Looking for advice. Want to build a Duster to run on a budget.
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abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
cheapest way to build it wouidl most likely be a 360/904. 4k will be tough but i think it can be done.. how bad is this 800 dollar duster?
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shittyslant6
Well-Known Member
I'm not totally sure what people are saying that 4k is not enough. I put a v8 in my car for under $1500 in 2021. I found the engine for $200, swap kit from trans dapt was $90.00, I just had manifolds on it for starters, no headers. (unnecessary cost for a cruiser), a chinese air gap is sub $200 depending on the brand. the 7 1/4 rear end is still in my car and it hasn't blow'd up yet. the driveshaft from the slant worked. I went through 2 transmissions over 3 years and each one was $150. Rebuild the drums, new master cylinder, and rubber hoses and it'll be safe enough to drive. Grease everything possible and run it. (I ran mine on the original suspension for 2 years and it was totally fine.)
You don't need any electronic ignition, you don't need a new wiring harness, (unless its gone, but get a cheapy one from amazon and figure it out), you don't need new upholstery just throw some seat covers on it. my carpet was turf mat from home depot for $50.
My only advice is to use a 904 because it'll drop in without any worries and just use 3.23 gears or 2.76 gears for highway use.
You don't need any electronic ignition, you don't need a new wiring harness, (unless its gone, but get a cheapy one from amazon and figure it out), you don't need new upholstery just throw some seat covers on it. my carpet was turf mat from home depot for $50.
My only advice is to use a 904 because it'll drop in without any worries and just use 3.23 gears or 2.76 gears for highway use.
right? some people haven't built a car in a long time or priced out parts recently, and it shows.
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
2021 being the key out of that. not quite as easy to do as it was back then.
shittyslant6
Well-Known Member
back then? it was 4 years ago. and I got a 360 with a transmission for $250 this year as well. the trans dapt mounts are still $90.00.
74 Duster roller - no motor, no trans.
ATTENTION *** CAR IS BACK UP FOR SALE !!!!! COME TOMORROW AND BRING A TRAILER !!! MUST GO A.S.A.P..... 1st $800.00 gets it NO HOLDS !!!! 10 am Sharp !!! 1 day sale !!! 10421 Jasmine Drive Lincoln...
www.facebook.com
this was the car he linked. so, about what i would expect an 800 duster to look like...
TT5.9mag
Two atmospheres are better than one
Like like like like like
Really appreciate everyone's input here. Unfortunately, he ended up selling it before I could get to it. I'm going to keep my eyes out for another one and keep squirreling money away for a bigger budget. If anyone knows of a Duster for sale on the east coast I'd love to know about it. I know my dad's was a 1974 but I'm not picky about the year
shittyslant6
Well-Known Member
hell my car was $1700 and i was still under 4k getting it running. and in my experience, many car guys out there are really nice and receptive to guys trying to build cars on a budget. every engine I bought the guy selling threw in some sort of discount or extra parts for free or $20 extra without asking. I got a 4bbl intake with my 318 for free, my 360 was supposed to be a short block only for $250 but the guy threw in all the valvetrain and bolts for the engine as well as a transmission for no extra cost. I know mileage may vary, but overall a lot of people are willing to help just out of the kindness of their heart.
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abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
lol.. almost 5 years ago is huge. **** has sky-rocked in those years. unless i saw a $250 motor and trans running and operating in person i sure as hell wouldn't just be sticking it in a car that i want to drive.
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
where on the east coast are you?
Delaware but willing to drive
Yea right, fully rebuilt 0 miles motor, trans with new clutch for $200.
Should go good with your $800 ready to go Duster chassis., and still have money left over to take your gal out for tacos. lol
TT5.9mag
Two atmospheres are better than one
You never know till you ask. For $200 it would be a trip worth taking if you were in the market. Hell that thing is 5 miles from me, I might go check it out just because.Yea right, fully rebuilt 0 miles motor, trans with new clutch for $200.
Should go good with your $800 ready to go Duster chassis., and still have money left over to take your gal out for tacos. lol
Oldiron440
Big blocks rule small blocks drool!
I’ve done countless 440 swaps over the last forty years my first was in an Abody but that was when you could get a low mileage 440/727 for $150. Then with another grand have a quick ride but now a good rebuildable block might cost you $500. So now my low buck swap would be a 5.9 Magnum and whatever transmission you wanted. After a few years you wanted more power you could do a Gen 3 swap without much trouble.
If I was starting out with a clean slate and didn’t have a stockpile of 440 parts both new and used I would be into the Gen 3 with a turbo or two.
