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.

 

[corkey]

is that an accumulator and pre oiler ?

 

[Rick]

is that an accumulator and pre oiler ?

Yes, it sure is

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Put the damn motor in already!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RangerX]

LOVE those two pics of the back!

 

[Rick]

Put the damn motor in already!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't even have the motor here anymore. I brought it back to the machinist to have the cam bearings replaced. Some folks with the same block as mine, and who also had the block manufacturer install the cam bearings have had them come loose.

Rather than worry if mine would be a problem I decided to take care of it in advance of a potential catastrophe. A spun cam bearing could lead to no oil to the top end.

I still need bits and pieces too. I'm finding out what I need as I put it together. I've been having a hell of a time finding the right plastic "buttons" that I need to put the windows back in. I have ordered three sets, each guy claims they are the right part and each time I get the exact same wrong part

Oh, yeah... I've also got to take my chrome an stainless trim pieces to my buddies shop so I can use his buffing wheel and mini anvil and hammer set.

Seems like it's never ending.

 

[Rick]

Aww ****...

I have had a hell of a time with one of my fender extensions. Painted it, wetsanded and polished it and then I ended up chipping it. I reshot it, was letting it dry for a few days and I knocked it off the freakin' counter this morning

This time I have to take it all the way back down to bare metal and go from there. The clear is so thick right now a third set of coats would be really bad. Oh well, could be worse

 

[vroomzoomboom]

so what your saying is it was just involved in its first, and hopefully only accident!?

 

[Rick]

Hopefully

 

[Rick]

Oh what fun

 

[Turdle]

Man I hate strippers in a can. They belong on a pole IMO

You need a blasting cabinet Rick. When I up-size you can have mine.

 

[Rick]

Yeah, it's a mess that's for sure. I've got that tank sand blaster, but it's such a PITA I decided this was the least of the two evils.

 

[BigDakota]

Nice..Thats going to be a sharp looking Mopar.
I had to use some of that stripper on my hood a couple of weeks ago..its handy if you do not have anything else.
My girlfriend called me while I was using the stuff and asked me what I was doing. I figured I would make a wise crack and said "I had a stripper in the garage!" To make a long story short, I was the only one who enjoyed the wise crack. I still think it was a good one.

 

[Rick]

FWIW I think it's funny too

 

[Rick]

Bleh!!!Spaghetti!!

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Two words......wire loom

Get some

 

[Cobraguy]

If you do buy wireloom, get some from Standard, Echlin, Painless, etc. Quality stuff. Stay away from Autozone, Checker, etc. Every piece of that stuff I have from them had to be replaced in a year. The heat just kills it and it will crumble. Absolute junk.

Wonderful work Rick. But you know, you are going to have major withdrawal pains when it's done. What the heck are you going to do in your spare time??? Can't race it every day!

 

[Rick]

I've already purchased wire wrap from Painless. Can't put the wire in the loom until all the wires are in there.

My LM-2 AFR setup arrived yesterday. I'm just waiting on one last gauge. Should be here next week Wednesday.

 

[rookieshooter]

In the class your going to run, do you need a single battery cut-off switch, and if so does it have to be specifically located?

 

[Rick]

Here's a pic of the shut off.

 

[corkey]

like how you used a Heim Joint on there,