New member

[Blainethemono]

Hello all.. Just joined..... I own a 71 Duster thats been on blocks for a few years while I take care of some stuff. All started with replacing the heater core, then one thing lead to another. Im sure you have ALL been there, done that.......

Anyway, I have owned my Dumpster for about 18 years, bought it off a kid for $700. Rebuilt 904 transmisison with a shift kit, balanced drive shaft, rebuilt 318 with steel timing chain, an RV cam, & sporting an Edelbrock Performer manifold with a Carter 625 carb, all with newly installed Hooker Competition headers. Accel Power coil, new electronic ignition distributor and spark unit. A 120 AMP Lestek alternator supplies the juice for engine, lights and 350 watt stereo system.

While I was at it, I dumped that horrid 7.25 rear end with 2.76 gears, for an 8.75 rearend out of a early 60s Dodge pickup. I also scored a pair of 323 and 390 pumpkins. The 390 is installed right now, sitting on top of some 340 leaf springs with Gabriel Highjackers. Looking to do a Sure Grip spooler real soon. More to come on that.

Interior is all black, harvested from a defunct Duster that didnt need its interior anymore. Real nice newly upholstered Bench seat that goes well with my B&M floor shifter.

Right now Im working on getting my baby started so I can concentrate on other things. Ive redone my instrument cluster with digital gauges, removed the old frazzeled wiring harness under the dash, and am looking @ a new fuse block to round it out......

So onto my question, which, among other things is why I joined. My Red Cap steering box....

Fit looks tighter then a bulls ass in fly time, and Ive heard rumors about taking a ball peen hammer to the header tubes to make it fit...

Its a Power Steering unit, and the Hookers are designed to accomodate it. In your guys experience do I have to hammer away on my new headers, or can I jack the mill up, fanagle the header tubes a bit, and slip that bad boy into place with just a lil fuss?? These are the Hookers with the detachable front tube that snakes below the lower A frame...

Thanx, and I look forward to chatting with everybody about thier MOPARS...

[Doc]

Welcome .... and DARN those duplicate posts !

[challenger]

Welcome to the forums Blainethemono im sure you will get all the help you might need --- sounds like you have a nice project going and as far as those headers i have had a 72 340 duster which i had the same take apart ones you are talking about but yes i had to bump them alittle to make them fit but im not telling you to... as after they sort of rusted away i went to the shorty headers and didn't really lose that much in performance wise like everyone says you do any way welcome and hope that helped ya' alittle

[challenger]

P.S once you do get them in they do fit sort of nice but i didn't have power steering on mine and they took a little bit of moving parts around to get into place