After a solid run that began in 1970, the Plymouth Duster entered its final year of production in 1976, with three special models hitting dealer lots to help celebrate its swan song. These included the Silver Duster, which offered a more deluxe interior and special striping, and the Space Duster, giving buyers more cargo by featuring a fold-down rear seat. However, probably the most unusual of the three was the Feather Duster, which shed a few pounds by switching some steel components to aluminum, such as this one here on eBay. It’s gotten a significant performance upgrade as well, so if you’re in the market for an unusual and powerful Duster, this one’s in Surprise, Arizona, and can be yours today for the buy-it-now price of $27,500.
We’d like to thank reader Curvette for finding this cool Mopar and sending us the tip! Besides the special badges on the deck lid and fenders, the Feather Duster body didn’t look much different than the regular car, at least how it came from the factory. During the oil crisis in the mid-seventies, fuel economy was on everyone’s mind, so the folks at Plymouth decided to change out the hood and trunk braces, bumper brackets, manual transmission housing, and intake manifold with aluminum parts instead, which reduced the total weight by nearly 200 pounds, thus improving gas mileage. The seller doesn’t specify whether any sheet metal work has been done outside, but reports that the body and paint are excellent, with the photos showing a beautiful Duster from every angle.
This one has also had the number 383 added under the stripe on the quarter panels, and that decal isn’t just for show. In a quest to stretch a gallon of gas as far as possible, Plymouth only equipped the Feather Duster with a 225 cubic-inch slant-6. However, someone decided they no longer cared about efficiency and removed the original engine, replacing it with a 383 Magnum from a 1969 Dodge Super Bee. In stock form, this big block was rated at a hefty 335 horsepower, but with a mild cam and Schumacher headers, this one could make even more.
The inside appears nearly immaculate from what I can tell, and I’m a fan of the stock steering wheel being upgraded to a more sporty helm, which I believe is also from Mopar. A column-mounted tach and aftermarket shifter have also been added, plus the door panels have been lightly customized, making this a very nice interior by most Duster standards. Everything that’s been done seems well-thought-out, and I’m not seeing a thing I’d change about this 1976 Plymouth Feather Duster. How about you?
Never heard of a feather 🪶 Duster package Stephens, thanks for the feature. As you said the 383 will bring the heat, and 3.91 gears out back with im assuming the venerable Torq-flite is going to be a potent combo 🚥 🏁
I had a 1973 Duster 340, with a worked 360 and 3.91’s. That car would lay it down, I imagine the 383 would make this a bit more fun.
I can only recall seeing one Feather Duster; it was new on the showfloor of a dealer when my Mom was looking for a new car. Hideous thing really, it was that Olive metallic, blackwall tires, base hubcaps, and had all the visual appeal of an enema bag. The sticker had to be less than most option packages on cars cost today.
An enema bag 😆 lol something I never heard of until I hit 60 years old 😳
I remember the feather 🪶 duster but never knew it had aluminum parts. I never heard of a space duster. No, I wouldn’t change anything on this car. I love it just the way it is. Everything about it trips my trigger. Cool car
There is no mention of whether or not the transmission was swapped along with the engine. The single biggest weight saving item in the Feather Duster package was the transmission — a unique version of Chrysler’s A833 four speed, which had an aluminum case and in which third gear was direct drive and fourth was overdrive.
While most A833s were tough enough to live behind anything from a slant six to a hemi (only the input shaft spline count changed when installed behind the high output engines), it was always suspected that the internals of the overdrive version were also lightened to save weight, given that it was never intended to live out its service life behind anything more ambitious than a malaise-era 225.
This has an automatic and the big bock had a different bolt pattern the the rest of Chryslers engines. So it would have to have a 727 automatic in it.
And in that A833 they all used the same bearings, But the overdrive puts a lot more load on the bearings and gears, so none of the overdrives no matter who made it last as long as the non overdrives. Non overdrives high gear is straight through so no load on the bearings in high gear, so they will naturally last longer.
a lot going on here for sure.
If I owned this car I’d peel off those 383 decals. Let that guy in the 5.0 mustang next to you think it’s a 340.
Fox 5.0 or current generation (Coyote) 5.0? There’s a world of difference.
As much as I love the vintage muscle of my youth, if you’re hunting modern stuff your car better eat a whole bunch of Wheaties.
Original 5.0’s, coyotes are a different animal. I hunt those with my ‘07 Z06.
No word of any change in the rear end. Is it an 8 3/4 or the original stock version? Is it an automatic or manual? Nice looker but shy on details.
There are 2 things I would change. 1 is it would be helpful to have a wiper motor instead of a block off plate. And price is a bit high. Dunno why it has MSD box with Mopar ignition ECU and distributor
When I see a car in this shape, at that price, I’m like, Why do we grab a “classic” that needs everything when something like this is out there…
Back in the 70’s I worked in a Dodge dealers parts department in charge of ordering body shop parts and every Dart/ Duster that came thru got the aluminum bumper supports in a covert attempt to help customers get a little better mileage