What kinda mods would you suggest for a 74 Duster with a slanter and auto? People say just some small things can give them a good bit more heart...like high pro wires?? or what? Thanks for any help

D

DI is right. The cheapest modification to improve performance is a thorough tune-up and valve lash adjustment. Proper carb adjustment i imprtant too.

I recommend autolite plugs gapped at .040, and an Echlin carb rebuild kit.

Rebuild your carb and set it to the proper specs, then adjust your valves. Next make sure you have no vacuum leaks. One of the most noticeable cheap tricks you can do is to advance your base timing to about 10-12 degrees BTDC. Also make sure your kickdown linkage is adjusted properly.

Reed

Clutch fans you can find in a wrecking yard, this will help some (got mine of a late '70's Dodge truck w/a 318). A high output coil (Accel Super Stock for example). A larger exhaust system with at least 2" ID tubing and a good flowing muffler (like a turbo muffler). The exhaust on my Satellite cost around 150 bucks from manifold to the chrome tip. I don't think any plug wire over 7 or 7.5 mm will make much difference on a stock motor. I use the platnum Autolite plugs gapped at .040 like Reed said, and have timing set to 11 BTDC.

Still the two best mods/upgrades (powerwise) i did to my slant were:

1) Supersix intake and BBD -- between $100 and $250, a lot depends on how/where you get it

2) MSD ignition, wires, and coil -- cost me about $250 total for the 6A box, wires, coil, rebuilt distibutor, cap and rotor.

Those mods by themselves took my slant from 10 mpg and very sluggish to 15-16 mpg with much more "pep"

As was said by others, a tune-up and valve adjustment never hurts.

-S/6

_________________
The "Silver Bullet"
87 Ram D150

A couple of other "tricks" is to recurve the distributor so the advance comes-in fast but does not "over-advance" (more the 30-32 degrees total) when the initial timing is set higher. (8-12 degrees) Vacuun advance pod calibration can also help seat of the pants performance.

Tip number two, open-up the exhaust system, a few feet of two inch header pipe, right -off the manifold is a good place to start.
DD