This 1974 Gold Duster is listed for sale here on eBay. Located in Tucson, Arizona, it has a clear title. At the time of writing bidding is sitting at $1,995.
The seller states that this Duster has spent its life in the desert, and that it is free of major rust. Certainly the supplied photos seem to bare this claim out. There looks like there may be some surface corrosion on the leading edge of the hood and some visible on the underside of the car, but overall it looks really solid. The seller states that he has taken the car to a panel shop who believe that the rear quarters and deck lid may have been re-painted at some stage, but that it was a long time ago so this shouldn’t be an issue. There is also a photo of the trunk floor and it also looks to be rock solid, so the base seems to be there for a strong project car. Not surprisingly the sun has also claimed the vinyl top off the Duster.
With cars that have spent their lives in the desert it is usually a case of “swings and roundabouts.” While the dry desert has helped to preserve the body, unfortunately it has done its work on the interior. As you can see the front seat and the door trims have really paid the price, and both will require major work or replacement to bring the interior up to scratch.
Sadly the dash has really copped a hammering from the sun as well. The pad will certainly require replacement, and the instrument surround will also either require restoration or replacement. The rear seat actually isn’t that bad, with only one small tear which may be able to be repaired. The rear trim also looks to be in quite good condition.
Here rests….well not a lot actually. Originally there was the 318ci engine backed by an automatic transmission, but both of these items were long gone when the current owner purchased the Duster. However, the power steering, power brakes and all of the ancillaries for the air conditioning all appear to be in place, so that’s a bonus. With no engine to obstruct the view it makes it easier to see that everything also looks quite clean under here. The car is also rolling on new tires which is a plus.
To me this Duster represents what could potentially be a great opportunity. It’s a 2-door and it appears to have an absolutely solid body. With no existing engine or transmission to consider, here is the opportunity to build this Duster to exactly the specifications that you want. If the price stays roughly within the area that it sits now then this could be a great buy.
Could be a good first project for somebody. If i bought it, it would pack a 360 and 4 speed and wear my set of vintage rocket racing wheels (cragar ss copies).
Looks like a perfect 3G Hemi project, a 5.7 Hemi with a 5 speed behind it.
If price stays low could be a real nice low budget street sleeper.
“It’s a 2-door…”
They didn’t make a 4 door version.
Yeah edh, I realize that. It’s just that in general 2-door cars seem to be more widely preferred than 4-doors, which was the intent of the comment. I probably should have been clearer on that.
The Valiant was the four-door version. They were essentially the exact same car just with a different body.
Anyway, I remember when these Gold Dusters were everywhere, which was during the 1970s. I think they were especially popular in the Chicago area because if not they must have built 10 million of them. I haven’t seen one in years though. I think they were very susceptible to rust.
Is it just me or does there seem to be an abundance of dusters for sale everywhere. Seems like any time I hop on Craigslist or anywhere else there is at least one 70’s duster. Seems like for some odd reason everyone saved their duster lol
There used to be an abundance of fb mustangs, 67-68 Camaros, Chargers and GTOs in socal until all the world wanted and bought them up. Next in line and being bought up now are Nova’s, Dusters, 1974-1981 Trans Am’s and Camaros. It won’t be but maybe 3 to 5 years when all of these are no longer abundant either. Even 6 cylinder 65-70 coupe Mustangs are being converted to fast backs and within ten years or less will have dried up.
This auto can go from return to nice runner to an 12 sec bracket racer for under 12 k.
Don’t need Hemi or bigblock, any smaller motors, 6 banger to 318 and especially a warmed up 360, all with autos will do.
I Don’t know how many front and rear door panels I have self fabricated complete with vinyl upholstery through the years, and there is a lot of plastic in these rigs that a rattlecan can make new.
I can see top price of 3K, as body and trim Won’t require work other than minor road dings.
While not lightest Dusters made the 318, with old school mild carb and cam kit, one can easily get into speed trouble and
sound nice.
Still a pile of 318 and 360 and their autos out there and are PLUNK and driveable.
As for wheels, I would go with wide
MOPAR Ralley wheels and centers, found on old mopar cop cars on the cheap.
As an entry project the only hard part is dashpad, headliner and redoing of drip rails, no vinyl top redo.
Just had a redo of buckets and back seats and front door panels recovered, in two color vinyl with customers personal logo stitched, rebuilt for under $450.
Using swap meet guages one can fab neat instrument cluster
Some small city shops need some cash
flow between major projects and it keeps employees.
