rumblefish's Duster project

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Rumblefish360 we sure do applode your updates,good readig and motivating too.
Thank's again for your time to post this good work. :blob:
 
I would like to thank you also. I have just read the tread for the first time and it is giving me hope for my project which will start this spring. Just trying to get parts together now. I look forward to seeing more when you get there.
Jeff
 
where is this thread......i can see it if i look into rumblefish's profile for threads started. i can see it lists it in the members restoration fourm. i go there and i cannot see it. so where is it? is it just me???? it has been awhile since it has been updated, what is going on with it now?
 
7demon2;

Thanks for the interest in the project. Nothing has been done. The money isn't there right now. Theres a cash income loss of the tenent. I have also turned my attention to the daily driver, a '79 Dodge Magnum. It needs some suspension work. I have gotten springs and shocks for it and await to install it now. Just a few more weeks and I'll be under it. Once the wife gets out of collage I'll have less need for it. Also an exhaust. It needs replaceing since the rear springs totally gave up and cruched the pipes some, they now leak better than ever. :scratch: Also some minor electrical work, trunk lock replacement, etc...small stuff that bugs ya.

I also ride a Harley. Please note that HD also stands for Hundreds of Dollors. 2 tires and a rear axle were just replaced and I purchased a new seat @ $500. Half the total cash dump into the bike 2 weeks ago before the week long touring ride with 6 freinds up and down the eastern seaboard.

Best bet, book mark it/save it to the fav's and check up on it in a few months. For the car, I need;

To reseal the trany pan. I'm also looking for a pick up extender for a deep pan I have.
floor sheet metal for the empty spaces there.
Front brake hose's for the disc swap that I'm on the verge of doing. And the proportioning valve change over along with it.
Then swap tires over to the large bolt pattern ralleys. Rings and centers for them.

Then maybe a small scratch off wiing to insure it. He he he he.

Next time you see it up top here, there should be something new to say about it.
Until then........................................
 
yeah i am glad too see it wasn't just me. hope to see this go on to it's conclusion. i am looking forward to the 302 vs. j head comparision as well. i will be watching for updates................
 
looking forward to the 302 vs. j head comparision as well.
He he he. Me too. I also have bone stock Magnum heads & Edel. RPM heads (Not Edel. Magnum heads.) to throw in the mix. Just for fun.
I have the LD4B on it now with a 750. I also have an Iron T-Q, LD-340, TorkerII/360 and a RPM aAir-Gap for giggles.
I hope to square away the small AVS' idle problem. Also have a few T-Q's and a 750 AVS.
Swap swap swap swap swap, play play play play play...repeat many times. Sing to meow mix comercial for fun. Dance like drunken monk for visual effects. Win grammy. Don't let Vodka bottle fall out on stage.
 
:tongue9:OPS! Made a boo-boo. I'll be back later with the pics of progress........

Please stand by for frame shots.
 
OK, making progress as slow a a snail mail letter in a blizzard. But foward I'm going.
Below is some ugly welding, butt ugly, no wait, fido's ..no whats the greek gods name, she turns people into stone...OK. The weld looks bad, but being that I was on my back and cramped up close to it...well. I know I got a good burn there. The floor is missing so I could look inside and see the metal change colors for good penatration. (SP?!?!)

A little POR-15, since it's easy to get local....Another coat tomorrow i think. The inside was done as well. No picture of it yet.

1st shot, I sand blasted the area and used primer to prevent rusting. Days later, I got back to it. Yep, it rained too. Another quick blasting and it's good to go.

Heres 2 shots of Auto Rust Tech's frame cap. This thing could probably knock someone out. Thicker than the factory frame, I didn't need all of it. I didn't like the idea of a total capping, just a patching.

Rear of frame rail was givin a die grinder to rid the thin metal. The a shot of the front side where I had not yet done that work.
Noticed the rot around the T-Bar anchor. Nice huh?

Chop chop, cut cut just what I need. Place it, weld it (Ouch! My eyes my eyes!!!!) Notice the color change in the netal. Thats where I started to weld on the inside of the frame. The color change the metal was welded good.

And then the first coat of POR-15. I'll be back for a second coat to get it all well done. Then I'll get the inside.
I also drilled out 2 small holes inside the frame rail for water to escape. Since thats not the case when the factory did it and lead me to this project.......:walk: still truckin on........

