My 70 Duster Big Block Car

[chlngr1970]

Well, the whole reason I am doing this, is because my GF says my Duster is just sitting. Well, she is right. My Duster has been sitting for about 9 years now. About 4 years ago, I got the front suspension rebuilt, and dual exhaust from the crappy headers back to a pair of turn downs in front of the rear axle. , including an H pipe.

I have long wanted to put a Big Block in it, so with much prodding from my GF, I bought a 400 to stroke up to a 451. The plan is, Big Block conversion, Subframe connectors, Dana rear end with coil over and ladder bars ( I think )New floor pans and a tail panel, replace the cowl panel, Body work, and Plumb Crazy Purple paint, shark tooth grill, and the Dual Snorkel hood scoop. Late Model Neon seats ( or something similar ) new black interior.

Attached are a few pix of my severely neglected 70 Duster with it's 340/727/8.75.

j

 

[Burntorange70]

Sounds like a very nice plan on the build up.* Looks like you have a lot of work in front of you. I like the floor repair job. LOL.

Good luck on your build. Should be a fun car when done!

 

[SpeedThrills]

If it's a number's car, maybe you should sell it and and get a /6 or 318 car to hot rod. Save a classic and get some cash.

 

[pettybludart]

INSTAD OF A BB,WHY DON,T YOU STROKE 340(408)AND NOT TELL ANYBODY.NO HEADDER ISSUES(FENDERWELL)AND IF YOU STROKE IT YOU CAN GET 500HP.I DID A SMALL STROKE(372)TO MY 340 AND IT,S DYNOED AT 452HP,440FTLBS OF TORQUE ON A ENGINE STAND.THIS SUMMER I WENT TO THE TRACK AND RAN 12.82 AT 108 WITH 8 3/4(4.10) YOU CAN,t tell just by lookin at the car.Just my 2 cents

 

[chlngr1970]

If it's a number's car, maybe you should sell it and and get a /6 or 318 car to hot rod. Save a classic and get some cash.

I thought I replied to this last night...:dontknow: Fear not, this is not an original car. It was a /6 car that someone long before me converted to a V8, including BBC disc brakes, and an 8.75 rear. It even has Pontiac seats The 340 is a '73 vintage anyway

INSTAD OF A BB,WHY DON,T YOU STROKE 340(408)AND NOT TELL ANYBODY.NO HEADDER ISSUES(FENDERWELL)AND IF YOU STROKE IT YOU CAN GET 500HP.I DID A SMALL STROKE(372)TO MY 340 AND IT,S DYNOED AT 452HP,440FTLBS OF TORQUE ON A ENGINE STAND.THIS SUMMER I WENT TO THE TRACK AND RAN 12.82 AT 108 WITH 8 3/4(4.10) YOU CAN,t tell just by lookin at the car.Just my 2 cents

I have always wanted a big block Duster, and I am FINALLY realizing my dream!

j

 

[chlngr1970]

Picked up a right angle oil filter adapter for the small block. I think I will get the 340 running for the show season this year and start the conversion this coming winter. I picked up a pair of late model Chrysler Cirrus seats, including a power drivers seat at the local Pull-A-Part for about $45. I just need to fabricate the front bracket attaching point. I don't like the PMD seats that are in the Duster now, and they are falling apart anyway...

j

 

[Snake]

The pop rivet floor patch looks like something I did 40 years ago LOL.man get going on that car its a shame to see it SUFFER.:cheers:

 

[chlngr1970]

The pop rivet floor patch looks like something I did 40 years ago LOL.man get going on that car its a shame to see it SUFFER.:cheers:

You are right. unfortunately, money has never been easy for me. That, and I have many expensive habits

