Welcome to the slant 6 it don't need six cylinders to run five is just fine . This is one of the most consistently reliable engines Chrysler ever produced 👍
@@rossfromfriends8468 Haha... All that smog garbage...Seems like 70's were when Dodge/Chrysler was known for trim and accessories falling off all the time. door handles breaking, stupid stuff. The engines were bullet proof though.. miss that six.
My dad bought my 76 dart swinger in Missouri for 90$ with the original slant six knocking really bad. He drove that thing all the way from Missouri to ohio with the engine like that. Then proceeded to drive it for a year afterwards then it finally locked up at a gas station
Brought back memories, as my 1974 Dodge Dart Sport had the same color / body style, with a 225 Slant 6, which I purchased in 1978 for $1700, with 54,000 miles, and drove it until 1984, at which time the rear struts rusted through the trunk. It was a reliable car to drive back and forth to school as a college student.
I had a 1973 Dart Sport with 318. Had the black bucket seats and console like that one. Was an awesome car and I miss it every day. What a neat car you're working on there
*My Dad had a Plymouth Volarie for a few years~In '86 he told me he had it sold and asked me if I would change the spark plugs on it for the new owner~I took the old ones out and they must have been the original because the electrodes were gone off of most of them and it ran perfect~So new ones and it still ran the same~Love the 225 slant 6 it is bullet proof it is hard to kill one of those :))*
That car is in fantastic condition after sitting that long. Dodge was definitely never known for the quality of their interiors, so that is really impressive.
Growing up in Toronto, my Dad was in the taxi business. It was not uncommon to have cabs hat had 400,000 on them...they were slant 6's. A couple years ago I retired my pickup with 400,000...slant 6...best motor ever made
One of the best six cylinders out there years ago.. I had one when I was 16 that thing had a buttload of miles on it damn near zero compression still ran and started up every time lol
The Slant-6 is one of the best engines ever made. Period. That stalling on left turns issue is caused by the float in the Holley 1945 carburetor. The damned carbs were a mess because of the early emissions controls. There's like 10,000 miles of vacuum hoses on a Slant-6 or 318 V8 of this era, and if any of them is cracked or connected wrong, the car will have all sorts of weird issues caused by vacuum leaks. Since the car is so original, I'd encourage you to keep it that way. A Slant-6 will start and run happily on ancient gas, as you showed, they just want to go. As a car guy, you know that feeling - the car just wants to run. I think the massive weight of the crankshaft helps to keep it spinning even through misfires until better fuel gets into the engine. That one is old enough that it has mechanical lifters; take off the valve cover and check your valve lash (hot) before every oil change or you will eventually burn an exhaust valve. Change the PCV valve at the same time, then run it until the thermostat opens, then change the oil. Do not prefill the oil filter; just crank her with the ignition disconnected until the oil pressure light goes out. If you ever see the size of the main bearings in a Slant-6 (same as a 426 Hemi), you will see why. And wait until you rebuild a Slant-6 - which they rarely need - when you see the size of that crankshaft, you will be a Slant-6 fan for life. It's forged in 1974 - and I think in all Slant-6 engines from 1960 to 1976 - and it looks like something out of a diesel-powered CAT bulldozer. The rest of the car - the Mopar A-body platform (Valiant/Dart/Demon/Duster/Scamp/Swinger/Barracuda) - is a very solid unibody structure with great steering and suspension hardware, easy to fix when something goes wrong, and a TorqueFlite 904 or 727 transmission which is almost as bulletproof as a Slant-6. She's not gonna be a speed demon, but she will be an awesome and reliable and strong cruiser which gets good gas mileage. And I saw the trailer hitch.... you won't even feel the trailer behind you with a Slant-6. My 1983 Dodge Ram was just as slow merging into freeway traffic with or without a trailer carrying my Valiant. Take good care of that beautiful car. Make sure the voltage regulator and electronic ignition modules have good clean ground connections to the body. I