Finally paint

[Oldmanmopar]

today we put the rear upper brace in from the same rust free fender. We could have left it go because once it is on you wouldn't see it. But this car is to nice to leave rust hidden. I have other perfect fenders but I need two for my other Duster and there is a member I sold doors and hood to at Carlisle that is interested in two also. When I am done with this fender it will be rust free and perfect. Being we have the knowledge and Equipment I can make a perfect fender out of parts. They get nice if they are done right.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Here is the upper rear done. Tomorrow we are replacing the front part shown we will spot weld drill it out of the same rust free damaged fender shown. The mud was so thick on the damage around the headlight rim it was not fixable. We could have just mudded the pits up.But how long would that have lasted and who knows whats on the underside.

 

[kgip2k]

Steve? I believe that is your name. I don't care what anyone has to say about you, you are an asset to the hobby. What you are doing only shows that you care. I am glad to see that you are taking your time to do this car right.

 

[Tooljunkie]

First. I like the column, turned out great.love the steering wheel, wish i had one that nice for the dart.
Next, wow! Great detail work.
Definitely a master in restoration work.
What you say you have invested is hard to believe.
So hard to put a price on something like this. Whoever buys it will have a solid car for sure!

 

[fishmens67]

Pure Mopar blood runs through Oldman's veins for sure.

 

[JDMopar]

Good job Steve. I'll never forget one of my Dad's sayings. "If you take time to do something right, you won't have to MAKE time to do it over."

 

[Oldmanmopar]

. Removing the parts I need to finish the fender I am repairing.

First I saved the adjusters from the fender . They are very hard to remove.

Then I took a small flap wheel and located the spot welds. The center punch is is something new . Hold the front and pull the back it puts a deep center punch for the spot weld drill without deforming the fender. You can use it at any angle.

I removed the complete front of the fender. Now only the outer sheet metal is left of the parts fender. The forth picture is what was removed

 

[Oldmanmopar]

I took the assembly I removed took it apart and cleaned all parts so the are ready to use. If you notice the green self etching primer from the factory on the forth picture.

I use green rust-o-lium self etching rattle can primer on what ever I blast. lowes is the cheapest that always has plenty on the shelf I love that product. It is very good to coat bare metal. Promotes adhering and durable after blasting. what is nice you don't have to keep mixing and cleaning the spray gun.

We used it on bare metal spots when I worked on the assembly line before they came it the spray booth.

Parts are now ready for tomorrow. The other fender was never hit it is rust free . They will be edge and installed after front wheel alignment is done. Due to the weather that is on hold. Except for alignment the car runs great and is ready to go mechanically.

 

[mopardude318]

wow. nice work old man. looks great.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

some pictures of the fender I am fixing . I went back down and got it ready to add the new parts. 11:53 . Son has a bunch of people over . You never know when a half dressed girl is going to show up. Those are the nights I stay a little later in the garage.

 

[Dfr360cuda]

Good job Steve. I'll never forget one of my Dad's sayings. "If you take time to do something right, you won't have to MAKE time to do it over."

.................................
Where I work, our motto is...

There's never time to do it right,
But there's always time to do it twice.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Fitted and finished the fender today. we were going to put them on my orange Duster body a get them in primer so I can edge them. The reason to install them is to do the body work and final sand them on a car . But We have another plan. Bring the 70 in and use that car. We won't even have to tape it off. And while its in here we will strip it .

After bringing it in and looking at the car it needs rockers, Quarters and all the floors from front to back. The lower cowl is rotted. I have better bodies.The rear rails and front unitize section are solid as far as we can tell. The drive train is numbers matching 340 4spd. 391's. It started right up and the exhaust is still solid. Its been sitting since the 80's but always started twice a year ,

About 5 years ago I had a 71 Duster here 4spd 391's with a Mopar Performance 380 HP 360 crate motor. Steve and I took them out and the 360 had nothing for the 340 even with the air on. Of course I was behind the wheel of the 340. LOL. It still sounded real healthy today, Its been waiting for its execution. We marched it into the gas chamber today.

I know you all are going to condemn me but its our car and we will do what we want . We have a much nicer car that need this drive train and AC. our investment in the car as of today is minus $1100. . There were tons of extra 70 parts parts that came with it.

With the deal I made to get the car back he paid me to take it. Check out the bunny on the rear. 70's style . I was the second owner of this car in the 80's. and now I am the forth 26 years later and was never put on the road since I sold it the first time . When I first bought it was off the road since 78. The original carb. was in the trunk. I am sure we will grab some trim including the mirrors for the brown Duster. Just saves time locating parts in this mess.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Well I got some scoops out I need to use a 73 style . I also got a nice original 72 out. There was a member that was looking for one a while back. I will list it when I get a chance. I have two 73's down I was going to use one but I found another one upstairs today while putting parts away from the 70. This one needs work but a perfect candidate to put on a car that didn't come with one. The OEM scoops are bringing $500 and up if the are nice. . Perfect 72's are bringing more. I saw one at Carlisle that was selling for $750 on Friday . It was gone on Sunday. He sold it for his asking price. So he said?

