Driving the AlCan in a '74 Duster - What do I do to prepare my car?

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Greg A-M

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Hello FABO!

I've posted a few threads here and there about stuff I've been working on but it's high time I start asking the big questions and garner the sage wisdom of the Mopar Elders. I'm planning to embark on something that could only be possible when you're in your mid twenties and have nothing tying you down.

My plan for next spring is to drive with a friend from California through the center of the USA to see the great paleontological sites before swinging north to Canada to drive the length of the AlCan into Alaska. From there we're going to come down the west coast of North America back down into the lower 48 and along the coast again back to the SF bay in California.

To accomplish this journey I want to drive an American car - one made between 1960 and 1975. Taking the journey in an American car is as important to me as the trip itself - there can be no one without the other. This American car would also need a few features: an engine with good fuel economy, and a manual transmission.

After a few months of craigslist surfing we came across what we thought was the right match - a '74 Duster with a 225 slant six. The only box not ticked by this car was the automatic gearbox with a three speed column shift. The Duster body style is among my favorites, especially the 70-72. She had the look of being rough-and-ready with a rattle can primer paint-job and a few small spots of rust, the drip rails and a spot at the base of the drivers side A pillar other than that she was nice and solid. The interior was chewed up but wasn't trashed. It was far cheaper than a lot of the other Dusters, Demons, Mavericks, six-cyl Novas, Valiants, Hornets, and other small six cylinder cars of the era we'd found and when I went to take a look at it in person it appeared to be a good specimen. After all, we'd seen rolling bodies with rust in worse places for twice what the asking price of this car was. As a bonus the car came with "ran last time I turned it on" factory A/C! It had also been running/driving about a month before it was sold to us and the engine fired up but had a hard time staying running. I didn't worry too much about it as I knew I was going to need to rebuild the carb, change plugs, and do a number of basic things any way. I'd have time to diagnose anything that was a problem now.

Inadvertently, my traveling companion gave this car the name of 'Pinkie'.

Now's the part where you come in FOBA, I want to take this Duster from it's heapish state into something a little less heapish but completely capable of getting my buddy and I to Alaska and back with only a few disasters in between. No cosmetics, limited creature comforts, just a strong American machine to cruise the highways of our nation with determination and diligence.

So, FABO: What would you do to prepare a 74 Duster with a 225 slant six for an extended journey on the roads from California to Alaska in the months of April to June? What is the essential work that would need to be done now and preemptively for a car that's going to travel long distances at economy speeds (55-70 mph)? Help me make a list of tasks to complete that I should know to do and others I wouldn't have otherwise known to do.

I'll post some pictures of what I'm working with as soon as I can as it's going to be raining today/tomorrow.

Thank you FABO!
 
Pack the common spares, Alternator, voltage regulator, starter, cap, rotor, u-joints, etc.

I drove the Al-Can in 2003, awesome trip. If you see a gas station out in the middle of no where, stop & fill up! It is there for a reason.

YukonSmall.JPG
 
Sounds like a dream trip to me. If the car has points, take an extra set as well as the needed tools for some minor repairs.
 
Make sure exhaust has no leaks, and trunk seal is good. Around town is one thing, but days and weeks of fumes will get tiresome (at the very least).
Are you staying in motels, or camping, or a combination? Camping gear?
Personal protection?
Beer and water is heavy, so remove the back seats for extra capacity and space. Maybe ditch the heavy bumper impact brackets for earlier lightweight ones.
 
Personal protection?

No guns or knives, he will have to pass through customs at least 4 times.

Also, any prescriptions need to stay in their original marked containers, they are not happy to see the Monday- Sunday reminder holders full of pills.
 
