Manual Rack & Pin for 73 Duster

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Preacher

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Elysburg, PA
Hi, I'm new to the website and looking for some help? After 20+ yrs off the strip, I'm going back at it again. Found a 73 duster, slant 6 car to drop my 440's and goodies into. I need to get rid of the power steering and one upper A-arm is rusted off. Which I want to change the front suspension anyway and get some disks for stopping power. I saw where someone put manual R&P on a Duster and said it pretty much bolted right in. I wrote him about what he used? But haven't heard back, so he may have left the forum? Does anybody know what part # R&P can be used? Please don't yell at me for going with a power-slid trans with trans brake for launching.....:burnout: LOL! This is a long-range project due to the big D word!
 
Dont think there is a "bolt on R&P".....if you want to get rid of the PS...just convert to a aluminum manual steering box...

if there was a bolt on r&p they would be selling like hot cakes....
 
Tried it on a '68 A-body. It was so easy steering, even just sitting (with a Hemi) that I could go lock-to-lock with one finger! Scared the Hell outta me! Don't know what I did wrong (neither does anyone else) but I sold the car & the new owner put in a RMS front-end in it & loves it! I imagine you could find a chassis builder that would do a race only R&P and perhaps he wouldn't have the problem I encountered, but now you're getting away from the low-dollae aspect, which I assume you would prefer until you have some seat-time.
 
Thanks Hemicop for the input! Cutting and welding isn't a problem for me. I got everything I need and then some. I'll be bending my own 12 point for in it. This'll be a full out drag car. Green is short cause of the big-D coming on here. If I knew what blackace used?, I could go from that. I'm just tired of helping others every now and then and ready to jump back in the game. Our local track Numidia Dargways is paying out some big buck and I got the itch..LOL! Thoughts are always welcome.
 
The rack looks like a first gen Dakota truck but I'm not 100% on that. Just be sure you have enough bracing when using more than one u-joint. Especially if you car pulls the wheels, you really don't want to see it turn for the wall. LOL...
 
I'm jealous!:cheers: With those kinds of skills, why not just look at some old (or new for that matter) pics of some P/S or S/G cars from back in the day & copy them? That would allow you to put the K-memebr where you want it (add or decrease the WB a bit) & eliminate the inner fender panels while adding the type used on the P/S back then--cleans up the engine bay & looks real professional when done right...........
 
That link is my car now, but my brother and dad put that in worked fine drag racing. didn't work very good in pits didn't turn very sharp you had to turn real soon and back up a lot in tight areas. If just drag racing worked fine wouldn't use it in a street car. they were tring to get room for header clearence and easeir to work on. if you want rack and pinion front end i would buy a chromoly k-member built for a rack
 
Thanks for all the info/ideas. I've been a little tied up with things & couldn't reply. My skills are fair, but I need numbers to work from. The K-member is a great idea and I have friends looking the yards for something we can go by. Header clearance is one of my reasons also. Eliminating the steering crap will let me bend headers better. My last Duster was a pain once it got hot to work on plugs. Once we have a baseline, I can fab from that. An Arrow I did didn't like sharp turns either. The R&P is just a better way to go in my opinion for the strip. I've been toying for years with the idea of making a body shell, after you tilt the front, hydraulically lifting everything off the firewall and dash on a hinge setup in the back. Like the funny cars do. Make easy access to everything inside the car when you don't have enough help. It's been a brain fart on paper for 25 yrs...LOL! Glad to know, 451 demon, that the car is still around. Some I talked to said I was nuts and it can't be done for a street car. You don't happen to know what the part numbers were for that R&P do you? Thanks again and hope I can return the favor to others some day. This is going to be a time long process, but when it's done I'll post lots of pics!
 
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