70 duster: updating, and a no-dough pro-touring makeover

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I remember those from my early days installing car stereos. We installed LOTS of those. Was probably one of the better 4 channel amps we sold.

Jay
 
That's awesome. I need to dig up the documentation for it. Had it running as a 3 channel for components and sub. With the addition of a dedicated sub amp, the 744 will become a bridged two channel running the components. Just need to remember how....

And the car was washed for the first time in a couple of years this morning. Next is claybar, McGuire 205 on the da, and wax. Then, hopefully, all my interior and suspension and audio and such parts will have been delivered.

This being cooped up in isolation so the ccp dont kill me SUCKS. im going nuts. But its my own damn fault for smoking 3 packs a day and losing parts of my right lung.
 
Glad to see you are happy with the car again. Sucks that it cost you years and money to try EFI and it didn't work out.

Funny thing is, I drive my Challenger around and then my Duster, and I like them both for different reasons and can't say which I prefer. But I can say that one thing I hate about my Duster is how it runs when it is cold, and I love how the Challenger runs right all the time. Just hate having to feather the gas to keep it running while rolling up to a stop sign while working three pedals in the Duster.

So I have been slowly working towards swapping a Magnum EFI setup onto the current motor. Just hope it doesn't end the same way yours did.
 
After all that work, you went back to a carb?
Dont blame you way easier.
I currently just took off an old Holley DP 700 off my Duster that ran great, just had hot start issues.
Went with a new 625 street demon.
 
DionR said:
Glad to see you are happy with the car again. Sucks that it cost you years and money to try EFI and it didn't work out.

Funny thing is, I drive my Challenger around and then my Duster, and I like them both for different reasons and can't say which I prefer. But I can say that one thing I hate about my Duster is how it runs when it is cold, and I love how the Challenger runs right all the time. Just hate having to feather the gas to keep it running while rolling up to a stop sign while working three pedals in the Duster.

So I have been slowly working towards swapping a Magnum EFI setup onto the current motor. Just hope it doesn't end the same way yours did.
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Ive done a ton of different efi conversions now. Most all of the self learn tbi, edelbrock mpfi, etc.
The only ones that operate correctly all the time are factory stuff. The 350tbi in my 64 el camino was flawless for 25k. The ls i put in the customer c4 last year was mint right out of the box. Just factory stuff.
I do believe if i ever go efi again in this car in will be a warmed up magnum 5.9 with stock electronics and a tune.
 
I see so many cars with carbs on them, and nobody near me can properly tune them. Lots of G-body GM products that people swap to carb, delete (some of) the emissions stuff and A/C. They brag how fast they are or how much power they make, but they run like crap. I've told a few guys they need to find some old dude who worked at a dealer in the 70's...THAT guy will know how to make it right. lol

I like FI, but my S-10 is getting stock PCM controlled stuff. My friend will probably work the tune out for me with HPTuners, once it's running.

I hadn't heard of CCP as an optional term for Covid-19, but I was thinking CCCP...so along those lines. lol

Even tho it was Trump trying to destabilize China's manufacturing to bring manufacturing back to the US.
Well, maybe not. lol

Probably just as likely, it was a Hot Rodder who did it to get all of us time to work on our cars. lol

Jay
 
20200402_131043.jpg

Since im waiting on parts, i started getting it cleaned up again. Hour and a half on the hood between claybar, Maguire's 205, and wax. But, it looks great and no more water spots and angle grinding fallout!
 
Last budget: 12,021.34 ish

Money spent and made:

lowering blocks: 35

parking brake cables 60

seatbelt anchor plates: 14





New total: 12,130.34ish



so, got the carb swap finished and the car back together. Proof of concept was driving it around town.

That let me get to the to do list in a serious fashion.



First, swapping the dead stereo and parts. I raided my boxes, and came up with an extra pair of 3.5 for center dash speakers, and rockford fosgate amp, some wires, etc. ran the fosgate to the old ws6 sub in a 2 ohm load (400 watts RMS), bridged the kenwood 744 to power the kicks, ran the 3.5 and 6x9 off the new digital media receiver. This thing is AWESOME. Almost 2000 watts, 9 speakers, and just great audio package.

49754821707_60229fc151_b.jpg
20200404_173523 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20200404_180707 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr



went ahead and chased some gremlins in the dash harness (HVAC and tach ground), and tightened and tidied up everything. Also finally hooked up the emergency brake stuff. 1974 Chrysler town and country wagon passenger side cables were proper length. And I only had to tweak the neon parts a smidge by opening up the holes in the cable bridge piece.



I also relocated the reels of the seatbelts. This fixed the sensitivity issues when pulling the buckle end. It also let the seats move properly. I tacked the plats in, and then triangulated them to the horizontal of the floor plans with backing plats and such. Feel pretty good about it.

