Arthur’s Duster

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I’m excited to have this. I see to have an LD340 that I sold before I ever used. I am eventually going to put this on Arthur’s Duster.
The only mods I want to do to it are Day 2 mods (except for suspension). I know he was kind of a numbers matching / OEM guy. I never have been but I am respectfully finishing the car.
Torn on the wheels though. Thinking about Cragar, Keystones, US Wheel Slots. I may even think more about Minilite’s seeing as how they were used on Trans Am cars and were available in 1973.

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I would go with the Keystones, love the look of those.
 
It was a busy summer with wild fires. Had some really big ones this year (one was a million acres!) I didn’t get a chance to do very much on the cars.
I did do the whole interior panels with SEM paint in Parchment White. I used the cleaner and the vinyl prep then coated them with the paint. It turned out great but I didn’t take any pics. Sorry.
I got an American Autowire headlight to taillight kit and tracked down all the pulleys and brackets. I made a huge order at Detroit Miscle Technologies. I ordered just about everything you can for a 1973 Duster.
Next purchase will be a big order at Brewer’s for everything pertaining to the shifter. The only thing I have for the 833 is the rods and bell crank. I think there was a box of 4-speed parts that never got transferred into my possession.
Earlier in the summer I had purchased a 1973 Duster roller that I will be getting a few parts off of like the front bumper, headlight bucket springs, windshield and back glass off of. It was in Wichita and I paid my Dad some diesel money to go retrieve it. It already in Oklahoma too so all my Dusters are there!
I’m contemplating what to do with that other 73. It would make a great race car but it could also turn into cash which would be more helpful than a race car.
 
My two Duster’s. Same wheels. Same color. Not planned.

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I might keep that hood and do hood scoop on one and set the painted one aside.

Plans are still Day 2 car. Like I showed earlier I scored an LD340 intake. I also have a set of 915 castings that I want to get ported, racing valve job, 2.02” valves on. The current heads have adj. iron rockers and I would reuse those. I’ll do some banana grooved shafts.
I already have some TTi step header I was going to use on my Valiant’s 340 that is at IMM with Brian Hafliger. He recommends the 1-7/8” race headers for that engine so I’ll just use the step headers on Arthur’s Duster.
I was also planning on 8-3/4 rearend swap but I’ve been reading that the 8-1/4 should be strong enough for my power level. Therefore, I will be planning on a purchase of a differential and some 3:23 or 3:55. The road is long in TX and OK so probably 3:23’s. No use in spending extra money but I do have two 489 third members and a 68-70 B-body 8-3/4 housing just in case.
 
Welcome back home!!! Decatur is a great area.
I have had a bunch of Dusters and I miss my last one bad!!
Browne's auto salvage is just up the road at Sunset and a great group of guys there!!
 
A little update on the Duster and life in general. I’m moving! The Duster has already moved!

Situation is I am a Wildland Firefighter with the US Forest Service on the Cleveland National Forest in San Diego, CA. I just accepted a job with the LBJ National Grassland (still Forest Service) in Decatur, TX just outside Fort Worth.

This is great because I get to be closer to my home state of Oklahoma. I joined the Navy after 9/11 and have only lived there for a 3 month stint since then. I have a rent house and plan to buy the house I grew up in from my Dad. It’ll be really nice to be closer to my income property and to have my kids closer to the Grandparents. We’ll only be 2-1/2 hours away. My Dad is a huge Mopar fan and it’ll be fun to cruise together and meet up at shows across the two states. He’s got a 70 cuda and 69 Roadrunner.
A few weeks ago I went back to OK and grabbed my Dads 2001 Ram 3500 and a trailer. I left him my little diesel Jetta Sportwagen. I came home and loaded up the Duster and all it’s parts and he drove my car out to CA and hauled it back to OK.
Now I just have 3 more of my Mopars to haul out there. (69 Valiant, 70 cuda, & 76 D100). My wife still needs to land a job in Texas and I need to get my report date and we can start looking for homes.
MAN! That's alot of work, ESPECIALLY with Your Job! On Behalf of People's Homes, Animals, and Trees, You And Your Fellows have Served and Protected, I SALUTE YOU ALL!!!!!!! Thank You ALL! Congrats on making the move to Texas!
 
Man, I hate to say it, but it seems some of those fires ain't "natural, or accidents" I'm in Florida, and Respect the Wildlife and Nature here. I'm Glad You will have a Well Earned Slower Pace!
 
Man, I hate to say it, but it seems some of those fires ain't "natural, or accidents" I'm in Florida, and Respect the Wildlife and Nature here. I'm Glad You will have a Well Earned Slower Pace!

Some of them aren't. There was a father/ son duo that set the Caldor Fire that burned 340 square miles and destroyed 1000 homes. Imagine that.

A UC Davis commie professor set the Dixie for that burned 1500 square miles and destroyed well over 1000 homes.

Charlie Morton, a "Hotshot" Firefighter, was killed in a blaze started by a a gender reveal pyrotechnic device. That hit hard because at the time I was a Hotshot on Laguna Hotshots. Charlie's crew was just up the road in San Bernardino.
 
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As another non commie Californian we will miss you. Thanks for all you’ve done fighting the fires here and keeping us safe. Smart move.
 
As another non commie Californian we will miss you. Thanks for all you’ve done fighting the fires here and keeping us safe. Smart move.

