'71 Duster - 440 (340 clone)

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fleckster

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Just north of Indy
Hello! :hello2:

I've checked over the Forum several times but never took the time to sign up until now. I'm hoping this will help push me to get my Duster back on the road after being down for many years. It was a father/son/brother project when I was in college so Dad did the funding originally. It kept wasting thrust bearings and has been down since 2001 when the engine was pulled. I have a new engine setting in place along with a new torque converter (I believe this was more than likely the problem.) and just need the time to finish getting it put back together. It was originally a light blue with a white vinyl top 225 Slant Six/A904 car with power steering, manual brakes, and A/C. Body work was done by a friend. We did almost everything else.

I'm a huge Mopar fan with 11 total vehicles in the garage at the moment. Most of them are later model FWD turbo Mopars but I also have a '74 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham coupe and a '78 Dodge Magnum XE with the "P" code 400, tow package and all.

I'm a Resident Engineer at the Chrysler (okay FCA) Indiana Transmission Plant in Kokomo, IN where we build the RFE transmissions for the trucks and now also the 948TE 9 speed transaxles for the new Cherokee/200/Renegade, etc. Busy times but glad to be in that situation! Sure beats being laid-off or worse...closed down!

Looking forward to meeting and sharing and learning from everyone! :cheers:
 
Tony, things aren't looking good for showing on the 30th unless I drive the SRT-4. Everything else is broken or down...maybe I can talked the wife into bringing the family up though for the afternoon. It is free, they have free ice cream and hot dogs and drinks for the kids.

Here's before picture of my Duster:
Duster_Before.jpg


Fresh out of the salvage yard for $250 back in 1992. We tried for about an hour to get the Slant Six to start but all we managed to do was catch the air cleaner on fire. It had a bad diaphragm leak in the fuel pump and was pumping fuel into the oil pan.

I don't have any good pictures of the Magnum but here's one I found:




78_Magnum1.jpg



It was supposed to me a package deal to get a '74 Challenger my buddy found. He wanted the Challenger but didn't want the Magnum so he asked me if I would be interested. I always liked them from the time my Aunt and Uncle had one when I was younger. The price was right! ($100 :thumbrig:) After I agreed to take it was when I investigated and found out not only was it a 400/727 cat, it was the "P" code 400 (HiPo) with the tow package (w/ 9.25 3.21 Sure Grip), power windows and locks, console w/ buckets, power trunk release, and factory tachometer. The Govier book lists it as one of 345 made. It's a shame that it is so rusty (only on the outer panels as the underneath was seriously undercoated and is in great shape) and that the engine had a bad bearing knock. I started to pull it then got distracted...I've owned it for a long time but never get time to get to it. It's in storage in a pole barn (cement floors) at a friend's place.

Here's a picture of the New Yorker:
MVC-719F.JPG

It's another story of someone just wanting to get rid of it and I was there. He originally picked it up as a drivetrain donor to upgrade a '71 Satellite into a Road Runner clone but when the Chevy guy found out that Mopars don't convert as easy and cheesy as the GM cars do, he decided to forget it. He already had pulled the engine and transmission out though. The car only shows 86,000 miles. Other than the quarters, it seems to be in pretty good shape. The interior is nice. I got it for $350. It's pretty much the same story as the Magnum...no time, and it's in storage at the same place.
 
Welcome, now I want to pick your brain on the 68 diesel trans
 
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