My latest project: 1970 Dodge Dart 512 C.I. Bracket Racer

Some of you may remember that I used to have a 1972 Dodge Dart which I drag raced.

Well, I got the itch to get back into racing Our new house is only 3 miles from the Speedworld racetrack and I can faintly hear them running the cars from our house. It was just too much for me to bare I haven't been doing much in the way of local fourwheeling, so I thought drag racing would give me something to do on the weekends.

A couple weeks ago I bought a 1970 Dodge Dart off of E-bay. The car was located in New Jersey, a mere 2500 miles from home I decided this was the right car for me mainly because I really needed to get out of the house on my own for a couple weeks and this was just the excuse I needed

The car is going to be stripped and repainted. It will get new quarter panels, at least one rocker, one floorpan, new door hinges, fiberglass hood, bumpers, and most likely trunk lid as well.

The new color will most likely be orange, but it just may end up being red, like my old one. Plans for it include a 650HP, 512 CI, big block Mopar and an automatic transmission. I'm just not sure if it will be from BB or SB or whether or not it will even be a Mopar I plan on ditching the torsion bar front suspension for an aftermarket K member which gives you rack and pinion steering, upgraded brakes, and the choice of coilover shocks or airbag suspension.

The rear end in the car right now is a trussed Mopar 8 3/4", with a three link suspension and coilovers.

 

[Rick]

This time I am going to do more troubleshooting. First check line pressure, adjust if necessary. If line pressure is ok, the tranny is coming out and I'm going to tear into it to see what I can see...

 

[SVO]

Just incredible, I just went through and re-read this whole story again from begining to end, just WOW!!!!!

I really can't see this taking as long as it did, just didn;t seem like it till I went back and re-read it all.

Just awesome Rick!!!!



Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Rick]

Lack of money is what kept it from going together more quickly. Without the parts, you can't mock up the car... I'm glad I fit everything before the car was painted. Very, very, little had to be changed once the car was painted.

This car was built paycheck to paycheck, not on a credit card

 

[rookieshooter]

This car was built paycheck to paycheck, not on a credit card

The old fashion way

 

[Rick]

It's back!!

 

[RangerX]

That car is SEX!!! How fast?

 

[Rick]

Should run in the 6s when it's dialed in. It's running 7s right now

 

[MrQ]

Dialed in?? Geez, somebody call the jet fuel company. They have a new customer...

 

[Rick]

UPS just delivered a replacement valve body As long as the weather cooperates I'll be trying it out on Sunday

 

[RangerX]

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

 

[Rick]

Keep your fingers crossed... If it works, I'm all set. If not I've got to pull the tranny, have it inspected and if nothing is wrong, time for another torque converter

 

[BKennedy]

I think so far you have done a fantastic job on the car. Not too many people can build something like that in their man cave. You have to expect some tweaking to get it right. I am sure it will end up like the Explorer......always a work in progress. Its the natural way of modified vehicles.

 

[GJarrett]

Holy OMG! I want it!

I got a headache watching the video though...... did the videographer have Parkinson's or what?

 

[Rick]

So sad Tranny is still acting up. Did more testing and it seems to only slip in high gear which means the high reverse clutch has a problem. Yanking it all back out and bringing it to a local Mopar guy this week.

Made 1 pass today. 11.06@110

 

[Rick]

 

[Rick]

Tranny is on it's way back to Indiana... Took MUCH less time getting it out this time around.

 

[Burns]

Your getting good at this.....

What would cause it to be doing this?

 

[ford99_1979]

Tranny is on it's way back to Indiana... Took MUCH less time getting it out this time around.

Sorry to hear about your tranny. I'm having tranny problems myself so I can relate.

At least you are getting quicker with the Re & Re.

 

[Rick]

Your getting good at this.....

What would cause it to be doing this?

Could be a bad seal in the high reverse clutch pack.

 

[Rick]

fuggamuggabruggadugga.... And all that kind of talk

The tranny guy went through my transmission with a fine tooth comb. Didn't see a damn thing wrong. He said the clutches look as good as the day they went in... Not surprising given how few runs are on the tranny.

That means one thing... The torque converter is still, and has always been the problem even though it went in for an inspection and "adjustment".

The torque converter company is willing to give me another converter, all I have to do is send this one back. I'm going to take them up on that, but I am NOT putting that converter in... this time around. Instead I'm buying another converter from another company and putting that in there. I just want to run the car and don't want anymore trouble!! I think the odds are pretty low that another company will completely screw up... After what I've been through with PTC I don't find the odds in favor of letting them have another chance at it and expecting it to work! So... I'll run the new converter for awhile, then at some point I'll try the "new" PTC converter to see how it checks out and stacks up against the converter built by the new manufacturer.