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 Sub-Lime Green metallic paint, this slick compact now
carries a snarling 340 inch small 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 five years ago, it was stripped
down to the basics, the sheetmetal was straightened, and it was
covered in a few coats of that outrageous bright green paint that
looks like it might be radioactive. No longer a shrinking violet,
this slick Duster was just getting started, so they added Duster
stripes with '340' callouts on the flanks, 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. There are
fresh chrome bumpers at either end, just to keep it looking mostly
stock, 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 dark green seat covers, door
panels, and carpets, all of which appear to be original 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 is also original, 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. The original AM radio remains in the dash,
but it's disconnected and supplanted by an AM/FM/CD stereo head
unit mounted in a neat pod underneath. The trunk is incredibly
spacious for what was originally a "compact" car, and it includes a
correct mat and a jack assembly tucked into the corner.
Originally powered by a wheezing, emissions-choked slant six,
there's now a snarky 340 cubic inch V8 between the fenders. Despite
what the air cleaner says, there's a 2-barrel carburetor and
aluminum intake manifold underneath, a proven combination that
makes it easy to drive. The smooth-running small block offers
instantaneous throttle response and a great mid-range punch, which
makes it a lot of fun to drive. Long-tube headers help built torque
and feed an aggressive-sounding dual exhaust system with
stock-style mufflers, so it's got a nice rumble that never gets
annoying. The A904 3-speed automatic transmission seems to read
your mind when you stomp the loud pedal, dropping down a gear to
let the 340 get into the meaty part of the power band, and with
tallish gears in the rear end, it's a great long-distance cruiser,
too. Those handsome Rallye wheels are a great OEM look and wear
205/60/15 front and 235/70/15 rear BFGoodrich performance
radials.
Thanks to a bunch of recent 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!
