Wanting to get into American muscle

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Expire

Expire

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Hey everyone,

I'm Ty, just kind of browsing around here. I don't know too much about Mopars or muscle cars in general, as all I've really had were JDM and Euros. Not really new to forums, have been on them for the better part of the past 4 years.

After completely flopping on a BMW drift car I was building, I lost complete interest in foreign cars. My buddy has a '65(maybe 64) Valiant Signet and has been trying to convince me to get into Mopars. So now I'm here trying to learn as much as I can about the Chrysler platforms and what to look for when buying one. Ultimately I hope to be able to come back as an actual member of the community with either a '73 Duster if I were to get an A-Body or '73 Roadrunner if I were to decide on a B-Body.


Um... yup, that's pretty much it, any help, advice or tips are greatly appreciated!
 
Welcome!

Think simple...simple mechanicals, simple electrical (often antiquated), simple hydraulics.
 
txstang84 said:
Welcome!

Think simple...simple mechanicals, simple electrical (often antiquated), simple hydraulics.
Click to expand...

Haha I know exactly what you mean. My BMW was an '83 with a electrical problem. Comparing it to my buddies valiant was astounding. I had like 10 wires for every single one of his. The main thing that is selling me on the idea is mostly the availability or parts, and the V8s seem to be pretty bullet proof.
 
Hi Ty- welcome to FABO. Lots of talent here and plenty of advice.
Just ending my addiction to Saabs and dirt bikes (still have a couple of each), so I hear what you're saying.
Went to an auction and picked up a car that was 90-95% done- a'67 BB dart GT.
That's one way to do it. Restored a '64 T-Bird 15 years ago. Restorations are fun too.

Just jumped back into an A body after 40+ years and am really enjoying it.
Late 60's/early 70's is, IMHO, the way to go. BB's are hot, but the 318 to 360 engines, especially the 340's from 68-70, are strong and have a lot of potential. Had a Duster 340 from new to 1973 and have missed it ever since I sold it. The Darts are very popular. Guess it depends on what you want to do with it when you get it.
 
bobg450 said:
Just jumped back into an A body after 40+ years and am really enjoying it.
Late 60's/early 70's is, IMHO, the way to go. BB's are hot, but the 318 to 360 engines, especially the 340's from 68-70, are strong and have a lot of potential. Had a Duster 340 from new to 1973 and have missed it ever since I sold it. The Darts are very popular. Guess it depends on what you want to do with it when you get it.
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You lost me there, BBs? Is that Big Blocks? In the duster I'd be looking for a 340 or 360, not really interested in the 318 or slant 6. As far as Roadrunner, I'd probably search and hold out til I found a 440 in my price range, but I digress.


As far as why the early 70s, a lot of it has to do with price, I'm a full time + freelance graphic/web designer, which makes okay money, but I'm not in the range of a pre-73 roadrunner, since everyone I have seen, it seems you add 5k for having a '72. Besides, I like the '73 faces more anyways.

Not really sure what I'd want to build it into, but if I had to pick right now, i'd probably shoot for a pro touring set up, I like to work with suspension and would rather have a car that corners well than one that can pop wheelies on command like a pro-street build. (I borrowed a buddies corvair swapped '67 bug once, it had 240hp, and popped it's front end up like nobody's business.)

As of right now, I'm on the edge for the duster because, I'll see one picture and think, that it looks mean and powerful, but then I see another and it looks like family's/grandmas car (no offense meant to anyone who owns them). I think a lot of it has to do with the snakeskin tops?
 
Yeah, BB. There's one for sale in Long Island, NY that is done to the MAX in Plum Crazy like my Duster was. Looks like a drag car, but is a pro-street setup. See link & pics below.

The 440 Dusters I've seen make my heart skip a couple of beats (I have A-Fib anyway). A lot of them have been reinforced to keep the unibody from pretzling. Those are drag cars.

Guys are boring and stroking their 340's to 416's (or something like that) and getting big HP numbers. The BB's weigh 100#+ more, but aluminum heads bring that number down.

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5117686614.html

 
bobg450 said:
Yeah, BB. There's one for sale in Long Island, NY that is done to the MAX in Plum Crazy like my Duster was. Looks like a drag only car. I'll try to add a link to this post later.

The 440 Dusters I've seen make my heart skip a couple of beats (I have A-Fib anyway). A lot of them have been reinforced to keep the unibody from pretzling. Those are drag cars.

Guys are boring and stroking their 340's to 416's (or something like that) and getting big HP numbers. The BB's weigh 100#+ more, but aluminum heads bring that number down.

