My Toxic '74 Duster

[fantum]

There were several cars at the shop at various stages of completion and I figured you would enjoy a few pics (most are of other manufacturers, but it gives me a good idea of their workmanship). The Cadillac is the most outrageous - the roof, hood and trunk lid are covered with Louis Vutton (hope I spelled that correctly) logos.

Enjoy.


MIKE
fantum

 

[fantum]

No new progress on the Duster this week other than I have received the suspension parts and the US Car Tool parts recommended by 72Blu except I haven't decided on the shock package as of this writing.

To keep the picture lovers happy, I met the owner of the pictured B5 Charger. He is the original owner of this 318-powered beauty and acts like a kid in a cookie store as he waits for the completion of the project. Enjoy.

 

[fantum]

A little update. The shop had to take a timeout from this project to work on my '12 Challenger which was sideswiped by a cop! Of course, the investigating officer found that our recollections of the incident were vastly different so he did not issue any tickets and I was left to pay my own repair bill. Fortunately, the damage was relatively minor. The car had it's fair share of parking lot dings and I decided to have it repaired and fully repainted. NOW, I have to get the black plastic trim cleaned and painted because it doesn't look right - new paint and graying plastic!

That said, I was able to get a few pics of the car during my various visits to the shop. This batch is from my visit on August 5th. It shows known rust spots and my trunk full of USCT parts.

 

[fantum]

This group of pictures from September 1st, shows work has started on the right side. They removed the right quarter panel, found the right trunk dropdown to be swiss cheese and was cutting it out when I got there. I had both sides and brought them for him to install. The last shot, taken the next day, was the dropdown installed and rust preventive slathered all over the inside structure of the car and the dropdown. He also had the tail panel mocked up but was having problems with damage to the right side of the panel.

 

[fantum]

I don't know why the prior pictures didn't post in order as the bottom one should have been on top.

Anyway, I visited the shop September 14th, and found that the tech had installed the quarter panel and was working on the taillight trim fitment as well as the quarter panel door fitment. They also decided that the trunk pan was a little holey and, since I had a new one, cut the old one out. I know, it should have been done before the tail panel but nobody realized the damage to the piece until they pulled all of the parts out. Luckily, I had purchased that piece for another project that I sold to get this one (as my son likes the fold-down rear seat), so it and the left turndown piece will be replaced.

So, that brings us up-to-date with the project. Still haven't made the shock or steering box purchases (Challenger kind of ate up those funds for the time being). Still in the decision-making mode for the shocks and am leaning toward the Borgeson power steering unit I believe Blu recommended.

 

[72bluNblu]

Looking good!

Yeah if you want power steering the Borgeson is the way to go. Smaller, lighter, better ratio (14:1). @BergmanAutoCraft sells the complete kits with everything you need. I wouldn't mess with the stock power steering anymore unless it was some kind of factory resto.

 

[72dustervs]

coming along , looks good

 

[fantum]

I'm running into a bit of a snag. It seems the roof structure on the right side has succumbed to the ravages of body cancer and i am in need of a replacement for the window opening section shown in the picture (AMD does not replicate this part). Does anyone have a donor car they can cut this piece from for my project. Otherwise, the shop will have to put a lot more work into this area which will result in more $$$$ being spent that I could use on other aspects of the project.

Thanks,


MIKE
fantum

 

[72bluNblu]

I'm running into a bit of a snag. It seems the roof structure on the right side has succumbed to the ravages of body cancer and i am in need of a replacement for the window opening section shown in the picture (AMD does not replicate this part). Does anyone have a donor car they can cut this piece from for my project. Otherwise, the shop will have to put a lot more work into this area which will result in more $$$$ being spent that I could use on other aspects of the project.

Thanks,


MIKE
fantum

View attachment 1715988292

Ugh!!! That sucks. Florida rust.

My Challenger has the same issue. I had to source a complete roof for it, at the time only one company was making that section and was only making it as part of the whole door opening structure.

AMD did just release some of those sections for the E-body Barracuda’s. Obviously they’d be a little different but if you can’t find a donor it might be better than starting from scratch.

 

[fantum]

Ugh!!! That sucks. Florida rust.

