tobacjones

My brother and myself restored this old Duster a few years ago. We were going to sell it and try to make a little money. Now we are thinking about converting it to a V8 and making a fun car to keep out of it. The body is very solid and the interior is really clean, it just needs a little go power. The problem is that we are not very well versed in what combinations will work in this car. We are looking for some common sense suggestions.
Thanks,

TVLynn

It's well worth while but not cheap..Need to change the rear end, drive shaft, the trans, the radiator, the engine & related brackets. and shumaker motor mounts, and headers...
Or you can hop up the 6 Check Clifford Research for hop up parts, good valve job, .060 cut off the head, small 4bbl manifold and carb 450cfm ??

moe7404

and PLEASE put the stock fuel line on it. ie steel. the factory puts steel on the fuel line for a reason. .

tobacjones

We will replace the fuel line. The Duster already has new black wall tires also. So hopping up the 225 slant six would be popular? The car does have a front brake upgrade and the fold down rear seat.

moe7404

i swaped a 2 bbl into a 225 long before chrysler did. if you do a carb swap be sure the linkage does NOT jam at wide open. buy 2 ballast and put them in the glove box. at the first no start just swap out the one under the hood. heat or cold weather cause this the most.

tobacjones

What type of 2 BBL did you use and did you buy an intake or utilize an adapter? Did it make you Duster run any better? Ours runs real smooth and quite but there isn't much power. The car has about 72,000 miles on it now. We replaced the valve seals and flushed out the inside of the engine real good with kerosene. We tuned it up and it starts and runs real smooth.

moe7404

i used a early 60s 318 carb the one with a "V" clamp on the air cleaner. i welded a plate to the cast manifold. not the best way. if i was to do it over i would have it machined, and bolt the plate to the manifold. make the throttle shaft parallel to the crankshaft. the MOST imporant thing is that the carb does NOT stick wide open. that is just the basics of the mod. the stock 318 carb didnt need to be rejeted.. all so dont use fuel hose, get the right bendeing tool and make a steel fuel line. and a real tubing nut wrench. you wount get any more RPM but you will get more power and the MPG will not change much. if you overrev any stock chrysler engine the piston ring land is the weekest part it will break first

tobacjones

Thanks for your input. I will bend a new fuel line. The one in the picture came with the car and I was entered in a local parade so I left it. The old car was able to "tour" the 4 1/2 mile stop and go parade route with no issues. It was very hot and the 71 Callenger convertible that was ahead of us in line overheated and had to drop out early. Several of the 100+ cars couldn't make the route.

moe7404

i have been driving chryslers since only 1965. i have learned that chrysler makes some things real well, but others not so well. but over all they do safety very well. any fuel lines, trans lines ect they do very well. ie do NOT use copper lines EVER.