73 duster restro mod

[tom k]

Nice build, I'm using it as motivation to get back to working on my junk.

BTW, I used to know a guy from Northwest Ohio that had skills like yours, David.

 

[david98513]

Nice build, I'm using it as motivation to get back to working on my junk.

BTW, I used to know a guy from Northwest Ohio that had skills like yours, David.

tom!! how you doing man and welcome to fabo..after all those years of doing everybody's elses cars, I never took the time to build and finish one of mine own..now I figured I have the time to build me one..just wish I still had my shop I had in ohio..

you should start a thread on the cuda, that will be a bad *** ride when you get it done..

 

[tom k]

How are you doing, brother? You've always been too busy doing other peoples projects and working like a dog. It's good to see you focusing on something for YOU for a change. You didn't have to move across the country to do that, though!

I may start a thread once I get rolling on one or both of the Barracudas. I will go in a PT direction with at least one of them if not both.

Right now I'm focused on getting the hoist anchored and wired and trying to plumb air system in the shop, then I have to get one of the parts haulers put back together. There's never enough time or money!

 

[david98513]

got a little more done today..filled some of the old screw holes in the inner fenders and got the heater box out..gonna be replacing that with a vintage unit..the relief in the firewall where the box set is gonna be completely cut out and welded flush..also started getting the bumper ready to have the ends cut off..hopefully that will be my project for tomorrow..did a lot of measuring and figuring for the dash today..i decided im going to install the dash from the 2013 dodge dart..assembly will have to be cut down and made to fit, but should be a fairly easy task..for the instrument cluster, I will keep the dart cluster, but will be adding Dakota digital gauges to it.

if anyone needs a 73 a body dash assembly or heater box let me know..

 

[david98513]

spent the last couple days junkyarding it and finding parts..had some pretty good luck..found a complete 8.25 rearend from a 96 grand Cherokee, it has 3:73 gears and complete disc brake setup..also purchased the magnum serpentine setup from same jeep..found the mirrors im gonna use, they are from a 93 mazda Miata..gonna take a little modifying, but will look good on the duster..purchased the rack and pinion setup from a 91 Dakota..also got the roof section from a 2004 lexus, the sunroof will be a nice addition..got the fuel door and hardware from a 94 Mitsubishi eclipse, chose that door because of the solid metal support bracket...door handles will be off a Honda..

 

[jamesdart]

cool ride. looks pretty solid. I would have concentrated on the mechanical stuff, compounded and waxed the body and called it good for a few years. oh yeah, id skip those funky space aged door handles too.

 

[david98513]

cool ride. looks pretty solid. I would have concentrated on the mechanical stuff, compounded and waxed the body and called it good for a few years. oh yeah, id skip those funky space aged door handles too.

thanks james..the car is solid, but it was mechanically wore out when I got it..the /6 had so much blow by it would push the oil dipstick out of the tube..the factory wiring was so cobbled up that it took me a couple weeks just to get everything electrical working again..the trans was slipping so bad that it would barely move..the rear shackle was flipped and hitting the trunk floor..the 7.25 rearend sounded like a beehive it buzzed so bad..the factory paint was still there, except it was beyond the point of cleaning up..the front suspension was so bad the front tires leaned in about 3".


I had been wanting to redo a duster for years..i purchased the car sight unseen..i was in Kandahar Afghanistan when I found the car on craigslist..i was told it was good to go..even had new brakes..i was looking for a solid body to start a build with, that's the only thing the car had going for it..except the hole cut in floor for a floor shifter, which turned out to be a 2 1/2 foot hole in the tunnel..

I know the door handles aren't a popular choice with people, but once they are installed, I think they will flow nice with all the the other body mods that i'm doing..my ultimate goal is to have a modern day look to an old school body..exterior and interior..

 

[david98513]

got the fuel door cut and first trim today..hopefully fuel door will be on tomorrow:cheers:

 

[david98513]

got the fuel door test fitted today..also picked up a 72 v8 cross member also decided to go with the 5.9 magnum heads and fuel injection setup and since it will have 3:73 gears, I figured I might as well go with the overdrive transmission..

 

[waynej21]

I'm loving all your ideas man. Great work. im gonna follow your build for sure!

 

[tom k]

The gas door will be a huge improvement. The stock Duster gas cap always bothered me.

 

[david98513]

I'm loving all your ideas man. Great work. im gonna follow your build for sure!

thanks waynej21..its been fun working on this one and the mods are just getting started ;)

 

[david98513]

The gas door will be a huge improvement. The stock Duster gas cap always bothered me.

I agree tom k, the fuel door the factory used left a lot of room for improvement..

 

[david98513]

fuel door is installed..i think for the 20$ part and about an 1.5 hours of labor, it made a major change to the look of the car.. .next will be either door handles, mini tubs, the cowl vent or the 2014 charger tail lights....decisions decisions...:banghead:

 

[fez440]

very cool build you have. im liking all your ideas. i look forward to seeing you work on the roof

 

[david98513]

very cool build you have. im liking all your ideas. i look forward to seeing you work on the roof

thanks fez440..the roof will probably be one of the last body mods I do..i plan on shaving drip rails and installing the roof skin at the same time..

