Vehicle Description
This 1973 Plymouth Duster is what you get when you take a
mild-mannered A-body and give it a serious dose of horsepower.
Finished in slick Bright Amber paint, this street brawler compact
now carries a snarling 400 cubic-inch big block and a high-profile
personality that refuses to be ignored.
Originally, this car was just a bland commuter special, anonymous
in its factory blah paint. But since it was straight and clean,
someone saw the potential in it, so a few years ago, it was
stripped down to the basics, the sheetmetal was straightened, and
it was covered in a few coats of that unique amber paint that looks
like it might be radioactive when it gets out in the sunshine. No
longer a shrinking violet, this slick Duster was just getting
started, so they added Gold Duster stripes with '440' callouts on
the flanks and a blacked-out dual snorkel scoop hood, just in case
anyone wasn't paying attention. Workmanship is pretty darned good,
with doors that close solidly (quite unlike an affordable commuter
car) and a very impressive shine to the glossy urethane paint,
although not perfect, so you'll never be afraid to go cut up some
asphalt at any time. The bumpers at either end were painted to
match the body, just to keep it uniform, and you have to admit that
it looks clean and sleek from any angle. It's not perfect, but if
you want perfect you're probably not shopping for an affordable
Duster.
The handsome interior wears handsome gold seat covers, door panels,
and carpets, all of which appear to be stock equipment. It's
actually very sophisticated for an affordable car and comfortable
enough to spend all day behind the wheel. The dashboard offers a
surprisingly complete array of gauges with their round pods echoing
the Rallye gauges of the past. It's likely that the back seat
hasn't ever had a passenger, and if that's the case, this is one
amazingly well-preserved car, so it's easy to see how the builder
saw the potential in it. And speaking of the back seat, it's
actually a very rare fold-down option, like found in the Space
Dusters of the era. The original AM/FM radio is remarkably still in
its factory slot, although it's currently inoperable so bypassing
it with a modern unit in the glove box might be a wise choice. The
trunk is incredibly spacious for what was originally a "compact"
car, and it includes a correct mat, a full-size spare tire mounted
on a matching rim, and a jack assembly tucked into the corner.
Originally powered by a wheezing, emissions-choked 318, there's now
a thunderous 400 cubic inch V8 between the fenders. Helping power
the big block is an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and a stock
intake manifold underneath, a proven combination that makes it easy
to drive. The smooth-running block offers instantaneous throttle
response and a great mid-range punch, which makes it a lot of fun
to drive. Factory style exhaust manifolds help build torque and
feed an aggressive-sounding dual exhaust system with chambered
mufflers, so it's got a nice rumble that never gets annoying. The
Torqueflight A727 3-speed automatic transmission seems to read your
mind when you stomp the loud pedal, dropping down a gear to let the
400 get into the meaty part of the power band, and with 3.27 gears
in the posi-traction rear end, it's a great long-distance cruiser,
too. Those handsome Rallye wheels are a great OEM look and wear
215/70/15 Cooper Cobra white-letter performance radials
all-around.
Thanks to a bunch of professional restoration work, this is a
really neat piece of Mopar muscle that was done right. With a nod
to authenticity but a strong desire to attract attention, this
Duster is always a lot of fun. Call today!