Deltatech's 1973 Plymouth Duster

-
Well at least Fedex has finally made Arkansas in 6 days.
This is the engine run stand that was supposed to come with all of the gauges and hardware included. $100 says it's missing at least hardware when it finally gets delivered here. I bet half of the small parts for the gauges are gone too.

fedex.jpg
 
I test fitted the valley pan and port matched the intake to the gasket after spending most of the day repairing FEDEX's damage to the intake.

20250509_135029[1].jpg
 
Fedex must still be having Major issues. From Texas to the Mexico border to a few hundred miles too far North. What a Cluster F#ck.

fedex1.jpg
 
Last edited:
abdywgn said:
so, you may get some of the pieces of it today?
(sorry, bad joke)
Click to expand...
Probably a few but I'd bet way less than the $500 I paid for it.
Hell, it's closer to you and it's supposed to be delivered here today,lmao...
The pictures I post later will tell all....
 
Last edited:
FedEx was just down the street, UPS has been by today and USPS is making the rounds also. Wonder if anybody here got some extra parts in their package? It used to be that if a cartoon was broken open for some reason, the companies would rebox and label them before delivery. Guess that is a long lost service. Hope you get it all in one contained package.
 
I'm playing in gas today because solvent for my tank costs too much and has to be replaced too often.
I'm cleaning a free 318's worth and the 2nd free 440's nuts, bolts and brackets. Then plating them using electrolysis.

At first I thought the 318 were 5.9 magnum parts then I came across the bolt on fuel pump eccentric,(didn't notice) then the shafts(still didn't notice), finally at the rockers I was like "Hey, wait a minute!" and longer pushrods. "DURR, this is an LA!" but the container was labeled "5.9 Magnum"

I still haven't found the lifters down in the pitch black solvent tank yet. No spiders so it was not a roller cam.
It's a nice day to be working outside!
I'll post pics later but not much to see.

20250510_162802[1].jpg


20250510_162842[1].jpg


20250510_171950[1].jpg
 
Last edited:
bjkadron said:
Nice! Care to share your electrolysis setup?
Click to expand...
It's not much different than what you see in the pics, I use the same plastic containers only with a homemade solution vinegar and salts in them with a jumper pack plugged in and charging.to plate Anode + to part ,cathode - to the sacrificial metal,
I'll get some pics when I have a chance.I didn't know anyone would be interested in it, I should have gotten pics yesterday....
 
Deltatech said:
It's not much different than what you see in the pics, I use the same plastic containers only with a homemade solution vinegar and salts in them with a jumper pack plugged in and charging.to plate Anode + to part ,cathode - to the sacrificial metal,
I'll get some pics when I have a chance.I didn't know anyone would be interested in it, I should have gotten pics yesterday....
Click to expand...

Yeah, nice hardware is my guilty pleasure. I'd love to get a nice cad plating setup going
 
bjkadron said:
Yeah, nice hardware is my guilty pleasure. I'd love to get a nice cad plating setup going
Click to expand...
It isn't as expensive as most believe. Getting them clean enough to plate is the time/money.
If I'm not mistaken this is only my 3rd batch of bolts and brackets I've plated. So I'm no expert.
I watched a few videos, maybe 3 ,on youtube.
I figured out that I already had everything when I remembered that our coins are mostly Zinc.
So I raided my piggy bank of pennies (97% Zinc) and zinc plated my first batch of bolts. It worked but took a whole day to remove the copper from the pennies with electrolysis, then reversing the process with the stripped pennies ,moving the stuff around and removing the gunk from the sacrificial metal.
I should have just bought some zinc from Amazon for $9 but didn't know that yet.
I've used liquid bluing for guns before, I tried the old heated oil dip bluing. Eventually they all rust.
 
Cool car. 73 is my favorite year Duster. Wouldda been cooler with the slant, though. lol
 
RustyRatRod said:
Cool car. 73 is my favorite year Duster. Wouldda been cooler with the slant, though. lol
Click to expand...
It's been fun, a pain in the ***, a worry, a joy, Cheap but still expensive, and I wouldn't trade it for any other because I rebuilt it myself. Every single bolt has had my mits on it.
 
Still no Engine run stand from Fedex that is now 3 days late.
I ended up dicking around outside playing in gas again,cleaning more parts most of the day. Cleaning more 360 and the 2nd 440 parts.
I was waiting for the timing tab to be delivered to put the new cover and Balancer on. But I think I'll just go ahead and install them tonight.
I re cleaned and installed the pushrods, rockers,rocker shafts,valve covers and clocked the distributor gear today.

