My Grandfather gave my his 1970 Duster some years ago and it got to the point where it needed a lot of work and I couldn't afford it so it has sat for many years. It lived on the east coast most of its life so it has a fair amount of rust on it, but now that it is in Colorado the rusting has slowed considerably.

I have recently started thinking about restoring it and making it a semi-daily driver, no racing just packing in the family for a ride. It has a slant 6 with an automatic tranny, no A/C, no power anything.

My question to everyone is what are some good upgrades to make? I know this is a broad question so let me narrow it a bit. I am going to keep the slant 6, but am thinking a manual transmission would be nice. What trannies do you suggest? The front suspension is torsion bars, would swapping to double wishbone be a good idea? I ask because I was thinking an anti-sway bar would be good to install. The brakes are drums all the way around, should I do a disc brake swap all the way around?

I am planning to take the body off the frame and clean the frame and powered coat it and install new bushings, is there anything anyone recommends I do while the body is off? The body does have some rust and some parts are worse than others. Does anyone have a good supplier of metal parts as well as soft parts? I have seen what people are advertising I am just looking for your personal recommendations.

I don't have a budget in mind, I am planning on doing this over the next couple of years. Right now I am looking for ideas and building a plan.

The front suspension is torsion bars, would swapping to double wishbone be a good idea?



I am planning to take the body off the frame and clean the frame and powered coat it and install new bushings, is there anything anyone recommends I do while the body is off?


Good luck, Dusters dont have frames


You need to do a ton of research before you try turning a single bolt or screw.

Keep the auto trans...

Go through the leaning tower of power...

A turbo...

First, welcome to the forum, there is a lot of good information on here, start reading and studying and you will realize why some of the stuff you are asking is not quite inline with what you actually have. Determine the end use of your project and create a plan to achieve it, stick with the plan and just spend your money going in one direction to the end. Too many times people change direction mind stream and end up spending money twice. Although the slant is a usable powerplant it can be expense and still not end up with power and balamce of a basic small block, I would reconsider that decision but that's me, converting the suspesion to a coil over type is doable but most find the bang for the buck is lacking, the torsion bar front end can be very effective set up right. Front disc conversion is very common for your set up but rears will need to be aftermarket due to there not being a factory swap that I am aware of but I don't know everything out there. Trans swap is doable and would be fun in my view but again the auto can be enjoyable in its own right. Most Mopars are set up with a K-Member (front sub-frame if you would and it is removeable to recondition as you please, they are unibodies and the frame rails are integrated into the body and cannot beremoved and replaced with out major work and is typically not necessary, when it is neceessary you are usually better to find another car to start with, only special cars are worth the effort. AMD makes the best sheetmetal out there by most accounts and I am personally a fan. Soft parts are available and in many cases is just a matter of pciking your poison, I would wait til the time of purchase and ask what is the best available at that time for each particular piece.

In short, read, study, plan your build and stick to your plan.

First, welcome to Moparts!

Second, this:

Quote:

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You need to do a ton of research before you try turning a single bolt or screw.

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We'll be here when you need help, ask questions first, THEN do stuff to the car, not the reverse which might make it too late to help you.

Welcome to Moparts, there is plenty of help here.

MLR426

Post some pictures if you can, rust can be a real problem.

Whoops, my bad, I forgot the Duster has a uni-body. Sounds like swapping out for coils and wishbone is not worth it. I was really hoping to put in an anti-sway bar as I recall it leans into the turns pretty good. I will get some pictures of the rust and get your opinions. Thanks for the good info so far.

And yes I don't have a clue what I am doing, that is why I am here asking questions, gathering information, and building a plan. I have no intention of doing anything to this car until I am well informed and ready.

my cup of tea..If my grandfather bought it brand-spanking new, I would restore her to her former glory. As she came from the factory.