Deltatech's 1973 Plymouth Duster

[Deltatech]

440 RB Build info- ( I had to start on phase 3 early still waiting on 360 parts to get machined the machinist had this block for 18 months)
Stock 440 block dressed, tanked, fluxed, squared, decked.
STATIC Compression Ratio:9.72:1
DYNAMIC Compression Ratio: 7.94:1
84 cc (checked) 440 Source Stealth Aluminum head, 2.14, 1.82, mild ported and gasket matched .39 head gasket, .0145 Deck clearance
Flat top sealed Power w/ +7cc valve reliefs
moly sealed power rings gapped @ 0.025
Stock lightened rods, std
Stock std mains
I'll continue to edit this and add info as I build it.

 

[340sFastback]

Them cast iron heads and intake crazy heavy

 

[340sFastback]

How about 360 with 4 inch crank and aluminum heads and intake?

 

[Deltatech]

How about 360 with 4 inch crank and aluminum heads and intake?

I'll be weighing one sometime later. I'll mock it up as soon as the parts come in to weigh it.

 

[Deltatech]

I'm guessing casting Aluminum was too expensive for the manufacturers back when these were new.

 

[dusterbing the peace]

A quick video of the Duster at Idle and walkaround.
Youtube.

Has a really nice lope, and the black and gold throughout looks great! Can’t wait to hear the 440!

 

[jrc4y4]

What a cool adventure

 

[jimjimjimmy]

I have the exact same car rust free .

 

[Deltatech]

Has a really nice lope, and the black and gold throughout looks great! Can’t wait to hear the 440!

It will be a while. Even though I'm currently building the 440 I'm building a 360 and running it next.
To swap the 440, I have to source either 2 output shafts for Big Block 727's or send RV trannys in as cores, Drive shaft made, Headers,Schumacher conversion mounts and torque boxes welded in,ods and ends.
I'll have the 360 finished and installed by the time I source all of that.
I could end up finding the 70's Cuda that I really want for the big block....

 

[Deltatech]

What a cool adventure

It's been a hard road and a lot of turns.

 

[Deltatech]

I have the exact same car rust free .

Sweet! They aged well! This one was a 40k mile project car of the guy who built the DustAAR back in the 90's. He decided to sell it after he found another 71'.

His 71 DustAAR Build was in Magazines
He's a member here but hasn't posted in years.

 

[bjkadron]

I'm A little confused why you are doing the 3 stages. Just to see the difference?

Also not sure if this was a catch-up thread or if you are really moving that fast. Either way, good progress.

 

[jimjimjimmy]

Sweet! They aged well! This one was a 40k mile project car of the guy who built the DustAAR back in the 90's. He decided to sell it after he found another 71'.

His 71 DustAAR Build was in Magazines
He's a member here but hasn't posted in years.

Did you find a new snake skin or is the orignal in good shape ? Sorry if i missed it .

 

[Deltatech]

I'm A little confused why you are doing the 3 stages. Just to see the difference?

Also not sure if this was a catch-up thread or if you are really moving that fast. Either way, good progress.

You got it. It's to experience the builds and difference firsthand. It's a catchup thread.
This build originally started in 2018.
I got a 90 D150 shortbed roller for free the phase 1 engine(318) is going in when Phase 2 goes in the Duster.
I have an 86 Ramcharger,318-cracked head- I bought for $1500, the Phase 2 (360)engine is going in after phase 3(440) is installed in the Duster.
I'm a 100% service connected Disabled Veteran and building cars is my most effective coping skill since it takes 100% concentration and focus.
I'd either be dead or there would be a fresh pile of meat suits if I couldn't build anymore.

 

[Deltatech]

Did you find a new snake skin or is the orignal in good shape ? Sorry if i missed it .

It's The original, it's documented that this slant 6 car only had 40k miles on it and last registered in Missouri in 1986 before it was put in storage and tore down (gutted) to become a drag car.
Even all of the glass was removed when I got it.

 

[Deltatech]

I cc'd the chambers with a home made cc kit on the Stealth Heads today, range from 82.5 to 84 cc.
I (forgot)didn't get pics. Am getting ready to check piston to valve.

