" THE " ugly duckling of the early sixties. 1962 Dodge Dart

[gtx6970]

Found this last week and have been wracking my brains on what to do with it. Found it while looking for something else actually. And my mind went to work on what to do with it. 

 

I Painted it AT LEAST 12-13 years ago . Best I remember it was a Dupli color rattle can. My mistake was no primer first. Straight lacquer  paint on bare plastic.

Needless to say, It crazed the plastic. Enough I was disappointed and put it away. 

 

So made the decision to see if I couldn't salvage it. Had nothing to lose ,,, so I sprayed some rattle car urethane clear in several light coats . Hoping it wouldn't make it worst. 

Turns out it layed down pretty decent ( good enough for my case anyway) And has a reasonable shine to it. ( knocks on wood ) 

 

So , taped up the interior to add the white accents( brush painted) , then put Tamiya satin clear over it 

 

Plan is just some details and in the case it goes.

The kits engine is long gone. So,,,I'll make it a curbside and lightly glue the hood down and move on. 

 

Im aware the seat pattern as well as even some of the exterior trim is all wrong for the actual car. 

I think I can live with it 

Edited October 15 by gtx6970

[gtx6970]

The original car sold on Bring a Trailer earlier this year 

1962 Dodge Dart Ram Charger 413 Two-Door Sedan for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $42,000 on April 22, 2025 (Lot #188,557) | Bring a Trailer

[Brutalform]

1. Nice save on the paint job. 
2. I don’t think the 62 is ugly at all. 
 

Very unique looking car to be honest. I have three of these. One white, one yellow, and one red. I like what you are doing with yours, Bill. Sometimes it’s just rewarding to build it how it came, even if the interior is a bit off. All the hacking and putty, sanding etc, gets to be a pain sometimes. Can’t wait to see it finished. 

[TECHMAN]

The AMT 49 Mercury kit, has a really nice old MAX-WEDGE as the optional engine, would be a great addition to the restoration of this kit.  Hollar if you need one Bill....

DJ

[gtx6970]

6 hours ago, TECHMAN said:

The AMT 49 Mercury kit, has a really nice old MAX-WEDGE as the optional engine, would be a great addition to the restoration of this kit.  Hollar if you need one Bill....

DJ

Thanks for the offer.

I'm sure I could come up with an engine/trans for it.

Just not sure I want to 

I'm waiting on a new sheet of BMF to arrive. Before mush else happens 

But I'll mess with it this weekend to see how I can get a stance closer to the 1 /1 car had 

Edited October 16 by gtx6970

[Old Buckaroo]

This is a cool car, Ive always wanted a 1/1 of the 62-64 Dart.

Ive been looking at the  62 Plymouth Fury kits with that duckbill bumper on ebay wondering what they could become on the bench. 

 

DJ - Thanks for the info on sourcing the Max-Wedge !

[gtx6970]

9 minutes ago, Old Buckaroo said:

This is a cool car, Ive always wanted a 1/1 of the 62-64 Dart.

Ive been looking at the  62 Plymouth Fury kits with that duckbill bumper on ebay wondering what they could become on the bench. 

Oh go ahead , You should jump in the deep end.

 

The early Mopar B bodies have a strong following . I personally like the 63 , over either a 1962 and/or a 64 Dodge

I have a couple Johan 63 Dodges on the shelf. Just need to get them down and decide on a path forward 

 

Personal preference, if I could , would be a 1964 Fury /Belvedere for a garage mate

Red with red bench seat interior. Hemi with a push button auto please if Im dreaming

Edited October 16 by gtx6970

[Stanward VonDiederichs]

On 10/15/2025 at 3:07 PM, gtx6970 said:

Found this last week and have been wracking my brains on what to do with it. Found it while looking for something else actually. And my mind went to work on what to do with it. 

 

I Painted it AT LEAST 12-13 years ago . Best I remember it was a Dupli color rattle can. My mistake was no primer first. Straight lacquer  paint on bare plastic.

Needless to say, It crazed the plastic. Enough I was disappointed and put it away. 

 

So made the decision to see if I couldn't salvage it. Had nothing to lose ,,, so I sprayed some rattle car urethane clear in several light coats . Hoping it wouldn't make it worst. 

Turns out it layed down pretty decent ( good enough for my case anyway) And has a reasonable shine to it. ( knocks on wood ) 

 

So , taped up the interior to add the white accents( brush painted) , then put Tamiya satin clear over it 

 

Plan is just some details and in the case it goes.

The kits engine is long gone. So,,,I'll make it a curbside and lightly glue the hood down and move on. 

 

Im aware the seat pattern as well as even some of the exterior trim is all wrong for the actual car. 

