My 1971 Duster 6.1 Hemi build

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JBrian

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I’ve had a 6-cylinder Duster sitting in my garage for several years after selling my matching numbers 1971 Duster 340; GB2/GB7/white stripes bench/blue printed 340 w/pocket ported heads/XE268 727/3.55s. It was a great little Duster that ran 13.60s @ 102Mph and was in the Dodge Dart & Plymouth Duster Musclecar color history book, Johnny Lightning Mopar Muscle 1/64” and also in Mopar Muscle. Eventually I just tired of it and didn’t want to modify it. I sold it several years ago and bought the 6-cylinder DUster with the idea of building a FAST clone that was streetable. I was looking for 11.80s @ 118Mph in a drivable combination. This project stalled with two kids in college (Texas A&M and University of Texas grads) and then other priorities.

This past summer my wife was getting the itch for a new Plum Crazy shaker hood Challenger 6-speed; so we drove a Tor-red one and probably would have bought it if it was the right color. She really wanted something to drive with modern convinces. I told her we could build the Duster for about the same price with a Gen III Hemi or look for a Challenger that would meet her requirements. End of story, build the Duster!

Lucky for me, Uhcoog1 (Wade) and Alex, both into Gen III Hemi conversations were close by. I drove Wade’s car this past July and was hooked on the conversion as well as moving more toward a corner carving, stiff Unibody car.

I’ll start with a little history; my first car, a 1969 GTX in 1974 (As we refer to as “Back in the day”), a 13.50's @ 105Mph car at Connecticut Dragway and it's untimely death!

More pictures of my 1971 Duster 340 from the 2000's and of the 370 Hemi Duster build to come!
 

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1971 Duster 340 as purchased in 1999:
 

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After restoration in 2001:
 

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Show & Go!
 

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Some more:
 

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More:
 

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370 Hemi Duster Gen III block/head mockup with Borgosen steering box and Wade's old TTIs
 

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Looking good! How much room do you have between the #1 cylinder header tube and the steering box? I'm doing a 5.7 in a 70 Duster. I'd love to have PS, but it might mean completely reworking my drivers side motor mount. I modified the drivers side TTI spool motor mount and the saddle on the k frame, so the AC condenser would fit in the stock location on the Hemi. I might call TTI, and see if they could send me a side by side pic of their drivers side header like mine, and a Borgeson PS box header. Keep up the good work on your Duster. :prayer:
 
Hey there...I remember you from when you had the other Duster.

It looks like you are running into the same thing I have (and have many other people with the 1st gen Borgeson box), of needing to shim it. I haven't done mine (it drives fine without shimming), but it will help with the clearance to the block and headers.
 
K-Member with Firm-Feel reinforcement kit, powder coated:
 

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6.1 Hemi Bullet with Hughes ported heads:
 

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Here is a bracket we made to hold two 4" coaxial speakers where the stock 4" x 10" speaker goes. Will be boxing the sides next:
 

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Here are a couple of more pictures of the under carriage after media blasting:
 

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Checking how the Helwig 1 1/4" swaybar mounts to the LCA's without swaybar tabs:
 

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Recovering the rear bench seat with Legendary Black/Charcoal:
 

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Cut off the 6-cylinder VIN tag and saved the star rivets. Will epoxy the VIN onto the 340 Rally Dash that I'm restoring.
 

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Metal work almost complete; US Car Tools front brace and core support:
 

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Torque Boxes, sub-frame connectors, bucket seat braces:
 

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Trunk floor extensions. Passenger front floor pan being finished now and then the passenger side sub-frame connector will be welded in. By the way, the sub-frame connectors are actually a heavier gauge metal than the original frames:
 

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Core support cut out to accept the 26" Champion 5.7/6.1 radiator. All metal work should be completed this week; a milestone! I'm currently looking at Lizard Skin sound control coating and ceramic coating (Where appropriate) on both the sides of the floor pan as well as the firewall, trunk and roof.

I ordered my rear springs from Peter Bergman and dropped off my 742 323 clutch type suregrip with a friend of mine who has been rebuilding and assembling them since the 1970's! Yeah, w'ere not spring chickens anymore. Will finalize gear ratio (3.73/3.91) depending upon tire size. I've decided to go with the '68-'70 B-Body 8 3/4":
 

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I always liked the idea of a new school engine in an old car, but I am too scared to try this myself. I just wouldn't know where to begin.
 
I always liked the idea of a new school engine in an old car, but I am too scared to try this myself. I just wouldn't know where to begin.

Find a great deal on a GenIII and start grabbing parts. It's working for me so far!
 
Don't forget a 1/16" shim on the 2 inner bolts of that steering box, will make it straight and add more room at the same time.
 
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