My First Mopar - 1972 Duster

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mejackg

The Commissioner
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Upstate NY
Hey Guys,
I would like to start to start out by saying that this is my first real post, although I am not new to FABO and not at all new to mopars. I have had an account on here for quite awhile and I have browsed the forums and have learned so much about my car, what I want to do with her, and a bodies in general.

Well enough about that, now onto the good stuff!

About 2 years ago I was browsing through craigslist. I had always dreamed of restoring a mopar muscle car, but as a 15 year old I only earned a little bit of money working summer jobs. So I was just searching to see what was out their in my area. I stumbled into a 1972 Plymouth Duster in FE5 Rallye Red, that was close by. He only wanted $950 for her and I showed my Dad, who had his share of muscle cars growing up. She was a low optioned plain Jane bench seat duster that was cloned into a Twister. The seller was a college kid who was using it to drive to school every day, until he threw a rod in the slant six. The odometer read only about 2k miles which in her shape was a dead give away that it had rolled a few times. I ended up borrowing $450 from my dad and brought her home the day after Christmas 2011.

These are photos from the add when I bought her.








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That was a great Christmas. She sat in my yard until early Spring 2012 when we were able to bring her next door into the garage. Work started right away. My dad and I rented an engine hoist and I bought an engine stand. We pulled the motor, stripped off good parts and scrapped the block. We gutted the interior and by Summer 2012 we had everything out that we could except for the glass and dashboard. I had plans to make her a 340 4 speed clone.

These are some pictures of her when she was partially tore down.

















I can use this interior.

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There are many more pictures on my photobucket page

http://s1173.photobucket.com/user/mejackg/library/1972 Duster Project?sort=3&page=1

We had no tools for body work at home and we were new to the subject so we needed to bring her to a place where she would be done right. So why not bring her to the High School Auto Body Shop. My sophomore year I asked my shop teacher if I could bring her in to start the restoration. He told me that he wanted to learn about all the students to make sure I was a serious worker before I brought her in. After a couple weeks he learned who the slackers were in the class, which I am not part of. He told me I could bring her in. I asked if he would stop over and see her so I could start ordering sheet metal in the mean time while we arranged a way to trailer to bring her. He saw her and told me that there was a lot of rust. Turns out there was a lot more than we knew about. Front and rear frame rails gone, floors, quarters, rockers, trunk, aprons, doors, tail panel, the list goes on. He tells me that it is not like that we couldn't fix her, but for the amount of cash I would put into replacement panels, I could go out and buy a rust free car, well at least I have a parts car right?

Bummed out I took his advise ended up finding another 72 in almost rust free shape near by that I picked up for $1800 within the same week. Same options but in Powder Blue. The previous owner told me it was a Pennsylvania barn find and he was almost done with the restoration. The guy wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed and said all she needed was a headliner and carpet. Seats were torn, interior painted with a rattle can. He "repaired" the pass side floor pan using a piece of sheet metal and beat it in with a ball peen hammer. The rest of the car looked on the out side solid rust free, just dirty. Wasting no time I quickly tore her down and brought her into shop. Unfortunately though I didn't snap any pics of her until now, because I was to busy with the work that followed.

We brought her into shop and started tearing her down to just a shell. We sanded most of her all down to bare metal to show the "goodies" underneath. Turns out my "rust-free" car was packed with bondo in the quarters, doors, tail panel, and trunk. The trunk was actually repaired using one of those goodmark replacement pans, but it seems he was to lazy to take the whole thing out so he just cut out the spare tire well cut around the filler neck and beat it in and sealed it. Extensions were bondo'ed and the whole thing was painted to look like it was all original. Good news was that the frame rails were nice. I drilled out all the spot welds and removed pretty much the entire back end of the car.

How she sits today.

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Here's that floor pan "replacement".





More pics.















What remains of the tail panel and trunk floor.

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New Metal. Fits Great!

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All tucked back away.

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Got the deck lid etch-primed.



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More pics at

http://s1173.photobucket.com/user/mejackg/library/1972 Duster 440?sort=3&page=1

I ordered all new panels from amd and I have most of what I need to button up the back end. Except for full quarters and trunk gutters. I hope to have the back section of sheet metal buttoned up by the end of this school year which is coming up faster than I realized. This summer she will go back into our garage and I will fix the remaining sheet metal, mini-tub her, and add sub-frame connectors. Hopefully in my senior year we can get her ready for paint, spray her, and then I will start getting into the real money. Engine, transmission, rear end, suspension, and interior. I hope I can have her done by the time I am in college. I even hand drew up a design plan of how I will make her look.

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I've got a lot of plans for her and she will be a sweet ride by the time I am done.
 
glad to see another MOPAR reborn. have fun with your project .
 
