1970 duster 340 4spd TIME CAPSULE!

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Almost done decoding the sheet.

Can't figure some things out.
Steering column 115x91000
Steering wheel 18x9
Horn pad 71x9
Rad 78
Inlet hose 92
Alt 15
Fan 33
Bat 51
Vac fit 27
Engine 131
Carb 68
Trans 680
Pin 40
P/shaft 760
Axle 088
Wheel cover 24
Frame 76
S/bar 39
Shock 54 94
Front brk 19
Torsion bar 893 892
Rear spring 081 082
Clutch brake pdl 12 10
Labels 18 55
Exhaust 38 39
Tail pipes 51 52
Car height am1151077

Any help to understand would be great.
 
Got most of it decoded thanks to the help of mrmopartech.

Thanks a bunch for the help. Get back to me when you have the chance about the tail pipes.

Next step I will wait for the weather to warm up, wash and clean her up, raise her in the air and see if the engine and trans are for sure original.
 
Well, I have just been spending the last couple days going over numbers, serial numbers, casting numbers, build sheets, fender tag decoding.

Learning a lot.

I have decoded my...
fender tag,
build sheet,
block serial number ( stamped front of block drivers side)
Casting numbers drivers side

Need to get to...
1. Vin stamp along oil pan passenger side...any tips? Been cleaning and trying to see it but headers are in the way
2. Passenger side casting code same issue as above.
3. Tranny #'s. Haven't even tried yet.

I plan on posting everything once I have decoded it.
 
Petty Blu 72 said:
Will you restore? Leave original? Keep? Sell? The anticipation is killing me!
Click to expand...

Lol, it all depends on...
if all the numbers match up ( which I am sure they will)
How well it cleans up
If it's too rough to be survivor quality... It's not a true survivor because it has been reprinted.

This year will be a clean up, make safe and drive!!!

Have gotten the first three digits on the vin pad on the block visible and it matches the vin so far :)
 
It's official.

It is 100% numbers matching car.

Gave it a quick pressure wash today.

Enjoy!
image clean.jpg
 
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Looks like my phone won't let me load up anymore for some reason. And I can't figure out why the pics are sideways sometimes.
 
cuda20 said:
Looks like it cleaned up good.
Click to expand...

Paint is really faded after the water dried.

The grill, turn signal lenses and tail lights are the nicest I have ever seen. I'm happy with how it's turned out.

Next, I will hook up a jerry can and try and fire her up.
 
I'm wondering if a little bit of rubbing compound or some of the newer paint restorer products would help perk it up a bit? I did a small area on my Duster and it got rid of the old oxidized faded look. Not shiny but it brightened it up some.
 
awesome duster find.looks like some i would see in the 80s.have you tried to fire it up yet?
 
What an excellent score ... and story. Makes for an excellent read and inspires the rest of us to keep looking as there are still gems out there to be found. Like you said, a big part of the fun is the hunt and it paid off for you rather well. Congrats!

Curious about one thing though that I didn't see addressed in your thread. The car was last registered in 1982 ... 32 years ago? Wow! That's a long time to be off the road. Why? Did the owner ever reveal to you why it was sitting in the carport for so long?
 
I bought this Demon a few years ago and the paint was pretty faded. My buddy buffed it out in a hour. Just find someone who knows what they're doing with a wheel and won't burn your paint up!

71Demon4-09031Medium.jpg
 
RzeroB said:
What an excellent score ... and story. Makes for an excellent read and inspires the rest of us to keep looking as there are still gems out there to be found. Like you said, a big part of the fun is the hunt and it paid off for you rather well. Congrats!

Curious about one thing though that I didn't see addressed in your thread. The car was last registered in 1982 ... 32 years ago? Wow! That's a long time to be off the road. Why? Did the owner ever reveal to you why it was sitting in the carport for so long?
Click to expand...

I think it was a couple factors...
They only wanted to insure one car and the other car was better on fuel. Something along those lines. I will have to ask the owner again.
 
BrianT said:
I bought this Demon a few years ago and the paint was pretty faded. My buddy buffed it out in a hour. Just find someone who knows what they're doing with a wheel and won't burn your paint up!

71Demon4-09031Medium.jpg
Click to expand...

I have a good body guy lined up...;)
 
mrtires24 said:
I think it was a couple factors...
They only wanted to insure one car and the other car was better on fuel. Something along those lines. I will have to ask the owner again.
Click to expand...

Almost a shame to have had to park it for those reasons. Well that is certainly better than saying he blew something up in the driveline.

This may be rude ... but would you share with us how much $$$ it took to wrestle it away from the owner? Just curious that's all.
 
RzeroB said:
Almost a shame to have had to park it for those reasons. Well that is certainly better than saying he blew something up in the driveline.

This may be rude ... but would you share with us how much $$$ it took to wrestle it away from the owner? Just curious that's all.
Click to expand...

Because everyone feels like they have to share there thoughts on if it was a good deal or not, and out of respect to the previous owner not to hear that I paid too much, or too little or what have you, I don't feel it right to publicly disclose the price.

I bought the car to keep. And she did say I matched someone else's offer.

I feel I paid a fair price...I obviously beat/tied other offers for the car. And it does have some issues not mentioned as of yet. One was a roll of the dice on the engine. Although I could turn it over with my hand on the pullies, I could not see any water in the rad. I also couldn't easily get to the rad drain to see if anything was in it. I am sure the engine will fire, but there still is a chance that it may have some major issues. Hope to try this weekend.
 
Well, I have had this car for a couple weeks over a year. And besides decoding all the vins, fender tag, broadcast sheet and comparing the engine and tranny numbers to verify its all original...I haven't really done much else.

I have not tried to start it yet. Had to pull a threaded plug from the side of the block so I could see engine vin and I can get it back in because space is very limited with the headers. The headers are rusted out, so I will remove them soon, but that leads me to the hunt of some parts. Would love to get this going for fathers day car show this year.

Parts I'm looking for.
1. Year correct exhaust manifolds
2. If cant find above, a body headers
3. Front bench seat cover.

If anyone has any of these items, let me know. Thanks
 
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