think GM's HEI and one-wire alternator were better, but you've gotta admit that the Mopar alternators just look way better. Oh, and, keep a spare ballast resistor in the glove box. When the ballast resistor breaks, she'll fire properly when you have the ignition switch in START (ballast resistor is bypassed) and stall out as soon as you let off the key. 3/8" wrench to properly change it, but you can just leave the new ballast resistor hanging until you get home. Your Dart is probably not giving you as hot a spark for starting as it should, because I doubt the dash-mounted start button is bypassing the ballast resistor. Do not try to permanently bypass the ballast resistor, you will either blow the ignition coil or the electronic ignition module, and you will get stranded on the highway. Lawrence Wade Ottawa, Canada 1974 Plymouth Valiant Brougham 4-door, Slant-6, 904 1970 Dodge Dart Custom 4-door, Slant-6, 904 1983 Dodge Ram D250, Slant-6, A-833 manual overdrive 1976 Dodge Ram D140, 400 big block, 727 1973 Plymouth Duster 340-4bbl, 727
Omg this brought back fond childhood memories. We had one like this that was my pawpaws and he passed it on to us. Sounds like ours did too. Absolutely love it
That brings back memories! I was a Freshman in high school working at the Plymouth dealer/ Sinclair station in my small home town, pumping gas and washing windshields, when those came out. Love the Slanties!! You rock!!
Wow your patience blows me away I watch your videos after work to relax and I have ended up learning quite a bit and I thank you but that little Dodge duster is something special. Really great video I can't wait to see how this station wagon you're doing turns out
"I like the larger rear end", well you got me there 🙂 It's a shame you had to relive some of the Dodge dashboard nightmare, but at least this car is a decent runner. Great car, great mechanic, great video!
Absolutely amazing! Runs and looks great after being parked for 22 years. My mother had a 74 Plymouth gold duster with the alligator top and a 225 slant six, drove it for a couple hundred thousand miles. Always electrical issues though. I personally hate anything Mopar, great engineering poor quality. I'm working on a 97 Dodge ram 1500 with a 5.9 Magnum and it's a freaking nightmare🙄 keep up the great work I really enjoy your videos Chad 👍☮️🇺🇲
I had a 73 duster with a slant six. Had the same issue with cranking, and we put a push button in. Also, my brother had a 76 pickup with a slant six that had a loose carb too. I snugged it up and it ran so much better.
The ole girl didn't blow nurry a puff of smoke neither. Pretty amazing "WIR" episode I'd say. Lol. Never seen one fire up with a plug out sparking off the alternator after 20 some odd years. Crazy.
Those series of cars from Plymouth and Dodge were pretty nice. Cheap to buy and economical to operate and the slant six was hard to kill as you've seen. Not thrilled with their electrical though. Nice job. Dragon flies, by the way.
Like many others here I remember that engine and they were hard to put down. I enjoy the way your videos show getting these cars running with very little money spent. Keep being you. That what I enjoy about your videos.
It brought back great memories of my 1973 Dodge Sport 340, I was brown with the exact same color combination. I bought it in 1984 for $750 when I was a senior in high school and I would give Camaro's and Mustangs hell! I joined the Air Force and went overseas for a few years, when I returned, I was married and my wife convinced me to sell it. The worst thing I could have ever done. It only had 78k original miles. Your car looks great! I would buy it, if it was for sale in a heartbeat. Love Mopars!😃
The nice thing about A body mopars 67 to 76, is that the front ends are all interchangeable except for Barracuda. That car would look real pretty with a 70 Duster front end.
I have a 1991 E30, sat in our garage for almost 10 years. My E46s engine blew up, so I needed another car. I bought a new battery and fuel for the E30, tried to start it, but nothing. Pulled the spark plugs out and brushed them over. Started right up. I have driven it for at least 20k km now over the last year, just needed a new connection Hose between pump and fuel line last month. Old cars are the best.
Good looking car. Definitely from the same parts bin as my first car -- a '74 Valiant sedan that was somewhere between gold and mustard yellow. A real babe magnet.
