rmchrgr
Skate And Destroy
Bought a new-to-me '71 Duster from incredablehefey (Jeff) a member here. Check the ad here. It was actually his pop's car, Rod. Great people to deal with, the entire exchange from start to finish went off without a hitch. The ad really helped to sell the car, the pics were very good and showed great detail. A buddy of mine from Norco San Diego went to go lay a set of of eyes on it for me and gave it the thumbs up. I pulled the trigger and hooked up the transport. The Duster arrived here at my place here this afternoon after a week long cross country trip from Orange County. It was everything I expected.
I can not tell you guys how sincerely happy I am to own this car. Here's my little back story. I've had ongoing project cars for what seems like decades now, none of which ever went anywhere. There has literally been a void in my life for that long too not having a running car to do my thing with. I became tired of going to the drags and sitting in the stands a long time ago. I have thousands of pictures of other people's cars because I was just walking around the pits or at a car show because I had no car. I ran my Dart once but it wasn't terribly exciting - 17 seconds at 76 mph - whoopee. I spent more time planning, thinking and trying to finagle my time into something that never materialized. Even to the point where I was unmotivated to do much of anything because I felt like I had no tangible outlet for my what I live and breathe for, A body Mopars.
So I saw the car in the classifieds here and it just kind of hit me - that's my car! It was built almost exactly the way I would have done it myself, plus was an original paint and body car and not cut up. I didn't really even negotiate much. There was a part of me that wanted the satisfaction of building one myself but time, money and motivation were never on my side. I would take cars apart, lose interest and sell at a loss. I realized life was too short to not enjoy. Hit me like a big orange splat.
So yeah, this is a turn key driver and it's a keeper. I ain't taking it apart or doing much of anything to it. Runs like a scalded cat this thing, sounds burly enough to scrae the crap out of my four year old. Rod said it was a 12.0 car and it definitely feels like it is. Hopefully the new driver can make it happen.
Here's the combo - 10.5:1 340, W2 heads, Victor intake, Holley 750 DP, MP .557 solid cam, Mopar ign, TTi headers. Runs on pump gas but race gas gets mixed in, 105-110, whatever is available. Drive train consists of a low gear 904 with RMVB, 4.30 gear (!) 8 3/4. Hughes 3,800 converter, B+M ratchet shifter, line lock. Springs moved in board, frame connectors, battery moved to trunk. 275 M/T drag radials and 165 Kelly Metrics up front, Centerline auto drags. Perfect stance, slight rake, has 'the look'.
Plans for the car are to take it to local cruises and for ice cream, drive it to work on nice days and of course get it down to ETown as much as I can and point it down the track. I got no trailer so I'm drivin' a 4.30 geared car 80 miles one way through NYC to get there. Gonna start saving up now for a trailer. Hope I don't break anything.
I do have some minor stuff in mind for the car that won't involve taking it apart. Lightweight master cylinder and disk brakes, Caltracs, new carpet, dash pad, maybe a gear change to an aluminum 4.10 and install a set of Moser axles. That's really it. I have just about everything on hand already. I am going to drive it as is for now though. Rod suggested it could use an 850 DP for the drags but the 750 is quite snappy on there right now. Guess we'll see how it does in the pavement-melting humidity this summer.
Ok, so here's some pics in my newly organized garage. Hell yeah, it's mine! I am so stoked!!
I can not tell you guys how sincerely happy I am to own this car. Here's my little back story. I've had ongoing project cars for what seems like decades now, none of which ever went anywhere. There has literally been a void in my life for that long too not having a running car to do my thing with. I became tired of going to the drags and sitting in the stands a long time ago. I have thousands of pictures of other people's cars because I was just walking around the pits or at a car show because I had no car. I ran my Dart once but it wasn't terribly exciting - 17 seconds at 76 mph - whoopee. I spent more time planning, thinking and trying to finagle my time into something that never materialized. Even to the point where I was unmotivated to do much of anything because I felt like I had no tangible outlet for my what I live and breathe for, A body Mopars.
So I saw the car in the classifieds here and it just kind of hit me - that's my car! It was built almost exactly the way I would have done it myself, plus was an original paint and body car and not cut up. I didn't really even negotiate much. There was a part of me that wanted the satisfaction of building one myself but time, money and motivation were never on my side. I would take cars apart, lose interest and sell at a loss. I realized life was too short to not enjoy. Hit me like a big orange splat.
So yeah, this is a turn key driver and it's a keeper. I ain't taking it apart or doing much of anything to it. Runs like a scalded cat this thing, sounds burly enough to scrae the crap out of my four year old. Rod said it was a 12.0 car and it definitely feels like it is. Hopefully the new driver can make it happen.
Here's the combo - 10.5:1 340, W2 heads, Victor intake, Holley 750 DP, MP .557 solid cam, Mopar ign, TTi headers. Runs on pump gas but race gas gets mixed in, 105-110, whatever is available. Drive train consists of a low gear 904 with RMVB, 4.30 gear (!) 8 3/4. Hughes 3,800 converter, B+M ratchet shifter, line lock. Springs moved in board, frame connectors, battery moved to trunk. 275 M/T drag radials and 165 Kelly Metrics up front, Centerline auto drags. Perfect stance, slight rake, has 'the look'.
Plans for the car are to take it to local cruises and for ice cream, drive it to work on nice days and of course get it down to ETown as much as I can and point it down the track. I got no trailer so I'm drivin' a 4.30 geared car 80 miles one way through NYC to get there. Gonna start saving up now for a trailer. Hope I don't break anything.
I do have some minor stuff in mind for the car that won't involve taking it apart. Lightweight master cylinder and disk brakes, Caltracs, new carpet, dash pad, maybe a gear change to an aluminum 4.10 and install a set of Moser axles. That's really it. I have just about everything on hand already. I am going to drive it as is for now though. Rod suggested it could use an 850 DP for the drags but the 750 is quite snappy on there right now. Guess we'll see how it does in the pavement-melting humidity this summer.
Ok, so here's some pics in my newly organized garage. Hell yeah, it's mine! I am so stoked!!
