So, I go by Penguin, hence the creative handle. My background is in tech and computers, never really been much of a mechanic. That's all changing these days.

My first car was a 1980 Volare, 225 with a 727 Torqueflite. Loved that car. Had the front clip and grill from an Aspen, so the face was square-ish. Then, I did as a lot of inexperienced kids do, and neglected the oil. Quite a bit, actually. She finally gave out on me by kicking a rod through the block. Sat in the yard for a few years, until bills came sooner than expected and she went to a scrapyard for $50.

Always kicked myself in the butt for that one. Finding one has been a pain, at least within the budget I could afford. Fast forwards a few decades to 2021, and I picked up a pair of '06 Dodge Stratuses (2.4L DOHC 4cyl), both with blown head gaskets and jumped timing belts. Been without a vehicle for half that time, and decided it was time to teach myself. Watched tons of YouTube videos, pulled manuals, and used my electronic knowledge and troubleshooting skills to go as far as putting cam and crank sensors on a scope to verify timing. It's not much, but it's a start.

A Stratus is no Volare and a 4 cylinder is no Slant Six. It was just after Christmas and the day after my birthday. I needed some random part for my brother-in-law who'd just spontaneously bought a beater truck on his way to the store to get milk, and it wasn't exactly running great. Went down to the same scrapyard, and right in the new arrivals: there she was.



It wasn't my 1980, that one was long since gone and crushed. But this one, just needed love and attention.

So, for the next three months, I scraped what I could and made payments as often as I could to rescue her. The story behind it, is that it was an "old lady" car who rarely drove it. She had passed, and her husband had tried to get it up and running, but failed and let it sit. How much of that is true? Not really sure.




But she's home now, and I'm stoked, since I can actually teach my kids about this kind of engine. Just might need some pointers from the resident experts here, though I'm a huge fan of doing my own research before asking questions.

Anyway, glad to be back in the club, and cheers from sunny Florida!

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Inlines do last a forever. But, if you want the beyond, go Chrysler. Run a slant, and tell me again how long forever means.

-- My dad, long before I knew what it meant.

Nice catch. And, it's a Super Six.
Welcome back.

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-MattMan
LEANED & MEAN

I'll be chronicling the restoration process and my troubleshooting steps, so expect a ton of pictures over however long it takes. It's both for me and anyone else to reference. Feel free to respond with opinions or facts, doesn't hurt my feelings if you chat in this thread.

The first few days have consisted of cleaning dust and gunk, clearing leaves, inventorying, and baseline testing. Perfect weather, other than having parked her under an oak tree in spring. *Glares at pollen*.

Step 1, checking the airways: No air filter, a busted accordion intake tube, no blockages to intake manifold.
Step 2, checking the electrical: Previous owner replaced coil, no battery, no blown fuses, relays and ballasts seem OK, though there are signs of overheating on both the regulator and ignition control with leaking potting material.

The potting material from both have significantly leaked out, so everything in the corner gets pulled for cleaning:



The potting material is literally like tree sap with granules of sand in it:



The Windshield Washer Fluid reservoir will be readded once the broken plastic joints are replaced. Both Voltage Regulator and Ignition Control Module have been mounted and connected. Before you ask; yes, later I will be converting her to the GM HEI retrofit.




Next to do: first turn over attempt.

_________________
Inlines do last a forever. But, if you want the beyond, go Chrysler. Run a slant, and tell me again how long forever means.

-- My dad, long before I knew what it meant.

Nice Rescue, Have fun with it.

I have Had 4 Beige F Bodies over the years.. Some folks including me like to call them OLDMANTAN.

Sold Off my ' 80 Aspen Sedan From Florida About 8 years ago.. Someone made a Youtube of It after I sold it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGnMVijx5GE


Currently still have 3 of them, All the Same color as yours with each Bodystyle.



Enjoy!

Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

You say your 1st one was an 80 volare but had the Aspen front end because of the square look. The 80 volare was just as square. That was a thing for 1980 1 year only, red headed stepchild look.

