1973 Duster with make over

[kaharshs]

Hey,

Thought I would start posting my pictures of the duster im doing right now. Might help me make progress if I get people looking at it. I bought a /6 73 that turned out to be full of bondo, brazing and rust. So far bought a 71 dart front end for it, 8.8 ford i narrowed, new quarters, and tail light panel. I had some 2x3 .120 frame rails bent up and have a triangulated 4 link i'm making for it and also gonna make wheels tubs and new trunk floor for it. I plan on running air struts in the rear with 18 or 20's and not sure about the front suspension yet. I did rebuild the stock stuff and box it all though. I do sheet metal work so most of it will be made at work or in my garage. The first two pics are my last duster build in 2003 and my suburban/blazer in 2009.

 

[blue missile]

Welcome, get posting!
Andrew

 

[kaharshs]

when I first got it and the epic bondod dent i found. Looks light car got hit in right rear and they brazer on the the back left portion of another car.

 

[dusterbd13]

oh my.

and i thought that ive boyght cars with issues. ive got nuthin on that.

michael

 

[kaharshs]

more

 

[kaharshs]

Ok got my 8.8 rear axle tube welded back up and put together so i can set up the new frame rails and 4 link. I'm gonna start building the cross member for the rear frame rails. I'm gonna install it just forward of the forward leaf spring hangers. Both of the hanger locations are square so it will let me align this rear crossmember with the body. I will then tie in some 2x3 subframe connectors to the front . After that the frame rails will be welded onto the rear frame i am installing. Then at work i might make some wheel tubs if i don't find a good deal on some.

 

[76orangewagon]

Glad your in California....I'd hate to show up at a local car show and not be the only one with GM door handles ..:thumblef: Nice job, watching with interest...are those Demon Fenders?

 

[kaharshs]

Yah Im rethinking those door handles. I did one side and it just doesn't look right. So I need to find a new door skin or a different door. I got the front end of a 71 dart because I wanted to make a demon clone.

 

[alex_borges_br]

good work! post more photos of rear axle reducing please

 

[kaharshs]

I dont have to much more info on shortening my axle housing. It was first one and was pretty simple and straight forward. I bought a 60" piece of 1.5" gtp steel round stock ( ground/turned/polished). I then had a local machine shop turned me down steel pucks that fit in the bearing race and had a inside diameter slightly larger than the bars diameter. I'm not a machinists but have a smithy lathe combo at my works sheet metal shop. The machine shop did a crappy job of making them so I had to make a few minor adjustments on the lathe at work. I cut right around 3" off the drivers side axle tube so another passenger side axle shaft would work in there. I had to use a ibeam and a jack to straighten the axle housing . Both tubes were over 1/4" off so I had to heat them and use the jack to get it close. Then once cooled I just used the jack to move them slightly. I then put the alignment bar in and tacked on the housing ends. I slid the bar out and used my tig welder and did a standard, root, filler, cover and then ground the welds smooth. After cooling the bar barely didn't go back in so I tweaked the housing again with the jack and ibeam. Got the bar to slide in smoothly. I now see you don't need a bar this long because you only do one side at a time.

 

[76orangewagon]

Yah Im rethinking those door handles. I did one side and it just doesn't look right. So I need to find a new door skin or a different door. I got the front end of a 71 dart because I wanted to make a demon clone.

I don't know I think they look pretty damn cool on a duster.....

 

[kaharshs]

Funny mine are silver too. I'm back and forth with the way they look.

 

[76orangewagon]

Funny mine are silver too. I'm back and forth with the way they look.

I've seen square like a 70's E body used a time or two but they dont seem to fit the body style of a Duster all that well but they look perfect on a Dart, just my two cents. I'm sure whatever direction you go it will look good:thumblef: the rest of the car is going in the right direction

 

[kaharshs]

Well got my rear subframe and frame rails welded together. I am gonna install the sub frame connectors and tie the rails into the rockers in one more spot. Also have to install the drive line loop.

 

[kaharshs]

I got some work done. Got the subframe connectors pretty much finished up. I just gotta finish welding them to the floor pan. Got some more of the trunk floor cut out to where im going to replace it and most of the wheel tubs cut out. Next up is to get the rocker panels tied into the new frame portion in one more spot for each side. Then I need to get the some rims and set the ride height before setting up the 4 link. I think im gonna run a 245/40r18 in the front and maby a 335 or 345 40r18.

