1968 Dodge Dart

Solid340 · New Member

1968 Dodge Dart

Adslow65 · LINDSAY, ONT

Hey some progress is better than NO progress!! Nice little project....

slab · BRANT COUNTY, ONT

nice project. Is that "big bad Orange"?? Or what did dodge call the orange they used??

-- Edited by slab on Wednesday 11th of April 2012 06:11:38 AM

Rusty Nuts · ONTARIO

I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the "big bad" colours were used on the AMX. Interesting, there appears to be a HemiDart hood scoop sitting backwards on the car in the "before" picture. I worked at a paper recycling plant years (and years) ago, and found a "Cars" magazine (from '68) with an article on the HemiDart ... always liked them.

Your user name suggest a 340. Those are great engines ('71 and earlier had the 2.02 heads and the steel cranks if my memory ain't lyin to me), I had one in a '71 Duster. Looking great.

Edit ... my apologies, I guess there is no reason why it couldn't be "Big Bad Orange" seeing as it is a repaint. What I meant to say was "I think it was AMC that used the Big Bad title for their colours" ... the most common (from the musclecar era) Mopar orange was "Hemi Orange" I believe.

-- Edited by Rusty Nuts on Wednesday 11th of April 2012 07:16:19 AM

Gazoo · BADEN, ONT

Lookin' good so far. Let me know if you need parts, I have some A body parts not being used.

slab · BRANT COUNTY, ONT

I think your right about the name of the colours. Hemi Orange sounds right.

RacerRick · TORONTO, ONT

71' was the first year for the J heads and they were supposed to have only 1.88 valves, but I saw a few motors that had never been taken apart that had 2.02's. 340's had forged cranks through 72. But I also have seen 73' motors that had forged cranks - they were behind 4 speeds.

Mopar is strange. You can never say never. I think Hemi orange is a little redder.

I like the car. I still have a 69' Dart.

flatduck · SUDBURY, ONT

and what is the story about 340 heads that have an X are they really rare or worth more money ...........i have a set and was told there off a 71

Gazoo · BADEN, ONT

You probably would be better off starting a new thread with that one, LOL, us Mopar guys will debate that one to no resolve.

My .02 on that, yes, back in the day...when they didn't have aluminium heads, I suppose they were the cats ass. Buuuut, only until the mid '70's when Chrysler came out with the T/A's and the AAR's, with the 340 6pk, those cylinder heads were "J" heads, they offered better flow and 2.02" valves...

Buuut the "X" heads are rare, not many floating around.

Rusty Nuts · ONTARIO

As far as my experience goes ... the "X" heads were "the" heads to have because of the 2.02 valves. Many people did not realize 2.02 valves also came in "J" heads too (from the factory). Part of the reason for this misinformation was because dear old Mother Mopar actually printed an article somewhere that stated "J" heads did not come with 2.02 valves (I do remember reading that article but I do not remember where I read it, could have possibly been a Direct Connection catalogue). I owned an original (never opened up) 1971 340 Duster with the J heads, and they definitely came with 2.02 valves from the factory.

RacerRick · TORONTO, ONT

That has been my experience also.

Also, X and J heads have identical ports. There is no real difference in the HP that they make. J heads have extra iron in a few places for durability. J heads were introduced on the 70' AAR Cudas and TA Challengers, and were drilled to use offset rockers so the pushrod pinch could be widend more when porting. This was only done on AAR and TA heads. Later J heads were drilled for standard rockers.

flatduck · SUDBURY, ONT

thanks for the info on the x heads ,i have one friend who is bugging to get them since the first day he found out.............i did a bit of reading and some site about mopar says that the heads on a 318 magnum are suppose to perform the same as the x heads i don t know if there s any true about it cause i m not mechanic enough for that..............the heads are actually on a 318 that is my stock car.......i got pic on my site of it ..........

flatduck · SUDBURY, ONT

i m not even sure if the guy would built the stock car did something good by doing that..................... may be it don t really perform that much better than a regular 318

RacerRick · TORONTO, ONT

The magnum heads have a much better exhaust port, but the intake port is not as good. Its pushrod pinch is even more pronounced. They do have much better chambers however.

The 360 heads have larger chambers and flow a little better due to the valves being unshrouded more.

Solid340 · New Member

Hi Guys,thanks for the compliments, no need to apoligize for any info that is posted and not confirmed.I always like the challenge of trying to confirm facts,I actually learn more about Mopars the more I look into it.Anyway my Dart is slowly coming along as of today the motor is at the machine shop and my Ebay parts are also coming in.All the brake system and drivetrain was all done...new lines,and a complete BBp conversion...EVERYTHING NEW! New rear gears ,4.10 with a suregrip 8.75,new yukon axles.To answer some questions the Dart had an original 273 which was then converted to a 440(and still is)including the replacement of the K frame.The original color was a Burgundy and now is an orange(i will post the color code).I have included some pictures

To address the Name for Rusty Nuts...I also have a 1972 Duster with a 340,727,automatic and it is also orange...Hmmm whats with the orange.I love the colour but when I purchased the Dart it was painted orange so I had no choice as the paint on the Dart is excellent

70SwingerSteve · New Member

Hey solid340.... Check out this site lots of great Mopar A-Body info, could be very helpfull with your build...

www.forabodiesonly.com

hemi43 · ONTARIO

It's definitely not "Hemi" orange !! If it's a Mopar colour of that era it's probably "vitamin C" orange.

70SwingerSteve · New Member

They had Hemi orange as well... Follow this like, lots of Mopar colors...

www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php

Gazoo · BADEN, ONT

Paint code is EV2 for "Hemi Orange", for the Dodge line, and called "Tor-Red" on the Plymouth line. It's part of the "High Impact Paint" package, special order extra cost color, it was available from '69 to'72.

hemi43 · ONTARIO

70SwingerSteve wrote:
They had Hemi orange as well... Follow this like, lots of Mopar colors...

www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php

I know they had Hemi orange, I'm just saying the dart pictured above is not painted in that colour.

hemi43 · ONTARIO

Gazoo wrote:
Paint code is EV2 for "Hemi Orange", for the Dodge line, and called "Tor-Red" on the Plymouth line. It's part of the "High Impact Paint" package, special order extra cost color, it was available from '69 to'72.

If you look real close, hemi orange is in fact metallic.

RacerRick · TORONTO, ONT

Are you putting the 440 back into it? If so - better stiffen up the body with some subframe connectors, and front frame braces. Especially since it looks like the inner fenders were cut for fenderwell headers.

These cars will twist up bad. My 69' Dart has about a 15 degree twist in the body from a nasty 340 I had in it - and I have subrframe connectors in the car!