. I just started on my home automation system. I'm trying to meter my meager income, and pick up a piece here and there. I had to pull out of my company's stock purchase plan, which is how I was financing my projects. Next purchase period starts in April I think. I usually make a couple grand on the deal, so I spend that on my project car. I know this winter, I will be doing some major work on the car. I think this winter, I will strip the Duster down, replace the floor pans on both the Duster and the Dart, and hopefully get the 340 freshened up for the Dart. The 400 for the Duster will head to the machine shop this winter to get ready for stroking. I would like to have the Dart ready for the 340 come next spring. Then I can drive the Dart while the Duster is being rebuilt.

j

 

[chlngr1970]

Well, picked up a new battery, and did an oil change. The old oil ( probably about 10 YO ) didn't come out in lumps, which is a good thing :cheers: I need to check to find TDC so I can get the distributor back in the correct position. Other than that, I never got it to run I don't even know if the fuel pump is working or not. Since it is going to rain for the rest of the year, I am relegated to acquiring more parts. Hopefully I will be able to pick up a new rear end for the car soon, and at least get started on that. I might just push the Dart out to the drive way and tarp it for the weekend so I can get some work done on the Duster interior.

Sometimes I miss Texas...

Nah...

 

[chlngr1970]

Picked up an 8.75" rear end housing for the Duster today Now all I need for it is to have it narrowed, new axles, bearings, and a third member installed. Should bill out to be about $1500 when all is said and done, but I'll have a narrowed 8.75 rear end with a 4.10 Sure Grip differential :thumbup:

Oh, and the guy I got the housing from threw in a 318 long block minus pistons and rods...

Not bad for $40.00

j

 

[chlngr1970]

Some pics of my score!

All for $40

j

 

[chlngr1970]

Well, after the crushing defeat of my 400 block, I had to do something to make me smile. Lucky for me, the guy I got the rear end housing had some Centerlines he needed to sell... :toothy10: 2 x 15X? with 295/50/15s, 2 X 14X? with 245/60/14s, and 2 X 15X5ish all with good tires I Might be looking to sell/trade the 14" wheels. Duno yet

j

 

[chlngr1970]

It was absoultely BEAUTIFUL this past weekend, so I took advantage of it I pulled the Duster out of the garage, and stripped out the interior, put the Centerlines on it, replaced the fuel pump, and trial fitted the Cirrus seats. I found the passenger rear floor pan was Yellow.:dontknow: It looks like someone replaced JUST the left rear floor pan, cut from another car. It is pop rivited, as well as screwed in :angry7: I also found out the Cirrus seats, left to right are different widths. The passenger side seat is wider at the tracks than the drivers side. I guess I'm going to have to fabricate some sort of adapter brackets :dontknow:

On a down note, I was completely unsuccessful in getting it to start. It tried a few times, but never took off. I had my cam corder there, hoping to get suggestions as to what I need to look at. It turns over, tries to fire, but never stays running. In the past, I have replaced the distributor, Orange ignition module, voltage regulator, cap, rotor, plugs, wires...( I need to re-replace the wires. ) If I can figure out how to post the vid, I'll share it with y'all.

j

A few pix

 

[needsaresto]

Wants to fire while the key is in crank position but quits when the keys is turned back to the run position? Thats the ballast resistor. You can confirm this by bypassing it. Run a wire from the pos batt terminal to the coil side of the ballast. Then crank it. If it fires and runs you have your culprit. Cant shut the motor off with the key if you do this though and dont run it more than 1/2 hour because the ign system is recieving full battery voltage. Just dissconnect the jumper wire to kill it.

I made a jumper wire from some 14 gage and 2 alligator clips.

