1970 duster Kinda pro-touring, somewhat lo budget build

Last budget: 9347.07ish Money spent and made:

2 4 relay panels from Britain (why?) 52.40 25 foot 6 gauge alternator charge wire, and terminals: 28.90 2 add on relay blocks, and extra terminals 30.77 8 dodge neon 5 pin relays, pull-a-part: 24 Durango rear leafs, pull-a-part: 44 MS2, 10 foot harness, cables, etc from diyautotune: 740 Sheet metal from tractor supply 7:70 1/8 npt fuel rated schrader valve, diesel o-rings 5.50 Kenwood HD adapter and cable, GRM Forum member: 10

New total: 10,290.34ish

Ok, so I spent a bit of money.

More like a lot of freaking money. Holy crap, that escalated quickly.

Anyway, first, a very expensive picture. Ignore the LC1 in the picture, until I can test it good im not adding it.

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160603_170535_zps3ljdjdww.jpg.html][/URL]

And a picture of the schrader valve after a little explanation: I don't trust the mechanical pressure gauge. I've already had two fail, and if the Bordon tube fails, we get one heck of a BBQ going on. Id really rather not have that. So, this company I found, diesel o-rings.com, makes a 1/8 npt schrader valve adapter for some ford diesel to be able to use a normal fuel pressure tester on it. Which is perfect for my needs. I debated putting an electronic gauge in the car for constant monitoring, as well as a wide-band gauge and vacuum gauge.. I eventually think I probably decided not to add them. Because, lets be honest, do I really need them? If its running right, its running right. If its not, the gauges wont help me much. Just adds complexity, cost, and driver distraction. Which im trying to reduce here. A simple fuel pressure tester is fine for diagnostics and setting, as well as accurate enough. So, here's a blurry picture of a brass fitting sitting on my workbench. [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160603_170544_zpsd1izswjq.jpg.html][/URL]

So, now were on to wiring I guess. I have had people ask me to do a solid write-up of how to wire a car from scratch. Well, im not going to do that. There's books, websites, magazine articles, etc for that. What I will give here is some good tips and tricks that I have picked up after building over 30 wiring harnesses, as well as what products I tend to use and why.

First, lets talk about general planning.

This car will be fuel injected, air conditioned, cruise controlled, mid 90s level of technology, street car that will go on some tracks. So, to that end, some basic requirements are in order: 1.Ease of service. 2.Robustness. 3.Water-proof. 4.Future-proof

So, some of the things I will be talking about for my build are absolute, tee-total overkill. Like killing a fruit fly with an ICBM. Just fair warning: some of this would be ridiculous on another persons car. Hell, some of it is ridiculous on mine.

First, lets talk about battery. Mine is in the trunk, centered over the rear differential. It has a 0 gauge cable running from the positive side to the starter, and a remote kill in that cable. This is for ease of shut down, safety at the track, and ease of service on electrical should it become necessary on the side of the road at some point. For a remote kill to operate properly, it needs to shut ALL electrical down when flipped. This means that the alternator charge wiring and harness feed wiring need to be on opposite sides. Which means, by extension, that the alternator (at the front of the car) needs to go directly to battery positive terminal (at the back of the car). For this, I am using 6 gauge cable. Now, this is overkill for a 115 amp alternator. Its slightly large for a 140 amp (sometime soon), but is inexpensive in bulk. I use very finely stranded car audio amp power cable for this, as its very flexible, good bend radius, and cheap. The fine strands are the reason I up size slightly. I also use copper lugs when possible, crimping and dimpling them. I then use marine/adhesive heat shrink over the mechanical connection. The adhesive adds to waterproofing, and some mechanical pullout strength.

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160603_211857_zpszynra3yg.jpg.html][/URL]

You'll also notice that I added convoluted tubing for the entirety. Id really rather not have a short in the alternator charge line due to abrasion, so I take every reasonable precaution when routing and then wrap it for another OCD layer of protection.

So, now we need to get the juice from the battery to the harness. On this car, im using 4 gauge amp wire from the battery kill, up the passengers side rocker, to the glove compartment. 4 gauge is way too much, really. But I had it. You will notice, again, wrapped in convoluted tubing for added protection.

