's going to happen with the tools I have. MuuMuu + Grinder = Bad...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1303:34 AM
There has to be a retired mechanic in your area that you can befriend. Hit the car shows, local community college anyone with tools who are willing to teach.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1303:42 AM
Quote:
Quote: Knocking them out is easy a big socket to persuade them in is secondary to a press. Have you talked to a machine shop or automotive shop about pressing them in?
I don't have a large enough socket at home and don't know of many/any machine shops in the area. My mechanics are only open for 8-12 tomorrow and are generally busy. I can stop by in the morning but they don't really know I have a Dart and generally make me feel dumb or unwelcomed whenever I go in because I was naive with my Stealth. I'll try anyways.
Someone mentioned cutting the races out with a grinder. That doesn't seem like it's going to happen with the tools I have. MuuMuu + Grinder = Bad...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1304:11 AM
Do you have a punch and a fairly large hammer? You pound them out from the backside, give it a hit then move 180 degrees and another hit until they are out. Then to press the new ones in you use the old races between the hammer and new race to work them in. You work them all the way down and then use the punch again on the old race to knock it back out for good (naturally you have to use care not to damage the new races). I wish you lived near me, we'd have this whole car done in no time. Surely someone on the forum lives close and would like to see this Dart on the road again?
Quote: Do you have a punch and a fairly large hammer? You pound them out from the backside, give it a hit then move 180 degrees and another hit until they are out. Then to press the new ones in you use the old races between the hammer and new race to work them in. You work them all the way down and then use the punch again on the old race to knock it back out for good (naturally you have to use care not to damage the new races). I wish you lived near me, we'd have this whole car done in no time. Surely someone on the forum lives close and would like to see this Dart on the road again?
Sheldon
That's not bad at all. I think I can do that all tomorrow. I just need new cotter pins and possibly a larger hammer. Those bearing race drivers are pretty nifty, but I'll try the new/old race trick. I don't think this one big enough?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1306:32 AM
Quote: You really have a nice looking ride, it'd be nice to see a nicely done GT and not a GTS or Swinger clone
Thank you. I'm not necessarily a fan of the GT trim. It's in ok condition (pitted and scratched) and most of it is held on by JB Welds. Plus the driver's door is missing the trim hole mounts since it isn't original to the car. I'll keep it on for now, but when I start to do body I may just take them off but keep little bits and pieces here and there or incorporate them on other parts of the car for heritage's sake.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/03/1306:53 AM
It sure is a shame this is what's going to be hiding behind some 14" steel wheels. Would prefer some 17's on there to show off just a little. Possibly one of these wheels since they're cheap and offered in sbp: http://motechperformance.com/?page_id=22 . I would just need to clean up and install my 8 3/4 laying in my garage as I don't think the 7 1/4 would handle it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1312:18 AM
Things are getting done fast and the car will be on the ground tonight... Just a little irritated that I bought all new bearing races from NAPA when I found that I already had brand new Timken ones at home. This was after I already installed them!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1301:25 AM
Quote: Things are getting done fast and the car will be on the ground tonight... Just a little irritated that I bought all new bearing races from NAPA when I found that I already had brand new Timken ones at home. This was after I already installed them!
Rule # 1: Check your inventory before you buy anything! Either the part you know you have has disappeared or the situation you just ran across. (It is a learning process) Good to hear you are productive and (seemingly) enjoying some progress.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1301:32 AM
Quote:
Quote: Things are getting done fast and the car will be on the ground tonight... Just a little irritated that I bought all new bearing races from NAPA when I found that I already had brand new Timken ones at home. This was after I already installed them!
Rule # 1: Check your inventory before you buy anything! Either the part you know you have has disappeared or the situation you just ran across. (It is a learning process) Good to hear you are productive and (seemingly) enjoying some progress.
At least I've got back ups when the NAPA ones fail...
Yes, enjoying today's progress. Almost done. I just need to mount the calipers and put the wheels on and I'll post some pictures.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1306:11 AM
Finally got the disc brakes on today. They look super nice. I just hope I installed everything correctly and the car actually stops and nothing breaks or falls off.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1306:13 AM
Here's the passenger side. One of the caliper bolts was being a PIA and wouldn't want to go in. I finally was able to force it in but had to apply a huge amount of torque. I hope I didn't strip any threads or cross thread.
I bet most of you forgot I had Bilstein RCD shocks...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1306:17 AM
Last one, kind of a huge milestone today as this is the first time the car has been on all 4's since about January. I'm kind of digging the low stance, patina look. Maybe I'll go with no hubcaps till I upgrade to larger wheels. Tires in the rear seem to be a little upset for holding so much weight for so long. I think one good Saturday's worth of work with a helper who can weld and bend brake lines and the car should be ready to drive. Again, really worried nothing explodes on me on the maiden voyage or something goes wrong later down the road.
As long of a day as today was, I still enjoyed myself and endured little frustration. I guess we have our good and bad days. Today was just a good one. Still debating if I should clean the garage tonight, or tomorrow...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1306:54 AM
make sure the parking brake works, and holds really tight. if you lose the brakes for some unknown reason, hold out the release, and use the parking brake as "the" brake. double check all connections, lines and hoses before you go. you'll be fine.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1307:06 AM
Quote: make sure the parking brake works, and holds really tight. if you lose the brakes for some unknown reason, hold out the release, and use the parking brake as "the" brake. double check all connections, lines and hoses before you go. you'll be fine.
Parking brake did not work rolling down a hill at 30 mph last I drove it back in September...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1308:25 AM
Quote: Here's the passenger side. One of the caliper bolts was being a PIA and wouldn't want to go in. I finally was able to force it in but had to apply a huge amount of torque. I hope I didn't strip any threads or cross thread.
I bet most of you forgot I had Bilstein RCD shocks...
Eek.. Sould have run a tap through the holes first maybe.. Shouldnt have to FORCE them..
Quote: Here's the passenger side. One of the caliper bolts was being a PIA and wouldn't want to go in. I finally was able to force it in but had to apply a huge amount of torque. I hope I didn't strip any threads or cross thread.
I bet most of you forgot I had Bilstein RCD shocks...
Eek.. Sould have run a tap through the holes first maybe.. Shouldnt have to FORCE them..
At that point I was just done with the car, plus I don't own any taps. I think part of the problem was the clip that holds the brake lines that also bolts onto the caliper was applying a side load. If the calipers are coming off in the future, so are the spindles for a bbp upgrade.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/29/1306:29 AM
At this point I've pretty much lost almost all motivation to work on the car. I can't coordinate a time with someone to weld the firewall for me (conflicting schedules). At this point I'm thinking about buying a small welder on CL and just practicing on scrap metal before I'm comfortable to work on the car. If that doesn't happen, the car may sit for another year as school is starting in a month.
Honestly, sometimes I debate sending the car out to be done and just paying the money (which I have). Just getting the car out of the garage and not working on it defeats the point of me buying it in the first place. That and I don't really like my mechanics. They can be lazy at times.
I know, I know. I talk too much and are a broken record.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/29/1311:38 AM
Send it out to have the welding done and tackle the rest yourself. That is what seems to be holding you back. Once that is done everything else seems ready to fall into place.
Hire a guy with a portable welder to come to your place and do the five minute weld job. It will cost a bit but probably less than a tow truck both ways. Or go rent a small MIG for two days. It's not good to leave the car undone for another year.
For the price of a case of Tastykakes you may be able to persuade a certain OC ginger to make a road call I agree it seems as though the weld is your big hurdle - get it done and you can fairly quickly get it on the street. There is no shame in needing help when you are a beginner.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/30/1303:27 AM
Quote: For the price of a case of Tastykakes you may be able to persuade a certain OC ginger to make a road call I agree it seems as though the weld is your big hurdle - get it done and you can fairly quickly get it on the street. There is no shame in needing help when you are a beginner.
Like I said, time is an issue. I'm gone most week at work. I leave early and don't usually get home till 5pm or later. Only some of my weekends are free. Having all of that and trying to coordinate with someone to come and bring a welder is difficult. It'd be better for me to send the car out to be done completely and made to run and stop properly. Only problem is to get the car out of the garage I have to move the two cars parked in front of the garage and install my steering column to be able to turn the car 90 degrees out of the driveway. I can do that, or as I said, try to learn to weld it and work on my own time
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/02/1301:48 AM
Well, this weekend kind of marks the one year mark of the Dart being inoperable. It's also my mom's first wedding anniversary with her husband. I just got into contact with a friend today and so far, the plan is to try to patch the firewall with his TIG welder on Friday afternoon. We'll see how things dish out the next couple days. Watching F&F 3 last night inspired me just a little bit to get something going. If everything goes as planned, maybe I'll be able to drive this car before school starts Sep 26th.
Chris, I think it's counterproductive to discourage him more. He doesn't have the knowhow or experience to knock out the weekends worth of work that fast. Most of us needed some kind of guidance at some point. Samy, keep plugging away. Take a break if you need to, but I think that if you can get someone to take care of the welding for you, you should be able to get the rest back together in a pretty reasonable amount of time. Keep going! Driving it again will be a nice reward!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/04/1312:38 AM
Quote: Chris, I think it's counterproductive to discourage him more. He doesn't have the knowhow or experience to knock out the weekends worth of work that fast. Most of us needed some kind of guidance at some point. Samy, keep plugging away. Take a break if you need to, but I think that if you can get someone to take care of the welding for you, you should be able to get the rest back together in a pretty reasonable amount of time. Keep going! Driving it again will be a nice reward!
Words of wisdom from a guy who defines persistance. Get your welding done - the rest will not seem so insurmountable and you will learn as you go - just like all of us did!!
Quote: Chris, I think it's counterproductive to discourage him more. He doesn't have the knowhow or experience to knock out the weekends worth of work that fast. Most of us needed some kind of guidance at some point. Samy, keep plugging away. Take a break if you need to, but I think that if you can get someone to take care of the welding for you, you should be able to get the rest back together in a pretty reasonable amount of time. Keep going! Driving it again will be a nice reward!
Words of wisdom from a guy who defines persistance. Get your welding done - the rest will not seem so insurmountable and you will learn as you go - just like all of us did!!
Thanks guys. This Friday isn't going to happen. We're taking the baja car for one last testing/fun day this weekend somewhere out in Apple Valley before we start tearing it apart. So I'll be stuck at school every day after work this week prepping the car and packing things up for the trip. Today I've got to tighten things up and make sure nothing is going to fall off or break. I'm going to drive it around and push it in the back lots of school. Maybe something will happen next week with the Dart. I have to talk to my friend about it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/05/1307:43 AM
Nevermind, racecar gave out on us. Our already yielded CVT spring finally gave out and now the car is a pig. No Fun Day on Saturday. May be able to work on the Dart again.
I know I'm super wishy washy and whatnot but bare with me. At this point it looks like I'm going to just watch youtube videos and read up on welding. I'll most likely rent or buy a welder and try at it myself. School is starting next week and I think I think I'll be able to sneak in some time on the weekends. I may have to go sleepless some Friday or Saturday nights. I've been trying to watch Big Muscle and Roadkill episodes to help motivate me. Let's make Fall Fling attendance my new goal.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/02/1305:10 AM
So, I'm kind of throwing in the flag on this one. I just talked with my dad today. We both agreed that I should just send the Dart out and have my mechanics fix them. So, the plan is to install the steering wheel back in the car (maybe tonight after my homework) so I can maneuver the Dart out of the garage, hopefully sometime before Saturday, and have AAA tow it over there. I'm going to ask them if they can have it done before the 25th of October so I can take the car over to Fall Fling. I'm going to have them check all of the brake work, get her driving safely again, and fix the small little issues if there's time.
Update: Just threw in the steering column so the car can turn (no roll pin) and packed up the trunk with all my parts. Now I'm going to write a detailed report for my mechanics on what I have, what I've done, and what I'd like to have done/fixed.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/02/1308:20 AM
That's okay, after you get the important things like school out of the way, you'll have more time to work on your car building skills. First things first.
My dad wanted me to send it over there months and months ago, but I was stubborn and wanted to see how much I could do on my own.
Anyways, I just pushed the Dart out of my garage and am awaiting for AAA's arrival in an hour. I'm going to go pick up some donuts real quick for my mechanics to butter them up a little and then I'll head on over there to tell them what's going on. Hopefully they can have her driving safely by Fall Fling.
Update: So AAA came and picked up the car. I followed the tow truck to my mechanics and just couldn't stop thinking to myself, "Man, the Dart front end looks so BA." I'm excited to be able to drive it again. I showed my mechanic the car and told him the most important thing to focus on was the brakes and making sure it runs nicely. He said turn around time, if everything was ideal, 1 week. If nothing goes wrong and he gets it done on time, I may give him another week and have him try to fix the small issues like the locks and my driver door/window problems. He didn't seem too happy with me from changing from power to manual brakes though.
Just got a call from my mechanics. The Dart brake system is done and the car is running. I'm going to check it out and drive it in 3-4 hours. They said there's a small problem with the engine. They're reading low compression in one of the cylinders.
Update: So I went to my mechanics. I actually got to drive the car a little and it drove just as well as before. Cylinder 2 is reading approximately 60 psi. There were a couple little issues I wanted addressed so I told them to keep it another half week. The steering wheel wasn't centered, the turn signals weren't working (I'm guessing there was no ground), my friend broke my speedo cable, I wanted them to check the locks, I may need a couple tires, etc. So I will most likely bring the Dart to Fall Fling, drive it around for a month or two, save some money, and send it back to them to redo the entire suspension (rebuild kit, steering box, T-bars and leafs, possibly sway bars), install my 8 3/4, and put on some new 17" wheels. It's not going to look pretty at Fall Fling, but it will most likely be there.
On a positive note, my mechanics told me I did a good job on putting the brake system together. So that was a good "pick-me-up."
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/24/1306:28 AM
Quote: So maybe it just needs a valve job with the low compression?
That's what I figured.
He didn't fixed the speedo as he said I gave him the wrong one. Apparently my fitting that hooks to the trans was either way too small or way too big.
I pick up the car tomorrow. We'll see how much they did as he said I had a "big list." I hope he at least replaced the front tires, fixed the turn signal, realigned the steering wheel, and reinstalled the interior panels. It seems to be drivable. I should be at Fall Fling so feel free to catch up with me and say hi. I may need a buddy to look around the swap meet area with me as I'm possibly going to be in the spending mood for some goodies.
Update:
Well after a year of plenty of ups and downs and a busy life, I was finally able to get the Dart running and driving again. There were times I had bursts of progress and times I was just simply too afraid to work on the car. Well, 3 weeks ago I sent it off to my mechanics to put the final touches on the brake system. I test drove it last week and today I picked it up. First thing I did was take it to the local cruise to show a friend of mine who has a Challenger there.
I'm happy I have the Dart now. The best way to describe driving the car would be to say it's "refreshing." Driving it makes life seem simpler. I don't care it's not shiny, with the biggest and baddest motors, with all the creature comforts. It has a crappy chipping paint job, missing the trim on the driver's door, none of the gauges work besides the alternator gauge, the blue protectant on the two new white walls hasn't been wiped off, and it's slow as hell. But then again, it's my Dart. It starts right up, is now safe, and has character to it. No one at the local cruise had a mopar with missing trim, steel wheels w/o hub caps, and 1 year build up of dirt.
I just figured I should post this. I'm going to drive it 4 miles to school tomorrow to see how well it likes freeways and hills. If it's good, it will be going to Fall Fling just the way it is. No wash, no prettiness, it's going to just drive.
Anyways, I should get to studying. I have 2 math exams tomorrow I haven't started studying for and I've got an engineering exam on Monday. On top of all that, my uncle from Lebanon is flying in again tomorrow. Busy weekend, much?
Again, thank you moparts for being an awesome site with some great guys! If anyone at Fall Fling wants to meet up. Send me a pm.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/15/1309:25 AM
So a little update from my last post. The Dart took the 90 mile round trip to Fall Fling like a champ and I had a fun time out there. After Fall Fling, I haven't done anything really to it. I drove it to school for about 2 weeks straight, but now I just drive it every other week to relieve some stress and go someplace new. Luckily, I just finished all my finals this week for the quarter so I have 3 weeks off (sorta) before I go back (again sorta). I've got a couple bugs I'd like to work on and get sorted to make the car a little more safe. So hopefully I'll have time to work on that as I work from 8am-2pm everyday and am going to have to go to school to machine parts for the baja car till who knows how late. Also, I'll be leaving my work after the New Year. I've just been juggling too much and need to focus on school. Plus, it really wasn't a place I could see myself working at in the future as something I'd enjoy doing. So, unless I find another job, money won't really be coming in. Luckily I saved almost every penny I could from my 1.5 year run.
Things I'd like to work on:
1) The steering column was only installed 90% of the way there. Right now the turn signal housing occasionaly spins as I'm turning the wheel. I'm assuming that will stay put once I mount one of my brackets I've got in a box that goes with the steering column. Also, my turn signals don't work. I took the steering column apart last year and completely went through it and replaced the cam (it was working before, just didn't return one way). I think it's something simple as a ground not being connected, I just don't know where to connect it.
2) Cleaning the grease from under the car. It's got about an inch layer of good, thick grease underneath the engine area. It's scary.
3) The driver's door rear view mirror aims at the ground. I removed the adjusting mechanism on the door to fiddle with it a little but it seems like something broken or not working right.
There seems to be some sort of oil leak possibly. I cleaned some spots up when I moved my car. It was definitely dark, with some thick and greasy stuff (like the stuff found underneath the front end). I also spotted 2 small spots of trans fluid.
Besides that, I've taken two of my friends out on a trip. The first one was a couple months ago or so and she felt the trip was interesting. She did enjoy herself and we had a fun time. The second time was tonight where I took my best bud out. We went to a Ramen place about 15 miles away and it was really nice just cruising on a big street at night with very little cars.
It's definitely a fun car to drive and am glad I decided to buy it and work on it over a year ago.
Quote: Thick grease.... Maybe a steering component is leaking grease like too much was applied? Or maybe the U-Joints?
Glad you kept the car. It looks good.
I wiped the oil and grease last time I drove the car just so I can figure out exactly where under the engine the stuff is falling from. Most the time it seems like the biggest puddle/pile is about where the exhaust collects right around the bell-housing area, but I want to make sure of it.
Besides that, I've been swamped and had no time to even look at the car. I've been waking up every day at 6 am to go to work and after work (been putting in ~5 hours a day), I head over to school to work on the baja car (either designing or machining). I've been getting home every night somewhere between 9 pm and midnight.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/25/1302:26 AM
Little bit of an update. I've been fiddling with the Dart a little today. So, turn signals do work; however, the housing/lever still spins. Basically the turn signal lever stays somewhere between 9 and 12 o'clock on the steering wheel. The cam I replaced does work, luckily. I don't remember the steering column being like that when I first had the car, but I guess it works now.
Also, there is still some sort of leak. It's in the same spot, right underneath where the bell-housing connects to the engine and the exhaust swings over from the passenger side exhaust manifold. I checked my oil levels and they were just a touch bellow the "safe zone."
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/25/1303:29 AM
Quote: Little bit of an update. I've been fiddling with the Dart a little today. So, turn signals do work; however, the housing/lever still spins. Basically the turn signal lever stays somewhere between 9 and 12 o'clock on the steering wheel. The cam I replaced does work, luckily. I don't remember the steering column being like that when I first had the car, but I guess it works now.
Also, there is still some sort of leak. It's in the same spot, right underneath where the bell-housing connects to the engine and the exhaust swings over from the passenger side exhaust manifold. I checked my oil levels and they were just a touch bellow the "safe zone."
Sounds like rear main.
Could be valve cover gaskets, intake gasket, or even the oil pressure sending unit.
Did you figure out the low compression? Is that a 318? I just pulled the 318 out of my truck in favor of a 360. 318 was even compression across the board. It's greasy as heck because of leaky valve covers. I wiped a lobe on the cam last year but swapped in a 360 cam. It doesn't really NEED to come apart, but the bearings should be checked because of the wiped lobe (metal specks going through oil system)
Anyways, you're welcome to the motor for your dart. Otherwise I'll be listing it for sale
I did the rear main in my 68 truck with the motor in place. Dont waste your time on the $8 removal tool from summit. I only removed the rear crank cap to replace it.
Well, the Dart is back up on jack stands again. My mom came up to me this morning telling me I have a flat tire on the front passenger side (which was a brand new tire). I go, lift the car up, put it on the stand, take the wheel off and check it for any punctures or to see if the tire fell off the beads. It all seemed fine. I take it to my super tiny, portable car compressor I got from my Aunt for Christmas (that requires a 12V plug-in, Thank you Aunt!) and pump the tire up. It was extremely slow to pump up and then I found out that the little valve stem has a leak. So now I'm assuming I need a new wheel... Definitely not a lovely way to start off my morning. Especially since I have homework and a lab to complete.
Quote: Well, the Dart is back up on jack stands again. My mom came up to me this morning telling me I have a flat tire on the front passenger side (which was a brand new tire). I go, lift the car up, put it on the stand, take the wheel off and check it for any punctures or to see if the tire fell off the beads. It all seemed fine. I take it to my super tiny, portable car compressor I got from my Aunt for Christmas (that requires a 12V plug-in, Thank you Aunt!) and pump the tire up. It was extremely slow to pump up and then I found out that the little valve stem has a leak. So now I'm assuming I need a new wheel... Definitely not a lovely way to start off my morning. Especially since I have homework and a lab to complete.
You shouldn't need a new wheel. Just have someone pop a new valve stem in it. Should cost a total of $5. Or if you know someone with a tire machine, it'll cost you whatever a new stem is at Auto Zone. Pop the bead, replace the stem, fill it back up.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/27/1401:51 AM
Quote:
Quote: Well, the Dart is back up on jack stands again. My mom came up to me this morning telling me I have a flat tire on the front passenger side (which was a brand new tire). I go, lift the car up, put it on the stand, take the wheel off and check it for any punctures or to see if the tire fell off the beads. It all seemed fine. I take it to my super tiny, portable car compressor I got from my Aunt for Christmas (that requires a 12V plug-in, Thank you Aunt!) and pump the tire up. It was extremely slow to pump up and then I found out that the little valve stem has a leak. So now I'm assuming I need a new wheel... Definitely not a lovely way to start off my morning. Especially since I have homework and a lab to complete.
