72 Duster 392/ 8hp70 Build

[DusterMike72]

been a little busy. got the drivers side frame rail connector mostly welded in (need to raise the car to get on the inside), got some of the floor panels welded in but ran out of gas. think im gonna see if theyll let me trade up bottle size. only got a 60 tank. mostly been ordering and picking up parts. got my maxxecu, tti headers, steering wheel, tanks fuel tank with fuel pump, float assemblies and new straps. picked up a few parts lately. guy had a door i needed so picked that up but then he started giving me a bunch of other random stuff. gave me a complete front window trim, dash with a ok pad, and some black sun visors. real nice guy. local mopar show i was able to find a hood for $40 which made me super happy since mines all warped and crunched. ordered up a power tune digital 10" dash, hdk torsion bar eliminator kit. think thats all that hasnt shown up yet. i dunno. kinda wishing i went with repop floors but too late now. also removed the gas tank from the car. looked fairly new.

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[Ozyduster]

Nice one! I am going to notch my tank down like yours so can run a corvette style pump as they dont need any surge protection etc as basically the pump sits in a bucket. How much hp you looking for

 

[DusterMike72]

Nice one! I am going to notch my tank down like yours so can run a corvette style pump as they dont need any surge protection etc as basically the pump sits in a bucket. How much hp you looking for

for the moment its just gonna be the stock 6.4l so whatever power thatll make. maybe throw more power at it later if i get bored.
my last build made 640rwhp 580rwtq and was fun.

 

[DusterMike72]

this was my last build. 90 camaro. started as a 2.8l auto car, ended up a turbo 5.3l t56, 12 bolt, vintage air, custom hood, custom lots o parts.

 

[DusterMike72]

this stuff showed up today..

 

[Ozyduster]

Nice bit of kit, wish i could go tubular would solve half my fitment issues but my engineer will not pass items with no certificates. You guys get it easy

 

[64mopar64]

Nice stuff, fits well and assembles easily.

 

[85glht]

Car **** at its finest!!!

 

[DusterMike72]

i really wish i coulda done a complete tubular front end and all that jazz but couldnt budget it at the moment. maybe i can swap that in later or something.

side note was trying to pull passenger side suspension off and the bolt that holds the lower control arm was just spinning. looked at a video and it looks like its not supposed to do that. now i gotta figure out how to get that off.

 

[Ozyduster]

Are you talking where it bolts to k frame as in the pivot pin? The bush may be cooked and spinning the whole pin when undoing? I was lucky my duster a california car everything was so dry not one seized bolt

 

[DusterMike72]

this bolt is just spinning. my car is also a cali car but all the bushings are so dried out and just falling apart.

 

[JDMopar]

Just take the torsion bar out, and the strut rod loose at the k frame, then just pull the control arm off the pin. Then put some vice grips on the crusty side that was in the control arm to hold it. Then you should be able to get the nut off. It's spinning because the bushing is junk.

 

[DusterMike72]

ah ok. already got the torsion bars out so i guess ill try that tomorrow. thanx.

 

[DusterMike72]

well got a bit of work done this weekend. finally finished up welding the drivers side floors. debating on doing the passenger side to match (doesnt need them but i have the panels), removed the front suspension, pulled motor, removed k member to take to work and modify, cut and welded in the relief for the alternator. taking the motor mounts to work to modify so the motor will come forward another like 1/2 inch. pulled the front bumper and hood latch stuff off. finally got my digital dash in from australia. so gotta figure out how to mount it. i kinda wanna fill in the oem hole opening and make my own recessed piece for the cluster.

 

[85glht]

SRT4 in the background...

 

[DusterMike72]

SRT4 in the background...

my brothers. got a it from a good buddy that passed away. was sitting for years.

 

[85glht]

my brothers. got a it from a good buddy that passed away. was sitting for years.

I've always liked those cars.

 

[DusterMike72]

I've always liked those cars.

yeah my bro loves it. i used to have one a long time ago but mine was pretty beat. insurance is usually so dang high on those things though.

