Finally getting to it!!! 1970 Duster 340

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GREAT looking Duster. Drive the hell out of this car. i restored my 1971 Duster 340 10yrs ago and drive it regularly. AWESOME JOB
 
Thanks Ryan426. I had a chance to look at the pics of your 71. You did a fantastic job on the car. I'm glad that you take her out and exercise her regularly.
 
Sorry for the delay in posting pictures of the sail panel hardware Knucklkeduster but hre are some pics of the hardware on the car and off. Shoot me an pm if you have any other questions.

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Frame rail splash shields have been riveted in place. I also finished installing the door and window weatherstripping. Glass adjustment performed and interior door assembly finished. The deluxe wood grain door panels are not original to my car. I took them out of a junked Duster back in 1980. I’m finally going to get a chance to use them after all these years.

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Did some odds and ends on the car today. Put limited slip additive and oil in the differential. Hooked up the throttle cable to the accelerator pedal and installed the toggle switch for the map light. I hooked jumper cables up to the car to check out the electric system. Looks like I have some electric gremlins to track down. Dash turn signal indicators don't work but front turn signals and the left rear function. Horn worked briefly then didn't then next time I tried it. Both rear lights are lit always. The left is brighter than the right. I hate chasing down electrical issues! Might be a bad ground or perhaps a bad switch. The engine did crank when I moved the key to start.
 
I had intended to apply the side decals to the Duster today. I purchased reproduction decals from Phoenix Graphics. I have NOS decals that I purchased in 1983. I decided not to use them because of concerns about how good the adhesive would be after all these years.
I mocked up the new decals on the car and noticed that some things were incorrect. The rear quarter panel decal seemed wider than I had remembered the original. I broke out my NOS boxes and started to compare all sections. The new quarter panel decal is definitely wider than the original. The front fender and door decal are the correct width. All three sections are shorter than the originals. I don't believe that this will be an issue with the door and quarter decals as there still seems to be enough to wrap around the edges; however, the front fender decal is significantly shorter even without wrapping it around the fender/ door gap. I think that the front terminal end will be much shorter on the new stripe.
I am going to contact Phoenix Graphics to see if they can fix this issue. I'll keep you posted.

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On your electrical issues, you are more than likely correct that it's a grounding issue. When I do a full bore resto like you have, I always leave the mounting points at the kick panel area mounts for the dash frame bare metal. You may have to skin a little paint off the back side of those places, and also where wiper switches, light switches, and anything of the sort will pick up a ground. Don't forget to make sure the dimmer switch and gauge cluster is getting a good ground also. Maybe you can make some temporary jumper wires with alligator clips on them to trouble shoot. If you can fix poor old sore and painful feet.....I know you can fix this! :D
 
I spent some time working on the electrical issues today. The continuous brake lights were easily fixed by adjusting the brake light switch. As JD mentioned, I did grind paint, primer and powder coating from the dash frame and body before attaching the dash assembly. I'm sure there is a ground issue some where. At this point, I need to get the dash turn signal indicators working along with the high beam indicator. Dash lights, dome light, map light and ignition switch light work. The wipers will not turn on nor will the blower motor. All exterior lights work including turn signals ( front, rear and fender top), side markers, and high beams.
Did I tell you that I hate electrical issues! :mad:
 
Just wanted give you some follow-up on my decals from Phoenix Graphix. I called today and told them about the decal differences. They told me that this was the first that they had heard of any issues with these stripes. They said that they would refund my money or they offered to make me new decals that were exact duplicates off of my NOS ones. I would need to send my originals for them to use as a template and they would return them to me afterwards.
I've decided to send them my originals and have a new set made. I'm glad that they were able to offer me a fix for the problem. That's just good business!
 
For my 70 340 Duster, I used the guy in Florida (forget their name of the compony) at the time they were so much nicer than Phoenix Graphix. Not sure on how exact they are from originals but a lot closer thats for sure, plus the material was nicer. Maybe they have gotten better.
 
I called Performance Car Graphics in Florida before I spoke to Phoenix Graphix. I would have bought decals from them if Phoenix would have only offered to refund my money. Since Phoenix is willing to make me a set from my originals, I decided to go that route.
 
I called Performance Car Graphics in Florida before I spoke to Phoenix Graphix. I would have bought decals from them if Phoenix would have only offered to refund my money. Since Phoenix is willing to make me a set from my originals, I decided to go that route.