My '73 was electric blue, beige stripe and beige vinyl top. It had 200,000 New York City area miles on it and in 1988 the paint was still glossy because my father was obsessed with Rain Dance car wax. But eventually the torsion bars rusted from the frame and that was the end. The original owner was my stepmother, I was the second owner, and it was my first car. Sometimes I wish I grew up in the country so I could have just thrown it into a barn to repair someday.
I had 2 slant 6 cars in the early 70,s. I didn’t think that they very special. I really wanted a big block Chrysler V-8. Now I’m 73. I would love to have one of those now. Forget the EV,s. This was the best
I had a 1973 valiant 318 single barrel. It was a used city car sold at auction. I got it for $400, drove it 2 years when a freeze plug blew. I cleaned the motor, replaced all the freeze plugs, repainted the motor Dodge blue. I guy I knew liked what I did and bought it from me for $600. Great car! he loved it.
Car stalling on a left turn is the float used in the Holley 1945 carburetor that year. It’s made of a composite material that absorbs a little fuel and gets heavy over time, then it sinks and floods the engine when you make a turn. Starter solenoid issue is because of the government mandated seat belt - starter interlock system introduced that year. If you didn’t buckle your seatbelt the starter solenoid wouldn’t pull in. There is a plunger switch on the fender wall behind the windshield washer tank that over-rides it for each start if you’re working on the engine. You can also leave the seat belt buckled or just jump out the wires under the seat. It was a dumb idea that caused a service nightmare for the dealerships so it went away very quickly. Dad bought a slant six Plymouth Valiant brand new back in ‘74 and I knew that car like the back of my hand within about a year.
I'm not a Dodge guy either, but I love me a good 225. You can't kill those things. I had a '79 Volare with a 165K on the factory plugs on top of a burnt valve. They had a quarter inch of ash buildup on them, and it still ran. No one believes me. I have kept those plugs for over 20 years so I could prove it. Running down a cylinder on 22 year old gas is no problem for a 225, lol. The 225 just says "Hold my beer.".
My first car was a 75 Dodge dart 4 door, it was an old Sealtest ice cram salesman car. We pulled it out of a sandpit with a bulldozer. Had the 225 engine it, we discovered it had a spun a main bearing in it, so my first car was also my first engine rebuild. You couldn't kill that engine, it ran for so long and so many years i got tired of it. Sold it to someone who put the engine in another car and as far as I know.....its still running
Dodge Dart and Plymouth Duster were the same body with minor differences in grill and accessories. Looks like needing a good cleaning replace carpet fix any rust paint and rebuild motor and you are golden. You cannot kill slant sixes.
Ok had a 74 and a 75 both Dart Sports with 318 cu in engines.They both suffered from lifter leakdown making them click before the lifters pumped.Switched all 16 lifters TRWs .Ran perfect,great mileage for V eights.
1. We call em dragonfly's. 2. You have a short in the wiring... when you turn the ignition to the start position the left turn signal comes on. I have a 74 dart swinger I just bought, rust free but every thing plastic or vinyl turns to dust just looking at it. Gonna be a fun project.
Hello, congratulations for the video, I'm from Brazil and I have a Dodge Dart too, but the Luxury four-door version is a dream car, you are very lucky to find cars that are still so intact.
My dad bought a new one in 1974. It was red with the white Starsky and hutch stripes. When you fold down the rear seat it would hold a shit load of stuff with the hatchback option.
Dragon flys definitly. The good condition this vehicle is in is a testament to being well kept and one family car. Thanks . Central California watching.
I owned a '74 dart with the slant 6 and a 3 speed stick n the floor. Not a speed demon but it got me around. Sold it to a friend and he got rear ended and was seriously insured but survived.
Damn that car is mint for it's age I was thinking the interior would of been all messed up from the field mice but it looks like a good cleaning and maybe a new carpet and that thing will be like new. I love the white interior that car is sweet.
