Convert my '74 or sell it all and buy a '70?

Convert my '74 or sell it and buy a '70?

  • Cut up the '70 and convert the '74.

    Votes: 32 28.6%

  • Sell the '74's and restore the '70 Twister.

    Votes: 39 34.8%

  • Sell everything and buy a complete '70.

    Votes: 41 36.6%
  • Total voters
    112
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C

cascius

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Ok FABO, I'd like some opinions here. In the process of finding a Duster to build for my wife, I've acquired quite a few of them. I have two '74's that I was originally planning on combining into one to make her a decent driver. One is a very clean slant 6 car with a 3 speed, and the other is a 318 automatic car with factory A/C. She was ok with that car being hers until she saw a '70 Duster and decided she really liked it better. I'm ok with that as I think the front end and taillights look better myself.

So here's my question to everyone. I've got two '70's sitting here that are both fairly rough. One is beyone fixable but has quite a few parts. The other is very straight from the doors forward. It's going to need rear quarters, trunk floors, rockers, and rear frame rails to be solid again. It's a 318 Twister car with factory automatic, bucket seat, console car. If you were in my shoes would you cut the tail panel off the '70 and put it and the front clip on the '74 and make a clone, or sell everything and buy an actual '70? Thanks FABO.
 
I like the 70 better myself.

I was the first one to vote, yeah!
 
It will be cheaper to just buy a 70 then try to make one. Love those 70 darts.
 
dartcuda1 said:
It will be cheaper to just buy a 70 then try to make one. Love those 70 darts.
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Well in most cases I'd say you're right but you've got to remember I've got everything here to do it. I've got a complete '70 that has everything I need to convert the '74. It would just be investing the time in it. I just hate to cut up the '70 I have and that's why I haven't done it yet.
 
id say sell the 74's and restore the twister. youn dont see twisters everyday.... you dont see a bodies everyday either really....but the twister is even more uncommon, and i always like to see unique cars out there.
 
I wish I had the parts off of a 70 when I started my conversion But I will say this it's worth it to me because the value on the 74 vs the 70 and what I saved when I bought mine was worth it. I vcan happily cut mine up and not worry that I'm cutting up a 1 of 1 car or something that was worth something.
 
I would build the car that has the best body.
The twister sounds good, but it sounds like it's too far gone too. I vote rob the best parts that you need for the conversion and after you are finished the car, sell the rest off to recoup some of your money. Do NOT swap the vins or fender tags though!
You'll be a lot of time and money ahead if you do this, as well as have a better car.
I will never fix a rotter up again, regardless of it's rarity.
JMHO,
Tom.
 
Dartnut said:
I would build the car that has the best body.
The twister sounds good, but it sounds like it's too far gone too. I vote rob the best parts that you need for the conversion and after you are finished the car, sell the rest off to recoup some of your money. Do NOT swap the vins or fender tags though!
You'll be a lot of time and money ahead if you do this, as well as have a better car.
I will never fix a rotter up again, regardless of it's rarity.
JMHO,
Tom.
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This was kind of my thought as well but I wanted some other opinions. As much as I'd like to see the '70 I have brought back to life, it's pretty rotted out. I don't plan on swapping VIN tags or any of that stuff. The 74 has a legal title in my name, and I'll leave it that way. It's more of a looks thing than having a certain year car thing. The '70 front end and tailpanel is just a cleaner look to me than the '74. My wife doesn't care if it's a clone, and if she has any choice she will probably never sell it so I'm not worried about resale value.
 
sell your 74 darts get a 70 dart. worth money a 70 dart compare to a 74 dart. looks alot better than a 74 to.
 
slapping a 70 front clip and tail panel on a clean 74 that you already have sounds liek the way to go to me. the int. differences wouldn't matter to me... amd sells the tail panel if yours are questionable..




this is a 74 duster. you would never know it. when ya look at the int you can tell but not many people notice.


DSC00997.JPG
 
Clone it. Thats what I would do any way. I am working on converting a 75 to look like a Demon. It is not that hard to do. You can even change out the int too if the 70 has what you would need and the doors.
 
Mine has a real nice tail panel with good lights in it. Both need new interior so door panels and seat covers would be easy enough to change. I've got the headliner bows and seatbelts out of the '70 also. I have everything to change it over and correctly clone a '70. The title and VIN would be the only thing that would ever identify it as a '74.
 
abodyjoe said:
slapping a 70 front clip and tail panel on a clean 74
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Sorry, I disagree, as you might effectively be "paying later."

A converted car like that will never be worth what an originally configured car would, therefore you will lose money when you sell it.

IF the 70 is too rough, buy another 70 parts car, or see the 70 and look for a better candidate.

Or just talk yourself into keeping the 74. A different paint scheme, trim, etc, you might fall back in love with the 74
 
My favorite Darts are the 1971 and the 1970, and in that order, too. I happen to like the rear bumper and tail lights on the 71 better than the 70's.

