Captainkirk's Duster project

-
Thank you! Actually......
I was out in the House that Duke Built last night, just sorta puttering and cleaning things up a bit. I'd sent what will probably be the last bike repair job of the season on it's way last week; time for a bit of housecleaning. It was somewhat chilly; light jacket weather, anyway, and as I stood there pulling off an O'Doul's my gaze fastened again on the forlorn primer-gray corpse of The Duke sitting there, patiently, quietly, like a convict waiting for parole; biding his time with good behavior. I peeled back the tarp covering the car and stuck my head in through the open driver's window. Sitting forlornly on the passenger bucket was the old Torker with the Holley perched on top like cad-plated cherry, next to it on the tranny hump (over the empty hole the Hurst used to poke through) sat the shiny new Edelbrock Performer I'd rescued from my son a few weeks earlier. The scent of vinyl and, (dare I say it), Disco-era Duster assailed, then overpowered me and my mind went for a little stroll down memory lane as the radio perched on the shelf blared out '70's-era classic rock....Elton John howling about Saturday Night....and then I found myself hunched down in the duct-taped bucket seat, hands on the wheel (which now spins freely like a toy kiddie-car, as there is no longer anything attached to the other end!) and then I was back prowling the streets of Mudville with three hundred and forty sticks of dynamite under the hood.....Bruce Springsteen began crooning about Hidin' on the Backstreets....about thirty years younger, and then I lurched back to reality.
"Soon, Big Guy", I muttered, and after I'd extricated myself from the driver's seat, killed the radio (and the O'Doul's) and flipped off the light switch, I paused.....was that a sigh I heard from the depths? Or was it just....me?:(
 
Last edited:
hey captain, no i think it was me as i was doing my thing on my 71 dart swinger gt. i sometimes just scope the car out, sitting there with out a stitch of closingon her, just primer. i'm near to giving her a fresh coat of hemi orange but am dealing with some small blemishes that i've got to correct. can't get in a hurry. i'd like to do it before i'm put on my back on tuesday. i've got to have surgery on my right ankle due to an accident back in may. tore the tendons in my ankle so will need repaired. this is a bummer to me. i have had about three weeks of glorious uninteruped work on the dart but now the time has come to face the knife. wish i didn't have to. hopefully the girl that hit us has good insurance. i don't feel like paying for my own surgery because of someone elses screw up. well that's life. hopefully my recovery will be swift, that's all i can ask for. well i'm close to painting before i have to stop. would like to let it sit and cure good. then i can set it aside and start working on doors,hood,trunk,fenders and so on to put it together. wish me luck boys. this surgery has me scared to death. i'm 50 and in fairly good health. no high blood pressure or any other kind of bad stuff. oh well is all i can say. i'll probably drive you guy's nuts writting up stuff and emailing to this board when i'm down. well see you all soon. hope to send pic's of main body painted.
big daddy don
 
Don-
You'll be in my thoughts & prayers. I'll have to do some serious writing so you have something to read as you recuperate....which, of course, you will! Best of luck to ya! CK
 
thanks captain kirk. wish the transporter was working good, we could all go around helping each other with our projects. it would be fun !!!
 
bigdaddydon said:
thanks captain kirk. wish the transporter was working good, we could all go around helping each other with our projects. it would be fun !!!
Click to expand...


Well, we can be there in spirit, if nothing else.
Best of luck to you on your surgery. Let me know how you're doing afterwards, OK?
 
Last edited:
HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MAY YOU ALL BE BLESSED THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!!!!!!!!

:notworth::la::drinkers::happy6::bball::love3::shock::thumblef:
 
(Sigh.....)
You guys are gonna make me write again....aren't you?
 
Last edited:
Thank you captain for the great story!!!!!!!!:notworth: If you can please give a another story.....:happy6: Rick
 
“Ooooh, oooooohweee! The Wild Night is calling!”
Van Morrison


Well, OK. I guess a nice bedtime story is in order…; you'’ve all been ever so patient and faithful, so I guess I owe it to you. There was a time, before the Li'’l red minx ever stuck her scarlet *****-arrow in my heart, when we used to drive around, burning up high octane gasoline for little or no reason, and certainly no good reason…..we called it “cruising”. Our parents probably called it something else. This one night in particular stands out. It was a warm summer night, probably early June, school was out for the summer, and a sometimes-friend/neighborhood kid I’'d grown up with stopped by to show off his new ride. It was impressive…; a '’67 Pontiac Firebird, 326 (two-barrel), nice wide 60’s on the rear, with Cragars all around, a deep, metallic cobalt color adorned the exterior, with white “pleather” interior; short-backed ivory buckets and a three-speed on the floor. What’'s that? Do I wanna go for a cruise? The hell you say! Did Calley wanna get the hell out of Viet Nam? OK, then, move over; I'’m climbin'’ in.
There were a couple of other guys I knew at the time wedged in the car already. We did a Chinese fire drill so one of the back seat guys could swap with the front seat guy who was smaller so I could sardine myself in beside him. Huh? Well, you had to be there. So, off we went, checking out his new wheels. So let it be written that Led Zeppelin II sounds really bitchin'’ cranked on a Craig eight-track; …at least, until you get to the part where “Heartbreaker” is supposed to morph into “Livin'’, Lovin'’ Maid”…… and it DOESN”T!!! ARRRGHHHH! That always drove me nuts! It was still light out, not hot, but definitely warm. The windows were all down, and he had the 4/60 air conditioning on full blast. What’'s that? Never heard of 4/60 AC? Sure you have. Go sixty, roll down all four windows. Presto!
The little ‘bird had plenty of punch, for a two-barrel. There we were, cruisin'’ all over Mudville, Starsky and Hutch-ing all over the subdivisions. At some nameless intersection we happened across a big, yellow four-door LTD full of seniors from our high school (we were still sophomores) and somehow managed to piss them off. (???)
The chase was on.
Now, for those of you who have never seen Steve McQueen in “Bullitt”…..rent it. You will not be disappointed. For those of you who have already seen it…..well, we weren'’t in San Francisco, but we were doing a damn good imitation. Dusk was beginning to fall; streetlights were popping on as if by magic, mothers were calling their children in to wash up for bed, and we were careening down residential streets at twice the speed limit like pool balls after the break with an LTD full of pissed-off seniors barrelling down on us in hot pursuit! The driver (we'’ll call him "“Bill”") was starting to sweat it...……these guys were relentless…. Bill was a little scared by now and was pulling out all the stops to shake these guys! He careened around a corner, the inside two wheels almost off the ground, and shrieked down this quiet suburban side street with tires screeching. He stomps on the brakes, and locking them up, lurches into a driveway, cuts the motor and lights, and hisses “Everyone DOWN! NOW!” We did our best to slouch down in the back seat, (which, in itself, is no mean feat!) and sat there holding our collective breaths! Sure enough, seconds later, we heard the distinctive four-barrelled howl of the LTD in all it’s angered fury….buhWAAAAAAAHHH!…..as it fairly flew past us ……oblivious to the fact that we were but six feet from the pavement above which it flew. Four heads popped up in unison; the motor roared to life and Robert Plant screeched at us, scaring the living crap out of all of us. “Bill” jammed the little ‘bird in reverse, then first. Before he exited the driveway. Turning right, he drove across the guy’s front lawn, tires digging twin trenches as they kicked up rooster tails of dirt and sod. The yard was edged with a short hedge; no matter, “Bill” drove right through it, over the curb and back out the way we came in. Lights were popping on like newborn stars and a man was shrieking bloody murder at the top of his lungs somewhere behind us as we tore out of the subdivision. “Bill” headed straight back towards the other side of town where we all lived. Nobody uttered a word. I could hear the sirens in the distance as “Bill” let me off in my driveway…, shaken, and still reeling from the wild ride. I felt really bad for the guy with the lawn and the hedge…..a day or so later I drove around with some other friends until we found the house…. It was a total mess. We'’d had some heavy rains earlier that month, and the still-soft lawn was virtually destroyed. The hedge had been chopped down to ground level, but you could still see the trenches running up to…...and through…..the hedge. I saw “Bill” a few times more after that, but I never rode with him again. I figured maybe he had a death wish or something. I understand that the seniors in the LTD did eventually catch up with him, once they figured out who owned the car, but I don'’t think anything really came of it. He’'s still alive, anyway. Wild nights, indeed!
 
Last edited:
Not to change the subject or something, but has anyone bought the six-pack setup from Summit? They're now selling the manifold, individual carbs, linkage and air cleaner assembly as separate components.
 
Last edited:
Might have some progress with the coming of spring! This thing's been dead in the water since August, but I may actually get some "stick time" in over the summer. Looking forward to many posts & pix.
(And you thought I went away!)
 
Last edited:
Captainkirk said:
Might have some progress with the coming of spring! This thing's been dead in the water since August, but I may actually get some "stick time" in over the summer. Looking forward to many posts & pix.
(And you thought I went away!):toothy10:
Click to expand...

Welcome back :cheers: Looking forward to the rest of your story.
 
Bigmacdak said:
Yes, welcome back & go easy on the OKIE bashing!:angryfir:
Click to expand...


Aw, shucks....I warn't Okie bashing! Hell, I WAR one fer a cupple yars.

Just kidding! Tulsa was a great town, and as mentioned earlier on in the story, a beehive of musclecar activity, as well as being the Mopar Mecca of the Southwest! I drove away from Tulsa in '79, stoked to the gills on black coffee and sugar, my radar locked in on two tiny tailights, and never looked back... but it played such a major role in my life, and the life-and-death/rebirth story of BOTH my Dusters that I will never forget it, nor would I care to. Some day I'd like to go back just to visit, and see what's changed.
 
Captainkirk said:
Aw, shucks....I warn't Okie bashing! Hell, I WAR one fer a cupple yars.

Just kidding! Tulsa was a great town, and as mentioned earlier on in the story, a beehive of musclecar activity, as well as being the Mopar Mecca of the Southwest! I drove away from Tulsa in '79, stoked to the gills on black coffee and sugar, my radar locked in on two tiny tailights, and never looked back... but it played such a major role in my life, and the life-and-death/rebirth story of BOTH my Dusters that I will never forget it, nor would I care to. Some day I'd like to go back just to visit, and see what's changed.
Click to expand...

