I've been looking for a project Duster or Dart for six months or so and have noticed - I could pick one up (mostly /6 or less engine/trans) for 2-3 grand BUT - I'm seeing decent running/driving cars I could enjoy while restoring for 6-7. I know I'd put more than that into a project needing an engine and 8.75 rear, etc. Starting to talk myself into waiting it out and will probably hit on a good deal. I like the restoration process (pride in doing it yourself) but I'd end up upside down in the car pretty quick the way prices are coming down Your thoughts ?
A body deals/value
- Thread starter rebeldart
- Start date
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Yeah - thinking about moving past the slant sixes or no drivetrai in favor of V8's and preferrable 8.75 since you can't seem to find the complete rears for less than 7-800. Someone told me the Ford 9" or the Mustang 8 (?) can be adapted for less than half of the 8.75 if originality ain't an issue
http://forums.moparmusclemagazine.com/70/6479671/mopar-drivetrains/mustang-rearend/index.html
http://forums.moparmusclemagazine.com/70/6479671/mopar-drivetrains/mustang-rearend/index.html
Mopardude
Well-Known Member
Those swaps all ways sound like a quick and easy solution to the 8.75 A-body rear end shortage. At one point I was going to do the famous B-body 8.75 swap into my car. To find the right year of B-body rear end was actually fast and very cheap. When I jacked up the car and laid the rear under the 7.25 that is on it now to see what all had to be done. I was disappointed by all the foreseen problems I would probably run into trying to make it work. As I am only a hobbiest mechanic and not a pro I said forget it and I went and got a real A-body 8.75 housing for my car.
Dago Red
Well-Known Member
I just picked up a 1974 Duster for $400. It's the rare blown up Slant 6 option. The floors were intact, the core support is torn up from some numb-nuts trying to pull the car by looping as chain through it, and there is some rust through spots on the roof (vinyl top) and around the rear window area. The doors shut square and solid, all the glass is in it, and the trunk had some surface scale at worst. It's all a matter of being on the lookout and stopping to ask questions. Sure, you'll run into some buttwipe who'll give you grief once in a while. This gent, on the other hand was very nice and quite happy that someone would be willing to give him more than the junk man was offering. He was a Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth person but not a car guy, if you know what I mean. He had on his farm the following: the Duster, a rear ended 340 70 Swinger for a whole $100, yep, the 340, 4 speed, and everything forward of the rear seat was intact. Floors, 4sp hump, dash, K-frame, even the grill were all there. He even had a straight, rust free V-8 77 Volare wagon in need of a timing chain for $250. (I'm STILL debating that one, wagons are my weakness). He's one of those people who never throws anything out, but apparently just parks stuff when it quits working. Keep looking everyone, as I'm sure there's more people like him out there.
Dago Red
Well-Known Member
:sad1: It had been violently rear ended by a truck in the eighties and he just hauled it home and dumped it behind a shed on his farm. It took an hour with his weedwacker and another 1/2 hour with shovels so he could drag it out with a tractor for us to look at it. It was in good shape from the middle of the rear seat forward, but how this thing didn't catch fire is amazing. The fuel tank was a flat piece of metal. Talk about being backhalved !!! We dragged it home and picked it cleaner than roadkill.....RICK
I bought a 65 beladar(sp) 8 3/4 for $200. came complete with e-brake cable and wheels. It is a little longer but will fit. I MAY have to move the spring perch in 1/2 on each side but every thing else looks like it will fit. I beleive others have done the same thing. I will have to get wheels with a deeper BS but not hard to do. Just my .02
Hey rebeldart -
Keep on the lookout for the best deal. I bought a '69 Dart on eBay just over a year ago that was advertised as a straight, solid body, new 380hp 360 crate motor, freshly rebuilt 727, complete interior, b-body 8.75 for just about $5K. Body turned out to need a bit of bodywork to be as straight as I want it to be and will need to be painted after, but the car also came with new B&M floor shifter, 7 new Autometer guages (previous owner was planning on a Rocky Mountain Dashes insert but hadn't bought one yet), all the parts to complete the car and a brand new 3" exhaust complete with mufflers.
Although almost complete, this car will come completely apart so it can go back just the way I want it to be. Gonna be a fun project!
Deals are out there - just got to wait for the right one to come along.
I just found a 1972 Swinger with now windsheild or back glass for 250.00. Body needs some work and so does the inside but all and all not to bad of shape the only bad thing is a lost title so i will have to get a bonded title and have to talk the wife into the extra money
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