 

[david98513]

purchased the steel for the mini tubs today and got all the initial measurements for the tail lights

 

[fez440]

im really interested in how you are planing on doing the sunroof. are you grafting in a part of the sheet metal from the lexus or just making the glass fit? any specific reason why you picked the lexus sunroof? just curious as my car has a opening for a sunroof that i wanted to change some how as i dont like the aftermarket pop up ones. i like youcustom ideas! thanks for your time

 

[71dusterdan]

I am also waiting for this sunroof install!!! The sunroof in my drivers is always open! That is the one thing I dislike about my Duster! I need a sunroof!!!! I want to eventually 3 season daily drive the Duster, but the roof will always be a damper on my fun! Chop chop son, get to that roof, we are need of your guidance!! Lol

 

[david98513]

im really interested in how you are planing on doing the sunroof. are you grafting in a part of the sheet metal from the lexus or just making the glass fit? any specific reason why you picked the lexus sunroof? just curious as my car has a opening for a sunroof that i wanted to change some how as i dont like the aftermarket pop up ones. i like youcustom ideas! thanks for your time

to do the sunroof, I will be grafting the majority of the lexus roof skin onto the the duster roof..it seems like a lot of work, but realistically, it is only about a 4-5 hour job for the metal work, most of that being welding time..the reason I picked the lexus roof is the spacing of metal that surrounds the sunroof assembly, you have to have enough metal to trim the roof sections and still have enough workable edge to make a flawless seam..pretty much any two door cars sunroof would work..the 2 door models actually place the sunroof forward a little bit more to make room for the catch hardware that the glass assembly moves back into..even 4 doors car would work, you just have to measure the total length of catch hardware and make sure there is enough room to do a proper install..it was a toss up between a bmw roof or the lexus. the reason im using the lexus is because the overhead controls and dome light are the style im going for once I start on the interior..aftermarket sunroofs really do suck, they are only guaranteed to leak eventually..the good thing about using a donor car roof assembly, is if there ever is a problem with seals or parts, you can find the parts in yards or dealerships to fix it..with the aftermarket sunroofs, if problems occurs and you need parts, you are only fixing it with aftermarket parts and more problems will arise in the future..sorta a never ending circle..

ive done several sunroof conversions this way over the years, always on customers cars tho, and they are the an easy mod to make with low cost involved..to have a roof cut from most yards, you will spend between 100-200$..not a bad deal for a modern sunroof in an old car.. if you can do 100% of it yourself..

 

[david98513]

I am also waiting for this sunroof install!!! The sunroof in my drivers is always open! That is the one thing I dislike about my Duster! I need a sunroof!!!! I want to eventually 3 season daily drive the Duster, but the roof will always be a damper on my fun! Chop chop son, get to that roof, we are need of your guidance!! Lol

I agree..having a sunroof really lets you enjoy the car more..nothing like on a cold spring day opening the roof, cranking up the heat and just cruising..lol

im gonna be doing the roof soon, ill post lots of pics of the process..

 

[fez440]

to do the sunroof, I will be grafting the majority of the lexus roof skin onto the the duster roof..it seems like a lot of work, but realistically, it is only about a 4-5 hour job for the metal work, most of that being welding time..the reason I picked the lexus roof is the spacing of metal that surrounds the sunroof assembly, you have to have enough metal to trim the roof sections and still have enough workable edge to make a flawless seam..pretty much any two door cars sunroof would work..the 2 door models actually place the sunroof forward a little bit more to make room for the catch hardware that the glass assembly moves back into..even 4 doors car would work, you just have to measure the total length of catch hardware and make sure there is enough room to do a proper install..it was a toss up between a bmw roof or the lexus. the reason im using the lexus is because the overhead controls and dome light are the style im going for once I start on the interior..aftermarket sunroofs really do suck, they are only guaranteed to leak eventually..the good thing about using a donor car roof assembly, is if there ever is a problem with seals or parts, you can find the parts in yards or dealerships to fix it..with the aftermarket sunroofs, if problems occurs and you need parts, you are only fixing it with aftermarket parts and more problems will arise in the future..sorta a never ending circle..

ive done several sunroof conversions this way over the years, always on customers cars tho, and they are the an easy mod to make with low cost involved..to have a roof cut from most yards, you will spend between 100-200$..not a bad deal for a modern sunroof in an old car.. if you can do 100% of it yourself..

thanks for sharing this info... sure sounds like a cool mod. i never thought of doing it that way. i look forward to seeing you progress on it once you get there. this is something i am going to have to think about for the hole in my roof. seems like a good idea

also how would you go about shaping the new roof to the old roof? wont the curve be different? lol im so curious about this

 

[75slant6]

'14 Charger tail lights in a Duster?? THAT I wanna see!!!

 

[david98513]

thanks for sharing this info... sure sounds like a cool mod. i never thought of doing it that way. i look forward to seeing you progress on it once you get there. this is something i am going to have to think about for the hole in my roof. seems like a good idea

also how would you go about shaping the new roof to the old roof? wont the curve be different? lol im so curious about this

the section you cut would be the flat section in the middle of the roof line..thats why you leave enough metal along the edges of the sunroof to meet the original roof contour..once the sections are put together, the contour will be exact..on the duster, the roof starts curving up about 4" from the driprails..about same distance from the front windshield..the section you splice in will have a slight curve to match the duster roof..you can see the actual flat area by looking at the inside roof support rail and by looking from front of car across the roof..the flat area of roof support is where you cut out for sunroof catch hardware to mount..the section of roof support that is cut out, can be used to section into pieces and tie into the catch hardware..i know it sounds complicated, but the process is very simple..ive done these on several high dollar restorations and the results are perfect every time..the biggest thing is to measure many times and take your time making sure the sunroof is square in the roof..hope this helps, its kinda hard to explain the process thru typing..

 

[david98513]

'14 Charger tail lights in a Duster?? THAT I wanna see!!!

modifying the tail panel will be the hardest part of the swap..if you wanna see that, wait till you see the dash im using:thumbup: