First Car Ideas

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Joe Mellusi

Joe Mellusi

Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2021
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New Jersey
Hi, Everyone

Im 13 and i love cars. My dad loves mopars especially and has 3. A 4 speed Lemon Twist 1970 Cuda 440-6 pack Show Car, A 1969 Dodge Charger 500 in F8 Green Show Car, And a 1971 Butterscotch Dodge Challenger Small Block Show Car.

As im only 13 i still a little while to go before i get a car but recently ive been looking at 70-73 Plymouth Dusters. I also was looking at 68-69 Plymouth Barracudas. I really like A Bodys.

Do you think a duster is a good first car for someone who loves cars and who likes working on them too?

Im already saving and im going to try to get a job next year. But i would like some opinions.

Im redoing trans, putting 4.10 gears in, new ATK 408 Stroker Motor 465HP 535TQ, 27560R15 Mickey Thompson's in back, with cragar S/S's 15x8 4.25 Back spacing 5 on 4 bolt Pattern. And some more stuff but i will slowly buy my modifications over time because its obviously expensive.

Thanks, Joe
 
I put a '72 Swinger together for my daughter when she got her license :D. Headers, fat tires in the back, skinnies in the front, rally wheels all around. She had a grand time with it. I bypassed a 389 tri-power Pontiac powered Studebaker a friend of mine had for sale. 350 horse and a 4 spd was a little more than I wanted to expose her to.
 
A lot of people's first cars were Dusters! My first car was a '74 Gold Duster in Ivy green. Just a stock 318/904, but I loved it! It didn't have power or anything going for it other than it was my car, and that was enough. That was 20yrs ago.

Now, my son is 14yrs old, and this past year we picked up a '70 Duster for him. It was a 318/904, but we decided to throw in a mild 360/4spd with 3.55 gears out back. Nothing to powerful, but enough to have fun. I figured I'd put it together the first time, and when he gets out of college, if he wants more power, we can build up a stroker.

Personally, I would caution against a lot of horsepower. Even if you had 20yrs driving experience, you still run into issues with drive-ability, economy, break downs, over heating, excessive rear tire wear, etc..

A legit 300-350hp small block will be more than enough and be trouble free for many years.

Racecars make poor daily drivers.


Either way have a blast.

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Welcome to FABO Joe!

My first car was a 72 Duster so I'm a little biased.:)

We had a family friend that owned a used car lot. He would buy and sell at the original Manheim car auction in Manheim PA, near York, PA.

When I was 15 years old (1978) dad and I went with him so I could look for a car. There sat a 1972 Duster, 318, auto on the column, slots all around with L50's on the back. I was in love, lol.

So, I waited beside my dad and the dealer friend for it to pull in the bay. Finally, bidding started at $100. Continued up to $400. The dealer friend pointed to me. One more guy bid $420 and the dealer went to $440. Nobody else bid and the car was mine!!

The only thing I did is drive the heck out of that thing. Oh, and I had to replace the spider gears in the 7.25 after a burnout at the gas station where I worked.

Good luck! It sounds like you're in for a fun ride in the world of Mopars!
 
I bought my first car at 14. It was a '72 Duster, 318 auto. Of course, back then a little easier to get and a whole lot cheaper :) I paid 500
 
72 gold duster 318 and 904 was my first.

I don't know you're budget, but 4 doors can be cool too, as well as pickups. A little patience and a lot of looking can get you a good project.

And, Welcome to FABO!
 
Heck yeah that's a good choice. Avoid the early A's like the plague as a firs car, that's my only advice. lol.

Have fun and keep the racing on the track :)
 
Welcome to the site. Your dad has some nice cars for sure. My first car was a 69 Dart slant 6 car, which I still have 20 years later. I think a duster would be a great first car.
 
Joe Mellusi said:
Hi, Everyone
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HI JOE!!!!! Welcome aboard!!!
As im only 13 i still a little while to go before i get a car but recently ive been looking at 70-73 Plymouth Dusters. I also was looking at 68-69 Plymouth Barracudas. I really like A Bodys.

Do you think a duster is a good first car for someone who loves cars and who likes working on them too?
Click to expand...
Mt first word out of my mouth was “Car.”
So you’re in good company.
My first MoPar was a ‘73 Plymouth Duster.
I like to work on cars, but! I love to tinker with them even more. What’s tinker mean? Well, firstly, I like to go fast and often wondered more than just the average guy on how these things work. So, before the internet was around to ask questions, I simply purchased parts to swap and and see how they work. At one time I had 14 intake manifolds, dozens of carbs, 8 sets of heads, 3 different headers, multiple drop out rear end pigs to swap around (that’s the center section of a 8-3/4, your dad will help here if need be.) And camshafts! Holy moly! Forgettaboutit!!!!
I’d change them out almost as fast as socks and underwear. Drag cams, hot street cams, oval track cams, solid, Hyd, roller... I just kept getting them. Just to see how they worked.

Id install a cam, tune the engine up, run it hard for weeks, then swap the intake. Then swap a carb, then Swap headers, just for fun.

AND THATS TINKERING!

The Duster is an excellent choice in my book. They can be made very light. Though they will do just great as is.
Parts are common and are at a reasonable cost.

Totally go for it!


Im already saving and im going to try to get a job next year. But i would like some opinions.

Im redoing trans, putting 4.10 gears in, new ATK 408 Stroker Motor 465HP 535TQ, 27560R15 Mickey Thompson's in back, with cragar S/S's 15x8 4.25 Back spacing 5 on 4 bolt Pattern. And some more stuff but i will slowly buy my modifications over time because its obviously expensive.

Thanks, Joe
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The only opinion here that counts to how you build your car is yours! Do your car your way as you see fit.

HOWEVER!

Listen to Dad. He will never steer you wrong. I’d bet a million dollars on that and be super sure I would win that bet!

Id also bet Dad will give you excellent advice on your plans and probably tell you to slowly get to your goal rather than do it right away. That engine is very powerful and can take out a heck of a surprise on even the most seasoned guys that have not been to that power level. The engine is a beast!

Im going to do something I don’t like to do because you have a Dad that I’m sure wants you to be happy and live a long super cool life of Hot Rodding for many many years. So here it is.
My top 4 advice items to new “Young Guns!”

1; Start easy. Learn the car and all of it from bumper to bumper, inside and outside & learn how to do everything you can on your own.

2; When it comes to your engine, I suggest building your own engine and learning how that’s done until you can do 90% of it blind folded. And pretty much the same on everything else. It saves HUGE amounts of money!

3; Lastly, build a basic engine first and then add on mild hot rod parts slowly working your way up to the power level of the Blue Print engine and then past it.

4; LISTEN TO YOUR DAD! He will never steer you wrong!

And always remember, help a guy/gal out without being a smart *** know it all loud foul mouthed idiot. Don’t do it. There is never a better way to make yourself look bad and make an enemy. Remember, we all start off knowing nothing. Teaching is hard sometimes, so be patient when doing so. Others will be patient with you. Never forget that.
 
Cuda416 said:
Heck yeah that's a good choice. Avoid the early A's like the plague as a firs car, that's my only advice. lol.

Have fun and keep the racing on the track :)
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What’s wrong with the early As? I feel they were the best built A bodies there was. Maybe not the most attractive but the seem to last.
 
Dartsun said:
What’s wrong with the early As? I feel they were the best built A bodies there was. Maybe not the most attractive but the seem to last.
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Expense mostly, they are tighter, availability of body panels, transmission options etc. I love ours but for cost reasons I'd rather have started with a later one.

I said avoid them for a "first car", that's all and those are the reasons why
 
Get a truck first. You can haul a lawn mower or wood around for extra cash, and when you earn enough, drag cars and parts home to fix up.
 
I would look for the something in running condition that will not take a lot of money to fix. Have your dad give it the once over as a young man with cash in hand and the twinkle of a hotrod in his eyes is sure easy to take advantage of. Before sinking all your money into this car look to the future and save some money for a trade school or something to get yourself ahead in life.
 
I'm going to be the adult killjoy in the room.
Your 1st car needs to something safe with airbags.
You're going to wreck it.
yeah, I know, you say you won't, but the odds are against you.
Get something safe.
If it's gotta be a old Mopar, I suggest something like a Dodge Shadow or Plymouth Sundance.
2.2L ,2dr, look cool and have airbags
 
Hell yeah a Duster can be the perfect first car! They made them a while so there are still a lot of good ones out there.
 
The only distraction when I first started driving was Indiana girls. Cell phones are something else entirely! Build a nice A body on the side as a hobby fer sher. Between your dad and this bunch, you're in good company. But your first 2 or 3 getting around cars should have airbags I'm afraid.
 
Hi, Everyone

Thanks so much for all of the replies and opinions. My dad has worked on pretty much anything mechanical his whole life. And hes loved cars for that long too. Ive gone with him to the carlisle chrysler nationals in PA and i love to look in the swap meet and look at cars. Im very excited about getting a mopar because my dad can help me and just in general knows so much about them.

