I'm thinking about removing the fenders(inners are gone already), hood, bumper and valance from my '65 Dart to loose some weight, help in the cool down and ease the maintenance. Trying to achieve that altered/roadster look and still be legal at the track with headlights. W/o fenders and hood the 60's and newer cars don't really have that look. They look unfinished. Any thoughts on what to do? I'm thinking that the radiator support and hanging some buckets for lites might do the trick. I built lots of street and drag cars but that's a completely different look.

Maybe just go with a glass tilt front end and a straight axle. '65 Dart is a pretty cool car already.

I don't believe adding anything short of the original look front end is going to look right. Even a 65 Dart is too wide at the firewall to have the right look for loosing the front fenders.
Even the late 40s and 50s cars and trucks (all brands) don't look right without the front sheet metal. When the car companies went to the wide firewall (outside of the front wheel track), it pretty well ended the fender less look, in my opinion. Gene

^^^^^ totally agree with this !

Yep, .... but it's your car. Photoshop it and see how it looks !

Are you doing the straight axle too? You could do the altered wheelbase look with the front clip by moving the front wheel opening forward. If you stretch the wheel base with the front axle forward and alter the fenders, you can get a bit of a funny car vibe too.

I think rad support and outboard headlights is just going to scream Barnyard 500 about the same way putting a 68 Charger on a 4x4 frame does.

Kevin

i think the straight axle/altered wheelbase/gasser style idea is your best bet as well if you want to "hot rod" your dart.
put it together like that, and you don't even hafta' paint it !
lift the rear a touch as well, and you will get tons of admiring looks.

Probably a good place to start for inspiration.

Well said!

If you really want to ditch the front sheet metal, you could do a competition coupe like ROyce Brechlers War Bird.

Best reply yet!!!!

I know this car - the starting line picture is from National Trail Raceway. It would show up for the Labor Day Weekend "Ford Expo" with a whole group of racers running "Y Block" Fords. Fun stuff