This kind of reminds me of my uncle's 1974 Dodge Dart Custom sedan. It had a 225 Slant Six, I believe it was a 918 3 speed auto, it was green with a black vinyl roof. It was given to him with 16,000 original miles on it. It ran like new (because it basically was), and I loved that car. My uncle got it and I got the 1976 Buick Skylark with an Olds 260ci V8, a TH200 3 speed, and it only had 34,000 miles on it. No rust because they were both owned by three old ladies who were all sisters and my uncle had been helping them with yard work and general maintenance around the house for years. I had to put a new heater core and rear leaf springs in it and I drove that car all over in Pennsylvania for years before I sold it for $100 when I moved out. That Olds 260 made 105 or 110 HP and wouldn't do a brakestand unless I covered the tires in oil...ask me how I know. It would eventually reach 80 MPH and cruise around there on the Turnpike, but it wouldn't do any better than 10 MPG even with the Rochester 2bbl carb. However, even with a foot of snow on that car, having sat for 3 or more months, I'd go out, dig my way into the driver's seat, pump the pedal twice, turn the key, and old girl would fire right up like it was never shut off. I just got tired of messing with it and keeping fuel in it, so I got an offer from a friend's friend, and he came and got it. He drove it 2.5 hours home and found out that the timing was way off and he cleaned it all up and started cruising it.
Sweet Dart. I'd totally drive that everyday.. Friggin love it... Gut that interior, clean it good and replace the carpet. I'd get the A/C running on it too. It's hot here in Florida. Love Mopars. Wish I still had my old 70 440 Cuda. Also, I'm 59 and most people I know call them dragonflies. First time hearing snake doctors.. Great video! 😁👍
Holy! You’d have sworn it was parked last week. Couldn’t believe when it fired up so easy I thought the video had skipped forward. As a new sub to this channel I have to say I’m loving the content. Currently binge watching all the videos. Thanks for the effort you put in to what you do.
lol will it get itself running crazy cant believe it fired up like that. dang old hillside hemi those were some tough ol engines what a nice straight car!!!!! time for a hemi good job sir i enjoy your videos ty
Love your video. A ‘73 Duster, new, was my second car. Have had 3 vehicles with the slant six and, while reliable, I was never happy with fuel mileage. Today I have a ‘17 Pacifica that gets 35 mpg on the interstate. Wish the Duster and the others had had this in it!
I had a 1975 Duster with the 225 ci engine, on one very cold night the engine coolant had the improper antifreeze mix and it completely froze up and it partially pushed out a couple of freeze plugs. I took the belts off and ran it until the ice melted and then replaced the metal freeze plugs with the rubber type and continued to drive it, lol. The 225 slant-6 is one the toughest and most reliable automotive engines ever built.
A shot of gas or starting fluid would surely help get things going after she's been sitting a while. My uncle won the Winston Nationals back in 81 with a 75 Dart SE with a 340 V8. Mopar or no car!
I had a few of these in the 80's, one with a 340. Wish I could buy one today. The police in my town liked to send cars driven by younger people for mechanical inspection at a government inspection center. It was very hard to pass so a lot of nice cars got scrapped. I lost a 73 Charger, a 73 Challenger and a 71 Duster that way. I drove the Charger for one week and they got me. Few cars passed the inspection.
I used to own a 74 dart swinger. One day on the way to work it blew a radiator hose. Got out of work fixed the hose drove it home. The next morning it wouldn't start had to replace the resistor on the firewall, I think that's what it's called, car started right up. Only got rid of it because wheel wells inside the car rotted out.
I did not know they still made a Dart that late. I would have thought it was a Duster too. Most of my elementary years I was driven to school in a Duster.
I am from West Tenn. Dragon flies or snake doctors is acceptable. When I moved to TX I learned they are called skeeter hawks there. Enjoy your show. I was raised on a farm and love watching "shade tree" mechanics that know their stuff work.
