This page is "After" the paint job. I have included what it looked like before painting on Page #2.
** Specifications on Page #3 **
See more pics: All the restoration photos are here
Here you can barely see the factory front sway bar peeking out at you. I got it from a '68 GTS Dart and later bought the 8-3/4 rearend you'll see at the bottom of this page from the same '68 GTS. The car is also going to wear a rear swaybar setup from P.S.T. in New Jersey.
Here is my Big Block '73 440. I have installed a Lunati Bracket Master II camshaft kit and a full Edelbrock Performer Intake/750 cfm Carb combo. I am installing the matching Edelbrock aluminum heads in the Spring of 2006, as well. Included are the BEFORE and AFTER results of the build.
The engine bay is being restored and painted POR-15 chassis gloss black. As with the flat black hood I am finding it very hard to keep looking nice due to dirt/dust.
Brand new emblems all the way around the car! The details make all the difference!
The next three pictures show the complete brake/rearend swap to large bolt pattern with front disc brakes. The factory 8-3/4 rear is now fitted with a 741 case 3.91 sure-grip (posi). I replaced the springs and all hardware from front to back and all the lines were replaced. I expect the car to run a 12 second quarter mile.
I had to show my friend Jimmy "getting into" his work. He's helped keep me grounded and focused during the whole process. Without his help this project would likely not be this far along and I would have wasted a lot of money.
Here's a helpful piece of advice: Measure your backspacing, BEFORE, ordering new wheels. Pictured here is one of my mistakes! I ordered the wrong offset...Doh! These are American Racing Outlaw I wheels that have only a 3.75" backspacing, which on a 15" wheel will NOT fit A-body without modification to the rearend housing.
This is the correct offset that fits perfectly centered in the wheel wells. They are Centerline Auto Drag IIIs in high polished finish. 15" x 8.5" with 5.5" backspacing, the largest wheel you can fit on a stock A-body without modifications. I also use a set of custom width 14" x 8" rallye wheels with MT Indy Profile SS tires.
INTERIOR is still in process: Here are a few shots of getting the console brackets/seats ready...
Finally got the bumpers back!
Posted by: frankyboy23
05/07/2009, 06:19pm
Man I really love what you did with your dart, ive got one and i know the struggles, mine does not compare to what you have done, at least not yet, haha sweet ride though much props