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/5117686614.html
Click to expand...

We have a weekly car show up near where I work, some guy up here has a 440 duster, it's such a slick looking car, but he drives like a douche. But besides that, I've seen the one in Long Island, but that is wayyyy out of my price range unfortunately. I absolutely love Plum Crazy, but I know if I plan to find a car in that or sublime green, I should just tack another 2-3k onto the price. I think I can have enough fun with a 340 or 360 duster, and not necessarily feel the need to drop a BB in.

I've been scouring autotempest for the past couple weeks, but I'm in the middle of moving and now is definitely not the time for me to buy haha. But Ultimately, I'm looking for a car that's mechanically sound, with a decent (read: not rusted to hell) body, that could use a little TLC. I've been really wanting to vinylwrap a car so i may consider that since I want to do a matte black base with gloss black strobes (if it were a 340.) Yeah, the matte black is played out and all, but it screams muscle to me. Then if down the line and my wallet lets me, pull the vinyl and paint it Plum crazy. But I'm just spitballing right now.

I'd be open to clone cars to, to be honest. There was a Satellite with a 440/727(I think) in it and was cloned to a '73 RR, guy wanted 5k for it. Would have been perfect but just too far of a drive.
 
We have a section on the site here for Cars Wanted and Mopars for Sale. You might find something there.

Welcome to the madness. :D
 
EXPIRE "I'd be open to clone cars to, to be honest. There was a Satellite with a 440/727(I think) in it and was cloned to a '73 RR, guy wanted 5k for it."

My '67 Dart GT is a GTS clone. It's not badged as a GTS (383) and has a '69 Dart hood with the chromed false louvers and the 383 callouts. It also has a '69 Barracuda dash. I can't afford a big bucks genuine, matching number, rotisserie restored anything at this point in my life. Just having fun with what I have. Mopar or no car. BTW, $5K sounds OK, if......

View attachment IMG_0614.jpg
 
bobg450 said:
EXPIRE "I'd be open to clone cars to, to be honest. There was a Satellite with a 440/727(I think) in it and was cloned to a '73 RR, guy wanted 5k for it."

My '67 Dart GT is a GTS clone. It's not badged as a GTS (383) and has a '69 Dart hood with the chromed false louvers and the 383 callouts. It also has a '69 Barracuda dash. I can't afford a big bucks genuine, matching number, rotisserie restored anything at this point in my life. Just having fun with what I have. Mopar or no car. BTW, $5K sounds OK, if......

View attachment 1714837348
Click to expand...

That's a great looking dart! As far as the 5k, it sounds good, but to drive a couple hundred miles and find it's a complete basket case is not what I'm trying to do right now. Just gonna wait around until there is a one a little closer.
 
Well I hate to grave dig this thread, but I've got a little story...

So as I said, I was moving, we were loading the truck on saturday morning and I get a text from a friend, all it says is "74 duster /6 - $400" I was looking for a '73, so I was all for it. Dropped my couch, gave him a call, apparently he was at an estate sale where they were auctioning out a garage full of project cars. He ended up putting the money down for me, it needs some work, but atleast now I have something to work on!

Only have 1 pic at the moment..
FkJIMOfm.jpg
 
Expire said:
Well I hate to grave dig this thread, but I've got a little story...

So as I said, I was moving, we were loading the truck on saturday morning and I get a text from a friend, all it says is "74 duster /6 - $400" I was looking for a '73, so I was all for it. Dropped my couch, gave him a call, apparently he was at an estate sale where they were auctioning out a garage full of project cars. He ended up putting the money down for me, it needs some work, but atleast now I have something to work on!

Only have 1 pic at the moment..
FkJIMOfm.jpg
Click to expand...

Congrats! and, as has been said already- "Welcome to the Madness"!

Keep us posted. Pics or it didn't happen!
 
bobg450 said:
Congrats! and, as has been said already- "Welcome to the Madness"!

Keep us posted. Pics or it didn't happen!
Click to expand...

I've been looking for a reason to pull out the old Rebel T3i, so replacing the quarter panel and trunk floor will probably be a perfect time to do so! Unfortunate it's a slant 6, but I've been looking into ways to build them, before I consider a motor swap, since both are kind of far down the line..
 
Bad Sport said:
How's the floor pans/frame rails?

If those are decent, you did real good.
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I haven't seen them yet, but my buddy who has an a body went out and saw it. Said all it needs in terms of metal was to fix the quarter panel, remove surface rust on driver fender, and some work in the trunk floor.

I think they're alright, fingers crossed! :pale::pale:
 
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