Hey guys,

My Mom called me this morning and during the course of our discussion she let me know that Dad's been a little down in the dumps lately. He built a new shop last year and retired in January and has been spending all of his time trying to get the shop functional so that he can "get started" on his 1974 Dart Sport. Last summer my brother and best friend did a pretty major garage clean up, so if we move the tractor he needs to just sell down to the shop, then he can stop wasting time down there and he can work on his Dart at home where he's already been set up to work for the past 20 years. Mom asked me to help move the tractor. My plan is to not only move the tractor but get the car fired up and hand him a bucket of parts to get this car mechanically sound for him to drive around again. We'll get through as much as we can in the time I have there.

This car is perfect for him to tinker with during retirement while he tackles small projects on it over time. What I want to avoid is him doing what I did to mine, and completely disassembling it. Ten years later mine still isn't back together. If it runs, or he has a bucket of parts to get it back to good, running condition, I'm confident he won't make the same mistake I did and disassemble the car too far.

The car was last tagged (and as far as I know started) in 1986. I want to attempt to light this sucker off on July 1st. I can't say for certain the engine isn't seized, but I don't think it will be. It's been in the driveway for the last 3 years or so but until that point was always stored indoors, so I'm hopeful we can knock this out and it it to fire off and get him fired up to finish going through the other mechanical systems.

Who has a check list of what order to go through this thing to light it off? The Clifford headers he has on it are completely rusted out, but I have a brand new set that can go on it. Once I confirm it's not seized I plan to have parts with me to do a tune up ( cap, rotor, wires, plugs), oil change with filter. I figure we can just hook the fuel pump to a fresh fuel line going into a can.

Help me put together a parts list so that I can hopefully show up with most of the things we will need to get him started down the path of driving the only car he's ever bought new in his life! The issue I'll have is he lives 30 minutes from the nearest parts store, and I'm not sure they'll have everything available in stock. I plan to show up with as much as possible to both avoid parts store runs and avoid overnight delays getting parts delivered.

I'll be at his house starting on the 29th and I have to back in Dallas to work on Wed, July 5th.

Also keep in mind I've got a stripped 1975 Dart that I'm more than happy to rob parts from that was last run in 2007. I'm replacing virtually all of them anyway in a pretty custom build.

I'm tempted to head out and rebuild the brakes on my rear end then just swap them out and he'll maybe more easily be in running condition.

I've got disc brakes, control arms, all manner of parts I can rebuild here, take with me, and then just have to install them on his car.

With that in mind, give me some tips on where to put my time and effort to make the most of my 4 days up there.

High on my list for an engine that has sat that long would be priming the engine with oil for a few minutes to insure bearing surfaces are coated with an oil film prior to turning the engine over.

It also would assist in getting the oil pressure up quickly when it does start.

I use a 50's flat head oil pump immersed in a large can filled with oil and spin it with a drill however you can rig up a method by removing the slant distributor and use a home made oil pump priming tool.

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1965 Dart 110k, 225, Carter BBD Super Six, 2 1/4 single exh., sbp manual scarebird front disc, 7 1/4 rear 2.94 sure grip, 14 x 4.5 OEM wheels, 833 OD with hyd. throwout bearing, HEI, electric fan, ram air/heated air, Accusump. http://plymouthcarclub.com/

Happen to know of an oil pump primer tool that works with the 225? Or instructions on how to build one?

Money is less important than success. I'll roll up with $1000 worth of parts if it gave me a moderate chance of success.

Wow. Sounds like a fun challenge.

(1) tires. They will need to be replaced.
(2) cooling system. You will need to inspect the radiator, block, head, and heater core for debris and rust. Be prepared for a radiator and/or heater core that might hold water but will fail once the system is pressurized. If you can, get a cooling system pressure tester and check the integrity of the system. Be ready with a new thermostat, too.
(3) hoses and belts. All hoses and belts must be replaced.
(4) fluids. All fluids should be replaced. Oil, trans, gas
(5) gas tank. Chances are very high the tank is rusty, the fuel sending unit is rusty, and the fuel line is clogged with varnish. The rubber fuel lines should be replaced with 30R9 fuel injection hose. Now is a great time to do the fue line rerouting mod.
(6) brakes. Likely rusty and locked up with shrunken seals. Be prepared to rebuild all of them. If it has power brakes be ready for a failed booster or booster hose.
(7) suspension. Most likely the rubber has dried out and will crumble when moved. Be prepared to replace all bushings.
(8 ) priming the engine. Nobody ever invented a tool to prime the engine, other than the stock oil pump. The only way to prime it is to crank the motor over. If the engine isn't rusted solid due to rings rusting to the bores or valve stems rusting into the valve guides, you should crank it by hand once you have installed fresh oil and a fresh filter. Rotate it a few times with the plugs out by hand squirting some oil into each spark plug hole and watching the valves to make sure none are sticking. Dump liberal amounts of oil over the rocker arms and include a can of marvel mystery oil in the initial batch of oil you put in. Once you have everything replaced, rebuilt, and ready to go, crank it for about 30 seconds with the distributor to coil wire unplugged to prime the oil system (alternatively, crnak it until the oil light goes out).
(9) Carburetor. The gaskets have dried out, as has the accelerator pump plunger. Be ready to rebuild it completely.
(10) distributor. Pull it an dsquirt some oil down to the weights and springs and make sure the weights still move freely.
(11) muffler. Likely rusted out as well.
(12) brake lines. Replace them when you rebuild the brakes.
(13) filters. Replace them all. Oil, fuel, air, charcoal cannister.
(14) fuel pump. Be ready to replace it due to a failed diaphragm.
(15) steering linkage. Hit all the zerks with some grease.
(16) kickdown and choke linkage, if applicable. Lube it with some penetrating lubricant to make sure everything moves freely.

