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My first A body.

Posted By: Crizila

My first A body. - 04/15/17 08:12 PM

Yep, straight from the local Pull-a-part in beautiful Az. Yep, no rust ever - which is the one and only highlight. Must have spent it's life in Az, as the interior is completely trashed. Dash pad has more cracks than the San Andria's fault. Left side shows some possible body damage ( left front fender and door ). I'll no more after I remove 5 - 6 coats of paint. Has a quiet running slant 6 with one slightly weak hole. Trans seems to be ok ( shifts and no major components lying in the trans pan ). Has a killer 7 1/4 diff drive I'm too embarrassed to post any pics. The thing must have caught me at a weak moment while I was perusing for other parts. whiney
Posted By: mopar65

Re: My first A body. - 04/15/17 08:18 PM

Picks or it didn't happen.lol
Posted By: slantzilla

Re: My first A body. - 04/15/17 08:40 PM

I can sell you a boatload of Slant parts. boogie
Posted By: Stroker Scamp

Re: My first A body. - 04/15/17 08:41 PM

What did you get?
Posted By: killermopar

Re: My first A body. - 04/15/17 10:17 PM

Hey you saved it. That's what matters
Posted By: bonefish

Re: My first A body. - 04/15/17 10:52 PM

A-Body ,what?
Posted By: Just-a-dart

Re: My first A body. - 04/15/17 10:58 PM

Good to hear a new project is in the works. What flavor a-body?
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: My first A body. - 04/15/17 11:23 PM

At least your picking on a lighter car to start with
up
wave
Posted By: ProSport

Re: My first A body. - 04/16/17 02:17 AM

Slant six turbo!
Posted By: MadMopars

Re: My first A body. - 04/16/17 04:58 AM

Originally Posted By MR_P_BODY
At least your picking on a lighter car to start with
up
wave


Hey now, some of us have feelings you know. rant grin
Posted By: 1Fast340

Re: My first A body. - 04/17/17 12:17 PM

Seems like a good thing,any pics?
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: My first A body. - 04/17/17 07:58 PM

What brand and year is it?
Posted By: Rhinodart

Re: My first A body. - 04/18/17 05:02 AM

You finally got a real car! up And if I wreck the front I have tons of parts for it... whistling At least tell us the year and model... shruggy
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/21/17 04:19 PM

Ok, it's a 74 Plymouth Duster. I am slowly ripping in to it. Starting at the back bumper and moving forward. Plan is to keep the drive train ( for now ) and turn it in to a decent driver. Needs everything interior wise, from the head liner to the floor. Will do it all in black - frt bench seat, column shifter. Left rear 1/4 window broken out. Haven't gotten in to the dash yet, but it all needs help - gauges work. Got the front end pretty much ripped off right now and looking in to a 3 degree negative camber issue on the left front - and out of adjustment? Came with A/C - not working of course, but all there. Could use any advice / help and send all your spare A body parts to Payson, AZ. smile

Attached picture duster1.jpg
Attached picture duster2.jpg
Attached picture duster4.jpg
Attached picture option code plate.jpg
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: My first A body. - 04/21/17 04:33 PM

Looks pretty decent.. now its just time and
money to get a real nice driver... there are
times that I wish I would have built a stock
style car that just looks nice.. but I seem to
always go crazy and build something else
wave
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/21/17 06:27 PM

Hey Mike, ya, gotta make sure I keep my dumb ass in check on this project. Paid 3500 for it and my goal is to keep the final tally in the 10 - 12K range. Got 2 Grand Daughters that will be driving in another year, so when they come visit, I will have something to give them to drive while they are here and not worry about it too much. wave
Posted By: slantzilla

Re: My first A body. - 04/21/17 08:11 PM

Nice looking Duster John! Check the front end really well, probably has all the bushings rotted out. Check all the torsion bar mounting points too, A bodies rust/break in those areas a lot.
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/21/17 09:26 PM

Originally Posted By slantzilla
Nice looking Duster John! Check the front end really well, probably has all the bushings rotted out. Check all the torsion bar mounting points too, A bodies rust/break in those areas a lot.
Thanks Big D. Actually, torsion bar mounts look good. I will look more carefully for cracking in that area. Ball joints are good ( some one has done some work on it at some point in time ). Upper control arm bushing are fare ( will replace them anyway ). Both strut rods are bent and could use new bushings. Do I have to do something with the lower control arms in order to get the strut rods out so I can straighten them? Don't want to change the lower control arm bushings as they seem ok. Still haven't figured out why I can't get the camber in line on the left side ( negative 3 degrees and out of adjustment )? Something gotta be bent, just aint seeing it yet. Could be the frame mounting points? Under body of car ( floors, wheel houses, rear extensions, unibody frames, K frame / mounts, are all rust free. Might consider sub-frame connectors while I am down this far - could need them with that 300 HP nitrous shot to that 225. whistling
Posted By: Thumperdart

