That’s cool, I love history
My Duster Adventures
- Thread starter 75slant6
- Start date
-
Well, been awhile since I posted any updates so here goes. Bout a month ago, I noticed a pretty bad driveline vibration and figured it was a u-joint. Jacked the car up, pulled the driveshaft and the u-joints were fine. I’ve always had a noise in my passenger rear brake so I figured I’d check that out while I had the rearend in the air.
I happened to grab the drivers rear wheel and try to spin it without the driveshaft installed and I could hardly turn it with two hand. Pulled the wheel and drum off and as I was sliding the drum off and saw the axle shaft move! Well that’s not right! So I grabbed the axle flange and the whole axle shaft moved in and out 1/4”!!!
I’ve been wanting to swap the 3.23s out for 2.76s for over a year so I decided to tear the rearend apart. When I pulled out the center section, this is what was left of the thrust button.
Axle shaft has a little wear in the end.
When the conversion u-joint came in, I swapped it in and took it for a spin. The 2.76 gears with the .79 5th gear is a game changer!! 1st gear is finally usable now and it just quietly and effortlessly purrs down the highway at 65mph!
I happened to grab the drivers rear wheel and try to spin it without the driveshaft installed and I could hardly turn it with two hand. Pulled the wheel and drum off and as I was sliding the drum off and saw the axle shaft move! Well that’s not right! So I grabbed the axle flange and the whole axle shaft moved in and out 1/4”!!!
I’ve been wanting to swap the 3.23s out for 2.76s for over a year so I decided to tear the rearend apart. When I pulled out the center section, this is what was left of the thrust button.Axle shaft has a little wear in the end.
When the conversion u-joint came in, I swapped it in and took it for a spin. The 2.76 gears with the .79 5th gear is a game changer!! 1st gear is finally usable now and it just quietly and effortlessly purrs down the highway at 65mph!
Last edited:
Bought a few parts the last few days, one of which was a set of led headlights. Not 100% sure I like the look yet but I sure can see a lot better at night!! I don’t have the built in marker lights or turn signals wired up yet.
I think seeing better is overrated...
I had deer cross the road in front of me 2 nights in a row, thankfully I saw them in time to slow down. I REALLY don’t wanna smack a deer and bust up my shark tooth grill. Lol
I like them...!
They’re really growing on me! Every time I walk by the car I look at the lights and I’m liking them more and more. I got new, black hood pins too so once I get those and a chin spoiler on it, I think that’ll tie it all together better.
I did notice yesterday, for the first time, that I have standard headlight bezels instead of the correct shark tooth bezels. Shark tooth should have argent painted bezels.
Well, I just got back from a drive, stopping several times to tweak the adjustment of the headlights, and I’ve gotta say, I LOVE these lights!! There are a few “dim” spots here and there but for the most part, they light up the road just about as well as our 2016 Chrysler 200! I’m planning to install relays sometime in the future so that should help them a little more, even.
Well, it’s been quite awhile since I’ve posted anything here. I really haven’t done very much TO the car but I’ve been having fun with it and been piling up some parts as well.
First off, here’s just a few of the parts I bought over the last few months.
I also bought some insulation and a few other things but I’ll post about that stuff as it gets installed.
So I’ve had an HDK Slammer suspension just hangin out in the garage for over a year now. Well, I finally got around to getting closer to install with that. Obviously, I’ll be putting 13” ‘99-04 Cobra brakes on the front. I bought a kit from MustangSteve.com that allows you to bolt the 13” brakes to the Heights 2” drop Mustang ii spindles I got with the HDK. Anyway, here’s more pics.
I’ve also always had an intermittent leaky windshield gasket. It’s intermittent because it only leaks when it rains!
So a few months ago I went ahead and ordered front and rear window gaskets from AMD. They were on backorder until last week, so those came in the mail today.
There’s the AMD box with gaskets and that thin cardboard wrapped thingy beside the box is an OEM rear window that I bought off a member here earlier this year. They reason I bought an oem one instead of a new piece is because this particular glass has a built in defrost grid!! I didn’t even know they existed but was THRILLED to find it!
I also bought a new AMD windshield at the Holley Moparty show earlier this month. It’s a tinted unit. I would have preferred a clear glass but I’ll be tinting the rest of the windows later on and I think it’ll be fine, if I can’t live with it, I can always sell it and get a clear one later. The glass will hopefully be going in sometime this winter.
Speaking of Holley Moparty.... I mentioned at the beginning that I’ve been having fun with the car. Well, I ran the ole girl round and round on the autox track at Moparty and it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had with the car!!
