Duster Dan's - 1970 Valiant Duster full rebuild

-

Daniel J Thurston

Active Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
39
Reaction score
30
Location
N.Y
Hi I got this duster 3 years ago from buffalo NY
7850_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=7yYj1FeaytMAX-HLfFI&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.jpg

I had one before but wanted to build me a better one. I found it on craigslist in late 2018. I called the guy and he wanted $3500.00 but took $3000.00 for it and let me pay over a 3 months. Really cool guy. paid and brought her home in early 2019 in a blizzard.
D_wf16AZcqinXT4i9HuOvTpqE7lBFre47dbIoKEFpzY5Bjrz7NlYEPgGS-xUPIuOrOYRH0yHPOO7kwk6UeGz4VItOHCoEwi_LOmJXcPzTRanL3hDqX5OWl2bbD8z_a93JzEC3cCnxpYXZhbaUW204drpm3Kf-8FIDVa3nE3W10Y4qNd0c-p4JzLNXEjdnXtXSmoXyaFuf5ItSEsWhXI0waOoPtt5PJX-fstDhRv7Uwrv9NzjEkixhZqyKG3WJRiF7WdHSROqBdJnO-is4fWEt7071Ng4ERvUmxc1i0F5W1xJwIz7I-xQELQqxAPbXkXnP4LgUAWhaxrRUVPjiZPpXWf_0hJ9JDU7Yri9J4uDEubSbHJNWbexNnMxDB2ymFlWdIaSREoubID6AYuUaKfUAO-GwLLjVAjqEI8HN55XmBmsSRxWSTW7odIc1WChqzmzbpqlkNzwOkhJl6Cf1HmaOpPMedqenMDynsoq_V2VGjhSLEvV2tnFQzWbQRsRPSgGTtnSHsjV6Ov65ZNXzEJ48i3NlmdSWB926QCOND-e4Q0VxMbTpdF67h6QfY0rOQoJTS99obE5UBFnT0hSAnbGw7yK1sVYqC18ojlWzRpLl3i8MXvsaNOw2dT4YHTW2xfnT3E680wMn1ONjNi1-MNzyI_WfkqmbQ-GNBHsaHQunOE1eS3pwLQ8CbUnY0RgFMbDczoah8oy5-mBA5rehVmWRKs=w366-h649-no

It was a few years before i had got most money ready to order most of the big money parts. she sat a round my house for a year and a half than went to sit by my parts camper for a year. I bought the front floor pans and the shift tunnel. than a called pst and got a pollygraphite front rebuild kit and adjustable strut rods. floor heat shielding, tubular upper control arm. and a Wilwood disk brake conversion kit with slotted and drilled rotors.
I got a us car tool a leaf-spring relocation kit (turned out to be defective)
found a new a set of hooker comp plus titainum cearmic coated headders and gaskets
Youkon gear sold me a 3.77 ring and pinyon for my 8 3/4 suregrip
Also orderd a hellwig E-body rear anti-sway bar.

Than waited for a place to start the project.
 
OK i guess i will get on with part 2....so i bought a bunch of odds and ends like a 69 valiant grille for it
IMG-0707 (1).jpg

so in june I met a Mike who is a older guy. has a auto body shop but is closed down and he has health problems. I was looking for some one to do the work but he said I do the work but can use his garage and tools. so I took the car down on june 15 2021 and began to take her apart.
IMG-0707 (1).jpg
IMG-2056.jpg
IMG-0707 (1).jpg
IMG-2056.jpg
IMG-2061.jpg
 
I’m a bit biased, but then, I have a 70 Duster, as well! Looks like a good project! Hopefully yours progresses quicker than mine!!
 
If you ever decide you want to go back to the original grill, I have one I would be willing to trade for. It is in real good condition. Plus I am located in central NY.

SDC12734.JPG
 
made some stuff like this to reinforce the frame where my leafspring hanger goes through the frame

hear hanger relocation plates pre weld.jpg


rear rear holes for shackel dilled and allinged.jpg
 
Just take your time. I had to replace the whole left front frame rail bumper to cross member and driver floor. Never did a frame before. Rest of our car was solid, out of PA, just that frame section. Made up some lower quarter patches too.
 
-
Back
Top