 

[DusterMike72]

man i gotta slow down. took the k member to work. not sure but man if those are factory booger welds that guy globbed them on. cleaned it off pretty good and painted it with truck bedliner stuff. added a 1/2 spacer to the passenger side motor mount cause it was too low and the oil pan was sitting on the k member. also drilled some new holes to move the motor forward a little so now my intake valve thing on the back of the intake manifold fits. mounted the trans to the motor (forgot the stupid starter plate thing so ill have to split them again). installed the oil pan brace thing. threw the motor/ trans into the car. i dont have a trans mount yet so the trans is just sitting on a jackstand. picked up a explorer 8.8 with lsd and 3:73 gears. looks like they just put new pads and rotors and stuff on it. (before you guys go crazy ive been lookin for a a body 8 3/4 but there aint any around me.) bolted up alternator now that i had room. ignore the no drain plug thing on the fender, theres one in there now.

 

[64mopar64]

Wish I had your energy. Do you ever sleep? 8 3/4 are difficult to find, expensive to buy, and very expensive to rehab. I found one with a gear ratio I liked but purchasing it and rebuilding it would cost more than a new 9" from Speedway so that's the way I'm heading. Nothing wrong with an 8.8.

 

[Ozyduster]

Hhaha yea my k frame welds were rat **** i couldn't believe how bad they were, i added a firm feel stiffening kit and seam welded the whole thing together as the spot welds are not great.
You want to get the motor forward otherwise u run into issues with the steering column hitting the back of the head. Thats why the Holley mounts bring motor forward so much. This can create other issues but easier to sort out in my opinion. Notice guys using different mounts have issues with the steering column.

 

[DionR]

You want to get the motor forward otherwise u run into issues with the steering column hitting the back of the head. Thats why the Holley mounts bring motor forward so much. This can create other issues but easier to sort out in my opinion.

I think the bigger advantages to moving the engine forward is to clear the IC manifold on the HC supercharger which also makes the SRV module on the 6.4 intake fit, to clear the oil filter mount and to make the low mount AC compressor work on the later VCT motors. I haven't set a column in my car, but I expect to still end up cutting the tube back, even with the 1.75" forward location the Holley mounts give. So I think it is more than making the steering column fit.

 

[DusterMike72]

Wish I had your energy. Do you ever sleep? 8 3/4 are difficult to find, expensive to buy, and very expensive to rehab. I found one with a gear ratio I liked but purchasing it and rebuilding it would cost more than a new 9" from Speedway so that's the way I'm heading. Nothing wrong with an 8.8.

yeah that was the boat i was in. i was actually looking at piecing together one of those speedway 9" too. prices werent too bad if you dont wanna spend a big chunk o change at once.

 

[DusterMike72]

Hhaha yea my k frame welds were rat **** i couldn't believe how bad they were, i added a firm feel stiffening kit and seam welded the whole thing together as the spot welds are not great.
You want to get the motor forward otherwise u run into issues with the steering column hitting the back of the head. Thats why the Holley mounts bring motor forward so much. This can create other issues but easier to sort out in my opinion. Notice guys using different mounts have issues with the steering column.

ok so not just my k member. lol. yeah i saw someone post about bringing the motor forward a bit so since i had it all out i decided to try it. happy soo far. well see when i gotta put it back together with the steering box and headers in there. i do plan on doing the prius electric power steering so i should have a smaller shaft going down to the box. if theres header issues im ok with denting them a little or modifying them.

 

[DusterMike72]

I think the bigger advantages to moving the engine forward is to clear the IC manifold on the HC supercharger which also makes the SRV module on the 6.4 intake fit, to clear the oil filter mount and to make the low mount AC compressor work on the later VCT motors. I haven't set a column in my car, but I expect to still end up cutting the tube back, even with the 1.75" forward location the Holley mounts give. So I think it is more than making the steering column fit.

yeah SRV module fits nicely now. im trying to decide which oil filter setup i wanna try to use. either between a 90 degree thing or a relocation kit. kinda leaning towards the relocation kit.