73' B3 340 Duster pro touring build

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just keeping all the factory contours and stampings without most of the holes, obviously keeping steering, brakes, wipers and heater hose holes thats about it

take lots of pics. the Demon has a long way to go but I like what your plans are for the firewall!

Mark
 
im really enjoying wwatching your build, im learning lots, u think u could post more pics or the steps taken to install your quarters? that would help me out a lot as i am trying to learn how its done :)
 
im really enjoying wwatching your build, im learning lots, u think u could post more pics or the steps taken to install your quarters? that would help me out a lot as i am trying to learn how its done :)
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No problem, But I gotta tell you this is my first attempt at quarters also so we'll both be learning except you'll be able to learn from my mistakes(hopefully I wont make too many)I gave to get a panel flanger to overlap 1/4" for welding the top....
 
Damn Ross, it would have been easier to start with a nice roof skin and just built your way down from there with new AMD panels! You got some metal skillzzzz my friend.

Just found this thread today and am subscribed. Working on a '74 pro touring car myself. Triangulated 4 link, 883 4spd Over Drive, Eddie headed 360. Trunk floor completely gone and pass foot well rusted out but thankfully the rest is solid. I look forward to following your build.
 
Damn Ross, it would have been easier to start with a nice roof skin and just built your way down from there with new AMD panels! You got some metal skillzzzz my friend.

Just found this thread today and am subscribed. Working on a '74 pro touring car myself. Triangulated 4 link, 883 4spd Over Drive, Eddie headed 360. Trunk floor completely gone and pass foot well rusted out but thankfully the rest is solid. I look forward to following your build.

I have to agree with you. It took about a month ater looking at it before I decided to get this specific Duster. I looked at several others but with this combination of color/engine/trans I couldn't let it go. The dilema now is do I keep the original body color......I'm starting to lean toward silver with blue interior and custom blue stripe...Thanks for watchin.
 
I've been messing with cars and bikes most of my life and by far the hardest decision on a project is to settle on a color. I've already decided 4 or 5 times on a color scheme and all I've got done is mini tubs and buying a bunch of parts!
 
Well since i had to spend 10 days straight at the base I decided to take along my K frame and weld/reweld all the seams and factory weld's, reinforce the lower control arm area's and steering box area. Basically I copied what Firm Feel does to upgrade theirs, I made and added a 1/4" skid/jacking plate along with a tow hook. I also added reinforcement plates to the lower control arms and rewelded all the seams and supports and installed new Moog rubber bushings. The great part is once I got back home and went to my local powder coat guy (9:45 A.M) to get the K frame blasted and shot in satin black he called me later the same day (3:00 P.M) to come get it .WOW.... what fast service and only charged me $ 70.00. hope you enjoy the pics.
 

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Well since i had to spend 10 days straight at the base I decided to take along my K frame and weld/reweld all the seams and factory weld's, reinforce the lower control arm area's and steering box area. Basically I copied what Firm Feel does to upgrade theirs, I made and added a 1/4" skid/jacking plate along with a tow hook. I also added reinforcement plates to the lower control arms and rewelded all the seams and supports and installed new Moog rubber bushings. The great part is once I got back home and went to my local powder coat guy (9:45 A.M) to get the K frame blasted and shot in satin black he called me later the same day (3:00 P.M) to come get it .WOW.... what fast service and only charged me $ 70.00. hope you enjoy the pics.

Looks great Ross! I hope you never use the tow hook! (great idea)
 
Looks great, but how much does it weigh?
I figure I added 8-10 lbs between the skid plate and reinforcement metal, but will be saving 18 lbs in unsprung weight with the brake caliper upgrade and the aluminum hotchkis strut rods and tie rod kit should shed a couple more pounds...:thumrigh:
 
I figure I added 8-10 lbs between the skid plate and reinforcement metal, but will be saving 18 lbs in unsprung weight with the brake caliper upgrade and the aluminum hotchkis strut rods and tie rod kit should shed a couple more pounds...:thumrigh:

Win on the weight savings!

