My 1971 Duster 6.1 Hemi build

[Rat Patrol]

JBrian - how did you find the clearance between the heater tubes at the rear of the intake and your firewall?

 

[JBrian]

JBrian - how did you find the clearance between the heater tubes at the rear of the intake and your firewall?

That's a really good question; when we mocked it up I didn't check that. We are considering mocking up the finished complete drive-train with Classic Auto Air evaporator. I believe I'm going to have to modify the heater core 5/8" tube to point up toward the back of the motor. I'm sure I'll have to get a local radiator shop to make the modifications.

 

[Cranky]

Show & Go!

Is that Lee's 'refrigerator' road runner (post #4) you're running against? I remember those days and miss the Mopar Nats in this area. You would think someone would bring it back.....

 

[JBrian]

Is that Lee's 'refrigerator' road runner (post #4) you're running against? I remember those days and miss the Mopar Nats in this area. You would think someone would bring it back.....

Yep, that Roberts Six Barrel clone prior to the burn down in his garage! Good times back then... How's my suregrip looking?

 

[Cranky]

Yep, that Roberts Six Barrel clone prior to the burn down in his garage! Good times back then... How's my suregrip looking?

Looks like a Sure Grip Did you get in touch with Cass yesterday? Didn't do anything yesterday. My back decided to kill me but my sinus mess is a bit better! :violent1: Hey, are you ready to sell this other powder coated housing? Want me to sell it or do you have someone lined up? Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing it gone because then I'm not responsible for it lol

 

[JBrian]

As many other have stated, the selection of wheels and tires are extremely frustrating. I’ll be running 13” rotors up front with a HydroBoost master cylinder and have already purchased the Dr Diff 11.7” rear disc kit and 1/2" offset spring hangers and shackles for my 68-70 B-Body rear-ends. I’ll also be rolling the lips on the quarters and tops of the front fenders.

I remember not too long ago how I was emphatic about not running “Steamrollers” on this car as my original plan was a 225/60-16 on black steelies with poverty caps! Trouble was all the maximum performance summer tires have moved into the 17” + diameter wheels and 17’s wider than 8” may hit the suspension and still require a 11.95” maximum sized rotor!
Since I want to do it all in this car, drag, autocross road race and Big Bend Open Road Race in west Texas next spring, probably in the Street Rod 95Mph class with my wife a copilot (That should be fun!) as well as drive the dang thing, I've decided to go with 18’s. I’m still not sure if this will work, but here is what I have narrowed the selection down too:

245/40-18x9 +30mm
275/35-18x10 +45mm
American Muscle satin black bullets

http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.j...r H2 wheel

245/40-18x8 +38mm
275/35-18x10 +42mm
LateModelRestoration or OEWheels black Bullets

http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.j...r H2 wheel

255/40-18x9 +38mm square setup
LateModelRestoration or OEWheels black Bullets

255/40-18x9 +38mm
285/35-18x10 +42mm
LateModelRestoration or OEWheels black Bullets

http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.j...0Civic wheel

 

[Hellcat Cuda]

I'm in the same boat as you. I bought 13" Baers for the front and I believe (have to double check) 13" for the rear. My goal is 28" tall tires in the rear and with 18" wheels, would allow for a 5" sidewall. I'm good with that. However, if I have to use an 18" in the front, my front sidewalls are going to be at least an inch shorter (want about a 26" tall tire in the front). With a Duster, I believe your fenderwell radii are about the same as my 69 Cuda (fairly big compared to a Dart).

I'm going to invest in a measurement tool of some sort so I can get maximum width, correct backspace, offset, etc to fit my car. I'm not real concerned if I can't get as wide of tire as I would like for the street, as when I race the car, I'll put full on wrinkle wall slicks on it. Your biggest problem will be finding that perfect size wheel / tire combo that lets you do all that you want to do. You may have to go with 2-3 sets of wheels/ tires! lol Not sure what I'm laughing at, I've considered having 2 sets myself!

Enjoying your build thread. Keep the pics coming!