Hes owned many cars over the years such as,

Red 73 Challenger

Orange 73 Cuda

Red Hemi 70 cuda

Black 70 SE Challenger

Lemon Twist 440 shaker 70 Cuda

F8 Green 69 Charger 500

Butterscotch 71 Challenger

2 T/A Challengers

Pink AAR Cuda

Yellow Superbird

Blue GTX

Some of the cars were his brothers but he still worked on them and drove them

He actually restored his Lemon Twist 70 Cuda by himself in the 80s

And i think i might just build my engine because it will teach me about cars more and i have more options.

Ive been around cars my whole life and im grateful for that.

Im from New Jersey so i used to go to Englishtown, or Raceway Park. And watch the drag races.

Again, thank you for the replies!
 
Welcome! Sounds like you are on the right track, it’s great to see a young gun involved with the older cars but it also helps Mopar blood runs in the family! I was the same way at your age, My dad has several My dad has several Mopar’s too. old MoPars too. My first car, a 1974 Plymouth satellite Sebring Plus, I put a 340 engine in it my senior year of high school, that was a 1994 and I still have the car today.

When I was your age the a-body cars were my favorite, I had darts, dusters and demon 340 pictures from magazines plastered all over my room, I always wanted a 340 engine. That’s why instead of putting a big block in my satellite, I installed the 340 and I don’t regret it for a second. Today we own a few a bodies, I have a pair of 66 valiants, One is a 340 4-speed, and one is stock....also a 1970 dart swinger 340 that I hope to fully restore someday. I used to have a 73 duster but it was really rusty, I used it as a winter beater until it got unsafe to drive, then I parted it out and used the disc brakes in my 66. A duster is a fun car for a young guy and they are very affordable too. Good luck young man, sounds like your dad has a pretty sweet fleet of Mopar‘s!!

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Welcome to FABO. I think your choice of a Duster would be a great idea, surprised that your dad hasn't been busy finding something for you already. Sounds like he will be a great source of information and help when you need it. My advice is to get a good solid car to start with, I'm sure your dad will agree that the less bodywork the better, unless he is skilled at it and can teach you. Learn to be patient with yourself, nobody is born knowing how to do everything, but it is important that you learn by doing it yourself, that way you learn to respect your efforts and investment of both your time and your money.
Good luck with your search and keep us updated with your progress.
:thumbsup:
 
Welcome aboard! Another thought is maybe, just maybe you could talk dad into him selling you one of his. Make payments to him and buy a daily driver when possible. I purchased my first car in 1975 and still own it
 
Grab a Duster, a cheap rustier one that runs and drives, it will be fun enough as first car. Do not get hung up on building a dream ride Duster out if it... build it safe. Get a second Duster to build the dream. I recall my first three vehicles well, and the tree, the guardrail, and the ditch that each one ended up in. They were all fairly disposable 90s vehicles, so didnt hurt like it would wiping out an old Mopar.

You can have fun, you can build on it, but 9 out of 10 people wreck their first car, and if it’s your dream car you are sad.
 
Welcome Joe! Just looking at the way you express yourself, how well you write, and how much you seem to admire your Dad.......I'm predicting that you are going to do very well in this hobby. I'm 50 years older than you, but car buddies tend to not pay a lot of attention to age. My first car was a 70 Duster, which I bought in 1974 as a junior in high school. @rumblefish360 gave very good advice, and I'll 2nd everything he said. I think you will be money ahead if you get a Duster with the best body you can find. Even if you have to travel for it. Heck...that would be a fun trip for you and your Dad, to go on a reasonable road trip to pick up an unrusty Duster to build your first car! Again, welcome....and thanks for giving us old guys some hope that this hobby won't die out when we do!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Hi, everyone

I was reading some things and people were saying a 340 is more money to build up than a 360. Im not sure by how much and which one is technically better but do you think a 340 is better or is a 360 better.

Thanks, Joe
 
Ah the great 340 vs 360 debate. To rebuild either you will be about even. 340 may cost more to obtain than a 360, but with the 340 you start with a forged crankshaft. The 360 starts with cast crankshaft. Depending on what your power level goal is a cast crankshaft is good enough for a 400 horsepower build. Beyond that you will want forged crankshaft, and that gets into money. All things created equal the cost of the build really depends more on how good of a starting point you have, and what parts you can reuse and still meet your power goal. If you have a 340, build the 340, if you have a 360, build the 360. If you have a preference over wanting the 340 because it was lower production, don’t settle for 360. If you are just looking to have fun grab an already running 318, oh no, now we are entering the rabbit hole! Lol
 
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