68 Dodge Dart 440 Custom Finally Finished 3-29-17

[72 Charger]

Your doing great Jim I really like the hood and the green paint

[microwheel]

Thanks Dave.

[microwheel]

Morning Guys. Feeling a little under the weather the past 2 days, but spent some time in the hobby room last night and this morning anyways. I wanted to get the engine mocked up and ready for paint and detail. First think I did was to pre-assemble the engine parts and take care of any gaps from parts not fitting quite right. Then I removed the chrome from the alternator and mounted it to the front engine block assembly. The front engine block assembly will get painted separate from the main engine block which means the alternator will end up initially getting painted engine color with it. This wont be that big of a deal since the engine will be painted in lacquer paint anyways, the alt and bracket will get hand painted in water based paints which when thinned with a few drops of water, level out really nicely. Here is a nice little tip for you..... The revell 69 dodge charger kit comes with 2 stock fan belt assemblies and 2 stock power steering pumps (not sure why but a nice surprise). so robbing one for this dart build wont keep a person from building the charger later. Not that I needed the fan belt assembly anyways since I'm using a after market pulley kit from parts by parks, but the fan belt assembly comes in handy when doing location alignment for the power steering pump on the dart 440. I did end up gently cutting the power steering pump bracket off the front of the pump and reattaching it to the back of the pump so it lined up with the outer crank pulley grove. Then I cemented the power steering pump and bracket to the front engine block assemble just as I did the alternator. The pulleys where just tacked on with white glue to check for alignment and will be removed before painting. I also removed the molded on oil filter and found one in my parts box I liked better, which was also just tacked in place for fit and clearance and will be removed before painting.

 

I will be using after market mopar valve covers that I had to modify a little bit cuz they were slightly to long and both valve covers had fill caps and I only wanted one with a fill cap and one with a breather cap. The valve covers are also just tacked on with white glue for now.

I will also be using a after market distrib that I will add a vacuum advance to later during final assembly.

I also picked up some carter avs carbs from fireball modelworks. But I haven't decided yet if I will use it or even order some of his Holley 650 carbs and use one of them. I have time to decide on that though.

I drilled out all detailing holes for plugs and heater hoses, (no I wont be using the kit supplied heater hoses) as well as holes for both oil and trans dip sticks which I still have to make yet, and the fuel line mount holes on the fuel pump. I didn't drill or prep and vacuum lines on the intake yet till I decide what I end up using for a carb.

Anyways that's pretty much my mock up on the engine so far.  Below are a few pics of it. Keep in mind I still got a lot of clean up work to do on everything before is ready for paint.

Here is everything just tacked together

Also the breather in the pics may not be the one used. I'm still decided on what I want for that. Depends on the carb I end up using.

I hope to get the parts in some warm water and dish soap later today so I can get everything cleaned up and at least primed.

Thanks for looking guys. More to come as I get it done.

 

[taaron76]

Looking good, Jim!  Nice to see that the alternator actually has a bracket and not "floating".  

Tim

[microwheel]

Looking good, Jim!  Nice to see that the alternator actually has a bracket and not "floating".  

Tim

Hi Tim Thanks. Yup I agree. I like it when kit manufacturers make em with brackets, it makes my job easier. But even when they don't I try to take the time to make em.

[426-Hemi]

GAWD....... the Alternator bracket set up is GREAT! and the pulleys are just down-right SEXY!!!!! Nice work! (-Where did the pulleys come from?)

[microwheel]

GAWD....... the Alternator bracket set up is GREAT! and the pulleys are just down-right SEXY!!!!! Nice work! (-Where did the pulleys come from?)

Thanks john. The pulleys are made by Parts By Parks. Its their Plymouth Roadrunner/GTX 4 plulley system. I got them off ebay. 

[426-Hemi]

Thanks john. The pulleys are made by Parts By Parks. Its their Plymouth Roadrunner/GTX 4 plulley system. I got them off ebay. 

I might try my hand on the lathe to make some of those from Aluminum! Those look GREAT! Just making the belts might be an issue, but, I know I can make those pulleys! 

Those you bought are SWEET!

[microwheel]

I might try my hand on the lathe to make some of those from Aluminum! Those look GREAT! Just making the belts might be an issue, but, I know I can make those pulleys! 

Those you bought are SWEET!

Parts By Parks supplies the belt material with their pulley sets. I know its rubber material but not really sure what they are made from. If you have a lathe Im sure you can make the pulleys. Im sure thats what they use. I just dont have a lathe, if I did id make a bunch of parts myself.

[microwheel]

Small update for today.

Got the engine parts cleaned up and painted today.  Im going to let everything sit for at least a day before assembling the basic engine components, then I'll plan out the fine detail. But soon its gonna be time to start working on the chassis. Also I finally got my replacement decals from Revell so some time this weekend I hope to  get the rear stripe decal on and then get the body clear coated. But we will see what time allows. Still not sure about the carb yet. U got sone holleys coming from fireball modelworks. I also ordered a K&N air cleaner from BnL resins. If it turns out as nice as their other stuff it should work nicely on the build.

 

More to come as I get it done.

Thanks for looking and any and all comments guys.

Let me know what you all think about the carb idea. Im still so up in the air about using the carter or the holley.

 

[taaron76]

Small update for today.