 

[JBrian]

Update for 3/11/2015

Motor:
Ordered camshaft from Steve Frank (.219/.223 @ .050 585” lift)
Short block assembled

Transmission:
Received transmission, shifter, linkage, handle and ball
Flywheel
Clutch & Pressure plate
All other incidentals

Rearend:
’68-70 B-Body, perches 42” on center
Dr Diff 5x4½ axle pkg
Dr Diff A-Body offset spring hangers
Dr Diff Power-Lok clutch pack
Dr Diff 742 bearing rebuild kit with 3.73 ring & pinion
Dr Diff 11.7” rear disc brake kit

Rally Dash bezel:
Being shipped from GCar
Filled in and smoothed out Radio holes

Gauge cluster:
Still waiting on Redline

License plates:
Texas non-issued 1971 plates

Insulation purchased:
3 gallons of Lizard Skin Sound Control
2 gallons of Lizard Skin Ceramic Insulation
Liard Skin spray gun

Wheels:
American Muscle satin black bullets
18x9” 30mm+ offset (Waiting to purchase)
18x10” 45mm offset (Purchased, will test fit 3/14/2015 w/without 5/16” spacers)

Tires:
Michelin Pilot Super Sport
255/40-18
285/35-18 (Purchase 3/13/2015 from Discount Tire)

Metal work:
Rolled the rear quarter lips and cut out the hump above the lips
Test fitted the transmission and measured for the 4-speed hump

Metal work left to do:
Add one muffler hanger
Weld up the stock heater hose and the electric block holes in the firewall

Body work:
Epoxy premiered and completed work on all exterior sheet metal. Ready for prime, fill and block sanding

 

[JBrian]

Pictures: TX license plates, wheels and transmission

 

[JBrian]

Pictures: Transmission mock up and metal work

 

[JBrian]

Pictures: Metal work, Rear end mockup:

 

[JBrian]

Dash bezel from GCar

 

[72BBSwinger]

Did you test those 18x10's yet? Doubt a spacer would be needed with that B body rear. Especially coupled with the rotors over the axles on your rear brakes.

 

[4speeds4me]

There's a bi-sexual car in your shop...

That A855 looks pretty sweet!

 

[Uhcoog1]

Looks great Brian!!!

 

[JBrian]

285/35-18 Michelin Pilot Super Sport on American Muscle 18x10" 45mm offset Matt Black Bullitts

 

[72bluNblu]

Wow!!! :thumbup:

Looking awesome. Seriously jealous of that 855. I think 5 speeds with a 3.73 is the way to go. I like having the freeway speeds my current 2.94's allow, but even with the 3.09 1st gear in my 833 I don't have enough gear for the cam I've got in my 340. Eventually a 5 speed with a 3.73 rear is exactly what I want to do. Same with the 11.7" Dr. Diff brakes. I plan on running an Eaton truetrac though.

Going to do something very similar with my wheel wells, get rid of that bump in the stock outer tub and roll the rear quarters so I can put a small spacer in to keep my 295's from rubbing the right inside wheel tub when the body rocks all the way over. Rarely ever happens but with a 5mm spacer I could get rid of it entirely. I'm adding a set of rear leaf sliders to get rid of my shackles and also lower the car the final 1/2" or so to finalize the ride height. That will probably mean doing the wheel well work and completing the roll on the rear quarter lip.

But yeah, that 855, 3.73 and disks are making me jealous! Good job!:thumrigh:

 

[Hellcat Cuda]

Those are some pretty good lookin' and good size tires there. What springs are you using? They look new...

 

[JBrian]

The rear springs are new Eatons speced and ordered by Peter Bergman. Not sure what I'm going to do to them to keep the flash rust from forming.

Take a look at the pictures below of my 285/35-18x10 45mm+ with a 5/16" (7.9375mm) spacer. With the quarters rolled and the "hump" cut out, I can get my hand in between the springs, inner and outer wheel wells!

Also the driver door striker fixed and the 4-speed hump welded in.

 

[gcartrim]

Looking good Brian. You can use RPM on the bare metal of your springs to keep them from rusting. I've used it on a bunch of bare metal parts on my wife's cuda and it seems to do the trick. Good luck with the rest of the build.

 

[Cranky]

So, the rear placement is fine and all that needs to be done is final weld the pads where they sit?

 

[JBrian]

So, the rear placement is fine and all that needs to be done is final weld the pads where they sit?

DJ,

Correct, just need to drag it back don to Pasadena for final welding. Can you weld it while I wait so I can turn it back for power coating?

Brian

 

[Joe Dokes]

JBrian, nice work.

Very excited that you will be installing a Passon Performance A855. Look forward to hearing about you banging gears.

Did TTI ever resolve your header issue? I am hopeful that these headers will now fit without pounding the snot out of them.

Regards,

Joe Dokes

 

[JBrian]

Just received my camshaft, here's the cam card and the flow numbers for the heads; just a refreshed 6.1 with a stock 6.1 intake:

 

[Uhcoog1]

Awesome Brian! This thing is going to fly