The Duster was the sporty version of the Plymouth Valiant in the 1970s. It enjoyed a seven-year run before being replaced by the Volare (which turned out to be a lesser product in terms of quality). The Duster got its 15 seconds of fame years later by being Al Bundy’s constantly broken down “Dodge Dart” on TV (it was a running gag). This ’75 well-worn Plymouth could use some work but does run (which is more than Al could usually say). Located in Orange County, California, you share the honors with Bundy for $6,950 here on craigslist. Another Mopar tip brought out way from “numskal”!
In 1970, Plymouth took a Valiant chassis and front clip and grafted a whole new fastback body on it from the cowl back. It was an instant hit, and Dodge got its version they called the Demon a year later (which morphed into the Dart Sport because it sounded too evil to the clergy – as the story goes). On Married with Children, shoe salesman Al Bundy never had any money, so he drove – when it ran – a “Dodge Dart” from 1989 until the show ended in 1997. Three different Plymouth Dusters were used in the Dart’s stead over the run, each a different color – blue, tan, and deep red – kind of like the seller’s car’s color.
This Duster is rather basic with the 225 cubic inch Slant-Six engine. The seller calls it a 255, but it’s doubtful anyone bored that motor out. It’s paired with an automatic transmission – maybe the car’s only major option. The odometer is said to read 59,000 miles, but the car’s condition says that’s optimistic unless it’s had a lot of downtime. It’s also called a Trail Duster by the seller — and while there were variants of the Duster (like Gold Duster and Space Duster) – I recall this name only being applied to a 1970s Ram pickup.
We’re told this car runs and the body/paint is probably good enough for now. The interior is another matter unless you don’t mind blending in with the cracked and torn upholstery. And what about the dashpad? It’s so deformed it covers part of the instrument cluster. Considering that it’s not a hot property like the Duster 340, maybe you just fix what you have to and ride like the wind (like Al wished he did but probably never accomplished).
O Brother. Y Bother.
Aaaaaal, oh who could forget Katie Segals “kvetch”, and Ed O’Neills face. That show was groundbreaking, in that, it covered topics not usually associated with TV sitcoms. Leave it to Beaver, it wasn’t. Highly suggestive. The car wasn’t featured in very many episodes, but when it was, it was usually the center of ridicule. The 80s-90s TV shows were loaded with dysfunctional families. Married with children, All in the family, Home Improvement, even the Simpsons, all capitalized on societies misfortunes.
I don’t know about you, but these “beaters” of our youth seem to be practically worthless, I mean, when was the last time you saw anything like this driving around? Maybe for a grand, all I think it’s worth, you’d see a lot more.
It’s a beater with a heater, and the 1975 edition of the slant six suffered from terminal asthma, as Chrysler hadn’t figured out how to make it run with the newly enacted smog laws.
Remember the episode when Bundy sold all his blood to the bloodbank, then went to the bar lol 🍻 🥴
I remember watching “Married With Children” way back when it was current, and I liked it. But recently I watched an episode for the first time in forever, and I was thinking, “you know, this show is actually stupid”. Sort of like the asking price for this car. It’s decent enough, but they are nowhere near “classic” status and don’t command a lot of cash.
I think my favorite MWC episode is when the Dodge is about to hit a million miles and Dodge is going to give him a Viper. Just before the execs get there to confirm the mileage the car rolls out of the garage and the odometer rolls back to zero so no Viper for Al.
Nothing a 440/727 transplant wouldn’t fix.
We get to enjoy a Buick Grand National with an obscene amount of horsepower (maybe not as much as advertised?), followed by a Duster with a smog-choked slant six having maybe a tenth of that amount. The variety is one of this site’s strengths.
The Trail Duster was the Plymouth version of the Ramcharger. I loved Married with Children. Always called it the Dodge. Any and all car guys know it’s a Plymouth Duster. This one doesn’t seem like a bad price compared to what I see advertised
Moped A-bodies have always been the red-headed step children of the Mopar world. Until the prices for B and E bodies went through the roof, now they’re getting a little more attention as kind of an entry ‘collector vehicle’. I was getting ready to say “wow! What a great deal” until I saw the photo of the interior…that dash pad look like an ice cream cone dropped on the sidewalk on a hot day
The worst year slant six. Floor it, wait a second, then it will stumble and go.
I’ll take my California sun-baked interiors vinyl tops and even dash pads(although I don’t ever recall seeing one that bad) to any of the rust-belt cars that have been attacked by the tin worm! Came from NY to SoCal in 1975 and bought a ’56 Ford two weeks later-the front seat foam would fall out in chunks like styrofoam but the body & chassis was solid as a rock. Which would you prefer to deal with?