1973 Plymouth Duster 6.1 Hemi Swap
So when I bought this 73 Duster I didn't know nothing about old cars. I came up driving imports and fuel injection. So when I started looking for a classic muscle car I started researching affordable options and that is when I came across the Mopar A bodies. I found this 73 Duster and it needed some suspension work but overall was solid with a good running motor. Although she struggled up hills and the very conservative rear gear didn't help with getting around town lol. I was initimated by the things I wasn't familiar with like the carb. So I started looking into things to change my Duster. It resulted in me coming across a guy named Joe Hinds. At that time he was running a shop called Bulldawg Musclecars and at that time the cars he had at his shop was impressive. I came across those who had done Gen 3 Hemi swaps and he had started a Cuda with a 5.7 Hemi that got changed to a Viper motor. I went to this shop and found out Joe was working on a Gen 3 Hemi swap book. After talking to Joe, the Gen 3 Hemi swap seemed like a good idea that would give me what I was looking for. Modern motor with classic good looks. I found a 6.1 Hemi and we ended up using the 545 tranny.
Things started great but over time went South. Things started to get sketchy and eventually it became a nightmare with what seemed like a never ending money pit. In the end, for various reasons. Mostly due to Joe Hinds dealings with his customers and how he managed his business. It resulted in him closing his shop. Leaving me and many others with incomplete cars along with money lost. My car was even damaged while in his shop. Where to "make good on it" they were going to repaint it for me but that never happened. Also the book he had been working on still has yet to be published and may never be.
It would seem that Joe Hinds had closed his shop Bulldawg Musclecars in order to avoid a lawsuit or lawsuits from other unhappy customers. Yet I have heard Joe Hinds has started another shop recently called Cherokee Speed & Custom or Street Freaks Inc. That is kinds confusing on which name it actually is. Maybe his "new customers" will have better dealing than his old ones.
Lesson learned and will never do anything like that again. Had to take my Duster incomplete and broken to Florida to a man called Mike Staveski of LexiJ/RMR Dreamcars. They got the Duster finished, running, and painted.
From this If I can't do it myself than it ain't happening. Also during that time I bought a 1970 Dodge Dart and over time learned to feel much more comfortable with the things I didn't know when I first bought the Duster. I recently sold that Dart and bought a 72 Charger.
Below are the pics of my Duster in the beginning.
So when I bought this 73 Duster I didn't know nothing about old cars. I came up driving imports and fuel injection. So when I started looking for a classic muscle car I started researching affordable options and that is when I came across the Mopar A bodies. I found this 73 Duster and it needed some suspension work but overall was solid with a good running motor. Although she struggled up hills and the very conservative rear gear didn't help with getting around town lol. I was initimated by the things I wasn't familiar with like the carb. So I started looking into things to change my Duster. It resulted in me coming across a guy named Joe Hinds. At that time he was running a shop called Bulldawg Musclecars and at that time the cars he had at his shop was impressive. I came across those who had done Gen 3 Hemi swaps and he had started a Cuda with a 5.7 Hemi that got changed to a Viper motor. I went to this shop and found out Joe was working on a Gen 3 Hemi swap book. After talking to Joe, the Gen 3 Hemi swap seemed like a good idea that would give me what I was looking for. Modern motor with classic good looks. I found a 6.1 Hemi and we ended up using the 545 tranny.
Things started great but over time went South. Things started to get sketchy and eventually it became a nightmare with what seemed like a never ending money pit. In the end, for various reasons. Mostly due to Joe Hinds dealings with his customers and how he managed his business. It resulted in him closing his shop. Leaving me and many others with incomplete cars along with money lost. My car was even damaged while in his shop. Where to "make good on it" they were going to repaint it for me but that never happened. Also the book he had been working on still has yet to be published and may never be.
It would seem that Joe Hinds had closed his shop Bulldawg Musclecars in order to avoid a lawsuit or lawsuits from other unhappy customers. Yet I have heard Joe Hinds has started another shop recently called Cherokee Speed & Custom or Street Freaks Inc. That is kinds confusing on which name it actually is. Maybe his "new customers" will have better dealing than his old ones.
Lesson learned and will never do anything like that again. Had to take my Duster incomplete and broken to Florida to a man called Mike Staveski of LexiJ/RMR Dreamcars. They got the Duster finished, running, and painted.
From this If I can't do it myself than it ain't happening. Also during that time I bought a 1970 Dodge Dart and over time learned to feel much more comfortable with the things I didn't know when I first bought the Duster. I recently sold that Dart and bought a 72 Charger.
Below are the pics of my Duster in the beginning.
