This is the car that started it all. I was pre-driving age. Some good friends up the street had numerous A bodies. In NY they seemed to have a great reputation as being near indestructible. My buddies older brother bought a beat FC7 purple 318 3spd manual Duster and would lay stripes up the street.
---- I decided that one of these might be a good choice for me. While cutting the front lawn one day I was staring across the street at my neighbor Gino's orange Duster thinking that would make a great first car. I was working off the books during the summer and on weekends making some good money. My Dads way of teaching me that there was nothing wrong with a hards days work but that maybe I would pursue a career less demanding than his. When my Dad would go to see his mechanic to check his points etc he would always ask me to go. I always did. One day he's in a bay and I'm checking out cars. I'm eyeballing a Vette that turned out to be my Neighber Gino's. Gino walks over and we talk. He tells me he's selling the Vette to buy a work Van. I said I wished he's sell me the Duster, and he said he was selling it right after he got the van....Hmmmmmm.
---- So I go home and I'm scheming. My folks don't know how much I have stashed. They were relaxing in their room when I walked in and asked if I were able to save up my own money would they let me buy a car so I could start to fix it so it would be ready when I got my license. They agreed and then I sprang it on them. "WHOAHHHH slow down" so after some time they adjusted to the idea, it took a few months but one Day a white panel work van showed up in Gino's driveway. I walked over immediately. I'm not sure if it was that day I'm sure he wanted a fews days but they day I got it I remember telling him everything I was going to do to it and he smiled " Ok kid"
----I had been driving stick since I was 13. Dad bragged to Mom that I didn't grind a gear or buck or stall the car once on my first outing. He saw me messing around in his car and asked if I thought I knew how to drive it. (dirt bikes have clutches too ) then he went and got the keys to teach me. I showed him I knew what I was doing, and he was very impressed. This was not one of today's hydraulic clucthes with nice smooth syncro's either.
----Gino's Duster was the first automatic I had ever driven, and I didn't know you had to pull the shifter toward you. I thought something was wrong and had to ask him. "I know you know how to drive I've seen you" I can only drive stick I said.... He laughed and showed me how to put it in gear.
It was an EV2, slant six, bench seat, dog dish stripper car with an AM radio and rusty lower quarters. I had a neighborhood body man fix and repaint the lower quarters, I found cragars, here and there as they were not being produced any longer in the 4" bolt circle at that time. I ended up adding a Rallye grille, bucket seats etc etc. The scoop (l loved Bob's scoop and had to have one) and rallye wheels /mirrors came later.
----My good buddy Bobby had a primer 340 Duster and it took on all comers, only 2 losses that we ever knew of. I of course had a V8 swap planned. I left for the military never scoring the GTS (which I thought I could strip of it's driveline if it was too far gone) I returned on leave from overseas to find a friends older bro had totaled his Challenger. But they had 360 and 727.... with two weeks of leave back in a time when there was no internet and the after market was not as involved in Mopar parts I got the engine swapped and running.
----At my first base I met George, he'd rib me about my Duster. He was proud of his first new family car a Mazda 323. I always used to tell him that I'd look him up in 20 Years and show him the Duster and he could sweep up what was left of the Mazda to try and compare...it was a running joke. George cross trained into the medical field. Well to both our surprise by coincidence we retired to the same area. He checked the global email system and found me. WHAT DO YA THINK THE FIRST THING I BROUGHT UP WAS ? I sold the Duster after owning it nearly 17 years but it's about 15 minutes away....the Primer photos are of it when I found it. I have stopped by periodically over the years. I bought this car around 1982/3 and I sold it in 1999. Its been from NY, to Fla, to AK to NM etc.

Yesterday I nearly set out to buy another Duster (a 1970 FC7 4spd car) and my gut steered me back to my first car at the last minute. The owner said that if the truck for sale locally that he wants is still for sale this morning he will sell the car back to me today.

Now coincidentally "lil man" just turned 5, and today is his birthday party. His first words were varroom varroom, and he is 100% motorhead. He loves the Cuda. I always thought it would be cool if this Duster was his first car too some day. Getting that car back today of all days is an Omen. That Purple 3spd Duster got me to buy this car many years ago and nearly buying an FC7 4spd yesterday just so happened to restart the same journey.

Nice!

Keep your fingers crossed. I know today is the day though.

