1972 Duster Build with my Daughter

[Jim Kueneman]

Fired up the spray gun today.. It was windier than I wanted but we struggled through it....

Nothing but Southern Polyurethanes on my cars!

Cleaned with SPI 700 then 710 and ready for Epoxy.... SPI Epoxy is UV tolerant so you can use it anywhere you want. It gives a nice sheen but not gloss so it is great for under car and under hood parts.

First coat on

Now the final coat with a bit of retarder to allow a nice flow out. This will be as tough or tougher than power coating in a few weeks.

Tomorrow is grey epoxy day and then Seymour Stainless Steel paint for the "natural" metal parts..

The heads were shipped Monday so should be here next week. The FirmFeel gear was suppose to have shipped last week so that could be here this week so we could be assembling the K-Frame and steering/suspension parts next weekend!

 

[JDMopar]

I use as much SPI stuff as possible also. Their epoxy primer is the best I've ever used, and the universal clear is even better! I painted our golf cart body using SPI epoxy, 2K primer, and universal clear. The Curious Yellow base is leftovers from a car I painted in 2005!

 

[Jim Kueneman]

I use as much SPI stuff as possible also. Their epoxy primer is the best I've ever used, and the universal clear is even better! I painted our golf cart body using SPI epoxy, 2K primer, and universal clear. The Curious Yellow base is leftovers from a car I painted in 2005! View attachment 1715195834 View attachment 1715195832

Absolutely, and have you ever had to call Barry? 24/7 you call his cell, he walked me through my Coronet on several Sunday mornings.

 

[JDMopar]

I called him the first time I painted the golf cart a year before the GY3. I change the color every year...lol. I was worried about whether or not to use flex agent in the paint for the plastic bodies, and he said if I used the epoxy and 2K, not to worry about it. I called him on a Saturday evening, and he picked up on the 2nd ring!

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Little delay do to some health issues with the wife but all it okay. Kaelyn ready to start epoxy priming!

Parts needing Grey Primer so we can paint them with Seymour's Cast Blast (cast iron) and Stainless Steel (natural metal). Blanket is covering the black parts from yesterday. We had them baking out in the UV for a few more hours today and did not want to get grey overspray on them.

Kaelyn knocked out the first coat of SPI Epoxy Primer. She is getting the hang of it. Only a couple runs (just like the original from Chrysler!)

After some hours in the sun we shot them with the Cast Blast and Stainless steel, ready for assembly....

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Oh my look what arrived from Bruce Toth....... Stage 2 Porting and intake gasket matched....

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Ok lets restore a Chrysler Federal Power Steering Pump.... If you have done a Saginaw then these are a piece of cake it is tough to put these together wrong. Oh and this entire rebuild cost me about $16.00.

Running a tap down the threaded hole to make sure the pulley puller will thread in easily..

First the shaft seal. I wanted a new bushing as this was was just a little loose but I can't find a kit with one. Instead of taking this one out and praying I can find a generic one I will give it a go. If it leaks I will pull it apart again, they are easy.

13/16" socket is about right for a driver. Tap it in so it is flush.

Put a little PS oil on the lip so the shaft will slip in without cutting the seal later.

First in is the fibre washer. The manual says some don't have this fiber washer but when you rebuild it use the washer. Notice the indexing to the pin and the opening go toward the slots in the housing.

Now the Brass Plate, keep aligned with the fibre washer

The bottom of the pump plate next

Now the pump wall ring again with the pin alignment and the holes go toward the opening in the lower plate

Now twist the shaft in making sure not the cut the seal and set the 12 pins in place

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Add a little oil for lube

Install the new o-ring in the upper pump plate and make sure you align the pin to the cutout in the plate! It can be reassembled with this not aligned!

Add the spring and install the new o-ring in the housing for the pressure cap to seal to.

Simple clamp will compress the plate so you can get the snap ring back on.

Install the valve with the spring

Install the new o-ring in the plug and press it in

Get the snap ring started (warning that snap ring can FLY to all parts of the garage so be careful) and use a socket to pop it down until it seats in its groove.

Put a little grease on the square ring to hold it in and install. Install the o-ring on the casting to seal against the tank

The tank should go on by hand, make sure you get the hole in the back aligned with the above square o-ring and she is ready for cleaning and painting!

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Decided to take a quick look at the next item in line, the original AC compressor. Pulled the heads and oil pan

The reed valve look like NEW

The cylinders still have the honing cross hatch!

Oil sump has gunk in it but the oil nice a clean.