Hide Behind: Guy on You Tube [The Corvette Ben ] used foam board with vinyl from something like Joanne’s to replace the door panels on a 58 Studebaker. Looked great when he finished. Not factory but clean and respectable.
Good for you.
Saw another 74 Duster with the same wild stripey interior in a PA junkyard a couple of decades ago and snapped a few pics. Just recently learned of a second one with that interior on a facebook a-body forum and now this one too!
The junkyard car also had the factory crank open sunroof.
If anyone from the east coast buys this thing I have a complete 318 from a 73 to drop in it. It’s all there from oil pan to air cleaner, ps pump, a/c compressor, belts, etc.
I’d rather it be a Hang-10. Better stripes.
If this car was a 72 Gold Duster I’d be hooking up the trailer!
And here’s a pic of the 318 I have.
What’s the difference between a ’72 and this ’74?
The body structure was the same from 72-74 but the grille, front fenders, and hood were different. Bumpers got bigger, bulkier, and heavier. The tail light panel was very different and, of course, wheelcovers. Under the hood the engine got a different mounting system and more smog reducing changes like an EGR system. Inside the seat belts got more user friendly. Government intrusion into the auto manufacturing business got worse each year!
Thanks Pete.
I asked because I had a ’73 Barracuda and they didn’t seem to change much between ’72 and ’74.
There may have been a lot of changes that I don’t know about, I knew that the engine choices changes, dumping the 340 for the 360. And the rubber bumperettes were added in ’73.
My 63 Valiant Signet spent it’s first 18 years in AZ and it’s trunk and lower rear fenders were alive with rust. Trunk floor looked like a lace doily [since fixed].
Desert cars aren’t necessarily free from rust, especially if the rear window gaskets go and you’re in the monsoon area of AZ.
Sounds like a good candidate for a 5.7 Hemi. Maybe 18″ ralleys. Hum.
Looks like a spring special. In the spring of ’74, Chrysler corp.
released a special edition lineup of cars to boost sagging sales. My
neighbor owned a Satellite Sundance from that year and along with the
Sundance graphics, it also had the same interior design as your feature
car shown here. IMHO, this car should be returned to its original state.
After all, there can’t be that many left today. Most were crushed after
the rust monster had his way with them. The rest were either turned
into drag cars or were made into modified stock cars and raced on
dirt tracks most every weekend. Restoring this car would be a labor of
love and to me well worth it. What do
you think?
I spotted one of those Satellite Sundance coupes about two or three years ago, and got some good photos—which this page won’t let me post… it was in quite decent shape.
If someone is reproducing these fabrics, I’d like to know. I’ve had an opportunity to pick up a Satellite Sundance and a Duster Hang Ten from local sellers and the only thing wrong has been the terrible condition of the driver’s seat.
I miss my 73 Duster. My wife died in 2016 and I left NC for California to start over and left my Duster in the “care” of my stepdaughter and her boyfriend and she decided to forge my name on the title and sell the car without my knowledge. If anyone out here knows or sees this Duster please contact me…… @ monacoinstallations@netzero.com. This vehicle has been reported as stolen and is registered in the National Stolen Vehicle Database. Thank You.
is there a reason why my comment won’t post? never have had this problem before
I have. Sometime my comments will not post for up to 48 hours. They used to show up instantly above the comment box and let you edit them for up to three minutes with a countdown timer. What changed? I suspect it has to do with me being a lurker and not a member. Other friends have had the same thing happen almost as if comments are being randomly singled out for removal. (Even without profanity, politics or personal attacks).
Hi Little Cars,
If your comments aren’t showing up right away, it has nothing to do with being a lurker or not being a member (everyone’s comments go through the same system). We get so many comments now that we’ve had to implement automated systems to help manage it and while they typically do a good job, they aren’t 100% accurate. As result, we have to go in and manually review the stuff it flags as spam, hence why it can take a while for them to show up. If it keeps giving you issues, send me a message at mail@barnfinds.com and we will figure out what’s going on!
Thanks,
Josh
Same here, and I’m a member. I’ve made 2 comments on another thread (Cavalier) and they have not appeared.
First time that’s happened to me.
Thanks. That makes sense Josh. A victim of BF’s success I suppose! So nobody is getting that great “escape hatch” where one can make corrections or delete entirely a couple minutes after posting a comment?
Ah Ha, Gremlins in the system.
AMC Gremlin Revenge, Jealous little varmints been here now and then and nobody ooohed and awed or drooled over them.
Next time one shows up just pretend you like them, and they will go away happy.