1969 Dodge Dart GTS 340 Is Completed

[mrmike]

Time for another muscle car!  This project is the '69 Dart GTS 340 and I am using the Revell Dodge Dart GTS Kit # 7603.  I am using the 340 CI 4-barrel engine from an AMT '71 Duster 340 kit.  Since this is to be built mostly stock, I went searching for the engine color.  Apparently the '69 340 engine came in either red, turquoise, or Street Hemi Orange.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the various engine colors which could be for the engine plant or for whatever color was in stock at the time.  I choose Chrysler Engine Turquoise for mine.  I once owned a '70 Duster 340 and I can remember all the issues I had with it, the body and interior colors and features, but I can't remember the engine color!  What a memory!  I'll replace the 4-speed trans with a Torqueflite 727 resin trans from M.A.D. and I'll also wire the engine with a M.A.D. Pre-Wired Distributor with a tan cap and blue wires.  I have yet to decide on an interior color, but I seem to be leaning towards white with black accents and the body will be Tamiya TS-54 Light Metallic Blue.  This should look great!

More to come...

Edited September 19, 2018 by mrmike

[restoman]

Nice! I did something very similar last winter using the same parts and kit. 

I converted the car over to a four speed, though.

Fitting the engine was trickier than I thought: it's a tad longer than the kit big block and I had to shave the oil pan slightly to get the engine lower.

I'll be watching your build. 

[1972coronet]

Quite looking forward to watching this bad boy come together !

Reason for the various engine colours on the 1969 340 :

- Red = 1968 . Some leftover 340s in plants such as Los Angeles were red through at least Dec. '68 production (based upon seeing an all-original '69 GTS , L.A. plant build in Dec. '68).

- Turquoise . The majority of 1969 340s were painted Turquoise .

- Orange = 1970-mid 1971 . Typically , plants such as Hamtramck and Windsor , Ontario , had orange engines by ca.June 1969 .

Basically , one can't go wrong with Turquoise ... especially in a model which won't have a  production date 

P.S. : Are you planning to use the Duster's air conditioning and / or Thermo-Quad carburetor ? Just curious .

[Curt]

Great minds, Mike!  I picked up this kit in March and just last week got some TS-54, so I’ll be watching with interest.  Heck, I follow all your builds anyway. ?

[mrmike]

On 5/23/2018 at 7:47 PM, restoman said:

Nice! I did something very similar last winter using the same parts and kit. 

I converted the car over to a four speed, though.

Fitting the engine was trickier than I thought: it's a tad longer than the kit big block and I had to shave the oil pan slightly to get the engine lower.

I'll be watching your build. 

restoman, can you supply me with a link to your WIP?  I would like to see what you did with yours.

On 5/23/2018 at 9:19 PM, 1972coronet said:

Quite looking forward to watching this bad boy come together !

Reason for the various engine colours on the 1969 340 :

- Red = 1968 . Some leftover 340s in plants such as Los Angeles were red through at least Dec. '68 production (based upon seeing an all-original '69 GTS , L.A. plant build in Dec. '68).

- Turquoise . The majority of 1969 340s were painted Turquoise .

- Orange = 1970-mid 1971 . Typically , plants such as Hamtramck and Windsor , Ontario , had orange engines by ca.June 1969 .

Basically , one can't go wrong with Turquoise ... especially in a model which won't have a  production date 

P.S. : Are you planning to use the Duster's air conditioning and / or Thermo-Quad carburetor ? Just curious .

I am not using the Duster's A/C unit.  I am going to re-engineer the belt assembly to remove the A/C pulley.  I may use the carb from the Dart 383 CI engine.

 

On 5/23/2018 at 9:47 PM, Curt said:

Great minds, Mike!  I picked up this kit in March and just last week got some TS-54, so I’ll be watching with interest.  Heck, I follow all your builds anyway. ?

Great minds for sure, Curt!  I have long been a fan of B5 Blue and the Tamiya TS-54 Light Metallic Blue is pretty close to that.  

Thanks to you guys for following along!

Edited May 25, 2018 by mrmike

[Slotto]

Great color choice Mike. Can't wait to see more

[restoman]

Here's what I did to mine.

The Dart was just begging for a 340.

[PARTSMARTY]

I'll definitely be watching -i'm a mopar freak.

[mrmike]

Thanks guys!

10 hours ago, restoman said:

Here's what I did to mine.

The Dart was just begging for a 340.

Thanks Mike for supplying the link to your Dart!

[mrmike]

I've been working at the 340 CI engine for the Dart this morning.  I started to re-engineer the fan belt assembly only to have that go south on me.  I rummage through my parts box and found a fan belt assembly with an alternator that refuses to come off.  That'll be staying on.  I cleaned up the block and added holes for the by-pass hose that I'll add later.  I still need to drill holes for plug wires.  

More to come...

[mrmike]

This morning, I cut off the 4-speed trans and superglued a resin Torqueflite A727 trans to the 340 CID engine.  Once that was set, I primed the engine and trans with Dupli-Color Grey Primer and painted the unit with Mopar Turqouise Engine Paint.  The camera flash washed out the color a bit.  I'll paint the trans tomorrow.  Now to toss this into the dehumidifier for the rest of the day.

More to come...

[mrmike]

I decided on wheels and tires for the Dart...the infamous Kelsey-Hayes Recall Mags and Goodyear Polyglas GTs F70-15s.  I started working on the 340 CID engine.I got the carb, starter, oil filter and adapter, fan belt and fan, and the by-pass hose.

More to come...

[NYLIBUD]

Looking great.

[mrmike]

Thank you Ron!  

[mrmike]

Back on the Dart GTS 340 for a bit.  I masked off the interior in prep for white glue and embossing powder.  When dry, this will be painted flat black.    

I needed to find a shorter fan belt assembly for the engine to fit in the chassis.  Clearance was needed for the radiator.

More to come...

Edited June 12, 2018 by mrmike

[mrmike]

I fired up the paintbooth this morning and got some painting done.  First was the interior pan with embossing powder and flat black paint added and then the chassis was painted with Dupli-Color Grey Primer and Tamiya TS-54 Light Metallic Blue.  The exhaust system was painted with Testors Aluminium Plate Metalizer and other parts painted with Rust-oleum Semi-Gloss Black.

More to come...

[mrmike]

I painted the Dart on Friday with Tamiya TS-54 Light Metallic Blue.  I misted some paint onto the chassis and painted the core support, rear panel molding, and the firewall.  I detailed the alternator with some red paint.

 

More to come...

[Slotto]

That is a great color. Nice work so far

[kelson]

Nice looking build!,Tamiya paints are the best to work with.

[mrmike]

Thank you Steve and Curtis!  I love working with Tamiya paints!  Very good paints!

[mrmike]

I have begun picking away at the Dart GTS 340 today.  I painted the seats and the side panels this morning.  I started piecing the suspensions together.  The rear suspension is in mockup as I still have to add plumbing for brakes and fuel and the exhaust system.  And, I have started foiling the body.  It'll require a lot of foiling!

More to come...

[mrmike]

Still picking away at the Dart GTS 340.  I installed the firewall and the brake booster and I still have to finish foiling.  I got the interior side panels and center console with shifter installed.

More to come...

[Ron Hamilton]

Lookin' good!

[mrmike]

Thank you Ron!  I'm trying to keep this one stock, but in my research I'm finding more things that seem to be not correct.  So, I will build this as close to stock as I can even if the wheels are incorrect.  They look good to me on the Dart!

[crazyjim]

Looks like it's coming together.