 

[7072duster]

Where did ya get those frame rails at and how much did they cost? Ive got a 70 duster that is rusted in the rear and the only way to save the car is to do what your doing. I'm trying to find a not so rusted roller to transplant all my goods to. I still plate, insure and drive occasionally but its bad!!!

 

[kaharshs]

I got them from Autoweldchassis http://autoweldchassis.com/spec.ivnu
They were $238 plus shipping. They were ever so slightly different than my stock floor, but if someone was to only be replacing the rails they would work with minor cutting near the shocking mounting area. Yah trust me you go to replace one thing and you find 10 bad. I have always found it easire to make new than try and repair the bad.

 

[7072duster]

True that!! Thanks for that info i will check them out..

 

[kaharshs]

Well its finally cooling down in hell aka california. So im getting some work done. I made up a 8 piece notch for the rear crossmember. I will also have enough room to run the exhaust on each side of the driveshaft. Hopefully this week end i will get the notch welded in. I need to make my car a roller again.

 

[SRT_DSTRHOLC]

Was there a specific reason why you had or wanted to make a new frame for the car? I know that the triangulated 4 link can be ran without back halfing, so i was wondering. Also where did you get your kit from?

 

[kaharshs]

I wasnt gonna do this much work, i bought a car that i thought i would just paint and put some rims on and drive. I had just finished a huge project where i welded the back of a blazer on my suburban to have a removable top. So I didnt really want a big project yet. But this car had 2-3 gallons of bondo on the rear quarters and taillight panel. The car had been rear ended and repaired horribly. It turned out it needed wheels tubs, both quarters, taillight panel, the frame rails were bent, both leaf spring were bent, rust between where they brazed panels on, needed new trunk floor, it was brazed in and bondo'd flat. So i said screw it and order some bent up 2x3 frame rails, decided i wanted to run what ever size tire in the future i wanted. I can run up to a 18" tire. Also wanted it to handled good and for the future do airride. I do sheet metal work for a living so the floor and wheel tubs are easy money. So i guess i dont know why I did it other than the urge i always get to go all out on stuff instead of going stock. I think you mean where did i get the 4 link kit? I bought a universal triangluated 4 link kit from thorbeck brothers.

 

[SRT_DSTRHOLC]

I wasnt gonna do this much work, i bought a car that i thought i would just paint and put some rims on and drive. I had just finished a huge project where i welded the back of a blazer on my suburban to have a removable top. So I didnt really want a big project yet. But this car had 2-3 gallons of bondo on the rear quarters and taillight panel. The car had been rear ended and repaired horribly. It turned out it needed wheels tubs, both quarters, taillight panel, the frame rails were bent, both leaf spring were bent, rust between where they brazed panels on, needed new trunk floor, it was brazed in and bondo'd flat. So i said screw it and order some bent up 2x3 frame rails, decided i wanted to run what ever size tire in the future i wanted. I can run up to a 18" tire. Also wanted it to handled good and for the future do airride. I do sheet metal work for a living so the floor and wheel tubs are easy money. So i guess i dont know why I did it other than the urge i always get to go all out on stuff instead of going stock. I think you mean where did i get the 4 link kit? I bought a universal triangluated 4 link kit from thorbeck brothers.

The awesome thing is you are in Norcal. My Car is in San Jose, but in Vallejo to be painted. Maybe if you have spare time you can help me with my Triangular 4 link and Mini Tub? Also that 4 link is the same "universal" kit I will buying from them, but I will be using spring boxes up front, as you would if you moved the springs in, so that I don't have to back half the car.

 

[kaharshs]

Got the upper links tacked in today. I had to make them alot longer than i wanted, but it moves up and down. Now i just have to see wether its really gonna work or not. I will order up some coilovers today, now just a big decision of what kind and which rates. Also might get a sway bar kit.

 

[HemiDenny]

I used those same frame rails for my build....worked great.

of course you know that the pinion is NOT centered......

 

[kaharshs]

I centered the axle by the end flanges not by the pinion. The pinion is offset about 1.5" to the right. I don't think it will affect much but will find out on the first drive. I like the frame rails, they are good quality.