Project Riddler's Ride - 1976 Plymouth Duster
- Thread starter Riddler
- Start date
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Riddler
Project EH-Body
Thank you Stew... I'm happy to say its a garage build and I hope to be able to continue.
Riddler
Riddler
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
I have been following this build and just went back and read the entire thread......... I like it a lot! Nice job.......... :thumblef:
Riddler
Project EH-Body
Thank you HemiMark that means alot. I've been having a hard time finding the time to work on the car but I've managed to get an hour here and there. I'll be making an update tonight from the last couple of weeks.
Riddler
Riddler
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
Im in the same boat. busy at work, real estate taxes due......... baby steps!
Keep up the good work!
Riddler
Project EH-Body
So I finally found some time to do an update. Most of what I'm showing you is from the last two weeks. After I had all the suspension powdercoated by Jeff's Powder Coating in Monroe, MI, I had to clean every thread. This is slow and tedious work....
Everything went well uptill I started threading in the heim joints into the upper control arms. The driver's arm had some media dust in it and while threading the heim joint in I managed to gall the threads. After about five hours of cursing and heating the part, the heim joint locked up and not even two grow men hanging off a pipe could loosen it. We did manage to loosen the vice off my work bench.
Here's the upper control arm. You can see the powdercoating is gone from the torches we used. This part is garbage!
I just want to say that Bill of at Reilly Motorsports has top notch customer service and sent me out another upper control arm. I'll remember to soak all the heims in anti-seize from now on!
Here's the assembly I have done upto this point.
Now just remember each bolt hole and such had to be cleaned of powder.
Finally I needed a tool to screw in ball joints. This is what I had made by my laser cutter. I figured a nice 1/4" piece of steel would be better than the aluminum ones that another company sells.
Riddler
Everything went well uptill I started threading in the heim joints into the upper control arms. The driver's arm had some media dust in it and while threading the heim joint in I managed to gall the threads. After about five hours of cursing and heating the part, the heim joint locked up and not even two grow men hanging off a pipe could loosen it. We did manage to loosen the vice off my work bench.
Here's the upper control arm. You can see the powdercoating is gone from the torches we used. This part is garbage!
I just want to say that Bill of at Reilly Motorsports has top notch customer service and sent me out another upper control arm. I'll remember to soak all the heims in anti-seize from now on!
Here's the assembly I have done upto this point.
Now just remember each bolt hole and such had to be cleaned of powder.
Finally I needed a tool to screw in ball joints. This is what I had made by my laser cutter. I figured a nice 1/4" piece of steel would be better than the aluminum ones that another company sells.
Riddler
451Cuda
Well-Known Member
Subscribed. Looks awesome so far.
:wack:
Oh God Riddler, I can't tell you how much I hate reading coating horror stories like this post. "Work" performed like that gives all coaters a lame reputation. Any idea how many hours you lost just because they didn't use a few silicone plugs on the bolt holes (not to mention the media residue)?
I hope he at least gave you a good deal on the price, but he sure didn't treat you or your parts very nicely or value you as a customer ... if he did, the work would have been done with the intent that you'd COME BACK. You deserve better.
Riddler
Project EH-Body
In all honesty Leanna he did use silicone plugs and the fiberglass tape, I was there and assisted. In fact I blasted all my own parts, taped and put the plugs in. Being a perfectionist I chose to clean the threads and such as id prefer spending a time instead of having cross threaded bolts and issues when i do final assembly. Anyone who has parts painted, coated, anodized or anything else should have the threads cleaned up.
I find Jeff's Powder Coating the most reasonable cost effective coater I've ever used and this isn't my first car I've built.
Riddler
I find Jeff's Powder Coating the most reasonable cost effective coater I've ever used and this isn't my first car I've built.
Riddler
I learned the hard way too, on parts that never even saw any blasting, paint or powdercoating....never-seize is now my best friend.
just one lessen most of us learn the hard way, and I promise. you, like me, will not forget it.
BTW, Riddler...glad to see you are back on it!....winter sucks here in the rust belt.
just one lessen most of us learn the hard way, and I promise. you, like me, will not forget it.
BTW, Riddler...glad to see you are back on it!....winter sucks here in the rust belt.
Riddler
Project EH-Body
Well I just noticed I didn't upload the pics from when I modded the seat brackets for my 76 cat converter floor. I'll do that today as some needed to see what I did.
Riddler
Riddler
Well, I didn't get the impression from your post that you were at all happy with the results but it sounds like you are after all. That's what's most important!!
Riddler
Project EH-Body
More than happy. The coating is perfect and with just a little time the threads are clean and ready for assembly.
Riddler
Riddler
joeboy
Well-Known Member
what a bummer, nothing feels as horrible as slowly destroying a brand new part... Glad your getting back on track. the other stuff is sure looking good.
joe
joe
Riddler
Project EH-Body
Well here the info and pictures I missed from the last update. Goes to show I've actually done more work than whats posted.
I posted a while back that I bought the Duster specific Corbeau seat brackets. I was hoping that they would just bot in but that's never the case.
Here are the seat brackets and as you can see they don't fit my 1976 Duster floor that has the area for the cat converter. First is the driver's side and you can see the tabs don't line up with the holes and the bracket is at about a 30* angle. Passenger side is about the same. One hole doesn't line up and the main bracket interfers with the floor.
Instead of cutting the floor out I chose to modify the brackets which was really simple. The white lines you see is where the brackets interfer with the floor. You can also see the tabs I had to cut off and reweld.
