Here it is, my new baby. aww innit purdy.

original 318 engine in storage, 340 X Block bored .100 over
Trans : 727 with Transgo Shift Kit
Rear : 8-3/4 Full Posi with 4.11's
Power Steering & Brakes
Still has The build sheet and fender tag.
Rear Air/Defrosters, Map Light


Ooo the engine, the engine! -

Wow still has a fender tag.. :

Front shot, eh it looks better in person. :

Fender shot, sanded an primered this fender earlier. :

Rear shot, looks pretty good dun it. :

Mission control we have a problem.... :

Rebuilt trans, ready to set in! :

Little bit of sanding done :

Qaurter panel needs some minor work... hey thats a rallye rim! :

Wow the seat isnt shredded, and theres a cool man's denim jacket.. Nice :

Driver's fender sanded and primered-kinda.. to prevent rotting of my baby. :

Would you rather i call the car "Christine" and see how many people get mowed over by a car that drives itself? lol

Engine's out of the car. :

Headers are coming out, pinched against the steering.

Firewall shot. :

Frame Rail Shot :

Nother' engine shot :

actually the original color was Green with white interior, somebody resprayed the car in white, and then in plum crazy purple.

I see you already got ur sig edited with the duster added.... nice!  Good work ur trucking right a long!  Some day I'm getting an old mopar to play with.  But I guess at 17 two cars are enough (possibly getting another RC here in a week or two, my sister is driving mine right now while I got my Spirit RT).

Michael

Rear Axle - EDIT : Thinking of using an 8-3/4 instead of the stock 8-1/4 or the dart 8-1/4 i have under it now.

Trying to decide which color i want to paint it, i'm split between painting it in the factory color (frosty mint green), hemi orange, or something else. i have a bunch of the mopar paint chip charts but i can't find them anymore, anybody know if i could find some online?

Sandblasted the engine compartment & K-Frame, K-frame ready for a blast of Gloss Black and the engine compartment is ready for primer & whatever color i paint the car.

Finishing up some final body work and taping off the chrome & glass for a coat of Acrylic Etching Primer.

Here are the following Problematic Areas on the car (rust and or damage)

Driver Side 1/4 Panel has a hole roughly the diameter of a soda can, (i went rust bubble popping yesterday) and several pinholes in that area.

Hood has some dents and gouges that need filled and smoothed.

And the worst : The Passenger side 1/4. In my opinion i think somebody ripped a chunk of this 1/4 out on a curb or something at one time or another in the car's life. Why do i think that?

Somebody welded in new panels in an area that had no rust (inner and outer and part of the wheelwell) and the 1/4 has some decent warping to it. or maybe they had the heat set too high on the welder and it warped the metal.

Rockers have some small pinholes, door has a few dings, roof has some small dents, trunk has some small dents. And of course the inside of the tailight/Qaurter/trunk area has the common rusting and slight rustout found on A-bodies.

I'll try to get some pictures before i start blasting primer, as i'm nearly finished with the body work, i have some Straight Lining to do on the passenger side 1/4 and some final layers & sanding..


Also found a nice driveshaft to withstand the engine... the shaft from my dad's powerwagon 4x4, of course i'll have to change the length and rebalance it, but thats no problem.

once the body work is done and the car is primered up i'll decide the exterior color. Yeah i know i've had the car long enough i should have figured that out already, but there are soo many cool stock colors. Damn i'm on a roll with this car.

I've finally decided on a color.

Rallye Red, Black Vinyle Interior.

The front clip has been

Sandblasted Inner and Outer Fenders, Fenderwells, Firewall, Frame Rails, K-Frame, Core Support, Battery Cage, Hood, Rockers.

Primered : Inner & Outer Fenders, Fenderwells, Firewall, Frame Rails, K-Frame, Core Support, Battery Cage, Hood, Rockers.

Rubberized Undercoating applied to : Inner Fenders (the backside), Fenderwells, Frame Rails

Another Coat of Primer Applied over the Undercoating

Fire Red Paint applied over the primer/undercoat/primer in the following locations : Inner Fenders (backside), Fenderwells (side facing the fenders), Frame Rails.