My Challenger has the same issue. I had to source a complete roof for it, at the time only one company was making that section and was only making it as part of the whole door opening structure.

AMD did just release some of those sections for the E-body Barracuda’s. Obviously they’d be a little different but if you can’t find a donor it might be better than starting from scratch.

Thanks for that. I did look at AMD and found exactly what you reported. That's why I decided to see if anyone was willing to chop up a parts donor. I have a little bit of time as the shop is working on the back end of the car, the floor, the frame connectors and the various small areas of cancer I tried showing in my earlier pics. If this request doesn't work, I may try going the route you suggested.

 

[72bluNblu]

Yeah I’d definitely look into it a bit further, not sure if those parts would be helpful or if they’d need too much modification to be worthwhile.

When I was looking at mine I considered just making some of the sections I needed. The hardtop structure right above the window is made up of three separate pieces with flanges that are spot welded together and has several joints along the way. So no individual piece has a really complicated shape.

I mean, it wouldn’t be easy and I’d MUCH rather have a donor, but custom making the patches you’d need is definitely doable. Just take the roof skin off and make one piece at a time.

This is my mess. I didn’t even know it was there until I dropped the window channel, it was completely hidden.

 

[fantum]

Well, the body tech (a repatriated Cuban who speaks less English than I do Spanish) has been very busy. He's finished with the trunk (sorry, I don't have that pic), welded in the new floor pan, repaired a few holes in the backseat section that attaches to the floor pan, fitted up the 4-speed hump (not yet welded in), repaired damage to the lower right door jamb, and almost completely rebuilt the right drip rail section (he was unaware I was trying to get a replacement part) - and all using a stick welder! When going over all of his work with our interpreter, he keeps saying "A little bit at a time."

 

[72bluNblu]

Dang! That guy has some skills if he’s doing all that with a stick welder! Looks good!

 

[Lowcar]

i'm seeing a acetylene torch with brazing rods in every picture, where is the stick welder pictures?

 

[fantum]

i'm seeing a acetylene torch with brazing rods in every picture, where is the stick welder pictures?

I believe you are correct. I got mixed up in my terminology. Thanks for the correction.

 

[barbee6043]

I call it old world craftsmanship and that is awesome!!!

 

[72bluNblu]

I believe you are correct. I got mixed up in my terminology. Thanks for the correction.

Yeah that’s even more impressive! Guy has some old school skills for sure!

 

[fantum]

Well.........

Nothing new to report regarding the progress on the Duster (or lack thereof). It seems the owner of the shop is in way over his head and can't maintain focus on getting cars done. He has too much on his plate and not enough money or employees to get things done in a timely manner. He knows he has dug a big hole for himself and has been looking for help getting his business organized and viable - and asked for my help.

So, being retired and not having my Duster to assemble, I made a deal to help him get organized and get cars turned around with better focus and management. In return he will be completing the work and paint on the Duster as well as the '77 Aspen Wagon I have written about on the F-Body website in lieu of pay (I know he can't pay me, so I think this is the best solution). The silver lining is my being in the shop to ensure all work done on my cars will be done to my standards and not 1/2-inch body putty slathered on and painted over.

That is how my first month-and-a-half of 2023 has gone. I hope to have progress reports, with pictures, soon.

 

[fantum]

Wow! I can't believe it has been over a year. I tried working with the business owner - to no avail. I just couldn't get him to do things to get his business to start making money. I also was unable to get him to start working on my car - until the middle of January when I threatened to reveal to his customers why progress on their babies wasn't meeting expectations (while working with him I - through efforts to ensure each project had an identity and an owner - developed a spreadsheet with full contact information on each client). So, he promised to resume work on my Duster on February 1st. I decided to give him a couple of days to get the car moved to the "body shop" and visited his shop on February 15th to find his crew was actually working on my car.

 

[fantum]

So, to keep the crew on point, I went back today to find the car like this. I think progress is finally being seen.

 

[fantum]

I have to go out of town for the next 2 - 3 weeks (see family, help a friend move, visit DC with Postal organization, then return. Hopefully, I will see much more accomplished upon my return.