73 Duster from North Florida

[Not A Nova]

Hi! I'm Alex, from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and I come at the insistence of my significant other. Erm, I mean car. You'll have to excuse me... I suffer from delusions involving muscle cars that can turn :screwy:...

Anyways, here's my.. Uhh.. Child? No, that's not it... Wife? Nope... Wait, I got it... Car!

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[srh3trinity]

Cool car. I have always been fond of Dusters/Demons. I like this one a lot: http://www.gforcedesignconcepts.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=DEMON

[72BBSwinger]

Cool! There are steps to take to achieve a good handling Mopar, T-bars,Shocks,Swaybars, BIGGER TIRES and a GOOD alignment. Kevin Wesleys Taxi in the new PHR proves what many have already known, it doesnt take a boat load of cash to make a Mopar handle. And an A-body has a little better front geometry right out of the box. Your particular year Duster suffers from heavy bumpers that can easily be swapped for glass from AAR in your neck of the woods. Looks like the front may already be glass in the pic. If it were me I would put glass 70 bumpers on it if its possible.

[Not A Nova]

Ultimately, I'd like to build this car into an almost-road-course, this-is-what-should-have-been-racing-trans-am-in-1973, kind of car.

Actually, at this point in the suspension dept, the big thing I want to do that I haven't already is wheel/tires, and I'm trying to get that into the works in the next month or so. I really wanted to be able to find Viper wheels in an 18x9, but it hasn't happened. I've been looking at FR500 Mustang wheels in flat black as an alternative, though. After that, a Firm Feel fast ratio idler and pitman arm, and I'm done with the twisty bits for a while. She's already got Hellwig bars front and rear, 1.00" T-bars, Mopar Performance Super Stock leaves, along with the interior bits that I've managed thus far. Got a 360 with ported J-heads and a fun little cam under that utterly ridiculous hood, manual steering, manual front discs, battery's in the trunk, heater box is half gone, haven't got 'round to pulling the rest of it out yet.

Got some frame rust to deal with, though not as much as I'd expected down here in Florida, along with some in the lower rear quarters and trunk. Bumpers are still the big old heavy factory pieces(I know this, as I've had to deal with them often enough...), but I'd like to do a bit of a 73/0 kind of deal, maybe with a shaker hood, definitely with the 70-72 bumpers/fillers/hood/maybe grille. Once all the rust spots are forcibly removed, subframe connectors will go in, and probably a cage. All the upholstery will get done along with the body work, in black.

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This was an early sketch by a buddy of what it could look like eventually. He's more of a classy custom kind of guy, whereas I like the unfinished look(and functionality.) What we've come up with more recently is a silver and flat black two tone, with AAR Cuda/Challenger T/A mix-up of side art(also in flat black. I like flat black.)

Before I go playing with the body, though, I'll be doing either a fully rebuilt 833 with hydraulic clutch, or Keisler's TKO 5 speed setup, also with a hydraulic clutch. Along with that, I'll do an 8.75 rear end with 3.55's, and rear disc's, and hopefully budget will permit a Viper or Vette brake setup around the same time.

THEN, eventually, someday, tubular upper control arms, stitch welded k member, -nice- fixed back buckets, and a Paxton centrifugal supercharger setup on a 408ci small block.

I saved this car a couple years ago from the hands of a kid who thought he was going to build a dragster out of it, and didn't do anything right(and I found a LOT of things he did.) - hence the name: Pandora.

-Alex

[83tb]

Hi Not A Nova, I am close by in Pensacola, cool ride!

[SparkyRnD]

cool project!

If you need an aluminum radiator, we make them for your car :)

http://www.rndfabrication.com/MoparAbody.html

[Not A Nova]

Hey 83tb, nice to see someone else out here!

And Sparky, I will definitely be looking at you guys for my radiator and catch tank when I get that far!

[SRD art]

Welcome aboard. If I were to own a Mopar it's be either a 68 Road Runner, or pretty much any year Duster. Looks like you've got a great project start. I like how you have the gauges laid out.

Keep the pics coming!