You shouldn't need a new wheel. Just have someone pop a new valve stem in it. Should cost a total of $5. Or if you know someone with a tire machine, it'll cost you whatever a new stem is at Auto Zone. Pop the bead, replace the stem, fill it back up.
Yeah, after a quick search I found that it's a pretty cheap fix.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/02/1405:33 AM
I'm starting to make plans for the next step of the build (hopefully this summer). I just want to wait till I start my internship before I actually start ordering parts and such just so I know I've got some money coming in. I definitely need a suspension rebuild but don't know what parts to go with. I'm split between MOOG or PST. I'd like something suited for better handling. I was also thinking about getting T-bars from Firm Feel (probably a 1.06 or should I dare to go bigger?) and leaf springs while switching out the diff. Only thing is I don't know much about who sells good leaf springs. I'd like something to lower the car a bit and offer good handling. So far I know of Hotchkis, but I'm curious as to what other options there are. I know you can buy lowering shackles, correct?
I was also looking at probably purchasing this tool set from Mancini as I'd like to try doing the suspension on my own. I just don't know what else I'd need.
I've also watched a couple videos on youtube about taking apart the front end on an A-body; however, they had the engine out of the car. I'm not sure if I'll be able to replace the 273 this summer. I'd like to go with a mild/stock 360 for simplicities sake. I don't know if I'm getting too ahead of myself, but that's what I'd like to do.
I won't be able to get to brakes, wheels, and tires for another year or so, I'd think.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/17/1412:44 AM
A little bit of an update. I've been driving the car around and starting to film gopro videos in it for a potential Youtube channel. It's something new I'm trying. I'd like to influence more people into the car culture as well as just throw out my opinion on cars. It's been a lot of fun and my cruises generally last a little longer than usual when I'm filming.
Anyways, I just filed for taxes yesterday and since I'm a student, I should be getting a fat amount of cash from the IRS in my bank account soon. That being said, after Spring Fling, the car is going to come apart and get the upgrades it needs. Things I'm looking into are a Hotchkis TVS (although I won't be able to use the UCA's just yet), 1.06" T-bars from Firm Feel, a suspension rebuild with MOOG parts from rockauto, and a HF welder and jack (to learn to weld, make subframe connectors, weld the K-frame, and weld on some tabs here and there). With those, I should still have a little cash left over from my tax refund so I'm thinking about replacing the 273 with a junkyard 360. Maybe (and that's a big maybe), I may add in a Borgeson Box (mostly coming out of my pocket) since everything will be out of the car anyways. I'll be swapping the 7 1/4 for my 8 3/4 when the springs go in. However, with all those mods I'm going to need a new exhaust and other trinkets here and there I know I'm not accounting for. I do have thoughts of potentially doing a simple, junkyard Chinese turbo build too. I don't want to get too carried away here, though.
It's going to be a very steep learning curve but I've always got you guys to help, right?
Anyways, here's a picture of me and the Dart on Valentine's Day as I couldn't get a date...
remember not to get too carried away. When you take it apart too far and can't enjoy it after an upgrade, that's when frustration and loss of interest sets in. Damhik..
Glad to see you sticking with the car. Sounds like you're going on the right path career wise and will be able to afford some cool upgrades to the car. AND you are thinking ahead with other upgrades that will be necessary when changing out other stuff. I'm building a stroker motor and have thought hard about doing it as I know I will need to beef up the clutch, trans, brakes, and rear end if I put sticky tires on. But then I think about adding the passon 5 speed, the snowball effect is a PITA! Keep up the good work and let all future dates know what has seniority over them, hah.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/21/1412:47 AM
Quote: remember not to get too carried away. When you take it apart too far and can't enjoy it after an upgrade, that's when frustration and loss of interest sets in. Damhik..
That's the one thing I'm worried about; however, some modifications just seem silly to do if I don't do it as a whole. Like, if I swap out rear leafs, I might as well throw in the better diff. Or, if I'm going to take the front end and suspension apart for a rebuild, I might as well replace the engine while I'm at it. If I enjoy it how it is now, I guess it can't be that much worse after my upgrades.
Quote: Glad to see you sticking with the car. Sounds like you're going on the right path career wise and will be able to afford some cool upgrades to the car. AND you are thinking ahead with other upgrades that will be necessary when changing out other stuff. I'm building a stroker motor and have thought hard about doing it as I know I will need to beef up the clutch, trans, brakes, and rear end if I put sticky tires on. But then I think about adding the passon 5 speed, the snowball effect is a PITA! Keep up the good work and let all future dates know what has seniority over them, hah.
Yeah, I've been looking on CL at some 360 engines. I don't want anything crazy but it seems that used Magnum engines pop up for about $500. I'm still thinking about the turbo thing. It doesn't seem too complicated and expensive but it will just be extra work. I just don't want to do work twice. I talked to [Email]Dan@Hotchkis[/Email] and he said I can order a TVS with the small upper ball joints so I can use my current KH setup and swap the ball joints when I change to bbp. On top of that they also have LCA bushings and the heim joint boots so I won't need anything from Rockauto, I can get it all from 1 company. The Passon 5-speed... I've been thinking about putting my name on that list after I graduate.
Well, I just got off the phone with my dad. My bank account is going to take a small hit today, I'm going to be purchasing the Hotchkis TVS, greasable pins and lca bushings, and subframe connectors for the Dart. I'm going to save the UCA's in my garage for now and just go with the offset bushings as I still have the small ball joints. I'm also going to give Firm Feel a call and purchase some 1.06" T-bars. Lastly, I'm going to be getting new shoes and a drum hardware kit for my 8 3/4, buy some tools from Harbor freight when it arrives and fix that up myself during Spring Break next week in between my work days.
Honestly, I'm not going to have much time to work on the Dart so after Spring Fling I'm going to send it all down to my mechanics and have them install the setup. While they're at it, I was thinking about having them look into the compression problems and cleaning up all the grease then sending it to an exhaust shop for a simple dual exhaust. My dad on the other hand told me to "hand him the specs" on the engine I want so he can purchase a complete engine or long block. I'm not sure I want to go that route as I know not much interchanges between a 273 and 360. Plus I'm going to need a much better exhaust after that's done.
I don't know, I've been planning this for awhile and kind of anxious as I don't know what to expect. Sure, it's a shame I won't be able to work on it much, but I figure there will always be other modifications I'm going to want to do in the future.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/21/1401:12 AM
Quote: Well, I just got off the phone with my dad. My bank account is going to take a small hit today, I'm going to be purchasing the Hotchkis TVS, greasable pins and lca bushings, and subframe connectors for the Dart. I'm going to save the UCA's in my garage for now and just go with the offset bushings as I still have the small ball joints. I'm also going to give Firm Feel a call and purchase some 1.06" T-bars. Lastly, I'm going to be getting new shoes and a drum hardware kit for my 8 3/4, buy some tools from Harbor freight when it arrives and fix that up myself during Spring Break next week in between my work days.
Honestly, I'm not going to have much time to work on the Dart so after Spring Fling I'm going to send it all down to my mechanics and have them install the setup. While they're at it, I was thinking about having them look into the compression problems and cleaning up all the grease then sending it to an exhaust shop for a simple dual exhaust. My dad on the other hand told me to "hand him the specs" on the engine I want so he can purchase a complete engine or long block. I'm not sure I want to go that route as I know not much interchanges between a 273 and 360. Plus I'm going to need a much better exhaust after that's done.
I don't know, I've been planning this for awhile and kind of anxious as I don't know what to expect. Sure, it's a shame I won't be able to work on it much, but I figure there will always be other modifications I'm going to want to do in the future.
T-bars should be shipped today. I'm assuming Rockauto will ship my brake stuff on Monday. So I should have everything by the end of next week at the latest. I was shocked... I almost want to take my Dart to the mechanics now and say, "Get started, I need it by April 4 for Spring Fling." But I think that would be too much work.
I also just checked my 8 3/4 there seems to be no play in the yoke which is good. I'm probably going to start cleaning the grease off of it as I'm getting bored at home with nothing to do.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/25/1404:38 AM
Quote: Sweet! I would be geeked out if I had that setup sitting in boxes waiting for my car! I want a TVS for my Coronet so badly!
Your Dart project is awesome and I have enjoyed keeping up with it. I can't wait to see what that TVS will do for it!
I'm definitely curious how the car is going behave with the stock wheels and brakes. I have a feeling it's going to better the ride in cruising but once I try to take it to some hard turning the tires will break loose. It really makes me want to go ahead with bbp, 18" wheels, and large disc brakes. I just need more time and money (don't we all?).
I don't know what I'm going to do about my final drivetrain through. I've been trying to find a good, running 360 to throw in there but that's been a little difficult. I definitely would like to go with boost. I'm not sure if I want to do that with a 360 or throw in something else. EFI would be nice.
So I didn't realize it but there was more Hotchkis parts that came in on Wednesday, so I'm super excited about that. Also, my brake rebuild kit, new shoes, and wheel cylinders arrived so I may head on over to HF and pick up some drum brake tools. I'm probably going to start by degreasing the diff first. Then, if I have time today, start the rebuild. One thing I noticed is I didn't realize that each shoe kit comes with shoes for both sides so now I have an extra set I know I won't end up using unless my brake upgrade is held off longer.
I also ordered some windshield wiper refills from rockauto and am extremely disappointed with the brand I got. First off, the quality of the blades and packaging sucked. I ordered 15" refills and although the package says they're 15", they were more like 13". Finding rifills is extremely difficult. My friend at the cruise may give me his for a 16" and I may just have to cut it down to size. Mine are extremely old and are ripping apart. I guess you get what you pay for.
O, and I don't know what happened to Firm Feel. I ordered my T-bars a week ago and Dick said he had them in stock and they should be shipped last Friday. They sent me an unofficial invoice (no shipping) and then nothing. Nothing's been charged on my account and I checked with my bank and they said there were no restrictions on my card (I made like 4 purchases that day, Firm Feel being the last). I called earlier today but they were busy so I sent them an email.
I wasn't really very impressed with Rockauto stuff, either. I was going with them to try to do my car inexpensively, then I went out and bougt an expensive disk brake setup and a bunch of stainless lines and my budget was shot to he!! . Oops.
Quote: I wasn't really very impressed with Rockauto stuff, either. I was going with them to try to do my car inexpensively, then I went out and bougt an expensive disk brake setup and a bunch of stainless lines and my budget was shot to he!! . Oops.
I like getting stuff from them because usually I'm in class or at work when the parts stores are open. So it's easier for me to buy them and have them shipped to my house. Plus, every time I go to the parts stores, they almost always don't have my parts and rockauto ends up having them (usually cheaper even after shipping).
Anyways, Thursday I spent a good amount of time with a wire brush scraping off all the old grease and dirt off the 8 3/4 rear end. It's starting to look pretty nice now. I also bought drum brake tools so I'll post pics of everything after I finish the brakes up.
Quote: I wasn't really very impressed with Rockauto stuff, either. I was going with them to try to do my car inexpensively, then I went out and bougt an expensive disk brake setup and a bunch of stainless lines and my budget was shot to he!! . Oops.
I like getting stuff from them because usually I'm in class or at work when the parts stores are open. So it's easier for me to buy them and have them shipped to my house. Plus, every time I go to the parts stores, they almost always don't have my parts and rockauto ends up having them (usually cheaper even after shipping).
Anyways, Thursday I spent a good amount of time with a wire brush scraping off all the old grease and dirt off the 8 3/4 rear end. It's starting to look pretty nice now. I also bought drum brake tools so I'll post pics of everything after I finish the brakes up.
Progress is a good thing! I am itching to get back on mine, and there is some small stuff I want to start doing to the Dart.
O, I forgot to mention. After I emailed Firm Feel on Thursday, they got back to me in a couple hours and shipped my part out (have the proper invoice and tracking number). So I should get it early next week.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/02/1408:09 AM
Ok, so it's update time. The update is I haven't done anything yet because school and my internship take up 95% of my time. But good news, school finishes in a week; however, I may be working full time this summer. Which is good and bad because it means more money but less time.
So, I still have the TVS sitting in my garage awaiting to be put in. Only problem is I need a welder (may have to go shopping in a couple weeks) to install all the little brackets here and there. I was also thinking, I might as well go bbp and big disc brakes on all 4 corners. So to do this I was thinking about going Dr Diff 13" Brembos on the front and 11.7" Cobra on the back. Only thing is I'd need new axles and probably a new carrier that's more fun (like 3.55 or 3.91s with a Eaton TrueTrac). For wheels I already know what size I'm going to go with and I know what tire I'd like to use.
My thing is, I really don't know what the most cost effective way of doing this is. Is it doable to take apart and assemble a differential in my garage or is it best to send it out? Also, there's the question of buying a new carrier or just getting the ring and pinion with the diff separately and installing it into my carrier? The suspension doesn't seem too hard nor does the disc brakes.
I'm for sure, at the base minimum going to need to fix my head on the 273 unless it's something worse. Then I'll have to replace it. There's also little odds and ends here and there. But if possible I'd like to get all that done over the summer. A friend from work offered to help any time and I may have another friend who may help later on in the summer. All of the parts though is going to set me back quite a few thousands of dollars (maybe $6-8k depending on how I do it) but the Dart should be a more fun car after that.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/18/1407:24 AM
Well, I got some progress done Saturday and today. I tore apart my 8 3/4 and am getting it ready for a rebuild. It's the first time I've ever done something like that and I'm happy I was able to do it alone. I'm slowly facing my anxiety complex. Anyways, I've got it down to a bear housing. The carrier was a bit tricky pulling out on my own and I accidentally spilled almost all the spare diff oil.
Now the next step is to clean the housing and get it painted or powdercoated before a friend of mine reassembles it. I just am not sure how at the moment. But, once it's powdercoated new bearings, bbp axles, 3.55 gears, and a Eaton TrueTrac is going in. My friend has been rebuilding 8 3/4 for 30 years or so, so I'll have him put it together. While he's doing that, I'll order my brake kits from Dr Diff. Once that's installed I'll be able to measure my custom wheels and hopefully get a 275/35/18 to fit all the way around. My goal is to get rear end, brakes, wheels, tires, and Hotchkis TVS done by the last weekend in September. If there's time and money, maybe a new engine and/or trans will go in. This GT is going to stand for something new, "Gran Turismo." I'm excited!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/02/1403:21 AM
Baby, mini update. I'm still cleaning the housing. It's tough to get all the little 40 year old dirt and grease clumps off of it. I'm going to my diff builder friend's this weekend to drop this stuff off so maybe I'll clean it there because I know he's got a proper cleaning station. I also ordered my entire rebuild kit from Dr. Diff and man is it pricey, but hopefully this diff will get built before the end of the month. Then all I'll need to do is order my brake kits from him next month and I'll have 95% of the pieces to put this car together. The 5% is for the unknown.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/05/1401:14 AM
Thanks. This morning I took the housing over down to OzHemi's place and we pressure washed it to get all the grease and grime off. After that I brought it back home, made a trip to Home Depot, rubbed it with a fine steel pad and some mineral spirits, and shot a couple coats of primer over it. It's just a light coat for now to prevent rust. I'll clean it up, sand it, touch it up, and paint it when I get the housing and diff back.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/05/1401:17 AM
Tomorrow I'm going to take the housing, carrier, and other parts down to my friends place. I don't want this to be one of those, "Get to it when you can projects," that end up dragging on for a year so I'm going to ask him if he can get it done within 2-3 weeks. The nice part is he's doing it for free. But, I made the big order with Dr Diff a couple days ago and they should be coming in soon. So, I should have one bullet proof 8 3/4 soon.
I got my rear end back, but it's still not done. My friend did a great job putting together the carrier and the Eaton TrueTrac. It looks awesome. He was also nice enough to paint everything. I've just got to install the axles and carrier into the housing and get started with the next project. Next thing on my list to buy is brakes and I should be ready to tear the Dart apart. I'm still debating between Dr Diff stuff or making my own set with Brembo calipers, but I might just go with Dr Diff as it will probably be faster.
Luckily, my uncle, who's done body work for 50+ years, is bored now that he's retired and has been anxious and really wants to help working on my Dart.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/02/1408:40 AM
I still haven't forgotten about the rear end. I was going to finish it up this week but realized I needed my brake kit before I could put the axles in. So, I ordered my brakes and now all I'll need, besides the little stuff, are the wheels and tires before it all goes together. I need to really start to get moving on this as my deadline to finish it as school is going to start in 7 weeks. I'd be happy if it's done in 3 months as that's when Fall Fling is. Sounds like a lot of time but I don't want to count on it.
I don't drive the Dart much at all anymore. Last time I took it out to a show it left me with a flat tire (leaky valve stem) and that kind of gave me a bad vibe (I wouldn't want something to happen to me while I'm on a long road trip). So, hopefully most of its bugs and worries will be worked out with the new suspension, brakes, wheels and tires.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/16/1406:06 AM
So, things are finally moving with the Dart. First things first, I bought a sweet flip top gas cap from a FABO member that I hope to put on my Dart with an adapter ( http://fliptopcapadapter.com/about.html )...
Next on the list... I purchased the Dr Diff front and rear brake kit. I got the 13" rotors up front with the Brembo looking calipers and in the rears I got the 11.7" kit with the Mustang calipers.
Rough mach up of what the fronts would look like:
Today I did a lot of work putting the 8 3/4 together. In the past weeks I've managed to install the carrier onto the housing. Today I installed the axles, adjusted for play (with help from a friend), and bolted on the brakes. I still need to do lines but was tired and gave up for the night.
Ignore the mess...
So, hopefully during the week I can manage and finish up the lines.
Next weekend, I guess, would be the start of installing the front brakes and Hotchkis TVS. It's kind of a scary thought. I definitely don't want this to be one of those eternal never ending products. I need to get the car driving again (after the suspension, brakes, wheels, and tires replaced) before the start of October. I think it's doable. I may need some help along the way.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/18/1401:42 AM
Quote: Keep it up! Glad you stuck with this car and hopefully you get it going quick. If only you were closer, I would help. Just keep plugging away at it.
Thanks. I've never thought about selling it. Just trying to keep it moving. I'm still a little bummed I won't be able to work on getting a better engine and trans in there for another year or so, though. Still thinking about options for that.
Anyways, I got my flip top gas cap adapter last week. Unfortunately, I thought it would be a bolt-in application but I'm going to have to do some work. I've got a 3 bolt mounting surface for my gas cap and a 4 bolt mounting surface on the quarter panel. I also have to drill in holes into the spacer (which I assumed would be drilled beforehand). Trying to think of the best way of doing this. The only instructions were a picture.
1.I placed the adapter on my cap. (with the cap open and on the bench) 2.Clamped it in place. 3.Drilled the 1st hole. 4.Placed a screw through the hole. 5.Lined it up and clamped it again. 6.Proceed to drill the rest of the holes. 7.Used the original screws that hold the filler neck to the Quarter panel to put it all back together.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/31/1405:08 AM
So I got a lot of work done today. I called my friend over, he's got a '71 Demon, and in 4 hours we tore apart the entire front and rear suspension. The car is a hovercraft now. Anyways, when I was taking apart the front, I noticed the LCA bump stop was just chilling on the driver's side and the spot welds that held that bracket on the LCA had broke. Luckily I've got extras or could have my friend reweld them on. I figure since the LCA's are out, I might as well get stiffening plates. We also are going to have to make new lines in the front. The fittings that connect to the front brake hoses were rounded off so we had to cut the line. The way we're probably going to do it is run the line around the core support to clean up the firewall a bit. We might even add a line lock just for fun. Besides that, there were really no bad issues. I just got to make sure that most everything I order this weekend gets here by Friday. Everything was pretty straight forward. I've got a lot of degreasing to do under there because it's disgusting. We were black afterwards.
A friend of mine also has some Bullit Mustang wheels lying in his garage. They're 17 x 8" and have 245/45/17's on the front and possibly 275/40/17's on the rear so they'd be good wheels for a mach up.
Next weekend, we'll probably install the rear end and leaf springs.
So things on the To Do List... 1) Degrease/clean 2) Plate and install new bushings in the LCA's 3) Redo the front lines and possibly add a line lock 4) Install 8 3/4 rear end with leaf springs. 5) Cut and balance driveshaft 6) Install front suspension and brakes 7) Borrow friends Bullit Mustang wheels and measure wheel size.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/06/1407:57 AM
I didn't get as much done as I wanted to today, but any progress is better than no progress. We started just checking everything on the calipers and making sure everything cleared. I ended up removing all my caliper spacers as we noticed that the rotors would hit the inside of the caliper. After that we started working on redoing the rear lines. My friend's flaring tool (manual/mechanical) didn't like the plastic coating it's got on the lines. We even sanded it off and tried it but the flares were sub-par. So we're going to borrow another one of my friend's hydraulic flaring tool and hopefully that should do the trick. We also decided to throw the rear end under the car. It was actually quite a bit more work than expecting but we finally fit it.
Tomorrow our goal is to finish the lines that go on the differential and start the lines up front. I decided to just copy the factory lines and have it follow the path on the firewall. The new proportioning valve and line-lock (burnout button) came in today as well as some bump stops and other small goodies.
Got a little more work done today. We finished the lines on the differential, installed the shocks, and torqued everything down. We were having trouble removing the lines from the distribution block up front. There's not much room to clear a wrench between the steering box and the exhaust. So, we may just end up cutting it and going over to the original idea of bringing the line around the frame rails and core support with a T-block. While we're at it we're going to have to redo the lines that go from the front to the rear to the car as they cross the path of the subframe connectors.
I also am going to start cleaning the LCA's sometime this week. I've still got to remove the strut rods (don't have the tooling to get enough torque to remove the nut), weld on a bumpstop bracket (the spot welds broke off), weld on the stiffening plates, and install the pin and bushings. Once the front lines are done, the front suspension can slowly be assembled.
All the work isn't going to get done before the September 25th, but hopefully we can finish it off before Fall Fling, October 25th.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/09/1402:49 AM
Got a little more done today... My friend made the lines that go from the MC to the prop valve and line lock for a quick mach up. The mounting bracket will be a plate connected to the MC bolt and sandwiched between the two. We ran out of lines and fittings today so tomorrow we're going to head to NAPA and see what they've got. We've already emptied out Autozone over the weekend even though they didn't have much.
