New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

[BigBlockMopar]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

I'm not really opposed to vinyl roof cars myself, actually I kinda like it since it gives a car an instant two-tone effect. But since I received a new black top along with the car I'm going to put it back on. There also a tan/gold carpet that came with it. I would've preferred it to be black aswell as I'm thinking of blacking out the entire interior.
The benchseat is worn through at the driverside and some springs are broken aswell. I have a set of BMW seats and Dart console on the shelf here I want to put it the car. Originallity is not my strongest point ;)
And if the motor would need anything upgraded, I doubt I'll be spending any time on it by pulling it apart. I'd rather take the entire motor out and replace it with something more 'serious' and more cubes...


JW,
too late for me to go buy a floor repairpanel. I already started out with a 2sq.ft plate, hammered it into shape and welded it in today.
Ofcourse you know, normally with my kinda cars, I'm not really used I can just go out and buy new sheetmetal for... ;D
As for the bumper... I agree the earlier ones look better but I guess it will stay for a while. It takes good care of tailgaters I guess

Blazer,
It will stay a dailydriver, but having a V8-car without any form of performance under the hood, I might aswell buy another cheap GM, like another Opel orso !! ... :o ;D

[Russell]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

You could build a pretty cool sleeper.

Stroker kit

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/318-Dodge-Mopar-390-cu-stroker-kit-w-forged-pistons-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2eb3e383b8QQitemZ200586527672QQptZRaceQ5fCarQ5fParts

IMM Engines sells worked over RHS heads

Here is an example of how well these heads flow. We flow them on a Superflow 600 flow bench at 28" of depression and use a 4.030 bore.

Valve lift Intake Exhaust w/1 3/4 pipe
.100 69 58
.200 141 119
.300 197 161
.400 241 184
.500 267 193
.550 271 195

As you can see they flow very well and they have incredible intake port speed. We used heads just like these as we sell them to build 485HP out of a BUDGET 410 stroker for Car Craft magazine in the June issue. This was a hyd. cammed pump gas stroker with bolt on's only and a 750 Holley double pumper carb. You can check out the article HERE

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_1006_small_block_mopar_stroker_dyno_test/index.html

[BigBlockMopar]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

Nice power out of a small block, but, it's just so 'not me' you know.... ;D ;D

But I never seem to grasp the reasoning why one would start out with one of the smallest engines available, and then go and put a strokerkit in it... I mean, if you can start out with something that came from the factory with lots more cubes, wouldn't that be the smartest thing to do? Stroking a 318 to 390, why not get a 360ci motor in the first place and save about a grand off the bat?
I would rather spend the money for a strokerkit on a kit for a bigblock and meself a sweet little 500+ incher based on a 400ci mill

[Russell]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

Let me start off by saying I know nothing about Mopars, and very little about anything else.

The only reason to would stoke a 318 is b/c you already have it. Bore size has more to do with total size when talking about a stoker, I think those links I posted before for 318 to 390 is a 30 over bore (3.93") with a 4" stoke. The CarCraft article is a 40 over 360 (4.04") with a 4" stroke = 410. So buying a 360 block will get you about 20 more cubes

Some times keeping the stock block and stroking it is the cheapest way to go less changes of other things, FED, mounts, exhaust (if it has already been up graded) not so much additional weight up front. If nothing else you don't have to buy the block. But by all means if you can put a 500+ inch big block in you DD go for it and I will have another person to envy! It was a surprise to me that you could stoke a 318 to a 390 and the kit was not that high, more or less it was a FYI but you might have already know all that. There is more than one way to skin a cat ;D I look forward to seeing which method you use!

P.S. I found this It was all news to me so maybe it will helpfull to someone else.

Engine Bore Stroke Disp Notes

Chrysler hemi/poly (1951-1958) [Chrysler/Imperial]

301 3.625 3.625 299.2 1955
331 3.8125 3.625 331.1 1951-1956
354 3.9375 3.625 353.1 1956-1958

392 4.00 3.90625 392.7 1957-1958

Dodge hemi/poly (1952-1958) [Dodge -> corporate]

241 3.4375 3.25 241.3 1952-1955
259 3.5625 3.25 259.2 1955
270 3.625 3.25 268.3 1955-1956
315 3.625 3.8125 314.8 1956
325 3.6875 3.796875 324.4 1957-1958

DeSoto hemi (1952-1957) [DeSoto]

276 3.625 3.34375 276.1 1952-1954
291 3.71875 3.34375 290.8 1955
330 3.71875 3.796875 329.9 1956
341 3.78125 3.796875 341.1 1956-1957
345 3.800 3.800 344.6 1957 DeSoto Adventurer

A block poly (1956-1967) [Plymouth -> corporate]

277 3.75 3.125 276.1 1956
301 3.90625 3.125 299.6 1957
303 3.8125 3.3125 302.5 1956-1957
313 3.875 3.3125 312.5 1957-1964
318 3.90625 3.3125 317.6 1957-1967
326 3.953125 3.3125 325.2 1959

