Thinking about taking the bumper off the Dart

"Slant6" (slant-6) 04/08/2016 at 22:39 • Filed to: None

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I think it looks good.

The problem is any kind of hit to the front would be expensive and crippling. I also think it wouldn’t look good unless I actually painted it.

Here’s my Dart for those who have forgotten what it looks like:

I need to bondo in the holes where the trim was, straighten out the passenger fender and fix the small rust hole in the trunk. I should also probably treat the underside for rust and such. New wheels are on the agenda, as well as all the suspension bushings. The leafs are also kinda rusty.

Engine wise I want to keep the slant 6. Eventually rebuild it and when I can get a bigger rear end that’s wide enough twin carb and turbo it.

Interior wise I think reupholstering the front bench would be cool. Buckets would ruin it. I want to get some speakers in the rear deck and maybe somewhere under the dash. I’d like to put a newer head unit in the glove box.

Birddog > Slant6 04/08/2016 at 22:46

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It looks cool for sure if you’re going for that Race Car look. Your car though? It looks almost perfect as-is.

Maybe some slightly wider wheels or Mopar Cop wheels if you can chuck 15s under there.

Frank Grimes > Slant6 04/08/2016 at 22:46

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bondo holes?

Let me stop you right there. That’s not the way to do it.

Slant6 > Birddog 04/08/2016 at 22:51

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This picture shows more of the flaws. Also 50 years of New Jersey underneath, but it’s still solid. They didn’t make the cop wheels in my bolt pattern, but they would be cool. I’m limited to whatever summit has, they’re the only ones that sell my 5x4 bolt pattern.

Slant6 > Frank Grimes 04/08/2016 at 22:53

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How else do you fill in 30 pinkie size holes?

Birddog > Slant6 04/08/2016 at 22:59

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I forgot about that silly small bolt pattern. They’re rare but they did make Mopar rallys in that size. Or call Stockton wheel depending on budget.

That car would be considered a Barn find in the Upper Midwest. Don’t concentrate on the flaws until it’s time to.

Frank Grimes > Slant6 04/08/2016 at 23:00

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welding I bet welding would be faster even and wont rust out like bondo. Body filler has lots of talc in it which absorbs water and it can shrink or pop out.
I used a hole punch for metal and punched out a bunch of little round pieces of metal and then welded them in.

If you lived close I would help you do it.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/plug-weld.htm

or use a copper backer an just go at it.

Slant6 > Frank Grimes 04/08/2016 at 23:07

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Wouldn’t I need to get metal behind it so it would actually have contact and work? I could take the fenders off easily enough and get to the ones in the trunk enough, but the interior and door ones aren’t reachable.

I hear the Eastwood filler is pretty good.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Slant6 04/08/2016 at 23:08

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All in all, it's your car so you can do whatever, but I think it looks great as is.

Slant6 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 04/08/2016 at 23:09

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I should really show the other side.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Slant6 04/08/2016 at 23:10

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I saw that pic further down and I still don't think it looks all that bad.

Slant6 > Birddog 04/08/2016 at 23:14

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When’s the time? I’ve driven it infrequently for 6 years and finally want to do something with it. I’d also like it to last, and having little holes everywhere isn’t really good for that.

Slant6 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 04/08/2016 at 23:18

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I do like the patina but I also want it to be something nice. These pictures are also two years old and it has two years of being parked outside of a warehouse more wear.

Frank Grimes > Slant6 04/08/2016 at 23:45

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all filler has talc or some other powder to bulk it up and it will absorb water and rot out the metal around it. It makes it alot easier if you have access to both sides but using a magnet or tape or something can hold the patch in place for welding.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/…

Slant6 > Frank Grimes 04/09/2016 at 00:00

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I probably stand a higher chance of messing it up if I try to weld it. I also don’t have a nice welder.

Are fillers really that bad? I mean, I could seal both sides of the ones I can get to, but it’s possible with welding that I could really mess things up.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Slant6 04/09/2016 at 00:27

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Maybe it's just the period the car is from, but I think it looks better with the bumper than without.

Slant6 > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 04/09/2016 at 00:28

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I think I’ve come to that conclusion.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > Slant6 04/09/2016 at 02:11

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I did urethane bushings for my front end on my A-body, I think it’s worth it. I would try and find a police model steering box (used or NOS) or get yours rebuilt by Firm Feel, it makes a huge difference to the feel of the car. It gets rid of the 2 inches of dead space that’s in your stock box and will feel almost like rack and pinion.

I wish I had posting powers to Oppo. I just pulled my 73 Valiant Slant SIx out of the field after sitting for nearly 10 years. Luckily it was in cali and stored somewhat. It is all original except for the paint which is tractor paint which I did 15 ago to cover surface rust. I wanted to share my process to get it back to daily driver status. I’m having to do brakes and replacing all the rubber for right now.

I want to keep the slant six as well. I was thinking of cobbling together a multi-port efi. You could get away with a lot of junkyard parts. Stock LS1 injectors and coil packs. The cam position sensor is the only thing that would be a true pain in the ass. I don’t think you could accurate enough timing with a stock timing chain, but big block mopar uses a semi compatible timing set to go to gears. You just have to modify either the cam or cam gear to make it fit.

tl;dr Good to see Mopar’s especially Slant Sixes. I want to share my Slant Six with world. (That doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like it should)

anon-sxmcyecofnu1eocpqsk9iq > Slant6 04/09/2016 at 02:32

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IMO it’s better with the bumper unless you want the full race look.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Slant6 04/09/2016 at 07:36

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My vote would be to leave the bumper on the car.

Die-Trying > Slant6 04/09/2016 at 17:25

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dont bondo the holes, weld them.

leave the bumpers until after your car finishes your college tour of duty. otherwise aggressive, or hurried parking will take its toll(i dont mean YOU parking).

Frank Grimes > Slant6 04/10/2016 at 00:13

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I would stay away from fillers they aren’t for gaps. Maybe structural adhesive for auto use might work much better, but it will be hard to convince me welding isnt the best method.