@Kegan B was able to find a few pics online that different people took of my car. That’s Kegan behind me in his neon. I had him beat time wise for the first few runs I made then he started feedin’ her the onions and that neon kicked my *** pretty good!
All in all it was a great weekend! There was a tight hairpin at the end of the coarse that was reeaaalllyy fun with the factory manual steering.
My goal was to get into the high 43s and my best run ended up being a 41.989 so I was pretty dang happy with that. Also, considering the fact that Hellcats and some of the old iron with way bigger engines and way more money in suspension than my car were running 34-38s. Now I know even a 38 is way faster than my 42 but still, I’m gonna be happy about it. Lol.
First off, here’s just a few of the parts I bought over the last few months.
I also bought some insulation and a few other things but I’ll post about that stuff as it gets installed.
So I’ve had an HDK Slammer suspension just hangin out in the garage for over a year now. Well, I finally got around to getting closer to install with that. Obviously, I’ll be putting 13” ‘99-04 Cobra brakes on the front. I bought a kit from MustangSteve.com that allows you to bolt the 13” brakes to the Heights 2” drop Mustang ii spindles I got with the HDK. Anyway, here’s more pics.
I’ve also always had an intermittent leaky windshield gasket. It’s intermittent because it only leaks when it rains!
So a few months ago I went ahead and ordered front and rear window gaskets from AMD. They were on backorder until last week, so those came in the mail today.
There’s the AMD box with gaskets and that thin cardboard wrapped thingy beside the box is an OEM rear window that I bought off a member here earlier this year. They reason I bought an oem one instead of a new piece is because this particular glass has a built in defrost grid!! I didn’t even know they existed but was THRILLED to find it!
I also bought a new AMD windshield at the Holley Moparty show earlier this month. It’s a tinted unit. I would have preferred a clear glass but I’ll be tinting the rest of the windows later on and I think it’ll be fine, if I can’t live with it, I can always sell it and get a clear one later. The glass will hopefully be going in sometime this winter.
Speaking of Holley Moparty.... I mentioned at the beginning that I’ve been having fun with the car. Well, I ran the ole girl round and round on the autox track at Moparty and it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had with the car!!
@Kegan B was able to find a few pics online that different people took of my car. That’s Kegan behind me in his neon. I had him beat time wise for the first few runs I made then he started feedin’ her the onions and that neon kicked my *** pretty good!
All in all it was a great weekend! There was a tight hairpin at the end of the coarse that was reeaaalllyy fun with the factory manual steering.
My goal was to get into the high 43s and my best run ended up being a 41.989 so I was pretty dang happy with that. Also, considering the fact that Hellcats and some of the old iron with way bigger engines and way more money in suspension than my car were running 34-38s. Now I know even a 38 is way faster than my 42 but still, I’m gonna be happy about it. Lol.
Last edited:
Speaking of some of the other old iron... I was THRILLED to see @wracks71 show up with his badass Duster! I’ve always loved that car and had to pull mine over beside it to grab some pics with it. Eric, I meant to swing by and chat with you but seemed there was always something going.
Also, part of the autox package included being able to enter in the dyno challenge. I knew I wasn’t gonna throw any crazy numbers with the stock 5.9 Magnum but I just wanted to see what she’d do. I was pleasantly surprised! I’m hoping to do a cam swap, maybe this winter, and get rid of the tiny broom handle that Dodge thought they’d used for a cam in the 5.9s.
Also, part of the autox package included being able to enter in the dyno challenge. I knew I wasn’t gonna throw any crazy numbers with the stock 5.9 Magnum but I just wanted to see what she’d do. I was pleasantly surprised! I’m hoping to do a cam swap, maybe this winter, and get rid of the tiny broom handle that Dodge thought they’d used for a cam in the 5.9s.
Awesome pics Caleb. It looks like a great time racing around with Kegan, what a great way to spend some time with your car, and good friends! I like the hDK and brake upgrade plans as well, that should help you beat up on that Neon! Go get em, Tiger!
Really cool stuff!
By the way, you have given the word 'patina" a whole new definition!!!
By the way, you have given the word 'patina" a whole new definition!!!
Challngd73
Well-Known Member
Digging the lights and glad to hear they brighten up the road, have a similar set going on my project.
Thanks. I’ve been following along on your Barracuda build, I’m liking what you’re doing with the car! I’m wanting to do something similar to what you did with your exhaust but exit through the quarters right in front of the front tires. Not sure if it’ll be possible yet with the frame rail and spring hanger in that area.
Challngd73
Well-Known Member
Yep I definitely like that look as well and contemplated going that route. In the end, for me, going behind the wheels was the less complicated plan.