Next time I have time...LOL...I'll be working with the new grinding wheel to reduce fido's...rrr... the ugly welds and possibly fix what I missed.

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Arrrrrgh! Well, it was bound to happen and finially did. The battery will no longer hold a charge and jumping it with everything I have to start it up just won't do it.
I went out to Auto Zone and picked up a battery. Grabbed some wire from the another local store with some ends. I had the positive end in my garage. The multi leads coming off of it also power the amp. and electric fan. So this end was helpful.

A razor knife used with care cut the caseing off. Heat shrink is used to seal it up. When you route the wire, run the wire in the path you want it to travel in. Think before you route. Where it will go, how well it is hidden, through factory looms or not.

I sent the wire from up top, down to where it is going first, then into the looms and ended at the battery. This does two things. Puts the wire where and how I want it to go and then provides me with the proper length. Exactly.

Notice in the top picture. The negitive runs down first, then over through the factory clip, then over to the head. .
The Positive wire as it runs down (Not pictured or well seen.) has some play room and is run to avoid the hot header tubes. This may add a bit of length, but it is worth every penny you pay in cable. Grounding out the positive on a hot header is a disaster.

The wire, made of coper, is an expensive lil'thing. But nothing in compare to being stranded or fire. When I purchased the wire, I grabbed enuff to do this car and another one.

Ahhhhh, the abilty to move the car when needed. How sweet it is.

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This is a great project you're doing. Seeing all the body work and such that you have to do really makes me appreciate how good the condition of my Duster is. I just hope that my engine isn't too bad when I begin tearing into it.
 
Thanks Kid. I just installed some KYB shocks up front today seeing that this temporary nice 55+ weather is here. Ran it for a few min.'s, moved it around, no real news yet.

Stay tuned, you'll suddenly see some metal work, floors, and then a performance thread.
 
Nice work rumble. I've been collecting lots of parts for this 68 sedan I bought about 3 weeks ago. This project won't moving along as fast as yours for several reasons, not the least of which is I don't have a big cash of A body (or even small block) parts to draw from, and I'll be doing floors first. Still working on getting those. Still, I think if anyone is interested I'll start a thread on my lil project.

Good luck and keep up the good work
 
I forgot to ask...what (if anything) did you do about the port mismatch between the 318 heads and the LD340 intake? You running them as is?
 
68;

Thanks.

As of right now, I just cleared up about 70% of the largest bills I have. The wife just recently became a grad of collage as a RN and landed a job at the hospital. It's a wonderful tihng starting at 65K a year. Now, it's pay the collage bill off. LOL

This expenditure for her schooling has left the project in slow to no go mode for a bit. But will pick up right soon. I'll be starting in on the floor boards in about a month. (Next month) Front disk swap (Next week or) at the same time since I only need minor parts for it. Brake hose and pads. Then the fun should begin.

The port mismatch is not one to be concerned about since the ports of the heads are larger than the ports of the intake. The air and fuel will not crash into the head, which would be alot worse than having the air and fuel go into the larger area of the head port from the smaller intake track.

No head port matching will be done on the current heads.

The intakes I have will be run in there as is condition. The LD-340 has work done to it. (As per MP book instructions)

IF, (I hate that word) I can come up with the cash to do the 302 heads, those will be port matched to the 340/360 window size.

Otherwise, I have stock J heads to swap on and Edelbrock heads to swap on for the "Just for fun" reason of swapping them on and run it at the track just to see and post about. That will be a new thread on it's own.

I also have a few things on the Harley I need to replace. That'll be about a grand in parts with me doing the work.
 
I must have misunderstood. I thought you were using a 318, which have really small ports and are definitely smaller than on the LD340. On that subject, I went to a swap meet today looking for........?

I saw 3, count them THREE small block Mopar intakes. One was a Performer II ($70 and dirty), one a TM5 ($100 and lots of paint), and a six pack setup (didn't even ask)

The motor I've ended up with is a (supposedly) 66K mile 76 model 318. Would have preferred something older for compression, but chiggers can't be boozers.
 
I must have misunderstood. I thought you were using a 318,
I am

which have really small ports and are definitely smaller than on the LD340.
And the point is......drum roll please......it's the idea of just simple swaps. It has nothing to do with making things right, it's just a swap and see, a on the cheap, what happens if I do this or that, test and show.
The smaller head port will not be enlarged with the bigger intakes.
(That part I think I missed on your question. )
Except the 302 heads will be enlarged.

