My front wheels are 17x8’s with 245/45/17 tires.
72 Duster build - Pro touring slant six
- Thread starter Red Stripe
- Start date
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DionR
Well-Known Member
Red Stripe, what 8 3/4" axle did you end up running? A-Body? B-Body? Year?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Moparone
Well-Known Member
Do you know what backspace your front wheels are
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Standard A body rear end (67-73?) housing from Dr. Diff.
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Yep, just had to drill to holes on the bumper support bracket and it bolted right up.
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Not too much has been done to the car lately, just been driving it and working out all the bugs and rattles. Still need to install the subframe connectors and clean up some other odds and ends but so far its been cruisin nicely. Also need to think about adding a heater. When I removed the stock one I thought I would never need it but now that it's a bit colder I'm wishing it was there. Probably will go with an aftermarket unit so I can add a/c down the road.
Here's a few photos I have taken over the last couple months with it.
Here's a few photos I have taken over the last couple months with it.
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Beautiful car!
Not sure how I missed this build thread, you've done some great work!
As for the ride height discussion, I don't think 24.5" is realistically achievable with the factory suspension geometry. . I run my Duster at around the 24 7/8" mark to the fender opening in the front. I also run QA1 LCA's, the early style that didn't have the bump stops built in. That adds almost a full inch of suspension travel the factory arms don't have. I run a little 3/8" bump stop for the lower, and a taller 2.5" bumpstop on top (to re-center the travel around the new ride height). Even with that set up and 1.12" bars with Hotchkis fox shocks I will occasionally bottom the suspension out on the street. It's infrequent, so it's not like the car needs to be raised but I know that it's as low as it should be with the 1.12" bars because I'm using all of the available travel.
The other issue that comes up is just running out of room other places. On my car I have 13" from the center of the spindle to the lowest part of the inner fender well at full suspension compression. Now, that's a smaller number because of the QA1 LCA's, but, it means that a 26" tall front tire would be touching the lowest part of the inner fender at full compression. 72BBSwinger had to address this on his car. With mine I'm leaving the inner fender wells alone, I just won't run anything taller than 26" for tires up front and I'm already running the smallest bump stop I should be anyway.
Have you upgraded the torsion bars yet? Honestly, at your current height you may already be sitting on the factory lower bump stops if you haven't swapped them out already.
Not sure how I missed this build thread, you've done some great work!
As for the ride height discussion, I don't think 24.5" is realistically achievable with the factory suspension geometry. . I run my Duster at around the 24 7/8" mark to the fender opening in the front. I also run QA1 LCA's, the early style that didn't have the bump stops built in. That adds almost a full inch of suspension travel the factory arms don't have. I run a little 3/8" bump stop for the lower, and a taller 2.5" bumpstop on top (to re-center the travel around the new ride height). Even with that set up and 1.12" bars with Hotchkis fox shocks I will occasionally bottom the suspension out on the street. It's infrequent, so it's not like the car needs to be raised but I know that it's as low as it should be with the 1.12" bars because I'm using all of the available travel.
The other issue that comes up is just running out of room other places. On my car I have 13" from the center of the spindle to the lowest part of the inner fender well at full suspension compression. Now, that's a smaller number because of the QA1 LCA's, but, it means that a 26" tall front tire would be touching the lowest part of the inner fender at full compression. 72BBSwinger had to address this on his car. With mine I'm leaving the inner fender wells alone, I just won't run anything taller than 26" for tires up front and I'm already running the smallest bump stop I should be anyway.
Have you upgraded the torsion bars yet? Honestly, at your current height you may already be sitting on the factory lower bump stops if you haven't swapped them out already.
5.72”
Moparone
Well-Known Member
Thanks
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Thanks! It has been a fun build.
Yeah I think I'm about as low as I can go on the front. I've hit some pretty good sized bumps and have not had any issues so I'm going to leave it be. Definitely don't want to modify the inner fender just to lower it another inch. But it would look good a tad lower in the front.
Torsion bars are currently a set .94's from firm feel. I had a set of 1.08" from Bergman Auto Craft but just couldn't get it to sit right. No matter if the arms were all the way up, down, or at ride height during the install it ended up with the car about 2" higher than now. So I went with the .94's to get rid of the slant bars and they have been feeling pretty good. I did add the shorter bump stops and has decent clearance at this height.
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Been a while since I posted but the car is working real good these days. Just been putting on some miles and cruising it.
Finally got around to adding in the subframe connectors and will eventually do the fender and core support braces to strengthen it up. Also finally got a performance alignment done. Ended up with +5.75 caster and had to go with -1.5 degrees on camber. Anything less on the camber and it would rub slightly on real hard cornering. But the tires will probably age out so not too worried about the extra wear. All I care is that it drives smooth now. Here's a couple photos from the last few months.