Got the engine parts cleaned up and painted today.  Im going to let everything sit for at least a day before assembling the basic engine components, then I'll plan out the fine detail. But soon its gonna be time to start working on the chassis. Also I finally got my replacement decals from Revell so some time this weekend I hope to  get the rear stripe decal on and then get the body clear coated. But we will see what time allows. Still not sure about the carb yet. U got sone holleys coming from fireball modelworks. I also ordered a K&N air cleaner from BnL resins. If it turns out as nice as their other stuff it should work nicely on the build.

 

More to come as I get it done.

Thanks for looking and any and all comments guys.

Let me know what you all think about the carb idea. Im still so up in the air about using the carter or the holley.

 

Looks great, Jim.  You would probably know better than I, but the Carter 44XX or 46XX would be period correct for that engine.  I like the Carter, unless you went with a Holley 750 DP... the Carter's were 750 or 800 CFM, I think.

Tim

[microwheel]

Looks great, Jim.  You would probably know better than I, but the Carter 44XX or 46XX would be period correct for that engine.  I like the Carter, unless you went with a Holley 750 DP... the Carter's were 750 or 800 CFM, I think.

Tim

Hi Tim, the Holley 750 double pump was kinda what I was thinking about. The carter just looks too stock for a hot rod. But I still got time to decide. I have to wait for fireball modelworks to send me the holleys anyways. Then I can compare them and see what looks the best.

[426-Hemi]

Absolutely GREAT work on that engine! NICE job! The Carters are AFB's I do believe the 4312S. NICE job on that paint work man those Valve Covers look good too for the aftermarket look, who are those by?

Keep up the great work!

[microwheel]

Absolutely GREAT work on that engine! NICE job! The Carters are AFB's I do believe the 4312S. NICE job on that paint work man those Valve Covers look good too for the aftermarket look, who are those by?

Keep up the great work!

Thanks John Your right on the carb. The ones I have are the AFBs. The valve covers are mopar high performance valve covers made by Scenes Unlimited.

[PARTSMARTY]

I am definitely digging this !!!

[microwheel]

Evening Guys. Sorry for the lack of updates today. I did get some of the engine assembled today but didnt get time to upload pics. I will try to have some up tomorrow.  With the weather being so nice this weekend, I needed to take advantage of it and work on tearing down the top half of the engine on my tractor. It's needed new valve seals and head gaskets for awhile now and the wife gave me a break from the honey do list to get started on it. So for the next few days I'll be juggling my time between that project and the hobby room. bare with me and stay tuned. I'll be posting as I get more done. Even if the progress seems a little slow at times. LOL.

[taaron76]

I hear ya, Jim.  The weather in Northern Virginia was phenomenal.  My '66 Mustang got the full detail today and ready for the car show tomorrow.  Can't wait to see some pics!

Tim

[426-Hemi]

Thanks John Your right on the carb. The ones I have are the AFBs. The valve covers are mopar high performance valve covers made by Scenes Unlimited.

Thanks for letting me know where those valve covers came from! Those are something to have as a Mopar guy (they're the aftermarket Big Block covers used a lot today on the newly rebuilt old muscle cars!) And have been trying to find out who made them..... -Thanks man!

Edited February 19, 2017 by 426-Hemi
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[microwheel]

Thanks for letting me know where those valve covers came from! Those are something to have as a Mopar guy (they're the aftermarket Big Block covers used a lot today on the newly rebuilt old muscle cars!) And have been trying to find out who made them..... -Thanks man!

No problem John. I will tell you though, that I did have to modify the size of them just a tiny bit. I am sure they are 1/25th scale and not 1/24th, but I have found even some 1/25th scale mopar kits with mopar big blocks can very ever so much in size depending on who and when a kit was made. SO keep that in mind when you order them. I test fitted them on the 440 heads for this kit and the revell 68 charger kit, and guess which one they fit perfect on with no modifying? If you guessed charger... you are correct.. But on this dart 440 they were just a tad long. Go figure.

[426-Hemi]

The 440 you used, which one is that? The one that comes with the Dart from Revell? And then the 440 in the AMT Charger is the other one you tried 'em on? If ya don't mind explain, I know the cars and kits pretty well, BUT that doesn't say which ones were tried on what 440 from what kit..... -I hope that makes sense!

[microwheel]

Anyways, as promised earlier.. here are a few pics of the engine assembled. Keep im mind I still got a done of detail work to do on it yet. Im still waiting on a couple of detail parts to come in the snail mail  for it, but I hope to get started on the engine detailing in the next day or so. I also plan to get started working on the dart chassis later this week.  About the only thing Im not happy with on the engine was the altenator. I like the fact it has a bracket but I didnt like the way it was molded and the over all way the two parts of it fit. I worked with the fitment issue as much as I could.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the carb and distributor base are just temporarily tacked in place for now.  and the headers are just resting in place for the pics.. I dont plan to fix them to the engine until the engine detailing is done.

Thanks for looking. I'll post more as I get more done.

 

[72 Charger]

Nice work . I like the valve covers

[MeatMan]

Nice work on this build Jim. Fantastic engine detail! 

[geemoney]

shrink tube on the headers is genius!

 I always get bogged down on a suitable collector!

again, GENIUS!

[426-Hemi]

That 440 looks GREAT! The lettering in the valve covers, that a decal on both of them?????

Heat shrink tubing goes a long ways for a collector for headers, but in my case, I use it a lot of the time to make a "Y" pipe for single exhaust on the cars that I have seen family member have real ones of, so, heat shrink tubing works well for the "Y" as well as the way you used it here, NICE job!

That engine alone is SEXY!!!!! -Very nice!