Great job on the K frame. The coating looks nice as well. I've been debating coating my alterktion k frame or painting it with the car. You'd just solved that problem for me. :)

Riddler
 
heres a couple shots of the lower control arms reinforced, rebuilt and painted...got the one tub fully (I mean fully) welded in, and started fitting the quarter panel. next I'll mount the door and make sure everything lines up... I also cut out the passenger side ready for round two of tub install. The last photo I decided to make a cardboard cut out of a 29" tire with a 15" wheel (inner circle) and a 18" wheel (outer circle) to get a feel for the stance definatley leaning toward the 18".

QUESTION: Is 3 1/2" of suspension enough for a street car cause thats what I have for axle to frame and tire to tub clearance sitting the way it is in the photo....I will have a coil over triangulated 4 link so I should be able to fine tune it.
 

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kinda looks familiar to me......very nice job.....any thoughts about strechen' the wheel opening...as you know..the tire doesn't fit inside the wheel wheel completely...the tire sticks out a little at the bottom as the sheetmetal bends in


once again ....great skills, Professor...you could teach a class
 
kinda looks familiar to me......very nice job.....any thoughts about strechen' the wheel opening...as you know..the tire doesn't fit inside the wheel wheel completely...the tire sticks out a little at the bottom as the sheetmetal bends in


once again ....great skills, Professor...you could teach a class

I was discussing the options over the weekend.. I am definatley going to take 3/4" from the lip width for a total of 15 3/4" to frame .But as far as stretching the radius I either will cut it like you did, or slit the front edge to the lowest body line and move it foward 1", don't know if that will be enough though..whats your take on going 18's" ? I still like 15" steelies painted body color's... thats the debate I have going on. more pro street than pro touring.. I have no desire to run run Watkins Glen, but I do to run Norwalk raceway.
 
here's the combo I'm considering for the rear 18"x 9" , fronts 17" x 7" or 8" ...
 

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each guy has his own taste.

i like both the fat tired steelies painted body color with dog dishes, AND the bigger diameter wheels. i guess thats why i have both for my duster....

just remmeber to set up all your scrub lines with the smaller diameter whels, and your brakes to fit the smaller wheels. then you can swap back and forth at will with no worries.

wheels and tires are the easiest thing to change, and make the biggest difference on visual impact and performance.

hope that helps.

and you need to go black with a white interior. that would look absolutely sinister with that wheel/tire combo. make sure to tint the windows DARK.
 
I was discussing the options over the weekend.. I am definatley going to take 3/4" from the lip width for a total of 15 3/4" to frame .But as far as stretching the radius I either will cut it like you did, or slit the front edge to the lowest body line and move it foward 1", don't know if that will be enough though..whats your take on going 18's" ? I still like 15" steelies painted body color's... thats the debate I have going on. more pro street than pro touring.. I have no desire to run run Watkins Glen, but I do to run Norwalk raceway.

super nice! love it
 
with your skills...slice and dice!!!....you know what side of the issue (pro street/pro touring) I stand on.....but I'm 55 and a bit "old school"... as my buddy Pauly Tuttle would say

have you checked my new thread showing the final assembly of my Duster??...I guess I need some better shots of the 15's/drag radials...I'll get Bro John on that

whatever you decide will be perfectly OK w/ me...I can see by what you've done so far that you know what your doin'
 
Just looked through this build. Awesome work. Those have to be the best looking tubs I've seen.

Glad you are liking the SPI stuff. I love their clearcoat as well.
 
Very nice wheel/tire combo..

thanks haven't totally decided to go this route yet, basically because the wheel with a decent backspacing is only offered in a 18"x9" which limits my tire width to around 11" section width and since I have almost 16" inches of wheel well space, I feel I'm not getting the most bang for my buck with this combo. I mean going to all the trouble to install full tubs and then give up over 4" of space does not seem the smartest route. I'm seriously considering the Billet specialties Apex G in 18"x10" for the rear and 17" for the front like yours Tin, really like Riddler's boze combo also but my support structure feels diffrently...Anyway still looking...
 
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