Welcome. Just a thought, I noticed you have the car sitting on milk crates, be careful wouldn't want to see you get hurt. I don't think they are that strong.
 
The car is being supported by jack stands on the frame rails. The milk crates are just there to support the rear axle from pulling the spring perches down.
 
Nice work Jack-keep at it, and you'll have the body put together before you don your cap and gown. I did the same thing my senior year...body work (on my '84 Mustang). It was painted shortly after Christmas break, and by the end of the year, it looked like a whole different car.

This thread truly made me smile.
 
Well guys, sorry for the long overdue update on my build thread. Things are still happening on my car, but progress has not gone as fast as I would have liked. Life gets in the way sometimes. Getting a new job at a restoration shop, new school year, lack of funds, you know the deal. But not to worry I have not given up and soon she will take shape.

Removed the trunk gutter on the passenger side so the new one can be fitted and tacked in place.
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New vs Old. Old one was pretty rotted so I took the one off my parts car.

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I sandblasted the major areas of the trunk and frame rails so that repairs on some small spots can take place.

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Two holes I cut out and fabricated patches, then butt welded them in.

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Removed the bad floor patch and cleaned some junk out of the rails.

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Cleaned the lead seams out of the quarter to roof joint.

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Brand new AMD full quarters, full floor pan, and 4 speed tunnel. Very expensive but high quality.

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Also started to clean out the old dry rotted seam sealer out of the roof gutters.
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Now the only thing holding me up now is the rear frame rails. The inside of the rails have some surface rust on them that I would like to take care of, but the sand blaster cannot reach all of it. So instead I'm going to get some Eastwood rust converter to take care of it. than my patches can be made on those few spots and my trunk pan can be welded in place.

-Jack
 
THATS MY OLD CAR!!! Named her Jade. i almost bought her back from that kid that blew a rod threw the block... THAT motor had 537,987 RECORDED miles before i sold it. In the summer i drove it back and forth from Boston to Albany every week. i have pictures before it rotted in the snow and salt. thats why i threw cheap frame rail caps on it to resell again. and the original seats..... Nasty hounds tooth... i put the deluxe buckets in from my 72 console car. that car was connected to this one accidently years before (long story). The orange parts i picked up in Kalamazoo Michigan. I STILL HAVE A COPY OF THE BUILD SHEET.. one of the first guys i sold her to lost the original.. but i do have a nice copy. i could try and track that build sheet too. and pictures before i swapped parts. The car is coming along very well!!.. please... keep in touch and contact me for more stories of this little car. ~Gary B~
 
Wow, what a small world we live in! I had no idea that the old slant six had over 500k miles on it, and that was when you sold it. Imagine what it was when the rod threw. I think it was hydro lock that caused her death. When we tore down the motor, the connecting rod that failed was so bent it looked like an "S". I had no idea this car had such a story behind her. Its ashamed that I got her in such sad shape. I really wanted to restore her, now shes just a parts car. But I know that part of her will live on. My other duster that I'm restoring in this thread is already wearing some of her parts. Some other parts I had that I wasn't planning on using I sold off to buy some new sheet metal. I still have the car although shes just a shell now. It makes me sad that I had to part her out, but who knows, maybe down the line if I still have her I'll restore her too. Id love to hear stories about this car. The history on my current duster is a mystery. The guy said it was an old man's car they found in Pennsylvania in a barn. But Lord knows how many cars are said to be "barn finds" just to try and sell them for more cash. Thanks a lot for sharing this Gary, I'd love to keep sharing info on her.
-Jack
 
I figured Jade would be turned into a party's car soon, :( . But it was my fault for selling it to two people who drive it in salt and snow lol. I tried to get that hood back without the scoops a few years ago because it's the actual hood off my car now. That was the only original panel I am missing lol. But yea, in ,2003 when I bought my brown duster ( where the grill valence came off of) the guy wrote a bill if sale with a totally wrong vin. In 2006 my friend notified me of a red duster in Menands for sale for $800, the vin on jade was the vin the guy wrote for my brown duster, also where those buckets came from!, the car was parked at innovated auto and was sold to me by Mike Farrell. He races dusters for John.Schaul racing. If you ever looked closely at the red door, you can still see the lettering. This guy still holds the fastest pro stock title. Lol. Any ways, that car had a lot of good karma. Saved me many times lol. I constantly find true barn finds and rarities. My 72 twister (where jades hood came from) was a parade car in Disney Land, and I just picked up a 1965 Dart from Yale that was garaged by original owner back in 83...the guy have me an unbelievable deal. I definitely like your restoration progress though, it's good to share !!
 
