1971 Plymouth Duster 340+6 Is Complete!

You will love that kit, it is an absolute joy to build!

I have built one previously and modified it as a '70 Duster 340 that I once owned back in 1974.

Great kit, you'll like it. Looking foreward to seeing this one so keep posting pics/updates for us!   

Thanks jb4406!  

I wasn't sure if I wanted to use a rear deck spoiler or not.  I prefer a ducktail spoiler versus a wing spoiler.  My reasoning is this...the wing spoiler generally looks like a tack-on accessory versus the ducktail spoiler which, for the most part, looks like a part of the car.  A search through my parts box produced nothing that I could use on the Duster so I am going to use the kit wing spoiler, but it'll be painted the main body color instead of flat black as it came from the factory.  First, I had to fill a couple of injector marks on the underside of the spoiler.

When the Bondo was dry, I sanded it smooth and mounted the stanchions.

I started assembling the engine which will be painted Hemi Orange.  I didn't glue the intake manifold on as I may paint it aluminium.  

More to come...

This morning, I started painting the engine and air cleaner parts with Mopar Hemi Orange Engine Enamel.

I drilled out the heads for spark plug wires before I painted the engine.  I usually do that after I paint so I guess I am changing my ways for the better!

I prepped the hood for scoops.  If you look at the scoops, they are shorter on one side versus the other and I have notice this on 1:1 Mopars with this type of hood scoop, too.  The higher side would be towards the center of the hood.  To me, the scoops should be swapped with the high side towards the outside edge of the hood,  But then, that's just me.

More to come...

She's coming along nicely.

Yeah, you've got it right on the scoops, the higher side does go to the outside. Here's a link to a pic of the 1:1

http://www.classiccarart.us/carsPlymouthsDusters34.htm

Thanks guys!  I have seen the scoops mounted both ways in scale and 1:1 and with the high edge towards the center of the hood, it just looked all wrong.  I would say that I got it right based on what looks right to me!  Thanks for the link kustommodeler1!

You got me thinking about building another one of these! I have a grille & tail light panel from an old MPC (I think) Dodge Demon in the spares box that I could graft onto this body. When I was a kid, the neighbor's daughter across the street had one, I think I'll build it like that!

Sounds like a good project jb4406!  Some of my favorite projects have a touch of my past to them.  Sometimes replicating a car or truck from your past can be challenging and fun.  

I did a quicky mockup to help get an idea of how the Duster is going to look.  I also checked the body for flaws and found a few...nothing major.  Another coat of primer, a quick and light sanding and it'll be ready for it's tu-tone paint scheme.

I fitted the carbs onto the manifold and painted it all with Aluminium Metalizer.  I'll start detailing the carbs later with paint and maybe fuel lines.

I dredged the wheels out of the purple pond after a couple days of soaking.  A good washing with some Dawn detergent and hot water and the wheels are ready for some gloss black and Alclad paints.

More to come...

I haven't wired an engine in a while so this was an opportunity to do so.  Using Tim Boyd's article in the April 2012 issue of Scale Auto as a guide, I drilled out the distributor and added the wires from Precision Model Works cut into lengths from 1 1/2 to 2 inches long and glued them into the cap.  I fanned out the wires and added my plug boots.

I glued the distributor to the intake manifold with the wires crossed over the cap.

Since I am not using the A/C unit for this build, I searched the parts box for a single belt fan belt an pulley assembly.  I also found a alternator with a mounting bracket so the alternator won't be left hanging in the air.

More to come...

I haven't wired an engine in a while so this was an opportunity to do so.  Using Tim Boyd's article in the April 2012 issue of Scale Auto as a guide, I drilled out the distributor and added the wires from Precision Model Works cut into lengths from 1 1/2 to 2 inches long and glued them into the cap.  I fanned out the wires and added my plug boots.

I glued the distributor to the intake manifold with the wires crossed over the cap.

Since I am not using the A/C unit for this build, I searched the parts box for a single belt fan belt an pulley assembly.  I also found a alternator with a mounting bracket so the alternator won't be left hanging in the air.

More to come...