Yeah it’s definitely gonna take some head scratching. See, if you’d done it in front, I’d have to do less head scratching!
I’ve thought about maybe welding a 3.5-4” pipe through the frame then running the exhaust through that but Idk if there’s enough height in the frame there.
Challngd73
Well-Known Member
Haha someone always has to go first! Where there is a will, there is a way.Yeah it’s definitely gonna take some head scratching. See, if you’d done it in front, I’d have to do less head scratching!
I’ve thought about maybe welding a 3.5-4” pipe through the frame then running the exhaust through that but Idk if there’s enough height in the frame there.
I just messaged a guy on fb about how this Charger was done. I’d prefer to keep the exit lower than this but if I have to, I’ll have it higher, like this and run the pipes up through the floor under the rear seat and out over top of the frame.
This is more how I’d prefer to do it if I can.
Challngd73
Well-Known Member
That’s the one right there.
Well, update time! I finally got our 1 car garage cleaned out enough to get the Duster inside, and now it’s time for a tear down/thrash. But first, the reason behind the kick in the ***... lol
So my oldest brother is turning 40 toward the end of February, and as part of the party, they’re telling people to bring any cool cars, trucks, bikes, etc for a small car show as well. No big deal right?? Well, here’s the kicker... my brother lives in Colorado. And I live in Kentucky. Soooo... I have just under 40 days to get a bunch of upgrades done to my car in time to DRIVE it 1100+ miles one way! That’s right, my dream of taking my Duster on a western roadtrip will become reality, as long as I can get the car done in time!
So here’s an over view of what all I’m planning on doing to the car in that time.
1. Install HDK suspension w/ 13” cobra brakes
2. Install subframe connectors and patch rear passenger floor
3. Remove the entire interior (minus dash) and add sound deadener, insulation, leather Sebring convertible bucket seats and a 15+ Challenger center console.
4. Swap v-belt setup for magnum serpentine setup, install electric fuel pump and repaint engine.
5. Fix leaking axle seal and install new brake shoes in rear.
there’s a few more things I plan on doing as well but this are the “big” items. If I have time, I’d like to set up a 2.76SG center section to swap out with my 2.76 open carrier but I kinda doubt that’ll happen. I’ll keep y’all all posted on my progress over the next couple weeks! Here’s pretty well where I’m at right now. I hope to drop the engine/trans/suspension out either tomorrow or Wednesday.
So my oldest brother is turning 40 toward the end of February, and as part of the party, they’re telling people to bring any cool cars, trucks, bikes, etc for a small car show as well. No big deal right?? Well, here’s the kicker... my brother lives in Colorado. And I live in Kentucky. Soooo... I have just under 40 days to get a bunch of upgrades done to my car in time to DRIVE it 1100+ miles one way! That’s right, my dream of taking my Duster on a western roadtrip will become reality, as long as I can get the car done in time!
So here’s an over view of what all I’m planning on doing to the car in that time.
1. Install HDK suspension w/ 13” cobra brakes
2. Install subframe connectors and patch rear passenger floor
3. Remove the entire interior (minus dash) and add sound deadener, insulation, leather Sebring convertible bucket seats and a 15+ Challenger center console.
4. Swap v-belt setup for magnum serpentine setup, install electric fuel pump and repaint engine.
5. Fix leaking axle seal and install new brake shoes in rear.
there’s a few more things I plan on doing as well but this are the “big” items. If I have time, I’d like to set up a 2.76SG center section to swap out with my 2.76 open carrier but I kinda doubt that’ll happen. I’ll keep y’all all posted on my progress over the next couple weeks! Here’s pretty well where I’m at right now. I hope to drop the engine/trans/suspension out either tomorrow or Wednesday.
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Awesome build thread. Your doing great work. Me being a bodywork kinda guy, I so badly want to take a DA sander to that car and then at least seal it up in epoxy primer LoL
That is a great ambition! I hope you get it finished and have blast at the party and have even more fun getting there and back !! A trip like that is something I’d love to do with my son in my Duster
Got some more work done on the Duster tonight. I got the torsion bars, drive shaft and clutch slave cylinder pulled, as well as loosened the exhaust from the headers.
Won’t be to work on it any tomorrow but hoping to drop everything out the bottom of the car Thursday evening. And maybe even start getting the HDK mocked up!
Won’t be to work on it any tomorrow but hoping to drop everything out the bottom of the car Thursday evening. And maybe even start getting the HDK mocked up!
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Keep up the good work doing awesome buddy! I can't wait to see the new suspension in it!
-