If I was starting out with a clean slate and didn’t have a stockpile of 440 parts both new and used I would be into the Gen 3 with a turbo or two.
4k is a brake job on a 2012 audi a8
Go ahead talk him into building a car with worn out parts just so he can drive his kids around to honor his father.
Premium to me is replacing all the rubber brake lines and brake parts first, we'll get it running after all the frontend parts are thoroughly checked as well, just a small list of things to be gone through before even thinking about putting a license plate on it.
PS I'm sorry your dad taught you mediocrity was OK, my old man taught me paint and fancy wheels doesn't make it reliable. But it sure is nice for the finishing touch. lol
You know, I should be really pissed, because you're being a disrespectful ***. I should have expected that based on your pathetic comment about the OP's father. But you don't know anything about my father, and your life is poorer because of that. Realistically, you have no idea how truly ignorant your statement really is. All it really says is that the sum total of your existence isn't worth the time it's taking out of my life to write this. If you've been driving mopars for ~48 years and this is the best you have to contribute, well, you've wasted all of that time. Every second. Because clearly you've learned nothing of importance.
Based on your overwhelming ignorance I can only assume you have no shame, but, if you did? You should be ashamed. Because your comments are some of the most pathetic I've ever seen.
I didn't say it couldn't be done, but it is a big stretch. I ran a 318 in my Duster for awhile that I bought for a couple hundred bucks, it worked for a while but ultimately it didn't last. And that was over a decade ago now.
There's more than a bit of luck in finding a running engine that will hold up at the $200, $300 or even $500 price point. Again, not saying they aren't out there or that it's impossible, but it's not hard to buy a dud if that's what you've got to spend. And if you buy a dud on that budget it could be a project killer.
I 100% want the OP to be successful, and being truly realistic I think doing it right now would mean a larger budget. Or a lot of luck, which is possible! But probably not a good way to plan.
I think you've got a great plan. Despite what some purist curmudgeons will tell you, you don't needs tens of thousands of dollars to meet your goals if you're willing to put in the time and effort.
Keep your eyes open, look for good projects, and put away whatever you can for a build budget. Even just a couple thousand more in your budget would dramatically change your opportunities. That's certainly not an easy thing, I totally understand that because I've been there. But there are deals out there. With some patience and some luck you're not far off.
When I started my '74 Duster project, I had it on the road for under $4k. I paid $2k for a supposedly running '74 Duster with a /6, brought it home, found out it was terminal with a dead cylinder, swapped it to a '74 V8 K frame out of a wrecked '74 Dart I bought for $300, put a $250 318/904 in it, rebuilt the suspension and bought wheels and tires for it and initially had it going for under that $4k mark.
My "new" '74 Duster- or why I need a project like a hole in the head
The problem is, that was 2012. The car would cost more now, the parts I had already laying around would have cost me more to get because I was pulling stuff out of wrecking yards which isn't really a thing anymore. The running 318 would be way more of a crapshoot at $250 now than it was then, etc. And I already had a ton of parts, knowledge, and tools. More than enough to be able to put the car on the road with little additional investment. Like some of those TV shows where they "just find" half the stuff laying around their shop. It's not a realistic way to budget for something if you don't have some huge parts trove in your backyard. But I also had some bad luck! At what I paid for the car at the time, I could have gotten lucky and had it be a running /6. If that had happened, I'd have probably been a thousand bucks better of
Again, I think if you keep looking, keep putting away some money if you can, and put in the time and effort you're close to being able to do this. And that will make it even more memorable and worth it when you get there, which some people here clearly don't understand.
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MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Yes, I would keep looking for a Duster at a good price. As others have mentioned I would get it safe first as far as brakes,suspension etc. I would then get it looking good. With a family of 5 and no garage space you can see how to do that on a thread I have her that I posted for people in your situation or simply don't want to spend a lot.
If/when you get in a better situation you can acquire the parts you need over time and switch things out in a short period of time. With your car being safe and looking good you and your family can enjoy it now as well as in the future.
Yea I was when you called me an A-hole for my opinion, but I'm over it, carry on.
It may be hard for you to understand but the bloke just had a difference of opinion not everyone has to be the same. You literally ripped into him about his dad lol. Do you read what you write. I get what he is saying do it once do it right or not at all. I mean come on a chrome bumper roller is a roller for a reason it wasn't worth getting running or going to cost too much, most likely rust and clapped out driveline. Going to need four k just to get it running safely and replacing all the parts most likely missing. Yea there are plenty of trailer queens sitting about not finished..... for every trailer queen there is ten rusty roller projects with out the budget that never seen the light of day. Most blokes saying they building a car to honour their dad or family simply using it as an excuse to get it past the misus lol.
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