 

[Deltatech]

After seeing the absurdly ridiculous prices of head cc kits of $100 and more I decided to make a Home made Head cc kit- it cost me $20 and about 20 minutes. It took longer to gather the stuff than to make the plates for both small blocks and big blocks.
Materials & Tools
*plexiglass -$6.99
*sharpie- $1.99
*straight edge
*drill bits or step bit
*drill
*grease,silly putty,clay, rtv to seal the plexi to the head.
* printer ink and syringe $8, or dye
dropper or syringe with ml marks
*Measuring cup from Dollar General store with ml- $3
*5 nuts that fit and 5 head bolts.
1 milliliter (ml) of fluid is equivalent to 1 cubic centimeter (cc)

 

[dukeboy440]

You got it. It's to experience the builds and difference firsthand. It's a catchup thread.
This build originally started in 2018.
I got a 90 D150 shortbed roller for free the phase 1 engine(318) is going in when Phase 2 goes in the Duster.
I have an 86 Ramcharger,318-cracked head- I bought for $1500, the Phase 2 (360)engine is going in after phase 3(440) is installed in the Duster.
I'm a 100% service connected Disabled Veteran and building cars is my most effective coping skill since it takes 100% concentration and focus.
I'd either be dead or there would be a fresh pile of meat suits if I couldn't build anymore.

When did you serve and what branch

 

[Deltatech]

When did you serve and what branch

Army, I enlisted in 1990,I got permanently injured in 98'

 

[dukeboy440]

Army, I enlisted in 1990, got injured in 98'.

Thanks for your service.

21 years Army Guard here, retiring in the next 12-18 months, not by choice, LOD from a training accident.

 

[Deltatech]

Info for Phase 3,
Transmission options
A.Buy a new TCI or Hughes from Summit for an arm and a leg.
B. Spend a little less money but more time, convert the 2 rv rb-727's I already have- buy a tail housing and output shaft and leaner to tear apart and rebuild a 727.
c. Spend the least money but most time, customize it to use the parking brake , run a 2 piece Ramcharger bolt on driveshaft and fab a bunch of **** to run the rv 727 as is.
727 "long" tail housing= 18 5/8 inch, without seal

 

[dukeboy440]

Info for Phase 3,
Transmission options
A.Buy a new TCI or Hughes from Summit for an arm and a leg.
B. Spend a little less money but more time, convert the 2 rv rb-727's I already have- buy a tail housing and output shaft and leaner to tear apart and rebuild a 727.
c. Spend the least money but most time, customize it to use the parking brake , run a 2 piece Ramcharger bolt on driveshaft and fab a bunch of **** to run the rv 727 as is.
727 "long" tail housing= 18 5/8 inch, without seal

D: save the aggravation and get a 833 or t56 and simply swap bell housings as you go thru your phases

 

[Deltatech]

Thanks for your service.

21 years Army Guard here, retiring in the next 12-18 months, not by choice, LOD from a training accident.

I could tell from some of your comments that you are military as well.

 

[mygasser]

Info for Phase 3,
Transmission options
A.Buy a new TCI or Hughes from Summit for an arm and a leg.
B. Spend a little less money but more time, convert the 2 rv rb-727's I already have- buy a tail housing and output shaft and leaner to tear apart and rebuild a 727.
c. Spend the least money but most time, customize it to use the parking brake , run a 2 piece Ramcharger bolt on driveshaft and fab a bunch of **** to run the rv 727 as is.
727 "long" tail housing= 18 5/8 inch, without seal

i just fitted a 390 fe ford and c6 in our ashley's 63 uk ford zephyr. they both came from a truck so i had to incorporate a sliding section in the prop' for that. easy enough to do. can you remove the brake drum, backplate etc from the back of the rv trans' and stick to the normal park brake?
neil.

 

[Deltatech]

i just fitted a 390 fe ford and c6 in our ashley's 63 uk ford zephyr. they both came from a truck so i had to incorporate a sliding section in the prop' for that. easy enough to do. can you remove the brake drum, backplate etc from the back of the rv trans' and stick to the normal park brake?
neil.

I used to have a Zephyr when I lived in Hawaii, way later model though. It was a great car!
I can remove the drum for the parking brake although I was thinking I could actually make it functional and use it kinda like a trans brake on a quick release or trigger type switch.
I have a Ramcharger that has a sliding section and got the idea to get another one of those props and have it shortened.
I currently don't have a parking brake, there was no provision with the GM Metric disc brake conversion. The pull is still under the dash but not hooked to anything. I never use one anyway.
The only real problem that I figure with using the RV tranny is the bolt on yoke, why noone ever made a conversion installation kit is beyond me with how many people have done the swap.
I'm also looking into developing and manufacturing said kit.