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160603_212132_zpsz8ex7kb6.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160603_212125_zpschlzfwvt.jpg.html][/URL]

The last battery connections are the basics of the ground system. In my experience, you can never have too many grounds. Also, the grounds can never bee too big. Even a ground wire carries current, so it needs to be the proper size or bigger to do its job properly. This car, I have a o gauge ground from battery to uni-body sub-frame in the rear. I have a 0 gauge from engine to front sub-frame, and a 4 gauge from battery to drivers side cylinder head. The 4 gauge is actually a little small for this, but I expect that it will NOT be taking much of the ground path amp load. Testing will prove/disprove this.

So, we've got a whole bunch of really big wires at this point, going to nothing. That's going to change in the next update, probably tomorrow night or the next night.

Last budget: 10290.34ish Money spent and made:

Sold the 340 leaves -100 Sold the big block torsion bars -200 pst 1.08 tbars 230 Qa1 adjustable strut rods: 180 Spax adjustable shocks: 239 2 inch blocks: 20 Speedway leaf spring sliders: 69 4x4x6x1/4 leaf spring slider steel 18 Techflex f6 loom 50 Plugs/wires/cap/rotor 25 Spartan2 wideband and controller 100 Sweet mfg u joint 53

New total: 10,974.34 ish

Long time, no updates. But I have an EXCUSE this time!!!

But it a pretty lame excuse, so I wont use it.

I also don't have a bunch of pictures, because I honestly didn't take them. I got engrossed in building the harness, and just kept going. I find wiring to be very therapeutic and zen-like.

So, first up is the suspension tweaks. I honestly always felt the car was under-sprung and over-damped with the kyb’s, 340 leaves, big block torsion bars, etc. My steering coupler also needed rebuilt again, and my adjustable strut rods were seized sold and had to be cut out to remove. So yeah, pretty rough. I sold what I could, scrapped the rest. The t-bars went to California, the 340 leaves went to Roy in exchange for his worn out stockers, and the strut rods are in the scrap metal bin. The kybs are in cold storage helping to hold the floor down. Anybody want fairly fresh KYB shocks?

So up front, I replaced the chopped up strut rods with qa1 adjustable because they were inexpensive, looked to be well engineered, and readily repairable should the worst happen. Coated them up with never-seize because the ends are steel and the tube is aluminum, and I know there is some issues with that when you add water. I also went with PST torsion bars, and spax adjustable shocks. [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160625_175432_zpsdj3yd16o.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160625_175421_zpsyghjxr2d.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160814_135421_zpsxoraxxl6.jpg.html][/URL]

In the rear, I wanted to try something completely lunatic fringe. Taking a page from the circle track/road race guys, I'm experimenting. I wanted to try my hand a a custom built leaf pack, as well as try out sliders. So I did. I built, using Roy's worn out cuda springs and a set of junkyard durango springs, a 7 leaf pack with a spring on top of the main leaf to act as a traction/brake hop bar. They're right at 200 lb/in at the moment, so they may be too stuff. But with as simple as building the pack is, its easy to experiment with different leaves and lengths. The leaf pack I built wound up raising the car about 3 inches over where I had it on flipped hangars and 10 year old 340 leaves. I wanted about 1/2-1 inch higher, so we got too much. Grabbed a set of 2 inch lowering blocks at the parts store, and away I went!!

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160814_132653_zpsxgm3ozsd.jpg.html][/URL]

The sliders aren't finished yet, as I'm still arguing with the voices in my head about how to build the mounts. But I think I have a plan now. Maybe. Here's the mock up. [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160829_072249_zpsb8gasibr.jpg.html][/URL]

Ok, next up I guess is going to be the very verbose, very dry, completely un-entertaining and baffling wall of text about wiring. Feel free to skip to the end, as there will be very few pictures worth looking at until then.

After building the main power distribution system in the last post consisting of ground wires, distribution panels, alternator wires, etc, we now have to put it to use. This is done with plenty of little wires of various colors going to various things. And so....

