1970 Duster Doors

[boogywoogycreep]

A question about the doors. I was under the impression that 1970-1976 Duster doors were all the same. From what I'm reading, they are on the OUTSIDE. The inside of the door is apparently different from where the door handle is located, and on the top of the inside of the door, the 70-72 is metal, and the 73 and up is plastic?

Will I need to make any modifications to the door guts and glass from a 1973 to use on my 1970?

 

[Oldmanmopar]

You'll need to find the correct year door.

 

[Mr. Sinister]

Also ‘73 doors internals are one year only.

 

[boogywoogycreep]

You'll need to find the correct year door.

After talking with another member last night on the phone, I didn't even think of the internals either. I guess I keep looking! We also chatted about replacing my dashboard with a '67 or '69 Barracuda rally dash in my '70 Duster. Apparently, they fit like a glove.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

The early cars have the ignition and the flasher switch in the dash instead of the column. .

 

[boogywoogycreep]

The early cars have the ignition and the flasher switch in the dash instead of the column. .

I think that look is awesome. The different wiring harness is a bit expensive,
but I found one for about $150 used.

 

[340six]

Also ‘73 doors internals are one year only.

Yepper. I bought 1973 dated NOS Glass for my car. But had one 1974 door (as well as a few other 74 parts) Very late build date 73 H Code.
I had to trade 1973 NOS door glass for mint 1974.

 

[cudamark]

I've never done it myself, but, I know a guy who swapped the '70-2 doors with the '73-6 doors as a complete assembly. Not sure if there were any minor mods needed, but, it didn't take him much if any extra time to do it.

 

[340six]

I've never done it myself, but, I know a guy who swapped the '70-2 doors with the '73-6 doors as a complete assembly. Not sure if there were any minor mods needed, but, it didn't take him much if any extra time to do it.

The outside skin looks the same. It painted metal on 1970-71-72 car's above the door cards. The 73 up had a screwed on plastic instead

 

[Mr. Sinister]

I've never done it myself, but, I know a guy who swapped the '70-2 doors with the '73-6 doors as a complete assembly. Not sure if there were any minor mods needed, but, it didn't take him much if any extra time to do it.

They are a direct bolt on and best when they are complete.
My ‘74 Dart Sport has ‘72 Demon doors on it.

 

[72bluNblu]

Externally Duster/Demon/Dart Sport doors are all the same and you can swap any year 70-76 as long as you take the entire door and all of its inner components. So, you can take a loaded/complete ‘73 up door, bolt it straight onto your ‘70 and everything will work just fine, no modifications needed. The interior won’t match, but the door and window will function just fine.


That said, it’s more complicated if you want stuff to match or you want to use hardware and components other than what came with your doors.

Interior-
basically match ‘70-‘72 and ‘73-76. The ‘70-72 doors all have metal tops and bottoms, interior door handles are the same etc.. The ‘73-76 have plastic tops, use different inner door handles and locations than the ‘70-72 doors, and different size/shape door panels.

Door Glass-
Even more different. ‘70-72 interchanges. ‘73 is its own deal, basically one year but also covers early ‘73. Late ‘74-76 interchanges.

Hardware-
‘70-72, ‘73, ‘74-76. Some of the ‘73 stuff is the same as ‘74+ but the window lift mechanism and window hardware stuff is different and unique to ‘73 and early ‘74.