I also started cleaning up and degreasing the LCA's. The stiffening plates should be here tomorrow so hopefully we can have the new bushings, pins, and plate welded in by Wed or Th.
While I was removing the distribution block today (after all the lines were cut), I wasn't paying attention while I was unscrewing the bracket that holds the block and it fell on my head. I only bled for a minute or so.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/12/1404:37 AM
So, I stopped by an offroading shop today to buy the last of the brake parts. I bought my T block and some "clips" to hold the hard lines across the body. The clips are way over built (they're machined aluminum parts) and were extremely stupid expensive so I hope I don't use all of them so I can return a majority of them.
I also went to OzHemi's house today after work and had him weld up my LCA braces and one of the bump stops that broke off one of the arms. It's crazy how there was literally no slop in either of the arms.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/13/1407:02 AM
Got some more work done today. I spent some time with the suspension while my friend worked on the lines a little bit more.
So suspension wise, my focus was on the LCA's. I was able to paint them, install the bushing and greasable pins, and install the bump stops (itty bitty ones from Energy Suspension). They came out pretty darn good. (The flash in a dark room makes them look like there's primer everywhere).
I was also able to install some rod end boots on my UCA's just as a little security precaution...
So for the brake lines we decided to go with the frame rail idea and here's the path we took...
The front to rear lines are going to mount on the inner side of the subframe connectors and connect to the back. The passenger side still isn't done but it's going to be made similar to the driver side.
Also as a cool, quick, little fact. I had 0.87" T-bars (which I believe are 340 car size) in my car just because it had AC. I just thought that was kind of neat.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/13/1407:07 AM
While my friend and I were working on my Dart, I had to go in for a little but when I walked back into my garage, my friend was talking to someone in the driveway. I asked my friend what's up and he said, "Some guy wants to buy your car." The guy was parked at the end of my driveway (blocking it completely) and standing next to a new Hyundai Genesis. My garage is perpendicular to my driveway and was about 10-20 ft away so he couldn't have seen much of the Dart. So I walk out a little more and said...
Me: "Howdy."
Stranger: "Is your car for sale?"
Me: "Which car?" (Hoping he'd say my '11 Scion tC or my mom's husband's '01 Focus in the driveway. Deep down inside I knew it was my Dart)
Stranger: "Your Dart."
Me: "Nope."
Stranger: "Awww, come on."
Me: "Nope."
Stranger: "Not even for $10k?"
Me: "Nope."
Stranger: "$10k Cash!"
Me: "Nope."
Stranger: "Look I've got cash on hand!" (Pull $10k right out of his pocket)
Me: "Nope!" (I was started to get a little agitated at this point)
Stranger: "Fine..." (starts to get back into his car)
Me: "Adios."
I was probably a little bit of a jerk with my short responses I didn't really feel comfortable with a guy I don't even know, never seen, or talked to come and park onto my property wanting to buy my car that's always parked in my garage. He must have driven by my house a couple times to know what's in there. It felt a little stalker-ish and that really left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm a little over protective of my belongings and things I care about (family, privacy, home, etc.). The road to my house is on a steep incline and ends maybe 5-6 houses down so we don't get much traffic. Also, the car is parked in a closed garage most days so it rarely gets seen.
To me, it would have been more understandable if my car was actually running and driving and parked at a car cruise before someone asks about buying my car. I guess I wouldn't want to sell it in any other condition.
I have a weird emotional attachment to it. I've had my good and bad times with the car. Right now I'm in the middle of a huge build. I just installed an 8 3/4 that has been completely gone through. My friend is almost done redoing the brake lines. We're about to install the rest of a Hotchkis TVS. I've got a big brake kit ready to go into it. I've already invested way more than $10k. On top of that, selling it now would make the car pointless. I originally bought the Dart to learn the mechanics of cars by actually working on it. Why would I give up mid build and take the easy route out? I certainly wouldn't be learning as much as I am now. Plus it's my work that's going in the car and that's something I'd like to be proud of.
Anyways, I'm having fun with the car right now. I get to spend time with my friend and make something cool. Plus, this is my only hobby, at the moment, to keep me occupied while I'm on my summer break. Without the car, I'd go insane due to utter boredom.
It's kind of strange how he just through a value out without ever looking at the car up close. Idk, this is just a new experience for me, I guess.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/13/1407:16 AM
Quote: Got some more work done today. I spent some time with the suspension while my friend worked on the lines a little bit more.
So suspension wise, my focus was on the LCA's. I was able to paint them, install the bushing and greasable pins, and install the bump stops (itty bitty ones from Energy Suspension). They came out pretty darn good. (The flash in a dark room makes them look like there's primer everywhere).
I was also able to install some rod end boots on my UCA's just as a little security precaution...
So for the brake lines we decided to go with the frame rail idea and here's the path we took...
The front to rear lines are going to mount on the inner side of the subframe connectors and connect to the back. The passenger side still isn't done but it's going to be made similar to the driver side.
Also as a cool, quick, little fact. I had 0.87" T-bars (which I believe are 340 car size) in my car just because it had AC. I just thought that was kind of neat.
Why aren't you using armor sheathing on your break lines?
Quote: Why aren't you using armor sheathing on your break lines?
Idk... What would be the downside of not running them? All the lines are custom. I haven't seen any armor sheathing in stores.
You run the risk of road debris hitting line and either kink it or causing a rip. Had it happen to me, luck of the draw I guess. Lost my front brakes. You can buy it from Finelines.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/14/1412:38 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote: Why aren't you using armor sheathing on your break lines?
Idk... What would be the downside of not running them? All the lines are custom. I haven't seen any armor sheathing in stores.
You run the risk of road debris hitting line and either kink it or causing a rip. Had it happen to me, luck of the draw I guess. Lost my front brakes. You can buy it from Finelines.
Lost the front brakes on my 67 Coronet from not having the armor on the line. It happened a few weeks after I did the repair thankfully at low speed. Since then every car I do gets new lines.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/19/1402:04 AM
Was doing some work on the Dart today. Got some brake clips in to hold the hard lines. Unfortunately I messed up and set myself back another week. Before I bought my brakes I had bought "restored" 73+ A body Drum brake spindles thinking they'd work with the Doctor Diff kit. Nope, I was stupid and didn't look over the website carefully. Now I've got to order some Repro disc brake spindles tonight. Anyways, after closer inspection, the threads on the spindles I have were a little banged up and had parts of it had been grinded. I've also been stressing too much over which wheels I should get.
This is going to be difficult. School starts a week from today. I've got to get this car on the road before Oct 25 (Fall Fling).
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/23/1401:40 AM
Got some more work out today. I removed the driveshaft (making a big ATF mess ) and my friend and I cut the ends, measured what we need to, and the ends should be shipped to member Old Goat to have a new driveshaft made.
Also, we brought out a punch and a BFH for the pins and started hammering the back side so that we'd can start tightening them down. This method did work out great. Only problem we had was at a point the nut bottomed out on the threads before the pin fully seated in the K-frame so we added the oem washers underneath the Hotchkis washers. We still have full thread engagement on the nut (about 3-4 threads showing).
I've been juggling back and forth between Cass and I regarding tracking numbers. He had to drop ship them from the supplier so they may get here later in the week. Hopefully brakes will probably be done by Saturday. I'll do some quick measurements and I'll order my wheels.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/28/1406:14 AM
Quote: While my friend and I were working on my Dart, I had to go in for a little but when I walked back into my garage, my friend was talking to someone in the driveway. I asked my friend what's up and he said, "Some guy wants to buy your car." The guy was parked at the end of my driveway (blocking it completely) and standing next to a new Hyundai Genesis. My garage is perpendicular to my driveway and was about 10-20 ft away so he couldn't have seen much of the Dart. So I walk out a little more and said...
Me: "Howdy."
Stranger: "Is your car for sale?"
Me: "Which car?" (Hoping he'd say my '11 Scion tC or my mom's husband's '01 Focus in the driveway. Deep down inside I knew it was my Dart)
Stranger: "Your Dart."
Me: "Nope."
Stranger: "Awww, come on."
Me: "Nope."
Stranger: "Not even for $10k?"
Me: "Nope."
Stranger: "$10k Cash!"
Me: "Nope."
Stranger: "Look I've got cash on hand!" (Pull $10k right out of his pocket)
Me: "Nope!" (I was started to get a little agitated at this point)
Stranger: "Fine..." (starts to get back into his car)
Me: "Adios."
I was probably a little bit of a jerk with my short responses I didn't really feel comfortable with a guy I don't even know, never seen, or talked to come and park onto my property wanting to buy my car that's always parked in my garage. He must have driven by my house a couple times to know what's in there. It felt a little stalker-ish and that really left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm a little over protective of my belongings and things I care about (family, privacy, home, etc.). The road to my house is on a steep incline and ends maybe 5-6 houses down so we don't get much traffic. Also, the car is parked in a closed garage most days so it rarely gets seen.
To me, it would have been more understandable if my car was actually running and driving and parked at a car cruise before someone asks about buying my car. I guess I wouldn't want to sell it in any other condition.
I have a weird emotional attachment to it. I've had my good and bad times with the car. Right now I'm in the middle of a huge build. I just installed an 8 3/4 that has been completely gone through. My friend is almost done redoing the brake lines. We're about to install the rest of a Hotchkis TVS. I've got a big brake kit ready to go into it. I've already invested way more than $10k. On top of that, selling it now would make the car pointless. I originally bought the Dart to learn the mechanics of cars by actually working on it. Why would I give up mid build and take the easy route out? I certainly wouldn't be learning as much as I am now. Plus it's my work that's going in the car and that's something I'd like to be proud of.
Anyways, I'm having fun with the car right now. I get to spend time with my friend and make something cool. Plus, this is my only hobby, at the moment, to keep me occupied while I'm on my summer break. Without the car, I'd go insane due to utter boredom.
It's kind of strange how he just through a value out without ever looking at the car up close. Idk, this is just a new experience for me, I guess.
That guy must have really admired your handi work. I'd just have leveled with him sorry i want to keep it and on top of that your i don't know you and your blocking my drive way.
I know what what you mean/how you feel. You just never know people's motives these days.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/24/1405:15 AM
So, I should probably update this thread. I've been busy with school for the past 3 months so I haven't been able to work on the car till last weekend where I was able to loosely put the entire suspension together.
Tonight, I asked my friend to help me real quick. I wanted another set of eyes when looking at my Dr Diff disc brake kit as I don't think anyone has installed this on an A-body. Apparently there were contact issues with some other rear mounted calipers and these UCA's due to an added bend in the UCA. Of course, mine interfered as my calipers are humungous. So, we swapped spindles side-to-side and there was a good 1-2" of room between the caliper and the strut rod throughout the suspension's full range of motion. So, some brake lines are going to need to be moved around, but that shouldn't be a major problem. While waiting and thinking for a bit we took a detour to install the driveshaft.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/01/1504:48 AM
So today I decided to stop thinking about the things that are stressing me out more in life and focus on a different, but arguably, less burdensome task.
I finished putting together the entire front suspension and brake setup. I toqued everything but I haven't fiddled with my camber bolts because I'm not sure how to set those properly. I also installed my Hotchkis, Fox Adjustable shocks and right now I set them to the softest setting. I just hope when I start driving this thing it will be painless and I won't find things I overlooked or forgot.
Right now, what I need to do is remake a couple of the front brakelines to make up for the front mounted calipers, swap out my rear shocks, install subframe connectors and sway bars, send it to an alignment shop, and some fluid based maintenance (oil change, add trans fluid, flush radiator, etc.)
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/15/1506:54 AM
I know it's towards the end, but I'm throwing in the towel. I've got the wheels on the car and put the car on the ground. Definitely an awesome moment and all I could think was how bad @$$ it was. Well, next weekend, I'm going to be sending the car over to my mechanics. I'm going to have them redo a couple brake lines, do some regular maintenance, set its alignment, and weld in the sway bars and subframe connectors.
Hopefully it will be done sometime before April and I'll be able to take it to the Hotchkis Autocross and/or Spring Fling.
One thing I was upset about was that one side sits higher than the other. Whenever I fiddled with the passenger side adjuster the ride height changed. No matter how much I tightened or loosened the driver side torsion bar adjuster the ride height stayed the same so now my car has a little gangster lean to it. The whole driver side is taller than the passenger side. Overall, I like the ride height of the passenger side.
Also, it looks like there may be some interference with the top passenger quarter panel brace. I don't have that problem with the driver's side because the brace tore off sometime in its lifetime... No, seriously, the mounting points are gone, sheared.
Due to the wheels, the GT trim is starting to grow on me. I really don't know why, but not too long ago I wanted to throw it all out. Now I wish I kind of had the driver's door trim and all the trim was in better condition.
So here are some pictures... I edited on my phone, increasing the brightness and adding a filter to see more of the details. That's why there's an interesting hue to it.
Quote: That's looking nice. Strangely I like the trim as well. It sets it off and actually works well with the new wheels.
Sheldon
Just a week ago I wanted to completely get rid of it, now I'm not so sure anymore. Like I said, I kind of wished I had a driver's door trim. Ironically, someone a year or two ago on FABO was selling one and someone informed me of it. I blew it off because I was planning on removing it some day. Now I kind of wish I didn't.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/22/1505:30 AM
Getting back on it. Finished my last set of finals on Friday, so hopefully I pass all my classes. Then I should be working full-time soon.
Other than that, I'm back on the Dart. I've got a bunch of little things I need to take care of. Today I replaced a shock (the one I got had a shim that was accidentally pressed in the bushing). Tomorrow I'm going to fiddle with the front and the ride height a little bit. Monday I'm doing an oil change (actually the first one I've ever done). Tuesday my friend is coming over to do brake lines and help me bleed the system. Wednesday I'm going to start greasing ball joints. Hopefully Thursday or Friday I'll send it out to be aligned. And if I'm lucky, I will be able to compete in the Hotchkis Autocross over the weekend.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/10/1501:30 AM
Well, a big update for you guys... I got the Dart on all 4's again and sent it to a shop. Part of it is to get some safety concerns addressed and the other part is to make it a racecar. Things on the list to get done... Engine swap (I already have a deal made it should make more than enough power for me to handle), new steering box (we're going to try something new, not Borgeson or FirmFeel), a potential manual trans swap (up in the air), and new interior (seats, belt, steering wheel, steering column/maybe, and a 4-point cage). It should be fun, but man is it going to hurt the bank account.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/11/1503:51 AM
Thanks all. I'm excited for what it's going to turn to within the next couple of months. It should be a sweet car! It was either trade-in my daily driver and get a Scat-Pack or leave the daily alone and build a Dart that will probably be faster than the Scat-Pack.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/11/1504:12 AM
I love my Scat Pack! Is it like driving my 70 charger? No, but there's something about driving a 4speed manual steering car. The charger makes me feel 16 again, the Scat Pack makes me feel my age.
Just my opinion but I like the fact you have to drive an old car. Turning an old car into a modern driver takes away the fun of an ill handling car.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/11/1506:38 AM
Originally Posted By moparpollack
I love my Scat Pack! Is it like driving my 70 charger? No, but there's something about driving a 4speed manual steering car. The charger makes me feel 16 again, the Scat Pack makes me feel my age.
Just my opinion but I like the fact you have to drive an old car. Turning an old car into a modern driver takes away the fun of an ill handling car.
I sat in an SRT8 a couple weeks ago at the dealership. That took some convincing at the Dealer and as much as I'd like to have one, I'd only get one if it's a Scat-Pack or higher trim package. That would have cost quite a bit of money and I would be getting about 5-7 less mpg mostly driving it in traffic. I wouldn't have been able to stretch its legs much.
So, my compromise... Throw the money I would have bought a Challenger for into the Dart and have a side racecar.
That's why my wife drives a Honda S2000 and my daily is a Cummins. They have to be cheap to run and then I can run the 472 and 528 on the weekends.
Sheldon
You have a lucky wife to be driving an S2000 everyday. I've driven my coworker's a couple times on the street and it's a fun car. Too bad they're relatively expensive to get into, are usually highly modified and abused, and I don't fit too well in them.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/28/1505:49 AM
So, if you guys haven't figured it out yet, my Dart's at Hotchkis Sport Suspension. We ordered some seats and a cage. The seats arrived and I've been told they look fantastic (only seats I could find in my size). I also found the missing door trim for my Dart in a junkyard in Oregon. I paid quite a bit for it, but now the set is complete. O, and apparently the engine I purchased is supposed to be dropped off this week.
WOW! Those wheels look like they were born for that car. That looks great! I assume you listed the front wheel/tire specs earlier in the thread. I'll have to look for them. How close is the tire to the top of the inner fender? The front end looks really low...in a good way.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/29/1504:52 AM
Originally Posted By burdar
WOW! Those wheels look like they were born for that car. That looks great! I assume you listed the front wheel/tire specs earlier in the thread. I'll have to look for them. How close is the tire to the top of the inner fender? The front end looks really low...in a good way.
I'm not sure I did actually. They're 18x9" all the way around but the front offset is +32mm and the rear is +22mm with a 5mm spacer (becomes +17mm). Rear is super tight and was slightly rubbing the outter lip on one side. The fronts seemed to have plenty of room to the top of the inner fender, the problem was it was slightly rubbing the front bottom corner due to the height of the tire.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 05/01/1504:36 AM
Went to go visit Hotchkis to drop off my missing door trim piece and took some pictures while I was there. I also sat in my new seats and God they are comfortable and beautiful!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/25/1506:42 AM
Stopped by the car today. They made seat brackets to mount my seats to the original tracks so now I have full forward/back and tilt adjustments. They also got the roll hoop mocked up in place. I'm really liking where this is going.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/25/1506:45 AM
Also, they made some modifications to the roll hoop mounting points. Instead of welding the sheet metal to the ground like the Jegs kit provided. The builder decided to box up the mounting points. He's going to integrate the mount to the subframe connectors so that if I ever do roll over, the loads don't go straight through the sheet metal floor. This car will also be getting a swing-out/removable bar as it's a 6-point cage.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/27/1502:03 AM
One thing I really like is the location of the roll hoop (looks-wise). The builder is a little slow, but he really takes his time to do it really well, and right. That's 100% ok in my book as I'm in no rush and I can save more money in case something goes wrong, or right, in the future.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/28/1506:37 AM
Well, I talked to the shop today. They said they just sent out the cage to be powdercoated. They'd like to try to get the engine mocked up in the engine bay next week too... O, and there's a whole pallet filled with transmission goodies.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/02/1502:16 AM
Well, I went to Hotchkis's Cars and Coffee this weekend and saw the car. Almost nothing was done since the cage got back from being powder-coating. The mechanic was straight with me and told me it's because the shop manager has been taking in a lot of small, 1 week projects which have been preoccupying the mechanic. He told the shop manager that my car and the Porsche race car, both of which have been in the shop for about the same amount of time, need to be finished and out asap. The Porsche has a race coming up in 2 weeks so I think all of that time will be devoted for that, but afterwards I believe it should be shifted more towards my Dart. We'll see, I'm not too worried about it as I'm a patient guy, but I'll check up on them soon.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1502:32 AM
So, Hotchkis made some progress on the Dart. It seems the roll cage is almost done. It just needs me to sit in it to get the side impact members mocked up. So, I'll probably do that before the end of the week. At the same time, I'll be taking my engine to IMM to get looked over. I'm still not certain yet, but I may be removing the supercharger and either just building a 360 or 408.
I also purchased some goodies. I was able to locate a pair of use MP offset shackles. That will help with my rear wheel rub as I can take off the 5mm spacer that's currently their. I also found another pair of wheels that I liked that are 18 x 9.5" and what I believe to be the perfect offset to fit a 275/35/18 tire all the way around without rubbing and at a point where I could actually rotate them. If I find a buyer for my current wheel setup, I might just pounce on it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1504:28 AM
Well I guess the puppy can only ride shotgun as the bars go thru where the back seat should be. If this is more a street car why didn't they put the bars thru the package tray?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1504:54 AM
Originally Posted By moparpollack
Well I guess the puppy can only ride shotgun as the bars go thru where the back seat should be. If this is more a street car why didn't they put the bars thru the package tray?
I bet Brian could make that 273 scream!
That's what I was expecting, but I didn't want rear seats in there since it was getting a cage. The two don't click with me. But, I kind of like it as now it's easier to put a sound system back there.
The 273 is going to be my project after the Dart is up and running.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1505:49 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
So, Hotchkis made some progress on the Dart. It seems the roll cage is almost done. It just needs me to sit in it to get the side impact members mocked up. So, I'll probably do that before the end of the week. At the same time, I'll be taking my engine to IMM to get looked over. I'm still not certain yet, but I may be removing the supercharger and either just building a 360 or 408.
I also purchased some goodies. I was able to locate a pair of use MP offset shackles. That will help with my rear wheel rub as I can take off the 5mm spacer that's currently their. I also found another pair of wheels that I liked that are 18 x 9.5" and what I believe to be the perfect offset to fit a 275/35/18 tire all the way around without rubbing and at a point where I could actually rotate them. If I find a buyer for my current wheel setup, I might just pounce on it.
Did they make that cage specifically for your car or is it some kind of generic kit that they installed? I can't say the I have ever come across another one done like that.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/13/1506:13 AM
Originally Posted By 67autocross
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
So, Hotchkis made some progress on the Dart. It seems the roll cage is almost done. It just needs me to sit in it to get the side impact members mocked up. So, I'll probably do that before the end of the week. At the same time, I'll be taking my engine to IMM to get looked over. I'm still not certain yet, but I may be removing the supercharger and either just building a 360 or 408.
I also purchased some goodies. I was able to locate a pair of use MP offset shackles. That will help with my rear wheel rub as I can take off the 5mm spacer that's currently their. I also found another pair of wheels that I liked that are 18 x 9.5" and what I believe to be the perfect offset to fit a 275/35/18 tire all the way around without rubbing and at a point where I could actually rotate them. If I find a buyer for my current wheel setup, I might just pounce on it.
Did they make that cage specifically for your car or is it some kind of generic kit that they installed? I can't say the I have ever come across another one done like that.
