Father-Son 1974 Duster Project

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Both panels had a similar crack. The 2nd photo above shows one half of the panel slightly more elevated than the other.. Need to whack at it with an Exacto knife and the folded edge of some sandpaper.

I have also been trying to convince myself that I can get to the most important issues near the top of my newly acquired steering column without taking it out of the car yet again. The shift lock is not working and the top bearing is squeaking like a rat in heat. Now I know it has it needs to come out but foolishly I lament. Probably take it out tonight...

The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!
 
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I took the column out the other day and took it apart. I had to get a new lower bearing and I'm going to swap in the turn signal switch from my original column. I have beef using a video from YouTube where a guy is rebuilding a 70 cuda column as a tutorial. It's not a column auto shift column from the cuda, but it's a good visual to go along with the FSM I have.
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I was able
To get the drive door panel upholstery off the backing board that was water damaged. Going to make a new backing, cleanup the vinyl and Spray90 it back together.
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Made the new backer out of 1/8 plywood and used 3M Spray90 to relaminate the original vinyl on it. Adding some extra weight till the glue sets up on the corner where they always seem to wrinkle. I'll paint them when they set up for a day or so.
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89on35s said:
They look way better than mine did!

Cley
Click to expand...
The man who is doing my seats told me last week he was visiting his brother and his nephew was needing some help with refinishing his interior. He said he only uses SEM but since he was only there for the day he used the duplicolor interior paint the kid bought. He said he liked how it went on and the kid says it still looks new, years later.
I'm thinking I may use it....
 
I didn't use any paint on interior sort pieces, but rustoleum paint for plastic on the interior trim has held up for over 4 years.

Looking good DD
 
Well since summer is right around the corner, life has turned me to face home improvement projects once again. I do however own my own evenings after dinner and homework assistance is done. I decided to farm out the carb rebuild to a fellow member who can do it in his sleep.
So for now it's a little of this and a little of that to keep needle moving toward getting the car complete.

Next up is to rework and refinish one of the sail panels where the repaired fracture showed through too much. Need to recreate the texture and re paint.
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Good idea on letting somebody experienced to do the carb, you want the engine to start right up, the first time.
 
I had a few minutes so I grabbed a can of the duplicolor black vinyl paint and I sprayed my rehabbed interior door panels. I think they look pretty damn good considering how much this poor old car has been through.
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They look good!

I used duplicolor when I changed the color of the interior on my Duster. Looks like the same exact change as you, tan to black. The door panels have held up well, so has the rear seat. On the door tops and kick panels there are some places where the color has come off to reveal the tan underneath, high use kind of areas. I didn't use any kind of adhesion promoter, but I did clean everything thoroughly before hand. Seems like the stuff works better on the vinyl than it does on the plastic parts, but, that could just be because the plastics parts are in places where they get more contact.
 
I am planning to use the duplicolor on the panels and the back seat (the vinyl). I'm fortunate to have a set of factory black door pulls. I'm using Rustoleum custom shop for plastic on the plastic parts like the door tops, kicks, pillar trim and sail panels. I have a new tuff wheel but I don't have the adapter can to use it yet so I'll shoot the original steering wheel with the Rustoleum just for grins too.
Both blacks look good together.
 
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Here is the upholstery style of my rear seat.
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Here is my front bench seat with center armrest.
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I have a local upholstery shop who did my dash pad that can do the front seat any way I want. I thought doing the front like it is with black vinyl and black fabric would be nice, but then the back seats would be different. I could have him do it all in vinyl and match the rear stitching.
Then I'm wondering if anyone makes a reproduction cover for this bench seat that will match the original rear seat but in black vinyl?
 
If it were me I would avoid the cloth insert. I would keep the stitching the same in the front and rear. I would consider either red stitching, red piping, or both to give it some contrast. Almost there.
 
As has been with most of this project, we take two or more old worn things and sprinkle in a few bucks worth of fresh parts with some elbow grease and paint to get one nice refurbished peice.
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I got her ready to fire up. Going to take kids out for a bite to eat then come home and try to make some noise!
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No spark!
This is exactly what I have set up but I get no spark!

I have 12 volts to the + side of the coil and the red lead on the HEI module during crank and run but no spark.

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