Back to basics equals a return to home base. Back to roots.

This project is precisely that....I am going back.

From the time I was 5 to 15 the family's daily driver was a 1974 Dodge Dart Sport, BROWN, black vinyl interior (killer in summer with no A/C). It was a 360 with a 4 speed, BENCH SEAT, power brakes, MANUAL steering car. I remember the 3 spoke steering wheel, that was kind of oblong inbetwen the spokes of the wheel.
It was a great driver, and mom's reason for getting rid of it was I was about to start driving, and I was in my early stages of my automotive addiction. I was sure I could handle it, she was not so sure. I am grown enough now to issue the following statement.......She was right.

In my angst, I swore that if I ever found the car, I would buy it back and own it.

THIS is NOT that car.

I used to have a duplicate title to that car, and tried to search for it. I could not find it. I fear it has gone to the great highway in the sky.

But, I found this car.
It's brown.
It is a manual (3 speed currently, 4 speed later)
It has a black bench seat
It has manual steering
It has the 3 spoke steering wheel.

So here it is...I am heading Back to Basics. I am returning home. I am picking the car up on Saturday, Jan 26th. I am going to clean it up, legalize it, and drive it over to mom, so she can take it for a spin.

I am going to document the hell out of it, every step of the way.

This car is a Dart Lite


Progress so far:
Full tune up, plugs, cap and rotor, plug wires
valve cover gasket
oil change
thermostat and gasket

Checked out brakes, and all the drum and hardware look great. The brake hoses were SHOT. So while I swapped out the brakes hoses, and a hard line that didnt survive the swap, my buddy changed out the tuen up and top end stuff. We also tried to bleed the brakes, only to find the driverside wheel cylinder bleeder screw was broken off. So we bled at the hose joint, and got it home.

While the valve cover was off, we adjusted the rocker arms because it was a symphony of mal-adjustment for the rockers.

Today, I tried to get it moving, so I could replace the wheel cylinder, and it would not start.
Spark...Check (ouch)
Fuel....nope. In the process of it sitting for a week (too cold to work on it) the fuel pump died.....Damn.

Found the only store in the KC metro area that had a pump, and got it installed. Yes, it starts.

Damn, one of the valves was too tight. It would not idle for crap. I pulled the valve cover to find this: (remember, I was doing brakes while he tune and valve covers)



WOOF.

I got the valves adjusted, it quieted down a lot. While I have the valve cover off, I am going to give it, and the air cleaner a coat of paint.

Here are some additional shots, for now. The interior "checker pattern" is awful. I will be looking for some replacement inner panels at some point.



Under the rear is the HITCH FROM HELL. This SOMBITCH is welded to the frame, bumpers, an had re-inforcements. I could haul a horse trailer with this thing......

Your car is much more than 'just a '76 Dart'... it's a 1 of possibly 1500 made Dart Lite's (not many left around...)...

Cool project, you might take the time with a small magnet and see how many of your components are aluminum... (underhood bracing, trunk lid bracing, reinforcement behind the bumpers)...

Now luckily you have the A-833OD manual tranny (which means you can add some nicer gears in the rearend for more fun and still keep your mileage...)

-D.Idiot

neat car, lots of potential there, i like it!

The rarity was a large portion of appeal. I will complete the story soon.

The underhood is DEFINATELY aluminum, the crimped edges are obvious. I am not sure on the trunk.

Sweeet ride. A real Dart Lite is a rarity, I wonder how many are left. Looks like yours has survived well. Good luck with it.

TopHat

Updates:
I figured I would give more on the car.... Here are some random exterior shots. It has 15" SMALL BOLT PATTERN Ralley wheels, presumably from one of the aftermarket companies.




Dart Lite lettering on the side

THE HITCH FROM HELL!

Crimped hood edges, substructure is aluminum

Option Tag

When I bought the car, I also bought from the previous owner, an A body 8 3/4 rear end with 3.55 gear, and a 4 Speed OD trans.
Here are some of the recent upgrades.

8 3/4 as bought




8 3/4 after cleaning and painting.





And now, the Grille. I couldn't decide if I wanted to go back close to stock, or adjust to my taste. I tried some cheap silver, which was close to the stock anodize finish, but looked like a teenager got loose with some chrome paint, or a darker charcoal. The darker charcoal looked bronze against the brown paint. I opted for flat black, but with a twist. I used paint markets from Hobby Lobby, to detail the end of the "fins" so it almost looks like a billet grille. Plus, I can touch up the ends at any time.

BEFORE:




In Process:



AFTER:

WOW! A drum brake Lite? That's gotta be an early one.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

Yeah, gotta have a pre-1976 build date... not many good examples of that around!

Cool,

-D.Idiot

I thought all the Dart Lites / Feather Dusters were drums, less rolling resistance...MPG...etc.

I would convert to discs in a heartbeat, but can't justify the 250.00-400.00 to do it. The drums, with the new wheel cylinders and master cylinder stop really well.

Nice progress shots, I have a '76 Dart SE that I'm parting out, so let me know if you need anything. (motor/trans and disc set-up are spoken for) Not fully grasping the rarity of these cars, I passed one up in a wrecking yard a few years back (slant/833 O.D.). I fear it may have gotten crushed, I'll have to confirm that though.

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Nope, wrong... starting in 1-1-76 Mopar issued a technical 'upgrade' that all cars made after that date were to automatically become standard Disc Brakes (a few SBP drum cars slid through after the date as they used up 'stock' off the factory floor...)... The designers weren't worried about rolling resistance etc... they just were following standardization procedures...

-D.Idiot

(Yes, I've owned 3 disc brake Feather Dusters... anybody got a rare 3 spd, 9" drum Brake version from 9/75?)

We might need to talk about interior. IS your car a Swinger body, or Duster style?

Interior color is of interest. I am looking for all black interior.

Mine is 10" drums. Mine is also 3 speed manual.

The SE is more the square looking Swinger style as opposed to yours. My interior is burgundy throughout and it's cushy as hell.

PM me if you want me to check on anything for you. The car isn't at my house so it may take a few days for pics.

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