They based it off the 4-point cage on JEGS website. (http://www.jegs.com/i/Jegster/550/941701K/10002/-1) They said it'll be quicker and cheaper for me to find a cage with an already bent roll tube than them charging me the labor for making a custom one. I'm not sure if JEGS roll cage was designed to go through the back seats or the speaker holes. The diagonal tube that goes from the driver's top to the passenger bottom was added for extra rigidity. The boxed section at the bottom of the roll hoops were custom in case I flipped so the tubes wouldn't go straight through the floor. There will be a little extension added to the rear window cranks so the rear windows can still roll down. There will be an added side impact member with a swing-out since it's very difficult for me to get into cages do to my size and hip problems.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/14/1503:47 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Originally Posted By 67autocross
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
So, Hotchkis made some progress on the Dart. It seems the roll cage is almost done. It just needs me to sit in it to get the side impact members mocked up. So, I'll probably do that before the end of the week. At the same time, I'll be taking my engine to IMM to get looked over. I'm still not certain yet, but I may be removing the supercharger and either just building a 360 or 408.
I also purchased some goodies. I was able to locate a pair of use MP offset shackles. That will help with my rear wheel rub as I can take off the 5mm spacer that's currently their. I also found another pair of wheels that I liked that are 18 x 9.5" and what I believe to be the perfect offset to fit a 275/35/18 tire all the way around without rubbing and at a point where I could actually rotate them. If I find a buyer for my current wheel setup, I might just pounce on it.
Did they make that cage specifically for your car or is it some kind of generic kit that they installed? I can't say the I have ever come across another one done like that.
They based it off the 4-point cage on JEGS website. (http://www.jegs.com/i/Jegster/550/941701K/10002/-1) They said it'll be quicker and cheaper for me to find a cage with an already bent roll tube than them charging me the labor for making a custom one. I'm not sure if JEGS roll cage was designed to go through the back seats or the speaker holes. The diagonal tube that goes from the driver's top to the passenger bottom was added for extra rigidity. The boxed section at the bottom of the roll hoops were custom in case I flipped so the tubes wouldn't go straight through the floor. There will be a little extension added to the rear window cranks so the rear windows can still roll down. There will be an added side impact member with a swing-out since it's very difficult for me to get into cages do to my size and hip problems.
Thanks for the reply, it's always interesting to see people do things a bit different.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/01/1512:20 AM
Went and visited Hotchkis yesterday. I dropped off some parts and discussed the game plan with them. We also measured and mocked up my side impact members and they should be pretty neat. Then I took the engine and drove it all the way to IMM engines. Unfortunately, I didn't realize there was coolant still in the water pump. So, once I made the first stop leaving the driveway I heard a stream of coolant dump onto the floor of the SUV.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/25/1507:15 AM
So, another bit of an update. I just talked to Brian at IMM engines. When he tore my engine apart, he was surprised that it had all stock internals. He said the block was good but was in need of a rebuild as all of the bores were about 0.003" out of round. Anyway, we talked it over and speculated what would be the best method to pursue for this engine (supercharger vs. stroking) and we decided stroking.
Here are some specs on the engine: 408, forged SCAT rotating assembly (4.00" stroke, 0.030" overbore), EQ Magnum Cylinder heads adapted to the LA block, hydraulic roller cam and lifters, ARP fasteners, Milodon Road Race oil pan and pick up, 1.6 aluminum rocker arms, Marley 5/16 push rods, 750 DP carburetor w/ 1/2" carb spacer, MSD ready-2-run distributor, match-ported Edelbrock LD4B etc.
It should make about 500-575 hp according to Brian. ETA on dyno day is going to be sometime around mid-January.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/05/1602:35 AM
Originally Posted By UCUDANT
I like what you're doing if your blower needs a home we'll find it one (Some might say bolt it to your 273 )
I'm thinking about canning off all the extra parts I don't need. Just less space in the garage, more money in my pocket, and it won't tempt me to get another vehicle (I was thinking about a '72-75 truck, maybe not so much now). I'm not sure if I have the energy (or money) to do another old vehicle. If I get a truck, I might just get a newer 1500 with a 5.7L Hemi.
But if I were to do it (and I was planning on it initially), I was thinking about finding some old TRW 10.5:1 pistons, forged crank and rods, a set of 360 heads with 1.8" valves (already have from a crate engine and would bring the engine down to about 9-9.5:1), just plopping on the M1 intake (already have), and add supercharger with 7-8 lbs of boost. That should of made a high revving screamer with at least 300 hp easy. Or, I could throw it on the 408 in the future, but that would be scary. Probably be pushing around to 600-700 hp.
Ever since I announced I was going stroker in my Stroker vs. Supercharged thread I've gotten countless people messaging me on my threads and pm's asking how much I want that supercharger for. It gets pretty annoying after awhile.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/08/1607:49 AM
Small update. Talked to the engine builder yesterday. He's a week behind so Dyno day will be January 22nd.
Thinking about the timeline and how long it takes for them to get work done, I highly doubt my car will make it to Mopars at the Strip. I'm going to really push for it though since the guys at Hotchkis usually hold the autocross. It would be great if I could get a lot of practice in it giving people ride alongs all weekend long.
Just sent a message to Hotchkis with regards to when they plan on having my car done. They said the plan is for the end of February. So, there may be a chance I'll end up making it to MATS.
You will make it to MATS and the autocross!!! The most frustrating part of any build is delays that come from things outside your control. But book your room, schedule vacation from work, plan your route, and make going to MATS your attainable goal.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/10/1601:49 AM
Originally Posted By NV69B7RR
You will make it to MATS and the autocross!!! The most frustrating part of any build is delays that come from things outside your control. But book your room, schedule vacation from work, plan your route, and make going to MATS your attainable goal.
Well, looking at the MATS website, there seems to be a cruise going to the event on Thursday that leaves from the Glendora Dodge Dealership 5 miles from my house all the way to Vegas. So, that was my plan of action to go to the event. If something goes wrong and I am unsure of fixing it, someone may have some nohow or someone they know to get it to Vegas.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/14/1612:12 AM
Sammy I have not been following every post on this thread but it sure seems like Hotchkis is jacking you around with the time it is taking. I had my mechanic install a complete TVS in my 69Dart and he did it ALL in 4 days in between all the other bread and butter shop work he had going on...a one man shop! I see some other stuff going on and I don't know what all it is but it still seems like it has been going on for a loooooong time!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/14/1612:55 AM
Originally Posted By Darius
Sammy I have not been following every post on this thread but it sure seems like Hotchkis is jacking you around with the time it is taking. I had my mechanic install a complete TVS in my 69Dart and he did it ALL in 4 days in between all the other bread and butter shop work he had going on...a one man shop! I see some other stuff going on and I don't know what all it is but it still seems like it has been going on for a loooooong time!
Well, I put together the entire TVS minus the sway bars and subframe connectors before I took it to them. What has taken most of 6 months has been making seat brackets, installing a steering wheel, and making a 6-point cage. What I'm going to have them do next is install the 408 and T56, a borgeson steering box, radiator, and other necessities.
I don't want to talk down about Hotchkis because the quality of their work is amazing, but their priorities seem to favor quick customer product installations, the boss's projects, and then my car. My Dart is the lowest tiki-man on the totem pole. Just look at their Facebook page and you won't see a single picture or reference of my car unless it's far in the background. If I were them, I'd be pretty tired rolling my Dart in and out of the shop every day.
Once I get my Dart back, there is no way in hell it is ever going to any shop again. It cost way too much money in labor and takes way too much time (granted if I were to do an engine and T56 swap, it would have probably taken me 5 years to do). Again, Hotchkis does great work but the turnaround time has been awful. Right now, they're just waiting on the engine which will be done in a week and a half so hopefully they can kick it into gear and finish the car.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/23/1605:16 AM
Had a long day today. Drove all the way out to Indio to pick up the engine and drove all the way back to Santa Fe Springs to drop it off at Hotchkis. Engine looks real good and Brian was great to talk to. It's a 408 making 523 hp @ 6000 rpm and 522 ft lbs of torque at 4500 rpm.
Crank: Scat 4340 4" Rods: Scat 4340 I-beams 6.123" Pistons: Icon Forged Dish 4.030" Camshaft: Custom Hydraulic Rollers by Comp Cam Lifters: Morel Timing Set: Double Roller Oil Pump-Pickup-Pan: Milodon Road Race Pan and Pickup with Melling Pump
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/23/1605:18 AM
I talked to the guys at Hotchkis and really pushed them for that late-February date. They said, if anything mid-March and they'd try their best to get me at Muscle Cars at the strip.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/23/1606:23 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Had a long day today. Drove all the way out to Indio to pick up the engine and drove all the way back to Santa Fe Springs to drop it off at Hotchkis. Engine looks real good and Brian was great to talk to. It's a 408 making 523 hp @ 6000 rpm and 522 ft lbs of torque at 4500 rpm.
Crank: Scat 4340 4" Rods: Scat 4340 I-beams 6.123" Pistons: Icon Forged Dish 4.030" Camshaft: Custom Hydraulic Rollers by Comp Cam Lifters: Morel Timing Set: Double Roller Oil Pump-Pickup-Pan: Milodon Road Race Pan and Pickup with Melling Pump
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/23/1606:30 AM
Originally Posted By dart4forte
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Had a long day today. Drove all the way out to Indio to pick up the engine and drove all the way back to Santa Fe Springs to drop it off at Hotchkis. Engine looks real good and Brian was great to talk to. It's a 408 making 523 hp @ 6000 rpm and 522 ft lbs of torque at 4500 rpm.
Crank: Scat 4340 4" Rods: Scat 4340 I-beams 6.123" Pistons: Icon Forged Dish 4.030" Camshaft: Custom Hydraulic Rollers by Comp Cam Lifters: Morel Timing Set: Double Roller Oil Pump-Pickup-Pan: Milodon Road Race Pan and Pickup with Melling Pump
Why did you go with the LD4B? Wouldn't a LD340 or an Airgap been better. Runners in the LD4B awful small.
It's what I had at the time of the drop off and it was cheaper to port-matched. I figured it would be the largest restricter. Otherwise, I would have went with the Airgap. I was planning on saving the LD4B for a 273 build.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/25/1607:02 AM
Originally Posted By cdstl
What are your cam specs?
He didn't give them to me. It just says "custom" on the build sheet. Give Brian a call and see if he'll give it out. All he said is it's going to be pretty lopey and aggressive and will idle a little hard on warm up, but it when it's warm, it will start right up.
He didn't give them to me. It just says "custom" on the build sheet. Give Brian a call and see if he'll give it out. All he said is it's going to be pretty lopey and aggressive and will idle a little hard on warm up, but it when it's warm, it will start right up.
Sounds like my Dart 340 cam, I was beginning to think I was tuning wrong for when cold. It was in there when I got the car so I do not know what is, but it sure runs good when warmed up:) I found some old Isky boxes in trunk but nothing with cam #s just retainers and springs. I put a new timing chain on just because I wanted fresh but I saw no #s on front of cam and had stock chain and sprockets still.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/02/1606:40 AM
I talked to them again today, applying that pressure. Well, the '61 El Camino that has been in the shop for about a month or so was getting aligned today and should be done. However, the boss's Barracuda isn't done yet and won't be done till next Monday. They said, starting a week from Tuesday they'll get back on it. I told them to get on it. They're already ordering the PS box and radiator (of course charging more money). At this rate, there's no way the car is making it to MCATS. They still have to finish off a couple of the tubes in the side members of the cage. If anything, I may make it to Willow Springs for Spring Fling.
Squeaky wheels get grease Sammy. Go tell the owner you will be posting on these sites the kind of service you have received and see if he responds.
I'm going to give them a couple weeks to give them the benefit of the doubt and see if they start working on my car again. I'm not the kind of guy who's just going to blaze someone on the internet. But people are already noticing based off of my threads that this is taking way too long.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/19/1604:50 AM
Originally Posted By Darius
Squeaky wheels get grease Sammy. Go tell the owner you will be posting on these sites the kind of service you have received and see if he responds.
Sure seems like lack of service.. I have mentioned the same thing to Samy about squeaky wheel...
They sure are dragging their feet working on his car IMO and can't imagine it would encourage any one else reading this to want to jump up and have them do a project on their car as well.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/19/1605:01 AM
Is this the same outfit that sells suspension systems? If this is an example of their business practices I'd think twice before I put my car into a hostage situation.
Sweet baby Jesus, you're gonna enjoy it when you push the loud pedal in that car. I follow your build and enjoy the time you take documenting it all. You and Al V over at FABO and his 69 GTS do a great job. Too bad about the car-shop purgatory. I guess it's not just a paint and body thing...
You car became so much MORE than what you started to build...awesome. Sure hope you get it for Willow Springs, I am really looking forward to seeing how it handles there.
Sweet baby Jesus, you're gonna enjoy it when you push the loud pedal in that car. I follow your build and enjoy the time you take documenting it all. You and Al V over at FABO and his 69 GTS do a great job. Too bad about the car-shop purgatory. I guess it's not just a paint and body thing...
Good luck - George
Who's AI V? I don't think I've spotted that thread.
You car became so much MORE than what you started to build...awesome. Sure hope you get it for Willow Springs, I am really looking forward to seeing how it handles there.
Although, I am a little guilty of straying from the original purpose of why I bought the car. I bought it to learn about cars and working on them. Maybe there will be another car one day I'll get to retest that opportunity with in full.
So, I cringed a little bit when Hotchkis posted about my car on their Facebook page yesterday morning. This is what they said:
Quote:
Project Dart is beginning! We are getting ready to pull the motor, clean and prep the engine compartment, and drop the New 360 built by Superior Automotive Engineering ! Stay tuned for more build pictures!
I had to post a comment stating it was a 408 built by IMM Engines. I ended up posting it on my page as well stating the correction too. I definitely don't want to discredit IMM for their hard and awesome work. This isn't the first time they mixed this engine up either. When Shannon Hudson first sold me the engine, they posted about his Valiant twice asking what his new mystery motor may be going in. Both times they said he removed his "Supercharged 318." I replied both times telling them it's a 360 sitting in your shop. Lol.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/02/1607:09 AM
Talking about paints with them. I'm trying to find some paint to match the exterior but the previous owner didn't write the code on the can he gave me after he sprayed the car. All I know is it's a Deltron 2000 Base Coat. I'm trying to get a color to match it otherwise I might have to go bright white. However, they cleaned about 25 lbs of crud from underneath the car and sprayed it in black.
We're also having problems getting a Borgeson box as Borgeson is on back order after they told us they had it in stock. Summit had it in stock on their website but still hasn't sent it yet. We called Jegs and they don't have one.
Magnaflow isn't going to do the exhaust for my car. The build manager decided to go with Flowmaster as he thought it would sorta-kinda fit and I told him to cancel the order and talk to TTi.
There's some small issues that they're sorting out. They found a giant crack in my K-frame they can repair. They're also going to redo my brake lines, etc. So, they care about their quality of work. They're trying to mock up the proper pedal positions and trans position for the engine to go in the car.
Anyway, out with the old and in with the new. Engine and trans is out.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/03/1606:19 AM
Well, I called them today. First off, they seemed to have found paint at Pep Boys similar to my body color in matte that they wanted to do a little trial to see if it will look good, but after my phone call, I sent them a text back and told them just to go to a paint supply store, get WW1 PPG paint and do it right once (which they've been telling me about everything else).
The Flowmaster exhaust has been CANCELED! THANK GOD! I'm not a huge fan of the sound and ironically neither is the build manager. I walked him through TTi's website over the phone and showed him exactly what part numbers to ask about when he calls them. I also showed him the information for which starter to get that would fit with my TTi shorty headers. So, yes, the entire exhaust, headers to tips will be TTi with the Dynomax mufflers. We'll probably go with 2.5" for rooms sake and we're unsure whether it will be an X or H pipe due to the trans. I think 3" will be overkill based off of what I've read: http://www.exhaustvideos.com/faq/how-to-calculate-muffler-size-pipe-diameter/
Still having problems getting the box. We have 3 orders placed with no ETA. PS pump and hoses came in. Radiator ships this week. Engine bay is still being prepped for primer, but the entire underside and fenderwells are coated/painted.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/16/1605:44 AM
not sure what the mystery was on the paint. A real paint shop can match it with a little hand held gizmo. If they have them in bumhill places, im sure they have them in CA. Try a Dupont shop.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/25/1602:48 AM
Update. Engine compartment is finally painted. You can notice it's a little different than the outside and that's because the previous owner did a paint job with a metallic white/cream. Either way, I don't care as it's just an engine compartment.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/25/1602:54 AM
Still on the list of things to do:
-Interior needs to be finished (i.e. seats, steering column, rear seat delete panel, and roll cage). -Tunnel and pedals need to be modified for the T56. -New brake lines. -Fix/weld K-frame. -Install PS box (no ETA still). -Install Engine and related accessories. -Workout bugs.
Progress is slow but steady. The Dart will not make it to Spring Fling. I'm currently looking for a replacement vehicle for the 4 days.
Some parts have come in. Exhaust and Radiator assembly is at the the shop. I found a nice air cleaner on Summit that I thought matched the car and the engine nicely.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/26/1606:23 AM
Little update. Engine is in the car. Door bars were finished and sent for powder coating. The interior was also cleaned out, sanded, and painted. Almost time for tunnel surgery.
Little update. Engine is in the car. Door bars were finished and sent for powder coating. The interior was also cleaned out, sanded, and painted. Almost time for tunnel surgery.
Why prep & paint the floor before cutting it up? Seems backwards to me.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 05/03/1606:30 AM
Another update this week. Floor was cut and Borgeson box was placed in the vehicle. Since I screwed up my column pretty badly when I "rebuilt" it years ago, we may go with another one. We've got some pretty unique ideas for the center console to accommodate the shifter. It should be pretty cool!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 05/17/1606:40 AM
Trans mount is almost done, then the T56 can go in. I screwed up my steering column pretty badly as it isn't worth it to repair. Plus we have to modify the steering shaft for the coupler on the new steering box. Instead of fixing it, we bought a new Flaming Rivers tilt-column to go in the car which just arrived today. Sway bars are also under the car. Slowly chiseling away at it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/11/1606:11 AM
A little more welding done this week and the tunnel is coming together. Working on getting the center console into the car and looking snazzy. A couple guys on FABO may have noticed a potential design flaw in the trans mount. Exhaust routing may be difficult getting over it. We'll figure something out.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/03/1612:51 AM
Visited the car yesterday. Dropped off a few parts, picked up some old parts to take home, talked with everyone at the shop, and ate some barbecue. The car is close to being done. One of our biggest road blocks was that Centerforce Performance didn't make a flywheel for an internally balanced 360 (as most were externally balanced). I'd imagine they'd have one for a 340, but I guess not. So, they agreed to make me a custom flywheel... For free! Well, technically a beer. Awesome guys and I can't thank them enough! That being said, once the custom flywheel comes back they're going to put the pedal to the metal to get that car done. 97% of the parts are just sitting there waiting to be installed. Once the engine and transmission are together, all the legos will fit back together.
One thing I noticed with the valve covers that I bought for my engine is that they're a lot wider than stock ones. I really liked them. I also, mocked up how the engine will look like with the air cleaner assembly and it's going to look pretty amazing! I'm excited! Things are moving.
Visited the Dart today to sort some minor details out and check on progress. I talked with the mechanic in depth as well. They don't expect the car to stay there for another month. The mechanic found out that with the Quicktime bellhousing, the input of the transmission was offset just a tad so he ordered some dowel pins to help shim everything over so the transmission is true to the engine. Those should be coming in today meaning that the trans should be in by the end of the week.
We also mocked up the steering wheel position a little bit as well. I must say, I'm liking how the interior is turning out. It's really becoming pretty clean.
I just have to make some small decisions. Still deciding where to put a tachometer and which one to buy. I was thinking on the center console down low how they used to do it with the 66-67 GTX's, but thought it might be kind of weird looking at a tach that low unless I had a remote shift light on the dash. I was also thinking about having a small one mount on the dash pad right above the VIN tag. I'm also going to get a 5-point harness and I can't decide between black or red. Almost the entire interior is black and silver, but red belts would go with the calipers. Odds are it will be bought from Simpson's Race Products.
That thing's been stiffened up so well......you better go to the dentist and get your fillings checked before you drive it! It looks like it is almost done, and is going to be really nice.
That thing's been stiffened up so well......you better go to the dentist and get your fillings checked before you drive it! It looks like it is almost done, and is going to be really nice.
It's super stiff. They said they put a jack stand on one corner and lifted the whole car. That was without the trans mount and door bars. Lol. It's getting there which is good. It pays to be patient.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/03/1612:22 AM
Saw the Dart today. I was playing around with different gauges to try to find the best place for a tach and I'm still undecided. Brake lines are almost all done. There are just little small details that need to be massaged out but hopefully it shouldn't take more than 3-4 weeks.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/03/1604:26 AM
Looks good. Check out this shift light, small and can mount about anywhere. Mine is down at bottom of dash near ignition switch. Had it for years and never a problem, simple to put in and change RPM, and it is bright. https://www.raptorperformance.com/collections/shift-lights
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/23/1604:28 AM
Visited the shop this morning. The car is getting there. Fuel lines almost done. We're just waiting on a couple of fittings. They're installing a remote oil filter as we had some trouble clearing the TTI shorties. Modifying the fan shroud to make it fit and cool better. Some of the pullies needed some spacing to align. Shifter and tach are installed and are great! But she's almost there. They should fire her up for the first time sometime next week or early the following week. Sorry, I forgot to take photos.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/11/1606:50 AM
They're having problems with my parking lights continuously on and the turn signals not working. Driveshaft was just dropped off today. Waiting till tomorrow to figure out when I can pick her up.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/14/1607:19 AM
Driveshaft is in, seat belt harnesses are being installed, wiring harnesses are being fixed, and the brand new fuel regulator was bad out of the box. So a new one will show up tomorrow, supposedly. Looks like I'll be picking the car up next week.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/19/1607:18 AM
The note I got today... "After a long day of tracing wires, repairing connections, and some new pins on several connectors we were able to get the wiring fixed and everything working. The new fuel regulator is installed and test for pressure. We expect to run the car tomorrow. We will bolt in the console and cover the rear seat pan. If shake down goes well, we should have the car ready to go on Friday! I can confirm tomorrow."
