Swapped to Muscle - 75 Duster Daily build
Hello everyone! Here is my build thread, well, more like documentary on the progress of building my new daily that I recently got. I posted in the new member forum not too long ago but here is where I will be post updates to the build.
To begin, I have always been into Mopars for a long time. My first rig was a 84 W150 truck that I got. I have had numerous Dodge pickups for the longest time but never once had a mopar car. I have always wanted one. This came to fruition a couple weeks ago where I had made a deal with my wife that if I were to sell my (at the time) daily which was a 2016 Honda, that I would be able to get a older car to daily and build. I sold the Honda and got the funds to actively search for a replacement daily. For a few weeks I was looking for the right deal. Looked at shell'd out scamps, shell'd out darts, high-dollar roadrunners and chargers, and over-priced barracudas due to sentimental value, etc. Fortunately, my wife kept me in reality while searching or this would be a completely different story lol
Anyways, that is where I found this. A 75 Plymouth Duster that already had a 4-spd swap, a V8 and runs and drives, fairly reliably. Oh and had brakes. My goal and intent is to build this to be as reliable as a modern car, handle like a modern, have more personality than modern cars and more importantly, make some memories with the kiddos.
So with that all mentioned, here are the (somewhat) current specs on the car.
- 75 Duster Body (Factory \6 with AC, Auto, 7.25 rear and very minimal surface rust)
- 70 Duster 318 swap (fairly stock from what I can tell) w/Schumacher mounts
- 76 Aspen A833 (OD) swap w/hurst shifter push-in style
- 70 Duster Steering column (Doesnt have the auto shifter)
- 70 Dart 8.75 w/741 Case - Not sure on the gears though and still 5x4 wheel pattern
Here is my thoughts on the various stages of what I intend to accomplish.
Stage 1: Get running and make reliable
- Work on the wiring as its a mess (turn signals - In progress, headlight dimmer switch, etc)
- Get the gauges working or replace with aftermarket - In progress
- Update cooling system ie Replace radiator as its leaking, hoses, thermostat, etc
- General tune up - plugs, wires, etc
- Update ignition system - HEI conversion for hotter spark
- 8 3/4 BBP swap (Potentially disk brake swap as well) - Going with 8.8 Explorer swap
- Replace wheels and tires as they are like 20-30 years old (at least the rear is lol) - In progress
- Replace carb with Edelbrock 1906
- General maintenance items (belts, fluids, filters, etc)
- Potentially steering components as well - In progress
- Some form of exhaust as there isnt any currently
Stage 2: Performance enhancements
- Front end upgrades which include UCAs, LCAs, Strut bars
- Suspension updates like TBs, leafs, and shocks
- Cam swap w/ timing chain (Maybe a magnum swap if I find a deal) - In progress
- Charging system update
- Headers & exhaust
- 489 8 3/4 gear swap
- Braking system update with new MC and potential disk brake upgrade as well?
- More that I am likely not thinking of
Stage 3: Dream updates
- Potential HEMI swap (Have one on the engine stand now)
- T56 swap
So here are the images of the car prior to any updates done to it so far.
Legend: In progress / Complete / Direction Change/NA
Hello everyone! Here is my build thread, well, more like documentary on the progress of building my new daily that I recently got. I posted in the new member forum not too long ago but here is where I will be post updates to the build.
To begin, I have always been into Mopars for a long time. My first rig was a 84 W150 truck that I got. I have had numerous Dodge pickups for the longest time but never once had a mopar car. I have always wanted one. This came to fruition a couple weeks ago where I had made a deal with my wife that if I were to sell my (at the time) daily which was a 2016 Honda, that I would be able to get a older car to daily and build. I sold the Honda and got the funds to actively search for a replacement daily. For a few weeks I was looking for the right deal. Looked at shell'd out scamps, shell'd out darts, high-dollar roadrunners and chargers, and over-priced barracudas due to sentimental value, etc. Fortunately, my wife kept me in reality while searching or this would be a completely different story lol
Anyways, that is where I found this. A 75 Plymouth Duster that already had a 4-spd swap, a V8 and runs and drives, fairly reliably. Oh and had brakes. My goal and intent is to build this to be as reliable as a modern car, handle like a modern, have more personality than modern cars and more importantly, make some memories with the kiddos.
So with that all mentioned, here are the (somewhat) current specs on the car.
- 75 Duster Body (Factory \6 with AC, Auto, 7.25 rear and very minimal surface rust)
- 70 Duster 318 swap (fairly stock from what I can tell) w/Schumacher mounts
- 76 Aspen A833 (OD) swap w/hurst shifter push-in style
- 70 Duster Steering column (Doesnt have the auto shifter)
- 70 Dart 8.75 w/741 Case - Not sure on the gears though and still 5x4 wheel pattern
Here is my thoughts on the various stages of what I intend to accomplish.
Stage 1: Get running and make reliable
- Work on the wiring as its a mess (turn signals - In progress, headlight dimmer switch, etc)
- Get the gauges working or replace with aftermarket - In progress
- Update cooling system ie Replace radiator as its leaking, hoses, thermostat, etc
- General tune up - plugs, wires, etc
- Update ignition system - HEI conversion for hotter spark
- 8 3/4 BBP swap (Potentially disk brake swap as well) - Going with 8.8 Explorer swap
- Replace wheels and tires as they are like 20-30 years old (at least the rear is lol) - In progress
- Replace carb with Edelbrock 1906
- General maintenance items (belts, fluids, filters, etc)
- Potentially steering components as well - In progress
- Some form of exhaust as there isnt any currently
Stage 2: Performance enhancements
- Front end upgrades which include UCAs, LCAs, Strut bars
- Suspension updates like TBs, leafs, and shocks
- Cam swap w/ timing chain (Maybe a magnum swap if I find a deal) - In progress
- Charging system update
- Headers & exhaust
- 489 8 3/4 gear swap
- Braking system update with new MC and potential disk brake upgrade as well?
- More that I am likely not thinking of
Stage 3: Dream updates
- Potential HEMI swap (Have one on the engine stand now)
- T56 swap
So here are the images of the car prior to any updates done to it so far.
Legend: In progress / Complete / Direction Change/NA