Now the last things to to do with the seat brackets is to get them re-powder coated and bolt them in. Once that's done I'll tack weld the nuts on under the car so its easier to install the seats.
Here are the rest of the engine bay pics. I've completed the Tincup mod for the strut towers and makes for a ton of room.
Here's the engine bay as it sits.
I'm saving up for my evaporator box from Vintage Air and then I plan to smooth out the firewall and relocate the wiper motor. A smooth firewall is sexy!
Riddler
I posted a while back that I bought the Duster specific Corbeau seat brackets. I was hoping that they would just bot in but that's never the case.
Here are the seat brackets and as you can see they don't fit my 1976 Duster floor that has the area for the cat converter. First is the driver's side and you can see the tabs don't line up with the holes and the bracket is at about a 30* angle. Passenger side is about the same. One hole doesn't line up and the main bracket interfers with the floor.
Instead of cutting the floor out I chose to modify the brackets which was really simple. The white lines you see is where the brackets interfer with the floor. You can also see the tabs I had to cut off and reweld.
Now the last things to to do with the seat brackets is to get them re-powder coated and bolt them in. Once that's done I'll tack weld the nuts on under the car so its easier to install the seats.
Here are the rest of the engine bay pics. I've completed the Tincup mod for the strut towers and makes for a ton of room.
Here's the engine bay as it sits.
I'm saving up for my evaporator box from Vintage Air and then I plan to smooth out the firewall and relocate the wiper motor. A smooth firewall is sexy!
Riddler
Riddler
Project EH-Body
I spent some more time this weekend at the powdercoaters. I have to say I love this place.
This time I went over as he needed a smal hand around the shop. I took with me my seat brackets and wiper linkage.
Here's the pictures of that stuff. Before
After
So today after work I decided I wanted to put the seats in. So in they went. Needed to trim only two plates where the holes were.
I then went ahead and started planning the firewall. My plan is to make it as clean as I can. I took this pictures and labeled it. The large "X" are getting shaved (welded up). The question marks and numbers are the holes I don't know what they are. Can you guys be of some help?
Now remember I'm going protouring and I'll be using modern electronics and a Vintage Air kit for my hvac.
Riddler
This time I went over as he needed a smal hand around the shop. I took with me my seat brackets and wiper linkage.
Here's the pictures of that stuff. Before
After
So today after work I decided I wanted to put the seats in. So in they went. Needed to trim only two plates where the holes were.
I then went ahead and started planning the firewall. My plan is to make it as clean as I can. I took this pictures and labeled it. The large "X" are getting shaved (welded up). The question marks and numbers are the holes I don't know what they are. Can you guys be of some help?
Now remember I'm going protouring and I'll be using modern electronics and a Vintage Air kit for my hvac.
Riddler
1 cluch rod
2 emergency brake cable
3 speedometer cable
4 throttle cable
5 bulkhead wiring connector
2 emergency brake cable
3 speedometer cable
4 throttle cable
5 bulkhead wiring connector
Riddler
Project EH-Body
Thank you sirelan67. Those can all be welded up tight.
How's about 6 and 7 on the left side?
Riddler
How's about 6 and 7 on the left side?
Riddler
I am not sure, did the car have factory AC?
74DartSwinger360
The Brat Pack
6 and 7 are part of the factory A/C and can be removed since you arent reinstalling it
Riddler
Project EH-Body
Thanks guys. Guess this will be the last of the body type work for me to finish.
Riddler
Riddler
Riddler
Project EH-Body
Well here's an update. I've done nothing on the car as life has kicked me in the butt. Working full time, a 2 year old (can you believe he's 2?) and having a pool installed have all led me to have no time to get anything done.
But why am I updating? Well I won an eBay auction last week close to home for a new power plant. But what about the 5.7L Hemi he was going to install? Well I'm selling all the 5.7L Hemi parts.
Here's the new power train ready to be installed. I just need a few things here and there. I'll get to that in a minute...
Just in case your a not upto date on these engines...
So to update it a bit more I've been doing research into what oil pan and headers I need for this engine.
Riddler
But why am I updating? Well I won an eBay auction last week close to home for a new power plant. But what about the 5.7L Hemi he was going to install? Well I'm selling all the 5.7L Hemi parts.
Here's the new power train ready to be installed. I just need a few things here and there. I'll get to that in a minute...
Just in case your a not upto date on these engines...
So to update it a bit more I've been doing research into what oil pan and headers I need for this engine.
Riddler
Riddler
Project EH-Body
So while I haven't been doing very much I have been able to get into the garage and work on quiet things. My son has a nice 2-3 hour nap during the day.
Here's the few things I've been able to get finished:
Steering Column firewall plate:
Here's the windshield wiper pivots. Both of these were seized from years of water and rust build up. I've left them in Evapo-Rust for a few weeks, soaked them in WD40, spun the pivots when they started to move and spray more WD40 in them. When they were finally free and moving quiet easy, I drilled them for the grease fittings and greased them. Now they spin very easily and free. Add the gaskets and away you go...
I'm thinking of offering rebuilds on these for people. What do you think?
Riddler
Here's the few things I've been able to get finished:
Steering Column firewall plate:
Here's the windshield wiper pivots. Both of these were seized from years of water and rust build up. I've left them in Evapo-Rust for a few weeks, soaked them in WD40, spun the pivots when they started to move and spray more WD40 in them. When they were finally free and moving quiet easy, I drilled them for the grease fittings and greased them. Now they spin very easily and free. Add the gaskets and away you go...
I'm thinking of offering rebuilds on these for people. What do you think?
Riddler
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