Once you get past the ugly front bumpers on the 73 and newer Darts, there's not a lot of differences. I know where there is a 73 for sale, and I've been considering the same conversion. New Front clip and doors (with vent windows) is about all it takes, cosmetically. Mechanically is a different story depending on what state regs you have to meet. Here in Georgia there isn't an issue.
 
67Dart273 said:
Sorry, I disagree, as you might effectively be "paying later."

A converted car like that will never be worth what an originally configured car would, therefore you will lose money when you sell it.

IF the 70 is too rough, buy another 70 parts car, or see the 70 and look for a better candidate.

Or just talk yourself into keeping the 74. A different paint scheme, trim, etc, you might fall back in love with the 74
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As I have stated before, I'm not worried about resale value. It's for my wife who will never sell it as long as there's not a life or death situation forcing her to.

Also, the '70 is just what it is, a parts car. It needs everything from the rockers and behind the doors replaced. The trunk is gone, quarters are gone, frame rails are rusted through, rockers are rusted through, and rear spring mounts are rusted off, and I've never pulled the carpet to check the floor pans. Most any other Duster I find is going to have some if not all of the same problems so I'm almost forced to go with new metal.

Frankie said:
My favorite Darts are the 1971 and the 1970, and in that order, too. I happen to like the rear bumper and tail lights on the 71 better than the 70's.

Once you get past the ugly front bumpers on the 73 and newer Darts, there's not a lot of differences. I know where there is a 73 for sale, and I've been considering the same conversion. New Front clip and doors (with vent windows) is about all it takes, cosmetically. Mechanically is a different story depending on what state regs you have to meet. Here in Georgia there isn't an issue.
Click to expand...

Again, we are talking about Dusters here guys, not Darts. Two totally different cars.
 
cascius said:
As I have stated before, I'm not worried about resale value. It's for my wife who will never sell it as long as there's not a life or death situation forcing her to.

Also, the '70 is just what it is, a parts car. It needs everything from the rockers and behind the doors replaced. The trunk is gone, quarters are gone, frame rails are rusted through, rockers are rusted through, and rear spring mounts are rusted off, and I've never pulled the carpet to check the floor pans. Most any other Duster I find is going to have some if not all of the same problems so I'm almost forced to go with new metal.



Again, we are talking about Dusters here guys, not Darts. Two totally different cars.
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Dusters? Oh...well... Never mind.

....Dusters? People still mess with those over inflated looking little fat bodies? lol :poke:




:D Just kidding, guys! :D
 
johnparts said:
I wish I had the parts off of a 70 when I started my conversion But I will say this it's worth it to me because the value on the 74 vs the 70 and what I saved when I bought mine was worth it. I vcan happily cut mine up and not worry that I'm cutting up a 1 of 1 car or something that was worth something.
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That's the other thing I have considered is the '74 is nothing special. Slant 6, 3 speed car. It's not going to be a factory resto so I'm not worried about it being too correct but I'm also not cutting up a 340 car, or something super rare for this. The plan for her is to have a nice fuel injected magnum motor, automatic overdrive transmission, Vintage Air, disc brakes, some 17" mustang wheels, and it will be the the new Challenger color Furious Fuschia. Something she can hit the key in and go, and I don't have to worry about it breaking on her.
 
I say build what you have. If you building an A body thinking your going to make a killing selling it don't bother. Your only going to make money on rare cars like 340 4 speed and such. Odds are if you can recover what you have in a car in this market your lucky. Just my 2 cents worth.
 
67Dart273 said:
Sorry, I disagree, as you might effectively be "paying later."

A converted car like that will never be worth what an originally configured car would, therefore you will lose money when you sell it.

IF the 70 is too rough, buy another 70 parts car, or see the 70 and look for a better candidate.

Or just talk yourself into keeping the 74. A different paint scheme, trim, etc, you might fall back in love with the 74
Click to expand...


who cares its just a driver for his wife. just has to look the part. sounds like he has most of the parts to do it so it will be cheaper and easier for what he wants it for.
 
i'd use the one you have with the best body and convert it...

unless you can find a '70 with a near perfect body.

if you are worried about resale value then you are kind of stuck finding a '70. but even then, nobody is going to pay top dollar for a perfect stock car. the collectors only want to pay big dollars for AAR's and R/T's
 
Not sure if i read right or if somebody has already told you, but twisters did not come out until 71 so your car might be a real early build 71 (probably july 1970 or later) otherwise it's not a real twister just FYI. Anyways, original twisters are SWEEEET and my opinion is that you make that one up into your wifes car....and you can put 74 BBP discs etc on it!:mrgreen:
 
If you've already got everything to do the conversion and don't mind doing the work...Do it. Why not?
 
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