Mopar Nationals or Bust!!

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75slant6

75slant6

FABO Gold Member
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Hi everyone, I came up with this idea the other day and thought I'd post here to keep whoever wants in the loop of my progress.... Anyway, I'll explain what this is about.

Since attending the Mopar Nationals for the first time last year I knew I wanted to get my 72 Duster running and trailer it up to the show and use it to cruise back and forth to the motel, go eat, etc. well, the other day an idea hit me that excited me to my inner being!! I decided that if money and time permits, my goal is to get my 72 Duster running, driving and road legal in time to DRIVE it to the Nats! ROAD KILL STYLE!!! This may not sound like much to some of you but this is the first car that I've really gotten into fixing up. The body will stay as is for now and I will concentrate on mechanicals first and if I have time and money left till the Nats I may work on the interior or trunk pan as well. Below I will make a list of everything that needs to be done or I want done b4 August 6, 2015!

1. Pull leaky 318/904 and replace with carbed 5.9 and AX15 5 speed
2. Rebuild frontend with PST kit
3. Go through all brakes, install new master cylinder and lines
4. Shorten driveshaft
5. Buy/install new gas tank and maybe lines (depends on condition)
6. Go through all exterior lighting.
7. Install good tires
8. Get it road legal!!

If I have time and money left...
Install offset shackles and 8.8 and upgrade front brakes to LBP discs
Repair/replace trunk floor
Install intank fuel pump

I will update this thread whenever I get something done! Now to get all this done I may need y'all's help! I'm not asking for physical help or financial help but I may be posting a few wanted ads (starting with the oil pickup ad I posted this evening) and would like to buy used parts from members where possible. But most importantly encouragement and motivation is the biggest help!!! :cheers:

Here's the most recent pic I have of the car.

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Must've had some leaks, the gunk is CAKED on the motor! Some spots were 1/4" thick!!i had the pan off and the bearings are all tight and the bores all looked great! I put the pan and timing cover back on and plan on getting some engine degreaser and cleaning this thing up really well b4 I tear it down more. I'll probabl pull the heads and install thin head gaskets to bump compression a little but other than that I'm just gonna put an assault dual pattern intake on it and steal the timing chain, timing cover, assesories, carb and valve covers from my 318.

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whatever it t akes to get you moving on the project AND enjoying all the work and $ that go into it. I have never driven one there ( 12 hrs), but have wanted to. driving there would be the most fun part of the trip, IMO.

don't spin your wheels on Brice Rd just to get a fine though!!?
 
barbee6043 said:
whatever it t akes to get you moving on the project AND enjoying all the work and $ that go into it. I have never driven one there ( 12 hrs), but have wanted to. driving there would be the most fun part of the trip, IMO.

don't spin your wheels on Brice Rd just to get a fine though!!?
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Yup! It's like Geof told me yesterday "You'll be talking about that kind of trip the rest of your life!! Good, bad or somewhere in between, it'll be great Memories!!"

An no I don't plan on spinning tires on Brice! Last year we are at a restaurant that had a spot in the parking lot where they were lettin ppl burn out and there's nothing the cops could do about it! :cheers:
 
I'm hoping to drive my dart up this year. Luckily the only thing it needs is some street tires. Sadly I'll be by myself so I'll try and find some other local mopar guys to cruise up with.
 
doogievlg said:
I'm hoping to drive my dart up this year. Luckily the only thing it needs is some street tires. Sadly I'll be by myself so I'll try and find some other local mopar guys to cruise up with.
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Hey if I get everything done in time to take it to the Nats and we set a time we could maybe meet you in Cincinnati and drive up with you! It'd be cool to drive up in a group of muscle cars! :headbang:
 
That would be cool. I know there is a group of about five or six cars that head up from my side of town together. Then there is another member down the road from me that drives his car up too. Once the cruise ins start I'll ask around.
 
Sweet! Kegan said he'd meet us in Cincinnati too. It'd be pretty awesome to have a convoy of mopars headed down the highway!!
 
75slant6 said:
Sweet! Kegan said he'd meet us in Cincinnati too. It'd be pretty awesome to have a convoy of mopars headed down the highway!!
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I'll tag along in the Jeep...I can bring the tool boxes if needed. No way my Dart will be ready by then....


Oh, out of curiosity, why an 8.8? You could find a 8.75 and itll bolt right in.
 
The more the merrier!! Lol

I actually have an A-body 8.75" under it right now. I'll be going LBP discs all around limited slip and it's much cheaper to run an 8.8 LSD than get LBP axles, sure-grip and discs for the 8.75" I'll keep the 8.75 and probably put it in my 71 Duster later on. And another plus is the fact that I can run a full length 8.8 and the wheels that in plannin on runnin will fit perfectly! :cheers:
 
75slant6 said:
The more the merrier!! Lol

I actually have an A-body 8.75" under it right now. I'll be going LBP discs all around limited slip and it's much cheaper to run an 8.8 LSD than get LBP axles, sure-grip and discs for the 8.75" I'll keep the 8.75 and probably put it in my 71 Duster later on. And another plus is the fact that I can run a full length 8.8 and the wheels that in plannin on runnin will fit perfectly! :cheers:
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Cool, what day you heading over?
 
like he said , every Mopar guy (and gal) needs to attend the Nats, and Carlisle at least once!!!

years back, and maybe still now. people would organize convoys headed out of a few locations. with the friggin puter, cell phones, and who knows what, getting together going down the Interstate is plum easy. a no brainer!
 
75slant6 said:
Last year we headed out early Friday morning. I'd say this year we'll probably do the same, depending on what time everybody wants to meet in Cincinnati.
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Ah..I work that day, doubtful I could get it off.
 
I'm headed up, but may be going on thursday this year. I have 2 swap spaces, but my going up on Thursday may work out for the best. I'm up there early I can grab some prime real estate for you guys in the fun field. Just need to know how many and where on the grounds you want to be. Personally, I like being closer to the swap area just because of the noise from the track and the congestion of the people. The area as you come in off to the right is good or over near the corner. I can tape it off and mark it as "Reserved".
 
gunbunny said:
I'm headed up, but may be going on thursday this year. I have 2 swap spaces, but my going up on Thursday may work out for the best. I'm up there early I can grab some prime real estate for you guys in the fun field. Just need to know how many and where on the grounds you want to be. Personally, I like being closer to the swap area just because of the noise from the track and the congestion of the people. The area as you come in off to the right is good or over near the corner. I can tape it off and mark it as "Reserved".
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That wouldn't be a bad idea but I would probably run my car if I enter it in the show. It all depends on if I could fit my slicks and tools in the trunk or if my friend drives up his truck also.
 
Let's see that tunnel under there!! Might need to post a want ad to get that support patched in?? Like the looks of that engine bay, like its waiting for a fresh start!!! :)
 
cosgig said:
Let's see that tunnel under there!! Might need to post a want ad to get that support patched in?? Like the looks of that engine bay, like its waiting for a fresh start!!! :)
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I'll Jack it back up and get a pic of the tunnel for ya tonight! It ain't pretty!! Lol I'm gonna use the tunnel from the 75 and replace the upper crossmember with 1/4" or 3/8" flat stock and weld it solid to the floor pan and weld it to the torsion bar support area.

Like this. That'll give me the room I'll need to get the ax-15 5 speed in.

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