This AC compressor has not seen a lot of duty. I will order a gasket kit and R134a compatible front seal and she will be better than new!

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Kaelyn spent the evening disassembling the starter and alternator while I finishing stripping the paint off the AC compressor. The starter was in rough shape as the brush plate was crumbling but the armature looked nice in both units. Plan to rebuild both of them. Everything is pulled down and ready for bead blasting and then waiting for the kits to arrive.

The FirmFeel gear will ship Friday so we should be able to start assembling the K-Frame next weekend.....

 

[Jim Kueneman]

What can you say about this other than wow. I get a text today from Bob at GlenRay Radiator saying that he scored a correct radiator shroud for the radiator I have not actually bought from him yet in Carlisle.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Matt, Dennis and Firmfeel shipped the Stage II gear today! K-Frame assembly next weekend!

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Rebuilding Brake Caliper Night!

Polish the piston with 1000 Grit. If they are nicked or scratched find new ones.

Clean out the groove where the accordion boot fit in

I use wire brushed on my die grinder to clean up the bores. Note the o-ring goes in the groove here so the pitting makes no difference, the piston is what matters.

180 Grit cleans it up more and clean out the ring groove

Ready to put her together

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Lube up the seal with brake fluid

Then install it in the groove, coat the metal with some fluid so it won't rust

The boot has a lip that fits in the first groove

The easiest way is to put the boot over the piston and set it in the groove then expand the accordion

Next slide it down so the lip that fits in the caliper groove clears the end of the piston and start the rear first

This is an art but if you twist and guide it in the lip will seat in the caliper. Make sure the lip on the piston is not folded in and under. Here you can see it is unfolded and on the piston

Simply wiggling and rocking should get it in past the main o-ring.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

To set it home just lay something across it and press down with two hand on both ends. The piston should go all the way in and the boot lip will fall in the groove.

Done!

New hoses and bead blasted the banjo bolt..... bring on the next assembly!

Ordered the AC compressor parts, Starter rebuild kit and Alternator kit yesterday. Those assemblies will be coming up soon.

 

[billccm]

Caliper kit made in the USA!
Where did you find that?

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Caliper kit made in the USA!
Where did you find that?

eBay!

 

[sireland67]

Post a pic of the light in your blast cabinet.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Post a pic of the light in your blast cabinet.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Daughter is camping out at her best friends all weekend for her birthday. I have my orders what NOT to work on so I spent some time today converting the '72 to a '73 AC box that I pulled out of the Dart...

First I wanted to see how different they were.... Made a mask of the Dart firewall...

Then stuck it on the Duster. Big difference between '72 and '73.. After spending some time thinking about the best (easiest) way of doing this I just dug in and bit the bullet...

Lets just take it ALL

Lay it up on the Duster and mark the outline.

Then I cut WAY inside the marked line.

Spent a lot of time getting it fitting nicely on the top edge by the wiper motor.

One I got it laying flat I pressed it to the old metal and sprayed some primer on it to mark where I needed to cut the firewall to match the patch.

Now just cut out to the paint line.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Got it tacked in and did some final grinding to fit it in. I set the DAMN GRIDER DOWN AND THE STONE CUT THROUGH MY NEW EXPENSIVE AIR HOSE!!!!!!!!!!

Got a few welds run but decided to call it a day. Should have it welded and ground down tomorrow.

Slow transformation from a 1972 to a 1973 A-Body!

 

[mopowers]

Wow, that's a ton of work. Good for you- keep it up!

 

[Jim Kueneman]

My daughter was set on a Duster and she fell in love with the roller we bought.... Not much I could say about it, suck it up and help her restore it

 

[Princess Valiant]

My daughter was set on a Duster and she fell in love with the roller we bought.... Not much I could say about it, suck it up and help her restore it

I can understand completely, dusters are my favorite cars. I particularly like the 73-6 style of duster but they are all great. I was on the hunt for a 74 duster when I got a tip about one for sale. When I got there, i saw a sport roof in the brush but it turned out to be my 72 demon.

Never found a 74 duster but the demon has the same basic shape, so I love them all.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

I can understand completely, dusters are my favorite cars. I particularly like the 73-6 style of duster but they are all great. I was on the hunt for a 74 duster when I got a tip about one for sale. When I got there, i saw a sport roof in the brush but it turned out to be my 72 demon.

Never found a 74 duster but the demon has the same basic shape, so I love them all.

Something about the square tail light screams "'70's" to me so I am more partial to the Pre '73... I like the slotted taillight look. Kaelyn is the same she likes the early taillights.