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/21/1604:50 AM
Stressful week due to the Dart. Hotchkis goes to fire the motor yesterday and it's misfiring and building pressure in the radiator but is staying cool. Back and forth between Hotchkis and IMM and we can't figure out what's wrong. It's got the symptoms of a blown head gasket but has no signs of oil and coolant mixing in the engine or radiator. I'm having Hotchkis fix 2 minor details and I'll tow the car next week to Superior Engineering in Anaheim to diagnose. 95% chance the Dart will not make it to Fall Fling.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/22/1606:44 AM
Well, I got a phone call today, "Whenever your ready, feel free to tow the car to the engine shop as the car's ready." My response, "I'll see you in 30 minutes." I took a half day at work and had AAA tow the Dart to the engine shop. I drove it a wopping 10 feet to get it lined up with the trailer. I will definitely be on a learning curve. I'm not used to the clutch or carburetor yet. But the problem with the engine was that the vacuum advance was connected, but the engine doesn't produce enough vacuum to sustain. I dropped the car back off. There are a couple small things that need to be done and it should be ready by Tuesday. However, I may not be able to pick it up till Thursday. Depending on how comfortable I feel driving home on Thursday, I may or may not take it to both days of Fall Fling.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/28/1602:18 AM
I took a vacation day and went to pick up the car today! Had my friend come by the house pick me up and we cruised our way down to the shop. We get to the shop and there the car is ready to go. The mechanic was installing a new driver's side rear view mirror for the final touch. There are some little other bugs here and there that need to be finished, but the car was very driveable. Well, the mechanic and I get into the car for a quick 15 min test drive (even though the mechanic has been driving it every day this week to fine tune everything). The car roared, cornered flat, and was super stiff. Between the electric fuel pump and the engine, you couldn't even here the turn signals clicking along. I still need to get used to the side door bars as well. It's definitely a lot more race car than I'd like, but it's still an awesome car.
Well, my friend and I get going. We drive two blocks away to the local gas station. My friend is admiring the car from behind. We get to the gas station and my friend comes up to me and says, "Your right tail light was out, but besides that, your car is cornering super flat." So, I call the shop and tell them I'll be back even though the lights were working 2 minutes ago when I was there.
I make a right turn out of the gas station and almost immediately the car shuts off. As I'm coasting I turn the key and the car starts up I [censored] into second, and then again into third and it shuts off again. So, I turn into the closest side street and call the shop. The mechanic comes over and we found out the engine has no fuel pressure. Turn the key and we can here the pump. We unscrew the line leaving the fuel regulator and not much is coming out. So, either my brand new fuel pump crapped out on me, which wouldn't surprise me as the fuel regulator that came with that kit crapped out last week, or the gunk from the fuel tank clogged up the filter (first time the tank has been completely full since the build started 2 years ago). So, we had to flat tow the car back to the shop. Since they're going to have it, I'm going to have them fix even more minor stuff.
Starting the day off, I knew something funny would happened. When my friend asked me if I was excited, I really wasn't. Me and this car have this weird history and connection. Nothing can never be right between us. At the end of the day, while everyone was bummed, all I could do was laugh. It's just another memory in the books. We'll see what happens in the next week or two.
Till the end of the year, I'd like to get the car sorted as best as possible. I may add some hush/dynamat or something to quiet down the interior a little bit.
As far as events for 2017, I'm looking to autocross it locally at the Hotchkis and SCCA Cal Club events. I may take it down to San Diego for their autocross a couple times as they have a larger and more competitive CAM-T class. I'm waiting for the Optima schedule, but I will definitely try to make the Fontana event and possibly the Las Vegas event. Spring Fling track day is a given and hopefully a couple weeks after I'll be able to take it to MATS for their autocross. Of course the Michigan people want me to take the car up there for Woodward, I don't know how I'll be able to do that since I only get about 3 weeks of vacation a year. Of course, I may not be able to do it all.
However, since I just started my Master's this year, I may have to drop out of an event last minute (like what happened this past weekend) due to studying.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/19/1606:58 AM
So, very little update. I haven't had time to pick up the car as I've been very busy. It doesn't look like I will for another 2 weeks. They've been driving it and working out the bugs. They installed a gauge pack under my dash as the fuel and water temp gauges are intermittent. They also fabricated and installed window crank spacers so now I can roll the rear windows down.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/11/1607:32 AM
So, as some of you guys may have figured out, I picked up the Dart yesterday. She's awesome, but I'm definitely not done with her. All I can say for now is that she's a Riot!
Took the Dart out for a cruise this morning as it was sunny and in the 60's. I'm starting to get a hang of the handling now. Car was running fine and wasn't hiccuping.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/27/1605:57 AM
Well, I got tired with dealing with the headers hitting the power steering box so I decided to try my hand with the door and trim piece. I followed mopar346's instructions to the T, up until I got to the center clips (as I don't know where to get them). That advice was awesome, easy, and fairly straight forward.
In lieu of the plastic clips usually found on the inside of the door, I decided to stack up layers of double sided tape. I layed a layer of painter's tape across the door and piece of trim and then toward the center of the trim I stacked the double sided tape. That way, when I decided to go to clips, I can just pull the layers of painter's tape and continue drilling holes. But I checked it to make sure and there are so many layers of painter's tape that the trim doesn't rattle as the tape absorbs all the vibration.
I have to say, I am so glad that I got this piece of trim on. Not only do I feel complete that I have all of the trim on the car, but I felt somewhat accomplished when I haven't gotten much done with it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/16/1707:34 AM
Well, I took the Dart to it's first autocross event. The course was nothing complex and had a lot of sweeping turns and large straight aways. The average runs were in the low 50 second range. There were good and bads to today.
Good: -The commute to the autocross event (26 miles) and back was very trouble free. The car loved to cruise at 2000 rpm. -The car is a blast to drive and there's so much potential in the car (or should I say myself). -I had fun racing and hanging out with old friends. -My number for the year is 408.
Bad: -The exhaust drone is absolutely, stupidly unbearable. The 30 min drive back home was not pleasant what so ever. -The car is cold-blooded. It never really likes to start going until the water temps are about 150F. If I try driving the car before that, odds are it will probably stall. -Out of 2 of my 4 runs, the car stalled on the first corner under light throttle causing me to roll off course and DNF. Very weird. It would take quite a bit of cranking to start it up again. I would exit the corner and bam, the car shut off. Water temps was 180F during my runs. -I got last because the car stalled twice. -The car got 6.7 mpg after my first fill up. I need to verify my odometer is accurate. Granted that was about 95% street driving.
Overall, I got in last place. My goal for the day was just to get a feel for the car and get a sub-60 second run which I accomplished. I wish the car hadn't stalled on me the other two runs, otherwise I think I could have got it down to 56 seconds with my skillset. It definitely felt like it could take more speeds in the corners; however, since I'm tire and experience limited, I decided not to push it.
Well, I took the Dart to it's first autocross event. The course was nothing complex and had a lot of sweeping turns and large straight aways. The average runs were in the low 50 second range. There were good and bads to today.
Good: -The commute to the autocross event (26 miles) and back was very trouble free. The car loved to cruise at 2000 rpm. -The car is a blast to drive and there's so much potential in the car (or should I say myself). -I had fun racing and hanging out with old friends. -My number for the year is 408.
Bad: -The exhaust drone is absolutely, stupidly unbearable. The 30 min drive back home was not pleasant what so ever. -The car is cold-blooded. It never really likes to start going until the water temps are about 150F. If I try driving the car before that, odds are it will probably stall. -Out of 2 of my 4 runs, the car stalled on the first corner under light throttle causing me to roll off course and DNF. Very weird. It would take quite a bit of cranking to start it up again. I would exit the corner and bam, the car shut off. Water temps was 180F during my runs. -I got last because the car stalled twice. -The car got 6.7 mpg after my first fill up. I need to verify my odometer is accurate. Granted that was about 95% street driving.
Overall, I got in last place. My goal for the day was just to get a feel for the car and get a sub-60 second run which I accomplished. I wish the car hadn't stalled on me the other two runs, otherwise I think I could have got it down to 56 seconds with my skillset. It definitely felt like it could take more speeds in the corners; however, since I'm tire and experience limited, I decided not to push it.
Takes awhile to sort out a new build. Doesn't sound like a bad day. Yes, that drone would drive me insane. Consider the amount of time on the track verses on the street deciding on an exhaust change. Do you have carpet in the car? If not consider a coating like Rhino Linner or Raptor. Throw some deadening on top of that.
As far as stalling you may want to look at fuel delivery. What size line are you running, any restrictions, fuel bowl level etc. If you are having those problems with sweeping turns imagine the problem with tighter courses.
Well, I took the Dart to it's first autocross event. The course was nothing complex and had a lot of sweeping turns and large straight aways. The average runs were in the low 50 second range. There were good and bads to today.
Good: -The commute to the autocross event (26 miles) and back was very trouble free. The car loved to cruise at 2000 rpm. -The car is a blast to drive and there's so much potential in the car (or should I say myself). -I had fun racing and hanging out with old friends. -My number for the year is 408.
Bad: -The exhaust drone is absolutely, stupidly unbearable. The 30 min drive back home was not pleasant what so ever. -The car is cold-blooded. It never really likes to start going until the water temps are about 150F. If I try driving the car before that, odds are it will probably stall. -Out of 2 of my 4 runs, the car stalled on the first corner under light throttle causing me to roll off course and DNF. Very weird. It would take quite a bit of cranking to start it up again. I would exit the corner and bam, the car shut off. Water temps was 180F during my runs. -I got last because the car stalled twice. -The car got 6.7 mpg after my first fill up. I need to verify my odometer is accurate. Granted that was about 95% street driving.
Overall, I got in last place. My goal for the day was just to get a feel for the car and get a sub-60 second run which I accomplished. I wish the car hadn't stalled on me the other two runs, otherwise I think I could have got it down to 56 seconds with my skillset. It definitely felt like it could take more speeds in the corners; however, since I'm tire and experience limited, I decided not to push it.
Takes awhile to sort out a new build. Doesn't sound like a bad day. Yes, that drone would drive me insane. Consider the amount of time on the track verses on the street deciding on an exhaust change. Do you have carpet in the car? If not consider a coating like Rhino Linner or Raptor. Throw some deadening on top of that.
As far as stalling you may want to look at fuel delivery. What size line are you running, any restrictions, fuel bowl level etc. If you are having those problems with sweeping turns imagine the problem with tighter courses.
It wasn't that bad of a day.
For the exhaust, I was probably just going to get an exhaust shop weld in some resonators. The car has no sound deadening but the carpet.
Maybe sweep wasn't the right word to use when I was writing this. It was a slow speed, tighter corner. The reason why I say sweep is that the turn was slightly uphill and off-cambered.
I took the Dart to the exhaust shop today. He was impressed with the TTI setup, but it's super tight. There are small bends here and there making it difficult to fit a resonator anywhere. There are paper thin sections where the exhaust may hit on the torsion bar and idler arm areas. The only thing he could recommend was replace the 14" Dynomax Ultraflows for an 18" muffler. Thinking about it, it may work out. The longer muffler should dampen the exhaust (tad quieter) and reduce heat (in the muffler). He quoted me $450 for a set of Magnaflows and labor.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/22/1712:54 AM
Regarding your stalling - you need to figure out if it is flooding or running out of fuel. Is it a Holley? I haven't read the whole thread. If it is, it may be sloshing fuel out of the bowl vent tubes under high g loads, flooding the car. If you can get it to do it and pull a plug right away, that might give you a clue. The mileage issue may indicate that it's really rich. Check the float level as a start.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/22/1704:15 AM
Originally Posted By lilcuda
Regarding your stalling - you need to figure out if it is flooding or running out of fuel. Is it a Holley? I haven't read the whole thread. If it is, it may be sloshing fuel out of the bowl vent tubes under high g loads, flooding the car. If you can get it to do it and pull a plug right away, that might give you a clue. The mileage issue may indicate that it's really rich. Check the float level as a start.
It's a Holley. My research is showing my float bowls may be set a little too high. I'm running at about 7-8 psi fuel pressure, my research have been saying 6 psi is optimal. I may also fiddle with my choke a little.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/22/1707:12 AM
A longer muffler will definately quiet it down. I'm surprised there isn't room for some bullet mufflers just in front of the bumper. You can buy Magnaflows online and install them yourself for a lot less money. It's just a matter of cutting off the pipe and slipping the new mufflers on. Not very fun on your back but still easily done.
I took the Dart to the exhaust shop today. He was impressed with the TTI setup, but it's super tight. There are small bends here and there making it difficult to fit a resonator anywhere. There are paper thin sections where the exhaust may hit on the torsion bar and idler arm areas. The only thing he could recommend was replace the 14" Dynomax Ultraflows for an 18" muffler. Thinking about it, it may work out. The longer muffler should dampen the exhaust (tad quieter) and reduce heat (in the muffler). He quoted me $450 for a set of Magnaflows and labor.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/28/1706:04 AM
Originally Posted By dart4forte
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
I took the Dart to the exhaust shop today. He was impressed with the TTI setup, but it's super tight. There are small bends here and there making it difficult to fit a resonator anywhere. There are paper thin sections where the exhaust may hit on the torsion bar and idler arm areas. The only thing he could recommend was replace the 14" Dynomax Ultraflows for an 18" muffler. Thinking about it, it may work out. The longer muffler should dampen the exhaust (tad quieter) and reduce heat (in the muffler). He quoted me $450 for a set of Magnaflows and labor.
Which muffler came with the TTI setup?
14" long Dynomax Super Turbos. They don't sound bad at all when you're out of the drone range. I'm installing 18" Magnaflows.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/29/1703:28 AM
So, I went to the exhaust shop today to install some Magnaflow mufflers. They're 4" longer than the Dynomax and are straight through in design so it should flow a little better. After we got the exhaust installed, I went and drove around the area. Unfortunately, all of the major freeways around here are in limbo due to construction so I didn't get to drive it for very long at 70 mph. Maybe a mile or two. I did drive it quite a bit on the streets.
Off the bat, idle and the overall exhaust tone is quieter. It's not so in your face and aggressive as the Dynomax (good and bad). I also kind of figured this would happen, but the drone is only partially gone. Now, it's only from 1800-2200 RPM and 2000 RPM still sucks. So, from an exhaust point of view, the only thing that I can think of that would help is the installing long tube headers instead of shorties. So, next I'll probably install some sound deadening in the car.
I was smelling some gas toward the rear of the car and found out that the rubber seal on my gas cap is cracked so I need a new one. I was thinking about getting a locking gas cap this time. There's no leaks, so that's good.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/13/1706:30 AM
So, I had some time to address some of the fuel related issues this week. First off, I ordered that locking gas cap and installed it. The seal is astronomically more thick than my old one and the smell of gas is gone. So, hopefully that means a little less fuel spilled and some more mpgs.
Second, I've been looking at Youtube videos on how to address my cold start problem. The first issue I noticed was that my fuel pressure is generally around 7-8 psi. Holley carbs like to run around 6 psi. So, I took the air cleaner assembly off and checked my float levels. Turned the key twice with 2 second intervals (each time), removed the float plug, shook the car, and fuel was gushing out. I lowered the fuel pressure on the regulator down to 6-6.5 psi and reconducted the float check and all was good. Just a little was trickling down so I didn't readjust my float levels. We'll see how it performs.
While I had my air cleaner off, I noticed something. I always thought I had an electric choke. Apparently I have a mechanical choke. The problem is that the shop forgot to install a lever for my manual choke. So, on start up, the throttle blades are all the way open. Hence why I can't start this car with repeated results. So, I need to install a cable sometime soon.
I also took the car on the freeway and it seems with the adjusted fuel pressure the car is running a little better. Now that I got to play with the speed, the drone is still unbearable at 2000 RPM, but when I'm in 5th I'm cruising at 2500 RPM at 75 mph which isn't all that terrible of an experience. That being said, I'm still going to order some sound deadening to quiet the cabin a little bit from the road noise, electric fuel pump, and exhaust.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/14/1705:40 AM
A properly tuned Holley shouldn't need a choke in Southern California. One good pump of the pedal to about halfway, then crank it and it should fire right up. If not, something isn't right.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/14/1707:51 AM
Originally Posted By jpilone
Always a chore doing the fine tuning and little details.. I can't wait to get into this stage myself!!
Yeah, it's a little bit of a hassle, but the nice thing is that it's still driveable. So, if I'm having an off day I can just take it for a ride around the neighborhood.
Originally Posted By lilcuda
A properly tuned Holley shouldn't need a choke in Southern California. One good pump of the pedal to about halfway, then crank it and it should fire right up. If not, something isn't right.
At this point, I don't know. I hear something new from someone new every day. I've tried two pumps, I've tried one pump, I've tried pushing the throttle halfway and backing it off (works best). There's no consistency. It may very well be me, but I'm stumped.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/15/1701:52 AM
Originally Posted By lilcuda
A properly tuned Holley shouldn't need a choke in Southern California. One good pump of the pedal to about halfway, then crank it and it should fire right up. If not, something isn't right.
Agreed. My Warlock has an Edelbrock carb with no choke and I have started it in below freezing temperatures. It's grumpy, sure, but it will start.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/15/1702:39 AM
If I read what you wrote correctly you still need to check those floats. I think you tested them with the car off and that isn't the way to go. Get car running and up to temperature. Take out front site plug and set so fuel is just under hole, or takes a slight rocking to spill. Do the same with rear but that one can be a tad higher but only to the point of just about trickling out. Now go on to the 4 corner idle screws with a vacuum gauge hooked up to full vacuum. Start car and block wheels, put car in gear and adjust at rear of carb to achieve the highest steadiest vacuum per corner. After that see if you have to lower idle by adjusting idle screw. Ron
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/15/1706:43 AM
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Originally Posted By lilcuda
A properly tuned Holley shouldn't need a choke in Southern California. One good pump of the pedal to about halfway, then crank it and it should fire right up. If not, something isn't right.
Agreed. My Warlock has an Edelbrock carb with no choke and I have started it in below freezing temperatures. It's grumpy, sure, but it will start.
MuuMuu, what ignition is in the car?
If the choke isn't the problem then maybe it's just me. I have an MSD Ready-2-Run.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/15/1706:46 AM
Originally Posted By RJS
If I read what you wrote correctly you still need to check those floats. I think you tested them with the car off and that isn't the way to go. Get car running and up to temperature. Take out front site plug and set so fuel is just under hole, or takes a slight rocking to spill. Do the same with rear but that one can be a tad higher but only to the point of just about trickling out. Now go on to the 4 corner idle screws with a vacuum gauge hooked up to full vacuum. Start car and block wheels, put car in gear and adjust at rear of carb to achieve the highest steadiest vacuum per corner. After that see if you have to lower idle by adjusting idle screw. Ron
Interesting. Holley's instructional video said that the engine shouldn't be running when using an electric fuel pump. I did recheck the floats per their video after I adjusted the fuel pressure. I don't have a vacuum gauge right now so I can't really do the entire process at the moment.
A properly tuned Holley shouldn't need a choke in Southern California. One good pump of the pedal to about halfway, then crank it and it should fire right up. If not, something isn't right.
Agreed. My Warlock has an Edelbrock carb with no choke and I have started it in below freezing temperatures. It's grumpy, sure, but it will start.
MuuMuu, what ignition is in the car?
If the choke isn't the problem then maybe it's just me. I have an MSD Ready-2-Run.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/16/1705:46 AM
Originally Posted By RJS
If I read what you wrote correctly you still need to check those floats. I think you tested them with the car off and that isn't the way to go. Get car running and up to temperature. Take out front site plug and set so fuel is just under hole, or takes a slight rocking to spill. Do the same with rear but that one can be a tad higher but only to the point of just about trickling out. Now go on to the 4 corner idle screws with a vacuum gauge hooked up to full vacuum. Start car and block wheels, put car in gear and adjust at rear of carb to achieve the highest steadiest vacuum per corner. After that see if you have to lower idle by adjusting idle screw. Ron
The car has a 5 speed, so it can't be in gear with the wheels blocked...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/16/1705:50 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Originally Posted By RJS
If I read what you wrote correctly you still need to check those floats. I think you tested them with the car off and that isn't the way to go. Get car running and up to temperature. Take out front site plug and set so fuel is just under hole, or takes a slight rocking to spill. Do the same with rear but that one can be a tad higher but only to the point of just about trickling out. Now go on to the 4 corner idle screws with a vacuum gauge hooked up to full vacuum. Start car and block wheels, put car in gear and adjust at rear of carb to achieve the highest steadiest vacuum per corner. After that see if you have to lower idle by adjusting idle screw. Ron
Interesting. Holley's instructional video said that the engine shouldn't be running when using an electric fuel pump. I did recheck the floats per their video after I adjusted the fuel pressure. I don't have a vacuum gauge right now so I can't really do the entire process at the moment.
This makes no sense. Must have been written by their attorneys. You want the car running, after all, that's how it will be idling, not with the pump on and the engine off.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/16/1706:59 AM
Originally Posted By lilcuda
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Originally Posted By RJS
If I read what you wrote correctly you still need to check those floats. I think you tested them with the car off and that isn't the way to go. Get car running and up to temperature. Take out front site plug and set so fuel is just under hole, or takes a slight rocking to spill. Do the same with rear but that one can be a tad higher but only to the point of just about trickling out. Now go on to the 4 corner idle screws with a vacuum gauge hooked up to full vacuum. Start car and block wheels, put car in gear and adjust at rear of carb to achieve the highest steadiest vacuum per corner. After that see if you have to lower idle by adjusting idle screw. Ron
Interesting. Holley's instructional video said that the engine shouldn't be running when using an electric fuel pump. I did recheck the floats per their video after I adjusted the fuel pressure. I don't have a vacuum gauge right now so I can't really do the entire process at the moment.
This makes no sense. Must have been written by their attorneys. You want the car running, after all, that's how it will be idling, not with the pump on and the engine off.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/16/1707:16 AM
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Originally Posted By lilcuda
A properly tuned Holley shouldn't need a choke in Southern California. One good pump of the pedal to about halfway, then crank it and it should fire right up. If not, something isn't right.
Agreed. My Warlock has an Edelbrock carb with no choke and I have started it in below freezing temperatures. It's grumpy, sure, but it will start.
MuuMuu, what ignition is in the car?
If the choke isn't the problem then maybe it's just me. I have an MSD Ready-2-Run.