Wow... nice job on this build so far.. I too have this kit but not sure when I'll build mine. I have a few projects in the works currently.

Thanks Felix!  This is the second kit of this model that I have built.  Overall, a really good kit to build and have fun with!

This afternoon I painted the wheels with Testors gloss black, waited about 15 minutes and then sprayed Alclad II chrome paint with my airbrush.  I think they came out great!  I am thinking about painting the wheel centers with my secondary color Tamiya  TS-42 Light Gunmetal.

Since the booth was up and running, I also painted the body with Tamiya TS-31 Bright Orange.  The hood didn't fare as well with a lot of dust particles in the paint.  It is now residing at the bottom of the purple pond.  I'll clean it up and repaint it.

I also painted the floor pan and the front sub-frame.

More to come...

Lookin great man, I can't wait to see the final product! Hey what is the purple pond you refer to for stripping the chrome and paint?

Nothing says "Muscle Car" quite like Hemi orange!

Thanks guys!  The "purple pond" is in reference to Purple Power Cleaner/Degreaser.  It strips most chrome and paint.

The engine is complete except for decals.

The wheel centers have been painted and lug nuts detailed with chrome silver paint.

More to come...

I polished the body and just as I expected, I rubbed through the paint in a few spots.  No big deal since it was just a few light coats of paint...not a wet coat.  Another wet coat or two and the body will be golden!

A mock up of the rear spoiler.  I like it painted in the body color as it doesn't look like a tacked on accessory.

The hood painted in Tamiya TS-42 Light Gunmetal.

Once the body paint is to my liking, I'll mask it off for the secondary color to be applied to the front fender and door tops and around the side windows.

More to come...

Masking is not something that I am good at.  This afternoon I masked off the Duster so I could apply the secondary color of Light Gunmetal.  It came out fairly good, but I have to clean up the edge around the top of the windows.

I started working on the front suspension.  When I got to the spindles, I noticed the offset on them.  Instead of installing them per the instructions, I inverted them to see if I can lower the nose of the Duster.  I'll do a mockup later and see what the stance looks like.

More to come...

I did a mockup to check the stance and engine placement.

I tried the hood with the air cleaner on and the hood is almost closed.  I'll trim the underside of the air cleaner for a better fit.  

I really like the stance with the inverted spindles.

More to come...

I foiled the body tonight.

The interior is next.

More to come...

This afternoon I made the interior carpet with embossing powder and then I painted over it with flat black paint.

The rest of the interior was painted with satin black paint.

I filled the slots under the dash since this Duster does not have A/C.  The Hurst shifter w/T-handle came from my parts box.  I'll detail the dash when it is dry enough to handle.

More to come...

Mike its really looking great!

Thanks Trey!

Last night, before turning in, I decided to paint the seating surfaces in Humbrol Gunmetal.  My first thought was to use the Tamiya Bright Orange, but I nixed that idea as being too garish.  

I installed the core support and radiator hoses.

And, thanks to fellow Classic Plastic Model Club member GASSERS#1, I have a transmission mount, so the chassis is now complete.  Thanks John!

More to come...

Too garish??? Back in the day you could actually buy the car w/ the orange inserts. Thankfully, my '70 Challenger RT/SE has the blue cloth inserts on blue vinyl!!

The build is really coming together nicely (pun intended). I agree, the drop spindles give it a really mean look.

I remember those days!  In my youth I thought the brightly colored inserts were great, but now that I am older and wiser with a better sense of style, those brightly colored inserts (along with bellbottom jeans and granny glasses) are a thing of the past.  Sometimes it doesn't stink to get old.  

This project is really coming along and I am stoked for getting it finished.  I finished the interior this afternoon.

I painted the inboard ends of the taillights as backup lights.

The engine bay is ready for the engine.

More to come...

Well, I was ready to go and install the glass last night and discovered...no glass!  I looked all over the shop for it and I couldn't find it.  And, I can't for the life of me remember if the glass was in the kit when I bought it.  The kit was open when I bought it.  So into the parts box I went searching for glass and I found one that will fit the rear window with a little trimming.  I couldn't find a windshield so I'll use a sheet of clear acetate and make a windshield and side windows too.