beebeeri000
Rest-O-Moder
hi i was wondering if i could buy some fender extensions with broken studs and weld them on and body work the to my duster fenders instead of buying a new set of fenders
demon fender extensions on 73 duster fenders
- Thread starter beebeeri000
- Start date
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Nope. Not unless you've figured out a way to weld aluminum to steel. The early versions of the fender extensions are cast aluminum, some of the later ('72) versions are fiberglass.
Even if you could, you'd have to work out a length issue. The Duster fenders are shorter than the Dart fenders with the extensions, but they're longer than the Dart fenders without the extensions. You'd have to cut the front end off of the Duster fenders and then magically attach the fender extensions. And I'm not sure that the top section of the fenders is the same width. When I put the Dart front clip on my Duster, I couldn't close the Dart hood while the Duster fenders were on it, it was slightly wider than the Duster hood (probably only a 1/4", but still another issue). And that assumes that the spot on the Duster fenders that would make them the right length would also be the right height to match the extensions, which it probably isn't because the taper on the Duster fenders from front to back is different than the Dart fenders, you can see that just in my signature pictures.
Are you trying to convert to a Dart front end? Demon clone?
Even if you could, you'd have to work out a length issue. The Duster fenders are shorter than the Dart fenders with the extensions, but they're longer than the Dart fenders without the extensions. You'd have to cut the front end off of the Duster fenders and then magically attach the fender extensions. And I'm not sure that the top section of the fenders is the same width. When I put the Dart front clip on my Duster, I couldn't close the Dart hood while the Duster fenders were on it, it was slightly wider than the Duster hood (probably only a 1/4", but still another issue). And that assumes that the spot on the Duster fenders that would make them the right length would also be the right height to match the extensions, which it probably isn't because the taper on the Duster fenders from front to back is different than the Dart fenders, you can see that just in my signature pictures.
Are you trying to convert to a Dart front end? Demon clone?
beebeeri000
Rest-O-Moder
yea i like the look of the demon front end more than the duster front end. what would you recomend i do? all i got pick out right now is the hood i want and it cost about $200 less than the duster hood i was looking at.
I want to throw some input on the fender extensions. I believe it's the 1970 and maybe early '71 were fiberglass and then they went to that pot metal for the remaining '71 to '72.......but I could wrong. The reason I say this is I have fiberglass one's on my one '71 Demon that was built in late 1970, my '72 Demon has the metal one's. My other '71 I have no clue what it has.
You're going to need the entire front clip from a '70-'72 Dart. Fenders, hood, hood latch panel, splash apron, grille, bumper and brackets. Even the hood latch and release hardware is different. Everything that bolts on from the doors forward has to change. It's a big change, the dart front clip is several inches longer than the duster front bodywork.
You know, you may be right. I just assumed the later stuff was fiberglass. Both of my 71's have metal extensions, but they were both built well into the production run in '71. I accidentally bought a set of '72 extensions before I realized they were different, but I don't recall what they're made of and they aren't exactly handy for me to check.
beebeeri000
Rest-O-Moder
yea i realize what im gonna have to do to get this look and in the grand scheme of my car its not that bad. not as bad as when im gonna have to replace my quarter
panels.
panels.
Hey I'm not trying to discourage you, not at all. I'm just finishing up on my own Duster to Demon clone, I think the early cars look better too. But let me tell you, there's a lot to it. Even the fender splash shields are different. Ideally, the best way to do it would be to find a Dart parts car. Short of that, there's a lot of parts to track down. Not that it can't be done, it's just a lot to do.
beebeeri000
Rest-O-Moder
oh ok thanks man. ive met a bit of people on here that try to make me go back to stock 'cause it's easy. there's an all american wrecking yard a couple miles from my house that has alot of a bodies, so i think ill see if i could convince them to maybe give me a discount for buying the whole front clip off of a demon. when im done with the body it's gonna be like a 70/71 demon front end with a 73 duster middle, and a 71 duster rear/tail lights. i love seeing when people do stuff like this on a bodies, like the guy that modified a raisin bran hood to fit on his dart.
Yeah I'm definitely not a stock guy.
My '74 Duster started out as a /6, auto on the column with a 7.25" rear. It now has a built up '68 340, 833 4-speed, b-body 8 3/4 rear, demon tail panel, '71 rear bumper, '71 Dart/Demon front clip, '69 rallye dash, '68 sidemarkers, 13" rotors up front, and 18" rims. There's more in my build thread, link's in my signature. I should have the updates on the rest on my front clip conversion in the next week or so.
I mean sure, if you've got a one of whatever, pre-72, high optioned, numbers matching whatever it should probably stay pretty stock. But everything else is fair game as far as I'm concerned. I'd rather see a car that's less than perfect, or a clone or custom that gets driven than some showroom quality piece that only sees the outside of the garage a couple times a year. Driving them is the fun part.
My '74 Duster started out as a /6, auto on the column with a 7.25" rear. It now has a built up '68 340, 833 4-speed, b-body 8 3/4 rear, demon tail panel, '71 rear bumper, '71 Dart/Demon front clip, '69 rallye dash, '68 sidemarkers, 13" rotors up front, and 18" rims. There's more in my build thread, link's in my signature. I should have the updates on the rest on my front clip conversion in the next week or so.
I mean sure, if you've got a one of whatever, pre-72, high optioned, numbers matching whatever it should probably stay pretty stock. But everything else is fair game as far as I'm concerned. I'd rather see a car that's less than perfect, or a clone or custom that gets driven than some showroom quality piece that only sees the outside of the garage a couple times a year. Driving them is the fun part.
beebeeri000
Rest-O-Moder
yea my '73 has a /6 in it right now and im dropping in a 360 with a 727 trans. and i completely agree with you my sister in laws dad own a corvette stingray convertible(not t top) with a numbers matching 454 and 4 on the floor, i would tell him never to mod it mostly cause it gov valued at a ridiculous $200,000. also i love having my cars being drivers and not trailer queens. its one of the things that i like about motor trend. but i hate the fact that i was looking at a like collectors license plate or a restored license plate but they will only let you drive it to shows and to shops, not regularly at all.
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