Project Demon Spawn: the rebirth of my 70' Duster-efi, 408ci, t56, dana 60

[Chris 68]

Haha thanks guys, since for the most part its just going to be plugging in, bolting in, and swap over it should go pretty quick once all the chassis mods, body work, and paint are done on the demon. Im hoping its done in well under 6 months, but by now i know my goals are way too optimistic

Hey man if you ever need an extra set of hands let me know!

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Thanks Chris! Ill let you know the next time im down- maybe with the duster, maybe without it at this rate. My project when i get home will be to start making the framework between the subframe to support the fuel cell, and to start mini tubbing it.

[aps63]

Glad to hear that your ok Tim. The new duster looks like a good starting point.
Especially when you can cut up the old one to fix the new one.
I agree the black was badass, you should keep that.
Good luck with it and keep the pictures coming.

[rfalker1]

Glad you are ok, people are so rude now a days!!! Looks like the cage held together very well too!!
I hit somebody once, at like 8 mph in a van when i was 19 and I was devastated thinking I had hurt the person in the car. I jumped out the car so quick hoping that was ok. I wish they where like that, but unfortunately they weren't.

So a new build thread for you!!!!!

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Thanks guys

It looks like were gunna be in it for the long haul-I called state farm and finally got a hold of my rep to find out they've done basically nothing. Their findings are that my car has a six cylinder, three speed manual, a "high end stereo" (ok, your right, i spent $120 on it), aluminum alloy wheels, and recaro race seats (how they concluded that I don't know). They assert they don't blindly pull up KBB figures, so I don't know how they blindly assumed it was a /6 with a 3spd when they sent an "expert" to physically LOOK at my vehicle, I'm trying to keep calm but theyre a bunch of idiots. Thank god I kept the receipts.

[craigs73]

yes the receipts will help you.......... so much for a expert must have just ran the vin and the "expert" computer told them what it was

[Vicinity]

Thanks guys

It looks like were gunna be in it for the long haul-I called state farm and finally got a hold of my rep to find out they've done basically nothing. Their findings are that my car has a six cylinder, three speed manual, a "high end stereo" (ok, your right, i spent $120 on it), aluminum alloy wheels, and recaro race seats (how they concluded that I don't know). They assert they don't blindly pull up KBB figures, so I don't know how they blindly assumed it was a /6 with a 3spd when they sent an "expert" to physically LOOK at my vehicle, I'm trying to keep calm but theyre a bunch of idiots. Thank god I kept the receipts.

Tell them if it was a 6 cyl, what are the extra spark plugs for?

Sorry that had to happen to you. Looked like it was an awesome ride.

[sr73bu]

This is inspiring... glad to see you jumped back in and didn't give up!

I'm sure you've already seen the G-Force Demon... if you haven't, check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1RO2OOingI

-Sean

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Thanks Sean, yes ive seen that hundreds of times haha. I love that demon, i dont want to copy it's sassy grass greenish color, so i think im going with a bit lighter "sublime" green. I still like the flat black, but with no a/c and the florida sun ive been wanting to make the duster a lighter color. Additionally sublime green should be obnoxious enough that nobody can overlook it in traffic again. Im also going to install LED brake lights, a 3rd brake light, and maybe sequential tail lights 'cause theyre cool.

To add an update to the whole insurace fiasco: The manager of the total losses dept called after i had (politely) complained loudly enough about how their claims adjuster was a blind idiot. The manager said that since my dusters such a specialized car, theyre going to hire a third party appraiser. I should get the new offer thursday-ish. The only issue is that if the appraiser values it higher, they 'buy back' will be higher, so ill probably end up with the same check to fix everything either way, but well see...theres always the lawyer card (which costs 1/3 of the settlement).

[sr73bu]

My chevelle was "totaled" about ten years ago.... At the stage you are at now (not happy with insurance value) I requested a third party appraiser be someone with knowledge of "specialized cars" value. The insurance company agreed and hired (with my suggestion) a local shop that builds hot rods along with regular insurance jobs. He went above and beyond, noting key things about the car that held value, that the "normal" eye wouldn't see. After that I was contacted by the insurance company.. they gave me a "fair" check and I requested to keep the car. In the end I had my check and was able to salvage everything that was usable (nearly eveything but the fenders/hood/frame/rad/support). Other than your time, if you work out something like that you will break even or even come out ahead in the end... just keep in mind everything that you can keep from the car... its the mechincal things that hold greatest value, I stepped back and looked at it that way,, in the end and I actually didn't do so bad... Good luck with everything!