Re: My first A body. - 04/21/17 09:42 PM

I like it............ beer
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: My first A body. - 04/21/17 10:33 PM

Originally Posted By Crizila
Originally Posted By slantzilla
Nice looking Duster John! Check the front end really well, probably has all the bushings rotted out. Check all the torsion bar mounting points too, A bodies rust/break in those areas a lot.
Thanks Big D. Actually, torsion bar mounts look good. I will look more carefully for cracking in that area. Ball joints are good ( some one has done some work on it at some point in time ). Upper control arm bushing are fare ( will replace them anyway ). Both strut rods are bent and could use new bushings. Do I have to do something with the lower control arms in order to get the strut rods out so I can straighten them? Don't want to change the lower control arm bushings as they seem ok. Still haven't figured out why I can't get the camber in line on the left side ( negative 3 degrees and out of adjustment )? Something gotta be bent, just aint seeing it yet. Could be the frame mounting points? Under body of car ( floors, wheel houses, rear extensions, unibody frames, K frame / mounts, are all rust free. Might consider sub-frame connectors while I am down this far - could need them with that 300 HP nitrous shot to that 225. whistling


99% of the time when its that far out something
is BENT in the front end.. look at the frame rail
on that side.. doesnt take much.. to be that much
out I would say that car was hit in that corner
EDIT
Years ago I use to do frame straightening on cars
of that era and normally it was bent.. if you cant
get the front end to get into spec
wave
Posted By: slantzilla

Re: My first A body. - 04/21/17 11:31 PM

John, IIRC you can take the clip out of tge torsion bar anchor, back the torsion bars off, loosen the nuts up on the LCA, and drive them back far enough to get the strut rods out without pulling everything apart.

Bent strut rods will cause odd alignment issues too, but as Mike said, check the frame rail real good.

My copper Duster had been whacked hard enough on the driver's side it had ripped the UCA mounts off. They had been welded back on.
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/22/17 01:28 AM

Originally Posted By MR_P_BODY
Originally Posted By Crizila
Originally Posted By slantzilla
Nice looking Duster John! Check the front end really well, probably has all the bushings rotted out. Check all the torsion bar mounting points too, A bodies rust/break in those areas a lot.
Thanks Big D. Actually, torsion bar mounts look good. I will look more carefully for cracking in that area. Ball joints are good ( some one has done some work on it at some point in time ). Upper control arm bushing are fare ( will replace them anyway ). Both strut rods are bent and could use new bushings. Do I have to do something with the lower control arms in order to get the strut rods out so I can straighten them? Don't want to change the lower control arm bushings as they seem ok. Still haven't figured out why I can't get the camber in line on the left side ( negative 3 degrees and out of adjustment )? Something gotta be bent, just aint seeing it yet. Could be the frame mounting points? Under body of car ( floors, wheel houses, rear extensions, unibody frames, K frame / mounts, are all rust free. Might consider sub-frame connectors while I am down this far - could need them with that 300 HP nitrous shot to that 225. whistling


99% of the time when its that far out something
is BENT in the front end.. look at the frame rail
on that side.. doesnt take much.. to be that much
out I would say that car was hit in that corner
EDIT
Years ago I use to do frame straightening on cars
of that era and normally it was bent.. if you cant
get the front end to get into spec
wave
iagree Just don't see it yet. Frame eyeballs straight, but the front upper control arm mount on the frame ( where the excentric adjustments are)looks suspect to me - welding is too "birdshitty" to be factory IMO. Also, the left front fender has some filler in it.
Posted By: moparx

Re: My first A body. - 04/22/17 02:47 PM

Originally Posted By Crizila
Also, the left front fender has some filler in it.

back in the early to mid 70's a friend and i were at the auto auction we attended on a weekly basis, and looking at a car we were interested in bidding on. while we were inspecting it, an old guy popped between us and said in a quiet, no nonsense voice : "cars with bondo are unsafe !" then he just disappeared, leaving us to look at each other as, "did this just happen ?" eek we looked around, and he was just GONE. no trace of him. never saw him during the rest of the auction, and never saw him again ! we still talk of this event to this day ! so just take that as a warning........... grin
beer
Posted By: dvw

Re: My first A body. - 04/22/17 03:25 PM

If it has negative camber for sure the lower bushings are toast. Don't mess around. New lowers, offset uppers and good strut rod bushings. I took my strut rods and cut the threaded ends off. Turn them down the ends a touch on the lathe and connect with moly tubing. Make them 3/8" shorter. Pulls the lower arm forward slightly increasing caster. Cheap, strong, light, easy. This combined with offset upper bushings (forward location) will usually get acceptable alignment results, done many.
Doug
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: My first A body. - 04/22/17 03:37 PM