Agreed! Thanks for your service. That's tough work for sure. For such a beautiful state, it's getting harder and harder to deal with the BS. Good for your for getting out.
 
I was holding strong until the Newsom recall scam. There was some voting irregularities with that one. Now there is going to be a mileage tax for every mile driven, THe state is losing tax revenue from gas sales because of all the EV's on the road so their idea is to tax the people who actually pay gas taxes pay even more.
Yea it’s certainly not getting any cheaper. And don’t get me started on the POS (newsom) running the show.
 
What bugs me about Commiefornia is the fact that the entire state is controlled by LA and Frisco. The central state is largely non-commie.
 
Some of them aren't. There was a father/ son duo that set the Caldor Fire that burned 340 square miles and destroyed 1000 homes. Imagine that.

A UC Davis commie professor set the Dixie for that burned 1500 square miles and destroyed well over 1000 homes.

Charlie Morton, a "Hotshot" Firefighter, was killed in a blaze started by a a gender reveal pyrotechnic device. That hit hard because at the time I was a Hotshot on Laguna Hotshots. Charlie's crew was just up the road in San Bernardino.
That's just plain out dead *** wrong. What the hell is wrong with people.
I was holding strong until the Newsom recall scam. There was some voting irregularities with that one. Now there is going to be a mileage tax for every mile driven, THe state is losing tax revenue from gas sales because of all the EV's on the road so their idea is to tax the people who actually pay gas taxes pay even more.
I was Watching that, and Praying for Commie boy to be out. And, of Course, concerned about Voting Security. I mean, since Larry is a White, Supremely Stating he wanted to address theHomeless issues First.
What bugs me about Commiefornia is the fact that the entire state is controlled by LA and Frisco. The central state is largely non-commie.
Always wanted to ride a bike down the Pacific Coast Hwy... that's a scratch..

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Just needing that holy grail of a 1 year only 1973 front bumper.
I've got the brackets and inner core. My buddy I sold my FeatherDuster deck lid pulled them for me in NC. I was gonna use em on my 74, for weight saving... I ain't ...
He said he tossed the bumper. Don't make sense....
 
Updates but no pics. The car is wired with American Autowire headlight to taillight kit. Back glass in. Side marker lights in. All the 4 speed linkages I was missing secured. Leaf springs re-relocated to the OEM location so the exhaust will run in the factory location and the chrome tips will be in the right location. Driveshaft secured. Purchased a Bluetooth version of a factory radio.


Scored some period correct DC valve covers. Looking for a period correct DC air cleaner now.
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Updates but no pics. The car is wired with American Autowire headlight to taillight kit. Back glass in. Side marker lights in. All the 4 speed linkages I was missing secured. Leaf springs re-relocated to the OEM location so the exhaust will run in the factory location and the chrome tips will be in the right location. Driveshaft secured. Purchased a Bluetooth version of a factory radio.


Scored some period correct DC valve covers. Looking for a period correct DC air cleaner now.
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Awesome Man! Glad you're making way!
 
@SLOPAR72 , can you post a pic of your car with the white stripe. My wife and I are trying to decide between black, white, and brown.
 
@SLOPAR72 , can you post a pic of your car with the white stripe. My wife and I are trying to decide between black, white, and brown.
Man, my Duster is red, with a white interior... kinda pissed me off I went w/ a black stripe. BUT, the dual snorkel scoop and the go-wing are black.... what are ya gonna do? Lol
 
I was also thinking about the dual snorkel scoop. Maybe even get a removable skin and black out the whole hood and do a “340 Wedge” decal, temporarily. I would love to do the Direct Connection duck tail spoiler but I don’t know if I want to drill holes in the trunk lid. That all would tie the black in together.
The brown or tan stripe would look neat too, I think. It would tie in with the dash that is Saddle Tan. Never seen a brown/tan 340 stripe either.
The white stripe ties in with the white interior but makes it look too much like a grocery getter. Not mean. However, it seems like the white stripe would have been something it may have came factory with.

Man, my Duster is red, with a white interior... kinda pissed me off I went w/ a black stripe. BUT, the dual snorkel scoop and the go-wing are black.... what are ya gonna do? Lol
 
Here are some examples of brown stripes. Now, thy aren't the 340 stripe like I am going with but the color pallets are the same or similar.

The first car is Sunfire Yellow like mine and the second is Fawn Gold. Both have the Landau top whereas mine does not.

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Interestingly, the Fawn Gold car is exactly like my first Duster (1998-2004). That car was possibly one of the nicest examples of a survivor that you could EVER find. 28,000 miles on it. A man in his 70's bought the car in 1973 and sold it to his sister in 1974, who was also almost 70. She literally only drove it to church and the grocery store and garaged it it's whole life. I was the third owner and sold it to buy my 70 'cuda from my Dad. I really regret selling it. Like, biggest regret of my life type of regret. I have the Landau top trim and know where to get an OEM brown snakeskin top but at this point, car being painted, I think it's too late to weld trim studs on the roof.

So, anyone ever see a brown 340 stripe? My wife is kind of thinking a custom brown, more to match the Saddle Tan that is on the dash. What do you think? I think the white is out. It's the wife's least favorite, mine too. Black is the leading choice only because I haven't seen, and can't visualize, a brown 340 stripe on a Sunfire Yellow car.
 
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