On most harnesses I have built for the old cars, I have come to the conclusion (right or wrong) that I don't want all the current going through the ignition switch. Mostly because they aren't rated for what the updates are pulling now (there's really no empirical data on amp ratings that I have found, but charging systems of the day were 75 at the HIGH end. Smallest alternator I have installed lately is 105 amp. So yeah, don't want that being sent through a Chinese copy of a 40 year old design...) so I relay the whole system. I use a panel that I found on eBay from Britain of all places, and only sent a 3 amp load through the switch itself. Use the switch to fire 4 relays accessory1 &2 (30a ea) starter (30a) and ignition (30a). I like doing it this way. I use Chrysler relays from wrecked 90s era FWD mopars, as they are robust, cheap, and over engineered. I use the Bosch 5 pin relay wiring diagram found almost anywhere. As my daughter would say, “easy peasey lemon squeezy!”. I also tend, on my own stuff, to use EZ wiring 21 circuit harness kits. They suck horribly. Poorly laid out, indecipherable writing without glasses, and slightly undersized in some circuits. Also, no ground wires, anywhere. At all. And if you're counting on the contents of the box to have all the terminals you'll need, you're wrong. American autowire is a much better product in every conceivable way, except price. I use these as the cheapest source of bulk colored wire and a fuse panel I can find. Immediately upon removing the harness from the box, I cut every zip tie and unloom it from the way the manufacturer laid it out. Out of 10 times I have installed one of these, only once was it anywhere close to how I wanted it laid out in the car. Its just easier to get the hassle of rerouting it all out of the way at the beginning.

So, in this car, I needed effectively two separate wiring harnesses. The main chassis harness, which powers everything but the EFI, and the EFI. I designed it in such as way that there are only 3 wires that cross between the two: batter feed to both sets of relays, one wire from the ignition relay to the megasquirt relays, and a ground screw for the relays. Everything else is separate. Relays also act as a filter for electrical noise, so using them is very beneficial. I also needed separate fuses for the injectors, megasquirt, fuel pump, and wideband. This whole fuse block is powered from the main relay, which is powered from the ignition relay.

Anyway, here's a picture of the panel I made for the glove compartment to hold all this crap. [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160608_094313_zpsfsvpr3gx.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160608_103000_zpst0i6j6qt.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160608_103007_zpsblnhutfg.jpg.html][/URL]

Now comes the part that either makes or breaks the whole job. Routing the harness. It needs to be accessible, but tidy and hidden in plain sight. Its one of those jobs that when done well is not noticed, even though everyone can see it. Its very daunting. My method goes through a TON of zip ties. I tend to string one circuit at a time. Typically I start with the ignition switch and relay power. Now, I've done enough harnesses that I have a general idea of how big the bundles will be, and how they will need to be routed. I also, before starting to string wires, locate ALL electrical components where they will live permanently. Then, its just a matter of playing connect the dots. I also make certain to leave enough slack in my wiring drops to be able to easily service things later. It sucks digging around under a dash for the gauge cluster connectors because you didn't leave enough slack to fit your hand between the instrument panel and dash frame.

Which brings me to my next topic: harness connectors. In most cases, there is no good reason to permanently wire a component. Most things WILL fail on a long enough time line, and having to cut them out of the harness just to re-splice things is tedious and unnecessary. I tend to use a variety of connectors. My preferred are GM wetherpack, and radio shack 12 pin computer power terminals. They are readily available almost anywhere, easy to assemble and disassemble, and carry up to 15 amps reliably (you can do 30 amp loads, but the terminals are harder to find, and I prefer a Packard style for higher amp loads.)

Anyway, here's some random pictures I took.

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160610_194055_zpsmwapg04p.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160610_214051_zps0u8tunin.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160612_173527_zpsqimnrgoa.jpg.html][/URL]

On this car, I decided to install a rostra cruise control unit. But I didn't want anyone to know it. So I mounted it under the dash, feeding the cable out through the firewall with the wiring harness. Tucked up real nice, with nice cable routing. I also deleted all the extra wires that made it universal, just to clean things up. A lot of folks don't do that, and I understand why, but I'm not one of those folks.

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160610_214058_zpsdbfbbsdr.jpg.html][/URL]

Engine bays are where I take special pride. A well done harness isn't quite what the import kids used to call a wire tuck, but it kind of is. Its all hidden in plain sight. The type of wiring loom must coincide with the build style, the wires must be accessible but hidden, and they must be protected from damage. Factory usually wasn't the cleanest looking, but if you follow their suggestions, they'll get you pretty close. They did it for maximum ease of service and assembly. But also least succeptiable to damage.