Stock ignition box?
It had electronic ignition before, but I'm not sure the new distributor needs one. I'm not seeing it anywhere.
Stupid question, but is it trying to fire as you let go of the key?
I always have to question how the aftermarket ignition was wired. It is not uncommon for someone to grab a 12v "run" wire and use that. The ignition, or distributor in this case, needs 12v in both the "start" and "run" key positions.
Depending on your starting issue, it could be as simple as that. I'd verify the distributor has 12v on that red wire in the start and run key position [red wire]. Disconnect one of the two small wires at the starter relay to check the "start" voltage.
If I read what you wrote correctly you still need to check those floats. I think you tested them with the car off and that isn't the way to go. Get car running and up to temperature. Take out front site plug and set so fuel is just under hole, or takes a slight rocking to spill. Do the same with rear but that one can be a tad higher but only to the point of just about trickling out. Now go on to the 4 corner idle screws with a vacuum gauge hooked up to full vacuum. Start car and block wheels, put car in gear and adjust at rear of carb to achieve the highest steadiest vacuum per corner. After that see if you have to lower idle by adjusting idle screw. Ron
Interesting. Holley's instructional video said that the engine shouldn't be running when using an electric fuel pump. I did recheck the floats per their video after I adjusted the fuel pressure. I don't have a vacuum gauge right now so I can't really do the entire process at the moment.
This makes no sense. Must have been written by their attorneys. You want the car running, after all, that's how it will be idling, not with the pump on and the engine off.
Again, sounds like it was written by attorneys. All I know is that my former co-worker who has been building engines and tuning Holleys for 30+ years taught me to do it with the car running regardless of fuel pump type. He had a Corvette with a 540 hp 383 with a Holley carb that he daily drove for years. It fired on the first crank every time, almost like a fuel-injected car. I used his method and my 66 Barracuda would fire up with literally a tap of the key.
Didn't IMM build your engine? Maybe see if they can help you tune it better?
Stupid question, but is it trying to fire as you let go of the key?
I always have to question how the aftermarket ignition was wired. It is not uncommon for someone to grab a 12v "run" wire and use that. The ignition, or distributor in this case, needs 12v in both the "start" and "run" key positions.
Depending on your starting issue, it could be as simple as that. I'd verify the distributor has 12v on that red wire in the start and run key position [red wire]. Disconnect one of the two small wires at the starter relay to check the "start" voltage.
If I read what you wrote correctly you still need to check those floats. I think you tested them with the car off and that isn't the way to go. Get car running and up to temperature. Take out front site plug and set so fuel is just under hole, or takes a slight rocking to spill. Do the same with rear but that one can be a tad higher but only to the point of just about trickling out. Now go on to the 4 corner idle screws with a vacuum gauge hooked up to full vacuum. Start car and block wheels, put car in gear and adjust at rear of carb to achieve the highest steadiest vacuum per corner. After that see if you have to lower idle by adjusting idle screw. Ron
The car has a 5 speed, so it can't be in gear with the wheels blocked...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/17/1705:49 AM
Originally Posted By lilcuda
Again, sounds like it was written by attorneys. All I know is that my former co-worker who has been building engines and tuning Holleys for 30+ years taught me to do it with the car running regardless of fuel pump type. He had a Corvette with a 540 hp 383 with a Holley carb that he daily drove for years. It fired on the first crank every time, almost like a fuel-injected car. I used his method and my 66 Barracuda would fire up with literally a tap of the key.
Didn't IMM build your engine? Maybe see if they can help you tune it better?
When I had the misfiring issue, IMM basically told me they won't work on an engine that's in a car and that I'd have to remove the engine, drop it off, and pick it up later. That's a 2 hour drive one way costing me a couple vacation days.
In response, I took the car to a local engine builder. They do engine builds, dynos, tuning, etc. The guy, when looking for my misfire problem, also tuned the car. They know their Mopars. They had multiple magazine articles of them building 440+6's and had three '68 Darts in there (one of which was a 9 second drag car).
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/19/1705:06 AM
So, I got to work on the Dart a little bit. First, I played with starting up the car. I had no luck with 1 pump or 2 pumps. The Dart started up the best when my foot was on the gas and I let off. The key was engaged the entire time when starting up. It did not start up if I backed out the key.
I also started Dynamatting the trunk and spent most of my afternoon climbing in and out of it today. I just placed a layer over where the electric fuel pump is mounted. I wanted to put some in the back seat area of the Dart; however, as I was going to remove the subwoofer material placed in lieu of the back seats I realized that it was glued down. So, I didn't really want to mess with that. While I was back there, I accidentally bumped into the subwoofer material back panel and realized, I've got a giant drum playing back here. Just tapping it would cause quite a bit of resonance and that could possibly be causing some of the noise when the car starts to drone. So, I went back into the trunk and added 2 layers of Dynamat behind there (1 layer of scraps). The panel is definitely a lot stiffer and tapping it doesn't create as much of a resonance. None of this did help with the electric fuel pump noise (as I expected it wouldn't). The entire floor really needs to be Dynamatted.
Unfortunately, when I finished all of this, it started to rain. So, we'll see if the driving experience is better tomorrow.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/20/1706:52 AM
Drove the Dart today. It started up first try when I tried pushing the pedal to the floor and backing off. Of course, I had to babysit the car. What should the idle be at start-up? One thing I noticed is that idle seems pretty low on start up (~700-900 RPM). I thought it was supposed to be around 1200-1500 RPM.
I drove it around and with the lower fuel pressure the car seems a lot happier. The added Dynamat didn't help that much, but did help some. It's not as bad as it was before, but is still pretty bad. The car still resonates, but it's not deafening, just annoyingly loud.
I did fill up the Dart before coming home. 10 MPG!!! A lot better than 6.7 mpg and not too bad for having an autocross event mixed in. One problem I had was that the car did not want to start up for a min or two following the fill up. It definitely wanted less gas. I still debate whether it's me or the car, but I think I'm going to purchase a choke regardless. They're cheap and can easily be removed if it doesn't work.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/21/1705:01 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Drove the Dart today. It started up first try when I tried pushing the pedal to the floor and backing off. Of course, I had to babysit the car. What should the idle be at start-up? One thing I noticed is that idle seems pretty low on start up (~700-900 RPM). I thought it was supposed to be around 1200-1500 RPM.
I drove it around and with the lower fuel pressure the car seems a lot happier. The added Dynamat didn't help that much, but did help some. It's not as bad as it was before, but is still pretty bad. The car still resonates, but it's not deafening, just annoyingly loud.
I did fill up the Dart before coming home. 10 MPG!!! A lot better than 6.7 mpg and not too bad for having an autocross event mixed in. One problem I had was that the car did not want to start up for a min or two following the fill up. It definitely wanted less gas. I still debate whether it's me or the car, but I think I'm going to purchase a choke regardless. They're cheap and can easily be removed if it doesn't work.
Idle on startup can be pretty choppy if the engine is cold, but it should not take long to hold it's own idle. FWIW, my Warlock will idles around 600rpm in gear when warm, there's no reason for it to be >1,000rpm. I would target no more than 750rpm on the throttle stop [assuming you don't have a fast-idle w/o a choke]
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/21/1708:17 AM
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Idle on startup can be pretty choppy if the engine is cold, but it should not take long to hold it's own idle. FWIW, my Warlock will idles around 600rpm in gear when warm, there's no reason for it to be >1,000rpm. I would target no more than 750rpm on the throttle stop [assuming you don't have a fast-idle w/o a choke]
When the engine is warm, the idle is at about 800 RPM. My question was on a cold start up as my car idles down low. Every other car I have starts idle >1000 RPM and drops as it gets warmer. I'll have to see if I have the fast idle screw on the passenger side of the carb. Hopefully this weekend.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/21/1711:33 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Idle on startup can be pretty choppy if the engine is cold, but it should not take long to hold it's own idle. FWIW, my Warlock will idles around 600rpm in gear when warm, there's no reason for it to be >1,000rpm. I would target no more than 750rpm on the throttle stop [assuming you don't have a fast-idle w/o a choke]
When the engine is warm, the idle is at about 800 RPM. My question was on a cold start up as my car idles down low. Every other car I have starts idle >1000 RPM and drops as it gets warmer. I'll have to see if I have the fast idle screw on the passenger side of the carb. Hopefully this weekend.
Anything fuel injected will either have an idle-air control valve [IAC] or an electronic throttle body to deliver more throttle/air input on cold starts and idle high. They also have a direct input of engine temp [ECT] to know when it needs to high-idle or not.
Carbs managed this through a fast-idle cam, however the carb has no reference of engine heat without the presence of a choke, therefore it is likely not on your carb if you do not have a choke on it. Factory operation would kick-on the fast-idle when the choke is closed and kick off upon throttle input and an open/opening choke.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/26/1706:55 AM
I installed a manual choke today. Spent last night making a bracket for it. It definitely makes it easier on start up. I can get the idle higher on start up now. I didn't get it to completely warm up as I couldn't take it for a drive today.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 03/04/1704:43 AM
Got to drive the Dart today. It took awhile to figure out start up again. So, it seems it needs the choke all the way open on start up and then once the engine starts, the choke needs to be reduced immediately for the car to idle happy. The car still doesn't like to move unless water temp is at 150F, but what's nice about the manual choke is that it's warming up much faster now. When starting the car while it's warm, it likes a little bit of choke.
That being said, I've been working on function so much lately, I decided to do something cosmetic. So, I added a front spoiler. I have less than $50 into that. I don't think it looks too bad. I doubt it will do anything functionally.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/02/1702:47 AM
So, I invited a friend to go autocrossing with me today. He has a '67 Dart that was his first car and has wanted to ride in it. He met at my house in his '06 WRX and we cruised on down to Autoclub Speedway for the NMCA Autocross. The car drove nicely on the freeway.
My first set of autocross runs were not great whatsoever. The course was turns left and right and I couldn't really balance the car too well. Too much power, not enough grip, and in desperate need of a much more experienced driver. Let's just say, I destroyed some cones... and then some. I was smoothest when I barely tapped the throttle, but was very slow. But even then, the lightest throttle input can make the car pretty squirly. Average runs were approximately in the 38 second range and my best for the day was about 43 seconds.
Well, after my first set of runs, I did a once over for the car. My friend who was passenger said he heard rubbing throughout the run. I was too focused on driving to pay attention. I noticed a scrape on my front spoiler and when I tried to rub it off, the spoiler started moving a lot. I took a look under the car and the spoiler was barely being held on in 2 out of 4 locations. So, I removed that and tossed it with a good chuckle. Then we took a look at my tires. Now, the outside of my tires have been previously scraped (as seen in the photos) because when I first put the wheels on, the fenders weren't (partially) rolled and I still had a support bracket in place when I put the car together before taking it to Hotchkis. So, I didn't think much of it. When I took a look at them today, there were little rubber hairs peeling off of the side of the tire meaning there inner fender lip or GT trim studs are still scraping into the tires. There was a pretty gnarly gash (as seen in the bottom-ish part of the photo) that didn't make me too happy/confident. When the shop did the car, they couldn't roll the fenders completely due to the GT trim.
So, my friend and I cleaned the tires up and decided to do the next set of runs before we decided to bail out early (I would have got 3-4 sets of 3 runs). The second set felt better. We recorded it with a cell phone. I was still having problems hearing the rub. I'd hear it here and there, but a new problem arose during my second run. The Dart was backfiring like crazy with an occasional banging noise. I told my friend to get out of the car and check everything. He looked under the car and in the engine compartment real quick and didn't really notice anything. We decide to do one more run to see if we can recreate the problem and this time the misfire was a lot worse. After the run we drove down the strip and we were getting this misfire at low RPM's/speed but it would slowly go away at higher RPM's/speed. We park the car and do another once over. As I was reving the car in Neutral, my friend notices one of the bolts on the header flange rotating in position... Lovely. We start jacking the car up to tighten all of the nuts and as I get under the car, they're all missing. Yep, the nuts fell off. So, I tightened the 1 (out of 3) nuts that stayed on as best as I could and we drove back home. No misfiring whatsoever and the car was a pleasant drive. We figured that the exhaust was getting into the intake causing the misfiring to happen.
So, tonight I've got to stop by Home Depot to collect some hardware and fix this car as best as I can before Big Willow on Thursday. The plan is to install new hardware and locking washers on the exhaust flange, find where the wheel is rubbing and attempt to cut the inner fender lip, and remove the GT trim (just for racing... will be installed before Friday). I don't think I'll be able to get new front tires by then; however, I'll just limit my runs on Thursday if necessary.
I did this event to shakedown the car before Big Willow. I'd rather something go wrong at sub-60 mph than 100+ mph.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/02/1706:57 AM
Originally Posted By Keepat
Sounds like you had good test day despite some of the problems. Car looks very cool! Look forward to seeing your video Pat
It was a good test day, but I wasn't able to get any work done tonight as I was too tired. So, I'll have to do it tomorrow and really won't get another test day.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/02/1709:51 AM
Hey Samy! Oh ok now I see why and how you got those scrapes on your tire! It must have been the hardware that is holding the trim on your car right above the fenderwell? If the cuts are superficial, I wouldn't worry about it. If they are deep and down to the cords then it is a possible hazard. There is no way to tell how deep those cuts are in the pic. It dosen't look like you lost any air pressure so I hope everything is good!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/03/1712:56 AM
Originally Posted By RylisPro
Hey Samy! Oh ok now I see why and how you got those scrapes on your tire! It must have been the hardware that is holding the trim on your car right above the fenderwell? If the cuts are superficial, I wouldn't worry about it. If they are deep and down to the cords then it is a possible hazard. There is no way to tell how deep those cuts are in the pic. It dosen't look like you lost any air pressure so I hope everything is good!
See you at Willow Springs!
Some of the cuts are pretty deep but none of them are to the cords. I don't think the trim studs are the problem. They barely stick out and heck, the passenger side didn't even have a nut (part of the trim was popped out). I just think the car is rolling too much and machining the tire off of the fender lip. My shocks and sway bars are already as stiff as they'll get so maybe (in a year or so) I may need to bump up T-bars (currently 1.06"). That or get a wheel with a larger offset to move it in more. We'll see in the future. As for now, I banged the inner fender lip with a bfh. It didn't do too much. Maybe flare out the fender a little bit. The passenger side had a chunk of the inner fender lip missing where it was sharp at the break. I took a file to it and smoothed that out. So, hopefully that helps.
I also got some new locking washers and grade 8 bolts to replace the hardware that fell off the exhaust manifold.
As for now, I think that's as good as the Dart is going to get. I'm going to have to play Willow by ear and I don't think the race track will be as detrimental to the tires as autocross is.
Pictures of Driver side. Passenger side is similar but not as banged up at top.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/05/1704:18 AM
Originally Posted By jpilone
That's what you call "working out the kinks"
And it sounds like a hell of a lot of fun doing it!
It's pretty fun. I wish I could have gotten a little more seat time, but I've been way to busy with school and work and then of course bad stuff happened. I just wish I could have "worked out a couple more kinks."
I am a track junkie, but my track car(s) are mustangs. I'm a hybrid owner, I love mopars and mustangs...
I'd love to have a track-day worthy classic mopar.. I'd love to have an A body to hog out, throw a cage in it, and go crazy on the suspension and drivetrain (lightest and most powerful small block possible)
I am a track junkie, but my track car(s) are mustangs. I'm a hybrid owner, I love mopars and mustangs...
I'd love to have a track-day worthy classic mopar.. I'd love to have an A body to hog out, throw a cage in it, and go crazy on the suspension and drivetrain (lightest and most powerful small block possible)
Basically, that's what I did. Not necessarily very cheap. I'm sure a Mustang would be a lot simpler and cheaper. Lol.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/08/1702:32 AM
Sorry, I've been lagging. It's been a really long couple of days leading up to Spring Fling and I am beat. Took the Dart through Angeles Crest Highway Wednesday night after a full day of work and school. Pretty fun but took it easy as I was driving an unknown, winding road at night. Plus I had tools in the back. Stayed at a motel that by far had the most uncomfortable sleeping arrangements ever. To think people actually steal pillows from this place.
Got to Willow Springs... Had the driver's meeting, novice school, and went out to race. I only did two run sessions as I didn't want to kill the car and I was machining tires. I spun off course twice at turn 3 during my first session. The second was almost a 3 car pile up but luckily my car rolled off course. That may have been filmed. We'll see if Tim posts it up in a couple of weeks or if it makes it in one of the magazines.
Overall the Dart did great. I did the lunch time drags which was fun. Almost lost to a Ram 3500 because I decided to do an 1/8 mile burnout to make things more interesting. The WOT on the Dart is awesome and she really moves down the straight. Once I hit about 4500 RPM the engine just takes things to a whole new level and kicks you in the butt into overdrive. Basically in 4th gear the car goes from 85... 90... 95... 120!!! I did drag race a Hellcat, he got me slightly off the line and I had to slowly ease into 1st and 2nd so I wouldn't spin the tires. He beat me by a car length or two.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 05/28/1706:09 AM
Just an update. The Dart is still going after Spring Fling. I just drive it every weekend or so around town. 2 weeks ago I drove 90 miles round trip to a Cars & Coffee.
Today my friend and I carpooled to another friend's wedding. When we got to my place, I showed him the Dart which he has only seen in pictures. Once he walked into the garage he instantly turned giddy like a child and I had to take him out for a spin. We terrorized the streets for about 15 minutes through the local neighborhood and he had a blast. He said he always wanted a race car experience and he got it.
Before the Dart goes racing again, I need to fix my tire rubbing problems. That's why you haven't heard many racing stories.
Well, I did something stupid this morning. I am leaving today on vacation and decided to unhook my battery in the Dart because I don't have a battery tender. Well, stupid me forgot Batteries 101 and started undoing the power side. As I was untightening it, the wrench started to spark. So, naturally, you let go. Then it fell on the battery box connecting it to the power port. I had a Disneyland firework display in my garage. I immediately wacked the wrench with a towel covering my hand. The wrench is toast... literally. I already ordered a new one. The battery box has a small chunk missing. And the power connector is a little black itself. Lesson learned.
Sorry, I kind of left this thread for dead. I've been super busy. Was on vacation for about a week and a half and then I just started another session of school again.
But I drove the Dart today for about 30 mins. I didn't push the car too much because there was traffic on the street. Before I created this thread, I actually used a BFH on the front fenders and the past couple times I've driven it I haven't seen swiss tires on the front. The rears are rubbing on the outer fender (although it didn't happen today). There seems to be a ledge on the inside of the quarter panel and it's catching on that. It's not rubbing the rolled lip. I took a BFH to it and hopefully that helps.
It seems like my short term fix is going to helper springs. My friend has a set that he used on his '72 Charger so that should help with reducing compression. Long-term fix would be offset shackles, that way I can remove my 5mm spacers and relieve some space. Also, I remembered that the 8 3/4 favors the passenger side so there's extra rub there. The offset shackles should center the 8 3/4 in between the wheel wells. So, we'll see. I hope I can fit 275's all around some day. Gotta keep massaging.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/01/1704:53 AM
I think I have a plan, it's just when to pull the trigger. I want a couple hard runs, possibly through the local hills, to feel out the fronts and rears to see if they're still rubbing after it's bfh treatment. But if I pawn off my MP shackles and buy the Dr Diff shackle, I'll have offset shackles that will accept the aftermarket leaf springs and retain my 1" drop. Not only that, but it will center my 8 3/4 as mine favors the passenger side about 0.25". I was going to also borrow a buddies helper springs he had on his '72 Charger to help reduce compression. On the fronts, while it would be in the shop, I was thinking about upgrading torsion bars to something thicker than the 1.06" bars I have right now.
At that point, I could just remove my rear +5mm spacers and run the car as is. The only problem is I wouldn't really pass tech at any racing events as the front tires are cut up and the rear tires had their sidewalls rubbed away. But I could run the tires as is on the streets and just have fun.
Luckily, when I go to the tire upgrade, I don't think I'll be paying a pretty penny in wheels. I found out Summit still offers the offset I have up front. So, I could just buy 2 wheels for less than $400 and I have all 4 corners matching. The only thing I'm worried about is the section width. The Michelin's on an 18 x 9" are 10.2" wide. The Bridgestone RE-71R's are 10.9" on an 18 x 9.5" wheel. So, I'm hoping by having a wheel that's .5" shorter it would bring the section width down to about 10.6-7". Looking at RimsnTires.com, with my +5mm spacer on the back, I'll be the exact same distance to the fender as I am now and I think I'll be able to clear the springs. The loss in 0.4" in tire height may help me.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/17/1705:10 AM
Well, I was going to go for a Sunday ride today in the Dart. As I was about to pull out of my garage, I noticed smoke coming out of the center console. Shut the car off, looked underneath the vehicle, and noticed trans fluid leaking onto the X-pipe from the tailshaft.
Looks like I'm going to have to take it in within the next couple of weeks as I don't have any time to work on it. Going to see if I can get offset shackles and possibly larger T-bars installed at the same time.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/18/1709:02 AM
Hey Samy, I had the same issue with my T56 Magnum back in 2014. I called Tremec about it and they said that a few of the transmissions had an older type of rear seal. They sent me an updated seal which is easy to install once the exhaust & driveshaft is off.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/19/1705:14 AM
Yeah, I just found out how easy it is. Unfortunately, I am just swamped with life right now. There's hardly time to drive the car, let alone work on it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/09/1709:21 AM
I picked up the car today. It drives a lot better now with the larger T-bars and offset shackles installed. The car never had a trans leak, it was just engine blow-by, so I need to look into that now.
I drove the car from the shop to my work and then to my gf's house (about 30 miles all on streets) and it seemed to do fine. Later on in the day, my gf and I went on a little joy ride and the Dart was great. My gf was ecstatic and loved it. It was really fun.
Well, a couple hours later I had to take on the 30 mile journey home (mostly freeway). When I started the car, I kind of had a feeling there was a problem. I could sort of hear a little clunking noise from the car as it was idling and every time I pushed the clutch pedal it went away, but I wasn't sure. I put the car in reverse and backed out and as I shifted into 1st and was moving forward, it sounded like a mystery bolt came loose and clunked around for a second, dropped out of the car, then the car stopped and shut off. Keep in mind, the car was still a little cold (135-150F water temp) and has shut off on me when trying to move the car in 1st if it's not too warm (I rushed the warm up a little as I was trying to get home as it was late). I immediately started the car back up again and the noise was gone. I didn't want to scare my gf, so I drove away, planning on pulling over in a nearby neighborhood in case something happened as I didn't want her to worry (I know, not the smartest idea).
