Rebuilding '71 Dart...need help!

[zeitgeist57]

I just helped a buddy bring his old 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger Special in from his home in Antrim, to a garage locally where we are stripping it apart to totally restore it.

 

As of this moment, we have doors, fenders, hood and trunk lid, interior out (except for dash and headliner) and the grille and bumpers off. It's clear that sitting next to a barn for the past 10 years has killed a lot of the car from the rocker panels around back to the rear leaf-spring mounts. The rest of the car is in great shape, save for the above-mentioned lower quarter part of the Dart.

 

He wants to get this REALLY done well, and I need to know if anyone knows places/people, or has hook-ups to the following:

 

>Chemical dipping (for body and panel restoration)

>Great body shop (repair rust damage and replace old panels with new)

>Machine shop (We're tearing down the 225 Slant-6, and he wants to bore it out .030, along with milled heads and a valve job)

>Paint shop (Coat the repaired car in a beautiful shade of some paint).

 

Please...any and all recommendations accepted! smile.gif

[desperado]

One sugestion, since he is wanting to go with the stock motor and the like it sounds as he is wanting to restore the car as opposed to simply building a hot rod or something of that nature.

 

I would find someone that specifically restores cars, not just a body shop someplace that will put some new metal in it here and there and not put the time into it that it deserves.

[Tinman]

Be sure to check to condition of the front shock towers, the A-bodys tend to collect water and rust badly there.

 

If you want to get some power out of the 225 six, talk to Cox Brothers Performance Fabrication, they have been working with slant sixes for years and have one running 9s.

[zeitgeist57]

He replaced the inner fender wells (that also support the shock towers) 10 years ago, but it's beginning to rust from sitting out in the weather so long. He is looking to restore it, but also get some better performance out of it (warmed-over slant-6, better automatic, polyurethane bushings, Wilwood front disc brake conversion).

 

He doesn't want 9s, but he wants the best looking Dart on the road that will ride like a modern car. Believe me, he is very committed to doing this project right no matter what the costs are

[Dave1647545494]

I did a real quick search.

 

http://www.chicagolandmopar.com/index.asp

 

there should be some local mopar clubs as well. if he waits untill summer you can hit up the mopar show in august for parts and stuff.

 

there is a guy named Tim who is having a Cuda restored locally he works at the advance auto parts on gender road. I don't remember the phone number but its in the book. good luck.

 

call me when your ready to work on your truck.

[zeitgeist57]

Originally posted by GAS,GRASS,OR,ASS:

call me when your ready to work on your truck.

*beep* *beep* *Beep* *Beep*

 

BA-RRRRRRIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!!

 

"Get yo ass over here now!"

 

smile.gif

[Guest ElCaballero81]

Hey man A good Body and paint jobs try Body Builders he specializes in all street rods, its at the edge of kirkersville within walking distance of national trails. for more info email me

[COLD AIR]

It will take 3 times the $$$ that it is worth to restore it. mopeds are high $ it fix up

[zeitgeist57]

Originally posted by COLD AIR:

It will take 3 times the $$$ that it is worth to restore it. mopeds are high $ it fix up

My friend and his dad worked on the Dart when he was in high school. We're now in our 20s and his father passed away. He's doing very well for himself so he wants to TOTALLY redo the car to keep for many, many more years.

 

Randy, PM sent. BTW, I've heard that chemically dipping a unibody is NOT a good idea...acid remains in a lot of seams and you can NEVER fully clean it out. As a result, paint will never hold in the area. Any other body/machine shops?!? smile.gif

[Guest ElCaballero81]

hey PMed all info needed about the paint and body man.

[Guest ElCaballero81]

hey sorry man dont know anything about dipping i know we are building a street rod and when we striped it down to bare metal we just sand blasted it.

[ridenred27]

there is a place that does body dipping. cant remember there name. but they are on the same road as columbus steel drum. i think that is claycraft rd in gahanna. hope this helps. oh the prices are a little high

[Dave1647545494]

for motor building info talk to kevin or craig marshall the work at co-own the two gas stations on hamilton road where everyone buys race gas in the summer they run a couple of superstock dodges in IHRA and have a guy who builds motors for them

[zeitgeist57]

Tinman, can you get me Cox Brothers Fabrication's number? I can't seem to get a listing in the yellowpages.

 

BTW, thanx to everyone so far! FYI on dipping a unibody car: don't do it. Acid stays in the cracks and NEVER can get cleaned out enough not to damage any layer of paint you spray over it. One of the restorers I spoke with said they did four cars dipped, and after the fourth one they vowed never to do it again. The paint would bubble up within weeks of curing, and they'd have to prep and repaint the same area over and over.

[Tinman]

Originally posted by zeitgeist57:

Tinman, can you get me Cox Brothers Fabrication's number?

I'll try to remember to get it monday, hope that's not too late.