RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Well thanks 68, I'll just leave it there before I get myself in trouble!
A12 - time to get busy
- Thread starter b-body-bob
- Start date
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I had a similar situation. I sprayed the dashboard in a car and it turned out perfectly. Then I tried to paint a bike frame and really screwed that job up.
Now if it doesn't come out of a spray can, I don't mess with it. Until the next time
FWIW this weekend I pulled the carb off this car to clean it out, and sure enough found a problem. One of the squirter screws wouldn't tighten up. I had a spare 850 DP that I stuck on it for the time being.
The car is sitting on a side of my garage where I can't open the door, and it's facing the wrong way. I could spin it around, but the closed door has kind of paused my drive to start it up.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Today I remembered a guy from a known mopar family, who has a resto shop about 50 miles away. Since it's a hassle to get a day off, get organized, and either drag the car to him or hire a rollback to do it, I never called. I decided today I was going to call and find a way to get on the waiting list and just grin and bear the cost.
It turns out that the fellow goes to church about 5 miles from here, so we've got a Sunday appointment. Maybe not this Sunday, but soon. He said the waiting list is about 6 months, so I might have it back on the road by 2024.
It turns out that the fellow goes to church about 5 miles from here, so we've got a Sunday appointment. Maybe not this Sunday, but soon. He said the waiting list is about 6 months, so I might have it back on the road by 2024.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
The waiting list I'm talking about is for metal and body work. The engine in this car is fine as frog hair.
I'm still arguing with myself on what to do with the engine in the Duster though.
I'm still arguing with myself on what to do with the engine in the Duster though.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
The shop owner stopped by yesterday, I got a verbal agreement for it to go in the shop in September. Waiting on the contract.
I gotta pull the engine/trans and strip all the rest of what's left out before then, so I need to get the Duster running again so I can park it at my kid's house to have full use of my garage.
I gotta pull the engine/trans and strip all the rest of what's left out before then, so I need to get the Duster running again so I can park it at my kid's house to have full use of my garage.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Looks like you just got the incentive to keep on the duster !
Have at it!
Have at it!
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I started stripping the car down and found a prime example of the hack it up madness
Save an ounce here, an ounce there, and pretty soon it adds up to a pound.
Save an ounce here, an ounce there, and pretty soon it adds up to a pound.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Dude was Arlen Vanke, the factory told him where to cut them up, then gave him cars to practice it on.
Never let a guy work on your car who gets his cars for free.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
Who better to know what's there to satisfy FMVSS and what's just necessary to get the car down the strip than the guys that designed it? If you make the mod and it fails, well, it's on you. The car didn't leave the factory that way so they're free and clear of liability (so long as they didn't publish the information).
One of my old roommates discovered that you can make a power steering column into a manual one pretty easily, at least on A-bodies ('70 Swinger 340). The solid shaft on which the coupler mounts is plenty long. Remove the two plastic rivets holding the lower shaft into the upper, slide the lower shaft out to the correct length, then re-drill it and install bolts in place of the rivets. Plastic bolts would theoretically retain the "collapsible in an accident" feature, though Danny used steel. I thought it a bit sketchy, but it never failed him in a few of years of driving the car daily. That said, he never crashed it, hence he never had opportunity to have his chest impaled. I'm sure the factory wouldn't support such silliness but he proved it functions 100% to drive the car regularly.
One of my old roommates discovered that you can make a power steering column into a manual one pretty easily, at least on A-bodies ('70 Swinger 340). The solid shaft on which the coupler mounts is plenty long. Remove the two plastic rivets holding the lower shaft into the upper, slide the lower shaft out to the correct length, then re-drill it and install bolts in place of the rivets. Plastic bolts would theoretically retain the "collapsible in an accident" feature, though Danny used steel. I thought it a bit sketchy, but it never failed him in a few of years of driving the car daily. That said, he never crashed it, hence he never had opportunity to have his chest impaled. I'm sure the factory wouldn't support such silliness but he proved it functions 100% to drive the car regularly.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I might end up converting to manual steering in the Duster and will consider doing that. The adapters aren't expensive in the big scheme of things, it just seems like a lot of money to spend on such a small simple part.
