Cars that sit awhile.

66fs said
Check your tank and replace your fuel filters. Just went through this with the 73 Dart. By the time the 2nd rebuild on the carb went south, I emptied the tank with the electric fuel pump. Skunk gas. Found the seal on the gas cap had split. Pulled the tank and everything was corroded and varnished up. Had to throw it all away including the sender. Rebuilt the carb for the 3rd time and all is well, however I think the fuel filter is still catching residual stuff as the fuel pressure went from 5.5 psi gradually down to 3 psi last time I checked it. Good luck with the Duster.

The tank was new about 10 years ago. The fuel coming up to the filter is sort of amber in color. I don't know if that is from the fuel stabilizer or old skanky gas. I put 3 gallons in it last week or so. I make it a habit to put stabilizer in the tank when I put in fresh gas because I don't know how long it will be before I use it up.

66jim said
Get it off the grass and onto pavement if possible. No room? maybe a gravel pad

The soil here is decomposed granite. It does not stay damp. The underside of the car is as solid as you'd expect to see from a dry climate car.

Today, I replaced the metering block with a known good spare and the car idles much better and isn't smoking from running rich.
I don't know what was wrong with the other metering block. All the passages were clear. The one in there now has new jets and a new power valve. It doesn't rev up as clean as it should so there is still something amiss inside. The spark plugs are 17 years old. The plug wires are older than that. Remember, this car was pieced together starting in 2007 using a lot of junkyard parts. I did set the timing to 10 degrees BTDC since it has a MP reproduction 340 cam. Back when I first got it running, the dude ran pretty strong.
At least now it will start and run. I can drive it and it won't buck and belch smoke.