I'll definatly get some pics of the front clip before i put the fenders back on the car.

When you fixed the rot,you didn't just fill the holes with bondo I hope?If you spent 9K on it why didn't you cut out the rot and weld in new metal?

Oh OK 'whew' glad you did it right,sorry for the confusion. i just thought you were filling the holes with bondo thus making a boogered to death duster lol  too many 'restorers'do that round my parts 

   A test coat of Red Oxide for locating small dents and scratches

  Qaurter Panel is finished, still have to sand the rest of the Painted Stripe Kit off

    This qaurter panel was badly warped, i had to make cardboard cut outs from my grandfather's twister for accuracy.  Tons of straight lining and eye work went into it.

  Got Chrome?

  More Chrome

  Even More shiny stuff

  This is the last of the shiny stuff, i spray accessories in chrome paint while i wait for the bondo to dry.  Next to get sprayed is some valve covers, the Alt, The PS Pump and all the brackets.

  Bondo'd fender lip

  Repaired Gouges on the cowl

  Repaired dents at the back of the fender, Red Oxide has a tendency to run, drip and clot despite prepping and spraying practices.  But it's a great way to detect dips,dents and scratches.

  Filled dents around the Marker Light

I wish..

I'm waiting on some parts i ordered.



Though i'm kinda debating what i want to do, i went to my grandfather's yesterday (my dad used to strip totalled mopars, and he'd store the parts in sheds at his dad's house) So i was digging around for some Duster emblems and some 340 Emblems (the ones from the 340 darts).

While i was digging through some parts i came across 2 large tarped objects... What did i find when i pulled the tarps off... a 440 M/T engine from a 75 Powerwagon 4x4 (it had some performance work done before my dad pulled it 15 years ago)..and the other object was a 413 minus a head and intake.

I'm itching for that big block power in a small block car but i want something more than just your average big block.. If i could find a 426H i'd drop it in a heartbeat. 

I've moved the duster from my garage to my dad's garage for the finishing touches.

I'm reapolsthering all the interior myself, new dash pad, Rallye Cluster, A/C, Door Speakers, Side Panel Speakers, Headliner Speakers (2 Sets) 2 1000W amps, 320W Subwoofer, Center Console, Slapstik Shifter, New Woodgrain, Locking Glovebox, Alpine Cassette Deck

Outside needs some finishing body work, some Fender Turn signal Indicators, Roof Channel Chrome Trim, Chrome Wheel Mouldings, Factory Mudflaps, and a Go-Wing, I'll post some pictures later today or tomorrow.

Ok here's some pictures.

  Trunk pan in place, several spot welds.

  A string of spot welds, these are what successful spot welds look like, if you have too much burn thru, or not enough penetration adjust the amps and your timing

  This is a Spot Gun, it's a handy little Spot Welder that hooks on to an Existing Arc Welder. The tips are replaceable, since they are very similar to the rods. the Nose also changes for Flat work and Angled/Corner Work

  Qaurter Panel Shot, almost done with the exterior body work, Notice all those Magic Marker Circles? Its very helpful in highlighting dings and gouges for later filling.

  Another qaurter panel shot, a freebie welder, Instrument cluster under Rebuild, and the neccesary parts for the 3-speed wiper switch conversion.

  Interior shot, painted the dash Gloss Black, test fitting the repaired dash cap one last time before the final glue layer and black paint. After that everything comes out and the inside gets blasted in black, and prepped for the bucket seats

  Shot of the door, more magic marker circles, and a magic marker line at the bottom, some finishing work left to do on the fender and the exterior is done

  Another trunk pan shot, a word of advice. Dont expect this to fit right out of the box, because it wont.  You'll need to trim metal off the corners near the wheel wells, and at the back near the locking pillar supports. plus a few other minor areas. And you'll have to cut out the gas tank filler openning, along with anything extra like Spare Tire Brackets

The trunk pan is finished, i just need to spray the primer, brush the filler, and paint it.

I've also been working on the Trunk Lid, i decided not to go with the Go-Wing, but a diffrent Design, i've got about 6 hours invested in the lid alone.  Also installed a new master Cylinder, Swapped the Pedals back to "Auto" style.