The figure he threw out was exactly what I had in my pocket... my buddy said later "Man when he named his price I almost fell over"
I said all I need is the title. He said we have to wait until today. If the truck is still for sale he claims he will sell me the car back

1987 above and 2019 here....

Congrats on getting it back! That's awesome!

Thanks, this is going to be fun. My cuda and Duster will be together again. I kept it 17 years. I can't wait to show lil man

That's an awesome story..

Good Luck to you and your Little Man, Many great memories to come..

Thanks, the lil man is my great nephew, we've been buds since before he could talk. He figured out quick I was the car guy in the family and would help facilitate any motor head like request. "Mon mon" for "come on" as he would pull me toward what he was after...... "keys keys" as he gave a twisting wrist kind of hand motion LOL.

Looks like it's still solid and in good condition!

Mostly but it has it's issues, a front inner fender is wrinkled from a hit at the driver headlight (how the lost the Rallye grille) One of the rear corners had been repaired many years ago

That is so cool that you finally got it back after all these years! I have a spare 1/4 panel that has that patch piece if you need it.
Your Duster looks very similar to my old 71 that is rumored to still be in Albq up in the heights.

That pic..... Wow the day I met your roomate to buy a 340 and that car was in the drive and there was a 426 Hemi on the engine stand when I rolled up. Our cars were very similar, then when you posted a picture of your Duster in progress that looked like this: I was taken back to long ago....

It needs a little TLC but it has potential. I may have already located a complete manual trans set up

This was the air intake set up. I duplicated something I saw in Mopar Muscle (a yellow Duster out of New Jersey I think). I plan to replace the missing parts. I still need to source them

Funny, that was almost the identical air cleaner setup I had on my 71, lol! My hood scoop was a cut down A body one that was functional.

I've started collecting parts for a a manual transmission conversion. I actually bought it from the same family I got the car back from. They are super cool and open to trading a few parts. The plan for now is that the car will have an OD trans. They had also said when I bought the car that they had some of the trim for it, and would find it, so I also got that

So the OD truck trans is gone.

I have a 72 bellhousing with a 4.3" pilot bearing hole.

I have the pedals, Z bar, Clutch fork, inspection cover, and the pedal link rod and adjustable clutch rod....oh and I still have a 4spd drive shaft

I have a couple of options for the trans right now

Getting ready to convert it to manual trans. collecting and preparing parts. I bought the trans in the condition shown last weekend, and this is what it looks like today. Note even the parts to delete the auto column shifter.

Clutch and flywheel are next...... just this stuff without the pedal, Z bar and long rod still wasn't cheap but the service and technical expertise were GREAT

I removed the column and installed the pedals and cut the floor this past Saturday

I also converted the steering column to a floor shift column. Tonight I installed a new ignition lock cylinder and repaired the turn signal canceling cam to about finish that portion of the job.

Getting closer

The drivers lower hinge was wasted so I got a core from a buddy and did a little bushing and pin work to at least get it up to par for now. The pin was upside down in the pic and I also have a plate bolted to it that I used to jug it up in a drill press

It's a manual car.... even the steering column

I always wanted to put painted racing mirrors on it...

I picked up a Rallye grille I'm not sure why it will only post the photo vertically ?

More parts

Nice! I'll be wathcing this one.

A Rallye Red1970 Duster was my first car. I still have it.

Thanks Dave, (excuse the wink, I fumbled a head light unplugging it as I swapped grilles tonight). This car had a Rallye Grille when I owned it, but they broke it years ago

The story you told is very good and your car is very beautiful

Congrats on getting it back! That's awesome!

Thanks, I've been collecting parts and doing some small things.
I am trying to keep this one on a "ROADKILL" style build budget for now so I can drive it.
I painted the mirrors with a rattle can
I stripped down and repainted one of the rear wheels, I am working on the other.
I actually stumbled upon the actual air cleaner lid I modified to make my home made RAM AIR, so I have that back, it's stripped and it will be back in place soon enough....

My legendary bucket seat skins are on order through Dante's Mopar Parts

I have more planned

Here is my old home made RAM AIR (expect something a little cooler that makes you think it's factory)
I redid the bucket seats many many years ago and they appeared factory and were perfect, but time has marched on and a lot has changed

I love that "stash o'parts" picture in the upper right. Lots of good stuff there.

Thanks Dave, that is an old shot. I am accumulating (some of the same) parts again.
I now have the 4 spd rods and levers, shifter adapter plate.
I found a wasted clutch pedal switch and went through it
I scored some 340 exhaust manifolds, and I have had a sweet set of X heads for ages that I'll probably use on this car.