At least Phoenix will now have the correct stripe dimensions for anyone buying from them in the future.
 
At least Phoenix will now have the correct stripe dimensions for anyone buying from them in the future.
I spent some time working on the electrical issues today. The continuous brake lights were easily fixed by adjusting the brake light switch. As JD mentioned, I did grind paint, primer and powder coating from the dash frame and body before attaching the dash assembly. I'm sure there is a ground issue some where. At this point, I need to get the dash turn signal indicators working along with the high beam indicator. Dash lights, dome light, map light and ignition switch light work. The wipers will not turn on nor will the blower motor. All exterior lights work including turn signals ( front, rear and fender top), side markers, and high beams.
Did I tell you that I hate electrical issues! :mad:

Ground, ground, ground!
 
I called Performance Car Graphics in Florida before I spoke to Phoenix Graphix. I would have bought decals from them if Phoenix would have only offered to refund my money. Since Phoenix is willing to make me a set from my originals, I decided to go that route.
Make sure your tail panel stripe has the hole for the key. I know they did not have that either. if not maybe they can fix that also.
1970 Plymouth Duster 340 Rear Tail Panel Stripes Decal

They should have given you your money back. I will never use Phoenix Graphix, selling wrong parts and saying they are correct.
 
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I will never use Phoenix Graphix, selling wrong parts and saying they are correct.
I bought a stripe kit from them for my '98 Ram SS/T just a few years ago. The original silver stripes lasted 15+ years in the Florida sun. PG's repops didn't even make it 3. Shoddy.
 
Ok guys, I had a change of mind. I decided to get a refund from Phoenix Graphix and order side stripes from Performance Car Graphics.
 
Had a day off of work and spent a lot of time tracking down the electrical issues. All exterior lighting is working. The rear brake and turn signal problems are fixed. The windshield wiper motor and the heater blower motor are working now. The only electric issue has to do with the dash turn signal indicators, high beam indicator and brake indicator. I suspect that it has something to do with the transistor instrument voltage regulator that I installed when I restored the dash. It is installed in that part of the Rallye dash and I suspect that is the issue. Overall, I'm happy with the progress that I made. I might try to fire the old girl up this weekend if I can get a helper to assist me in running the drill to pre-oil the engine.
 
Had a day off of work and spent a lot of time tracking down the electrical issues. All exterior lighting is working. The rear brake and turn signal problems are fixed. The windshield wiper motor and the heater blower motor are working now. The only electric issue has to do with the dash turn signal indicators, high beam indicator and brake indicator. I suspect that it has something to do with the transistor instrument voltage regulator that I installed when I restored the dash. It is installed in that part of the Rallye dash and I suspect that is the issue. Overall, I'm happy with the progress that I made. I might try to fire the old girl up this weekend if I can get a helper to assist me in running the drill to pre-oil the engine.

I had that issue when I installed the new IVR and found that that the factory hollow type nuts to secure the wires to the gauges on the circuit boards weren't making good enough contact so I used regular nuts and that worked.
 
Thanks 340wedge. I hope that is the issue because that would be an easy fix. As far as I can tell, I wired the regulator in correctly.
 
Just went thru the dash gremlins myself. A PIA taking the dash instrument panel cluster in /out, so much easier with the dash bezel on the bench (remember the ground). It is easy to follow each circuit and power each receiver pin / circuit individually with 12volts. A combination of the new and old bulbs along with new and old plastic receivers were NFG.

before the dash panel goes back in, test the pins coming into for juice. I had a blown fuse on one. Designed in the 60's, the whole set up is pretty simple....not rocket surgery

good luck!
 
I was 75% successful with my dash today. I got the turn signal indicators and the high beam indicator operating. I made ground wires that ran from each board to the steering column ground. Installed the instrument cluster and got everything back in place. I was not able to get the brake light to function. I tried grounding the E brake switch to a frame ground but no go. At this point, I'm thinking that 3 out of 4 aint bad.
 
Actually, I was 100% successful with the dash lights. I worked on getting the car ready to start yesterday. I ran up the oil pressure to get the top end lubed and set the timing to 15 degrees of advance. Placed a battery in the tray and cranked the car over.......unfortunately, she didn't start :(. The car didn't start but the brake light lit on the dash :).
Looks like I have an ignition issue to track down. I'll figure it out. I was too tired and hot to keep at it last night.
 
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