I have an 80 volare now and had an 80 Aspen back in the late 80s

That's an interesting project! Nice

Thanks everyone, I'm really happy with this find. Gonna be a long term project, but I'm in no rush.
I noticed that too, a Carter 2 barrel. The label is actually in great shape, making the breather shell restorable as well.
I really was meaning in comparison to the '79 I've now picked up as a project, apologies for the confusion.

_________________
Inlines do last a forever. But, if you want the beyond, go Chrysler. Run a slant, and tell me again how long forever means.

-- My dad, long before I knew what it meant.

Step 3, check fuel system: Tank, lines, and carb are all dry. Tank clears with no leaks, gas appears to make it to the pump. Continuing with turn over for mechanical fuel pump to carb checks.


Using a spare Marine battery (with 530 MCA) and a jump from my trusty Baby Blue, initial turn overs were able to prove no binding or seizing.


Gas does not appear to be making it to the fuel filter. One of the main missing lines, is the carb vent hose to the charcoal canister. Thanks to the hero SlantSixDan, I have at least an idea of the parts I need to find/fabricate to replace the missing port on the carb.

After initial turnovers and attempts to feed the bowl manually have failed, the oil dipstick smells strongly of gasoline. This suggests the fuel pump has failed and is actually dumping fuel into the crankcase instead of pushing it down the line to the filter/carb. Already ordered a replacement pump, and will need to dump the oil before attempting second turnover.

_________________
Inlines do last a forever. But, if you want the beyond, go Chrysler. Run a slant, and tell me again how long forever means.

-- My dad, long before I knew what it meant.

I definitely wouldn't run it long with gas soaked oil, but how is the level on the stick? Is it like way over full? If it's been sitting and the oil is that diluted it probably didn't hurt a thing, being circulated in there to this point.
Might have softened up whatever sludge build up may be there from the years.

Slant Six Dan, my hero, suggested a nippled 3/8" (0.375in) Outer Diameter brass tubing to correct the missing carb bowl vent tube. Sadly, as with many things, no one cares or has one in stock, and thus it is left to us fabricators to bridge the divide.

I'm just a poor boy, only cars love me. XD


Went on a scrapyard raid, same one She was pulled from, and found a nice 3/8"-ish fuel line from an Isuzu Rodeo-ish looking thing (hence the yellow crud inside the tube). And yeah, I removed the inboard burrs after pics.


The actual Inner Diameter of the port on the 8261S Carter is there-abouts 9.05mm. Compare 9mm = 0.354" vs 3/8" = 0.375". Lucky for me, I have sandpaper, electricity, a rubber mallet and a will to make it work.

I really have no clue what the clamp is actually clamping onto, as the pipe isn't "nippled" or "flanged" in any way. Fun thing though, it's quite nostalgic. My old '80 Volare, had metal automatic transmission lines mated to rubber hoses without flange. I still have nightmares about the smell of hot ATF getting in my hair while I'm trying to tie the lines back together on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. This is testing though, and that's a different ballgame. Within a week, the mechanical fuel pump will be replaced, and we'll have another go at Her. But for now, her carb IV drip is ready to go.

_________________
Inlines do last a forever. But, if you want the beyond, go Chrysler. Run a slant, and tell me again how long forever means.

-- My dad, long before I knew what it meant.

I'm not 100% mechanic, but I know when I squeeze that tube from the top of the radiator that goes to the head, it should not be crunchy.

So I took a look.

My best, non-professional guess, is that the anti-freeze-whatever liquids evaporated leaving chemicals and compounds behind. In time, those crystallized. (it's akin to really fluffy pancakes made of science grow kits that make crystals, they are fluffy and soft, but clearly solid...almost like dealing with runaway flour.) This means, I need to either pull the head (OHV system) or pressurize the coolant channels to clear them out. Either way, bad digs, more time, and as always; more love.

Additionally, it seems this stock radiator is failing. But again, nipples are haunting me. The flange broke, the radiator is covered in green (which I assumed meant copper from valued metal recycling, but simple google searches suggest brass instead). Near the draincock (giggle every time), the corner of the radiator is dripping what looks like "orange snot". I can only presume that's a rust mixture with antifreeze additives. Preliminary searches suggest 2 level radiators (engine coolant + transmission coolant) around the 2-500$ USD mark, but I'm fairly sure I can weld, patch or poly the hole, just gotta blow out the junk in the system. Tips and tricks welcomed.