I went out and just looked at that door. Unfortunately I didn't see any lettering on the red door. Guess it must have been buffed out since then. That hood, the doors, and the fenders were in really great shape. I cant only see a few small dents in that red door, but its really straight and rust free. The orange door is perfect no dents or rust. No that I look back I wish I didn't sell the hood and trunk off her (I had no idea the hood was from a real twister!), I should have sold the ones off my blue duster. The passenger side trunk gutter rail I removed and I sandblasted for my blue duster, and I think that the bottom corners of the door jams will be next. What Ive seen with Jade is that she wasn't packed with bondo, most of the metal was all straight and original just rusted too bad. Seems that on my blue duster the gutters, drip rails, door jams and floor rotted out, while the red duster held up much better in these areas. She just suffered from rust in the more major areas. Good to hear from you Gary!
-Jack
 
Well the plus side with 72 duster hoods is that they're all the same, just drill the holes and follow the hole guides!! ... I believe I took a look at that duster in Saratoga ,the blue one. The guy had like a round driveway . Told me it was 90% complete ...i passed. Do you still have the fender tag to jade? If you ever junk it, I'd love to work out a deal to have a little memorable peice haha
 
mejackg loving your post. Reminds me of my car. I bought my 72 Duster back in 1976. It was my very first car and project also. Keep up the good work and have fun.
 

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Ya I still have all the papers and tags for Jade. I'd never junk a classic car no matter the shape, ill just either part it out till nothings left or just take what I need and keep the rest to sell or for future projects. That blue duster that you passed up in Saratoga is the one your looking at. I bought it, and once I started tearing her down I found all the goodies that she was hiding. Inside the trunk he poured a bunch of screws, nails, and rust into the driver side lower quarter and then spread some mud over top. Very shotty work. Good thing you passed, you saved yourself a lot of headaches. But its all good, the frame rails are in excellent shape, as well as the rockers, fire wall, and the roof is like glass. I have all the metal to replace them anyway now. She will go quick now.
 
Loving the 340 duster, gts4fuji! Was that an ac car? Looks like it has factory tinting. Thanks for sharing.
 
Well its that time once again guys, update time!
I finally got my hands on a die grinder. I was able to get into those spots in the frame that needed attention. I removed all of the rusted metal that was sandwiched in the frame. I then proceeded to level off the high spots in the metal. I got the area around it clean and grinded to accept the patches. I cleaned up some scrap metal and made some square patches that I was able to attach with plenty of glue. I also sealed up what ever holes and seams in there as well. Messy Work! After curing I smoothed out the glue, and I'm ready to go. Next Step will be coating the flanges with some weld-through primer, coat the inside of the rails, and then finally fit and weld the trunk floor and extensions. Moving right along now.
Merry Christmas guys and see you in the new year!

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Sorry for the lack of updates guys, work is still going on my duster. I haven't forgot about this thread. So with that said lets get to it.
Last time I updated I was about ready to coat the frame rails with some weld-thru primer and internal frame coating. That's exactly what I did. First i just sprayed the flanges with a few coats of the weld-thru. After that because I am too much of a perfectionist I masked off the flanges and backs of the stamped holes so that i could get nice clean lines with the frame coating. That coating works great, really covers all the area and makes things sterile and clean. The included 360 degree hose worked really well to get inside the rails under the rear shock mount pan. and other enclosed areas. These pictures were taken right after I sprayed the coating so it looks very glossy. It drys to a matte finish after curing.
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After I did that it was time to do another trial fit with most of the rear metal. I installed the pan, tail panel, extensions, and tail panel extensions. After much trial and error with fitment issues, I finally got it close enough to be able to massage any issues later on out. Sorry no pictures of the fitment process, I was so set on getting the pan on I forgot to snap any. But once it was clamped where I wanted I drilled some pilot holes for sheet metal screws to hold the pan in the exact spot later on. I scribed lines from underneath so I knew where the rails would be when removed. After that it was taken all back apart. I drilled the needed holes for the plug welds, grinded the areas clean and applied more weld-thru. I screwed the pan back on and began to start plug welding. The Weld-thru gave me a few problems trying to start the welds, so I took the die-grinder and cleaned some of the primer off inside of the holes. After that no problems starting the welds. Only problem is the only welding shields that were auto darkening were not functioning, so I had to struggle with the old school masks, most of which were broken and wouldn't stay on my head. So I apologize about some of the welds being messy. Its hard to make nice plug welds when your mask keeps falling off mid-weld. I redid whatever welds I deemed to need a touch up. The rear section was easy because I was able to use the pinch welder. I wish we had the right ends to it and I could have done the whole pan that way. Looking good so far I'd say!

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Digging this thread, my duster is FE5 as well... I probably won't name my red car "Jade" though lol...
 
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