-Sean

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Thats good advice Sean, I dont know anyone up here who could estimate something like this, so i have to rely on their "third" party appraiser to see what it is and be fair about it. I gave them all the reciepts i had, so all i can do now is wait a couple more days and hear what they estimate the value to be. As soon as i get my truck up and running im pulling the duster out of the salvage yard and to our shop though.

My dads spent a few more hours on the demon. Aside from the lower quarter panels, which are back-ordered, my dad thinks the rear of the car will be in primer within a week.

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Wish i could be posting progress that ive made instead of my dad's, but the sooner its on the road the better. Winter break officially starts Dec 10th, so i should get some good progress in then. Well, heres the pictures my dad sent. I have no new news for the insurance side of things, should get a # value for everything tomorrow.

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Hey guys, just a bit of an update on the insurance issue: After impatiently waiting for the insurance companies initial offer i called and got pushed around for 1 1/2 hours to find out that my rep did NOTHING in the past week on my claim. The rep i talked to put an offer together in 10mins, but because we want to keep the duster for parts they need to send another appraiser out to estimate its salvagable value. The simple facts i have are that we have $17000 in reciepts (theres more in it that we dont have reciepts for), they offered us $14700 MINUS the salvagable value of the car. I cant imagine how long itll take to reach an agreeable value, only time can tell. Im just counting the days until schools over..I have about 1-2 days work left into my 6spd swap on my cummins ram (since the auto died towing the demon). When thats done im going to trailer the duster to our shop-i dont care what state farm says.

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Well good news finally! State Farm finally got around to figuring the dusters current value for salvage and it came to..$800!! So that means we will be more than compensated for the accident, the check should be at the local office tomorrow, and I will be picking up the duster after finals on thursday. Heres what my dads gotten done on the demon so far: The bottoms of the quarter panels by the front of the rear wheel wells need to be replaced-some of the dusters old sheetmetal will still live on. edit: the doors and inner fender wells are the other sheet metal bits that will be reused from the duster...

[Chris 68]

Well good news finally! State Farm finally got around to figuring the dusters current value for salvage and it came to..$800!! So that means we will be more than compensated for the accident, the check should be at the local office tomorrow, and I will be picking up the duster after finals on thursday. Heres what my dads gotten done on the demon so far: The bottoms of the quarter panels by the front of the rear wheel wells need to be replaced-some of the dusters old sheetmetal will still live on...

Thats awesome man! When are your finals over?

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Thanks! gunna be over weds night. now that my trucks all back together, my friend and i are going to take the duster down there thursday, but its just going to be a turn and burn thing, i work thurs night and my gf graduates friday (overachiever haha). But i should be down for a few solid days next week

[dusterbd13]

so, you wound up 13,900 to the positive.
still not great news, but better than expected.

the demon is looking good. (well, the parts in primer anyway).
heres to hoping you can salvage more of the duster than you think you can.

(was the grille in your car any good after the accudent? need some grille parts for a friend of mine.
and also, did i see somewhere that the demon has no inner fenders left?
tell your gurlfriend congradulations, and good luck on finals.
michael

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Thanks michael, i should be studying for them now, but ive almost had enough...The inner fenders on the demon were cut out (guy wanted to make it into a big block drag car..luckally he didnt get too far) i was looking into possibly modifying them to accept wider front tires, but came across a thread on FABO where a member was running 275's up front stock! Were just going to cut spot welds on the duster, and put the dusters inner fenders into the demon, hopefully not too complex...

Heres the best shot i have of the grille, in another picture on pg1 you can see how bent inward the drivers side is-it may be reversible if its just in that shape from the sheet metal-ill know thurs or within a week when i have some time back home finally:

If theres anything you see as salvagable on it (or any duster parts you may need that i may not be able to reuse) let me know

[aps63]

Glad to hear you got eveything settled with the ins.
You just had to stick to your guns.
Demon's looking good, sounds like a great dad.
Looking forward to the new build.

[ALLstrokedOUT]

Thanks paul, my dad is a great guy, I told him to keep on his project (full resto of his 63' corvette) but he insisted on getting the demon on the road asap...but you also have to realize its his fault i have this 'sickness' and im into this stuff and not driving a civic to begin with haha. Hopefully over winter break ill be home 4 days a week and i can take over a lot of the build, definatly the floor, subframe connectors, roll cage, firewall...as far as body/structure goes.