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My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG #2622491
02/17/19 11:55 AM
02/17/19 11:55 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,128
New Mexico
UCUDANT Offline OP
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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 laugh ) 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. up

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.

Duster eng swap n present.jpgMy old duster ...today.jpgRoman in the Cuda.jpg
Last edited by UCUDANT; 07/04/22 05:21 PM.
Re: My very 1st cars (ALMOST) back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2622499
02/17/19 12:35 PM
02/17/19 12:35 PM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 519
Virginia
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larry4406 Offline
mopar
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Virginia
Nice!

Re: My very 1st cars (ALMOST) back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2622512
02/17/19 01:23 PM
02/17/19 01:23 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,128
New Mexico
UCUDANT Offline OP
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up 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

engine swap.png
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2658587
05/23/19 10:16 PM
05/23/19 10:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
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New Mexico
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up smile 1987 above and 2019 here....

me and my Duster 5 24 2019.jpg
Re: My very 1st cars (ALMOST) back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2658613
05/23/19 11:06 PM
05/23/19 11:06 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,289
Tucson AZ,
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MadMopars Offline
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Tucson AZ,
Congrats on getting it back! That's awesome! up


[img]https://s9.postimg.cc/6fbjxzfvv/48-2016-_Drag-_Weekend-_Best-_Burnouts-lpr.jpg[/img]


73 GTX *440*727*8 3/4*
69 DART GT *440*4 SPEED*DANA*
73 ROAD RUNNER *451*4 SPEED*DANA*
64 F100 *383*4 SPEED*9"*
75 DODGE D300 *440*4 SPEED*DANA*
99 DODGE RAM 3500 4X4 DUALLY... ON 38"s
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: MadMopars] #2658618
05/23/19 11:26 PM
05/23/19 11:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
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New Mexico
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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

60778879_597561864100079_7354178806229237760_n.jpg61343163_471987696676740_953215193314230272_n.jpg61292639_469361967133825_9018381446909263872_n.jpg
Re: My very 1st cars (ALMOST) back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2658678
05/24/19 08:25 AM
05/24/19 08:25 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 924
Chicago
rocksmopar Offline
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Chicago

That's an awesome story..

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


Looking for affordable Cuda parts
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: rocksmopar] #2658688
05/24/19 09:08 AM
05/24/19 09:08 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,128
New Mexico
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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.

Roman n Hellcat.jpg
Re: My very 1st cars (ALMOST) back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2659007
05/25/19 09:43 AM
05/25/19 09:43 AM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,061
Newton, KS
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Newton, KS
Looks like it's still solid and in good condition!


1970 Barracuda B5 6.1 Hemi/6 speed
1969 Charger survivor in R6 383/727-wrecked 12/24/18
1968 Charger in original burgundy paint "Ribeye"
1968 Charger w/ 6.1L, TR-6060, 9"
1968 Roadrunner w/ 6.1L/6 speed
2011 Dodge Ram w/ 6.7L
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: 70B5Cuda] #2659180
05/25/19 09:21 PM
05/25/19 09:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,128
New Mexico
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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

Rob fixing Duster.jpg
Re: My very 1st cars (ALMOST) back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2659219
05/26/19 12:09 AM
05/26/19 12:09 AM
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,005
Reno, Nevada
NV69B7RR Offline
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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.

71Duster.jpg
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: NV69B7RR] #2659229
05/26/19 12:40 AM
05/26/19 12:40 AM
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New Mexico
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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....

2 (1).jpg
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2660136
05/28/19 08:31 PM
05/28/19 08:31 PM
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New Mexico
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It needs a little TLC but it has potential. I may have already located a complete manual trans set up

60742242_1193524677494292_5859990749449289728_n.jpg60735709_2377611572483584_8738360101879939072_n.jpg
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2660230
05/29/19 07:58 AM
05/29/19 07:58 AM
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New Mexico
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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

My Duster ram air intake.jpg
Re: My very 1st cars (ALMOST) back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2660432
05/29/19 07:08 PM
05/29/19 07:08 PM
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Reno, Nevada
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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.

Last edited by NV69B7RR; 05/29/19 07:09 PM.
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: NV69B7RR] #2669048
06/23/19 02:56 PM
06/23/19 02:56 PM
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New Mexico
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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

Trans in trunk.jpgtrim.jpg
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2671804
06/30/19 07:51 AM
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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

Roman and Duster.jpg
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2693061
08/31/19 01:11 AM
08/31/19 01:11 AM
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New Mexico
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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.

Dirty trans.jpgTrans and pedals.jpg
Picked this up last weekend

Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2694090
09/03/19 07:48 PM
09/03/19 07:48 PM
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New Mexico
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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

Brewers parts etc.jpg
Re: My very 1st car is back..... PROJECT BOOMERANG [Re: UCUDANT] #2700610
09/24/19 09:54 PM
09/24/19 09:54 PM
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New Mexico
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I removed the column and installed the pedals and cut the floor this past Saturday

Column apart.jpgPedal in floor hump hole.jpg
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