Body work should be done in a few days and i'll be ready to primer the entire car, after that it's just interior, Engine/Trans/Axle and Rallye Red Paint

  I love that body style, I've had 2- 74' darts sports, and 1-'75 dart sport. I hope you spit some ricers out the tail pipe.

Well sorry i havent updated the post in a while, i've done alot to the car since the last post.

Engine is in, it is running and it runs mean!.

Worked at the interior a bit too

Change in plans again, I postponed the paint to finish the current ideas/plans

I bought a 67 'Cuda Rallye Cluster (with Vaccum Gauge, Gonna Install That.  Gonna make a Stainless Steel Trim & Bezel Plate for the uncovered portion of dash (between the Cluster & Glovebox door) and a identical plate for the Glovebox Door

My Grandfather gave me permission to take any parts i want from his 1975 Volvo. (it's going to the scrapyard)  It's got Heated Leather Bucket Seats & a Heated Leather Rear Bench Seat     Those would look and feel really nice in the duster 

  Once the Cuda Cluster arrives in the mail i'm gonna start on the interior

Sweet lookin Demon.  Paint it in Hemi Orange, Burnt Orange or Bright Red/Rallye Red and it would look like it was posessed by satan himself.   

To make it even more wicked, put a set of Green or Red LED's behind the grille so it shines out through. muwahahaha 

Heh, I don't think any of those colors would look good with my glamorous green plaid interior! 

you sir are a very ambisiuos young man ... congrts to ya ... nice job on what ive seen 

Psst: There were no Chargers until the 1966 model year. 

Working on The Rallye Cluster & Gauges.  Some Light Dremel Work & a little bit of Scrap Sheet Metal for Climate Control Brackets to fit the Late 72 - 76 Style A/C Climate Control in the earlier 67 - 72 Non-A/C Rallye Dash Bezel

Unlike the 72-76 Dash Bezels the 67-72 Bezel is all one Piece, the Warmer/Heat/Defrost/Off plate is part of the Bezel instead of being seperate.  So i dremeled out lightly to remove the Climate Plate and the 72-76 Climate Control fits in perfectly in that openning, You wouldn't know it wasn't original

Only problem is there's a Diffrence in Width & Layout on the 72-76 style (being more narrow and having the Fan Switch combined with the Controls)  So that left me with an Opening in the dash where the Fan Speed Switch from the 67 was installed.      Keep Reading, i'll explain later what i'm using that Switch Opening for.

Needing more space for Gauges and not wanting them scattered all over the underside of the dash i started drawing up Rough Drafts for a Center Console Gauge Pack (mostly a Replica of the one used in the 60's Hemi Cuda's that mounted between the Center Console and the A/C Vent / Dash.

It'll be a 3-Gauge Pack to match the ones found in 60's Cuda's with some slight diffrences (keep reading for those diffrences).  The Gauge Pack will hold these 3 Gauges

A Clock from a 1950's/1960's Plymouth/Dodge
Sunpro Super Tach II (Mini 2" Style Tach)


Here's where i tell you what i used that Switch Opening in the Climate Bezel for.  A Toggle Switch (matches the Rear Defroster & Map Switches, only miniature)  It'll control a small #194 Light Socket with the Green/Blue Light Covers found in the mopar instrument clusters in the 70's.  It'll be used to Illuminate a small portion of the center console & the Clock when i need to.  Since the clock is out of a 50's/60's Mopar it doesn't have provisions for a light socket, just notches in the plastic to allow light to flow in from the cluster

Here's where i tell you what the slight Diffrences between the 60's Cuda Console Gauge Pack and the One i'm Building are.

Similar structure/layout

Diffrent Texture & Paint, It'll be Chrome & Semi-Gloss Black, it'll transition from Gloss Black to Flat Black as it progresses from the Dash frame to the Center Console. With the Center/Front Plate being done in Chrome with Black Pin Stripe around each gauge & Accessories

Under the Gauges i'm going to Mount a 10-Band Alpine Equalizer in the Gauge Pack

Behind that Gauge Pack (hidden from sight) i'm going to mount a Bridged Amplifier from a newer Jeep Cherokee that i found in the junkyard

Sorry i haven't updated it in a while..

