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retsud_043

Well-Known Member
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Oct 28, 2007
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Location
Esterhazy,Saskatchewan
Hello folks, seeing all your nice cars has given me the itch to get at least one project done.(my avatar says it all for me...):toothy10:
Well it's about time I get serious on finishing the wifes 1971 Duster.
I bought this car with some of the bodywork started (1/4's and 1 trunk extension) other than that it's real solid:afro:. I am not real happy with what the goodmark,or as AdamR calls them "Good Luck" :sign5:1/4's have for bodylines so I plan to give them some definition,sharpen them up a bit.
As far as I know my wife is the third owner of a car that has never left Saskatchewan. It has a whack of documentation that I only wish I had for
my 340 Duster.
It started life as a /6 3 speed on the floor,but it will now have A 340,A833 o/d. It's gonna be a 340 Duster tribute car( I just can't bring myself to calling it a clone):dontknow:
We've got a rally dash with complete wiring(both sides of the firewall), sharkstooth grille, 8 3/4 suregrip with 3.55's.
It's a buckets car already and we both like the looks of the earlier A body 4
speed console, so that's also in the plans.
I took advantage of challengergary's stripe sale an bought a complete 340 kit with callout on the hood.
I am going to use ryan426 as my benchmark because his Duster is bad *** :notworth:and it's what the misses should look like when it's done.I'm sure I'll have to pick all of your brains when it comes time to put it all back together as we bought is as a "Car in a BOX":-|
I'll update the pics as the progress continues.
Oh yeah....if anyone see's me on here for an exteded period of time, kick my *** and tell me to get out to the shop and get that Duster finished:poke:.......lol

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Looks like a great project! And, I know what you mean by whimpy qtr. panel lines. They take some work.
 
just a little advice...

you probably will want to cross brace the car doors and the interior before you start to use your rotisserie too much. Uni bodies tend to flex when their not braced.
 
Dorian said:
just a little advice...

you probably will want to cross brace the car doors and the interior before you start to use your rotisserie too much. Uni bodies tend to flex when their not braced.
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Thanks for the tip;), I've got some 1"X1" square tubing that I can use.
 
I've been working on the Duster a little on my day's off and I've just been told I'll be getting laid off for a few weeks in Feburary:angry7:,so I'll have even more time to work on it:roll:.
I finished scraping off the factory undercoat to prepare it for media blasting.

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Well it was a fairly nice day here so I called on a favor from a friend who does sandblasting. I tuned up his drag car last summer,he gets to sandblast the wife's Duster in the middle of winter.....fair trade???

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Nice start on the wifes car.Wish I could do that to my 66 Dart!Maybe down the road.What colour are you going??
 
Looking good!What,s this U.S car tool?Can I get the frame connectors for my 66 Dart from them?Can you give me there site?Thanks.
 
Thanks,I googled them and ofcourse they don,t make them for a 66,so I figure I,ll just make my own,can,t be that hard.I installed Mopar performance one,s in my Dart Sport(easy)They don,t weld along the floor but I,ll have to make do.Thanks.
 
pettybludart said:
Thanks,I googled them and ofcourse they don,t make them for a 66,so I figure I,ll just make my own,can,t be that hard.I installed Mopar performance one,s in my Dart Sport(easy)They don,t weld along the floor but I,ll have to make do.Thanks.
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That's too bad they don't make them for your Dart:angry7:,but you are right.....after seeing how they are made, it shouldn't be to hard to make a set.
 
I might be getting carried away:dontknow:.....I have been cutting pieces of 1/8" flat bar and filling some of the areas the frame connectors don't touch the floor.
Above the white line in the picture is an example of a piece I've added.

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retsud043 said:
I might be getting carried away:dontknow:.....I have been cutting pieces of 1/8" flat bar and filling some of the areas the frame connectors don't touch the floor.
Above the white line in the picture is an example of a piece I've added.
Click to expand...

Not carried away at all, IMO. I would do exactly the same.
 
looks great chris...i meant to say something to ur wife about the car last weekend when i met her but i forgot...thanks for the fender...it's a little rougher than i was hoping, but will do the job just fine :)
 
Well now I think I'm getting carried away........This car, I don't think,has seen a day of pavement. Everything from the seat reinforcements to the leaf spring mounting brackets are beat to $hit so I've now decided to make some torque boxes to get some strength back. the welding isn't the greatest on them because I only had a galvanized piece of 18 gauge in the shop.

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doug 371 said:
looks great chris...i meant to say something to ur wife about the car last weekend when i met her but i forgot...thanks for the fender...it's a little rougher than i was hoping, but will do the job just fine :)
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Hey Doug, I'm sorry to hear the fender isn't what you were expecting, I thought the pic showed the damage alright.That was the best fender I had for a 72 and up Duster.:dontknow: I know I've paid alot more for alot less.
Yeah the wife would like the car done for the Mopar Muscle meet in Southey,so I better get crackin'.......
 
Bought a Go Wing for Michelle's car for $125. It looks like it needs some pieces and a little repiar,but I think I did alright. The Guy has been holding onto it for 25+ years and claims it's from an A body.......

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