At the end of the day, this means fuely pumpy no go inny this weekendy, though I'm pulling more stuff out of the way, and having a blast scrubbing and fixing Valy.

Blocked the holes, gonna deal with it later.

Can't lie, I love \6.

_________________
Inlines do last a forever. But, if you want the beyond, go Chrysler. Run a slant, and tell me again how long forever means.

-- My dad, long before I knew what it meant.

I wouldn't be so quick to pull that head. I would unhook the heater hoses from the core and go to the hardware store and get a product called "Iron Out". It will be with the water softeners, etc. It was originally for cleaning out boiler style radiant heat radiators, what is in your cooling system would be much the same kind of crud. Try to get the block drain out, plunge the hole behind the plug with a screwdriver, put your garden hose nozzle right on one of those heater hoses, leave the block drain out and maybe your petcock from the radiator as well. The straight twist nozzles on the garden hose work best, just stick it into that disconnected heater hose and let it rip. see how much grunge comes out that way, then add a cup or 2 of Iron out thru the radiator cap opening. Hook the 2 heater hoses together, take one off at the engine side (too) and loop the loose end of the other heater hose to the newly opened heater hose nipple. put block drain and petcock back in for now.
Start engine, let run, get good n warm with the Iron Out circulating, then unhook that heater hose you looped, stick the garden hose back in there and let that rip. you can leave the engine run and flush out what will come from the open heater hose return nipple at the engine. the engine wont heat up as long as the garden hose is connected and running. See how clean you can get it to come out. If its still rusty then repeat the Iron out and run engine til warm again, then flush and watch for how clean the water comes out again.

Tip If you have a "junk" garden hose with a bad end, cut that end off and slide it over the heater hose nipple and leave the other hose attached to the engine to direct the out flow so you dont get soaked in the process!!! Most garden hose is the same diameter as heater hose, it will go right on that heater hose nipple.
Notice I have had you have the heater core completely unhooked out of the loop til now. Take that garden hose and slip it onto the heater core, put hose on other nipple as a "deflector" and hose out heater core seperately. Reverse hoses and go the other way.

Prestone used to sell a 2 part powdered flush, the 1st step was exactly the same oxyllic acid, as Iron out is. Exactly same stuff. the 2nd part was a neutralizer, don't remember what it was. but the 2nd water flush will neutralize things just fine. replace T stat, add your 50-50 mix, and drive on.

Oh and 1 more thing..... When reviving a car that has been sitting, I set a 5 gallon gas can (fresh gas) next to the fender and run a hose to the inlet side of the fuel pump, let the hose from the gas tank dangle, put a bolt in it if needed, Run the engine on the 5 gallon can as needed to do the flush and any tuning etc you will be doing in getting the car ready to run.
Ive brought cars home (and trucks! actually more room for this in a truck fenderwell haha) witha 1 gallon can, bungeed in the engine compartment with said hose leading to the fuel pump before.

Very fair point, I'd considered an acid rinse, but my knowledge is fairly limited on the repercussions of doing so, in which to the point that I hesitated. I still wanna pull the head just for S&G's, but I still am trying to fire/run this engine first, so sage advice there, ty.

Cheers, here's an old pic of my '80 with an Aspen front clip/grill. Protip: don't spraypaint the ECU (green or otherwise). Learned it the hard way.

_________________
Inlines do last a forever. But, if you want the beyond, go Chrysler. Run a slant, and tell me again how long forever means.

-- My dad, long before I knew what it meant.

I'm loving the way you are chronicling this rebuild! Awesome job and keep having fun with it.

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2015 Dodge Dart GT (Daily Driver)
2006 Dodge Charger Daytona, Top Banana #3874 of 4000 (lots of fun)
1970 Dodge Dart Custom 225 Slant Six, Auto, A/C (good car, engine rebuild)