Change all the fluids, New tires with spare, ballast resistor. New shocks, check all soft hoses, check all suspension rubbers. Check steering box and get front alignment. Spare belts. Then park car in garage and take grand Cherokee on the trip. Just kidding, good luck! :)
 
O.K. you asked for it , so here it goes . /6 motors are ok but v-8's are easier to service . The gas mileage between the two is minimal . v-8's climb mountains better due to the increase torque . If you are committed to a slanty made sure it is in top condition including being converted to unleaded fuel . Have the trans gone over and if it has a clutch have it replaced AND have the flywheel resurfaced . Brakes , brakes , brakes need I say more . Those moose are BIG . Flush out fuel system or replace it completely. When done take car for a serious shake down run . That's when the gremlins rear their ugly head . Tires, tires tires with spare rim(s) . Suggest pulling a SMALL trailer with all the stuff . It's easier on the drivetrain to pull something that to carry it . Spare parts , 2 of everything . Convert to electronic ignition . x2 RogerRamRod and x2 halifaxhops and x2 Alaskan T/A . Quite an adventure , wish I was going along . Remember, you will have issues so be prepared for them and be prepared to be amazed ! Good luck
 
One thing went bad on our trip, only one.

We lost a trim ring somewhere around Tok, Alaska.

Not so bad. :)
 
Only thing I can think to add is if you're planning on camping, maybe take a few boxes of matches, a few candles (burn longer than a match) at least one fishing pole to catch your supper (you can get collapsing poles to save room) and a bag of cotton balls and a container of petroleum jelly, coat one or 2 cotton balls in petroleum jelly and use it as a fire starter, I'll burn for quite awhile and make it easier to light wet twigs.
 
Make sure exhaust has no leaks, and trunk seal is good. Around town is one thing, but days and weeks of fumes will get tiresome (at the very least).
Are you staying in motels, or camping, or a combination? Camping gear?
Personal protection?
Beer and water is heavy, so remove the back seats for extra capacity and space. Maybe ditch the heavy bumper impact brackets for earlier lightweight ones.

Change all the fluids, New tires with spare, ballast resistor. New shocks, check all soft hoses, check all suspension rubbers. Check steering box and get front alignment. Spare belts. Then park car in garage and take grand Cherokee on the trip. Just kidding, good luck! :)

Duly noted. Thank you. This is the exact stuff I wanted to know.

O.K. you asked for it , so here it goes . /6 motors are ok but v-8's are easier to service . The gas mileage between the two is minimal . v-8's climb mountains better due to the increase torque . If you are committed to a slanty made sure it is in top condition including being converted to unleaded fuel . Have the trans gone over and if it has a clutch have it replaced AND have the flywheel resurfaced . Brakes , brakes , brakes need I say more . Those moose are BIG . Flush out fuel system or replace it completely. When done take car for a serious shake down run . That's when the gremlins rear their ugly head . Tires, tires tires with spare rim(s) . Suggest pulling a SMALL trailer with all the stuff . It's easier on the drivetrain to pull something that to carry it . Spare parts , 2 of everything . Convert to electronic ignition . x2 RogerRamRod and x2 halifaxhops and x2 Alaskan T/A . Quite an adventure , wish I was going along . Remember, you will have issues so be prepared for them and be prepared to be amazed ! Good luck

Bravo, sir. This is the meaty stuff I need.
That's something I never really put much though to. What drew me to the slant six is that sweet sweet 30mpg out of a mid century domestic car.
Whats the fuel economy difference between the 225\6 and the 318 or 340? If you can really sell me on fuel economy I'll go for the bigger engine.
 
No criminal record and a passport/Nexus card are required to get into the great white north. Bring a camera too as the scenery is amazing!
 
Duly noted. Thank you. This is the exact stuff I wanted to know.



Bravo, sir. This is the meaty stuff I need.
That's something I never really put much though to. What drew me to the slant six is that sweet sweet 30mpg out of a mid century domestic car.
Whats the fuel economy difference between the 225\6 and the 318 or 340? If you can really sell me on fuel economy I'll go for the bigger engine.
30 mpg ain't gonna happen with your slant....a good 318 could get 20s with twice the power though
 
30 mpg ain't gonna happen with your slant....a good 318 could get 20s with twice the power though

See, this is another thing. When I look through threads about 318s people report that they're getting bellow 20mpg after they've thrown a couple thousand dollars of EFI, ignition, intakes, and exhausts on the thing. I've yet to find anything serious numbers on either side of any argument.

To all: Would a 1974 225 ever get above 20 mpg? Would a stock 318 ever get into that territory without dishing out huge amounts of cash.
 
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