 

[chlngr1970]

My F*&$ed up Youtube Vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfOSTtzAux0

Eh?

j

 

[chlngr1970]

I'll give that a shot this weekend...if it isn't back to winter

j

 

[chlngr1970]

As I was trying to get my car started, I noticed a lot of fuel building up around the accelerator pump. So, I picked up a rebuild kit for the Holley. It is currently soaking in the carb cleaning solution for the night. Tomorrow, I will pull the bowls out, and put the main body, and bottom plate in the solution to soak for a while. Sunday, I will put it all back together. At least having a rebuilt carb isn't a bad thing...

j

 

[chlngr1970]

I want to say a BIG thank you to Red Scampi for the 400. :cheers: I was there today to pick up the motor, and a BB 727 along with a couple DP4B intakes. I also picked up a complete 400/727 from another guy down there I found on Craigslist. So, my poor little D100 carried TWO complete 400s and two BB 727s with my junk seats, misc crap, two spare tires and my engine hoist. 8) I'll post pix tomorrow before I unload the poor truck. Man I love that thing!

j

 

[Cliffjumper]

Nice project! BB Dusters are awesome! I have a question, something I am planning to do Winter of 2009. Traction related. How much are you narrowing that 8 3/4? What are some of your plans for suspension out back?
I've been thinking of re-doing the suspension out back on my 68' 440 Cuda'. Offset the spring location and extend the wheel wells flush to the frame rail to fit some bigger tires. This might be something to think about if your doing any narrowing. I read up there you wanted to go with ladder bars. A guy at my hotel bar in Carlisle talked me out of it. He told me to take a look at the Caltracs.

 

[RedScampi]

You're welcome Jim, I hope that you can get that beast moving soon! glad to hear you made it back safely. That truck was riding mighty low.:toothy10:

 

[chlngr1970]

I am not at all against the idea of sticking with leaf springs and adding Caltracs. After I get my truck unloaded, I'm heading down to Parkland to check out a Dana 60 rear end. As I understand it, a Dana 60 is a Dana 60 is a Dana 60, right? I can take a truck rear, have IT narrowed, and have new axles made for it with the right bolt pattern, right?

j

 

[wigsplitter74]

I am not at all against the idea of sticking with leaf springs and adding Caltracs. After I get my truck unloaded, I'm heading down to Parkland to check out a Dana 60 rear end. As I understand it, a Dana 60 is a Dana 60 is a Dana 60, right? I can take a truck rear, have IT narrowed, and have new axles made for it with the right bolt pattern, right?

j

To some extent yes. However I've been told by a friend that cuts down truck Dana's for his chumpmaro drag cars that an older Ford truck Dana has the strongest center, more webbing I beleive. Also be very careful on the truck Dana 60's they look exactly like a Dana 70 and you can't tell the two apart without getting into them and knowing what to look for (I don't)

 

[chlngr1970]

Me either. However, apparently, loading two big blocks with transmissions in my truck caused the brake lights to fail. No idea what is going on. I replaced all the lights back there, in case, but no. I picked up the brake light switch today, and will try replacing that this weekend. Hopefully that rear end I was going to go look at is still there...

j

 

[chlngr1970]

I did some wrenching on my truck this weekend. I got the power steering pressure hose replaced, and I started out to replace my broken wheel cylinder and ended up braking my brake line :angry7: So, now I have new wheel cylinders, a new brake line, and I still have spongy brakes However, when I was bleeding the brakes, I noticed the brake lights started working again :cheers:

Other than that, I guess I need to figure out my Holley 3310-2. We ran out of money while paying off credit cards, and old debt. I guess I could sell of my Carter AFB collection since all my intake manifolds are square bore, and my Carters are spread bore. I don't really want to use an adapter plate. I just wish I knew more about carb rebuilding, then I would be more confident in putting this Holley back on the car:dontknow:

Oh, yeah...

And I made some brackets to mount my new seats in the car :cheers:

j

 

[chlngr1970]

I now have, in my front yard no less, the Dana rear with 3.73 gears, and the cowl panel for my Duster. I'm hoping to have some time this weekend between taking my truck to the salvage yard, and the trailer back to my dads. Now all I need to do is get the Dana built for the Duster, and acquire the floor pans, and if needs be, the quarters. Oh, and the stroker kit ;) All the little things can wait till I get closer to putting the car together.

j