Originally Posted By dvw
If it has negative camber for sure the lower bushings are toast. Don't mess around. New lowers, offset uppers and good strut rod bushings. I took my strut rods and cut the threaded ends off. Turn them down the ends a touch on the lathe and connect with moly tubing. Make them 3/8" shorter. Pulls the lower arm forward slightly increasing caster. Cheap, strong, light, easy. This combined with offset upper bushings (forward location) will usually get acceptable alignment results, done many.
Doug


I did the same thing on my old 69 Valiant
wave
Posted By: slantzilla

Re: My first A body. - 04/22/17 05:01 PM

If you're serious about the 300 shot I have a fogger system I can send ya. boogie
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/23/17 12:12 AM

Originally Posted By slantzilla
John, IIRC you can take the clip out of tge torsion bar anchor, back the torsion bars off, loosen the nuts up on the LCA, and drive them back far enough to get the strut rods out without pulling everything apart.

Bent strut rods will cause odd alignment issues too, but as Mike said, check the frame rail real good.

My copper Duster had been whacked hard enough on the driver's side it had ripped the UCA mounts off. They had been welded back on.
Did that today Dennis. Worked good. Thanks. Just kidding on the Nitrous system - at this time. work
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/23/17 12:24 AM

Originally Posted By dvw
If it has negative camber for sure the lower bushings are toast. Don't mess around. New lowers, offset uppers and good strut rod bushings. I took my strut rods and cut the threaded ends off. Turn them down the ends a touch on the lathe and connect with moly tubing. Make them 3/8" shorter. Pulls the lower arm forward slightly increasing caster. Cheap, strong, light, easy. This combined with offset upper bushings (forward location) will usually get acceptable alignment results, done many.
Doug
This car does not have the conventional shaft mount for the upper control arms like B cars. It has 2 separate frame mounts that use eccentric bolts for adjustment. the arms take regular bushings - no offset stuff like B cars. At this time, I'm pretty sure my problem lies in the upper control arm mounts - where they are welded to the frame. The front mount looks like it has been rewelded - incorrectly. Heat, porta-power, welder, BMFH, will fix it.
Posted By: slantzilla

Re: My first A body. - 04/23/17 01:37 AM

Moog makes offset bushings for A bodies too.
Posted By: dvw

Re: My first A body. - 04/23/17 02:43 AM

B-Body doesn't have shaft mount upper arms until 1973. 62-72 B-Body and A-body use the same style arm (though a different part). Both use the same bushing number. Moog 7103.
Doug
Posted By: dvw

Re: My first A body. - 04/23/17 02:43 AM

B-Body doesn't have shaft mount upper arms until 1973. 62-72 B-Body,70-74 E-Body and A-body use the same style arm (though a different parts). Both use the same bushing number. Moog 7103.
Doug
Posted By: dvw

Re: My first A body. - 04/23/17 02:44 AM

B-Body doesn't have shaft mount upper arms until 1973. 62-72 B-Body,70-74 E-Body and A-body use the same style arm (though a different parts). Both use the same bushing number. Moog 7103.
Doug
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/24/17 04:11 AM

What I'm up against.

Attached picture bent strut rods.jpg
Attached picture control arm mt 1.jpg
Attached picture control arm mt 2.jpg
Attached picture control arm mt 3.jpg
Posted By: killermopar

Re: My first A body. - 04/24/17 04:44 AM

That seems kinda rough. I think I'd do a rail replacement, but there are way more experienced guys on here than me.
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/24/17 04:04 PM

Originally Posted By slantzilla
Moog makes offset bushings for A bodies too.
Checked - you're right Dennis. I will order a set up. That will probably get me real close on the camber problem without a lot of "extra curricular" activity. I will press the strut rods back straight and install new bushings there. Upper and lower ball joints, lower control arm bushings, are all good, and I have replaced the inner / outer tie rods, adjuster sleeves, shocks, and idler arm, so I should be good to go up front. Next stop - brakes.
Posted By: Crizila

Re: My first A body. - 04/27/17 03:32 AM

Starting to remove the dash board. Things I found behind the glove box ( which had a hole in the bottom of it). Wonder if he blamed his wife for steeling his tire gauge? work

Attached picture line sheet.jpg
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: My first A body. - 04/27/17 06:06 AM

Originally Posted By Crizila
What I'm up against.

I'm sure I have seen the twin or the triplet to those welds on some of the cars I've owned or work on shruggy
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