Anyone know where to get a blank gauge panel for a Duster?

Secondly: What front runners are reccomended?
Gerst coil-over front end, 29.5 x 15 x12 slicks out back, i have some 28" front runners and they are too tall, was thinking 26" but concerned they too may be too tall as well.
Caltrac's /mono leafs/sliders on rear and thinking i need to lower that another inch.
Hoosier has a 25.5 lightweight front runner- thoughts?
Really want car level to slight pitch downward at front.
Does anyone run a 1 inch lowering block with mono leafs?
How much oil pan to ground clearance is considered safe?

Thirdly: Sfi tag for flexplate ( sticker), where does it go?!?

Thanks guys

Autometer and others that sell the pre-drilled gauge panels must be able to leave them blank? Some guys need to increase tire size to help with rollout/red light problems. Put the lightest thing you can up there. A dedicated track car should have the brake bias switched. You say the 28's are too tall. Do they rub? I always liked the look of the taller tires to fill the wheel opening. I wouldn't put 22's on it but 24 or greater should work. 3-4 inches should be good on the pan. You should run either a belly pan or a diaper even if the rules don't call for it. I have no idea on the leaves. You would think spacing the axle away from the spring could cause some extra leverage problems. Most all can be overcome with the best set of DA shocks you can afford. I don't think you can see the sticker on the flex plate with the Chrysler setup. Just keep it in your log book. It's a rare thing for a guy to climb under there and look if the sticker matches the info you fill out on the tech card. If needs to be seen you've done them a favor by having it accessible.

Thanks Dave: Yea, the 28's will rub, 26 makes sense and i too like the wheel wells full , just hate to buy tires and have them also be too tall.
Yes to keeping weight down, already have the Rb 512 in there, thats enough weight even with everything aluminum i can come up with- grin.

Sfi sticker, that makes sense, hadn't thought of that and couldn't find anything in the NHRA Rule book.

Guess i will call Calvert on the lowering blocks.

I'm trying to have the car decently low, close to level, slight downward rake and rear tires up in the wheel wells at least a little.

Biggest weight issue to deal with next is the doors- not sure what i'm going to do there as we don't want lexan.
Someone once told me there are electric set ups that weigh less than the stock regulator system but i haven't found those yet.

At 62, the 25 inch tire might be a little quick for me in the beams.
hmmm
Thanks.

How much oil pan to ground clearance is considered safe?
Fully compressed front suspension, minus 1".

Somebody makes a carbon-fiber-look blank cluster bezel for the non-Rallye cluster, but sorry I don't recall who.
7.10x15s on the front of my Duster, 3.5x15 Flys. Front bottom edge of wheel opening trimmed back at a 45* angle. Been that way since its SS/IA days. No other interference.
Not sure I like the idea of lowering blocks on a drag car, but you'll likely need to add ballast to the rear, which will lower it. My car even with a SB and a lot of lightening tricks likes having 200 lbs in the rear.
Pan clearance might depend on whether you have wheelie bars or if there are chuckholes (return road or pits) where you race. I learned about the wheelie bars, and saw someone else learn that he had to watch out for potholes...but the above replies are good ballparks.
As for window mechanisms, remember the Hemi Dart & Barracuda setup? you only need guides and a belt to raise & lower the glass...

I have seen a few NSS cars with Cal-Tracs and lowering blocks and they hook with them so it can be done.

Gus

I ran both 24 and 27 inch tall front runners on my old Dusters with the stock K member and front suspension
You can make the 28 inch tall tires fit it you raise the front of the car up enough and maybe push the front edges of both front fenders out a little bit
I know stocker guys that ran 29 inch tall on both Demons and Dusters a long time ago, still possible today

26's on the front of my old car

Factory tire was probably 26 inch diameter. Check the FSM and it should tell you. If you start with a factory tire size then you'll know it fits. You can work from there depending on what you're trying to do.

Thanks 67- thats pretty well the stance i'm looking for, im just a bit higher in the rear.
Don't know yet how much the mono leafs will settle out either .
I think the 26's look to fit well and probably easier on me than the 25's at the line.
Thanks

Thanks Polyspheric!

Topside: Thanks.
I hope to get by without the wheelie bars with shock tuning- not sure yet.
We are only at 650hp, im guessing we will be around 2800 lbs loaded.

No, i have not seen the window mechanisms on the Hemi Dart/Barracuda but will look those up, if you or anyone has pics or can direct me to that set up for purchase- thanks ahead of time.

Thanks Cab- think i'm going to try the 26.
Wondering if i can push the front caltrac hanger up into the top hole of the spring hanger?
Doesn't look like it will interfere but haven't tried it yet.

Thanks.

Thanks Andy: The slant 6 and 318 had a 25.3 and the 340 a 25.92 so i think i will go with the 26" to start.

Thanks

Lexan works fine if you spend some time on it. Straps to actuate. Obviously these pics are B body but the idea is the same. I did a H/T 63 done the same way. Even the vent wing is Lexan.
Doug

Rusty, I don't think anyone has a kit for that; you'd likely have to fab your own. Basically a seatbelt attached to the glass bottom (goes up over the upper door frame and down over the trim panel), and you pull the glass up with it, and a snap on the lower door secured the belt & glass in the Up position. Buckle & latch is more secure.

Changing the location of the front spring eye changes how hard the car hits the tire.

FWIW: At about 640HP & 3000 lbs, I had my Duster on the back bumper for 300 feet before heeding the advice to add wheelie bars. Footbrake car, 6000 stall, modified SS springs. Nowadays, the bars at 10" wheel height whack the track for a ways (but don't upset the car) and it'll carry the fronts 60-100 feet.

another question: Andy and all: Anyone know where to get the heater control delete plate?

Glue a piece of 1" rigid foam block to the bottom of the pan to tell you when your landing is getting too violent. Remember a suspension bottoming out kills front tire traction, so momentary loss of steering response may also happen.
If it scrubs the foam off, a cheap fix is 1 or 2 extra shock rubber donuts as compression stops on the front shock rods, and/or bigger ones above the A arm.

Topside: Dang! Thats not really what i wanted to hear on the launch issues- sigh.

1. I was hoping i could move the the front spring "up" to the top hole of the spring hanger box and not affect the hit, i knew moving the bar itself would.
2. the car being so front heavy with the rb block and using the stock leaf spring front section length i figured i would have tire planting issues to work out, not standing on the bumper issues!
3. we pulled 650 on engine dyno/built /roller 727 but not as much stall as you have.
have two gear sets built- 4.30 and a 4.10 , may build a .56 when i can afford another set of Mark Williams Caps.
4. is the Caltrac wheelie bar any good ? We have sheet metal trunk pan but i could fab up the mount i suppose.

Thanks Poly, good idea.