Sporting shiny Rally Red paint and oversized tires on crisp white wagon wheels, this first-year Trail Duster seeks a new owner who appreciates these interesting and somewhat rare trucks. The 1974 Plymouth Trail Duster comes to market here on eBay after a previous auction ended with no sale. At least five bidders have its market value over $8500 with about a week to go. Plymouth entered the two-door 4×4 market with a pickup-based two-door like General Motors’ Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy rather than engineering a unique and smaller Jeep-sized offering. This may have alienated buyers looking for a trail-sized back-woods crawler, but certainly kept parts and maintenance costs down by sharing the proven half-ton truck platform. Only early 1974 specimens like this Hayden, Idaho classic got the half doors with no window frame, making this full-convertible unit even more rare. By late ’74 and beyond, the Trail Duster and its Dodge Ramcharger sibling made due with fully-framed doors.
The optional rear seat and center console add passenger capacity and utility, respectively. See and hear the running Trail Duster in this video, one of several shared in the listing. The odometer shows about 30,000 miles, and the seller graciously pegs the best-guess at one rollover, 100,000 higher. The column-shifted automatic leaves a single stubby shifter to control the transfer case.
When top-down season ends, it’s time to recruit some friends to re-attach the hard top, and this rig looks great either way. Someone’s put a host of new parts into this one and it sounds even and throaty in the seller-provided videos.
The nearly impossible-to-kill 318 cid (5.2L) LA V8 engine powered millions of cars and trucks from 1967 through 2003, the latter years in Magnum form. Thanks to Wikipedia for some details. Though no match for today’s modern Hemi’ mills, the LA 318 earned a reputation for longevity and reliability. Plentiful aftermarket options, proven online advice, and myriad power package options mean you can enjoy this one stock or turn it into a tire-shredding monster. The three-speed 727 automatic transmission is equally durable and legendary. There’s not much to want on this rare convertible SUV. Will you add this early Trail Duster to your collection?
Those are not half doors….
It looks good! But what is really interesting is the way the top fits with no window frames built onto the doors. Did it work in the intensely crazy weather we see in that part of Idaho on occasion?
That it has the tried and true simple 318 are 727 auto means it’ll be around as long as there’s fuel provided the new owner has any ability to care for it.
Regardless, this is one you won’t see another coming at you very often. Kudos too to the seller for spelling out the faults as well as its strengths.I’d love to bring this home!
GLWTA
Only the early build ‘74s had the frameless windows, a true convertible. Had a couple of buddies with Ramchargers back in the day. No leaks ever as they never removed the tops. They believed if you broke the factory seal, you’d have leaks. Who knows, kind of defeats the purpose if you keep the lid on.
Cool find, you don’t see the Plymouth often. A highschool friend of mine had a K5 Blazer with a removable roof…real PITA…5 people with 1 being a spotter or 3 people with 1 being a spotter…if things line up on.
I always liked the Ramcharger/Trail Duster series of trucks, and I sure wouldn’t kick this off my driveway. IMO all the convertible trucks, be them GM, Chrysler, or whatever, the tops leak. Mostly air whistles but nonetheless leaks. I have no doubt that if you were in a driving rain there’s a good chance you’d get things wet in the interior.
Personally, if this became my truck I would leave the top on. If I wanted to be out in the elements, I’d ride the bike…
I never liked the front wheel bearings needing greased often or the bearings would wear out fast? or you could put chevy ends on and carry two different spares? that is what the hole is for in the front rotors if you look?
Geomechs. You’re right in that if you don’t remove the top, the vehicle won’t leak. I had a ’74 IHC Scout II. I removed that steel top one Spring and it leaked from that day forward. I’ve had two (2) Ford Broncos, one, a ’90 ( I’ve owned for 35 yrs. ) and have never removed the top–No Leaks. Another, a ’96 (I’ve owned for 11 yrs.) and have never removed the top–No Leaks.
The late Scott Harvey (Chrysler R&D, second in command of the Shelby GLH production plant and pro-rally driver.) HIs last rally car being a fiberglass bodied 4×4 hemi powered Dodge Aspen. He had one of these “convertibles”. It had one of the “canvass” tops, a 355 Petty Enterprises engine and a license plate that said “RHINO”! Now that was a very cool vehicle!
It’s a shame they put that stubby little shifter in the middle of all that lovely floor space.I have to get on my knees right where it is once in a while.Glad I have bench seat / column shift in my olds conv.LOL
Bid now stands at $18,300, reserve not met. These are great trucks. Love my ’78 Dodge Ramcharger. Chrysler should have made the factory roll bar standard equipment on the 4 wheel drive versions. Looks out of place without one.