I got a '76 Valiant (318, 8.25 rear gear, 88k miles) off the Tulalip Rez for $150 out of pocket- tax, title, tags. I can give you some suggestions. Change the ballast resistor, keep the old one as a spare. Change the instrument cluster voltage regulator, the archaic ones are a bi-metal "Finger" and when they go...the instrument cluster gets full voltage, can catch fire- new ones are electronic. Also keep a spare voltage regulator. & "Spark box." Cheap improvements? Starter- get one for an '88 5th Avenue. 7 pounds, about a third of the draw, spins twice as fast. If you can find a "Super 6" set up, get the entire set up. Intake, carb, exhaust, and kick down are necessary to make it work right...Volare, Aspens, Diplomats, Gran Furys' are the best ones. Another good upgrade on the cheap? Last of the B & R -bodies (St. Regis, NYer, Cordoba, Magnum, etc) had 12" rotors. The spindles are standardized bearing size on disc cars '73-up. If you grab the caliper, adapter bracket, and rotors, use brake hoses for an '80 Aspen and 15" rims...your braking ability gets really improved
Excellent video Chad my cousin Sarah had for first car to a 1974 Dodge Dart Swinger 2 door had 318 V8 motor 4barrel carb , 727 4 speed Automatic transmission, 377 rear , with Power Steering, Power Brakes , Air Conditioning , Column Shifter for Transmission, Tilt Steering wheel, Am/ Fm radio with Cassette , 2 door , Forest Green body, Black Vinyl , daul exhaust, Dodges Rally rims and 4 pair of Black rims with snow tires she bought for $1000.00 in 1994 and in 2009 got me restoration to totally after she move back Ontario Canada from California ! Its 6 seater nice Green Interior too also funny part when bought car only had 125.000 miles and got more that on now ! Plus had lots people offer big $ since restoration and still going keep going long time ahead plus son drive too soon ! Only thing we had change is Air Conditioning pump plus setup to new Air Conditioning fluid because old was leaking and fine now! But got nice car there Chad have lots fun with it too and got first sports car now Lol!
I bought a new 1974 Dodge Dart Sport. Blue with blue vinyl bench seat interior. Automatic with a 318 v-8. Had the fold down rear seat and factory sunroof and air. Paid $3900 out the door. Ran great. Went camping in So Cal deserts and mountains and slept inside comfortably. Traded it in with 36k miles in 1980 and got $1800 for it. I miss that car to this day.
Always enjoy your Vids Bud.Owned at least 3 "dusters...1 Demon...1Duster...1 Sport..But except for the wicked 340 in the Demon..they were great a to b cars..Thanks
Wow! Same interior as the Dodge Dart Swinger of my childhood save the front bucket seats instead of a bench. Most Dodge Dart barn finds go something like this; "If you sweep up that pile of rust over there, you just might find a slant six engine!"
Slant 6 is an indestructible engine. You have to really want to tear it up to ruin it. Nice car. I missed an opportunity to buy a 74 yellow with white vinyl top and a 340 for 1000 in the early 90s . White interior one owner car. Clean as a whistle too. Hello from Lubbock Texas. Love the music too.
I think some penetrating oil in the cylinders before rotating engine would help protect the rings and cylinder walls from scoring since they are quite dry from sitting all those years. I would also use 2 cycle gas/oil mix when trying to start engine, helps lube the internal parts. Just a thought! 😁 Thanks for the Vids!
Thoroughly enjoyed the video. Friend had one we rode around for years. It was push button on the dash. Probably not the same year cause we graduated in 73. His daddy who was a Napa Parts dealer bought him a new Fire bird Trans Am which he drove just a few weeks till he totaled it in some loose gravel on a paved street and parked on top of a fire hydrant. Should stayed with the old slant six.
Couldnt believe he didn't put a fuel filter on it. These engines are pretty bulletproof by the way. I would LOVE TO HAVE THIS CAR. I have a 68 Barracuda formula S 383 four speed notchback all original. But I'd drive this one everyday.
