1970 Duster project in Sweden

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trebor75

trebor75

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I’ve been around here for many years now so I thought I would make my own project thread. To begin with this is my first mopar and my first american car. I grew up with dirt bikes and hot rodding mopeds and stuff here in Sweden, but I never did very much work on cars before. Only usual maintenance and service etc. So this is also my real project when it comes to cars.

After saving up some money and looking around for something I could afford I found this 1970 Plymouth Duster, it had it’s original slant six, 904 auto and the shifter on the tree. The only option was the AC i believe. I know a little about the history of the car, it was bought by a Swede who worked in the US and then took it with him back to Sweden in the 70’s. Here the car shifted owners a couple of times, got repainted one time but stayed pretty much stock besides someone changing out the out the bench seat for two seats.

When I went to pick it up on the west coast of Sweden it looked like this, the engine bay was a mess and it ran really rough.

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So the first thing to do was to get it running well, after adjusting valves, timing and the carb it ran great. The gave it a good cleaning both inside and outside.

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I then started looking for Ralley Wheels and ordered a a lettered 225 stripe kit with. I’ve never seen one with 225, thought it was quite nice :) Got many heads up for that haha. Now I learned fast that it’s can be quite hard to come by mopar parts in Sweden and it is quite expensive. Here it is with the ralleys and stripes.

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I live in Stockholm so it’s also a bit hard to find a garage that I could afford to rent. So while I was looking for that I was driving the Duster all over Sweden, had no troubles with the driveline, but some electrical gremlins, I went through the electrical system and also got a new headlight switch, so that cured those problems. I really enjoyed the car with the slant and I installed a Flowmaster muffler so It sounded really nice. I tried to do whatever work i could without a garage and got some Duster emblems for the front fenders and such. Just little things. I also removed and stored the dried up AC system. Cleaned up the engine compartment little and such.

I then finally got a garage together with some mopar friends. One of my friends was putting a BB in his Dart so I bought his engine and trans. A 65, 273 Commando and a 727. This Commando was running great as it was, but I had some plans for it.

So out came the good ol slant. It went to a new home together with the trans. I then did some work on the engine bay now that the motor was out.

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This first year I had the 273 set up the same way as it was when I bought it. I just cleaned it up, repainted it and new filters etc. Nothing fancy. I got a S6 to 273/318 conversion kit so I could bolt up the engine to my existing K member. My Duster had the 7 1/4 rear axle with 2.76 open gears. It had to stay that way the first summer. Finding a 8 3/4 for an abody is hard in Sweden. So I shortened the drive shaft and installed everything. Had to make some brackets for linkage and make some trans cooling lines, but other then that it pretty much bolted right in. I bought a dual exhaust kit from jegs that worked swell with my cheapo Hooker headers. It’s quite amazing that it was cheaper to buy it from the US even with customs and shipping, then having one maid in Sweden. I don't have the skills to weld one myself. I also upgraded the breakes and cooling system.

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This was the combo the first summer:
273 Commando - 1965
Cam: 268/276 duration and 429/444 lift Hydralic
Edelbrock D4B intake / Edelbrock 600 Performer Carb
Pertronix Ignitor
Hooker Headers
2.5" Dual Exhaust from Jegs
7 1/4 with open 2.76 ratio
727 auto / Shift Kit
245/60-14 Rear wheels

The 7 1/4 axle held up, probably because I had no traction with the open diff. But it was a dog with that gearing and I wanted to go 8 3/4, so I finally found a complete one from a Barracuda. Unfortunately it had an open 3.23 ratio. So I went over it and changed out all bearings and and brake parts and painted it. I then sold the 741 house that it came with and got parts to put together a 742 house with 3.31 gearing and a clutch diff. I managed to put it together and it worked out great. I wanted a 3.55 ratio, but I could not find one at that point. After taking out the 7 1/4 I sold it and installed my renovated 8 3/4. I also ditched the turbo mufflers from Jegs and installed a set of Flowmaster super 44’s. It was a way more fun car to drive after this with the sure grip and new gearing.

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So I drove it like this for a season. I then found a complete 741 house with a cone diff and 3.55 gearing. I swapped mine for that one and installed it. At the same time I also changed out the stock converter to a TCI Super Street fighter and a separate cooling system for the trans. This converter is totally insane for a street driven car, but it sure was fun....for a while at least. I could launch at 3500 rpm, but the thing slipped way to much. I also moved the shifter down to the floor and installed a B&M Quicksilver ratchet shifter and removed the one from the tree. I had to get new tires quite fast after that, so I got 4 new Cooper Cobras on my ralleys. I also got a new plug wires and a Flame Thrower coil for my Pertronix ignitor.

This was now the combo:
273 Commando - 1965
Cam: 268/276 duration and 429/444 lift Hydralic
Edelbrock D4B intake / Edelbrock 600 Performer Carb
Pertronix Ignitor & Flame Thrower coil
Hooker Headers
2.5" Dual Exhaust / Super 44 Flowmaster
8 3/4 - 3.55 - SureGrip
727 auto / Shift Kit
10" 4500 stall converter
B&M Quicksilver Shifter

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It was a lot of fun between red lights, but the converter really started to annoy me. So I planned to swap that out asap. The next plan was also to get rid of the hydralic cam and get a solid one. So I got a Comp Cams Magnum 282S - 282/282 Lift 495/495, beehive springs and new gears and chain. I did the swap together with a friend on his gravel drive way. He also supplied a ball & cup valvetrain. Luckily this was done in the summer. I also did it without taking out the engine or removing the heads, my back was totally sore and swapping the springs was a pita! I had never been this deep into the engine before and of course discovered stripped bolts and bolt holes that needed attention and all kinds of other things, so the project took longer then planned and it was also my first time doing this sort of thing. I got really good help though. I was nervous as hell firing up and breaking in the cam, but it went well and it was a big improvement in all departments. More bottom end, better response, way more midrange and rpm. The converter worked really good with this setup compared to previous. It was expensive, I live in Sweden so all the parts had to be shipped, I got sun burned, my back ached. But it was a lot of fun too!