B block wedge (1958-1978) [corporate]

350 4.0625 3.375 350.0 1958
361 4.125 3.375 360.8 1958-1966 (t to 72)
383 4.25 3.375 383.0 1959-1971
400 4.34 3.375 399.4 1972-1978

RB block wedge/hemi (1959-1985) [Chrysler -> corporate]

383 4.03125 3.75 382.9 1959-1960
413 4.1875 3.75 413.2 1959-1965 (t to 73)
426 4.25 3.75 425.6 1962-1965 (so 66)
426 hemi 4.25 3.75 425.6 1966-1971 (so 64-5)
440 4.32 3.75 439.7 1966-1978 (t to 85)

LA block wedge (1964-2004) [corporate - lightened A]

273 3.625 3.3125 273.5 1964-1969
318 3.90625 3.3125 317.6 1967-2002
340 4.04 3.3125 339.7 1968-1973
360 4.00 3.58 359.9 1971-2002
238 v6 3.90625 3.3125 238.2 1987-2001
488 v10 4.00 3.88 487.6 1996-2002
505 v10 4.03 3.96 505.1 2002-

Magnum hemi (2002-) [corporate]

345 3.917 3.58 345.1 2002-
370 4.055 3.58 369.9 2004-

Magnum poly (2003-) [corporate]

287 3.661 3.405 286.9 2003-

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/list.html

[Thumpin455]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

That bit of rust doesnt look too bad to me, a weekends worth of work is all.. ;) I have a special hate reserved for vinyl tops, nothing but a water trap to me, and most of the factory cars with them had little more than a thin shot of primer under them. If they had painted at least part of it there would be lots less rust. If I get a car and the floors arent rusted I start looking for welding seams...

Im with you on the cubic inches, just start with something big and make it bigger if you like. The only small blocks I will play with are 351 Clevelands with those HUGE ports. Any other small block is a truck engine, and usually not a good one at that.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

Stroking a small block will dramatically increase torque all the way through the revs and you will still get decent mpg. It wont be big block power, but it will move that Dart with authority. Also, shoving shoving an RB in there will kill its handling. Besides, you will have to some cuttting and hacking to get one in there. Thats a big can of worms on a car you dont want to spend big money on.

[Tazracing]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

be different, drop a conquest inline turbo in it

[BigBlockMopar]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

I've finished welding patches in the floorpanels today. Covered it all up with a nice layer of paint. Will put on another layer tomorrow and call it done!
I think water gets under these tops because over the years the vinyl dries out and lack of maintainance causes it to become porous I guess.

Be different?
All my cars have bigblocks in them, this is my first smallblock. That's all the "different" I'm gonna be :D

Rebel,
I agree an 'RB' motor won't be the best idea, but a 'B'-motor bigblock (lower deck) is not that hard to do.
Have a look at www.bigblockdart.com

A friend of mine had a Dart with a stroked 383 in it, making it a 430ci. The car could roast the tires at will.

[BigBlockMopar]

Re: New arrival at the BBM-stash, and an exception to my #1 rule... '73 Dodge Dart

Besides, how could I forget... I've ofcourse owned a bigblock Dart myself some years back...
Solid cammed 440 / 727auto with manual-valvebody, 4.54 gears in a shortened 8-3/4" axle;

http://www.bigblockmopar.nl/cars/pre...71-dodge-dart/

[BigBlockMopar]

Below are some pics of the progress I've made since I bought the car...

I fixed the rusty floor and with the help of a friend we also fixed the rust at the rear window.

I wanted to get rid of the brown interior so out came the panels to be cleaned and painted with vinylpaint. The dash stayed in the car put I painted it black aswell, along with the steeringwheel which I covered in a number of layers of paint and topped it off with 2 or 3 layers of clearpaint, to prevent it from wearing down easily.
Instead of the original frontbench I've installed two black leather seats out of a BMW. I do plan on installing an original Dart center console aswell after a while.

I'm painting the outside of the car a two-tone scheme. The sides in orange and all the horizontal sheetmetal will be painted black. All in semi-gloss paint and roller applied.
After all's done I'll also apply a layer of clear coat on everything. Chip Foose will eat his heart out I'm sure...

I'm currently working on installing a new black vinyl top the previous owner alrready had bought earlier for the car. If he hadn't bought it I would most likely have painted the roof black aswell.

Anyway, enough yapping... Here are some pics in somewhat chronological order...

[squirrel]

Damn that's a lot of work to put into an old dart! but it's looking good

[Scott Liggett]

Love the paint scheme.

[JOES66FURY]

Damn that's a lot of work to put into an old dart! but it's looking good

MOPAR hater...

[squirrel]

I don't have anything against mopars in general....just the crappy little A bodies

[BigBlockMopar]

When I cut some corners during welding or painting I also just say "O well it's just a Dart"...
But to be honest I never thought there could be soo much work on such a little car, especially putting a new vinyl roof on it for instance. :o)