73 Duster 318 Magnum, GT45, E-85

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Landy Duster

Landy Duster

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Here’s my turbo build. 73 Duster , former drag car, converted back to a street car, front seats only. Stock bottom end 318 Magnum, 150k not rebuilt, $150 Craigslist shortblock. GT45, 2-1/8” crossover. Stock cracked heads (they didn’t leak with alcohol in the chambers), kegger intake, stock throttle body. Megasquirt 1 controlling fuel only lean burn distributor to lock timing. MSD 6-AL. Comp shelf cam, better valve springs, ARP head studs, Cometic head gaskets. PTC 9.5” 904 converter, A999 trans, 8-3/4” with 3.23 gear 35 spline spool, 35 spline Strange axles. Stock tank with 1/2” pick up and a 3/8 return. 80 lb hr injectors, AEM 430 E85 pump. 3/8” supply and return lines. Non intercooled, car is not cut.
 
20 lbs on the stock bottom end is impressive. Did you gap the rings or are they still factory as well. Impressive numbers for a 318 I several 5.2 magnums laying around and you got me thinking now.
 
65dart360 said:
20 lbs on the stock bottom end is impressive. Did you gap the rings or are they still factory as well. Impressive numbers for a 318 I several 5.2 magnums laying around and you got me thinking now.
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Thank you, it's been a lot of work, I have thousands of pictures of the build of this, started almost 4 years ago.
I pulled one piston and checked it and it was at .027" top ring and .028" second ring, I called that good enough. Getting to this point has not been easy, I've trashed two other short blocks (one I hydro-locked figuring out the fuel injection and cracked two pistons, still ran a mid 12 with that engine on 10 psi, then wiped out the mains on the second short block since I was using a stockish oil pan (with windage tray), now I'm running the deep Milodon 360 pan with a QA1 K-member and QA1 lower control arms). If I can get it to hook the 315-60-15 drag radials (30" tall), I'll run a 10 second ET (making enough power, just not getting it down).
 
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I would like to see more pics of the exhaust plumbing if possible. Are you running any type of intercooler. Once again very impressed with what you have achieved on a basically junkyard engine
 
And more. The crossover evolved over time to better fit the lower radiator hose and electric fan. Then I had to move it all forward some when I changed to the QA1 K member.

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65dart360 said:
That looks good. Thanks for the pictures
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I'm not running any type of intercooler (I'm just not willing to cut up the car). My inlet air temperatures (inside the manifold) are close to 300°F at the end of a quarter mile run. I may look into meth injection, but I'm getting tight on room under the hood. I probably will not even try to put meth injection in until after I get all of the air conditioning lines run under the hood.
 
Take some measurements might be able to tuck a air/air infront of the radiator or have there was a member that mounted a air/water on the inner fender top and plumbed it. Or smaller inline air/waters like this one. Awesome work.

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Matts440 said:
Take some measurements might be able to tuck a air/air infront of the radiator or have there was a member that mounted a air/water on the inner fender top and plumbed it. Or smaller inline air/waters like this one. Awesome work.

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Thanks,
I've seen both a2a and a2w, the a2a would require some cutting that I will not do and on the a2w I think they look horrible in the engine compartment. Some meth injection would help the high IAT's. I need most of the space in front of the radiator for the AC coil. I may cut up my other 73 Duster and put a huge a2a in it, I don't know.
 
Oh okay, didn't know you had the a/c(lucky). True water/meth would help and great stuff, just be careful if you tube it to run on it to keep the levels up I know sounds easy I forgot once on my srt4 neon oops ended up cracking two stock piston lol live and learn.
 
Can't even fit a a/a that's 2.5" thick and 7" tall even behind the bumper? Just curious
 
Bobzilla said:
Very cool build.
What rear suspension are you running?
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Almost full Cal-Trac system (spring relocation front brackets, split mono-leafs), stock rear shackles and old MP gas charged drag shocks. I plan on putting double adjustable Vikings on this year but the new PTC torque converter was $500 more than I thought it was going to be, so I have to wait for awhile.
 
Nice Duster, what part of IN you in? I am in Sullivan county.
 
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