The final product of Megan's...
The final product of Megan's hard work is this show-worthy '72 Dart Swinger painted in Plum Crazy.
For many people who start in this hobby at a young age, limited funds force them to work on their cars themselves. This is the only way they can afford to have work done on their cars, and it's a great way to learn about the hobby. At the end of the day, it's a feeling like no other. It becomes a rolling tribute to your accomplishment. For 18-year-old Megan Knop, the feeling is something she will always have. Not only did she restore this '72 Dart Swinger herself, she earned it.
In 2003, Megan had a '57 Ford convertible that she sold for a cool grand. This gave her a bit of breathing room to hunt down a Mopar. A few months went by and she collected $500 more and tracked down this '72 Dodge. It was in good shape and was powered by a 318 small-block. She went to take a look at the car with her grandfather and met the wife of the owner who told them the car was for sale for $1,500. The only catch was they would have to come back and pick it up the next day. They complied and picked up the car the following day, only to find out the husband left her a few days later. Sounds like young Megan may have gotten too good of a deal.
The original powerplant of...
The original powerplant of the Dart was a 318 but Megan wanted more power. She installed a 340 and cleaned up the engine bay to be more presentable at shows.
Immediately after getting the Dart home, Megan tore into her new project/obsession. She removed the front driver-side fender and repaired the hood hinge. The car was torn down and sanded twice before it was painted. Megan took to the spray gun and painted the Dart Plum Crazy, and the hood was blacked out-this was her dream color combination.
After the paint and body had been taken care of, her attention turned to the powerplant. The 318 wasn't enough to show the boys who's boss, so a 340 small-block was enlisted to satisfy her need to put boys in their place. She and her grandfather built the engine and installed it into the Dart. With everything else out of the way, the interior was the last element to focus on. Everything inside came from Legendary Auto Interiors, including the custom seat skins. Like the rest of the car, she did all the work herself. "I wanted to keep the car as original as possible so I only changed the color and the motor," she says. However, there are a few modifications she couldn't live without. A Bazooka tube and a remote radio in the glovebox were added to meet her melodic needs.
Here's what she had to start...
Here's what she had to start with. Nearly all the work was performed by Megan by herself, including the engine build, bodywork, paint, and interior.
Now that the project is closer to completion, Megan can sit back and enjoy her work. Maybe she would prefer to sit inside and take it for a spin, though. "It's not every day you see a female driving a nice car that's older than her," she jokes. "Even rarer is a girl that owns one and works on one." Megan has a lot to be proud of with her resurrection of this Dart. Keep on wrenching, Megan.
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Do You Feel Lucky? Do you want to see your Mopar here? Do you want to be immortalized as a Mopar Muscle Young Gun? Is your car the nastiest thing on four wheels at your high school or college? Then send in your entry to mopar.muscle@sourceinterlink.com, or to Mopar Muscle, Young Guns, 9036 Brittany Way, Tampa, FL 33619. Here's all you need to do: Send us some photos of you and your car, a description of your car, what you have done to it, and future plans for it. Be sure to include contact information and current e-mail address. Good luck!