A-Bodies...Big Motors / New Hemi Duster - FINAL ASSEMBLY

-
I have some goodies to pick up in Cleveland that Saturday (8th) and from go to Summit for more too big to ship stuff.

Was hoping to drop by and see Ross....if he doesn't have Guard that weekend.

What ya plannin' ?
 
Last edited:
I have some goodies to pick up in Cleveland that Saturday (9th) and from go to Summit for more too big to ship stuff.

Was hoping to drop by and see Ross....if he doesn't have Guard that weekend.

What ya plannin' ?
Text sent. And Saturday is the 8th.
 
The aluminum case Dana 60 fits....tight, but fits. Likely will have to fab a slightly different panard bar, easy-peasy

first photo is the front 4-bar attaching location (no Dana 60)
20200727_152513.jpg


20200728_163942.jpg


20200728_164002.jpg
 
The black portion is the Gear vendor bracket for the A-body 4-speed. Of course, I slightly modified it from the original GV bracket. The aluminum adapter plate mounted to it moves the shifter up and over to allow the HD Super Shifter arms. The bracket not attached is the Hurst bracket that has been on the car for a decade.

20200730_101407.jpg


all three bolted together ready for install.

20200730_101618 (1).jpg
 
drove down to the Crowne hotel parking for their Saturday afternoon / evening gathering / barbeque as they co-host for the Good Guys event held in Columbus, Ohio. Been doing it for years and luckily this year did not conflict with Carlisle. Always a blast to meet up with my old friends (now living in the Columbus area) and the new friends I have meet along the way. Just a nice little 180 mile round trip returning just in time (around 10:15) to make a pass down Findlay's main street as their cruise night was coming to a close.

BTW.... I love my Duster.


20220709_184224.jpg
 
Last edited:
Halfway thru the 180 mile Columbus trip my clutch pedal started only returning 2/3 of the way back with my foot on the underside finishing the upward stroke. I didn't say much about about it until we got back. Didn't want the wife to think I would leave her stranded.

Monday I put it in the air for a visual inspection and re-adjusted the clutch pedal and went for a short ride. While it engaged and disengaged, I could tell it wasn't right so I checked the air gap....and there was maybe .20.

Late Tuesday after the HDK builds I put it back in the air

Today the transmission came out and and I could look inside. Just as suspected, pressure plate failure....all three fingers (Borg / Beck)

Tomorrow the rest (bellhousing , starter , flywheel, clutch) comes out for a quick inspection before we head off to Carlisle around 1pm. Likely the eye bolts took a chit. If I can't rebuild it, I will buy a new one.

I've been fighting the prick (pressure plate) for years always struggling to get .60 of air gap. now I know why.....and the squeaking sound from last summer, pretty sure I got that pegged too. I think the first eye bolt broke several years ago....the second last year...and finally the third on my way to Columbus.

20220709_184227.jpg
 
Last edited:
Be sure to eyeball the bracket inside the bellhousing that the pivot fork clips into. I've had more than one of those things bend due to using more aggressive style clutches.
 
Jamie (Passon) took one look at the McCloud pressure plate and said....Yeah, the finger heights are low....McCloud had an issue with them. Give me the disc too (which I just happened to bring with me to Carlisle) and I will send it to them for a rebuild.

Butch thinks the eyebolts have not yet broke, but likely due to poor metallurgy, stretched. if re-adjusted and continue to drive, breakage was next.

20220714_105555.jpg
 
Last edited:
on the way to Carlisle, Weeb and I stopped by HemiMarks for a custom built Somma Pizza and an evening of BSing at his hot rod garage. A visit from Poncho Todd was a welcome bonus. Mark joined us at Carlisle for a full day of action!

Here is a shot of the boys.........pictured left to right is Weeb, Todd, and Mark

20220714_204052.jpg
 
so Carlisle is over, can we expect some pictures of the vehicles you saw and maybe of your other adventures while there?
 
only took a few personal pictures, Was just too busy BSing with Mark, Weeb and a few of my HDK friends I ran into. Did manage to deliver a new Callies (4.245 bore) Hemi block to a NY customer and an A/C component from Joe Pappas to Jamie Passon. We stayed busy.
 
instead of waiting any longer for MCloud to rebuild my pressure plate / clutch, I decided to buy a new Ram package and when the McCloud shows up, I'll keep it as a spare. Since the transmission is such a PIA to install with the Gear Vendor attached, I decided to mock it up and check air gap and fitment BEFORE I bolted the trans / GV back on. Glad I did, I discovered I have had the wrong pivot bracket on this hot rod for over 12 years causing the throw-out to not be centered. When the clutch pedal was being engaged the offset became compounded and made the problem worse.

No surprise to me.....I had the correct bracket in my stash of trans / clutch parts. Since I put this package together more than 12 years ago, I always fought for air gap, struggling to get even .060.....a quick test (still in mock up) before I headed out of the shop tonight gave me .065.

The 7" tower is definitely going back on.

dsc_0057.jpg
 
-
Back
Top