My 73' duster PROJECT

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BlkArrow

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Hello everyone! I am very excited for the fact that I put a deposit on my project /6 duster today. I will be picking it up around next friday or so, the guy just wants it out of his yard. It is actually a bit rougher than I had anticipated...the guy made it sound like there was only one spot on it, but in all actuality it needs a driver's side rocker, drivers side "dogleg", and the lower rear quarter on passengers side. Oh yeah, it need some repair around the trunk lock, someone tried to pry into the trunk...With all that said it really is a sound car for being here in the NE! all around the rear window is mint, interior is pretty decent, with only one little rip and needs a new dash cap. Like I said it is a project, I am only 16 at this moment so progress may be a bit slow, but I intend to make it presentable before next school year :). My dad is supporting me with this project, he would be some annoyed if I got a tuner car like my brother lol. My dad has mopars so to him this was the only choice for my first car :). I was able snap some exterior pics today. I
am gonna get ordering stuff asap!:snakeman:
 
here are some exterior pics, I couldn't take that many...I was in a rush this morning!...LOL like the plate? It might just come with the car! Man I wish he would give me the cragars with it, he is giving me steelies with dog dishes, also a new grill and a brand new gas tank.
duster001.jpg

duster002.jpg

duster003.jpg

duster004.jpg
 
You must have been posting pics at the same time I was replying. Looks like a good project:cheers:
 
Yup, I am pretty happy with it. I just wish I could have it now! I would be outside working on it instead of sitting here on the computer lol. Anyone know of a place that sells lower rear quarters besides year one?
 
Auto Body Specialties has the sheet metal you need and there right in CT
 
AdamR said:
Auto Body Specialties has the sheet metal you need and there right in CT
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Thanks Adam, I have gone on their site before I guess I didn't notice that the sold that! Thanks! Also what kind of quality is their sheet metal, my dad said he had once bought some doors from them for his truck and they rotted out in two years.
 
Looks like a good project! Are you going to do a color change or keep it the same? I had to do the same lower quarter rust repair on my Duster. The patch panels are pretty good for that area. If you need pics of how I did mine I have them on my cardomain page for reference maybe.
 
BlkArrow, Looks like a great starting place. What engine/tranny combo does it have? Lets see some interior shots. What are your plans for it?

The blue Dodge/Plymouth in the background. Looks like an old cop car? Is it for sale also? Folks might be interested for the donor aspect.
C
 
Well this is actually taken at the sellers yard. Like I said next time I will most likely be able to see it is next friday when I will go pick it up. Yes, that is a cop car in the background, the son of the seller ditched the duster and picked that up :dontknow:. As for the duster I am pretty sure it is just the run of the mill 225 with the only option on the car being a torqueflite tranny :) (he has the original build sheet too!).
As for the color I plan on keeping it a similarish green color because of the door jambs, I don't have a million dollars for paint. But I do like the stripes down the side so I will most likely add those. My dad also likes the idea of a snorkel scoop, sometime in the future I hope to have one of those. I wish I could have it now!!! But I am going to a swap meet right now! I gotta go look for some stuff to buy, I'll be back on later.
 
Congrats on the new project man!
Looks like a solid start for one, and I wish you luck with it!

I need to start hitting the swap meets too, when my finals finish this Wednesday...
 
Finally! I got it yesterday, its at my house on the trailer. I was so busy today so I couldn't do anything ( woke up at 4 got home 7:30). It needs a lot of work (IMO). I'll get some detailed pics asap, kind of dark out now. Oh yeah, The owner put the original polyglas snow tires back on it :).
 
Congrads and welcome to the show!

Oh yeah, The owner put the original polyglas snow tires back on it .
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Cheap bastard!!!!!

Skip the Cragars for something nicer and easier to mount up.
 
Wow, now that I look at the car for 1500$ he should have included the cragars. This car is pretty bad, I really don't know if I am up for this big of a project. Somehow water had been leaking in and the insulation under the rubber floors got wet. The passengers side floor is gone, almost totally. Drivers side has no holes to my knowledge but has such heavy rust that it would need to be replaced, and the other day after it rained there was actually a puddle on the drivers side floor.
This has really got my hopes/ambition down. I don't really know if I want to get involved with this car. I really wish my dad could have looked around before purchasing this particular duster.
 
blkarrow
Don't get discouraged !
If this is the car you really want then go for it ! If not maybe it could be a parts car or something . I sometimes get a little overwhelmed with My project
that's when I go look at the pictures of My car when I first purchased it .
At least now I can drive it .(Even if only around town).when I first got it home it would barely idle the interior was a mess blah blah blah ...
Decide what you want for yourself then proceed from there .No matter what you wind up building I'll tell you this progress feels great !
And tackling something others balked at feels even better.
Good Luck :cheers:
 
I just would have liked to get a solid car to start with. There is a duster in ny craigslist that hasn't sold in about a year. I was seriously hoping to get that, from what the guy told us it was solid except for a few pin holes. I would have liked to see that before my dad jumped on this one. Though my dad said that if it isn't sold by the 18th (day that I get out of school), that we can look at it and possibly buy it. I mean there are a few good parts on this duster but there is more bad than good.
 
It would be nice if someone in NY in the circa mill baisin could look at it for me and give me an opinion of the car :). If the guy could give me a call though...
 
Yeah. Don't be bummed by needing to replace one section of the floor. I'm having to do 3/4 of the floor in my Sedan, plus a very small piece of the firewall. Guess I won't mention the fact the bottom of both front fenders are rusted as well as the lower quarters. Doesn't need a trunk floor or trunk extensions though.

So I got with another FABO member and cut the middle of a duster to use in my car, and I'm gonna have to do some work on that piece as well. But its getting cut out and after I finish separating the pan I'll be installing I'll start removing the old.

After that, I'll be buying a welder and stitching it all back together.

simple#-o
 
The thing is that I probably will not be doing the body work. we do not have the time, room, or materials. So we will spend a lot of money on that and it probably wouldn't be done for half a year if we had a part time guy do it. I really wanted a solid car to being with and something I could drive. I mean there are some nice darts/duster on craigslist with body work done. There is a dart with all body work done for 3k.
I really wasn't looking for something with heavy body work needed.
 
Neither was I, but I had traveled about 700 miles to get the Sedan, and I wasn't going home with an empty trailer. Probably should have. But it's forcing me to learn even more than I already know....and I've been messin with Mopars for 36+ years. So now I'm adding welding to the repertoire.....mostly because I'm not in a position to pay someone to replace the floors.
 
Well...hopefully I can get a summer job soon enough. With me going to high school it is hard to get some money to spend on the car. I will hopefully be able to pull out the rubber mats, along with the seats soon after I get out of school.I will hopefully be able to make some progress on it after school ends next Wednesday.
 
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