Well, as I was driving, the car felt fine, until I got on the freeway. It could just be me since I haven't driven the car in 2 months, but it felt like the car was fighting itself to stay at speed (70-80 mph). My frame of reference could be out of wack because I just got a new daily driver last week and have been driving that a lot. But I also noticed that when I hit the exhaust drone RPM band and tried cruising at that speed that the vibration was a lot more than usual, but would smooth out significantly after I raised the engine speed outside of drone RPM. Lastly, what I thought was kind of weird, and I don't remember it doing this before, was that sometimes when I'd try to accelerate to pass a car (let's just say I'm at 2500 RPM in 5th gear) the RPM would rise to about 3000 (still in 5th) for a second or two, but the car would stay at the same speed, then the RPM would drop to about 2700 RPM and it would increase speed by a small amount. This also did sometimes occur when shifting from 5th to 6th and vice versa. It may have done it before, but who knows, my memory could be off.
Anyways, I ended up getting home safe, but now I'm all freaked out that I have a transmission problem and I'm tired of spending money on this car. I swear this car hates me. I'm pretty frustrated with it at this point and if this ends up being something big, I'm parking the car until next June (when I finish my masters) because I don't have the time, patience, or money anymore to work on it. But who knows, this could all just be me and my tiredness.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/11/1704:25 AM
The way I'm looking at it, in order to finish this job I'm just going to have to set aside like 2 hours a week and tackle the project and inspect the trans. It seems like that will be the cheapest route where I get the most experience without getting too tired out or too frustrated and working around my busy schedule. I'm tired of sending the car to a shop and spending the money. It's going to take a long time and I probably won't make it to a lot of car shows, but it is what it is.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/12/1704:18 AM
Have you had anyone else drive your car?
Someone with a lot of experience can very very quickly pickup on quirks and signs that can easily be misconstrued for other things. If not, find someone you can trust, someone that has some additional experience that may help you get going in the right direction sooner than you think.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/12/1705:07 AM
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Have you had anyone else drive your car?
Someone with a lot of experience can very very quickly pickup on quirks and signs that can easily be misconstrued for other things. If not, find someone you can trust, someone that has some additional experience that may help you get going in the right direction sooner than you think.
I have not, I don't really know anyone with that kind of experience near me.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/07/1702:17 AM
Sorry I've been MIA. Been busy with school and work. I just dropped the Dart off at a credible trans shop 4 miles away. It was recommended to me by multiple local businesses, had good Yelp reviews, and he also did some work to my mom's SUV. They were super reasonable on the labor rate for the inspection.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/10/1703:32 AM
Just talked to the trans shop. They said all the bolts on the pressure plate and flywheel were there. They're going to check the throwout bearing tomorrow morning.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/12/1703:21 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Well, the clutch is fried.
Yikes, flywheel likely needs resurfaced too. Do you drive with your foot on the clutch pedal at all? Unless the clutch is not up to the horsepower, it should have lasted quite awhile.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/12/1703:44 AM
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Well, the clutch is fried.
Yikes, flywheel likely needs resurfaced too. Do you drive with your foot on the clutch pedal at all? Unless the clutch is not up to the horsepower, it should have lasted quite awhile.
I thought about if I was riding the clutch, and I don't think I do. Generally I don't when I drive my daily, but the Darts pedal assembly is different. I mean, I've daily driven manual cars since I first got my license almost 10 years ago and I've never replaced a clutch. A lot of my commute is in traffic too.
The trans shop thinks it could be the spacers between the bellhousing not being sufficient causing the throwout bearing to ride on the pressure plate, but Hotchkis doesn't think so. Regardless, Hotchkis wanted to check it out to "make it right" if they did something wrong, so we towed it over there today. We'll see what comes out of that.
Yikes, flywheel likely needs resurfaced too. Do you drive with your foot on the clutch pedal at all? Unless the clutch is not up to the horsepower, it should have lasted quite awhile.
I thought about if I was riding the clutch, and I don't think I do. Generally I don't when I drive my daily, but the Darts pedal assembly is different. I mean, I've daily driven manual cars since I first got my license almost 10 years ago and I've never replaced a clutch. A lot of my commute is in traffic too.
The trans shop thinks it could be the spacers between the bellhousing not being sufficient causing the throwout bearing to ride on the pressure plate, but Hotchkis doesn't think so. Regardless, Hotchkis wanted to check it out to "make it right" if they did something wrong, so we towed it over there today. We'll see what comes out of that.
My T56 Magnum TOB is supposed to ride on the pressure plate, by design.
Quote:
The CSC is designed to be compressed by more than 1⁄2” by the pressure plate fingers when at rest.
There is, however, a proper way to shim it. Your TOB style may vary, but it can be assembled improperly.
Quote:
Clutch slippage will result if the CSC bottoms out and is partially depressing the pressure plate fingers at rest
Really happy I was able to finally get the car back on Friday morning. Drove it to work, gf's house, and then back home and didn't have a problem. Clutch discs were glazed and the throwout bearing broke (probably the pinging noise I heard when I first had the incident). I can't believe I drove it 30 miles home like this. So, I'm going to baby the car for the next 600 miles to ensure the clutch is good.
Unfortunately, when I got to work, I realized that the driver's window fell off its tracks, so I'm going to need to fix that. However, I already had problems with this side where the car does not have the roller or plastic guide in the window. Does anyone know where to get these parts? I was planning on doing this in December.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/14/1704:40 AM
Hotchkis did verify the throwout range and this is the TO bearing.
I'm still perplexed that this happened as I don't know what exactly caused this. Sure I thrashed the car that night but all the driving leading up to that was fine. I didn't even hear anything when I parked the car hours befoee. I'm thinking the TO bearing may have gave out and the clutch discs were glazed because I drove home 30-35 miles with a slipping clutch.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 11/27/1707:59 AM
Well, it's been a couple weeks since I got the car back and I've driven (babied) it about 100 miles or so and so far no problems. Everything seems to be going smoothly.
I'm finishing another quarter of school in about 2 weeks so after that I'll be able to work on the car some as I won't start again until the New Year. I'm also taking the last week of the year off so there's some more time there.
I still have a drone problem that I need to tackle, just so the car is more bearable on the freeway and longer trips. I'm going to try repositioning or denting my headers as the headers still interfere with my PS box. If not, I'm going to probably have to put some small resonators at the tailpipe as there's no other room.
I also want to see how large of a tire I can fit out back now that I have my springs relocated in. So, I'm going to try throwing the front wheels (18x9, +32 mm, 255/40/18) on the back (18x9, +22 mm, 255/40/18) and see if I can go to a wider tire if I order a new set of back wheels. I'd rather not order a whole new set of wheels. I'm pretty sure a 265/35/18 should fit no problem (although it will be short), but I'd like a 275/35/18.
As for that, I went on a lovely ride today with the gf around the lake. Once I got home, my gf decided she wanted a photo session with the car. I think this is one of the first times that someone has taken a picture with me and the car as I'm usually the one behind the camera lens.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/12/1706:55 AM
Swapped the front (18x9, 255/40/18, +32mm) and rear (18x9, 255/40/18, +17mm - after +5mm spacer) wheels off the Dart this past weekend. I measured under my car and with new wheels I have room for wider tires... Yay! I don't know when I'll be able to afford them... Boo!
I was also looking under my car, but once I get my motor mounts fixed I think I could install resonators before my mufflers if I needed too.
I made spacers yesterday that slid underneath my driver's side motor mount and installed the spacers and went for a 25 mile cruise today. Overall, I think the biggest improvement is that it seems like there are less vibrations in the car and because of that it seems like the overall volume inside the cab has gone down and that there's a little less drone; however, the drone is still there. It was also hard to judge as it took awhile for the engine to warm up (it was about 50F today). Most of the ride I was under 180F water temp but I did notice that the hotter the engine got, the more the car droned. I think the next step will be resonators before the mufflers.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 04/09/1804:13 AM
Alright, so I went to an exhaust shop Friday and had them install some Helmholtz resonators. I had to do the math for them, but I came out to needing about a 25" long resonator. The muffler shop I went to was great. Really cool mom and pop place. Overall, the car is a little quieter, sounds a little different, and part of the drone has gone away, but not completely. Aside from exhaust tips, I think I am going to stop messing with the exhaust. Let's face it, I'm throwing 500+ hp through a tiny tube. I'll just cruise at 60 mph instead of 70 mph. I'll save gas anyway.
So, update on the Dart. I have good news and bad news and it's a long story.
So, a couple weeks ago, I found out my manual choke cable was causing my car to run extra rich for the past year, so I yanked it out and the car has been running well. The past two drives, it did pretty good and gave me little to no trouble.
Lately, I've had this amazing plan that I was going to convert the Dart to EFI. I was going to install a Holley Sniper, put in all new lines, install a Tanks Inc tank with Stealth Aeromotive in-tank fuel pump. Good news, I bought everything! I even bought some new, Afco 142 lbs/in leaf springs to raise up the rear a bit to deal with the heavy Dart.
The bad news... When I was leaving work today, I started the car and started to hear some crunching under the engine bay. I took a look and it looks like the water pump pulley is wobbling a little bit back and forth. Shut off the car, wobble it a little with my hands, but it's tight. Great... the bearing might be going out... but the belt is still tight?
Drove home, everything was perfect, water temps were perfect. As I pull up my street, which is on a hill, and I am literally one house away, the car fumbles dies. I tried starting it up again, and it fired, but died immediately. I thought the car may be low on gas and the hill was pushing the fuel away from the pickup so I rolled the car down the hill, walked to my house to get my extra gas canister, and filled the tank with 2 gallons. Started it up, and died immediately. So, I roll it further down, I turn on the ignition and check my fuel pressure gauge and I'm getting 7psi. So, it seems like the fuel system is working. I left the car there for an hour, ran some chores, came back and tried starting it up a couple of times and the same thing happened, except this time, it sounded like all of the teeth on my starter decided to go missing with some extra crunchyness because now when I was cranking it, there were no crunchies the RPMS were stuck at 0.
So, I had to get the car towed to my house 3 houses up the hill. I'm going to fix the car starting next week. It's not going to a shop. I'm going to spend an hour or so a night a couple nights a week to tackle it. I just don't know where to start. Should I try making it run again before going efi? Or just start converting stuff over and hoping it was a fuel issue? Decisions... Decisions...
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/13/1804:30 AM
So, I checked for a ballast resistor as two people recommended it, and this car doesn't have one as I have a Ready-to-Run distributor. I then removed the starter and the teeth look good so I'm assuming the internals are fried.
Today, I removed all the spark plugs (all of them were very black - rich), bought some sockets at Harbor Freight, and rotated the crank. It rotated so the engine didn't seize. The thinking was if the water pump seized, then the engine wouldn't get coolant.
So, what could have shut this car down? Maybe it is fuel related?
I also lost another 1/2" wrench for not disconnecting the negative battery cable.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/19/1806:09 AM
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Needs fuel, compression and spark to run, figure out what is missing.
I would get it running again and isolate any and all mechanical issues before trying to go EFI, you'll just add insult to injury if you don't.
Starter is coming in the mail and will be here by the end of the week. From there, I'll figure out why the car won't start. I also have new spark plugs coming in too.
Well, it's been a couple weeks since I got the car back and I've driven (babied) it about 100 miles or so and so far no problems. Everything seems to be going smoothly.
I'm finishing another quarter of school in about 2 weeks so after that I'll be able to work on the car some as I won't start again until the New Year. I'm also taking the last week of the year off so there's some more time there.
I still have a drone problem that I need to tackle, just so the car is more bearable on the freeway and longer trips. I'm going to try repositioning or denting my headers as the headers still interfere with my PS box. If not, I'm going to probably have to put some small resonators at the tailpipe as there's no other room.
I also want to see how large of a tire I can fit out back now that I have my springs relocated in. So, I'm going to try throwing the front wheels (18x9, +32 mm, 255/40/18) on the back (18x9, +22 mm, 255/40/18) and see if I can go to a wider tire if I order a new set of back wheels. I'd rather not order a whole new set of wheels. I'm pretty sure a 265/35/18 should fit no problem (although it will be short), but I'd like a 275/35/18.
As for that, I went on a lovely ride today with the gf around the lake. Once I got home, my gf decided she wanted a photo session with the car. I think this is one of the first times that someone has taken a picture with me and the car as I'm usually the one behind the camera lens.
Heck with picture of you with the car, where's the pictures of her.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/27/1805:22 AM
Good news and bad news. Good news, took the old starter to Autozone and it tested out good. Bad news, I don't know what's wrong. I reinstalled everything and tried starting the car up again. With a couple of pumps of the gas pedal, it will start and shut down when the ignition is turned. Without any pumps of the gas pedal, it sounds like the starter and flywheel just free wheel. When I keep my foot on the gas and turn the key, it will start up, but I have to keep my foot 1/2-3/4 throttle in order to keep it running and it does not sound happy. Idk what's wrong, but now it's starting like a fuel problem. I have new spark plugs, since all of the old ones were black, but I'm not sure if I want to install them just yet to check to ensure it is fuel. Video attached of me trying to start the car a couple of times.
I just checked the choke and it was closed. I realized that there wasn't a rod in place to keep it from shutting. I tried starting it up (without an air cleaner) and I still had the exact same problem. The only time I got it to fire up, a fire ball came out of the carburetor.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 06/28/1805:51 AM
I replaced the spark plugs. When I cranked it the first time, it still made the starter free-wheeling noise. On second crank, it started right up and didn't have any problems idling.
I really wasn't able to do much with it, but on Tuesday I was able to start it after multiple starter attempts. Once I started it, I just let the car sit and warm up to operating temperature. It didn't have any problems warming up. I also used part of an old wire hanger to make something to keep the choke open. Although the car had been sitting for a while, I didn't get black soot coming out of the exhaust when I started the car up. So, it seems like I'm heading in the right direction.
I have a video of it running. I'm still unsure of the water pump pulley. It may be my eyes are fooling me or the play is normal. But I hear something clanking around. I walked around the car and it seemed most dominant under the car by the driver's side door. Again, I took a video, but the video doesn't capture all the sounds. I can post it later tonight. I hope something isn't left over in the bellhousing and it's just me being paranoid. Anyway, the starter and spark plugs are going to have to come out and I'm going to have to inspect, the starter and flywheel and see if any teeth are missing or if something is chilling in the bellhousing.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/17/1805:16 AM
So, I took a look at the underhood of the car for the first time since my last post. There doesn't seem to be an easy way of removing the water pump belt as there's no idler/tension pulley. I can't get an allen into my water pump pulley. It doesn't seem like I'll be able to remove the water pump without removing the radiator.
So, I think my plan of attack is probably going to be the falling: 1) Remove the starter to inspect the flywheel. 2) Empty fluids and remove radiator. 3) Replace water pump. 4) Inspect to see if things are fixed...
Loosen the two bolts attaching the alternator to the upper and lower alternator mounting brackets (visible in your first picture) and push alternator towards the water pump. Water pump belt should be able to be removed. Belt tensioners are typically for more modern serpentine type belts which your Dart doesn't have. Remove left cooling fan to allow removal of water pump.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/18/1802:55 AM
Originally Posted By Challegator
Loosen the two bolts attaching the alternator to the upper and lower alternator mounting brackets (visible in your first picture) and push alternator towards the water pump. Water pump belt should be able to be removed. Belt tensioners are typically for more modern serpentine type belts which your Dart doesn't have. Remove left cooling fan to allow removal of water pump.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/18/1804:19 AM
Just an observation but that rubber plug for the heater hose nipple is cracking. It's under pressure. If it blows and you are standing over the motor you are going to get a face full of hot coolant. Not to mention that you are probably not wearing safety glasses. 2nd degree burns on the face and possible blindness is not worth it. Pull the pump and weld up those hose nipples.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/18/1804:27 AM
Originally Posted By dart4forte
Just an observation but that rubber plug for the heater hose nipple is cracking. It's under pressure. If it blows and you are standing over the motor you are going to get a face full of hot coolant. Not to mention that you are probably not wearing safety glasses. 2nd degree burns on the face and possible blindness is not worth it. Pull the pump and weld up those hose nipples.
I prefer to tap them an plug them. Please listen to Dart4forte he's a nipple expert!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/18/1805:41 AM
Originally Posted By moparpollack
Originally Posted By dart4forte
Just an observation but that rubber plug for the heater hose nipple is cracking. It's under pressure. If it blows and you are standing over the motor you are going to get a face full of hot coolant. Not to mention that you are probably not wearing safety glasses. 2nd degree burns on the face and possible blindness is not worth it. Pull the pump and weld up those hose nipples.
I prefer to tap them an plug them. Please listen to Dart4forte he's a nipple expert!
I don't have any taps. What size do you use for your nipples?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/18/1805:49 AM
I pulled the water pump belt and I still here a knocking noise. When I started the car up, it only took one try and idling was super easy. I didn't even have to babysit the car as it idled.
When I later spun the water pump pulley san belt, it seemed to rotate smoothly. I didn't feel any crunchyness or radial play.
Just an observation but that rubber plug for the heater hose nipple is cracking. It's under pressure. If it blows and you are standing over the motor you are going to get a face full of hot coolant. Not to mention that you are probably not wearing safety glasses. 2nd degree burns on the face and possible blindness is not worth it. Pull the pump and weld up those hose nipples.
I prefer to tap them an plug them. Please listen to Dart4forte he's a nipple expert!
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/25/1805:59 AM
*ALERT!!! LOTS OF VENTING IN THIS POST!!!*
Back story on my life this year. Lots of good things going on, don't get me wrong. But life is pretty crazy. So, in February, I proposed to my gf and she said yes. That's right, I'm engaged. April, I left my old job as a design engineer in Aerospace because I just wasn't happy and am now working as a Process Engineer for a large medical company. I'm super happy with that as I get to be really hands on and am working on some cool technology. In June, I graduated with my master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and am so thankful for that. Unfortunately, due to stress, school took a tole on my body and energy and now I'm working at getting healthy again by working out 1.5+ hours a day (5 days a week), eating healthy, and trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. And now I'm planning a wedding for next February while trying to buy a home in Southern California this winter.
So, as you can see, I'm pretty busy. Usually when I get home, I'm pretty drained and don't have much time or energy to do anything but prepare for the next day. And the Dart being down is really a pain in my butt because it just adds stress instead of relieving it. Don't get me wrong, I want to work on it (to relieve stress) and have been inspiring myself by watching Youtube shows like Mighty Car Mods and Roadkill. I'd like the car to be running and reliable before I move, because when I move, I'll likely be in a condo which means there will be a lot less room for me to work, if my HOA even allows me to work on the car. Not only that, it sucks I worked hard and sold a bunch of parts to purchase all of my EFI components, but now I can't install it, because I'm having trouble making the car reliable first. If I could convince my fiance to bring the car to the wedding, I think that would be a cool and memorable moment, but it's not looking likely with the car in a constant cycle of breaking down for 3 months and running for a month.
On to today. I finally had the time and energy to work on the car. The plan was to pull the spark plugs and the starter, turn the crank and ensure all the teeth are on the flywheel. So, I pull the spark plugs, jack the car up, and remove the starter. No problems. Go to turn the crank with my breaker bar and, it was probably the fact that I was trying to turn the crank from underneath the car, but the car moved a little and freaked me out. I was only able to see about a 1/4 of the teeth and they seemed ok. So, me being freaked out, I said, "F it! The teeth are good, let's just put the starter back on!" I got to put the starter on and the small connector (I'm assuming for grounding) snapped off when I was tightening it. As I was unbolting everything (for the millionth time), the starter falls out of my hand and bashed into my teeth. Luckily, I brush twice a day, so my teeth seem to be fine, but I cut a little bit of my lip. So, now I have to replace this wire (I hate electrical work) and the shop who built the car has this really nice wire wrapping around it that will all have to be removed to replace the wire. I'm so over everything breaking whenever I touch this car.
So, that's where I'm at right now. My per-marital counseling pastor took real interest into my car this past Sunday and gave me a contact to a really good guy who works on classic cars not too far away. The guy has 5 stars on Yelp. Now that's tempting me to ship the car off again, which sucks because I feel like I am a quitter every time I do that. But, I'm trying to buy a house, so I may not have the funds to do that. I wish I wasn't so busy.
Back story on my life this year. Lots of good things going on, don't get me wrong. But life is pretty crazy. So, in February, I proposed to my gf and she said yes. That's right, I'm engaged. April, I left my old job as a design engineer in Aerospace because I just wasn't happy and am now working as a Process Engineer for a large medical company. I'm super happy with that as I get to be really hands on and am working on some cool technology. In June, I graduated with my master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and am so thankful for that. Unfortunately, due to stress, school took a tole on my body and energy and now I'm working at getting healthy again by working out 1.5+ hours a day (5 days a week), eating healthy, and trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. And now I'm planning a wedding for next February while trying to buy a home in Southern California this winter.
So, as you can see, I'm pretty busy. Usually when I get home, I'm pretty drained and don't have much time or energy to do anything but prepare for the next day. And the Dart being down is really a pain in my butt because it just adds stress instead of relieving it. Don't get me wrong, I want to work on it (to relieve stress) and have been inspiring myself by watching Youtube shows like Mighty Car Mods and Roadkill. I'd like the car to be running and reliable before I move, because when I move, I'll likely be in a condo which means there will be a lot less room for me to work, if my HOA even allows me to work on the car. Not only that, it sucks I worked hard and sold a bunch of parts to purchase all of my EFI components, but now I can't install it, because I'm having trouble making the car reliable first. If I could convince my fiance to bring the car to the wedding, I think that would be a cool and memorable moment, but it's not looking likely with the car in a constant cycle of breaking down for 3 months and running for a month.