You wouldnt believe how its changed! Being I was born in 82' I couldnt tell you how it looked in 79', but in the last 10 yrs. its really grown to the south. What was once pasture land is now shopping malls & fancy eatin' joints. You should come back just to take a look around!
 
Bigmacdak said:
You wouldnt believe how its changed! Being I was born in 82' I couldnt tell you how it looked in 79', but in the last 10 yrs. its really grown to the south. What was once pasture land is now shopping malls & fancy eatin' joints. You should come back just to take a look around!
Click to expand...

I might, someday, if I ever get The Duke up & running....sort of a "homecoming", maybe. Do you know if Peoria Street is still the main drag, or has that changed, too?
 
Im not sure about Peoria, but I know for sure that Sherridan ave. is a hot spot. You will get run over on a fri.- sat. night. Also 71st is the new "hotspot" thats where all the new stuff is at. Be advised, lots of ricers & lots of F body GM's running around T-town now. If you pull up in a mopar anything, you will get kids wanting to run you in there mommys honda! Tulsa raceway park is a good time, dont know if it was there when you were, but on sat. nights they have midnite drags. Lots of fun!!

Come on down & sit a spell, ya heer'!!
 
No thanks to Mullinax and his stupid, awe-inspiring engine bay thread, I once again found myself out in my domain, sandpaper and spray-bomb in hand, hard at manual labor listening to oldies. Just when I thought I'd lost my inspiration, some wise-guy goes and pulls a stunt like this. :BangHead:

Seriously though......It felt good to climb back in the saddle. I have a feeling this will be a good summer, Duke-wise. Looking forward to completing this thread....someday! Time is running out!
 
Last edited:
I'm about ready for primer-sealer in my engine bay. I've totally coated the surface with the flat-black RustOleum rust converter (love that stuff!) but now it's time for a primer-sealer coat. I'm looking for something in a spray-bomb. Any recommendations before I'm off to the hardware store? Again, this will NOT be going over bare metal, rather, scuffed up rust converter. Thanks in advance!
 
Progress was actually made this weekend! Not a lot, but that's not the point! I'm back in the groove!

Progress1.jpg


Progress2.jpg


Progress3.jpg
 
So, here's where I get myself in trouble. I'm actually arguing with myself as to whether I should pull the front fenders off (again....last off in '81) and clean/scrape/prime and undercoat. I know it will set me back (yet again) but I feel driven to perfection. What do you guys think....am I nuts?

Duster1.jpg


Duster2.jpg


Duster3.jpg


Duster4.jpg
 
I guess you have to stop and ask yourself which level you want to be at when you're finished . . . and set that as a goal. You choose!! Good luck!! Rog
 
I already know the answer to that. (Perfection!) I've managed to talk myself out of pulling the fender tonight, because with the suspension and K-frame removed as it is, I can duck my head under and still get to everything fairly easily. That doesn't mean I'll not cave in tomorrow; just that I left it be for tonight!:-D
More progress again tonight (not a lot, but again, that doesn't matter!) I dragged my K-frame out from under the car and set it up in the driveway to pressure wash. About halfway though, the hose on my pressure washer ruptured...so much for that idea. So, I pressed on with touch-up of the engine bay and inner fenders with the rust converter. Any progress is great progress these days!
I'm debating whether to powder coat my K-frame or just paint the damn thing. Powder would be great, but expensive. And paint would probably work just as well, and be easier to touch up when I scratch it putting the engine back in. Your thoughts?
 
Captainkirk said:
I already know the answer to that. (Perfection!) I've managed to talk myself out of pulling the fender tonight, because with the suspension and K-frame removed as it is, I can duck my head under and still get to everything fairly easily. That doesn't mean I'll not cave in tomorrow; just that I left it be for tonight!:-D
More progress again tonight (not a lot, but again, that doesn't matter!) I dragged my K-frame out from under the car and set it up in the driveway to pressure wash. About halfway though, the hose on my pressure washer ruptured...so much for that idea. So, I pressed on with touch-up of the engine bay and inner fenders with the rust converter. Any progress is great progress these days!
I'm debating whether to powder coat my K-frame or just paint the damn thing. Powder would be great, but expensive. And paint would probably work just as well, and be easier to touch up when I scratch it putting the engine back in. Your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Gosh I know what you mean . . . I am a perfectionst also. I struggle mentally trying to figure how far I want to take my car. I don't want to be working on it for the next 10 years, cuz I'll be 70! I need to find a happy medium between the updating, my conscience (checkbeck!), get her looking and driving good enuff to enjoy her.
I've heard good things about powder coat, and would think the K frame would have to fend off more road monsters than the rest of the car. But right, the bucks!! Money prolongs the finished project, in my case I would paint becasuse I'm older than you. I'm sure my boy (35) would want it powder coated as would any interested inheritee!! Through almost forty years of wear and tear, if it held up well, I'd paint it. Rog
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top