Those heads and manifolds do look nice!

I had been kicking myself, I had a complete 4 speed and a set of 340 exhaust manifolds I acquired (very fairly $$) thinking they would go great on this car but when I couldn't buy it back I let the parts go.... kind of recently. Now I have just about rectified my mistake. This is what I had....

I had acquired an earlier clutch pedal set up and was not savvy enough to notice it didn't have a way to mount a clutch pedal switch. I removed the steering column and pedal assembly to modify it to accommodate a clutch pedal switch. Then i used any and all pictures I found online to replicate the factory "Clutch safety switch loop and push pin"

It's tough to catch all those little details when buying used parts.

Here's a tip. Vinegar removes rust, and it's cheap.
It is acidic and I am no expert so do your research.
I would neutralize it to prevent flash rusting.
I like Evoporust especially for items that have never previously been stripped or painted.
Evaporust leaves paint dabs/inspection marks intact.

Here are a set of manifolds I just acquired (seen previously above) that were in nice shape but had some surface rust and paint.
It's hard to tell in the photo, but the metal just looks more natural with varying shades, compared to if I had blasted it
(at this point I plan to use Evaporust instead of cast grey paint. If you look at my Cuda build front end parts you'll see parts look much more authentic than with cast grey paint
After soaking and a light wire brush to help loosen some paint this is what they look like.

I thought I might add in some old pictures, after all the nostalgia of these cars is also part of what makes the hobby cool

This section of head pipe is soaking now, I want to see how that turns out.

This is really just show and tell so more people know about this
I dropped this in distilled white Vinegar this morning after I posted.
I pulled it out every few hrs and scrubbed it a little to help it along
There's a line because that section was not submerged until the last 2 hrs

Been silently watching this. Super cool stuff!!

You’re moving along faster than I’m able to....little jealous. Lol

License plate edit.

Thanks man, it's a beater but it will be a cool beater.
This car still had a mismatched key issue from when I was a kid.
I actually had an ignition and door lock in my stash that matched the driver door lock. So I must have bought a set but only used the door.
Since I had already bought a new ignition lock cylinder when I converted the steering column, I didn't want to mess with the column again.
I re-keyed the driver door lock cylinder to match the new ignition.

This car hasn't had windshield trim since it left Alaska in 1995.
I only (kind of/almost) had one pic of these 2 cars together. Today I fixed that

Legendary is open again.
I ordered in Feb but as we know a lot of businesses were forced to close
Thanks again, Dante (Dantes Mopar parts)

They don't make new seat foams for these since the listing wires are molded into the foam. So I had to reuse what I had.

I had to fix the drivers side frame
I patched in foam into damaged/low spots and shaped it.
I then added 1/2" of foam
The seat bottom frames needed to be cleaned up and painted, that took some time.

Another boomerang came back. I had a back up for my daily driver a Neon R/T. I gave it to a relative for as long as he needed it. I fixed a few things and posted it for sale one night at about 8:30 and it was gone before I went to bed. The money went straight tward the Duster so it applies..... I also just fixed a seat foam in that car, I actually go lucky and stumbled on an Neon R/T in the junk yard. The paint was rough but it ran and drove amazing (like new) and it moved out for a Neon.

The seats are installed. Now I've removed the headers to get ready for engine detailing and a 340 TTi exhaust install (when it arrives)

The valve covers aren't even bolted down yet but the last two days went well.......

So cool to see it home. Great progress!!!! I hope the Cuda isn't too jealous.

Hey Tom, I was just talking to Jr at Six Pack Performance last night about the lil Red Express truck and I mentioned you. My TTi exhaust should be there today.
I actually cleaned and drove my Cuda just the other night, man it runs great. I have a Milodon road race style (trap door) oil pan I still need to install on it.

Lil Red was way cool!!!!
TTI should install in no time. Nice blinn for the engine! I'm glad it runs great - looking forward to more pics

My Cuda is parked for the summer. Its too dang hot and the aluminum radiator can't keep up. But I sure love the Holley Sniper - 440 lights right up after sitting a few months.

Great pic, but you need a bigger garage!

