73 Duster - I didn't take it apart....body assembly questions

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For the record - I'm a newish member here. My Knowledge of GM A-bodies is dang good. Chrysler? Not so much....

Helping a friend who bought a 73 Duster. One of the cleanest rust free projects I've ever seen, but it came in more pieces than a model kit & no directions. Interior gutted, side glass all out, tim all off, etc...I'm trying to assemble everything for the purpose of mock-up & to see exactly what we've got & what's missing. I've got questions, hope people who know more about these cars than me can help.

I'll start with the headlights. I found the buckets & adjusting screws but something didn't seem right. Discovered there should be some springs, which makes sense. But I don't know how they install, plus I'd like a picture of the entire assembly to make sure I've got it correct. If anyone has a picture that would be swell!

Second - I figured out the weatherstrip channel / rear 1/4 window install, but I'm unsure exactly how the 1/4 window seals along the bottom where it touches the 1/4. Is there supposed to be some trim or is it just the rubber of the window being pushed up against the metal?

Thanks!
 
Hi and welcome!

Go to mymopar.com and in the reference section you can download you cars factory service manual. If by chance your particular year is not there try one year forward or back. MANY of the a body from 67 thru 76 are so similar that a part from on can be put on another.

Reach out to local to you owners of same year cars and meet up with a camera. Photo EVERYTHING.

Classic industry's and year one have slot of parts. Many times you can go there find the part and see what he's goes with it.

Your head light buckets have two adjusters and one or two springs in 67 the springs have a screw on one end that screws to the front of the fender near where the adjusters attach. Don't know if 73 is the same but it's a start.
 
The best photo I could find of my Dart, may or may not be similar as I have never owned a duster.
There are two parts, the base bracket (shown in the photo) which bolts to the fender and holds the two adjustment screws and
one anchor point for the spring. The second part is the headlight bucket which is held to the headlight with a round trim ring and is then mounted on the slots in the two adjustment screws and secured by the spring on the opposite side.

Screen Shot 2019-11-16 at 8.12.02 PM.png
 
There is a spring on inner sides of light also a bolt go's inside of spring that screws to headlight base bracket with two square holes for your adjusters to go into
 
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Thanks for the pictures & advice. I downloaded some manuals from the mymopar site, really helpful.

I had it correct, I'm just missing the springs. I'm a little confused, do they just clip from the bucket back to the base plate, or are they screwed on?
 
Question 3: the drives side door uses a totally different window regulator than the passenger side. I already did the research & figured out that the drivers door must have been swapped for an earlier door. Other than the window mechanisms the doors look the same to me, but is there any thing I need to be concerned about? Any issues with putting 73 door panels on a pre-73 door?
 
Question 3: the drives side door uses a totally different window regulator than the passenger side. I already did the research & figured out that the drivers door must have been swapped for an earlier door. Other than the window mechanisms the doors look the same to me, but is there any thing I need to be concerned about? Any issues with putting 73 door panels on a pre-73 door?
 
Question 3: the drives side door uses a totally different window regulator than the passenger side. I already did the research & figured out that the drivers door must have been swapped for an earlier door. Other than the window mechanisms the doors look the same to me, but is there any thing I need to be concerned about? Any issues with putting 73 door panels on a pre-73 door?

Doors and window glass are going to be tough for you. ‘73 is a one off year, the window, hardware and regulator are one year only.

‘73 was the first year of the new design elements, the interior door handle and window crank moved and the door has plastic trim panel on the top. So the door panel is totally different than the 67-72 panels. The door panels interchange ‘73-76, but the internal mechanisms (regulator, hardware etc) were more like the earlier stuff. But different because of the handle location change. ‘74 got new internal mechanisms. The door panels from 67-72 won’t interchange with 73-76 doors. If both doors have plastic upper panels then they’ll use the same lower panels. If you have one with a metal upper panel, you may need to find a new door. Although even if they both have plastic tops, but different internal hardware you may want to find a match to one or the other. Like if you have a ‘73 and a ‘74 door. They’ll look the same from the outside, but use different mounting holes in the glass, different regulators, etc.
 
Thanks for the pictures & advice. I downloaded some manuals from the mymopar site, really helpful.

I had it correct, I'm just missing the springs. I'm a little confused, do they just clip from the bucket back to the base plate, or are they screwed on?
A couple of pictures for clarification - 74 Duster

DSCF0024.JPG


DSCF0044.JPG
 
For the record - I'm a newish member here. My Knowledge of GM A-bodies is dang good. Chrysler? Not so much....

Helping a friend who bought a 73 Duster. One of the cleanest rust free projects I've ever seen, but it came in more pieces than a model kit & no directions. Interior gutted, side glass all out, tim all off, etc...I'm trying to assemble everything for the purpose of mock-up & to see exactly what we've got & what's missing. I've got questions, hope people who know more about these cars than me can help.

