74 Duster - My first project.

Ragtacker wrote:Autosol ... whoever invented that gets a gold star! Looking sharp fill it up and cruise!

That stuff comes from Australia I think.

JGL wrote:

Ragtacker wrote:Autosol ... whoever invented that gets a gold star! Looking sharp fill it up and cruise!

That stuff comes from Australia I think.

It's originally from Germany.

smoken340 wrote:

JGL wrote:

Ragtacker wrote:Autosol ... whoever invented that gets a gold star! Looking sharp fill it up and cruise!

That stuff comes from Australia I think.

It's originally from Germany.

I stand corrected, I should have looked on the tube or box.

smoken340 wrote:

JGL wrote:

Ragtacker wrote:Autosol ... whoever invented that gets a gold star! Looking sharp fill it up and cruise!

That stuff comes from Australia I think.

It's originally from Germany.

Its awesome stuff. If theres a bit of cloudyness I use work it in with some xxxx steel wool then polish works like crazy.

I picked up some Autosol and it really seems to work. I hope to get the wheels cleaned up and the trans cooler lines replaced while I'm waiting for my suspension parts.

Cley

Awesome news Cley.

Another great thing is I found an A-body width 8 3/4" rear complete except no center section for $250.00. I picked that up on the weekend. I have a B body housing that I was going to get cut down, and I may still but now my next focus after I get it back together will be this A body housing.

Cley

Thats a good price for a housing and axles etc. Do you know if they are small bolt pattern or large?

Thats an excellent price is right , hens teeth and 8 3/4 hard to find

It is a small bolt pattern.

Cley

Well the brown truck full of joy and happiness should arrive next week with my suspension parts! I ordered 1.03" torsion bars, Tubular upper control arms, Lower control arm rebuild/reinforcement kit, Tie rod ends and solid adjusters,
RCD shocks and Sway Bars for both ends. I got it all from PST Suspension cause of the 10% FABO discount, and I thought if I got all the parts from 1 place I'd save on some shipping costs. Shipping was only 130 bucks US from New Jersey to Saskatchewan.

PST was great to deal with so far!

Cley

Watch those crooks in the brown truck their brokerage is obscene at least it is out here. sounds like a nice bunch of goodies

Ragtacker wrote:Watch those crooks in the brown truck their brokerage is obscene at least it is out here. sounds like a nice bunch of goodies

UPS is famous for robbing us Canadians, I and many others have been burned by them so I try and use anybody else but them.

Not all that fond of the brown truck either, their brokerage fee's are sometimes higher than the cost of the parts.

I just got the call that I owe them another 230 bucks for brokerage and buggery fees. It was here in a week though. Live and learn I guess.

Cley

You may be able to get them to lower the price by complaining to a manager. I know that I was able to do it the one and only time that I used them. I will no longer buy from anyone that uses them for shipping.

Same here Dan

New parts make me happy! This is the single largest shipment of new parts I have ever received. Not cheap, but going to be so well worth it.



My booger welds look better than the factory stuff! But that doesn't take much!



Here it is starting back together.



At this point I stopped taking pictures and started working! I am done except bleeding the brakes and doing the alignment. I'm taking the long weekend off then getting her back on the road before the end of May. Likely next step will be wheels and tires, but that will be a while from now. I think it will be great as is. I'm looking forward to making some miles.

Cley

I see you lost your shirt in the process, it is lying on the floor.

Looks like you did not forget anything. Good job!

Hey Cley. What did you all buy, new parts are great.

I bought Tubular Upper Control Arms, Lower Control Arm stiffening plates, bushings and pins, 1.03" torsion bars, 11/16" tie rod ends and solid adjusters, Bilstien RCD shocks and front and rear sway bars. I had a factory sway bar in the front but the new one is twice as thick. My old shocks were new stock replacements and loose as hell, and I had stock small block torsion bars. It handled like shit so I expect a huge improvement.

The only thing I an not sure of is my Super Stock springs in the back. When I set up the ride height I won't be putting it too low since I drive on Saskatchewan roads! I may use a 1" lowering block in the back and adjust the height so it looks good from there. I have a couple weeks to think about it before I can get back to the garage. I'm coaching Football 4 nights a week so time is tighter than usual right now!

Cley

All I can say is WOW! These suspension upgrades make a night and day difference in the handling of this car. I am so happy to be driving it again, and with the way it is so stable just amazes me. I got the alignment done, fixed all the leaks and hit the road. I need to adjust the fuel pressure down a little and throw a timing light on it but it does start, run and drive great now. I think this will be a great summer.

Here it is before the alignment. Front is a little low.



And here it is after the alignment. Sitting a little high but I am thinking the torsion bars will settle a little. Then I'll get the toe adjusted when they do.


Cley

I likey

In my useless opinion, the first pic was a little low and the second a little too high, but that is just me. It's your liking that matters.

It looks like you have long shackle hangers in the rear? can you lower the rear and inch or so. then drop the front to level the car out. Mine sits up in the rear due to a 28" tall tire and a strong arc in the spring. I would like to drop mine 2" but need lowering blocks to do that.