What should be done with this 70 340 Duster

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Well looks Like I'll be spending a fortune at AMD. Thanks Guys.

crackedback said:
VIN swapping is nothing more than saving a set of numbers, not a car.

At that point it's about money.

Replacing panels is one thing. Moving the VIN tag from one car to the other is all together different.

Don't get caught doing it and if people in the community find out you're a VIN swapper, best of luck selling anything for decent money. Once you get branded, it's tough to get rid of.
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66340SEDAN said:
So does this mean you would also be swapping the VIN # or the original dash housing with the VIN tag attached?? Isn't that a felony and highly illegal in PA state as in most? IMO that is BS.

Why not sell it to someone who will fix it? You say you will not sell the car whole for anything, well, if you are so worried that original 340 cars are disappearing, why wouldn't you just sell it?
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It's Legal in PA to rebody a vehicle for Restoration or Rust Repair, but there's paperwork and legwork involved.
 
dont want to derail the thread but what size are the rear tires/wheels in that pic of the red duster?

i honestly think you should fix it.
 
From the pics it does not look like it needs entire quarters maybe just patch panels????
 
I am not sure on the tire size they are 15 x8 wheels. something tells me n50's but I am not sure . They were originally on the orange Duster.

IF I fix it. when its done it will be a rust free car with eveiy original spot weld in place. The parts cost are going to be the deciding factor.

THE STEVE said:
dont want to derail the thread but what size are the rear tires/wheels in that pic of the red duster?

i honestly think you should fix it.
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I WOULD FIX IT.. i can get the parts cheap. and all i have is basically time invested.. it would be fun for me... it always is.. nice project
 
I could be wrong in my assumption, and I will stand corrected if so, but is the body / cage / frame not just about the only part on these cars that is not VIN specific? I'm thinking that once the car was ordered it then recieved the proper dash, eg. Rally with VIN, A.C., radio or not, proper K-frame /6, 318, 340, maybe even frames?, proper diff, proper hood, eg. Scoop, proper deck lid, eg. spoiler, proper grill eg. Sharks Tooth, bucket seats or not, etc. etc. etc. All of this is info is then put onto the fender tag. I believe the numbers were then stamped into the rad support and in the trunk. I don't believe any of this was specific to the body?? Until it received a dash it could have ended up in any form. Now I am new to A-bodies, but I have seen on this forum every part of a car changed out due to rust or damage. If my car took a big hit in the side I wouldn't see anything wrong with transferring a new body onto all my saveable parts, including the dash. Shoot from what I've seen, I don't think there is one single part that hasn't been replaced somewhere out there. My point is I don't see anything wrong with a complete body switch, any more than changing out a rusted frame rail or roof skin, as long as it isn't being claimed to be something it wasn't originally. JMO. Correct me if I'm wrong, I have been many times before and don't have a problem accepting it.
 
the last 6 digits of the sequence number of the VIN # are stamped on the core support and the package tray and usually somewhere on the trunk lip rail. then there is the engine block/trans , the fender tag, the broadcast sheet and the door sticker. i know this to be true for B Bodies. i am fairly new to the A body world, but im reasonably sure Ma mopar wouldnt have deviated to far from this. and im pretty sure this is going to be from 68 and up, but im not positive. complete body and number changes happen every day , and people are saving cars doing this.
 
A-Body Mopars are finally getting the attention they deserve and are increasing in value =D>

The problem comes into play with high $$ #'s matching restos. I don't want to buy a 340 4-spd car that was originally a /6 on the tree auto, but misrepresented or re-bodied.

Do you? I doubt it..........
 
6pk2goDemon said:
A-Body Mopars are finally getting the attention they deserve and are increasing in value =D>

The problem comes into play with high $$ #'s matching restos. I don't want to buy a 340 4-spd car that was originally a /6 on the tree auto, but misrepresented or re-bodied.

Do you? I doubt it..........
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No , I agree to an extent.
 
Question.:actually trivia.. When you do a rotisary restore on a car. Every screw and clip comes off. If you had two bare shells side by side that had the same options but one was a 340 / 383.

How do you tell which was the 340 383 shell?

There is a way and its not numbers , I was just wondering if others use this when looking for clones. I caught many and it is the only sure way. Even If its removed you can always see where it was. But it is very small and all 340's and 383's have one.
 
Oldmanmopar said:
Question.:actually trivia.. When you do a rotisary restore on a car. Every screw and clip comes off. If you had two bare shells side by side that had the same options but one was a 340 / 383.

How do you tell which was the 340 383 shell?

There is a way and its not numbers , I was just wondering if others use this when looking for clones. I caught many and it is the only sure way. Even If its removed you can always see where it was. But it is very small and all 340's and 383's have one.
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Are you talking about torque boxes?
 
"I really don't have a dog in this fight, but feel the need to respond to this thread. I have been doing this for as long as you have and during this time I was restoring mostly B-body cars. I will agree that if done correctly that very few if any people would be able to tell, but IMO, that doesn't make it right. I may be old school in my thinking on this as the cars we love are getting harder to find in restoreable condition, but doing a rebody is wrong and illegal. It is also just my opinion that if this is something that you do or want to do I sure wouldn't be telling the "mopar" world that you have or may. I have passed on a few cars over the years because of this mindset. sell the car to someone that will restore it.... "

"VIN swapping is nothing more than saving a set of numbers, not a car.
At that point it's about money.
Replacing panels is one thing. Moving the VIN tag from one car to the other is all together different.
Don't get caught doing it and if people in the community find out you're a VIN swapper, best of luck selling anything for decent money. Once you get branded, it's tough to get rid of."

x2. There's fixing, in the spirit of repair, and there's saving numbers, in the spirit of "retaining the value of the 'car' ". It's BS and it's all about the money at that point.
Do what you want, but understand what that can do to a reputation.
 
The piece everyone misses. can be held on one finger . Not hung , Held. That is how small it is. I have seen cars on here that are clones and they may not know. Also a 69 dart I know for sure is two cars. And the person had to know. We did it 25 years ago and used the back half of a blue car . Dart swinger in the black stripe was still blue. the car was originaly bright metalic green.

I'll give you guys a week. Here is a hint but its not seen in the pic,
 

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All the chassis's are identical from a /6 to a 340. This piece is always forgotten . It is only used for the assembly of H.P. cars from 68 to 74. It It is not needed for any function but is needed on the assembly line
 
It is your car , you can use your own judgement, if it was me i would pull the power train find a real good roller , part out what you do not need , to get a little money . I seen car with quarters put on , or patches put in and within a year you have a **** load of bubbles , and by the look of that car it will need alot of patches
 
He's referring to the factory installed passenger side dual exhaust bracket.
 
I don't know Turbo, all I know is my dog won't stop playing with this rock.
 
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