1971 Dart Swinger

[legopnuematic]

Got the extension housing set up in the mill and broken bolts extracted. Threads aren’t perfect but chased out ok and should be fine.

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[Lil'm]

I bought a Swinger. A 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger. I love my GM products but I have been heavily influenced by Mopar's in my life. General Lee, Bullit, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Duel, Brewster Mccloud, Blues Brothers (Granted most of those are B or C body's, but still have always taken a liking to them), with my good friend and boss having a 69 Roadrunner and another 69 that he has been building, his brother has a killer 1970 340 swinger that is a MR. Norms car.

So for the last couple years I have been on and off looking for an A body, because I don't have enough going on. But this was a really good deal and I couldn't not get it.

As stated earlier it is a 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger, with a 225 slant six and 904 transmission, with factory air conditioning and power steering. This car and a red 1972 Swinger came up on marketplace as someone gauging interest for if anyone was interested in them, as he did not own them but could buy them, so a finders fee essentially, sort of for ***** and giggles I got in contact with him and talked and he was thinking around $2500 per car, was a little more than I wanted to spend, but didn't lose interest. Fast forward a week or two and I get a message saying that his price is $1500 per car, and if I was still interested, I told him I was, I was told I was second in line. Then came the day of which the 1st guy was supposed to look at them and was a no call no show, So I got bumped up and set up a time and date and my boss and I took last Friday off to go look at it. Ended up getting it for $1400, with a good Illinois title, the original window sticker, all of the factory literature for the warranty and manual, notes of every service and gas fillup. Has 102xxx miles on the clock and not much rust for being an Illinois native. When I lifted the front seat up the Broadcast sheet was still under there and in very nice shape.

So the plan is to put disc brakes up front using 73-76 A-body parts, and convert to 5x4.5 and likely run a set of 14" Rallye wheels. Going to keep the slant as it runs pretty good and auto for now, really just want a fun little driver that will be decent on gas and have high class. If I come along a good deal on a B engine or LA/magnum I mag snag one up to have if I dec

 

[Lil'm]

Well done! Had a '70 dart 340/4spd bench seat. Bought in 72 & kept for a year. Hauled ass!!!

 

[legopnuematic]

I once bought a 71 Plymouth Duster 318 V8 Car, which most were 225 crooked 6 cars, and even better, mine had the 8 3/4 in drop out 3rd member rear end FACTORY. The same rear end that came in the 340 cars and most of the 318's still got the same rear end as the crooked 6 cars. I bought it for $100 and all that was wrong with it was a broken crankshaft. It broke right on the throw so the car even ran, just knocked so we thought it was a rod knock. I never did get the funds to get it running, had already bought the 340 heads for the 318 and then made a big move and couldn't take all my cars with me, so I sold the car with the heads for $200 just to get rid of it quick. It looked identical to this one.

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To get a 8.75 with a 318 it would have been equipped with a manual transmission or a towing package or a combination of both.

Certainly not common, but they are out there (318/8.75 combo).

I don’t have any immediate plans for a swap, but I keep my eyes open for an A-body housing, otherwise my plan would be to take a B/C/E/truck housing and narrow it.

 

[Beast496]

Nice work! I used Nick's videos as well for my TH400 rebuild. Not sure if you sourced all of your rebuild kit yet, but I went through Oregon Performance Transmission for my parts. I just looked and they do sell kits for your 904. Good luck

A904, A998, A999: Oregon Performance Transmission

 

[DoubleDingo]

@legopnuematic If I were you, I'd use the gloves more often. I used to be proud and didn't wear them. One day I was thinking about how many carcinogens have been absorbed into my skin through the years, from doing oil changes, having brake fluid drip all over the hands and arms, gasoline, antifreeze, acetone, brake kleen, you name it. I figured if I started wearing gloves then there would be no further damage from any more chemicals being absorbed into the body through the epidermis. Food for thought. For comparison purposes, I waited about 30 years before wearing them. What got me to thinking about it, was grandpa died at a young 63 from cancer. Yes, he smoked and drank, and I don't know of any WWII vet that didn't smoke and drink, but he also painted cars without a respirator, and did a bunch of other stuff where he should have wore some type protection to protect his insides. Watching him is why I was proud, if he did it that way so can I. He died when I was 17, it took me until I was in my 40s before I let my pride go. Still proud, just not about using things like eye, ear, lung protection while working.

By the way, thanks for more inspiration on doing things on my own vehicles.

 

[HotRodPC]

To get a 8.75 with a 318 it would have been equipped with a manual transmission or a towing package or a combination of both.

Certainly not common, but they are out there (318/8.75 combo).

I don’t have any immediate plans for a swap, but I keep my eyes open for an A-body housing, otherwise my plan would be to take a B/C/E/truck housing and narrow it.

Would have been super sweet if it were a manual trans car, but it was a 904 car so must have had a tow package which was common back then that people used cars to tow trailers.

 

[HotRodPC]

Well done! Had a '70 dart 340/4spd bench seat. Bought in 72 & kept for a year. Hauled ass!!!

That had to be a sweet ride. 340's ran very well, just not near as common. Most of these body cars got the crooked 6, a small handful got the 318 and a few got the 340.

 

[legopnuematic]

Used my new blind bearing puller and got the bushing out of the reaction shaft, worked great

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I think due to the corrosion on the case, I'll clean a little more and scuff it, then shoot it with some Aluminum finish paint. A test spray on the left of the parting line, scotchbrited aluminum on the right of the parting line.

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Finished blasting the external case hardware. Bolts and one washer and nut hit with some stainless blast.

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And the other stuff with some cast blast.

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Also began ordering parts, Got everything except converter, valve body, and assembly lube on the way.

 

[89Suburban]

That had to be a sweet ride. 340's ran very well, just not near as common. Most of these body cars got the crooked 6, a small handful got the 318 and a few got the 340.

My first vehicle had a crooked 6 in a D100 pickup with an A-883 manual O/D trans. Fun truck!

 

[Beast496]

You'll like that alumiblast paint. I used it as well on my th400.

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[78C10BigTen]

My first vehicle had a crooked 6 in a D100 pickup with an A-883 manual O/D trans. Fun truck!

Every body callin it a crooked six... always heard it a slant lol

 

[89Suburban]

Every body callin it a crooked six... always heard it a slant lol

I actually never call it, that it was always a slant 6 to me. Just trying to cheer up my boi @HotRodPC .

They were tough little motors for me. I have had several. I could not kill any of them.

 

[78C10BigTen]

I actually never call it, that it was always a slant 6 to me. Just trying to cheer up my boi @HotRodPC .

They were tough little motors for me. I have had several. I could not kill any of them.

Dad always told me that if they are straight in a line, (weather leanin tower of piza or not) youll never kill em. He strongly believed that the physics of it is why they are so reliable.
Also the 73 stepper i learned to drive in had a 250 straight 6 runnin on 5... hasnt run in 10 years but i garuntee with a jug at the fuel pump, a squirt in the 2bbl and a yank of her choke and itll start right up! Partly why i wanna hot rod a 250 for my square! lol

 

[HotRodPC]

I actually never call it, that it was always a slant 6 to me. Just trying to cheer up my boi @HotRodPC .

They were tough little motors for me. I have had several. I could not kill any of them.

I know what they're called Dawg. Yes, they are tough hard to kill just like most I6 engines. I call them the Crooked 6 to bust the Dodge boys balls. Cuz they are freakin crooked and layed over. Even a Ford I6 can stand up straight.