Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Paul,
Thanks for the info; that's a very nice-looking 'Cuda! Was it ever a class car?

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Bill,
Thank you. Since it is difficult to download photo's through my current network in North Carolina. I have mucho photo's of our a-Body cars.
If you like, send me your mailing address (through a private message), and I'll forward photo's...That 69' 440 cuda in the 'thread' was when my father had it, in 1988. I owned the car in 74', at the age of 17. I knew what I had (a rare car) and didn't want to hack up the inner-fenderwells to put on headers. So I built it for stock class. In 74', NHRA kept the stock classes relatively pure, no headers, as the stock system had to be retained, except for free-flowing mufflers, and 8" grooved slicks.
It ran in C/SA. 12.28 @ 114, and on the street. Raced only one Sunday, October 74'. Won the class trophy. Dover Drag Strip went to brackets-only the following week, and I never went back, along with a ton of other racers.
Paul

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Thanks, Paul; sounds like a way fun car!!!

I am in the process of trying to simplify my life through the elimination of as much physical minutae (spelling?), and I have WAY too many race car photos, already, so I'll just say thanks for the nice offer, but no thanks for the pix (which I am sure I would LOVE, but I have to stop, somewhere...)

I appreciate your generous offer!!!

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Bill,
Yes, I know. This thread got a little convoluted. Off the subject of the
D-Dart. Someone should start another A-Body post.
Here's one thing. Those 65' and 66' 273 racers were having cooling problems, with that 4-blade fan. Chrysler recommended the fluid fan drive (viscous) and aluminum blade fan unit. A factory bulletin was sent out in mid-66', recommending the 2291-D assembly, for D-Dart owners.
Paul

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Paul,
Maybe Travis could change the name of this thread to '66 D-Darts and other early A-Bodies --- or something like that.

Do you have a copy of the cooling bulletin for the D/Darts? I'd like to get a copy of it if you have it. I've got the ones from the release of the car and the parts available from service to build one.

I'm still trying to get confirmation on the Hurst shifter being shipped in the trunk. You might be right on that one. I'll never doubt you again.

Alan

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

I don't know if this was already posted, but I found this on a website from another thread:

http://thumb3.webshots.net/t/73/173/...3PbQLsK_th.jpg

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Jason,
I currently own Ted's old D/Dart. Bought it off of Al Adam 7 years ago.
Alan

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Alan,
Thanks. I'll have to search for that bulletin.. Your Dart "The Politician", did that have 6-leaf springs in it (Heavy-duty towing package) or modified 65' Super Stock springs.
As for cooling improvement bulletins. Besides the fluid fan drive unit, I think (memory jog) there was a recommendation for a station wagon
H.D. radiator, a fan mount-spacer kit (moves the fan 1" closer to the radiator), and deep grooved pulleys.
Hurst Model #'s started out as DP-FX-65 which were used on the 67'
RO/WO factory Hemi Super Stock cars. But these units were not shipped with the D-Darts. Still searching for the correct DP# unit.
Paul

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Ken,
The D-Dart would have been classed in F/S at the 68' Winternationals
(10.50 - 10.99 wt/hp). Yes the 340 was factory rated at 275, but NHRA re-factored it to 300. The 68' 340 Cuda's were classed in E/S.
Jim McFarland won E/SA with a 68' Cuda prepped by Sox & Martin, and was Runner-Up in Stock Eliminator. F/Stock cars out there were running 12.70's to 12.90's. Not sure if anyone ran a 66' 273/275HP D-Dart out there, or at the 68' Springnationals in June. Too little cubes to match up with the 67' 390 Comet Cyclones/Fairlane GT's.
Paul

Re: '66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction
 

Ken,
The Super Stock classes went from SS/B thru SS/F in 68'. The D-Dart was classed in F/S with the 65'/66' 289/271HP K-Code Mustangs.
Local tracks it would have been somewheat successful with the right
tweaks, but at Points Meets or Regional Events, unfortunately not a
champion. In 69'/70', the D-Dart would have been classed up to G/S, though some tracks did put them in H/S (11.00-11.49 wt/hp break). Not sure on how that happened, unless NHRA did a mid-season re-factoring,
which was not uncommon, as to allow some cars a fair break against the newer factory purposely underrated HP cars.
As for Super Stock, don't think anyone with a D-Dart in 69' or 70' would be crazy enough to run in SS/J, against 69' 428 CJ Ford Fairlane Fastbacks. You would have to run 12.00's back then.
Paul