But theres going to be a few swap arounds. Just to see and show and run. For fun. A mix of 318 & 360 parts.
Theres going to be a mix and match of parts that will be "WRONG!" and it'll be done on purpose.

I saw 3, count them THREE small block Mopar intakes. One was a Performer II ($70 and dirty), one a TM5 ($100 and lots of paint), and a six pack setup (didn't even ask)

The performer would be ideal for most mild builds. The TM5 is a great paper weight or meltable metal for sci. class. It would probably make a nive meusem part someday.
Skip the 6 pak unless your going nuts.

The motor I've ended up with is a (supposedly) 66K mile 76 model 318. Would have preferred something older for compression,

You'll do fine with that and a head milling. While at it, back cut the valves and pocket port the heads if need be.

but chiggers can't be boozers.

Never heard that one. PM me an explaination. (This should be good.)

OK, back to the thread at hand..........................
 
Howdy Rumble....

First, the weird electrical device has something to do with the seat interlock system. It's on ALL 74's and I think ONLY 74's. Some odd government regulation that later got reversed. The red button is a reset if I'm not mistooken.

Anywhoo, did you have any trouble with the Driver's side motor mount saddle (perch)?? How do you know where to drill the mambo hole for the through bolt? Does the mount kit come with a template? I'm going to be doing this deal on a 74 Dustbag that already has the 360 cobbed into it on the old /6 saddle, so space will be at a minimum. YES, the motor now sits at about 12 degrees! LOL.

Thanks

Steve in NC, formerly of upstate NY.

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Anywhoo, did you have any trouble with the Driver's side motor mount saddle (perch)?? How do you know where to drill the mambo hole for the through bolt? Does the mount kit come with a template? I'm going to be doing this deal on a 74 Dustbag that already has the 360 cobbed into it on the old /6 saddle, so space will be at a minimum. YES, the motor now sits at about 12 degrees! LOL.

The mounts (Both sides) were alittle tuff to get in. Drivers more than passenger. They were a tight squezze, but thats it.

The kit comes with a template and gives a measurement to put the hole. Then they say to remove the rest of the drivers pearch. You'll notice in the pictures I have had to go back and clearance some more of the pearch that rested on the drain plug of the engine.

Thanks

Steve in NC, formerly of upstate NY
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No problem Steve. Thanks on the buzzer tip.

Rob, formerly of Queens New York. :-D
 
Hi again Rumble...

I keep forgetting to mention what a super thread this is.

Anywhoo, I was looking at your shifter pics and I myself have installed a couple and and repaired a few "oopsed" installations of these buggers. I think if you flip the pivot that goes into the trans lever (install from the bottom, with the cotter pin on top), you'll find that the shifter doesn't bind as much and you'll be able to straighten out your kickdown lever.

I'll be putting the same shifter in my Cruster in the next week or so and can post pics. (I'll start a new thread as opposed to hijacking yours!)

Steve
 
Well, it's been a loong time, and I have done a little something, here we go, on our way........

The nearly finished passenger floor pan. Gotta get where the feet go done. On the outside of the car, underneath of course, I need to tack weld up a few spots and apply seam sealer. That's it. Almost done there!

Then the drivers side, ran out of light today, but fido's a$$ welding is getting better. I'll finish up the rest of the spool of wire tomorrow and hope it's enuff to seal it and paint it up.

Ahhh, the new rear pans. After I get a new spool of wire, they'll get washed and welded in. I'll mark and cut out the rear section tomorrow before the fire works.

They also came with.. a carpet and dash cap. Now I need some box tube so I can use it to mount in a set of Chrysler Concord seats from a 2001 or 02 I had breifly.

I think the hardest part of it all will be the shifter. It'll have to come out and get mounted back in over the carpet.

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Thanks quapman, I'll keep it mind for later.

Soon, I'll be driving this. YEA!!!!!!!!

Then I'll be looking for a track to fool around on.
 
Nice job Rumble! I drove the RC to the place I'm at now, but really shouldn't have. Brakes sucked, no seat belts or rear view mirror, suspension isn't right, lol! WTF, it's a truck!

Nothing better than new steel though and makes the thought of rusty floorpans just a dim memory. :)
 
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