Dartgame

There is a standard formula used to calculate the cfm requirements for a given engine, which uses displacement, estimated volumetric efficiency and anticipated maximum rpm. I did a calculation for a mildly warmed over 440 I built years ago. I assumed 85 % VE, max rpm of 6000 and the cfm requirement came out to be somewhere between 650 and 700 cfm. CFM = (CID X rpm X VE)/ 3456 440 example - (440 X 6000 X .85)/3456 = 649 cfm So most folks over carb their motors for normal street use without knowing it. For racing over sized larger carbs are usually used.

On my 52 there is a union about half way down the frame towards the front, maybe yours does too. Good place to join your new piece to the old.

I am familiar with rod balancing under normal circumstances, as Elwood points out you match to the lightest rod. I've had rods balanced, shot peened, and reconditioned with new rod bolts for mopar small & big blocks in the past. They have the balance pads needed to make them a matched set. I admitted my idea was probably unworkable, because of the potential for damage to a given rod. It was just a passing thought. Since you can apparently balance them by smoothing out flash and so on that makes more sense. Elwood, are you able to get replacement rod bolts for these motors ? Eventually I see myself building one of them,and am curious about that. Too bad the 218/230 rods don't have balance pads like their bigger brothers.

My guess is piston bore. A 73 dart with disc brakes uses 15/16 bore rear wheel drum brake cylinders, and 15/16 bore master cyl.

I would do the same, paint them !

Assuming the rods are to be reconditioned with new bushings and the big ends resized. My thought is to balance the rods to (counter logically) to the heaviest or the middle of the set prior to reconditioning., by adding material to the big or small end as needed, with welding. Or by removing weight as Elwood describes above. Adding weight is Probably not practical and detrimental to the metallurgy - so this might be a completely stupid idea. I certainly do not like the idea of removing ribs etc., that will weaken a given rod. The rods in these motors are spindly enough as is compared to a mopar small block. Has anyone looked at the specs on a slant six rod ? I wonder if they could be a substitute- but I seem to recall that the 23 inch motors rods are offset some how ? So maybe not.

Interior stuff looks great ! Are the door cards re pops or originals ? I hope to retire in a few years, I have a couple of boomerangs to move out before that can happen.

I made my own, bought a universal 6 cylinder set that has straight spark plug boots. You cut to length and attach the distributor brass connectors. Best done using a mandrill (for lack of better term) intended for mashing the ends of these things. Or you can take the plug wire into your local parts store and they can match one up to the length and sell it to you. Most parts stores have singles like that.

Holley makes one too, which appears more robust than the Mr gasket type, but also more expensive.

Eventually when I go to a split system, I am thinking about using one dual inlet and dual outlet muffler. Flow master and dynomax etc make stuff like this. Have not researched this entirely since I am far away from making this change, but i like the idea of running the pipes parallel to one another and out the back. I have seen parallel pipes out the back on other plymouths etc so I assume there is room to do this.

Should be interesting to hear what the glass packs do. I had always heard they are more restrictive than turbo mufflers or oversize Stock mufflers like your walkers. People like the sound of glasspacks. I prefer what actually makes more grunt and HP vs sound.

When I replaced the tie rods on my 52, I found that several were not too expensive (the inners ?) and were actually parts used on dodge pickups from the early 60's (IIRC). It seems the drivers outer is the most expensive and I got both outers for 80 or 90$ For the pair.

some engines are internally balanced meaning the crankshaft is neutrally balanced and the rods and pistons are balanced to match the crank. The flywheel in such an engine will also be neutral balanced meaning the flywheel doesn't require weights or special orientation. As far as I know the mopar flat heads are internally balanced engines so no there does not need to be a pattern for orientation of the flywheel.

When you replaced the condenser did you reset the point gap ? I found it necessary to reset the gap when replacing the condenser. If your timing is reading 12 degrees after TDC something is messed up. Normally most engines wont run worth a crap that retarded. If anything you want to be sitting around 5 degrees or so BTDC. If you cannot get enough twist out of the dizzzy, maybe someone replaced the pump and installed it with the gear in the wrong position. If you truly do have a vibration damper it is possible it has slipped as well. Before messing with that stuff wait for the new vac advance, install it, and then reset your point gap. Install the dizzy, try setting timing to something slightly before tdc like 5 to 7 degrees. Fill us in on the result.

I thought the 230s were all 8 bolt, and 218s were 4 bolt. I have a 218 w 8 bolts from a hydrive application. I found a resource for determining these by casting or forging number - follow this link: http://www.enginepartswarehouse.com/enginecatalog/CHRYSLER-DODGE.PDF See pages 14 & 16

I noted the same thing about my 52's starter. I am not an expert on these, but I have seen where these bendix units do not seem to retract while messing with them on the bench. They do work properly when installed and are used to actually start the car. I am guessing it has to do with the bendix gear assembly getting thrown back once the motor starts...

Check your email.

In the event you have not done this before? You do have to get pretty violent with races inside a hub like this. A heavy punch and hammer are needed to get things moving.

Regarding the running and remove battery cable test: I have not tried this with a 6 volt generator system. I have tried it with a 12 volt alternator system. With a negative ground you can pull the negative lead - if it continues to run then the charging system is working. I would think if you pull the positive lead the engine will die. (Could be wrong). Since this is a 6 volt positive ground. I would not pull the negative lead, but rather the positive lead ?

adjust the free play to around 1/8 to 3/16" as measured at the end of the fork. if you cannot do this within the threaded rods adjustment range, something is wrong.

take a volt ohm meter and read the voltage to the coil. if is 12 v when running you probably should install a resistor to the feed for the coil. normal running voltage should be around 8 volts for most stock style 12 volt coils.

I would think they should work as long as the head and stem diameter are the same. The length can be taken up with the tappet adjustment.

There should be zerks on all the greased joints/fittings ? Two on each of the A arms where they attach to the frame, one each on the upper and lower pivots for the uprights. Look on both sides front and rear of the upright pivot bolts assuming this is your question.

LOL ! Car sits in storage all winter until the spring when it warms up anyway.....

I decided to go a simpler route for heat/defrost. My car (52 plym) never had a heater installed. I decided to use a mopar model 53 heater. These show up on ebay fairly often. I considered using a modern retrofit unit, but liked the idea of an oem style unit instead. Plus I like to torture myself by tearing something apart and rebuilding it...LOL Kind of a funny story - In my case no one bid on the heater I bought. I paid a dollar for it plus shipping. I suspect the seller was not happy about that - it arrived packed in a big - (nearly wrecked - went through a war) kotex box, (sellers message received). Remarkably there was no damage to the unit ! Anyway - These were used on earlier cars probably 1948 and older, vs my 52. Looks like an overgrown canned ham with a heater core, & blower motor inside, and a lever to divert the air flow from the floor to the defrost vents - (KISS). The outlet on the defrost matched perfectly to the defrost vent opening under the dash, same size flex tubing. I used the control pictured above and am using one of the fan speed controls, the other is inactive. The two cable controls operate the defrost/heat lever, the temp cable operates an underhood coolant valve from a mid 80's dodge truck. I also shortened the depth of the glove box by about an inch. There was insufficient room for the heater body to fit up under the dash without that modification. Seems to work. Less stuff under the hood. Down fall to this system is lack of fresh air intake for the heater. I dont plan on driving in the dead of winter in Chicago...LOL. Be sure to use at least a 180 thermostat..