My 71 Plymouth Duster Resto

[3forty]

I have been following this build,I also own a '71. Keep up the good work and the updates.

 

[Dartnut]

Good work on the car!
You were lucky to find a body in such great shape to start with.
My question is, if you used all of the suspension out of the 340 car, why didn't you use the k member too instead of modifying the slant 6 one?

 

[LH23H2R]

Loving this build :love4: . Beautiful work you're performing there ; super clean !

I was hoping that you were going to reuse those original wheel covers . Best looking to come from Plymouth ; too bad they were one year only and 14" only .
If I ever built a '71 , and I upgraded to 15" wheels , I'd see if I could make / buy an adapter ring so that I could mount those sweet 14" covers on the 15" rims ccasion: .
Keep up the GREAT work !

 

[R4Sedan]

Real Nice Work Keep It Up!

 

[79JON]

DartNut - I would have definitely used the 73 K frame but the donor car I got was used for alittle drag racing and they cut the K frame all at the motor mounts. I think they had some other engine in this thing.. either a big block or another manufacture engine. Another reason is I had already bought slant 6 to 360 motor mounts from Schumacher that I just decided to keep the clean original K frame.

stokey04964, 813Demon340, 3forty - Thanks for the comments! I take pictures everytime I work on something so Ill have plenty more to come! :yawinkle:

LH23H2R - I actually like those hub caps to, thats why they are hanging on my wall in one of my rooms with alot more hubcaps. haha Since I was upgrading to a v8 I needed to get the better suspension and rear end so the 4 inch pattern wheels had to go. Although I could get a 14 inch steel wheel for a 4.5 pattern and throw them back on there.. hmmm haha

 

[LJS30]

Very clean work you have going.

 

[79JON]

Since I live in a apartment and my car is 35 min away I can only work on it on the weekends. So that gives me alot of time to work on mini projects during the week! I kind of look at it as a bunch of mini projects and keeps me from getting overwhelmed looking at all the stuff I have to do to finish it. haha Since all the dash came out I wanted to redo the wipers, petals etc. Here is the before and after pics of the pedal assembly.

 

[gerahead]

Since I live in a apartment and my car is 35 min away I can only work on it on the weekends. So that gives me alot of time to work on mini projects during the week! I kind of look at it as a bunch of mini projects and keeps me from getting overwhelmed looking at all the stuff I have to do to finish it. haha Since all the dash came out I wanted to redo the wipers, petals etc. Here is the before and after pics of the pedal assembly.

79Jon,
So, did you blast 'em, wheel 'em or dunk 'em? They came out looking pretty sweet. I still have a lot of this detail to do on the pieces for my 71 Dart and am taking notes from guys that get great results from their work. Nice job! L8r

Jim

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

Subscribed

 

[dusted72]

Kinda reminds me of when I was doing my car. Mid ways down the page. http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=75828&page=4

 

[79JON]

Thanks! Actually what ive been doing is the lemon juice, vinegar dunking that removes rust on most all the small parts including the pedals. Man does it work great. In one of my rooms ive got a big plastic container that I have the lemon juice and vinegar in and Ill leave these parts in it for about 8-12 hours depending on how rusty or grimey they are. Then I have another plastic container with baking soda and water to neutralize the acid eating at the rust. Most everything ive been dunking in the solution is minor surface rust and the rust just falls off. I try to do everything pretty quick after I pull it out of the bins because I dont want any rust reappearing and everything ive done so far has turned out pretty good. There was one thing that I messed up because I forgot it was still in there :banghead: was the spring for the hood latch.. After I remembered, the acid had ate through threw spring haha.

 

[79JON]

dusted72 - Man.. you did exactly what I did on those pedals.. Yours look great by the way. Thanks for sending that link.. Im gonna spend a while looking at your build now. haha

 

[Johnny Dart]

Nice build....will be following it !

 

[dusted72]

Thanks! Actually what ive been doing is the lemon juice, vinegar dunking that removes rust on most all the small parts including the pedals. Man does it work great. In one of my rooms ive got a big plastic container that I have the lemon juice and vinegar in and Ill leave these parts in it for about 8-12 hours depending on how rusty or grimey they are. Then I have another plastic container with baking soda and water to neutralize the acid eating at the rust. Most everything ive been dunking in the solution is minor surface rust and the rust just falls off. I try to do everything pretty quick after I pull it out of the bins because I dont want any rust reappearing and everything ive done so far has turned out pretty good. There was one thing that I messed up because I forgot it was still in there :banghead: was the spring for the hood latch.. After I remembered, the acid had ate through threw spring haha.

That's what I liked about the Evapo-Rust. It is safe, non toxic so it can be used in the house and it only attacks the rust. Doesn't harm paint and will not remove grease.

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

That's what I liked about the Evapo-Rust. It is safe, non toxic so it can be used in the house and it only attacks the rust. Doesn't harm paint and will not remove grease.

How do you neutralize it?

 

[dusted72]

How do you neutralize it?

It isn't an acid. All I ever did was use a scuff pad and soap and water. Then I just coated it with what ever primer and paint, or in the case of the brake pedal I just sprayed WD-40 on it to keep it from rusting.

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

It isn't an acid. All I ever did was use a scuff pad and soap and water. Then I just coated it with what ever primer and paint, or in the case of the brake pedal I just sprayed WD-40 on it to keep it from rusting.

Thanks I will try it.

 

[79JON]

I need to try some of that evapo-rust because this home made stuff works good but you have to watch that acid eating the metal haha Some of the parts that I wanted to look natural, I just clear coated it right after I pulled it out and dried it. Really looked good!

 

[dusted72]

I need to try some of that evapo-rust because this home made stuff works good but you have to watch that acid eating the metal haha Some of the parts that I wanted to look natural, I just clear coated it right after I pulled it out and dried it. Really looked good!

Yeah with Evapo-Rust you can leave stuff in there for weeks if you forget about them and it won't hurt them. Ask me how I know.

 

[79JON]

Time for a little update... went working on finishing up the rear end, gas tank install this weekend. Finally got the car on the ground and rolling! I put my rims and tires on the car to get a good look at what it will look like but rollers will be on the car during the rest of the resto. Here are pictures of it all together.

 

[79JON]

first time getting out from under the carport.. REALLY dusty... ha I threw the fenders on to get an idea. The front end sits high because the the torsion bars are tightened a bit and the rear.. Im kinda confused at why its so high. That rear end came out of a 76 volare I believe. But its sitting pretty high. Not sure if the springs were rearched or what. I dont mind it actually.

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

Your pick of wheels looks great on your Duster

 

[340_dart_power]

That is really taking shape, nicely done.

 

[79JON]

Had to give her a bath..

 

[mmoose]

Great Job!! i wish my Duster restore was moving along that fast.
I question about the tires and wheels, 15X7 in the front 15X8 in the back with 235-60-15 and 275-60-15 ?? they look Great are they hitting the fenders in the front when you turn all the way?? I have new Cragar SS wheels the same size but was concerned the 7" would be to wide in the front.