Bullseye!.........'71 Dodge Dart, right at home @ FBBO

[conv67bdere]

LMAO Prop . . . Dart "Special Sunroof Option" . . . not quite the Convertible, but oh so close . . .

looking good . . . anxious to see the new roof . . . Thanks.

 

[HYRDGOON]

Thanks Man! I had a good friend/co-worker help dial the car in. I had the Cal-Trac's set all wrong, and I had a real tough time getting the launch right, but I learned a ton from the guy during the process. I couldn't believe how ignorant I was and still am when it comes to all the variables of racing. He run's a '68 Barracuda in Super Steet class. I walked away with a slip in the 10's, feeling 10 foot tall and bullet proof......That was until he destroyed my E.T. with his 340 A-Body. That will deflate a guy pretty quickly....lol. I know it's all Apple's and Oranges in the end. Hoping to spend more time with him at the track next year. Like mentioned, I know I need/can improve on my reaction time and 60ft. One things for certain.........very addictive!

A slip in the 10's is mighty respectable especially if you weren't very confident in your launch. Would love to hear some tips and tricks used to set your cal tracs up as our setups are fairly similar


That is a SPECIAL SUN ROOF alright!!!!

 

[moparjohnny]

now that is what i am talking about, great work prop! you have not forgotten about how to do sheet metal duty,very professional removal,that is a very nice dart.

 

[Propwash]

LMAO Prop . . . Dart "Special Sunroof Option" . . . not quite the Convertible, but oh so close . . .

looking good . . . anxious to see the new roof . . . Thanks.

Thanks Kahn!

A slip in the 10's is mighty respectable especially if you weren't very confident in your launch. Would love to hear some tips and tricks used to set your cal tracs up as our setups are fairly similar


That is a SPECIAL SUN ROOF alright!!!!

Appreciate it Goon! Few things I can tell you about the Cal-Trac's.....The driver's side definitely needs a bit more pre-load. Also, make very slight adjustments, 1/8 to 1/4 turn at most, test drive and make more adjustments if needed. Also try to balance between adding preload or unloading between one side and the other, once you have the initial center-line setting recommended from Cal-Trac's manual.

now that is what i am talking about, great work prop! you have not forgotten about how to do sheet metal duty,very professional removal,that is a very nice dart.

Thanks Johnny! Appreciate it.


Cut the old rotten roof down to travel size. Need all the space I can get.



Got the donor roof drug out. Spent a good chunk of the day prepping. About 2 hours with a putty knife and a torch to get all the black butyl ribbon out from around the rear window opening. Rest of the time was spent with a wire wheel cleaning out the heavy seam sealer out of the drip rail gutters.







One interesting thing I've found is that the donor roof is from a '71, just like mine, but the C-Pillar on the donor roof/quarter seam was covered over with poly filler, while mine was leaded in at the C--Pillar. Odd. Both of them were leaded in at the top of the A-Pillar's.



Started going to town on the spot welds, before the wife said play time was over. I plan on pecking away at them over the next day or two.

 

[747mopar]

Looks like a nice donor! Looks like your making good progress on it, I would think the wife would really loosen up on the garage time constraints with it being hers and all??????

 

[Propwash]

Looks like a nice donor! Looks like your making good progress on it, I would think the wife would really loosen up on the garage time constraints with it being hers and all??????

LOL....No doubt right? You'd think she'd be promoting work to get done. Ah well, had some Salmon waiting to go on the weber anyways.

 

[747mopar]

Well my wife is getting her wishes too............... I spent the whole day hanging drywall in the basement with her dad building a big play room for our kids. Gotta make the Wives happy!

 

[Propwash]

Gotta make the Wives happy!

You bet!

 

[MoparMitch]

I see your'e gettin quite busy there Will. On the roof, was it that it was rusted through in spots from the outside? Or did it look bad from the bottom, without the headliner in? Reason I ask is because my GTS had a vinyl top that was taken off a while back. I haven't put a DA to it yet, but it looks pretty solid .

 

[tallhair]

Thanks for the pics of the job and the classic Propwash commentary Will I love reading your updates brother

Sunroof indeed !

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

Is it possible the donor roof is from a vinyl top car and the original car wasn't? Reason I ask is I had a 70 Gran Coupe Barracuda w/ vinyl top that the same area was a filler material, not bondo, but a spongy compound that you could dig out with a small chisel.

 

[Ron 73]

Will, I somehow keep missing your thread at the times im on here, The work i see your doing is as natural to me looking at your projects as can be though! You have been an inspiration for me a very long time before i needed so much, Sometimes i still go back to the building of skelitor, reminds me of times past and gives me energy for what lays ahead... I was telling Roger today that i say this is the best of the best sites there are and anyone looking thru the resto threads could build a car and they probably think im just saying it because its the right thing to do it, anyone looking over this site, the whole site and how everyone just clicks for the most part with each other and can really say its not the best must be on one that's truly something as i look at it... Keep up the good work you do... DO!!! "Bullseye" indeed....

 

[747mopar]

Is it possible the donor roof is from a vinyl top car and the original car wasn't? Reason I ask is I had a 70 Gran Coupe Barracuda w/ vinyl top that the same area was a filler material, not bondo, but a spongy compound that you could dig out with a small chisel.