I think I can live with it 

Talk about bringing back old memories I remember this car! I personally knew Don Blair I'm from the Pasadena area Don sponsored so many winners it's unbelievable that with his brother built some of the fastest cars for example the drag Master dart dragster was sponsored with Blair's. The other hot car from the area was Horsepower engineering up in Altadena Doug Robinson Doug owned the KRLA Horsepower engineering dragster his brother drove the super stock Plymouth from Milne Brothers. Milne Brothers also had a car running  also Wedgie Dodge station wagon, Dino Don Nicholson service Chevrolet was from the area the Little old lady from Pasadena drove a a wedgie Dodge. I also use the horsepower engineering insignia for my identification photo Pasadena history.

[Stanward VonDiederichs]

On 10/15/2025 at 3:15 PM, gtx6970 said:

The original car sold on Bring a Trailer earlier this year 

1962 Dodge Dart Ram Charger 413 Two-Door Sedan for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $42,000 on April 22, 2025 (Lot #188,557) | Bring a Trailer

This photo was taken at irwindale raceway when it was a long the side of the 210 freeway now is it the Miller brewery. Photos of irwindale in its day and now it's no longer. 😭😢👎 Land rapers have taken it over.

[gtx6970]

After messing with the stock kit chassis I saw no real way to get the car to sit ' right' 

So I jumped in both feet to modify the body ( very scary feeling ) and a Lindberg chassis from one of the SS Dodge / Plymouth  kits 

 

Taking a knife and grinder to a kit that was painted many years ago was scary as I have no idea what I used to paint it back then

But all in all. It went well and with a bunch of mods to both chassis and body. It fits . Pretty well I think.

In all honesty. This one was a test to see if I could do similar mods to a Johan 1963 Dodge kit I have 

 

Even though the kit has a Dana rear axle. which is wrong for this car, I'll live with it as I do nt have any spare 8-3/4 rear axles to give up for this car 

 

I haven't decided fully if I will try to make or use Johan fender well headers,,,,OR just use the Lindberg pieces.

 

 Chassis required I cut A lot off the ft and some trimming on the back. Otherwise it fits decent 

I had to remove everything behind the kit body grille to make it fit , ( that was scary )

 

 

Edited yesterday at 05:02 PM by gtx6970

[gtx6970]

Sprayed some TS54 over a real dark blue base. Yields me a color REALLY close to the exterior 

 

Almost dead on .

 

Used the Fusion Chrome on valve covers 

 

Imo.

They are as good as kit chrome pieces 

Edited Monday at 11:30 PM by gtx6970

[M W Elky]

14 hours ago, gtx6970 said:

Sprayed some TS54 over a real dark blue base. Yields me a color REALLY close to the exterior 

 

Almost dead on .

 

Used the Fusion Chrome on valve covers 

 

Imo.

They are as good as kit chrome pieces 

I used the old Johan fender well headers with the lindburg chassis and found they didn’t really fit to well. They really crowded the tire you may also need to extend the tubes to meet the engine 

[johnyrotten]

Nice save with the paint.👍👍 Unique, cool early dart. There's a wagon that runs at my hometown track its always fun to watch.

https://youtu.be/E6M7bXiwhXE?si=n13GNvMz3r5waTqh

Edited yesterday at 12:57 PM by johnyrotten

[gtx6970]

4 hours ago, M W Elky said:

I used the old Johan fender well headers with the lindburg chassis and found they didn’t really fit to well. They really crowded the tire you may also need to extend the tubes to meet the engine 

Thanks for the info

 

I dont have any real interest in making my own.

So with this info, I'll just use the Lindberg headers and move

[Stanward VonDiederichs]

36 minutes ago, gtx6970 said:

Thanks for the info

 

I dont have any real interest in making my own.

So with this info, I'll just use the Lindberg headers and move

I kind of laugh at what you are going through because I have been there too and can feel for you trying to get the parts to fit it's frustrating isn't it . What I see so far you are doing it right with all the help you are getting . As for the paint I use the DupliColor all the time but I found you have to use the DupliColor adhesive promoter primer or the paint will not stick on the styrene plastic make sure all the mold release is off the plastic. For the interior paint I use SEM paint they make all the colors you need for all cars but do your research on the factory color. 

I've had to do a lot of cutting and fitting of parts my 34 was one I wanted to put a 3D motor in it but I found it wouldn't fit oh it would but I would have to shorten my time the drive shaft and I didn't want to do that. So I put the original motor and put aftermarket parts on the V8.

Model making is just like building a real hot rod trying to make all fit so it looks right.