I'll start with the headlights. I found the buckets & adjusting screws but something didn't seem right. Discovered there should be some springs, which makes sense. But I don't know how they install, plus I'd like a picture of the entire assembly to make sure I've got it correct. If anyone has a picture that would be swell!

Second - I figured out the weatherstrip channel / rear 1/4 window install, but I'm unsure exactly how the 1/4 window seals along the bottom where it touches the 1/4. Is there supposed to be some trim or is it just the rubber of the window being pushed up against the metal?

Thanks!

I went thru the exact same thing, never had to do it to any car . My 68 fastback was a basket case with not very many baskets ; and some of them were not the right parts , and was stripped by someone else . --------------------------------- Pics are worth a thousand words .
 
If you can do a body off GM the Duster should be a cake walk just look at it and think it through pretty simple
 
Thanks to all. The pictures from speedyD are a big help.

Regarding doors, at this point I don't have a single interior panel in my possession so I don't know what they are supposed to look like. Fortunately I have the side glass so we don't have to worry about tracking it down. Of course the regulators are way different, but the physical location of the interior door handles & window winder shafts appears to be the same. I already talked to the owner & he doesn't really care if the internals are different so long as the finished product looks the same. He's currently trying to buy another parts car with a really nice black interior to swap in, not sure but I think it's a 72?

I found the top track(?) pieces that bolt to the top if the door. They appear to hold the top of the interior door panel in place, as well as support the glass. The original for the 73 door has black fuzzy material glued to it where the window contacts, but the piece for the 72 does not. I assumed the fuzzies were missing from the 72 part but upon closer examination I don't see any remnants of glue or anything that shows fuzzies were ever there. What's correct? Other than the lack of the fuzzies the two parts are identical.

Yeah, I've done a few GM A-bodies. Currently own a 1970 GTO that is in the middle of a frame off. Also a 78 Trans Am that got a frame off. It's done, or at least as done as an old car can get...
 
Thanks to all. The pictures from speedyD are a big help.

Regarding doors, at this point I don't have a single interior panel in my possession so I don't know what they are supposed to look like. Fortunately I have the side glass so we don't have to worry about tracking it down. Of course the regulators are way different, but the physical location of the interior door handles & window winder shafts appears to be the same. I already talked to the owner & he doesn't really care if the internals are different so long as the finished product looks the same. He's currently trying to buy another parts car with a really nice black interior to swap in, not sure but I think it's a 72?

I found the top track(?) pieces that bolt to the top if the door. They appear to hold the top of the interior door panel in place, as well as support the glass. The original for the 73 door has black fuzzy material glued to it where the window contacts, but the piece for the 72 does not. I assumed the fuzzies were missing from the 72 part but upon closer examination I don't see any remnants of glue or anything that shows fuzzies were ever there. What's correct? Other than the lack of the fuzzies the two parts are identical.

Yeah, I've done a few GM A-bodies. Currently own a 1970 GTO that is in the middle of a frame off. Also a 78 Trans Am that got a frame off. It's done, or at least as done as an old car can get...

You don't need the door panels, the 70-72 and the 73-76 Duster doors are pretty different on the inner shell. So you can tell just by looking at the door shell which range they fit into. Hardware and regulators vary year to year even in those ranges, but the use the same door panels.

'70-72 doors look like this
1971-dodge-demon.jpeg

73-76 doors look like this
73-76door2.jpg


So you can see the interior door handles are in a totally different spot, the arm rests (and mounts below them) are different, and the door panel on the 73-76 doors goes all the way to the bottom of the door. On the '70-72 doors there are metal panels on the top and bottom of the door, so the panel isn't as tall

And the shells, this is a '70-72
IMG_2839.jpeg


This is a 73-76 (sorry, not my picture) You can see the door panel attachment holes are on the very exterior of the inner shell, the handle is in a different spot, the access holes are different, and there are not metal panels at the top and bottom.
73-76door1.jpg
 
Thanks to all. The pictures from speedyD are a big help.

Regarding doors, at this point I don't have a single interior panel in my possession so I don't know what they are supposed to look like. Fortunately I have the side glass so we don't have to worry about tracking it down. Of course the regulators are way different, but the physical location of the interior door handles & window winder shafts appears to be the same. I already talked to the owner & he doesn't really care if the internals are different so long as the finished product looks the same. He's currently trying to buy another parts car with a really nice black interior to swap in, not sure but I think it's a 72?