Finally got around to adding in the subframe connectors and will eventually do the fender and core support braces to strengthen it up. Also finally got a performance alignment done. Ended up with +5.75 caster and had to go with -1.5 degrees on camber. Anything less on the camber and it would rub slightly on real hard cornering. But the tires will probably age out so not too worried about the extra wear. All I care is that it drives smooth now. Here's a couple photos from the last few months.
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Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Another project I did was another cleanup on the paint. I left some sanding marks from when I painted it so figured it was time to properly clean it up and give it a proper polish. Once it was nice and shiny I did a ceramic coating to keep it protected. But after doing it I actually prefer a good sealant and wax. The wax just has a better feel to me over the special coatings. But it is nice and shiny with the coating, just hopes it lasts as long as they say.
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
And here's a couple photos after the paint correction.
Next on the list is I need to paint the underside of the hood. That is the one spot that bugs me now that the rest of the paint is looking good. So I'm hoping to tackle that in the next couple weeks.
Next on the list is I need to paint the underside of the hood. That is the one spot that bugs me now that the rest of the paint is looking good. So I'm hoping to tackle that in the next couple weeks.
Moparone
Well-Known Member
Car looks great
Very similar alignment specs that I run. I haven't noticed any odd tire wear. But, autocross wears my tires quicker than street driving does.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
I don't know how I missed this thread before now, but your car is awesome! You've done an excellent job on it. I spy a Vintage Air box in one of the pics. Is that for the Duster? I need to add modern heat/ac to my 70 Duster and also my 65 Barracuda, so I'm curious as to what you found that fits. Keep up the good work!
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys!
Yeah I'm not too worried about the wear with these specs. I'm hoping too to get out on the autocross course. It won't be fast but should have plenty of grip!
Thanks! Good eye but its just a replacement condenser for another car that got damaged. But I am kicking myself for not even test fitting it in the Duster when I installed it. But I am looking into a kit from Restomod air. One of the boxes they sell looks to route the hoses in a cleaner way than vintage air does so I'm thinking it will be a better fit. I also like the controls they offer as well. Hopefully I'll get to it at one point this summer.
Yeah I'm not too worried about the wear with these specs. I'm hoping too to get out on the autocross course. It won't be fast but should have plenty of grip!
I don't know how I missed this thread before now, but your car is awesome! You've done an excellent job on it. I spy a Vintage Air box in one of the pics. Is that for the Duster? I need to add modern heat/ac to my 70 Duster and also my 65 Barracuda, so I'm curious as to what you found that fits. Keep up the good work!
Thanks! Good eye but its just a replacement condenser for another car that got damaged. But I am kicking myself for not even test fitting it in the Duster when I installed it. But I am looking into a kit from Restomod air. One of the boxes they sell looks to route the hoses in a cleaner way than vintage air does so I'm thinking it will be a better fit. I also like the controls they offer as well. Hopefully I'll get to it at one point this summer.
Red Stripe
Well-Known Member
Got around to pulling the hood the other weekend and stripped the old paint off and gave it a new coat. Always had some rattles so I figured there was some junk in the gaps but turned out to have about 50 acorns stuffed inside. Damn pests! So it was a good thing to pull it. Also added in some heat/vibration material to quiet things down and installed some mesh screens on the hood scoops while the paint was drying.
I want to keep the chrome valve cover but without any baffles the oil spilling out at higher RPMs is bugging me. So installed an oil breather/catch can to see if it helps. If not the stock valve cover is going back on. I do need to replace the valve seals so this is just a band aid solution for now.
I want to keep the chrome valve cover but without any baffles the oil spilling out at higher RPMs is bugging me. So installed an oil breather/catch can to see if it helps. If not the stock valve cover is going back on. I do need to replace the valve seals so this is just a band aid solution for now.
I put a catch can on mine this year also. It's amazing to see how much oil would actually go right down the intake manifold prior to having it! I'm running a sealed can instead of having it vented to the atmosphere. If I vent to atmosphere, my engine tends to have some oil leaks. Having the crankcase vent connected to the intake prevents those leaks. I'm sure some oil is still making it down the intake, but the can does catch most of it. Autocrossing fills it the quickest, likely because of the constant high RPM pulls. Under normal conditions, it doesn't get much in it.
If you are still having some leaks, maybe try a sealed can.
I think it's amazing you've left it a slant 6 car and are happy with it. Didn't you say elsewhere in the thread you plan to do a V8 swap? Either way, it's a nice car and you've done a great job on it. I'd have to leave it slant 6 powered just to be different. lol
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