Picture from the early 80's

Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 03:55 AM

He's a picture of my 3rd race car a 1974 Duster and the very first tow vehicle that I could spend a night at the track and sleep in a bed. Its my old 1976 dodge van that came with a 318 which I replaced with a 360 I built wild a 474 lift purple shaft cam lD4B intake, a set of 2.02 heads I massaged, headers, and a 650 carb. Back when an open trailer replaced a tow bar and life was simpler. The Duster ran a best of 9.82 with a .030 over 440 (NA), 750 roller cam, 906 heads, weiand tunnel ram with two 750 carbs, trw pistons, and super stock springs.

Posted By: cheapstreetdustr

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 04:15 AM

did you ever run Atco...
I think i have video of your car there back in the 80s..would be circa 86
not sure if i can find the tape VHS type ..but the car looks familiar...

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 04:29 AM

Quote:

did you ever run Atco...
I think i have video of your car there back in the 80s..would be circa 86
not sure if i can find the tape VHS type ..but the car looks familiar...

No I've never been or raced there. This picture had to be 1985 or after because that's when I bought my house and I owned the duster for several years after that. Member Joe White bought it but He always raced at Quaker City. Joe bought my 69 Dart, 74 Duster, and 82 Charger over the years.

Posted By: Locomotion

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 05:11 AM

Quote:

The Duster ran a best of 9.82 with a .030 over 440 (NA), 750 roller cam, 906 heads, weiand tunnel ram with two 750 carbs, trw pistons, and super stock springs.

Sounds like a Direct Connection manual build=up.

Posted By: SpareParts

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 05:40 AM

Vans are a lost art.

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 06:27 AM

Quote:

Quote:

The Duster ran a best of 9.82 with a .030 over 440 (NA), 750 roller cam, 906 heads, weiand tunnel ram with two 750 carbs, trw pistons, and super stock springs.

Sounds like a Direct Connection manual build=up.

I still have the books. At any given time I probably had 16-24 TRW or Sealed Power piston sitting here. I would pick used ones up at parts sells and piece together sets. I ran this crap for years till 440source came out with their budget kits. I put a stroker together and threw it in my Daytona and on a break in pass ran a 9.50 and when I pulled up to Matt after my pass he was smiling away saying your going to love this time card. These are great times for Mopar lovers.

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 06:30 AM

Quote:

Vans are a lost art.

You can say that again. When I worked at a gas station in the 70's there were some very nice vans that stopped in.

Red shag carpet, lights, and funny smelly smoke coming out the windows.

Posted By: deaks

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 08:14 PM

Was that the R286 cam ? and what weight was the car ?

Posted By: dustergirl340

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 08:35 PM

The van AND the car are both cool. Thanks for the pic.

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:05 PM

Quote:

The van AND the car are both cool. Thanks for the pic.

Thank-you.

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:16 PM

Quote:

Was that the R286 cam ? and what weight was the car ?

Yes it was the R286 cam. I still have 3 of them sitting on a shelf as they played around with how they did the center lines on those cams. The Duster was around 2600 pounds with a 440 engine and 727 (without driver) and I was a lot lighter but in those days. The car was mini tubed using the stock steel wheel wells and was limited to a 14-31 slick and ran a 4.56 gear and a good old J convertor.

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:20 PM

At Columbus.

Attached picture 8116721-My74DusteratColumbus001.jpg

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:24 PM

The old Keystone (now Pittsburgh Raceway Park)

Attached picture 8116724-Myold74Duster001.jpg

Posted By: tboomer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:25 PM

Nice pics John!!

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:34 PM

Quote:

Nice pics John!!

Thanks Ted. Just some of the OLD memories I scanned. Man those were fun years. Racing 2 days a week and testing on a third. Now I get tired thinking about it.

At least 7 race cars over the years (still own 2) plus a few tow vehicles I raced too and I still check out the for sale ads a few times a day.

Posted By: Thumperdart

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:35 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Vans are a lost art.

You can say that again. When I worked at a gas station in the 70's there were some very nice vans that stopped in.
Red shag carpet, lights, and funny smelly smoke coming out the windows.

Dig the combo you had goin on there and the funny smoke and vans just go hand in hand............

Posted By: tboomer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:38 PM

Quote:

Dig the combo you had goin on there and the funny smoke and vans just go hand in hand...........

So says my favorite law abiding citizen!!!

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 09:43 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Dig the combo you had goin on there and the funny smoke and vans just go hand in hand...........

So says my favorite law abiding citizen!!!

BUT, but, but, he didn't inhale.

Posted By: Thumperdart

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/18/14 10:55 PM

Too funny...............I gave that stuff up w/my hair...........

And no, I NEVER inhaled...............much!

Posted By: roadhazard

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/19/14 12:12 AM

Thanks for sharing the pic John.

I like all 3

Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/19/14 12:32 AM

I bought a 76 Dodge 109 wb van new (gutted.. bare butt
minimum) and fixed it up to sleep 4... I finished
it up about a week before I was gonna take it on a
hunting trip to Montana ... looked outside the day we
were suppose to leave and it was GONE.... guns and all..
still made the trip but used my brothers nova(he was
going with me anyways) but I went out a bought a
pop up trailer and away we went... the cops found it
a couple weeks later... STRIPPED

Posted By: 340man4ever

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/19/14 01:40 AM

Quote:

He's a picture of my 3rd race car a 1974 Duster and the very first tow vehicle that I could spend a night at the track and sleep in a bed. Its my old 1976 dodge van that came with a 318 which I replaced with a 360 I built wild a 474 lift purple shaft cam lD4B intake, a set of 2.02 heads I massaged, headers, and a 650 carb. Back when an open trailer replaced a tow bar and life was simpler. The Duster ran a best of 9.82 with a .030 over 440 (NA), 750 roller cam, 906 heads, weiand tunnel ram with two 750 carbs, trw pistons, and super stock springs.

Sweet car and combo...........Love the van as well!

I would be proud to have either one of them today

Thanks for sharing

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/19/14 03:01 AM

Thanks for the compliments guys. There isn't to much in my life I would change and even now as I'm getting older (58) I still love racing and testing. I've never been the best driver on race day but I love testing and getting the most out of any given combo. My Son Matt is a way better driver but I tried to get him interested in porting heads and intakes but he has zero interest. But at 23 he did measure, mic, an assemble his own 360 (I did the heads) and he went out and ran some nice 10.50's so he can handle that part well. I hate paying someone for something i can learn to do myself.

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/19/14 03:03 AM

Quote:

I bought a 76 Dodge 109 wb van new (gutted.. bare butt
minimum) and fixed it up to sleep 4... I finished
it up about a week before I was gonna take it on a
hunting trip to Montana ... looked outside the day we
were suppose to leave and it was GONE.... guns and all..
still made the trip but used my brothers nova(he was
going with me anyways) but I went out a bought a
pop up trailer and away we went... the cops found it
a couple weeks later... STRIPPED

Man that's a bummer to hear about your van and guns getting stolen. At least you didn't let it ruin your hunting trip.

Posted By: 1974 474 Duster

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/20/14 06:30 PM

John, I have video of your old Dart when Joe owned it racing at Meander in Youngstown!!
See ya, Ken

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Picture from the early 80's - 04/20/14 07:39 PM

Quote:

John, I have video of your old Dart when Joe owned it racing at Meander in Youngstown!!
See ya, Ken

That was along time ago. LOL. we are getting old aren't we.