73' Duster Roof skin

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gunters96lt1

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Guys, I have a 73 Duster that is solid everywhere except the roof skin. Car was built with a vinyl top that someone removed. I have searched with no luck and cant find a replacement roof skin anywhere.

What are my options? What other years with work? I have a 72 duster that is in bad shape but the roof skin is about the only good thing on the car, will 70-72 skins work?
 
You're in luck.
All roof skins off '70 to '76 Dusters, Dart Sports, and Demons are the same except for factory sunroof ones of course......
 
Having done a few roof replacements in the past, I'd strongly suggest using panel adhesive instead of trying to weld the new skin into place.
 
I would research on the all years fits all, I had the same issue and found out that from 73 to 76 dusters the rear glass isn't the same as the earlier years because mopar made changes to the tops. 70 -72 and 73-76 have different rear window opening. It would depend on exactly where your cut would need to be made for your repair.
If you remove the complete roof or roof panel you will have issues to deal with.
 
Dartnut said:
You're in luck.
All roof skins off '70 to '76 Dusters, Dart Sports, and Demons are the same except for factory sunroof ones of course......
Click to expand...

Yup. Any Duster, and Dart Sport, and any Demon should work for a roof skin donor as long as it isn't a sun roof car. Even if it is a factory sun roof car, the only trick would be getting the sun roof parts.

BobK said:
Having done a few roof replacements in the past, I'd strongly suggest using panel adhesive instead of trying to weld the new skin into place.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't. You don't have enough overlap for the bonding to work with most panel adhesives. The skins were meant to be spot welded on, and the design doesn't lend itself well to adhesives. Not saying it can't work, but it's not how I would do it. The spot welds are tedious, I agree, there's usually just under 200 of them. It's not fun, but it gives the intended result.

Danco said:
I would research on the all years fits all, I had the same issue and found out that from 73 to 76 dusters the rear glass isn't the same as the earlier years because mopar made changes to the tops. 70 -72 and 73-76 have different rear window opening. It would depend on exactly where your cut would need to be made for your repair.
If you remove the complete roof or roof panel you will have issues to deal with.
Click to expand...

Different HOW? The rear glass is identical for 70-76 Duster/sport bodies, the rear window trim is the same, the rear window gasket/seal is the same. No changes were made to the roof skin over the entire run, and the roof skin was the same part regardless of whether it was a vinyl top car or not.
 
Danco said:
I would research on the all years fits all, I had the same issue and found out that from 73 to 76 dusters the rear glass isn't the same as the earlier years because mopar made changes to the tops. 70 -72 and 73-76 have different rear window opening. It would depend on exactly where your cut would need to be made for your repair.
If you remove the complete roof or roof panel you will have issues to deal with.
Click to expand...

I was talking about the outer skin itself, not the whole roof with the inner structure.
The only difference in the rear glass (backlite) is on later years there was a rear window defroster option that was an electric grid instead of a blower motor under the window.
The thickness was the same as well as the rubber gaskets.
Dimensionally, the outer skin was the same throughout the run.
I have taken quite a few of these cars apart and have sold several roof skins to people of all year cars. Mostly to repair aftermarket sun roofs installed in the '70s and one to repair a roof on a '71 Duster that had an interior fire fixed with a skin from a '75 Duster with no issues.......
 
If you are in PA or close buy, I have a complete 1970 Duster roof for sale in the classifieds.
 
Dartnut I said what I said because this is what happened to me, I asked the same question as this tread asked on this forum. I was told all roofs were the same, I called a very reputable salvage yard that specializes only in mopar parts here in New England and was told that" mopar had made alterations from 73 on up to the roof on dusters. ( if I recall he stated rear window, side or back?) he had both very good condition roofs for all years so I saw no reason for him to mislead me. that is why I stated I would research the info stated earlier in this tread. I just wanted to make sure he got the correct part for the application. I did not mean to offend you or anyone else.
 
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