On this car, I've had three different harness coverings on three different harnesses, factory was covered with convoluted tubing in high school. The last Restoration, it got wrapped with summit extreme tape, a non adhesive glossy black silicone tape. This time, I wanted something similar to the painless powerbraid. Techflex f6pro is on amazon for cheap, and I like it. Wrap the ends with the summit tape, and hide it in plain sight. See what I'm talking about? The entire engine bay is wired except plug wires in this picture. Play find the harness...

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160806_085704_zpsezyu5pk7.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160806_085717_zpsf1lgxfj8.jpg.html][/URL]

I also am a huge fan of light upgrades. I have a very hard time seeing at night, and old cars typically lack in the light department compared to new stuff anyway. So I build a set of bi-xenon projector retrofit headlights out of a jeep JK set of factory housings, and mirimoto 6.0 projectors. Unfortunately they looked like alien boobs, so I scrapped them and am throwing the projectors into the daily. Ill find a set of cibie e-codes and some good bulbs for this one.

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160629_145736_zpswjvpblao.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160629_145730_zpspxccempw.jpg.html][/URL]

On the topic of light upgrades, I do enjoy good interior lighting as well. Lately, I have been using these .96 cent 1x2 flat LED self adhesive panels for interior lights. They work well, though they don't always have consistent light color. This shipment was bluish. But, they are nearly invisible when placed properly. In this car, I've got two for trunk lights, and 4 for foot well lights in the interior. Speaking of interior, I finally adapted the neon hand brake lever, and dyed the console black. Only been meaning to do that for a couple of years. Additionally, I added a USB charge port to the console up near the cup holders. I still have to figure out how to hook up the parking brake handle to the rear drums, but, one step at a time.

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160829_072202_zpsvg5xrhil.jpg.html][/URL]

Before we get to the gauge cluster, lets talk about the stereo. I wanted good front sound stage, decent bass, and high quality audio. So, to do this, I'm using a kenwood ez500 deck, with the HD radio add on module, some aftermarket power antenna, Memphis belle 6x9 3 way in the rear deck, blaupunkt 5.25 components in the kicks, some generic 4 inch speakers in the factory 4x10 opening in a plate made out of a mudflap, and a kenwood 3 channel amp powering the kicks and a first generation JL 12w6 wired to a 2 ohm load in a truck box. I need a bigger box for the sub, and possibly more power to push it. It ALMOST has the right amount of bass response.

[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160619_084710_zpsan57nh2u.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160622_082050_zpskecmgjmm.jpg.html][/URL]

Ok, if you haven't died of boredom or headed off to YouTube to watch cat videos, there's only two sections left.

First, gauge cluster. Remember I had sold the autometers and bought speedhuts? Yeah, they didn't fit. Not even close. So I wound up using the original metal pieces from Roy's cuda that held the lens to the bezel, modified for the speedhut gauges to sit in like gauge cups, glued to the back of the bezel with the gauges mounted. They are not serviceable without breakage. So hopefully they don't go bad. I then had to bore the center hole considerably to get the tach to mount anywhere close to where I wanted it, and make a lexan plat to hold it. Came out pretty good. Shot the whole bezel in black, re-installed my LED indicators, used a silver sharpie to color the letters for the switches, and jammed it home. [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160625_175438_zpswejr2iml.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160629_150418_zpsmntc59yo.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160702_211830_zpsdfbsi6qf.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160814_134005_zps5nebkobq.jpg.html][/URL]

Last section I will be discussing my megasquirt experience up until this point. Now, mind you, I'm nowhere near a rocket surgeon. My computer skills are limited to word documents, Al gores internet, and listening to music. I can occasionally defrag a hard drive, and install a program, but I usually have to look up how to do it. I'm a borderline Luddite. I didn't grow up with computers, hate my smart phone, and believe skynet will be the death of us all when it gains sentience. But I have a small block mopar running on megasquirt. It still runs poorly, but dammit, it started up on the first spin of the key after adding gas to the tank and adjusting fuel pressure. So, if I can do it, anybody can.

Now, it isn't so intuitive as to be able to do it by myself. I'm just not that bright, nor is my reading comprehension involving computer things that great. The manuals are fantastic in guiding you through, once you figure out which manual you need, and read it about a dozen times. Then begin to follow the directions specific to your install. Realize you have no idea what the hell you are doing about the time you get to this picture: [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/duster/20160807_151921_zpsyvrpr79x.jpg.html][/URL]

Go back and read some more. Twice. Repeat as necessary until you have all the basic settings flashed to the megasquirt on the workbench, and tunerstudio responds appropriately to the jimstim.