I found the top track(?) pieces that bolt to the top if the door. They appear to hold the top of the interior door panel in place, as well as support the glass. The original for the 73 door has black fuzzy material glued to it where the window contacts, but the piece for the 72 does not. I assumed the fuzzies were missing from the 72 part but upon closer examination I don't see any remnants of glue or anything that shows fuzzies were ever there. What's correct? Other than the lack of the fuzzies the two parts are identical.

Yeah, I've done a few GM A-bodies. Currently own a 1970 GTO that is in the middle of a frame off. Also a 78 Trans Am that got a frame off. It's done, or at least as done as an old car can get...
We could help you better if you put up some pics of what you are actually working with. You mentioned 72 parts. But it sounds like you have a 73 and a 74+.
 
The FSM is such a big help and makes it so much easier!!

I had a 68 charger years back, I had to take qtr glass out of a bone car and put it back in my car. I thought I never would get it done!!

Mr G's has all the different int and ext screws in kits.
 
And again, if you haven't already, download the factory service manual. Mymopar also has the '73 parts catalog available for free, even the accessories book. The picture of the headlight assembly from above is from the parts book.

Factory service manuals- there's a '73 Dodge manual available that will be basically the same as everything for a '73 Duster
-MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - Service Manuals

Parts and accessories books
-MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - Parts & Accessories Books

I mean, if that little picture of a diagram in a book helped, why not get the PDF so you can zoom in and actually see every individual part?

Screen Shot 2019-11-17 at 10.16.58 AM.png


Or look at the exploded view of the whole door? This is the biggest I can attach here, but you can blow it up full screen if you want if you download the parts catalog.
Screen Shot 2019-11-17 at 10.21.29 AM.png


Or download the '74 parts catalog so you can compare a '73 door to a '74 for hardware, regulators, etc? (and you can see here that the images are scaleable, this is from the same page as the full door picture above)

'74
Screen Shot 2019-11-17 at 10.28.11 AM.png

'73
Screen Shot 2019-11-17 at 10.27.40 AM.png
 
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I downloaded the FSM from the mymopar site. It's for a 73 Dodge, but I figure a 73 duster & 73 Dart would be similar enough. I'll grab the parts catalogues as well, thanks for the tip.

From the parts pictures above I've learned that the driver's side door is the 74 type, not a 72 or earlier like I thought. So I think this means it should work, even tho the internals are different. Handles/cranks are in the same spot.

I live in the boonies with pretty crappy internet service, so downloading pictures is a hit or miss thing. I'll download pictures from my office when I get back to work tomorrow.
 
Not to sound rude but these cars are about as simple as they get I use to help some friends that had a classic car restoration shop they would get cars in baskets crates whatever some being only a few examples made or even proto types with very little information available and restore them
 
Thanks for the pictures & advice. I downloaded some manuals from the mymopar site, really helpful.

I had it correct, I'm just missing the springs. I'm a little confused, do they just clip from the bucket back to the base plate, or are they screwed on?
Yea and the screw go's thru the center of spring and screws into base on fender
 
Not to sound rude but these cars are about as simple as they get I use to help some friends that had a classic car restoration shop they would get cars in baskets crates whatever some being only a few examples made or even proto types with very little information available and restore them
I hear ya, I am a brain surgeon, and retired rocket scientist, NOT a friggin Mopar resto expert!! lol
 
I downloaded the FSM from the mymopar site. It's for a 73 Dodge, but I figure a 73 duster & 73 Dart would be similar enough. I'll grab the parts catalogues as well, thanks for the tip.

From the parts pictures above I've learned that the driver's side door is the 74 type, not a 72 or earlier like I thought. So I think this means it should work, even tho the internals are different. Handles/cranks are in the same spot.

I live in the boonies with pretty crappy internet service, so downloading pictures is a hit or miss thing. I'll download pictures from my office when I get back to work tomorrow.

Any of the Duster/Demon/Dart Sport doors from '70-'76 will "work", meaning they'll all bolt into place, open, close, seal at the window etc. Having a '74 door with your '73 is nice because it will use the same interior panels as a '73, so they'll at least match each other when fully assembled. Internally though they're totally different- different glass, different regulators, different window hardware. Not a big deal if both doors are complete, but if they're not it means sourcing two different sets of glass and hardware. Most stuff is sold in pairs so it may be a bit of a headache.

Not to sound rude but these cars are about as simple as they get I use to help some friends that had a classic car restoration shop they would get cars in baskets crates whatever some being only a few examples made or even proto types with very little information available and restore them

So what I wanna know is why you didn't provide any useful information? Clearly you know everything there is to know, so the nice thing to do here would have been to answer one of the OP's questions. Or post something useful.
 
Thanks for the input, I appreciate all the insight. I don't get too worked up about the negative posts. I figure there are way more people who are helpful than not, so I'm willing to take 1 bad with a bunch of good.
 
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