Dream car or nightmare project.

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jtarantino

jtarantino

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I bought a 1974 Plymouth Duster a few weeks ago—it's always been a dream of mine. My dad had one when I was a kid, so I have fond memories of the car. The previous owner had disassembled it to paint but never finished the project. The interior was stripped and piled inside, where it sat for years. It doesn’t have an engine or transmission, so I’m currently looking for something to drop in. I'm not aiming to build a show car—just something fun to drive. I haven’t attempted a project like this in over 20 years, and back then, I still had my dad to help. Nonetheless, I’m really excited about this build.

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Hello, Ill share my thoughts as i started out with something similar well lets say I towed it home with a trailer full of parts etc.

First decide what you want and how much you want to spend. I was a car resto motivated and spent alot trying to get it "as close to original looking" as possible...i dont regret it but it was a long hard and spendy road.

Second plan on spending time working on it it wont get done itself but at the same time dont spend all of Thanksgiving out there with it or the family may get upset.

depending on how good you are and what tools you have youd be surprised what you can get done in an hour or two at night after dinner etc.

plan, get parts then bolt it together

use this forum for good deals on used good parts.

Interior can get expensive but its all in what you want to do some guys just have a carpet racing buckets and homemmade door panels etc.

body and paint can get expensive but you can shoot Eastwood or NAPA /Auto Zone single stage yourself with a harboir freight gun etc.

there's always a way just have to plan it out and don't give up.

have fun with it and learn as you go.

Decide on if you want to drive it or take it to shows etc. i spent more time restoring mine than anything, but I learned alot i am fairly competent in bodywork now i didnt start that way...I was always pretty good with the wrench side etc.
 
Dartswinger70 said:
Hello, Ill share my thoughts as i started out with something similar well lets say I towed it home with a trailer full of parts etc.

First decide what you want and how much you want to spend. I was a car resto motivated and spent alot trying to get it "as close to original looking" as possible...i dont regret it but it was a long hard and spendy road.

Second plan on spending time working on it it wont get done itself but at the same time dont spend all of Thanksgiving out there with it or the family may get upset.

depending on how good you are and what tools you have youd be surprised what you can get done in an hour or two at night after dinner etc.

plan, get parts then bolt it together

use this forum for good deals on used good parts.

Interior can get expensive but its all in what you want to do some guys just have a carpet racing buckets and homemmade door panels etc.

body and paint can get expensive but you can shoot Eastwood or NAPA /Auto Zone single stage yourself with a harboir freight gun etc.

there's always a way just have to plan it out and don't give up.

have fun with it and learn as you go.

Decide on if you want to drive it or take it to shows etc. i spent more time restoring mine than anything, but I learned alot i am fairly competent in bodywork now i didnt start that way...I was always pretty good with the wrench side etc.
Click to expand...
 
Dartswinger70 said:
Hello, Ill share my thoughts as i started out with something similar well lets say I towed it home with a trailer full of parts etc.

First decide what you want and how much you want to spend. I was a car resto motivated and spent alot trying to get it "as close to original looking" as possible...i dont regret it but it was a long hard and spendy road.

Second plan on spending time working on it it wont get done itself but at the same time dont spend all of Thanksgiving out there with it or the family may get upset.

depending on how good you are and what tools you have youd be surprised what you can get done in an hour or two at night after dinner etc.

plan, get parts then bolt it together

use this forum for good deals on used good parts.

Interior can get expensive but its all in what you want to do some guys just have a carpet racing buckets and homemmade door panels etc.

body and paint can get expensive but you can shoot Eastwood or NAPA /Auto Zone single stage yourself with a harboir freight gun etc.

there's always a way just have to plan it out and don't give up.

have fun with it and learn as you go.

Decide on if you want to drive it or take it to shows etc. i spent more time restoring mine than anything, but I learned alot i am fairly competent in bodywork now i didnt start that way...I was always pretty good with the wrench side etc.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the advice. I've actually started putting together a parts list and a schedule, so your comment really reassured me that I’m on the right track. The first thing my wife said was, "I’m not going to see you again until next year." I convinced her it would go faster if she helped out—so we’ve been working on it together. She said there’s something really satisfying about removing rust and making it shiny. I figure as long as she doesn’t see the receipts for the parts, she’ll stay happy. Lol
 
One step at a time. Think in terms of bite-sized pieces. Looking at the entire project will drive you crazy!!