Got the rest of the interior back together except for the passengers seat. Still need the good welder for that, and im stuck in quarantine due to serious lung issues.



49754869797_3ffbc4a7ae_b.jpg
20200409_161955 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr



I also un-flipped the rear leaf spring hangars. The front spring eye was hitting the floor and causing a lot of noise. I went ahead and got 4 inch angled blocks which set the height properly. Clamped the leafs in the front segment, painted them, and put the car back down.



Then, I went about getting the car cleaned up. Washed, stripped, claybar, meguires 205 on a black foam pad on the porter cable DA, mothers california gold wax. Lots and lots and lots of work. But.

49754842432_df0ed9282c_b.jpg
20200407_120442 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

49753997358_4f44873a3d_b.jpg
20200409_161920 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

49754873727_aebd4a0209_b.jpg
20200409_161948 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20200409_162108 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr



the main thing in this update is THIS.

49762717452_920c3590d2_b.jpg
20200411_110604 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr



im driving the car. And enjoying it. Its like coming home. My head and heart have some peace after 60 miles in it today. No fear of getting home. No concerns about what strange **** it will do next. Just a pleasure drive to check on my folks from 10 yards up the driveway. Going on some errands. Taking the long way home. Its not flawless. Its got a hunting idle, a small bog, and not as much power as I remember it having before all this. But its BACK. And I have faith.
 
DionR said:
Any more updates? Still driving and enjoying it, I hope.
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Yessir! Ive put almost 500 miles on it now! Even drove it on some interstate.
Needs a little more tuning, the ac fixed, and more pinion angle/rear spring work. However, that will wait. Also, since the last update, i did a full bare shell resto on another mopar with my daughter.
 
dusterbd13 said:
Yessir! Ive put almost 500 miles on it now! Even drove it on some interstate.
Needs a little more tuning, the ac fixed, and more pinion angle/rear spring work. However, that will wait. Also, since the last update, i did a full bare shell resto on another mopar with my daughter.
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That was fast. Glad to hear!

With your daughter? Doesn't seem like you should have a daughter old enough to do a resto with.
 
DionR said:
That was fast. Glad to hear!

With your daughter? Doesn't seem like you should have a daughter old enough to do a resto with.
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It WAS fast. Almost like one of the shows on tv. But, all my parts were on hand, nothing custom made was needed, and i had motivation and time due to quarantine.

And my daughter is 11. Sjlje loved helping disassemble, spray paint, and running the hoist. She hated sanding, but so do i.
 
dusterbd13 said:
It WAS fast. Almost like one of the shows on tv. But, all my parts were on hand, nothing custom made was needed, and i had motivation and time due to quarantine.
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Sorry, I was referring to how quickly you responded to my question. :rofl:

But the build was fast, too. Looks good, nice job.

dusterbd13 said:
And my daughter is 11. Sjlje loved helping disassemble, spray paint, and running the hoist. She hated sanding, but so do i.
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It was 10 years ago when you started this thread, feels more like 5 or 6. Which is why it felt a little surreal for you to say you rebuilt a car with your daughter. Add that I read into your post that you rebuilt the car for her to drive (like she was 16 or 17), and you can maybe see why I was confused.

Regardless, good for you.

:thumbsup:
 
Cool build!! Just curious when you 1st had the Victor 340 intake why was it changed out for a dual plane.
 
Thanks yall
Dion: cant believe its been that long!!! Time sure has flown

Quick: yhe original thought with the dual plane wasbto puch up power and drivability. Unfortunately i lost everywhere.
 
dusterbd13 said:
Thanks yall
Dion: cant believe its been that long!!! Time sure has flown

Quick: yhe original thought with the dual plane wasbto puch up power and drivability. Unfortunately i lost everywhere.
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Well yeah I wondered about that since the Victor 340 is superior to the dual plane used.
 
We're back! Had to build a new truck. Now that that's done I got the duster out this week, rebuilt the rear leaf spring pack again to something way more normal, fixed the pinion angle issue, and now have no Driveline vibrations up to 82 miles an hour. Now on to the front end issues that I didn't realize it had. I have a feeling that a new Pitman and idler arm, adjust the front wheel bearings, and then alignment will fix that. Don't believe I Ever Had It aligned after changing out the strut rods and torsion bars. Honestly can't remember but it drives like I never did
 
Anything new? Just reviewing your Lincoln seat swap (been eyeing a set) and realized it had been awhile since your last update.
 
DionR said:
Anything new? Just reviewing your Lincoln seat swap (been eyeing a set) and realized it had been awhile since your last update.
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Well, finished swapping to the second gen neon console and park brake, tightened all the loose parts on the front end and replaced the idler arm, and swapped back to the red wheels for something different. Dont really like them as much as I thought, so they probably go away soon.
No pictures, cause im posting from the phone.

However, im hoping for cruise nights soon!
 
Hmm this is similar to what I'm doing to mine (restomod).
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