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Hello from the UK
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29132		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  MitchvilleJeff [ Sun May 25, 2008 1:23 am ]
Post subject:  Hello from the UK
Hi, my name's Jeff and I live in Kent, England. I allegedly have the only 65 Dart GT in the country!

I bought it back at the end of last year. It's an ex-San Francisco car and pretty damn solid. Originally maroon, it was resprayed black and had a full interior retrim some years back. When it arrived in this country it was sprayed white (not very well) and that is how it stands today.

I don't know much about these cars as I have been into Old Skool Fords (anglias, Zephyrs, Zodiacs etc) for ever. But when I saw this car I just had to have it!

Not sure what to do with it really as everyone I know on the hot rod scene here has Ford and Chevy V8's. I want to find out what is available for the slant sixes so I may be picking your brains on here for a while! Any help and pointers greatly recieved!

I've added some photos here for you guys to see it. It always turns heads, as most people haven't a clue what it is!

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Author:  65 dartman [ Sun May 25, 2008 7:30 am ]
Post subject: 
Welcome and nice choice of cars! I'm a little prejudiced as I have 2 65 Darts - a GT convertible and a 270 wagon.
Author:  MitchvilleJeff [ Sun May 25, 2008 8:42 am ]
Post subject: 
Wicked! I may be chatting you up for some info soon - there's so much to learn and I'm still not sure what to do with the car... Thinking lowering the front end for a better rake, new wheels, and some engine work. Plus the fabric roof has got to go. Really doesn't work in this country (too much rain!)
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Sun May 25, 2008 1:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
Welcome on the board. I'm going to be completely evil and ask if I could interest you in a triple-SU inlet manifold for it! :twisted:
Author:  MitchvilleJeff [ Sun May 25, 2008 4:12 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Welcome on the board. I'm going to be completely evil and ask if I could interest you in a triple-SU inlet manifold for it! :twisted:
Ooooohh :twisted: . See this is the thing, I live hot rods and custom cars. I part own a business www.mitchvillehotrods.co.uk (check it out!). All my rodding friends drive V8 Ford Pops and Model A's, but I'm being stubborn. My quest for the winter is to find out just how quick you can make a slant 6! Everyone keeps telling me I need to put a 318 in it or drop a 440 in, but I'm a funny old stick and I want to have a go with seeing what we can do with the engine in it. I've been reading up all day probably while you guys have been in bed lol, and I have found that my car has a 5 freeze plug hole block, which is at least a good start for working with...

Had the car up on the ramps this evening, I'm trying to determine which trans it has as from what I've read the 904 'box wasn't used until '66. Does this mean it has a 727 in it? Any pointers as to how to tell most appreciated!
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Sun May 25, 2008 5:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
Other way round: the slant-6 A727 didn't come along until '68 or so. Until then, the (few) slant-6 applications that needed something beefier than the sturdy A904 -- lorries, vans, coaches, taxicabs and suchlike -- used the V8 A727 with an adaptor plate and spacer to mate to the slant-6. Your car almost certainly has an A904. The 904 trans pan is square with a corner cut off; the 727 pan is square with a bulged corner.

You can make a slant-6 car go very fast:

1. How good are your brakes?
2. How fast do you want to go?
3. How much do you want to spend?

And 440 A-bodies have a reputation for going fast in a straight line, sorta, if you can figure out how to unrestrict the exhaust, but god help you if you should have the temerity to want to stop...or steer...
Author:  MitchvilleJeff [ Mon May 26, 2008 4:40 am ]
Post subject: 
Right gotcha - I thought that was probably the case that it had an A904 in it. I'm not in a rush to do anything to the car it runs, its a good cruiser and it looks good. I'll list my plans for the car here:

1. I want to rebuild the engine so it is very quick. I know how much it costs - I part own an altered dragster with a 440 chrysler block bored out to 500ci. It cost us nearly £7000, so double that and you're getting close in US dollars.

2. I want it to STOP! Disc and servo conversion for the front end.

3. I want to uprate the rear axle so it can take the power, plus I want to convert it to larger Mopar stud pattern.

4. I want to drop the front end by about 3 inches to give it a better stance.

5. Finally I want to make it look the part, new set of wheels (not sure what yet), removal of fabric roof replaced with a custom paint job, repairs to the small areas of rust around screens, and bottoms of doors, and finally a nice fresh coat of paint.

This isn't going to happen overnight, I'm happy to go bit by bit. I want this car to be something different, thinking outside the box. Over here, everything has a V8 in it, I want to show them what a slant 6 can do!
Author:  MitchvilleJeff [ Mon May 26, 2008 6:51 am ]
Post subject: 
was in the workshop late last night - thought I'd add some photos of the engine bay for you. It ain't pretty!

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and it's leaking oil just about everywhere it possibly can!
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Mon May 26, 2008 7:10 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
and it's leaking oil just about everywhere it possibly can!
Urrrgh...must...resist...urge...to...make wisecrack...about...English...cars! :lol:
Author:  MitchvilleJeff [ Mon May 26, 2008 8:21 am ]
Post subject: 
Ha ha its part of the fun - you have to leave something for everyone to remember you by! With the old english fords you know you're in trouble if they don't leak oil. Usually the only reason they don't leak is because they don't have any left!
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Mon May 26, 2008 10:40 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Ha ha its part of the fun - you have to leave something for everyone to remember you by!
Yer...it's not that English cars leak oil, it's that they, um, self-rustproof and mark their territory!
Quote:
With the old english fords you know you're in trouble if they don't leak oil. Usually the only reason they don't leak is because they don't have any left!
Well, y'know, why don't the English make computers? 'Cos they haven't figured out how to make 'em leak oil!
Author:  bbbbbb9 [ Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:28 am ]
Post subject: 
was in the workshop late last night - thought I'd add some photos of the engine bay for you. It ain't pretty!



It's a thing of beauty to us Mitch.

I just got back from 2 weeks in England, first trip. Fell in love with your country. Rented a car and drove about 500 miles roundtrip. LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE roundabouts.

Never felt so calm driving in the USA.

Keep it a slant and go full bore. You'll find everything you need on this site as many of the founders are Experts.
Author:  wvenable [ Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Way cool!
M-Jeff thanks for the snaps! You have come to the right place. The forum is a wealth of info and very supportive. Good luck with your Dart!
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