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I wanted to go for a more old school look. As much as I love Ralleys I really love the look old Wolfrace Mags. I sold my Ralleys and could afford a set of mags with tires and 6 steelies with tires, all in the sbp which is hard to come by here in Sweden. I also was lucky to find steelies with brand new Hoosier Quick Time Pro D.O.T 26.0 x 9.50-14. The mags had 245/60-14 out back, I turned the white lettering inwards this time and I love the look. I think it looks great with the mags and or the steelies with slicks.

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This was now the combo:
273 Commando - 1965
Cam: Comp Cams Magnum 282S - 282/282 Lift 495/495 (solid) Beehive Springs
Edelbrock D4B intake / Edelbrock 600 Performer Carb
Pertronix Ignitor & Flame Thrower coil
Hooker Headers
2.5" Dual Exhaust / Super 44 Flowmaster
8 3/4 - 3.55 - SureGrip
727 auto / Shift Kit
10" 3000 stall converter
B&M Quicksilver Shifter
Hoosier Quick Time Pro D.O.T 26.0 x 9.50-14

This summer I really wanted to take it to the strip, I had been there a couple of times before, nothing serious though and not with any impressive results. There’s now drag strip around here close and it costs a fortune to go to the closet one, so I have little experience. Anyhow, I went there and my trans broke down on the first run. So I had to take it down and get it fixed. This was not something I felt comfortable to do myself so I handed it over to a shop. I also got a new 2500 stall converter and a new shift kit. It was a lot of fun for a while with the Super Streetfighter, but for a mostly streetdriven car this new one is way better.

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I have also of course gone over a lot of other things during the time I have owned the car, since 2005. Like steering linkage and such, there’s always things that needs attention.

My latest little project was to swap out the Edelbrock for a Holley 670 Street Avenger. It seems to be working really well just out of the box. It’s winter here so I cant really test it properly, but I will tune it properly as soon as it’s better weather.

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So thats it so far, I probably forgot a lot of things though. During this I have gotten so much help from this forum, so a big thanks for that! I have learned so much, and really enjoyed doing so. I’m 38 years old by the way. My tool collection is way bigger, and so is my parts collection.

I have a 742 house with a clutch sure grip and 4.88 ratio, I’m thinking of selling it and try out 3.91’s. So that and some other things I have planned right now.

Every change I have done so far have been an improvement. I have glanced at the specs of the D-Dart commando when swapping cam and carb. This little 273 is a blast to drive and revs well over 6000 rpm easily and still pulls. There’s no problem laying patch from a roll!
 
Will post some more pictures later! Thanks for the comments!
 
Having some fun!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxSr8bkjC1s"]1970 Plymouth Duster - YouTube[/ame]
 
WoW you,ve done lots of changes to your car.Great work and the car sounds great.Keep up the awesome job.:cheers:
 
nice mods.
good luck on Your build, from east side of border
subscribed
.
 
Shot a little video of it idling today with the new Holley.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chbYzY0L5Dc"]Mopar 273 Commando -Comp Cams Magnum 282S idling - YouTube[/ame]
 
I like what you're doing with that Duster! The body looks really clean. Is it original paint or has work been done to it before? I have a soft spot in my heart for 70 Dusters.
 
And here I bit*h about shipping costs from the US :) ...and we really do take how much space we have here for granted..

Great thread..
 
Great thread and you have done a super job on your car. That 225 stripe kit looks awesone. Was that done here in Sweden?
 
FJRdoc said:
I like what you're doing with that Duster! The body looks really clean. Is it original paint or has work been done to it before? I have a soft spot in my heart for 70 Dusters.
Click to expand...

Thanks. It has been repainted once, a long time ago. Thats all I know unfortunately. The original color is Ivy Green according to the build sheet. This one looks like Amber Green to me. The paint is ok, it does have some bubbles here and there. It's in pretty good shape though I'd say.

grassy said:
And here I bit*h about shipping costs from the US :) ...and we really do take how much space we have here for granted..

Great thread..
Click to expand...

So many times I have envied many of you when I read about being able to go to a junk yard and pick up parts, or that summit ships for free within the US and what not! I would surely have built me a 360 or a 340 had I lived over there. But, there is a great satisfaction in doing the best of what you got at hands also.
 
65dartcharger said:
Great thread and you have done a super job on your car. That 225 stripe kit looks awesone. Was that done here in Sweden?
Click to expand...

Tack! No, I ordered them from the US. I think it was from Challenger Gary. It was a long time ago so I'm not sure.
 
Great build!
Step by step, precept upon precept, Very COOL!
As you up grade one thing it leads to up grading the next thing.
Eventually you end up with the car you have envisioned.
Keep up the good work!
Andrew
 
Nice to see you start a thread,Trebor75,love the sound of that solid cam. Subscribed.
 
blue missile said:
Great build!
Step by step, precept upon precept, Very COOL!
As you up grade one thing it leads to up grading the next thing.
Eventually you end up with the car you have envisioned.
Keep up the good work!
Andrew
Click to expand...

Thank you Andrew!
 
The sun was up and the road around where I live was dry, so today I could give it a testdrive with the new Holley 670 Street Avenger. I have not done a thing to it besides setting the idle yet. I was really impressed with it though. I ran very good, clearly an upgrade from the Edelbrock 600 I had on earlier. I could however feel/hear the seconds kicking in so Im gonna swap to a softer spring there later on and give everything a good tune up as soon as spring is here. Im psyched!
 
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