Captainkirk's Duster project

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Sooooo....
This oughta make The Duke happy. New parts on the way from Classic Industries! Ordered a body plug set, rear drum brake springs and hardware kit, two new rear drum brake cylinders, and a set of new brake shoes. Have not decided 100% whether to put them on the 3.55 or the 3.91 yet, but most likely I will be using the 3.91 diff. Still too cold and humid to do any painting on either diff but gearing up for it.
 
Oh for the BITD (back in the day) times...
Wouldn't want to be young in this day for sure... sad state of things.
 
Ok, so a Genie appears and makes you an offer; you either accept or reject it. He will make you young again. I'd take it!
 
So.
Parts showed up yesterday. Specifically, new rear brake shoes, rear brake hardware kit, new rear brake cylinders, and the body plug kit. I went out to discuss this with The Duke, but he was sound asleep in a deep winter's slumber. I've pretty much talked myself into trying the 3.91 Sure Grip rather than the 3.55...at least for starters. Now, once the weather breaks, I can haul it out from it's hidey-hole under the garage workbench and start scraping off the decades old Rustoleum and get it prepped for a new coat of paint. I keep telling myself that next week is February, so I don't have that long before snow and ice begin melting and I can get down to bid'ness. Meanwhile, I've reached out via email and touched base with the machine shop regarding the heads. Waiting for their reply so I can drop them off.
 
So.
Parts showed up yesterday. Specifically, new rear brake shoes, rear brake hardware kit, new rear brake cylinders, and the body plug kit. I went out to discuss this with The Duke, but he was sound asleep in a deep winter's slumber. I've pretty much talked myself into trying the 3.91 Sure Grip rather than the 3.55...at least for starters. Now, once the weather breaks, I can haul it out from it's hidey-hole under the garage workbench and start scraping off the decades old Rustoleum and get it prepped for a new coat of paint. I keep telling myself that next week is February, so I don't have that long before snow and ice begin melting and I can get down to bid'ness. Meanwhile, I've reached out via email and touched base with the machine shop regarding the heads. Waiting for their reply so I can drop them off.
I just bought a 8 3/4 with a new sure grip an new axels an setup for a abody , but opted for highway gears at 3.23 , still waiting for it to be delivered but its a complete setup just bolt in
 
I just bought a 8 3/4 with a new sure grip an new axels an setup for a abody , but opted for highway gears at 3.23 , still waiting for it to be delivered but its a complete setup just bolt in
Well, since I don't plan on doing much (if any) highway driving, the 3.91 just sounds like a whole lot more fun. Let's face it; The Duke has become a potentially very expensive toy for me. Toys should be fun to play with.
 
Well, since I don't plan on doing much (if any) highway driving, the 3.91 just sounds like a whole lot more fun. Let's face it; The Duke has become a potentially very expensive toy for me. Toys should be fun to play with.
Yeah I thought about the 3.55 but with gas fixing to sky rocket figured I stay were I could afford to drive and with the 4 spd it will be fun to drive may change later but got the whole rear end for a reasonable price and I dont have to build myself ,
I do have 3.55 in the challenger and it is a blast to drive an trust me there all are expensive lol
 
So, I alluded earlier to a "New Plan"...and here it is. Gone are the dreams of rolling a cream puff out into the sunlight, magnificent in every way. A car that would put "Graveyard Carz" to shame...no, kiddies, the New Plan is to get this thing rolling on rebuilt brakes and suspension, paint the engine bay, drop in the power train, and get it running. New carpeting and such can go in, but not gonna fret about things like paint or trim items for the moment. Seat covers are important, but it can drive without 'em. No, this thing needs to fire up and make some locomotion under it's own power ASAP. And if I stop thinking this thing has to be absolutely perfect before it sees the light of day, maybe I'll quit spinning my wheels and actually get somewhere. This has been my problem all along. In my quest for perfection, I'm wasting valuable time fretting over the small potatoes and driving myself nuts in the process. So, I expect to see some real progress once the weather breaks. More, in fact, that I've made in the last decade, though getting the underside de-rusted and coated took more out of me than I care to admit. It's also time to start squirreling away money for the paint job I see in The Duke's future, whether I do it or send it out to a pro this time around (which is the plan at the moment). Plans will change, new paths will be followed. That's always the way of a project. But at least now I have a plan that has a realistic chance of success. Stay tuned...
 
I hear ya Cap'n. Now were talking. Let's get them going so we can enjoy them before we can't pull ourselves behind the wheel, let alone depress the clutch pedal. We can make them pretty as we go. A lot is to be said about making them perfect, but in our quests to do so "before" we drive or shed natural light onto them is wasteful of however much time we have left, unless of course there's unlimited funds to have someone else do it all for us. Don't think that's the case with you and know not with me. Even if it was, when all ready, it just wouldn't be the same as building it ourselves. The journey is the key, the destination is the reward.
 
I hear ya Cap'n. Now were talking. Let's get them going so we can enjoy them before we can't pull ourselves behind the wheel, let alone depress the clutch pedal.

Yep. This. ^^^^^^^^^^ Just realized...this year marks 40 years The Duke has been off the road. Enough is enough.
 
35 years since I sold to my Navy buddy, 26 since I bought it back from him. Been off the road, between the two of us, for 28 years. Yep, enough is enough. Moving soon so plan is to get going after garage is expanded (Spring) to where I can get a lift in. Too old for the ol` "down on the ground" stuff. You know getting down ani't the hard part, its finding something to help you get back up once you're ready...
 
Too old for the ol` "down on the ground" stuff. You know getting down ani't the hard part, its finding something to help you get back up once you're ready...

Oh, tell me about it! How many nights ended with me staring at the underbelly of the beast and wondering..."do I have enough energy left to roll this creeper outta here, or should I just stay here and camp out tonight?" It was often a tough decision. And then, you discover how many joints you have by counting the cracking noises that you hear as you try to stand up...
 
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