Duster is in Primer, Spot Putty covering any dings/scratches, Interior is going back together and it's almost prepped for the final Coat of Filler Primer & Rallye Red Paint 

  The primer made alot of dings & scratches appear that i couldnt see when it was purple  Spot Putty over em, ready for sanding, primer, wetsand, filler primer, wetsand, Rallye Red 

  Interior shot : 1971 Duster 1/4 Windows with the Long Chrome Arms, set of 100W Pioneer 3-Way Honeycomb Woofer Speakers (Package Tray), Set of 5" Speakers (Package Tray), Black & Argent Silver Rear Seat, Set of 400W 3-Way 6x9" Speakers (1/4 Panels, near the Armrests).  All the rear glass is tinted  , Now all i need to do (someday maybe) is swap the door glass and windshield for tinted versions.  but thats not really important right now

My First A-Body was a Late 1972 Demon that came off the assembly line with a 73 Dart Clip & Tail, it was quite the weird car.  Had the 72 Interior, Door handle & Panel Style, Door tags labeled it as November or December 1972 IIRC and 73 Exterior  I figured it was somebody using parts off various cars but it turns out that it left the factory like that.   Such a shame that it was too far gone to help, i managed to save everything that i could off the car though    It was a 340 Floorshift Auto A/C Car too, more options than a person could count.  It came with an extra motor when i bought it : a brand new 340 X Block (minus the Left Head & Intake, bored .100 with domed pistons & 4-Bolt Main Caps  )  Which is the motor i'm using in the Duster, except with T/A Heads (2.25 Intake Valves), Adjustable Rockers & a Aftermarket 6-Pack Intake (not installed yet)

The Duster was my 2nd A-Body and my First "True" project car, i say project car because it started as a numbers matching vehicle (which i still have every single part, it can be reversed back to original if i ever want to do that) and turned into this Road Terror i'm building 

The Dart..well ehehehe that was sheer luck when i found it, Friend of my dad's was selling it for $1,000.  Numbers Matching 340 4-Speed w/ A/C & Conver-Triple Package (plus tons of other options).  For the longest time i was under the impression that the original 340 had died in the 90's so i was going to stuff a 1968 Police Intercepter 440 in the car (hmm i can always use that for 'another project') when the seller got back to me, he'd found the original 340.  It needed cleaned up and a new top end (heads, cam, intake, ect)  But the numbers match the Vin 

So once i finish the duster i'm gonna assemble the Dart (roughly 97% complete right now)


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As for questions, eh you wouldnt happen to know this would you.  The Custom Dusters/Valiants did they use a "Valiant Custom" Emblem or a "Duster Custom" Emblem?  I can't remember which it was.  I'm gonna try to find em next time i go to the junkyard and if not i'll get a decal made.  It's going on the Glovebox Door just like the 60's Cuda's had the "Barracuda" emblem on the glovebox door..  Or i could just get a decal made out of her nickname for the glovebox door, use the Demon emblem for the design and have it say "Christine" with the "n" being part of the pitchfork like the "m" in the Demon version 

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Someday it's gonna get some more nifty parts.

1971 Duster/Twister Sharktooth Grille
1971 Duster/Demon/Twister Side Marker Lights
1971 Duster/Twister Hood with a Cuda' Shaker Scoop 
3/4 Vinyle Top

Oh yeah and Right after i paint it, the car is going to get a set of Custom 340 Stripes based off the 1971 style.

Same basic layout but the 1/4 Panel 340 pieces will have T/A added directly below the 340.. and on the Hood instead of saying 340 Wedge it will say 340 6-Pack 


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I've seen Pictures of that 71 Demon you've got.  That is one wicked looking car, must be a blast to drive 

Well i know of at least one 2-Door Dart Custom, i grabbed the emblems off the door panels last time i was at the junkyard.  Looked like a 69 Dart, maybe a little older, Slant 6, A/C, Power Steering, 2-Door with "Dart Custom" Emblems on the door panels.  Now that i think about it the 2-Door Custom i got the emblems from may have been a 270 Model.