Dart - the sequel

paolo_mangusta · Post by **paolo_mangusta** » Sat Sep 26, 09 12:44 pm

Hello

Finally got it together to get back on the forum after I managed to lock myself out of my account five minutes after getting back on here

(thanks to Matt and Mandie for sorting that out)

Anyway, I've got a replacement Dart and rejoined the club - I've bought Dorian's 318 Swinger

I'd seen it drive past my house a couple of times so knew it was a cracking car and it came up at the right time since I'd just got a promotion that week so had to be done

I've ordered a disc conversion but other than that I'm going to try to leave it alone and just drive it, which is what I should have done with the last one...

[WARNING: NON-MOPAR CONTENT COMING UP!]

My urge to fiddle about with things is more than catered for by this project that I'm hoping to get out in next year:

(Ch*vy powered unfortunately, but we can try to ignore that)

And some of you might like to see the other toy in the garage - bit of a contrast - 600cc air-cooled twin giving 45bhp

Hope to see some of you out and about - who goes to the Ace these days?

Cheers

Paul

Post by **TyreFryer** » Sat Sep 26, 09 1:03 pm

Hi Paul, good to see you back on the forum and back in a mopar!

What's the story with the slingshot?

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sat Sep 26, 09 1:16 pm

nice looking dart saw that at north weald the other week

shame your old 340 motor was distroyed in the fire

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Sep 26, 09 2:18 pm

Welcome back

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Sat Sep 26, 09 2:45 pm

Welcome back! Nostalgia slingshot, like that! Just needs a slosh of metalflake and Hilborn injection....

paolo_mangusta · Post by **paolo_mangusta** » Sat Sep 26, 09 3:18 pm

cheers chaps, it's good to be mopared up again

steveo wrote:shame your old 340 motor was distroyed in the fire

shame my brand new 408 stroker lump, four-speed, heavier torsion bars, front and rear anti-roll bars etc etc were all destroyed, but I'm trying not to think about that. I'm not going to start buying all the bits again for this one and pulling it apart. At least not yet

It's a really nice original car even though it's much more of a cruiser than my old one. but I want to go fast I'll have the dragster, the important thing is I've got a Mopar again

The slingshot is an old Bob Nixon chassis that was built about 1990 but with lots of nice old parts - Eelco tank, Borrani wheels, model Y front axle - and it's run mid 10s @ 125 in the past. It was a cheap ebay buy not long after the Dart got burnt to cheer myself up. I'm rebuilding it as and when I get a chance and making it my own. I got a 283 and a 307 Dave Two Lanes a while back but haven't built either of them yet. We thought they were both 283s but they only £200 the pair so I can't moan.

I've put some stuff about it on a blog here http://dragstripvirgin.blogspot.com/200 ... chive.html

Can't afford Hilborn injection or a blower, so I've got a tunnel ram and dual Holleys for it, but it will look as period as I can make it otherwise. Not sure I'll go for metalflake as I'm aiming to make look it a bit earlier than that, more like a gas car from 62/63ish. Probably gold like my old Dart but not sure yet, I'm a long way off worrying about the colour...

BJ Mac · Post by **BJ Mac** » Sun Sep 27, 09 2:39 am

Very nice

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Sun Sep 27, 09 4:04 am

Hello Paul! Nice to see you back... Love the slingshot! I agree with blue on the paint though!

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sun Sep 27, 09 9:38 am

paolo_mangusta wrote:cheers chaps, it's good to be mopared up again

steveo wrote:shame your old 340 motor was distroyed in the fire
shame my brand new 408 stroker lump, four-speed, heavier torsion bars, front and rear anti-roll bars etc etc were all destroyed, but I'm trying not to think about that. I'm not going to start buying all the bits again for this one and pulling it apart. At least not yet
It's a really nice original car even though it's much more of a cruiser than my old one. but I want to go fast I'll have the dragster, the important thing is I've got a Mopar again

oh right 408 stroker motor , with a 4 speed

didn't realise , that would of been a nice combo for that dart

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Sep 27, 09 10:48 am

Paul excellent stuff mate Dorians Dart is soooooo nice and im glad you got it after your bad luck with the othere one now make sure its insured this time.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Sep 27, 09 1:04 pm

Nice car that dart mate, the shape has grown on me alot recently, I wondered where the slingshot ended up you beat me too it,

although i didnt think it'd go on as much as it did it was still a cheap car, good luck with it

paolo_mangusta · Post by **paolo_mangusta** » Sun Sep 27, 09 5:23 pm

marc-jerryatric wrote:I wondered where the slingshot ended up you beat me too it, although i didnt think it'd go on as much as it did it was still a cheap car, good luck with it

Sorry about that (a bit

) but I'm glad it didn't go for much more as it was all the money I could get my hands on at the time. Another £50 and it would have been someone else's.

Turned out to be good value, even though it's been through the wars. Once I got it I realised it was worth what I paid for the parts alone, and it had some proper money spent on upgrading the cage back in 2004. It came with a Godley powerglide, 9-inch with discs and spool, and it's all set up for a small block Chavrolet, even has a set of stainless weed-burner pipes. Should be good if i pull my finger out and sort it.

It might get 'flaked, we'll see

I'm on the lookout for some period-style 15x10 wheels for the back if anyone knows of any - I bought what were supposed to be 5x4.5 slot mags off ebay but they turned out to be misdescribed and 5x4.75

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon Oct 12, 09 3:08 pm

Really glad you got back into the scene once again after your set back! Well done!

Pete

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Mon Oct 12, 09 3:58 pm

I'd missed this one.

Hey Paul, glad you're back!:thumbright:

I remember when we handed over the condolences card to you at last year's Nats I think every club member that came to the stand must have signed that...that's what makes this club the best, now sling the small block Chevy in the skip and get a proper engine in the slingshot!

TW71 · Post by **TW71** » Mon Oct 12, 09 4:55 pm

Great stuff Paul, love that Dart. Great to see you back well done

Tim.