Out of curiosity did you make the Blair's and lettering yourself you did a nice job if so I can't wait to see the motor and the car marked Done this is a nice looking car with all the problems you've run across you're doing it right. 👍👍👍🏆 Blair's is the oldest speed shop I have known ( Dollar) Don Blair since 57 and when he moved to Covina California I've been in his treasure room above the showroom in the Attic at Blair's photo of Don Blair in the store as I remember it in Pasadena along with photos of the 62 Dodge dart I wish there was a photo with Dawn next to it.

[gtx6970]

Thanks much

 

I think in the end it will have the right "Look* even if not 100% accurate. 

 

Decals i bought.

 

From who? I honestly dont remember 

 

I want to say Decals by Lucas made them ?

But its been a while so no guarantees 

 

Worked on it a little bit this morning. 

I gotta say...

I really like this Fusion Chrome stuff.

 

 

Edited 23 hours ago by gtx6970

[gtx6970]

I think im going to call the interior. Done

Nothing dramatic 

Fusion Chrome for the dash. With Tamiya highlighter flowed in for effect.

Embossing powder for carpet

Edited 21 hours ago by gtx6970

[dragcarz]

Great project Bill! I really like what your doing. I too have been sitting on a 63 Dodge and a Lindberg 64 Dodge kit to do what your doing here. A little more information on fitting the chassis into the body would be really appreciated! Looks beautiful so far!  

[M W Elky]

14 hours ago, gtx6970 said:

Thanks much

 

I think in the end it will have the right "Look* even if not 100% accurate. 

 

Decals i bought.

 

From who? I honestly dont remember 

 

I want to say Decals by Lucas made them ?

But its been a while so no guarantees 

 

Worked on it a little bit this morning. 

I gotta say...

I really like this Fusion Chrome stuff.

 

 

I also have a set of these decals they were indeed decals they were indeed the original decals by Lucas before Bruce Sadwater took over . It really sucks big time that Bruce passed away without warning as he printed decals for a lot of stockers and  super stocks . I sure wish someone would squire his files . I would certainly think there would be enough interest to make it worthwhile. On the same topic woopiekat had great stuff too then all the sudden Allan just dropped off the face of the earth . It just goes to show you buy them as soon as you see them 

 

[gtx6970]

3 hours ago, dragcarz said:

Great project Bill! I really like what your doing. I too have been sitting on a 63 Dodge and a Lindberg 64 Dodge kit to do what your doing here. A little more information on fitting the chassis into the body would be really appreciated! Looks beautiful so far!  

I will do this this weekend. Working on a 1 / 1  project the rest of the week 

[gtx6970]

3 minutes ago, M W Elky said:

I also have a set of these decals they were indeed decals they were indeed the original decals by Lucas before Bruce Sadwater took over . It really sucks big time that Bruce passed away without warning as he printed decals for a lot of stockers and  super stocks . I sure wish someone would squire his files . I would certainly think there would be enough interest to make it worthwhile. On the same topic woopiekat had great stuff too then all the sudden Allan just dropped off the face of the earth . It just goes to show you buy them as soon as you see them 

 

I thought I had another set . But looked for them a few weeks ago and I don't

Thus, my quandary on not being able to strip this one and start over 

[Stanward VonDiederichs]

20 hours ago, Stanward VonDiederichs said:

I kind of laugh at what you are going through because I have been there too and can feel for you trying to get the parts to fit it's frustrating isn't it . What I see so far you are doing it right with all the help you are getting . As for the paint I use the DupliColor all the time but I found you have to use the DupliColor adhesive promoter primer or the paint will not stick on the styrene plastic make sure all the mold release is off the plastic. For the interior paint I use SEM paint they make all the colors you need for all cars but do your research on the factory color. 

I've had to do a lot of cutting and fitting of parts my 34 was one I wanted to put a 3D motor in it but I found it wouldn't fit oh it would but I would have to shorten my time the drive shaft and I didn't want to do that. So I put the original motor and put aftermarket parts on the V8.

Model making is just like building a real hot rod trying to make all fit so it looks right.

Out of curiosity did you make the Blair's and lettering yourself you did a nice job if so I can't wait to see the motor and the car marked Done this is a nice looking car with all the problems you've run across you're doing it right. 👍👍👍🏆 Blair's is the oldest speed shop I have known ( Dollar) Don Blair since 57 and when he moved to Covina California I've been in his treasure room above the showroom in the Attic at Blair's photo of Don Blair in the store as I remember it in Pasadena along with photos of the 62 Dodge dart I wish there was a photo with Dawn next to it.

I understand why you are going to use the kit headers I would do the same thing and for cutting the fender wells to get headers out would be a big job here's is a photo that shows how gnarly they are. I remember some the Early ones had one pipe came out of the fender well on the Mopars . I'm showing this to show why to use the kit one's I'm with you on your decision.