Inferno Red 74 Duster!
I’ve been picking away at my Duster for the last several weeks in hopes of getting it ready to roll for spring! Well here we are, with an early spring and I am not ready!
I started under the hood installing the AC parts. I chose to retrofit a compressor and brackets and pulleys from an 85 Dodge truck because I got it for a great price (FREE!). I purchased a condenser from E-bay, and I am able to source everything else I need from Napa. I use Napa because I get a great deal through work on any parts I purchase there. I may be putting together a detailed article on exactly what I used if it works as well as I hope it will. It currently is sitting needing the hoses and wiring routed. I installed the compressor and the condensor, and will be using the factory evaporator and controls. As part of this project, I had the factory 26” rad rebuilt and upgraded it to a 3 core, and I had to replace the Edelbrock LD4B intake with an Edelbrock Performer 318/360 so the AC compressor would fit with the stock brackets. I ended up installing a 1” aluminum spacer between the carb and Intake so I could make room for a fuel pressure regulator. I will also need to change my alternator pulley for a 2 groove one.
Before I put my engine back together, I set the Tunnel Ram I bought a while ago in place just for fun! I love the thought of this but it will likely never go on this car. This will be my cruiser! I’d eventually like another Duster with the Tunnel Ram, Side Pipes and a real Spartan interior! Not a full on race car but a 70s street brawler kinda thing.
While I had the engine apart for the intake change, I cleaned up a bunch of wiring and hoses, installed my old M/T valve covers, added an adjustable voltage regulator, moved the coil to the proper spot and generally did a better job of putting things together than I did last year when I was in a huge hurry. I still have zip tie plug wire separators, but I kinda like the look! I redid the fuel lines off of the regulator after this picture was taken cause I felt the radius of the bends was too tight.
After getting the condenser installed and putting the grille and bumper back in place I tore into my front suspension. It came apart really easy and within about 4 hours all the parts were laying all over my shop floor. The lower control arm bushings were so shot, I am sure that is where my issues were coming from. They were allowing the LCAs to shift out toward the frame rails far enough that the torsion bar keys would hit the frame rails and not allow the suspension to settle back to ride height. I was really worried that the K-member holes that the LCA pivot shafts bolt through were trashed too but I cleaned it all up after disassembly and they look perfect. I was so relieved. Taking that K-member out was not something I wanted to do right now.
So I sand blasted and painted up all the parts I intend to reuse. I will be getting 1.03 torsion bars, tubular UCAs, LCA rebuild/stiffening parts, tie rod ends and adjusters, Bilstein shocks and sway bars front and rear. I hope to get that order put in to PST tomorrow. Happy Easter to me!
The only other thing I want to do this summer is to lower the rear a bit. It sits maybe an inch too high in the rear for my liking. I’ll decide that when I get the suspension all back together and drive it a little. Now that being said, I have a factory hitch I may clean up and install. I’ll likely never use it but It would be cool to have on there.
I’ve been picking away at my Duster for the last several weeks in hopes of getting it ready to roll for spring! Well here we are, with an early spring and I am not ready!
I started under the hood installing the AC parts. I chose to retrofit a compressor and brackets and pulleys from an 85 Dodge truck because I got it for a great price (FREE!). I purchased a condenser from E-bay, and I am able to source everything else I need from Napa. I use Napa because I get a great deal through work on any parts I purchase there. I may be putting together a detailed article on exactly what I used if it works as well as I hope it will. It currently is sitting needing the hoses and wiring routed. I installed the compressor and the condensor, and will be using the factory evaporator and controls. As part of this project, I had the factory 26” rad rebuilt and upgraded it to a 3 core, and I had to replace the Edelbrock LD4B intake with an Edelbrock Performer 318/360 so the AC compressor would fit with the stock brackets. I ended up installing a 1” aluminum spacer between the carb and Intake so I could make room for a fuel pressure regulator. I will also need to change my alternator pulley for a 2 groove one.
Before I put my engine back together, I set the Tunnel Ram I bought a while ago in place just for fun! I love the thought of this but it will likely never go on this car. This will be my cruiser! I’d eventually like another Duster with the Tunnel Ram, Side Pipes and a real Spartan interior! Not a full on race car but a 70s street brawler kinda thing.
While I had the engine apart for the intake change, I cleaned up a bunch of wiring and hoses, installed my old M/T valve covers, added an adjustable voltage regulator, moved the coil to the proper spot and generally did a better job of putting things together than I did last year when I was in a huge hurry. I still have zip tie plug wire separators, but I kinda like the look! I redid the fuel lines off of the regulator after this picture was taken cause I felt the radius of the bends was too tight.
After getting the condenser installed and putting the grille and bumper back in place I tore into my front suspension. It came apart really easy and within about 4 hours all the parts were laying all over my shop floor. The lower control arm bushings were so shot, I am sure that is where my issues were coming from. They were allowing the LCAs to shift out toward the frame rails far enough that the torsion bar keys would hit the frame rails and not allow the suspension to settle back to ride height. I was really worried that the K-member holes that the LCA pivot shafts bolt through were trashed too but I cleaned it all up after disassembly and they look perfect. I was so relieved. Taking that K-member out was not something I wanted to do right now.
So I sand blasted and painted up all the parts I intend to reuse. I will be getting 1.03 torsion bars, tubular UCAs, LCA rebuild/stiffening parts, tie rod ends and adjusters, Bilstein shocks and sway bars front and rear. I hope to get that order put in to PST tomorrow. Happy Easter to me!
The only other thing I want to do this summer is to lower the rear a bit. It sits maybe an inch too high in the rear for my liking. I’ll decide that when I get the suspension all back together and drive it a little. Now that being said, I have a factory hitch I may clean up and install. I’ll likely never use it but It would be cool to have on there.