Good luck! Post pictures and videos if you can.

Have a can or two of carb cleaner, brake cleaner and penetrating oil. Carb cleaner is better than starter fluid for initial start up.

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1976 Feather Duster /6 4sp
1984 W100 318 727 np241
1972 'Cuda 340 4sp
1985 D250 360 46RH

http://imgur.com/a/kK7jc

Did something happen to embedding pics? I can't get embedding to work, but Mom snuck out and snapped few of Dad's car!

I downloaded your pictures, but something is going on with photobucket and nothing is displaying. Weird. Looks like a cool project, and I love the rear rims!

That Imgur album will absolutely be getting updates as I can as I go do on this quest. Hopefully he goes along with the idea and we get it to fire up! It's been stored well enough I can't imagine that it won't.

Reed's list is pretty definitive... even if you showed up with a truck with all refurbished parts, new tires on rims, etc... there is more work there than two highly motivated and very knowledgeable guys could get done pulling some 18 hour shifts (literally I've got more than that getting my son's Aspen on the road from a similar condition.... you will probably spend lots of time doing other things while the penetrating oil soaks in over 24 hours...hopefully the UCA body mounts aren't rusted badly, or the K-member welds cracked)...

Looking at the pics and how long it's sat, I would be more inclined to pull the engine and transmission and get a look at the insides and regasket the block if the rings aren't rusted to the walls and the bearings are still good (you can also lube the bearings with assembly lube so it can be rolled over once you are all done). I have seen blocks like that come back from the dead using a can of coke poured into each bore with the head off then a dirty junkyard rebuild after that... but the rings don't last too long after that kind of treatment.... also if it has sat that long with oil in the pan, motor oil after 2+ years of non use tends to form a weird jello substance in the pan... and even if following all the precautions, the pickup could get clogged and you will be out a motor for good....


I would also want to change the skanky oil in the rearend and make sure it still turns and doesn't have a seized axle shaft bearing... U-joints will also need to be replaced.

2 cents....

DI is right on- I think pulling the engine and trans for a re-gasket and inspection is an excellent idea. I forgot about the seals drying out in an auto trans. You may need to pull the trans apart just to replace those.

There is a video on youtube of a guy who bought a model T hot rod that had sat since the 50s. When he pulled the pan the oil had actually separated into several distinct layers, some of which were thick like jello. I don't think I would trust just pulling the pan plug to fully drain all the old "oil." I think pulling the engine and trans for a preliminary inspection is the best course of action.

PICS!

8a ) crank with plugs out........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Let me clear up my goals as well. I'm not hoping to make the car road trip worthy in 3 days. It would be nice, but I have clear expectations.

My goal is to get as far as we realistically can in the time that we have. I've waited my entire life for my Dad to finally want to get busy on this car. I have literally tried for 30 years now to go for a ride in this car.

I get that he'll eventually want to go through the motor. I understand he'll want to go through the trans. But my fear is that as soon as he pulls those components they are never gonna go back in. IF the motor will run without that, then it's mine and my Dad's best interest to fire it.

My mom said she sees a spark finally ignited, and I want to start the wildfire without him doing what I did, and that's disassemble the car to a point he loses interest again. He doesn't have 30 years to get back to it this time.

Considering your goals, I would say: change the fluids, filters, .. and fuel pump... put a hose in a 5 gallon can of gas... and see if it fires up...


If it does. then play with the belts, hoses, radiator.... fuel tank, brakes..... and steering and suspension.. carb rebuild... to get it road worthy.

IF it does not start, then you've not gotten into too many systems at once.. if it does run, then stay focused on getting the engine sound... before moving onto the next system... one system at a time is more fun and manageable than having the brakes, rear end, and cooling system in the process of being rebuilt all at the same time.

Also it depends upon where you live and where the car has been. If it has been in a dry climate the issues will be different than if it is humid...

The car has been just south of Wichita, KS all of its life.