...and keep thinking of the day you drive it down the road.

ps...Great idea keeping the receipts secret!!
 
66fyssh said:
One step at a time. Think in terms of bite-sized pieces. Looking at the entire project will drive you crazy!!
Click to expand...
Exactly!!!

I’ve restored a few jukeboxes in the past, and a couple things I learned pretty quickly on my first one was, A) Have fun with it, and B) Steady and slow (small bites).

To the OP: Good luck, and….Welcome aboard!
 
Ma Mopar makes you work for it. A little help, research, internet and YouTube, she can be had....

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It's an investment. They hold their value.


☆☆☆☆☆
 
Dream car or nightmare? Well, it could easily go either way, depending on your skills, experience, budget, and especially expectations. Great advice above on taking one bite at a time, it's very easy to get overwhelmed and lose interest when the bills start to pile up and progress seems hellishly slow. Car looks pretty solid in the pics, good luck and keep us posted on your progress. Lots of very knowledgeable people here and some pretty good buys on parts too.

Good Luck!
 
The best resources are the materials from Chrysler.

You may wish to buy print copies of what you can, but there are also digital resources, some of which is very hard to find print copies.

www.mymopar.com for scanned service manuals, parts books, and Master Tech conference in pdf and youtube formats. The factory service manual has the most accurate wiring diagrams generally available.

The on-line Imperial Club has a better index of the Tech Conference.
Master Technician Service Conference - Chrysler's Training for Mechanics

The 1970 Hamtramck Registry Library Page Has Service Bulletins (updates to the parts and service books) and Sales Information (such as options for buyers)

A few things I would not restore in a '74 unless that was the point of the project (full restoration). One is the seat belt - start interlock. It was complicated and not worth the headches. Another is the OSAC, a pollution control device that delays throttle response.
 

Welcome! From the home of the US Navy's fastest, the most decorated ship in history USS BB-62 Battleship New Jersey! You've come to the right place! The wealth of knowledge here is great. I was where you are now 2 yrs ago like you a 20+ year hiatus. Most of my experience was B bodies, even after 2 years I'm still reading and learning. I just took my 67 Barracuda for its 1st drive this week. Just like yours a roller. Couldn't have done it without FABO!

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As Crackedback said, Go through the brakes and steering first. Then I'd check all the critical nuts & bolts for safety and that they are tight. Next, I'd probably find a running motor/trans combo, drop it in and start doing some shakedown drives to seewhat it needs most next. That is, if you're looking to get it driveable to start enjoying as soon as possible. You can always make it prettier later on. That'll probably be the best option to keep the wife's interest as well.
Sounds like she's a keeper. Your wife probably is too! LOL
Just do a little bit every day and it adds up faster than you'd think, even if it's just 20-30 minutes a day.
 
I had similar but i stripped it bare and now over two years in ready for paint, however it has snow balled i am brand new running gear the lot. Its a cheap car to build, i went through ebay made a list of every part and saved them. So when i purchase the part even if from elswhere i tick it off. I also have a todo list for the car. Tackle one bit at a time or it will over whelm you. Currently i have the underside painted so ill put new diff, all wet lines and front suspension in. Even the wheels so when i look at it i am motivated as makes a dream look loser hahah. I am doing a hemi conversion to add to the pain so have to dry fit motor and piss about with wiring after this stage.
My advice is make a list that you can tick items off and feel productive. Tackle one section at a time!! If you look at my build thread you can see how it can spiral quickly once you all in. Time is my issue not the money lol
 
Looks like someone done block sanded it and got it close to ready for paint? Keep in mind primer does not have UV protection if its kept out doors. Car looks solid to me. Keep us updated on any progress
 
Welcome (again) Jason! Your story sounds a lot like mine - I'm about a year ahead of where you are now. Enjoy every minute of the project - especially the rough patches when you have to do some problem solving!

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Welcome again from :canada:
Looks like you have a great start there. You are getting some good advice as to where to start and what to do, so I wont add anything to that. But I will say that theres a wealth of knowledge on this site, take advantage of it when you are building your ride, trust me, its an invaluable asset. And once you start seeing progress, that will inspire you to continue on and do more and more. Just keep a good eye on your wallet :lol:
 
Welcome from WI. Looks like a solid start. Fancy paint makes me nervous. Make it is driver, refine it as you go. Enjoy it
 
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