1960 Dodge Dart Seneca Project

Here is a pic of the dash from the same model:

The brown car in the attached photo is the actual car I bought. The green car is what they looked like new.

It's a beast that's for sure! I really like the front bumper and the dash on this model. If I decide to keep her my plan is to drop in a ridiculously powerful BB Mopar and have a hell of sleeper on the street When I say ridicoulously powerful I'm thinking along the lines of 750 - 1000hp on pump gas A turbo motor isn't out of the question.

I'm hoping that buying the car will be more motiviation for me to build a detached garage to store our current rides. I will need the whole attached garage for the restoration on the "new" Dart.

 

[Rick]

No, the Firedome was a true hemi. The poly was different and not as high flowing.

 

[JDraper]

You know you want a 5.4 DOHC supercharged mod motor in it...

 

[Rick]

So many possibilities with such a beast!

 

[Rick]

The Seneca was started today for the first time since last winter. Gotta love those old reliable cars! Battery had been connected all that time, still had a full charge. Needed it to since it took a lot of cranking to bring fuel up to the carb. Once it had gas it started right up and idled like a champ

Now that it's in a garage the first project is to replace the rear axle. The current rear axle has stripped spindle threads on both sides, leaky pinion seal, and the brakes stick. I really don't like this style axle anyway since it can't handle any power.

For a replacement, I'll be looking for either a later model Mopar 8 3/4 or if I can't find one I'll settle for a Ford 9".

 

[Maniak]

The Seneca was started today for the first time since last winter. Gotta love those old reliable cars! Battery had been connected all that time, still had a full charge. Needed it to since it took a lot of cranking to bring fuel up to the carb. Once it had gas it started right up and idled like a champ

Now that it's in a garage the first project is to replace the rear axle. The current rear axle has stripped spindle threads on both sides, leaky pinion seal, and the brakes stick. I really don't like this style axle anyway since it can't handle any power.

For a replacement, I'll be looking for either a later model Mopar 8 3/4 or if I can't find one I'll settle for a Ford 9".

So much for not doing big projects in the new shed/garage thingy.

~Mark

 

[Rick]

So much for not doing big projects in the new shed/garage thingy.

Yeah I know

I decided that the Seneca is just to big to work on in the regular garage, so I waited until the weather cooled off and will work on it in the big garage.

The Explorer and Dart are sharing the front garage.

It's funny. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my '70 Dart, but with this '60 I really don't have set goals

 

[Rick]

She's out...

Oh... should have photographed the nest on the intake manifold. Several POUNDS of mesquite tree "beans" a lot of poop, and some live bugs. YUCK! We have pack rats out here and the hanta virus so I put on a mask and gloves when I cleaned it out.

 

[ZakyJ]

Hey rick, any update on this? i had a buddy who had an early 60s Dart back in high school who held on to it for years waiting to fix it up. ending up selling it though right after he pulled the motor.

 

[Rick]

Yup, I'm a crazy SOB...


This is like deja vu. Bought a Dart that I thought I was going to restore, found out it needed to much... then found another. The four door will be a parts car.

This one has a turbocharged slant 6!

 

[BrooklynBay]

It looks like it's in nice condition. Take a picture of the engine bay.

 

[Rick]

I actually got to drive this one more than the 100ft that I drove the first one. All I can say is holy ****!!! TONS of turns to do anything... Not only do you have to turn it to make the turn, you have to turn the wheel all the way back to center! The car must be geared very, very high. Very hard to get rolling, but once moving and the turbo kicks in, it moves out pretty well.

The guy I bought it from had taken it to the track pre-turbo and it ran the 1/4 in 22 seconds. With the turbo and rebuilt 6 cyl it now runs 16s. Not fast, but a very nice improvement over stock.

 

[Paul]

Nice upgrade - - that two door is damn sexy compared to the four door, at least to me... But hey, I'm still bummed that the Fiesta ST only comes in four door trim.

Looks like a(nother) great project.

Paul
'91 Sport

 

[mrboyle]

I won't put money on it, but I'm willing to bet that the turbo setup was origionally on the car we were talking about on FB. The guy that origionally built it loved to turbocharge inlines. He had a 39 Studebaker with a turbocharged 300ci Ford and I know he was working on adding a turbo to the slant 6 in the other car last time I saw him. The base for the carb (and possibly the turbo itself) on your setup is from a '79 Buick Regal 231 V6. Looks like a fun car.

 

[Rick]

I replaced both the motor mounts over the weekend. Both were ripped, and one wasn't even attached as the nut had come off. Feels much better now. Before the swap I could tell the engine was twisting when I let out the clutch.

I gave up on tuning the vacuum secondary carb. I did my research and decided that it would be much happier with a double pumper. Carb came in late yesterday afternoon. I bolted it up, and did a quick tune. Night and day difference.

 

[Paul]

Nice (rear/side) view of the "fin" - - Was it closer than actually appeared ? ? ?

Paul
'91 Sport

 

[Turdle]

I missed the 2 door acquisition. That thing looks like nice sled. I bet it rides nice.

 

[JDraper]

Nice (rear/side) view of the "fin" - - Was it closer than actually appeared ? ? ?

Paul
'91 Sport

Nah..it was still at least 2 city blocks behind..

 

[Rick]

I missed the 2 door acquisition. That thing looks like nice sled. I bet it rides nice.

I just took it for it's longest journey yet. Drove up to Wickenburg for lunch. Yes it does ride nice. Just amazing how smooth and stable it is going down the road.

 

[Rick]

Nice (rear/side) view of the "fin" - - Was it closer than actually appeared ? ? ?

Ha, you won't find a warning label anywhere on this old gal It came from the time of take your chances... life is a terminal condition, no one gets out alive

 

[Rick]

Oh fun... The gas gauge on the Seneca is way off. Half tank is actually empty... Sitting on side of road waiting for Char to rescue me... LOL.

Rick Horwitz - Mobile Admin