Hook the ecu up in the car, make vroom noises while you play around making sure that sensor readings look reasonable. When they don't, research why. You probably missed switching a setting somewhere, and each setting has a domino effect on the rest. Again, repeat as necessary. After a while, turn the key and see what happens. Hopefully you get real vroom noises coming from the tailpipes, not your vocal cords. If not, keep digging around in the manuals and over at msextra.com forums.

I will also take this opportunity to say, without ANY reservation, to buy your stuff from diyautotune. Matt Kramer over there is the only reason I've gotten this far. He has held my hand and spoon fed me every step of the way. The forums at msextra and GRM have also been a huge help so far.

I haven't driven the car yet. Hell, I still haven't been able to set base timing or get it idling well yet. But I'm still learning this stuff. And if I can, through YouTube, email, and guys on forums, etc., anybody with 3 brain cells and a cup of coffee can. You just have to be patient and willing to learn.

Welcome! You have friends here. DIY AutoTune is awesome. (I'm rocking MegaSquirt too)

Thanks skinny. It's because of this forum that this car wound up where it is.

The Lethal Locost went from factory 4AGE EFI with a home-built intake, to MSII running B&G on GSXR ITBS with Ford EDIS and Honda Injectors, to MSI running MSnSE (I didn't need the extra features of MSII, and an MSI fell into my hands).

MSII will be going on the daily driver Crusty Chevy to swap the Rochester to TBI and eventually ported injectors on a Tunnel Ram. TBI was supposed to happen this summer, but house reno and shop drywall got in the way.

YOUR build has been highly inspirational to me.

You will want to have the registered version of TunerStudio. It kicks bum.

Assuming the AFR's that you pulled out of your bum are ok, you can set it to auto tune, and keep mucking with timing as you drive and it will correct the fuel as needed on-the-fly. I can go from a fresh start to reasonably driveable within a couple hours. Auto Tune is SUPER helpful.

I just registered tunerstudio last weekend. Only thing I have done so far is used the ve table generator. Still working on setting base timing and getting a stable and noise free idle. Hopefully I can get that over the weekend.

Most informative and inspirational, Sir!

In reply to wheelsmithy:

Thanks! I try not to be a waste of skin.

Any new progress?

In reply to SkinnyG:

I touched it last week.....

Just to put tools away and such. Did clean grounds to try to reduce emi.

The challenge car and miata have kind of overtaken my free time.

I'm sure you talked about it already but what TB/intake setup is that?

Intake is a victor jr that i welded bungs into and heavily ported. Throttle body is an early holley 4bbl 1300cfm job from Craigslist. Injectors are 42lb ebay specials. Rails are for a magnum 360 truck motor. Regulator is an ebay special.

Lots of cool stuff in your builds. I bet this project really takes off again when you find some time.

I really WANT to work on it. But i have other things that NEED to be done before I can. Like consolidating the pile of miata parts back into a miata. Finish welding and caging the amc so dallas can sanblast and paint. Go to work. Paint the kitchen. When those are done, its game on for the duster again.

How are those ebay injectors working out? There are horror stories among the boosted crowd, but I'm not planning on running boosted.

Well enough so far. But then again.....

Just wanted to find the thread again.

The car lives. And runs. Kinda. Sota. Usually starts without assisstance. As of today, actually doesn't leak fuel anymore and has an operable gas gauge.

Yea.. I finally get to see the sled that birthed the alias! And now I'm going back to page one...........

In reply to 759NRNG:

Follow the link to pro touring onpage 1, then come back.

And yes, dusterbd was the liscence plate in high school. The 13 was added when aol was a thing and i was in college. Still driving the duster.

Im excited about getting back on this one. Its about damned time.

But don't forget about 'GARY' ....

Maybe

759NRNG wrote: But don't forget about 'GARY' ....

Gary is the reason the duster is mobile again. It comes to my 500 square foot basement shop and office next week.

I drove the duster about 1000 yards this morning. Furthest its moved under it's own power in years. And still leaj free. Cooling fans don't work. Alignment is seriously off. But no noises or odd behavior other than the megasquirt. Seems like the engine isn't producing as much vacuum as before, but that may be related to the tune.

I'm happy!

In reply to Dusterbd13:

WOOOOHOOOO