On to today. I finally had the time and energy to work on the car. The plan was to pull the spark plugs and the starter, turn the crank and ensure all the teeth are on the flywheel. So, I pull the spark plugs, jack the car up, and remove the starter. No problems. Go to turn the crank with my breaker bar and, it was probably the fact that I was trying to turn the crank from underneath the car, but the car moved a little and freaked me out. I was only able to see about a 1/4 of the teeth and they seemed ok. So, me being freaked out, I said, "F it! The teeth are good, let's just put the starter back on!" I got to put the starter on and the small connector (I'm assuming for grounding) snapped off when I was tightening it. As I was unbolting everything (for the millionth time), the starter falls out of my hand and bashed into my teeth. Luckily, I brush twice a day, so my teeth seem to be fine, but I cut a little bit of my lip. So, now I have to replace this wire (I hate electrical work) and the shop who built the car has this really nice wire wrapping around it that will all have to be removed to replace the wire. I'm so over everything breaking whenever I touch this car.
So, that's where I'm at right now. My per-marital counseling pastor took real interest into my car this past Sunday and gave me a contact to a really good guy who works on classic cars not too far away. The guy has 5 stars on Yelp. Now that's tempting me to ship the car off again, which sucks because I feel like I am a quitter every time I do that. But, I'm trying to buy a house, so I may not have the funds to do that. I wish I wasn't so busy.
Sorry for the vent...
Well, this is a first. Attacked by a starter!!!! In all seriousness it’s probably time to take a break from the car. Put it out of your mind and focus on your new family. If you can afford it yard the work out. No shame in that given that you want a car you can eventually enjoy.
A guy that can probably help you out is junior340(Andy)on the FABO site. He’s also on this site under a different name. Real good guy. Runs a shop in Pismo Beach that’s mechanically oriented toward muscle. He’s old school. May be worth trailering the car down and have him give it the once over.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/26/1806:01 AM
I grabbed a #10 ring terminal and a crimping tool from work today. I bought my own on Amazon, but that won't come for a few days. I also got a heat gun and a soldering iron kit, as I figured it would be inevitable I work with electronics in the future and they were cheap (~$20/each). I crimped the new ring terminal on (it was my first time so it wasn't pretty), and installed the starter. Prior to that, I made sure that all of the teeth were on the flywheel, and they were. When I went to go connect the battery, the battery sparked and the starter turned on. So, I had to go back, and remove the starter and make sure that the power chord wasn't touching the ground. I reinstalled the starter and I guess it didn't seat right because it made gear noises every time I hit the accelerator pedal. So now I have to go back and uninstall and reinstall the starter for the 10th time.
The starter is still free wheeling at start-up. But one thing I noticed is that it sounded the same as when the starter engaged when I had the shorting boo boo with the battery. So, now I'm wondering, could it be that I'm not getting enough fuel (just changed spark plugs, so spark should be good) to the cylinder and the engine is just free wheeling until it can finally detonate the fuel? Or do you still think it is a starter engagement problem?
Anywho, I probably won't be able to work on the car until Friday. I've been cutting out 15-30 mins of my workout the past couple days and that has been helping me a lot to get out and work on the car. It's almost like working on the car ends up being part of my workout, especially when it's super hot outside. I was sweating quite a bit and it was only 7 pm.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/26/1806:04 AM
Originally Posted By dart4forte
Well, this is a first. Attacked by a starter!!!! In all seriousness it’s probably time to take a break from the car. Put it out of your mind and focus on your new family. If you can afford it yard the work out. No shame in that given that you want a car you can eventually enjoy.
A guy that can probably help you out is junior340(Andy)on the FABO site. He’s also on this site under a different name. Real good guy. Runs a shop in Pismo Beach that’s mechanically oriented toward muscle. He’s old school. May be worth trailering the car down and have him give it the once over.
I'm a little determined to do this myself. I always say I'm a car guy but rarely work on my own stuff. I feel like with this car, I always take it 80% there and then give up at the end. I just want to kind of tell people, "Yeah, I did this on the car..." instead of someone else.
As for Andy, I've met him quite a few times. I sold him a pair of Bilstein front shocks about 3 years ago for his Dart and then he stopped by to say high this past Spring Fling. Good guy! I always comment on his Junior340 thread on FABO.
Congratulations on the upcoming wedding. The small terminal is for the solenoid. It gets 12v when you turn the key. You probably had the 12v supply for the starter touching the solenoid stud when it started spinning over. Hopefully you find the source of your noise soon.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 07/31/1805:06 AM
I just reset the starter and it felt like the teeth were engaged when I installed it. It still had problems with starting up. Usually, I'd have to give the car quite a bit of gas before it would engage and start. Today was the opposite. Giving gas first did nothing but free-spin. I actually turned the key without putting my foot on the pedal and barely gave it a little gas before the car started up. So, now I feel more confident it is a starter issue. I was just thinking about getting this starter from Autozone: https://www.autozone.com/batteries-start...odel=&year=
I let the car idle, and it seemed to idle fine. I let it idle for about 15 mins and let it get up to temp. I couldn't really hear the extra noise from the engine compartment, only from underneath the car on the driver's side. So, I'm thinking it's coming from my trans? Now that I think about it, it kinda just sounds like gear noise. So, maybe it's just gear noise vibrating between the concrete floor and the unibody. You can't hear anything standing up next to the car. I only hear it when lying on the ground. Idk, what are your thoughts?
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/01/1805:25 AM
Good news: Got the new starter. It is physically smaller than the old one, looks to be built well, weighs 1.8 lbs less, and has a partition for the power and 12V cables so no shorts.
Bad news: I need a larger terminal for the 12V cable as this one is a little larger.
Good news: I'll pick up a terminal at work tomorrow.
On a side note: I did notice that the old starter had slop in the gear shaft whereas the new starter was tight. So my guess is the solenoid was going out.
Good news: Got the new starter. It is physically smaller than the old one, looks to be built well, weighs 1.8 lbs less, and has a partition for the power and 12V cables so no shorts.
Bad news: I need a larger terminal for the 12V cable as this one is a little larger.
Good news: I'll pick up a terminal at work tomorrow.
On a side note: I did notice that the old starter had slop in the gear shaft whereas the new starter was tight. So my guess is the solenoid was going out.
That plastic terminal block usually gets in the way and is removable, that's how your old one is. Also look at the bolt holes and if one is larger than the other you'll need to make up a bushing to center it properly for mounting. Ron
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/02/1804:42 AM
Originally Posted By RJS
That plastic terminal block usually gets in the way and is removable, that's how your old one is. Also look at the bolt holes and if one is larger than the other you'll need to make up a bushing to center it properly for mounting. Ron
So, I checked the clearance between the starter and the headers, and I have about 2.5 fingers of room between the header and the closest stud. When the shop installed my engine, they installed it quite a bit forward, plus I have TTi shorty headers. Also, regarding the hole that is larger than the 7/16" bolt (9/16" hole to be exact), I took some measurements and found a $1.14 bushing from McMaster to fit in the starter and prevent slop (McMaster P/N 9368T143 9/16" OD, 7/16" ID, 0.5" Long - https://www.mcmaster.com/#9368t143/=1dz33ls). I also got some terminals from work, so that should work out well.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/04/1801:14 AM
So, I installed my starter and the car started right up! The oil was also a little low so I added 3/4 a quart. I still feel like I'm hearing noises, but maybe I'm crazy.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 08/23/1806:22 AM
So, it's been a couple weeks since I've posted as I've been dealing with a big family trauma. A little over a week ago, my fiance's mom passed away due to Stage 4 metastatic Breast Cancer. It originated approximately 5 years ago, after a year and a half of treatment it stopped growing, about a year and a half ago the cancer scars started acting up in other organs and attacking the body again. She passed away about 5.5 months before our wedding. So, it's been a very sad time. I'm trying to be there for my fiance and her family as much as possible. Because of this, I've had no time/energy to do anything.
Today was the first time I actually got to look at the Dart and I decided to take it out for a drive. I drove it for 30 mins (22 miles) and didn't really push it hard. There was no "driving" issues that I could tell. I did get it up to 4000 RPM on two occasions and 5000 RPM on another. All 3 pulls were at about 1/4 throttle. On a side note, the Helmholtz resonators need quite a bit of time before they start working. For the first 20 minutes the drone was still there, but as the exhaust got to operating temperature, it quieted way down. I just thought that was interesting.
However, I'm pretty sure I've isolated the "gear noise." I'm pretty sure it's the throwout bearing (again). The "gear noise" was present in neutral. I got out of the car and pushed the clutch pedal down with my hand and listened under the car and the noise went away. I remember it did something similar right before my last throwout bearing burst, but last time it sounded way worse. I don't know how I feel about this. I don't think it's something I'd like to tackle on my own as I'd have to remove the entire trans and exhaust; however, due to the wedding and buying a new house, I don't really want to spend the money on a shop. Luckily, my pre-marital pastor referred me to a good shop semi-closeby.
So, that's been my life up to this point. I discussed this with my fiance. The plan was to take the Dart to Fall Fling. I'm not sure now. And if I do, it's doubtful it will have its new leaf springs and Holley Sniper installed as it's still sitting in boxes.
I just talked to the shop that was referred to me and explained to him what had happened. He didn't think it was a bad throwout bearing at all. He suspects it is low on trans fluid. That seems to be the logical thing to check first instead of pulling the transmission out and buying a $400 part. So, I'll try to do that Sunday... or whenever I have free time.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/04/1805:11 AM
Originally Posted By jpilone
Sorry for your loss man. Been there. Sometimes some automotive therapy helps clear your head...
Yeah, my work schedule is now back to normal, so I should have more time in the week to work on the car. We'll see if I have the motivation to work on it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 09/13/1805:45 AM
Been busy between life stuff and wedding stuff but I finally got around to adding some Trans fluid to the car. It still has that noise I've been talking about but since I've been diagnosing all of the Dart's problems I've driven the car 3 times for approximately 50 miles without any indication of an issue (including 13 miles today). In a week and a half I'll take it to a shop and have them listen to it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 10/31/1803:54 AM
So, I didn't end up making Fall Fling. Things are still crazy at the moment. Less than 100 days until my wedding and me and my fiance are in escrow on a very nice townhouse. So, my time is short to say the least.
Anyway, today I decided to start the Dart as it has been almost a month and a half since I did so last. Once I started it up, my engineering brain started thinking about this "noise problem." I just can't wrap my head around it being a transmission problem. So, I took it for a drive and put about 14 miles on the car. For about 25% of it, I drove it hard. I took it to redline on multiple occasions. It shifts very smoothly. I'm at about 64 miles since getting the car running and still have no problems aside from noise in neutral. All the parts have less than 1000 miles on it and I know the mechanic who installed the clutch made sure the bellhousing was aligned with the correct dowel pins.
I just did a quick google search and it seems like centerforce clutches can just rattle:
Some people on other forums are recommending that it may be a bad motor mount. My motor mounts are wonky because the guys who installed my engine installed it a little too far forward. Idk... Part of me feels like I shouldn't worry the other half says I should. Regardless, I'm going to have a mechanic look at it in the middle of December (only time I could get off).
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/05/1804:51 AM
Well, life is still pretty crazy but stuff is moving forward with regards to the wedding. A little over a week ago, my fiance and I closed escrow on our own little townhouse in North Orange County. It's a very nice place and pretty much move in ready but I want to make more modifications to the garage to have my own workspace. We're going to install LED lights, a wall-mounted folding workbench, maybe some shelving, and possibly epoxying the garage floor.
On other news, I took the Dart out to a car show on Saturday. SEMA headquarters was having a Cars & Coffee so I took my Dart there. While I was there I took my camera to shoot pictures. I want to get into automotive photography again, but get much better at it than I was before. I want to start capturing the details of cars more. So, this was a fun and perfect opportunity.
After I took pictures at the Cars & Coffee, I took the Dart to my new townhouse to make sure it fits in the garage. It does! Unfortunately, I forgot my keys to the house, so I went back home. Overall, I drove about 40 miles that day. I really didn't have any issues except it was taking a while for the car to crank, but I am going to say that's a bad battery as I really haven't driven the car very much (or at all) the past couple months and maybe start the car once every 1.5 months.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/12/1804:41 AM
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Good to see the car out.
Have you thought about using a CPL when taking car pictures?
Yeah, it's not too bad. I just need to make some time to do some maintenance on it. I found out that my T56 rear seal is bad so I need to replace that. It's been leaking droplets of trans fluid onto my X-pipe.
I have not. Honestly, don't know anything about dslr besides the preset functions. I have to look into it more. But CPL filters seem relatively affordable. Maybe I'll purchase some and try them out.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 12/14/1806:05 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
I have not. Honestly, don't know anything about dslr besides the preset functions. I have to look into it more. But CPL filters seem relatively affordable. Maybe I'll purchase some and try them out.
Youtube can help a bunch here, to me, a DSLR isn't much better than the average point & shoot unless you start tailoring the settings to what you want.
I end up shooting in full manual, I'm okay at that, post-processing images is a different animal. It will take layering multiple exposures to get those black wheels to show some sort of features. They just soak up all of the light and you'll either end up with an over-exposed car, or under-exposed wheels trying to capture it all with only one click.
This is three images layered over each other, I've finally gotten to where the wheel detail isn't just a black blob. I should have done another CPL turn to lose the reflection on the door glass, but you can see where the CPL makes the windshield look almost perfectly clear. 'Cuda picture
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/24/1906:02 AM
Well, took half a step forward and about 5 steps back. I put the battery on the car on a battery tender to make sure I have a charge as the car has been sitting a lot this past year. Luckily, the battery was good and still had 75-100% juice left. I reinstalled the battery into the car and started the car up. It took a couple times to start it, but eventually I was able to get it going. I had the car idling for about 10 minutes and I noticed my engine started to get very noisy (lots of metallic sounds). Well, when I went to the front, water/coolant was squirting off the top of the water pump. Hopefully, I didn't damage/overheat the engine. When I checked my water temperature gauge, after I shut the car down, it read 160F.
I'm pretty bugged as I was just going to load a bunch of my tools in it and drive it to my new house this Friday so it can sit in its permanent home. Now, I can't do that, but glad this didn't happen when I was driving. All of the hoses are 2-3 years old. I think it may be this rubber plug on the water pump spout. It's cracked to hell. Anyone know of a good replacement? Hopefully not rubber.
After my wedding and honeymoon, in a week in a half, I was planning on slowly changing leaf springs and replace the rear trans seal as that's been leaking. If everything seemed good, I would slowly convert the car to EFI aiming for a driveable car by Spring Fling. That was already a pretty aggressive goal for me. I'm really hoping the engine didn't get damaged.
This car seriously hates me. Honestly, I'm pretty disheartened. Idk what I'm going to do with the car. It seems to cause me more grief than pleasure. I'll just have to pray and think about it.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 01/25/1905:50 AM
Is that plug from the HELP! product line? If so, you're lucky it lasted more than a week. Their rubber products suck! May not be as pretty but a short bit of heater hose and a bolt or plug would last a lot longer.
Is that plug from the HELP! product line? If so, you're lucky it lasted more than a week. Their rubber products suck! May not be as pretty but a short bit of heater hose and a bolt or plug would last a lot longer.
I've been doing the same thing for 6 years now. I guess your mileage will vary.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/21/1906:07 AM
Finally had time to work on the Dart on Monday. Had some extra heater hose and bought some all-thread to plug the pump. Forgot my keys at my house so I didn't have time to start it. I'll play with the car on Saturday, a little.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/24/1907:21 AM
Went to my mom's house to work on the Dart. I started it up and it was still leaky through the threads of the all-thread which I figured. So, I decided to throw in the towel and get a rubber cap like I had before. I went to the local Autozone, which has been pretty good to me, but they didn't have anything. So, I decided to go to the local Ace Hardware to see if they had a 3/4" bolt as all Home Depot had was 3/4" all-thread. I got to Ace and they didn't have anything more than 1/2". Ironically, right next to the bolts, I found these tapered rubber plugs for $0.40-0.60. So, I bought a couple and went home. I got the wrong size, so after lunch, I went back and got one size smaller and came home. So, I took the heater hose and all-thread off, placed the plug on the water pump, reinstalled the heater hose with the all-thread and hose clamped it together. So, basically the all-thread only keeps the plug in the water pump. When I started the car back up, no leaks! I let it get up to temp and shut it off because I had to go. It sounds a lot better and I believe it will be ready to go to the new home soon.
I believe it was mentioned here, but just go ahead and tap that nipple for 1/8" NPT and put a real pipe plug in it. Then use the dorman cap just for the aesthetics of a finished edge. I ran that on my 318 for at least 7 years.
I believe it was mentioned here, but just go ahead and tap that nipple for 1/8" NPT and put a real pipe plug in it. Then use the dorman cap just for the aesthetics of a finished edge. I ran that on my 318 for at least 7 years.
There is no nipple on the manifold for a return that I can see. There is just that boss where an AC compressor would mount. My M1 intake has that extra nipple where I could feed it back to the manifold.
I believe it was mentioned here, but just go ahead and tap that nipple for 1/8" NPT and put a real pipe plug in it. Then use the dorman cap just for the aesthetics of a finished edge. I ran that on my 318 for at least 7 years.
There is no nipple on the manifold for a return that I can see. There is just that boss where an AC compressor would mount. My M1 intake has that extra nipple where I could feed it back to the manifold.
I'm talking about tapping the ID of the water pump heater hose nipple to 1/8" NPT. The one you put a rubber cork and all-thread on.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/26/1902:30 AM
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
I believe it was mentioned here, but just go ahead and tap that nipple for 1/8" NPT and put a real pipe plug in it. Then use the dorman cap just for the aesthetics of a finished edge. I ran that on my 318 for at least 7 years.
There is no nipple on the manifold for a return that I can see. There is just that boss where an AC compressor would mount. My M1 intake has that extra nipple where I could feed it back to the manifold.
I'm talking about tapping the ID of the water pump heater hose nipple to 1/8" NPT. The one you put a rubber cork and all-thread on.
Yep, now I understand. I just need to get some NPT taps.
Re: MuuMuu's 68 Dart... It's a Learning Process... - 02/26/1903:33 AM
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
Originally Posted By MuuMuu101
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
I believe it was mentioned here, but just go ahead and tap that nipple for 1/8" NPT and put a real pipe plug in it. Then use the dorman cap just for the aesthetics of a finished edge. I ran that on my 318 for at least 7 years.
There is no nipple on the manifold for a return that I can see. There is just that boss where an AC compressor would mount. My M1 intake has that extra nipple where I could feed it back to the manifold.
I'm talking about tapping the ID of the water pump heater hose nipple to 1/8" NPT. The one you put a rubber cork and all-thread on.
Yep, now I understand. I just need to get some NPT taps.
Just remember NPT threads are just that, tapered. If you tap too far, you stand the chance of the plug not getting tight anymore. Sneak up on the depth you tap it and don't go crazy on torque, the cast aluminum won't like that. A dab of RTV or some teflon tape, snug it up and go.
For what it's worth I tapped mine with the pump on the car. Shavings were minimal, I flushed out the pump the best I could with the lower radiator hose off and went on my way. Pump never did give me a problem.
I believe it was mentioned here, but just go ahead and tap that nipple for 1/8" NPT and put a real pipe plug in it. Then use the dorman cap just for the aesthetics of a finished edge. I ran that on my 318 for at least 7 years.
Well I thought that I would take your advice and do just this. The problem is that I pulled out an old water pump to do a test fit with the 1/8" NPT tap. It drops right in.
Well I’m certainly glad that I found this thread. My Dorman rubber cap would have failed as well. Here’s a shot of a quickie tap on an old water pump. It’s a 1/4” tap and now I'll have to do this on both of our cars.
I believe it was mentioned here, but just go ahead and tap that nipple for 1/8" NPT and put a real pipe plug in it. Then use the dorman cap just for the aesthetics of a finished edge. I ran that on my 318 for at least 7 years.
Well I thought that I would take your advice and do just this. The problem is that I pulled out an old water pump to do a test fit with the 1/8" NPT tap. It drops right in.
Did you mean to use a 1/4" NPT tap?
Mine was actually an 1/8" NPT, perhaps just a different casting aftermarket pump than what you have.
Samy, sorry to see you have the car for sale. But in the bigger picture of life, cars are just cars. I totally understand where you're coming from though, good luck with the sale!
Samy, sorry to see you have the car for sale. But in the bigger picture of life, cars are just cars. I totally understand where you're coming from though, good luck with the sale!
Thank you, sir. I've gotten quite the backlash since the car has been posted for sale 12 hours ago. The car is just a car and at the moment, there are just other things I want to focus on right now.
). Baby got back! 
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I have been getting a present from moparts every week now. Last week Tom sent me some "moparts.com" decals if that's what you are talking about... 
Take the 3 screws that hold the base of the rearview mirror to the top of the car out. Remove the mirror, and look at the back of it. You will see a plate that captures the ball that the mirror swivels on. Tighten the screws holding the plate until it's tight enough to hold it still, but still lets you move it to adjust it. Install mirror back to top of car and you're done! 
I can spend like $20-25 on a better bleeder if there's one available. Again, I'm not too big a fan of Harbor Freight. 
It was the first time I put on a decal, but I think it looks ok. 
The driver window will not roll down straight. Even when I straighten it out and close the door there is a huge overlap between the door window and the rear window. I tried adjusting and pushing in the rear window and even though it is loose it is sitting in as far as it can go. As far as the door goes, the body lines are pretty decent. I know I need to grease the hinges but it's still not closing as nicely as the passenger door. It keeps hitting the striker peg. And you can tell that the car has been in an accident because around the peg there is a big crack that almost semi-circles the peg. I'll post pictures tonight. 
He said he was going to bring his 64 Dart later but never did (or maybe it's because I left a little earlyish due to boredum).
Besides that I'm not too bumbed out. I can work on hoses, fluids, and cleaning up the grease under the front end this weekend if I need to get another MC. Thanks for all your insight and help! 
sounds like me. I've ruined countless pairs of jeans because I ran out to the garage to 'look at something' and ended up working on something, meaning to come back of after I changed. By that time they are already dirty.
You have a good basic set of tools and this board should give you all the cajones you need. So get to work 
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I'd just have leveled with him sorry i want to keep it and on top of that your i don't know you and your blocking my drive way.
I've driven my coworker's a couple times on the street and it's a fun car. Too bad they're relatively expensive to get into, are usually highly modified and abused, and I don't fit too well in them.
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(Some might say bolt it to your 273 
It looks like it is almost done, and is going to be really nice. 
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you are way too funny
