Feather Duster Update

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Ashburg

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Ok so a lot of you wanted to see pictures, well i finally got a chance to take some today. The only real rust I could find on the car was in the front drivers side section of the frame a little over a foot long section is pretty rusted as u can see in the pics, and an area next to the steering box which i've outlined. Anyone know what it might cost to have someone replace that section of frame? Other than that and the body work needed on the right fender and around the right tailight it seems to be ok. Also I found out today upon further inspection that its leaking a little oil around the oil pan. Im hoping its just the gasket for the pan, but ill have more time to look at it when the owner and I get together to take a look at the front end(Somethings wobbly). Anyway, tell me what ya think(even though i bet ya'll are gonna hate it). ;-) Oh and sorry I couldn't get more pics especially of the underneath but its difficult getting that low under there and taking good pics.. Oh yea, and I didn't realize the people in the backseat would only have like 7 inches of leg room lol

























 
I would check that frame real close.The upper controle arm mount is just on the other side of the rust by the steering box. You will have a lot of money having a clean section of frame welded in. Cheaper if you can doit your self.
 
If you get a chance, take a magnet to check the underside hood and trunk bracing as well as intake. Confirm something wasn't swapped out earlier in life. Some Feather Dusters and Dart Lites are rumored to have come through with a regular steel trunk lid. The side edges of the hood should have rectangular crimps in it.

Wheels are cool! Anybody know if they are original? I don't recall seeing those on an A-body.
 
if you do not have the skills to fix that rail yourself...... PASS ON IT!

i just bought a 70 340 pink duster, and the rail looked to be the same. well, i went to see if i could patch it, and nope!. i am telling you, that whole frame rail is rotted out from the inside. it will need to be replaced to be a safe car to be driven! there is no capping that
 
this my friend is exactly why we needed pictures. your description the other day and the car in these pictures are no where near the same thing.

that car is a mess. its not worth more then a few hundred dollars and thats pushing it. that front fender is filled with plastic and it looks like the quarter may be also. hard to tell because the pic isn't very clear. not sure if its the computer i'm on or just the picture.. the frame rot is bad and the passenger floor looks like it just has some sheet metal thrown down to cover holes. again hard to tell for sure because of a blury picture.. the pictures are good enough to say your nuts if you pay anywhere even close to $1000 for that wreck.


the frame repair is doable but its gonna cost a fourtune to have it done. if you have the tools and ability to do it yourself then maybe its worth doing but to me i just don't see anything worth playing with. wobbly front end, needs a fuel system, motor doesn't run right, major rust repair needed, int wrecked and god knows what else it needs.

the other day you mentioned something about $2000. for that money you can start with a lot cleaner car that isn't such a mess.


bottom line, run as fast as you can from that headache looking for a place to happen....
 
Well if anything the front end will be fixed before its in my posession(if it ever gets that way). Im gonna talk to one of my buddies about the frame and see if he thinks he can help me with it. Other than that, how'd u see the passenger floor abodyjoe? Im pretty sure u cant see it from any of the pics i posted. just a bunch of trash and junk lol. The interior also is really not in bad shape, the carpet needs to be cleaned and new fabric put on the roof other than that its pretty good lookin, just needs to be cleaned up.

Im still on the lookout though for another duster. I wish i lived in you guys' area.. I cant find any of the deals you all are getting/seeing anywhere around where i live..
 
What it really comes down to is how much money are you willing to invest in this car. If it is really the one you want, that is one thing. What many are saying is that there are very clean examples of plain jane Darts and Dusters for sale that will provide a less expensive foundation for building. Even though you may feel that Dart Lites and Feather Dusters are rare, this is not reflected in their resale value compared to other base models. Sure, the lightweight parts may have been somewhat desirable for those racing in stock classes back in the day, but today they are more an interesting oddity.

It's a neat car for sure, but the question is simple. Are you planning to restore it to it's original state, color, etc? If you are not, then you won't benefit from it being what it is. We're just trying to make sure you remove the rose-colored glasses, because most of us have worn them, and been down the same road as you.

Grant
 
I want something that gets better economy than my jeep hence i thought the feather duster a good idea, as it gets 36 mpg advertised. If I do find a nice one I like it's not going to be for complete restoration, at least not yet. Maybe a few years down the road but i dont have the money to restore something just yet, just enough to fix something up a little and make it my daily driver and when im settled ill restore it.
 
a engine that is well worn it at 300k will not get 36!. maybe 16!
 
You could probably get $500 - $1,000 out of it by parting it all out. A good Feather Duster hood w/hinges and trunk should get a few hundred at least.
 
I mentioned as advertised. I figured it might get about 30. Read on here about someone else's who after i believe after 288k was still getting 30+. And yes grassy they originally got 36 mpg highway with the 4 speed od. in 1976,
 
Ashburg said:
I want something that gets better economy than my jeep hence i thought the feather duster a good idea, as it gets 36 mpg advertised. If I do find a nice one I like it's not going to be for complete restoration, at least not yet. Maybe a few years down the road but i dont have the money to restore something just yet, just enough to fix something up a little and make it my daily driver and when im settled ill restore it.
Click to expand...

that thing isn't going to get 36 mpg with out a lot of work and fine tuning. even then its a stretch...

its also going to take a ton of time and money to even get it road worthy..


keep looking. a deal will pop up. don't rush into anything. i think you'll be in way over your head wit that car. its a mess.

if its been sitting long enough to screw up the fuel system then the brake system is going to have to be done also to be safe. its just going to keep snowballing on ya. hold out for a cleaner one . you'll be better off in the long run.
 
Locomotion said:
Wheels are cool! Anybody know if they are original? I don't recall seeing those on an A-body.
Click to expand...
look like 15" cop car wheels. great wheels but heavier than a ****. exactly not what you'd want for a feather duster :smile:
 
Locomotion said:
If you get a chance, take a magnet to check the underside hood and trunk bracing as well as intake. Confirm something wasn't swapped out earlier in life. Some Feather Dusters and Dart Lites are rumored to have come through with a regular steel trunk lid. The side edges of the hood should have rectangular crimps in it.

Wheels are cool! Anybody know if they are original? I don't recall seeing those on an A-body.
Click to expand...
the wheels appear to be 15x7 cop car wheels, which im sure are big bolt pattern, aaah they beat me to it lol. with the rust i would give 500 for it as its gonna take a bit to fix it, but overall it doesnt look to bad
 
Go to the forums and scroll down to Cars for sale,take a look whats out there for sale.Some nice deals to be had for reasonable prices.Good luck.
 

decent looking car for sure but all that rust would be a deal breaker for me deals are out there keeplooking
 
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