Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

Well, nothing too much to post about. Went to put the inner valve springs in after breaking in the cam, only to find I didn't machine the guides down far enough and I need new retainers. The coils bind before I can get the locks in. So now the heads have to come back off. Should be great fun with the head studs. We put an exhaust on the car for the meantime, so we can drive it on the streets and get everything else sorted. We're gonna try and move the rear in springs one of these weekends after work. Then I have to get the rear axle narrowed and a rear brake setup. Oh, and a front brake setup. This stuff starts adding up fast!!

-dave

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

dont give up ,she will be one sweet ride when done

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

Well, mini non-update here. (I can't believe it's been 6 months and I'm only on the second page! What happened to this place?!) Anyhow, I sortof lost my job at the shop where I was working on my Dart, and my new place is a corporate chain store that doesn't allow us to work on our own stuff. So even though I had a lot of spare time there for a few weeks between jobs, I ran out of spare cash and had no place to work on it. Meanwhile, my wife's hours get cut back from 50-55 to 16 per week. Sucks. But I'm almost done porting the heads, working in my parents driveway whenever I get a spare moment and the weather is nice. Other than that, just trying to scrape cash together for the rest of my parts. But the dream is still alive! Also, it's good to see Jeremy got his Fury to the next step while I was gone!

-dave

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

Sorry to hear about your troubles... Hope things turn around and look forward to your progress

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

Too bad you lost the shop and job. I did mine in a garage though, so you can too!

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

sounds like a cool project, ive built stuff in my gravel driveway weather permitting ,,keep up the good work!!

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

LOL, takes me back a few years hearing that. I built the first version of this truck with a 318 in about '96. Haha thought I really had something fast as well.

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

Well, another mini-update. Got the front disc swap mostly taken care of and only broke one 40 year old cam bolt in the process! Just put in my order yesterday for the rest of the bits and pieces to finish the brakes up. Working on narrowing the rearend housing this week...gonna try and redneck it together and see how it turns out. Also found out a local place can shorten and respline my crappy stock axles too! Traded a pair of valvecovers for some OE A body leaf springs to replace my broken and bent ones. Still gotta move the springs in and hack out the passenger wheel well so the 12" rear tires will fit. (I can worry about finishing the passenger side minitub job once the junk is mobile and on the new springs) I think I'm actually just a few weeks away from titling and driving this junk!

Here's the new front wheels that fit now that I have the big bolt pattern! The rears are more of the same, except 17x11 instead of 17x9. Changes the whole attitude of the car!

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Managed to pull a brand new used radiator out of an 80s Benz at the pick n pull last week for $50 and it fits pretty nicely! Dual core and everything! On the way out of the yard I realized it had no cap/fill on it so I snagged an inline one out of a Durango. Some hose gymnastics and it should work out ok!

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So a driveshaft and an alternator are just about the last things on the shopping list for now. Lots of man hours between here and there though. Gotta do the trans swap again and finish the rear axle/suspension. Getting so close I can taste it!

-dave

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

said on the other forum I've got a rear end that you wouldn't need to narrow for the car.

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

Thanks for the offer man, but the measurements just don't work out. I have a C body housing that I'm chopping something like 4 1/8" off each side. The rear rims I have are the goofy 17x11 "Deep Dish" ones off eBay I think...way deep on the backspacing. I think the numbers work out to like 2" shorter per side than a factory A body housing.

-dave

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

I figured you were running the mustang rims in the back too. The 65-66 b body rear is a bit wider than an A, but with a modern rim like that they can work perfectly. I didn't read the x11 part the first time.

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

Well, progress is slow and unsteady. (not gonna win a race that way, hah!) But progress none the less. I have the cooling system mostly sorted out. Gotta see if I can find a different temp switch for the fan though, the one that pushes through the radiator seems like it kicks on too late. It's supposed to be a 180° on 170° off, but it doesn't switch on until like 200°. Gonna get one that threads into the intake. Waiting for the weather to break so I can start hacking up my rearend housing to take some length out of it. Sucks working in a driveway in the Chicago climate!

Here's a pic from the fall when I was test fitting some junk-o wheels and tires I found in my storage. I think I'm gonna use these for a set of slicks and skinnies, so the car can have multiple personalities. Kinda looks barn fresh this way, doesn't it?

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And another pic of how it currently sits: (except imagine a bunch of snow and ice on top of it)

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And pics of some amateur head porting work I did on the heads. (my first try, don't be too mean)

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At this point, I'm waiting for the weather to break so I can start hacking and welding in the driveway. Then I think I can talk the wife into letting me take some cash out of the house fund for some axles and maybe fuel system parts. (sad state of affairs, isn't it?)

Oh well, still plugging along.

-dave

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

It's 2013, LET'S GOOOOOOO ALREADY!

<hides behind own car parked for the past 5 years>

 

Re: 73 Dart - 318 / MPT70 build

Hey, at least mine's not growing! [that I know of at least, hah!] If I had a kickass shop like you guys, it'd be done a few times over already. Probably in Sloppy Mechanics style though.

 

Well, I took advantage of the beautiful 45° weather yesterday, bailed out of work early and got some stuff done! Started hacking out the rear frame for the new spring relocation pocket dealies, took out the old busted springs and el-junko welded diff 7 1/4" rear end. And I finally got to see how my new rear wheels/tires look in the wells! (super pumped about that) But I think it's gonna need more rubber out back to look right. Currently a 275/40R17, I think I'm gonna step it up to a 295/45R17 (28x11.50R17) or maybe a 315/35R17. Not sure yet. I have about 3" more wheel well width to play with now.

The front ride height is about 1-1.5" high in these pictures, on account of the weird balance with the giant wood blocks holding it up. My parent's neighbors call the cops if they think the car is on jackstands, even under the cover! So I gotta make it look good between wrenching sessions.

In any case, making noticeable progress! (thanks to denmah and his "F pretty, let's get this bitch done!" inspiration)

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Cool build, big fan of different, seems like Jack likes to strike a pose!

 

Thanks man! Yeah, he's a little different. Drives a hopped up turbo 6 speed Miata.

-dave

 

Any updates?????

 

Well, kindof an update. We bought a house...with a garage! It's small and not weather tight, (yet) but it works. We're even on 5 acres! Lots of space for the garden and a 200yd rifle range!

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Then we decided that when you have a house, you need a kid. So we did that. This is Mike. He's gonna grow up next to me in the garage.

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Here's how the junker looks these days, except it's in the garage all nice and high on some jackstands. Need to wire an outlet for my welder in the garage. I've made a little progress with cutting the rear frame rails out and installing the relocation kit. Other than that, it just sits and collects junk on top of it, like most project cars. Gonna get back to it soon though. I want to have it rolling by the time little man can make memories.

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Thanks for looking guys. Your comments and seeing other project threads gives me hope that this thing might move on its own someday.

-dave

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Kids are pretty awesome, my daughter just turned 8wks.

Looking forward to seeing some progress on your turbo mopar!