73' 340/904 duster racestoration

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By looking at the plugs you removed, It appears that one side of the carburetor is running richer than the other. The way the plenums are split in the intake manifold, it feeds 2 cylinders on one side and 2 on the opposite side. Look at the pictures of the plugs, inner 2 and outer 2 are carbon fouled.
I haven't worked on edelbrock carbs, but when you get it going and it's idling, look down the carb and see if one side is dripping fuel.
This could explain the bad fuel mileage also.
Have you pulled the plugs again, after it wouldn't start, to see if it is flooded?
 
DartorDemon said:
Then you're gonna love what went back in...autolites!, yeah i went cheap on it. I've had good luck with autolites and i'll change to something better when i'm making the power to need it.

One thing is for sure, it held back my mpg's by a whole lot. i took it around town after i did the swap and it made a big difference as i didnt burn through 1/4 of tank from driving a few miles around town.

As for power, well i did the "scientific" test of nailing the gas from a dead stop. And it did a much larger one tire fire.

However, its still having a hard start up problem. I'll probably change the fuel filter next. If the previous owner neglected the simple spark plugs, i'm sure he has never changed the fuel filter.

After that i wanna try to copy this person's grill. I think it gives the duster a much meaner appearance:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/attachment.php?attachmentid=137584&stc=1&d=1269109969
Click to expand...
Hard start up probelm sounds like a timing issue....check the inside of your distributer also...might even check into some new spark plug wires....JAT that maybe your timing chain has slipped and jumped teeth...
 
Mopower71 said:
On a different subject, have you checked the ignition timing?
Click to expand...

I have not, i suppose i'll have to check that next.

So it started up this morning and started very easily. I drove it to my folks place, parked it for 3hrs or so and then it wouldnt start. The balast resistor looks fairly new, as is the dist cap/rotor and even the plug wires look pretty newish.

It wouldnt start, after checking under the dist cap and reseating it, the car started right up(first crank as well)
 
Update, hopefully pics coming tomorrow. I now have an 8.25 w/ 3.23s for my car. Although i bought it with drums, i am gonna try to go out to the junkyard tomorrow and find a jeep grand cherokee with an 8.25 to do a disc brake conversion.
 
New pictures and a new problem that is gonna need to be fixed, but can wait for now.

My "new" 8.25. Thanks ESP47 for contacting me to get this axle. I was literally a day away from picking up a ford 8.8 and having a shop hack it together for $$$
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The new problem i found, i'm thinking the car may have been in an accident. These booger welds don't look oem to me. However, it closes fine so it can wait until i get the rest of the car up to speed.
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New & better pics of the car:
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the striker on my Dart is in bad shape as well. Instead of welding it the former owners decided that about 8 sheet metal screws would care of it. I'll end up cutting it out and replacing the metal and re-installing it.
 
No problem man, glad I helped you avoid that Ford piece lol. I'm hoping I can get the Valiant out of here by next weekend. If you want to pick those brackets up this week, bring your tools and you can cut that inner door piece out and take it for free. I just don't have any real cutting tools at my place.
 
Small news, fixed my hard start issue. My coil was going out. Replaced it and now the car starts right up.

Also, met up with ESP47 and got my 8.25 shock mount brackets/ubolt and cut out a striker from the valiant he is taking apart.(thank you btw)

Hopefully my next post will be about getting the 8.25 into my car.
 
Been awhile since i updated my thread.

8.25 w/ 3.55s and trac lok is in the car. It was a simple swap other then doing drum brakes for the first time.

Also got new times. It did a best of 15.8 with just the gear change. Then added a new 3/8" fuel sender unit hoping to fix my fuel gauge issue. Unfortunately, it did not clear the problem.

new pics:
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This one below is from sacramento's mopar madness event
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Newest part arrival is a set of Hedman 78050 headers. They may hang low on one side, but as far as i know, they're the only inexpensive headers that work with power steering.

After that is gonna come new wheels. Either 16x8(maybe 17) cragars or 16x8(maybe 17) vintage wheel works V45's. Then maybe with some wide tires i can get the thing to corner.
 
Just cruisin around and saw your post. By the sounds of things you're on the right track. Sounds as though the 360 has ample power if it's spinning the wheels in first gear as you first stated. The rear swap will help as you have noted but the body is still going to retain some un needed flex do to torque. Frame connectors will pleasantly suprise you if you should get an opportunity to put a set in.
Small Block
 
I'll probably do that down the road. For now i need to get the simple stuff to make the car more sporty. Such as adding wheels and that short ratio pitman arm for handling and finding a way to bump up the power without breaking the bank. Those are the big things driving me nuts.
 
Adding 17 inch wheels is gonna drop your gear ratio again.Just food for thought.Nice car for the money.


Your best bet,is to have spare rims with slicks for days at the track.Good luck.
 
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