Mancini Racing Manual Steering Adapter $127.00
Mancini Racing Manual Steering Adapter $127.00
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I know a guy who has a few junk vans sitting around so I'll remember to look before spending the money for a new one.
FWIW the stupid headers in this car cross the torsion bars so I get to pull those out when I finally make room to pull the engine/transmission. In theory the tubes slip apart but I figure that's different than the way it will go in practice. I haven't accomplished anything since the weekend - I caught covid and probably had it all weekend but I hoped it was just a cold - but I'm feeling better.
FWIW the stupid headers in this car cross the torsion bars so I get to pull those out when I finally make room to pull the engine/transmission. In theory the tubes slip apart but I figure that's different than the way it will go in practice. I haven't accomplished anything since the weekend - I caught covid and probably had it all weekend but I hoped it was just a cold - but I'm feeling better.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
It has begun
I'm hoping to just unbolt the headers and lay them out of the way and pull the engine/trans together. Word on the street is that once the engine's out of the way the headers should just come apart and I won't have to pull the torsion bars to get them out. I'll leave the back end on stands and put the front end on the floor once that party starts.
I'm hoping to just unbolt the headers and lay them out of the way and pull the engine/trans together. Word on the street is that once the engine's out of the way the headers should just come apart and I won't have to pull the torsion bars to get them out. I'll leave the back end on stands and put the front end on the floor once that party starts.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
There's no fender tag, and all I have is a washed out photo from the 70s.
There are a few places where the original color shows, but it's basically overspray so it might or might not be a good representation.
It's going to be be Rallye Green (aka camaro green) when I get it back though. I'm tempted to put a black vinyl top on it too, so I have a place to put the hood.
BTW I noticed last night - the trans doesn't go into park. It did the last time I drove it but now the rear wheels just turn free.
There are a few places where the original color shows, but it's basically overspray so it might or might not be a good representation.
It's going to be be Rallye Green (aka camaro green) when I get it back though. I'm tempted to put a black vinyl top on it too, so I have a place to put the hood.
BTW I noticed last night - the trans doesn't go into park. It did the last time I drove it but now the rear wheels just turn free.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I kept draining and taking things apart, and am kind of at the point where I'm debating if it would just be simpler to pull the trans and engine separately. I've only pulled one engine/trans assembly and it was freaking stressful working alone. I ended up with the cherry picker way too high for my comfort.
I've since read that the plan is to put the front end on the ground and raise the rear end as high as possible, so I wonder if that would help.
I've since read that the plan is to put the front end on the ground and raise the rear end as high as possible, so I wonder if that would help.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
You gotta recruit a helper buddy, I'm Lucky I met Charger man when I bought the first 'Cuda, we have become friends & help each other out a bit at times!
Mr 340 & his brother helped me with the one piece pull on the red one, charger man with his tilt gismo on the 74.
Mr 340 & his brother helped me with the one piece pull on the red one, charger man with his tilt gismo on the 74.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I agree I'm going to try and recruit somebody to help me out for an hour or so.
It was one of those too late to stop now deals, and IIRC the reason it ended up like that was I couldn't roll the picker back and hold the tail shaft up at the same time. I also remember that cheap load balancer started rounded the threads and I didn't want to even touch that for fear that with all that weight on it, it would just strip them all and I'd end up dropping the engine.
It was one of those too late to stop now deals, and IIRC the reason it ended up like that was I couldn't roll the picker back and hold the tail shaft up at the same time. I also remember that cheap load balancer started rounded the threads and I didn't want to even touch that for fear that with all that weight on it, it would just strip them all and I'd end up dropping the engine.