I backed the Duster out under its own power and took it down the street. Two things I need to fix Power steering box drips and the brakes don't feel right. Hard peddle half way down and the dash brake light it on . Other then that sounds and shifts good. I am wondering if proportioning valve is a 73 style. If that would make a difference. or maybe its bad.

I put the red Duster shell at the back door to finish the brown fenders mounted on that car as stated above

 

[Mopar-Mitch]

What do you use to cut the 4-1/8 holes in the hood, I'm needing to put the holes in mine and wondering what the best way is ?

 

[Mopar-Mitch]

I gave $600.00 for a nice 72 duel snorkel awhile back thought I paid too much but maybe not. I ended up not using it, but plan on building a 72 demon in the future.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Nice stack of scoops. I want one fo my dart. They come up for sale once in a while up here.
I like the progress.

The last owner put a scoop on the hood of my barracuda, think it came from a McDonald’s garbage can....

 

[Oldmanmopar]

What do you use to cut the 4-1/8 holes in the hood, I'm needing to put the holes in mine and wondering what the best way is ?

We have both sets

Hydraulic Hole Puncher Set (63 - 114 mm, 2 1/2" - 4 1/2") - EZ-Tools USA Professional Tools

And this one now

Hydraulic Hole Puncher Set (22 - 60 mm, 7/8" - 2 3/8") - EZ-Tools USA Professional Tools

They will punch a hole 7/8 to 4 1/2 inch. He used it on 1/16 steel. It puts a perfect hole in any contour and does not flatten body lines. very neat tool. The dies are super strong. You can punch a hole in a bumper. You can get dies separate up to 6 inch. Also square

 

[Mopar-Mitch]

We have both sets

Hydraulic Hole Puncher Set (63 - 114 mm, 2 1/2" - 4 1/2") - EZ-Tools USA Professional Tools

And this one now

Hydraulic Hole Puncher Set (22 - 60 mm, 7/8" - 2 3/8") - EZ-Tools USA Professional Tools

They will punch a hole 7/8 to 4 1/2 inch. He used it on 1/16 steel. It puts a perfect hole in any contour and does not flatten body lines. very neat tool. The dies are super strong. You can punch a hole in a bumper. You can get dies separate up to 6 inch. Also square

Thanks! That looks alot safer than a hole saw, and looks like it will do a real clean cut, did you have to order them or does a tool or hardware store have them?

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Called and ordered it. What is nice about these id the fit in very tight places. You need to drill a 5/8 pilot hole for the large diameter we use a step drill bit from the set we got at Harbor Freight.

You can use these for floor holes for the rubber plugs and roll cage hole in the rear deck and floor. Fender well headers. or anything you want a precision hole.

We use the hole saw for wood now. No more scratches around a hole on metal from the hole saw jumping around. or broken bits when the hole saw catches. I love this tool. Best investment for any metal you need to put a hole in that looks factory.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Scraped the under coating off of the drivers side fender. Then we blasted the back side. The paint was removed with Paint remover and then DA'd with 80. they were metal conditioned and self etch primed. They will then be primed with primer filler and block sanded

I pulled the red Duster into the back to put the fenders on to Prime and block them. This will save taping up the brown Duster. They will be finished, painted on the back side , edged and then installed on the brown Duster.

Then "Finally Paint" LOL

 

[hcarr]

OMG Steve, that Duster looks fantastic!!! You do such great work. I am really impressed.It will be a fast and easy sale. They will be standing in line to get a chance to buy it.
Howard

 

[Oldmanmopar]

I went looking for some parts today. I opened up the trailer that I bought to put all of the Parts that were saved from the orange Duster . I bought a new mint body after I bought the brown Duster . I was originally going to use the brown Duster to replace my Orange one. Now that we are going to cut this body up for a race car I am having second thoughts.

I have a Demon That is almost as nice but was hit in the right quarter. The quarter was replace before AMD made them. So I bought AMD's now. What I am thinking is using the Demon shell for the Duster using the tail light section of the red Duster. Since it has to be Tub-ed, and caged why ruin a perfect shell. I can spot weld drill these cars apart and and switch everything. I am tossing that around. The Duster body never had numbers stamped in it.

The demon Body is a 4spd and has the matching numbers. But I am adding every option it could have came with and changing the color to match the Orange used on the Duster.

I will be building a car as if I ordered it new using the 70 4sp. Duster drive line . Including eliminating the 71 fuel vent system and vented cap.

One thing that has been brought up by my son is the Demon does have room for a front mount inter-cooler for a race car

Off subject but any thoughts?

 

[RustyRatRod]

Purdy cool man. I like how yall are usin the old car for the fender mock up. Smart. Even though that car is gonna meet its demise, it's still contributing to the cause.

 

[hcarr]

Steve, I know that anyway you do it that it will be right! You sure know what you are doing with these cars. I stand with you on any decisions concerning the rebuilding of these cars 100%. I just want to see the progress as you transform them into a work of art!!!
Howard

 

[barbee6043]

Great work! Takes lots of time, skill, and patience!!

You guys up there have the population and numbers of cars, but the bad weather... down here we have the good weather but never the number of cars! I see the rust you guys deal with and I tell myself, our rust here ain't squat!!

You could have been a surgeon (people surgeon, that is!!)