I was wondering the same thing?

 

[Propwash]

I see your'e gettin quite busy there Will. On the roof, was it that it was rusted through in spots from the outside? Or did it look bad from the bottom, without the headliner in? Reason I ask is because my GTS had a vinyl top that was taken off a while back. I haven't put a DA to it yet, but it looks pretty solid .

Thank you sir. It was rotted from the outside Mitch. It was a vinyl top car back in the day. A few years of the California sun dried it up and cracked it wide open. Throw in some rain showers soaking in between the cracks, and it's just a perfect recipe for a rotten roof. While digging through the paint on the old roof I noticed the roof did not have any factory paint, just factory primer. Kinda doomed from the get go. I'd really doubt that your GTS is rotted from the inside out. If so, you probably just need to move out here and become part of the rotted rustbelt club..lol

Thanks for the pics of the job and the classic Propwash commentary Will I love reading your updates brother

Sunroof indeed !

Thank you sir! Glad to post here and glad to have you following along.

Is it possible the donor roof is from a vinyl top car and the original car wasn't? Reason I ask is I had a 70 Gran Coupe Barracuda w/ vinyl top that the same area was a filler material, not bondo, but a spongy compound that you could dig out with a small chisel.

I was wondering the same thing?

That would be a very good guess fella's, but the old roof was covered in vinyl back in the day. Kinda wish it wasn't...sure would be saving me a lot of work. Maybe the lead guy called in sick that day that the donor roof car came down the line. LOL

- - - Updated - - -

Will, I somehow keep missing your thread at the times im on here, The work i see your doing is as natural to me looking at your projects as can be though! You have been an inspiration for me a very long time before i needed so much, Sometimes i still go back to the building of skelitor, reminds me of times past and gives me energy for what lays ahead... I was telling Roger today that i say this is the best of the best sites there are and anyone looking thru the resto threads could build a car and they probably think im just saying it because its the right thing to do it, anyone looking over this site, the whole site and how everyone just clicks for the most part with each other and can really say its not the best must be on one that's truly something as i look at it... Keep up the good work you do... DO!!! "Bullseye" indeed....

Thanks for the kind words Ron! You're right, this site has an unbelievable amount of skill & experience with all its members, and I think we all inspire each other more than we realize. It's great we can share all our trials and tribulations here at FBBO. I honestly really enjoy settling down at the end of the day with FBBO and seeing all the great work going on here. I often find myself sharing a lot of the FBBO rides & resto's with friends, family and co-workers, even though they never have even been to this site.

 

[Ron 73]

" I often find myself sharing a lot of the FBBO rides & resto's with friends, family and co-workers, even though they never have even been to this site."

I do the same Will, My brother in law owns/operates a welding shop in Meadville Pa and he has a 65-40 shop I hope that's the right size lol, But he has a few cars he sold his 68 Charger, that kind of made me sick considering what he sold it for (5000) it was his 1/2 brothers and all original and had a burnt valve, i wish i would have known about it at the time but now he is doing a 65 Mustang for his grandson and im all the time telling him alone about this place, he is busy i know but i hope he does check in here and see what gos on, heck, we can always hope the ones we tell will join up or at least check out some real fine work being done! Thanks bud!

 

[wingcarenvy]

Hey Will. Glad to see your back at it Chrysler didn't paint the roofs on vinyl top cars, just primer. The vinyl roofs weren't waterproof like they thought. So water penetrates a good vinyl roof over time and the rust starts. After decades of festering the vinyl roof will start to bubble. The damage is done. Most vinyl roofs have rust under them. Even my six pack car has some rust under the vinyl roof even though it only sees water from being washed. Now on to my question. I have a k member for you. Would you still like me to send it to you?

 

[Propwash]

Hey thanks Ron! Neat to hear you do the same!

Good to hear from you Chris. Vinyl tops look pretty cool. Too bad they're certain death to the roof of the car over time. I put Vinyl back on my roadrunner, but needless to say it isn't seeing the environment like it use to, and there's a layer of rust bullet under the paint to safeguard the old tin. As far as the K-Member, yeah I can definitely use it. I have a 340 in the machine shop right now, so the idea of going back to a /6 is out of the question. I know we spoke quite a while ago about it, but with a million things going on this summer and buying/clearing land up north, unfortunately the Dart got put to the wayside. I'll PM you my work address. Pretty sure the delivery drivers that swing by my house are in a bean bag toss league or something. I get a package in, and god only knows where's it's going to end up....driveway...yard...oak tree?!?!

 

[roadrunnerman]

Looks like you put in a good day Will. Hope the salmon was good. My roof on my RR was like that to (factory primer). I think for the most part, they didn't paint the cars that were going to have a vinyl top.

 

[Propwash]

Thanks Roger! Salmon was top notch......pulled out a cooler full of them from Lake Superior back in July. Yum!

I hear you on the roof's. Too bad Ma Mopar didn't throw paint on them. Don't think it would have stopped roof rot, but i'm sure there would be a lot of more salvageable roofs.

 

[Ron 73]

I love the vinyl tops on these cars and it is to bad they didn't do it better, but i do think with everything available now out there we could get away with them a longggg time, i don't think most of these old cars will ever see what the first 40 + years did to them...