I scored two 15x7 rallyes fairly out of Denver, they arrived.
I also sourced my TTi exhaust through Six Pack Performance to help support a local small business. Thy arrived yesterday too. I do consider them friends. I've been going there since the late 80's
I spent a lot of time trimming the exhaust manifold gaskets so they would not show, and I installed the manifolds.
I have the exhaust tail pipes, and rear seat bolt hanger already loosely in.... today I'll figure out if the oil filter adapter, Z bar and starter go before or after the pipes.....


and the garage is just barely big enough (the truck even fits in there). Forward me pic's of your Cuda to my cell

Well I did this front end 25 years ago.
It wasn't a perfect restoration type job but was a very durable street job.
It was very dark and I thought it had been painted black, I was cleaning and it scrubbed clean eventually.
My cast Grey paint held up and the calipers are not rusty.
upon inspection it needed a rotor, some bushings and a ball joint so.......

Coming along nicely

Thanks, I'm jobbing. No blasting here....
I de-grimed the K member, it was nasty. I still need to strip it clean
I merely wiped the wheel well 1 pass with some glass cleaner and shop towel. I want to put some effort in and see how it looks.
I had a lot of new spare front end parts, moog offset upper control arm bushings, strut rod bushings, and sway bar bushings, and tie rod ends.... i ordered a ton of stuff too

A few steps closer.
Almost everything is painted, coated, or treated. (even the rotor and hub surfaces).
This is how I remove lower control arm bushing sleeves.
I install a tap and use it to help press the sleeve out.
I can't wait to do the lower control arms....

I reinforced the lower control arms.
I doubt that when most guys weld the special aftermarket lower control arm support plates they sell to their control arms that they know to close/correct the gap between the control arm and Torsion bar adjuster?
I finally finished the K frame. I used a chassis paint, I hope it's durable. I powder coated the Cuda's K frame
Tomorrow I'm faking cosmoline in epic style

The TTi system has been installed but I never posted a pic

Keep slamming those PowerAdes. You're getting good work done!

Thanks Dave, it is HOT in the garage. I was using those containers for used rust desolver's LOL

I am still waiting on axle seals that I ordered and then I can move forward....

I acquired a standard bore 340 block, and a mild NOS stroker crank and 0.20 pistons.
I plan to use my ported X heads and an Edelbrock RPM intake, with the 340 exhaust manifolds.

I'm going through the garage and I've sold off items I have saved that I wont use, and started collecting things I will use. (like these mechanical rockers and push rods I just scored)
I also found I have all kinds of stuff for this 340. Stay tuned I had a machinist mind, he was booked for at least 2 months and said to call him back at that time, so in my boredom
I stumbled on this mini bike about 2 weeks ago, and it's funny because one of these started my motor head lifestyle so it's fitting that the Duster is back and I bought a mini bike.
Small distraction... but it will also get me excited to get back to the Duster, and it will be Mopar themed.

That's a Purple translucent powder coat. And oh yeah, you can't ride alone right?

So I was ready to build a mild stroker engine, but the machinist was booked for a few months. So I built a few mini bikes and I also ended up moving a few miles away and have a huge garage/shop now. I just finally installed my natural gas heater since I relocated it from my last garage. Today I finally made time to get the car running. The battery was dead, the lift pump was wasted and a fuel line was plugged... it's running great now.

So cool, congrats on the move. I like keeping up on your progress. I am a complete do everything myself person and it looks like you are as well by all your posts over the yrs. Are those a old set of Mullens x heads? Love it.....
Where did that 69 swinger end up you had?

Thanks, I'm not sure about who did the heads. I got them when I was in Vegas. They have a number stamped in the front of the head so I bet a flow sheet exists somewhere. I'll message you later to learn more about Mullen heads etc.
Oh yeah, I'm a mechanic and am always into something and I do everything I can myself, machining and the actual spraying of the Cuda were the only things I've paid somebody else to do. (you can see the heater beside the Dusters front tire)
The Dart is in a garage a few miles from the old house. (and 3 of my mechanic coworkers now also have mini bikes )

The Cuda got some new tires all the way around, so the Duster got the hand me down rear tires. I'll be installing some new repop center caps as well

I'm back to the fuel system as well.
The car was missing my home made ram air when I got it back so I had to re-acquire some parts (I scored a new air cleaner lid).

That's awesome!

👍, keep at it. Did you ever get the 340 deal going?

Thanks guys.
As for the 340, I am currently working on other areas of this car (when I do) because the 318 in it is real good little engine with upgrades.
Fuel prices went insane and I plan to drive this car so I was waiting a little longer, and rethinking things.

.

Looking good! Way to go