20250511_220738[1].jpg


20250511_220744[1].jpg


20250511_220755[1].jpg
 
Here is an Evolution picture for you Mopar Freaks!
Well at least all of Intakes are port matched and ready to put on.
Only the Tunnel ram got a full port job. I may have to remove the top again because I can't remember if I've already drilled the divider divots to aid with Atomization.
And I found my first ordering mistake of the build, I ordered mechanical secondary carbs instead of vacuum which are way easier to tune on a dual quad setup.
Oh well, I was thinking of swapping out the 450 Holley's for Edelbrock's new VRS 650's later anyway.

20250511_221702[1].jpg
 
Deltatech said:
It's been fun, a pain in the ***, a worry, a joy, Cheap but still expensive, and I wouldn't trade it for any other because I rebuilt it myself. Every single bolt has had my mits on it.
Click to expand...
And that's all the fun of it right there. Our junk is built, not bought.
 
Hey cool, the velocity stacks are in! A new damper and an Elcheepo degree wheel socket because mine is on loan somewhere and this one shipped the quickest.

20250512_092934[1].jpg


20250512_092943[1].jpg


20250512_092924[1].jpg
 
This whole build is a replacement for the one I was forced to sell and lost literally everything but the clothes on my back and a rucksack in the early 2000's. I've built up and lost every thing 5 times in my life.
To me, This build isn't just me rebuilding a car or engine. It's me rebuilding my life after serving my country, Becoming a part of a JOSC team in the Middle East, fullfilling my oath, becoming 100% disabled in the Army while on a classified mission, suffering through years of disability without compensation , totally screwed over by my home State fining the poor for being poor, causing me to become a Homeless ,Disabled Veteran with no compensation for almost a decade.
So far, every time I put on a tunnel ram something changes. It's one of those weird coincidences in my life.
Any way all of this sharing makes my pussy hurt.....back to building ****...
 
Last edited:
Holy **** this thing is way more thin than they used to be!
I haven't had one of these K&N Velocity stacks for about 20 years.
They used to be a lot thicker.

20250512_093209[1].jpg
 
Oh, Ya, speaking of loaning, I need my good Balancer puller back you rat bastard!
It doesn't take 2 months to pull a balancer!
I'm using the elcheepo while you have my good one...
 
and the other rat bastard, bring back my engine hoist by next Saturday or your heads are going to sit for a month untouched.
 
I'm not sure if it's happening more often or I just haven't had run ins with so many of the "I've been doing this for 50 years" crowd derailing threads before.
One change is I'm posting more and became more active lately.
I've been lectured, insulted, berated, ignored and all for calling out bullshit and propaganda.
All I can say is bring it Fuckers! I learn something new and adapt to the times.
If you think you know everything there is to know just because you've done something for 50 years then you've just gave up and aren't progressing.
I'll be over here with the guys that have been doing this for 50+ years and STILL LEARNING.
I don't give up easily when I believe in something.
Some guys (no names) have been reading plugs the in wrong location for 50+ years and teaching others to read them.
 
Had a nice little parts flood delivered today!
The Billet pulley set came in today. BUT two things, this looks like an underdrive set and I see that the double groove water pump pulley contacts the pump's mounting bolts.
I'll keep it in mind and have to sort it out later. I may have to order the single grove water pump pulley.

20250512_111532[1].jpg


20250512_111916[1].jpg


20250512_111922[1].jpg
 
Last edited:

You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Similar threads

hemi jimmy
  • Locked
[SOLD] 1972 Plymouth Duster Project - Clean Title
Replies
3
Views
866
hemi jimmy
hemi jimmy
mehansen81
  • Locked
[FOR SALE] 1973 Duster 340 Project - Tons of Parts Included!
Replies
5
Views
2K
mehansen81
mehansen81
Mexican Spec
  • Locked
[FOR SALE] 1973 Mexican Spec Plymouth Valiant Duster - 51001J
Replies
0
Views
403
Mexican Spec
Mexican Spec
F
  • Locked
[FOR SALE] 73 Plymouth Duster pump gas street/strip
Replies
2
Views
1K
Fastfish572
F
Mexican Spec
  • Locked
[FOR SALE] Reproduction Tail Light Lenses 1973 - 1974 Plymouth Duster
Replies
0
Views
195
Mexican Spec
Mexican Spec
Back
Top Bottom