lowering a Duster

[lowmopr]

I know I am prolly going to be flamed for this, but I love trucks that rest their body on the ground using air bags. I would love to carry this over to my Duster, but I am worried that my stock K-member would hit the ground, or my oil pan before I would get the front close to the ground. People have told me if I want a muscle car on bags, I have to go with a chevy. I love my mopars, and I am trying to think of a way to do it.

I had an an idea of using the alter-K kit but making it sit higher up towards the frame and making a custom oil pan the wouldnt sit as low. I havnt checked to see how much of a drop I would need to gain the stance I want, but does anyone know of anyone that has tried lowering a Mopar with bags.

any help would greatly be appreciated,
Mike

I have attached a rendoring of what I am kind of after, sorry if I had used your car I have no pictures of mine

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[Jim_Lusk]

Some might disagree with me, but PLEASE DON'T.

[AdamR]

Some might disagree with me, but PLEASE DON'T.

 

[1967dart406]

 
PLEASE

[blackbetty]

There is no way to make it that low without dropping the body and the motor will stick out the hood.  Chevys have the same problems they are not any easier. If you really want to make it that low I can tell you how but it will be a lot of work. Doing a chevy or ford wont help.

[jamesdart]

actually a chevy or ford can be easier. not because they are another brand, but simply because a lot of them have coil springs. you can basically swap the coils for bags, or hydraulic cylinders. of coarse its not quite so simple, but a lot easier than building your own front and rear suspension. you almost have to get rid of the leafs to lay the car down. there is no bolt on kit or any type of airbag or cylinder that will just bolt right in to a mopar without serious modifications. torsion bars and leafs dont work for what you are after. if you are dead set, it is going to take some serious surgery.

[ESSVEE]

I don't think I will be doing that to my '68 but would like to know how its done. If you know of any articles, please reply.




"Can't find enough time for this site"

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[nu-skool-dart]

i think it could look really great with the right set of wheels, like 17's 18's or 20's.  you might want to check out air ride technologies.  i think the web site is www.airridetech.com
 

[DRoCk]

Please don't try doing that to a Duster, there are enough butchered Mopars out there already.  Just my 2 cents of course to each their own, but if you want a car that is slammed, buy a ricer or a street rod.

[70 Dustpan]

The best way to do that is to have a fab shop make you a full frame for it and then channel the car. This would allow you to run a double A arms set-up up front and air-bags on all 4 corners. You will have to run some type of scoop or have the motor sticking out the hood. Can we say BIG $$$$$

[StripeHOG]

If you want to lower a mopar get a Fifth Avenue or Diplomat... Don't ruin a Duster w/ bag's and wagon wheels

[BARRACUDABILLY]

I would use the alterkation up front and either a ladder bar or 4-link
on the back and change out the coil overs with air bags.

I saw a bagged or hydralics valiant several years ago that the guy had extended
the wheelwells up into the trunk and made "bumps" in the front
inner fender panels for the front tires to recess up into.
It looked cool, probbly had a hard ride but looked cool.

And come on guys there are plenty of 2-door darts, dusters and cudas left
out there to encourage a young man to do what makes him happy, at least
he has good enough good taste to WANT to modify a MOPAR.
I say go for it, have fun and share some pictures with us, wecome to
the MOPAR world where being different is normal.

[lowmopr]

well, I havnt actually bought the duster yet. I have a 1971 Plymouth Valiant 4-door with a slant six in it. I went and measured the lowest part of the chassis to the ground and it was the Kmember. I have 6 inches of clearance. Does the AlterK have better clearance? I also measured the front framerails, they are 7 inches off the ground. Then I meared the body to the ground(bottom of the kickpanel) and it was 10" off the ground. If I use the AlterK and if it had the same demensions as the original K member, The frame would sit on the ground and the body would be 2-3" from the ground, leaving a little gap. I can live with 2-3" of gap.

I dont think I owuld buy a duster, I think I will stay with my valiant.

Here is what I had planned on doing:

Cutting the inner front fenders out
Tub the rear fenders
Move them up out of the way
Get tubular upper A arms (to clear the bags)
Maybe buy the AlterK (if it give me better clearance)
Weld on bag plates
Custom Triagulated 4-link
Behind and below Rear Bag Brackets
F.B.S.S. Air system behind rear seat (front back side to side)
Relocate all bumpstops
Get some nice lowered Shocks

It is not like I would drive it scraping the Kmember on the ground, I would drive with about 2-3 of clearance except where I need to lift it up. I said that the lowest part of the car was 6" off the ground. With airbags, when needed to be, I could lift it to have about 8-9" of clearance. I am just tired of seeing all the chevy and fords driving around nice and low and my Valiant sits at stock height. I also need to clear the fenders so I can fit 18-19" rims. I think 20" would be a little big plus it wouldnt fit right, 18"s would be perfect.

to those wo thought I was actually considering the rims that were on the duster rendering, I hate those style rims, I just PS that pic in a min just so you could see what I was talking about.

Thankyou for all the feedback,
Mike

[lowmopr]

sorry forgot to add that I wouldnt mind flaring out the front and rear fender to get it to sit that low.

[AdamR]

sorry forgot to add that I wouldnt mind flaring out the front and rear fender to get it to sit that low.

 

[blackbetty]

The front will be the easiest if you get shockwaves from airride technlogies and bolt them in place of the shocks. You will need to reinforce the upper shock mounts and you might need to raise them up to have the k-frame lay on the ground. In the rear I would use ladder bars and cantilever the rear. My old project was a bagged and body dropped 87 ford ranger with a 302. I had a triangulated 4 link in the rear with the bags mounted on top of the axle and it didnt give the lift in the rear I need for 20in wheels. The cantilever can be modified to give as much lift as you need so you can have it sit right at ride hight. I would recommend subframe connectors and a roll bar to stiffen the car for f.b.s.s. the car will flex a lot.

[azz7772]

what did rides by troy do to joe rogans cuda that sits pretty low

[lowmopr]

I dont know if any of you watch Powerblock TV but thier new show Muscle Car is building a charger with an air ride suspension and new hemi motor. They are using shockwaves but their are also using a full custom front suspension, but they are using the stock inner fenders and stock shock mounts to mount the shockwaves, I hope they strengthen it.

what did rides by troy do to joe rogans cuda that sits pretty low

I believe since they built a whole new floor in that car, they must have body droped car. I believe they made custom motor mounts and it had a full rollcage from front to back. Troy does some pretty crazy things people wouldnt think someone could do.

[MikeR]

I believe that car is a Challenger and they also notched the frame rails so the bags would have clearance.

[lowmopr]

thats right a challenger, i forgot about that. thanks