What can I do to Make my winter driving experience better in the 70 Dart? Particularly under the hood. Rad has been recored, flushed and refilled. New cap, but still needs rotor (what fits a pertronix set up?) Plugs cleaned and regapped. Needs timing adjustment. Air filter washed and oiled, preheater works, manifold heater works. What else? Thanks.

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Leela: 1970 Dart 225 CID
Coulmn Shift TorqueFlite
7 1/4" Axle 2.76 Gears

Go ahead and save that weird car, the sedan, the 6 cylinder, the C-Body. If you want a big block musclecar and that's all you care about, your missing the point.

Off the top of my head a few that I run.

1. a 195 or 205 degree stat
2. a ram air intake
3. a heat deflector under the carb to keep the manifold warm
4. a air/oil separator
5. a water fuel filter/separator
6. alcohol injection
7. a oil change to a lighter weight oil
8. electric radiator fan for quicker warm ups
9. run two fused 10 gauge wires from the alternator directly to the battery for quicker charging......
10. New spark plugs

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

1. Has a new 180° t stat. What benefits will I ser by making TVE engine run hotter?
2. Ram Air? Please elaborate.
3. I was planning con fabricating one but I haven't found any scrap metal to use.
4. I understand that, good idea.
5. I understand the purpose of that, no explaination needed.
6. What does alcohol injection do for me?
7. Switched from Rotella 15W30 to High Mileage 10W30 and a zinc adative.
8. I really would prefer not to alter my wiring harness.
9. Alternator was rebuilt and upgraded to a 45 amp rating.
10. Spark plugs are practically new.

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Leela: 1970 Dart 225 CID
Coulmn Shift TorqueFlite
7 1/4" Axle 2.76 Gears

Go ahead and save that weird car, the sedan, the 6 cylinder, the C-Body. If you want a big block musclecar and that's all you care about, your missing the point.

Click on the red link below my name and take a look at the pictures in slide show mode....

You will see the alcohol/water injection....keeps the valves and head clean free of carbon for a super steady idle and crisp throttle response.

Also take look at the ram air vent.

The extra heavy wires take the strain off the bulkhead connectors.

A 195 or 205 stat keeps the oil clean, no condensation in the oil and lots of nice heat when it's in the low teens.

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

Make sure choke is working perfectly, and battery is the optional high cold cranking amp size with clean connections. Below zero temperatures eat weak and under sized batteries.

Make sure drum brakes are adjusted so that all four are working and not pulling. Nothing more aggravating than front brakes locking and rear wheels still pushing when in gear trying to pull into a slick parking space, or a slick intersection that the front wheel drive cars have buffed up the last few feet real nice...

At the other end add a 100 pounds of dry pour able sand in jugs for ease of use over the right rear tire (I placed seven sand filled plastic gallon milk lugs in a wooden apple crate), a snow shovel, and a set of winter-diggers for the rear axel. This combo got me through several Maine winters in the seventies that so far are not unlike this winter is stacking up to be... These cars are not good in the snow, and are nose heavy.

Keeps one's bones warm, but avoid breathalyzer at all costs...

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

#1 most important in my book is a proper working/adjusted choke. This will make the most impact on cold weather start up and driveability. Also be sure there is no vacuum leaks anywhere, cold weather + lean running conditions equals to alot of stumbling and hesitation...

For the rest, lubeing the flap in the intake heater between the two manifolds to keep the intake nice and warm. Im sure having the hot air door on the air cleaner snout working is nice but mine doesnt. A 195* stat is nice for a cleaner running engine as well as a toasty heater. Good tune-up, proper anti-freeze/water mix, and as you already mentioned a lighter wieght oil. Fresh tune-up and a bottle of "heet" gas treatment every couple tank fulls. Also as mentioned, some weight over the rear axle helps with a little extra grip.

From my understanding I dont think water/alchahol injection will do much for you on a stock application in cold weather. The injection helps in keeping the cylinder temps lower allowing more compression or radical timing curves. Also has the extra benefit of keeping the valves and cylinder pretty clean...

I will get 100lbs of sand. Choke seems to work fine, and react quickly. I'm heasitant to put a hotter t stat in because the engine pings in the summer even when everything is set correctly. Pinging did reduce after the cooling system service. Brakes are #1 on my list as all 8 shoes are cracked, thin, and missing chunks.

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Leela: 1970 Dart 225 CID
Coulmn Shift TorqueFlite
7 1/4" Axle 2.76 Gears

Go ahead and save that weird car, the sedan, the 6 cylinder, the C-Body. If you want a big block musclecar and that's all you care about, your missing the point.

Stay home a lot or move to a warmer climate.

Seriously, it used to be normal with the changing of the seasons to change thermostats, just like changing from 30w oil to 10w, and changing snow tires. A hotter thermostat in the winter will just help make it cozier inside the car for you, and will help dry moisture out of your engine.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

This from the guy that sent a week or more of sub zero temperatures and storms over to poor old New England... Sage advice to move one's backside several degrees south in latitude this time of year. LOL

I think Zilla is recovering from a bout of frost bite after the last few weeks like I am. We are going to see more of this before its over in April.

I have preset weather channel cities to click on via Direct TV, one is Seward, Alaska, where a niece resides. For the last week that place has, and is predicted to be warmer than most of the south eastern US... Location, location, location.

As others have said paraphrased in the vernacular of the day, get a good tune-up, check the brakes, tires, antifreeze, put some weight in the trunk, and get on with life; repeat for summer... This was a life cycle of car ownership the old days.

Just don't be surprised when your car rots out from under you in a few years of being exposed to ice melt chemicals. Life of an A Body in New England was about six years before rust repair of frame and outer body was needed to pass inspection.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Why do you think I'm in Perú hahaha. I guess old cars require a little more tinkering than anything contemporary After May I'm going back, maybe for good, and the Dart is coming with.

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Leela: 1970 Dart 225 CID
Coulmn Shift TorqueFlite
7 1/4" Axle 2.76 Gears

Go ahead and save that weird car, the sedan, the 6 cylinder, the C-Body. If you want a big block musclecar and that's all you care about, your missing the point.

Most folks don't take care of their cars and the accumulative lack of maintenance over 40 years adds up.

Get caught up and they can treat you well with out any tinkering!
Mine sure is nice....

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

I try to keep maintenance up on the Dart but money is short sometimes. My advantage is the Dart is put way until the 19th, and won't see serious use until the 21st, then, with luck its on its way to Callao, Perú after May.

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Leela: 1970 Dart 225 CID
Coulmn Shift TorqueFlite
7 1/4" Axle 2.76 Gears

Go ahead and save that weird car, the sedan, the 6 cylinder, the C-Body. If you want a big block musclecar and that's all you care about, your missing the point.

I cant agree with Ted more on your car treating you the way you treat it. When we first got ours it was a pile of neglect. After a little accident with a water main sticking up out of the ground and smashing the pan, taking out the crank bearings when it lost oil pressure, we replaced the engine and tracked down one issue after the next.

Now shes low mile, fresh engine and trans, brakes, and other tid bits, its the most reliable car I have ever owned. Fires up immediately in hot or cold, gets decent gas mileage, and has taken us everywhere we need to be. Even cruises right along with the 70+ mph freeway traffic thanks to the 2bbl, HEI, and looong factory gears! Heater blows hot, all the lights bright, charges at 14.5v from idle to redline