In the late 1960s, U.S. automakers saw another market developing for muscle cars – the compact. Because they were lighter in weight, you could make quite a stir using smaller engines that insurance companies might look on more favorably. One such car was the Plymouth Duster 340 that used a small block that was rated at 275 hp initially. Located in Battle Ground, Washington, the seller’s 1973 Duster 340 presents well and is numbers-matching. Replace the oil pan gasket and hit the streets. This mighty Mopar is available here on craigslist for $20,500. Thanks for another cool tip, “Curvette”.
Chrysler introduced the 340 cubic inch V8 in 1968, and nearly 217,000 installations were tallied over the next six years. Popular engine bays included the ‘Cuda 340 and Duster 340 at Plymouth and the Challenger 340 and Demon 340 at Dodge. 1973 would be the last year for the 340, replaced in 1974 by the 360, which doesn’t seem to be as desirable to some collectors. In the year the seller’s car was built, 15,730 other Duster 340s also left the assembly line.
We don’t know the ownership history of this Duster, and the seller doesn’t check the odometer to indicate the car’s mileage. While the 340 and 4-speed manual transmission are original, no mention is made of any rebuilds. The oil pan has a leak that goes away once the car is warmed up, so keep a flattened-out cardboard box handy as a diaper until you get it repaired.
The seller says this vehicle is not a perfect show car, but it looks good enough to have been repainted (just a guess as the seller doesn’t say). The paint shines up, and the black bucket seat interior appears to be nice enough. The aftermarket wheels speak to the era and seem good, though a set of Rallye wheels would be better for purists. Presumably, the car will run fine on unleaded fuel as all the gas stations were selling it by 1973.
What a cool looking car!!! 340,,4 speed, Hurst T handle, twice pipes out the back,,,nice! ’73 was a tough time, seemed everything hit the fan at once. Someone held on to the muscle car era here, but time was running out. I think Chrysler somehow milked it to the bitter end. Well, here’s your chance to see what a bunch of hooey that all was. “Set you back” acceleration aside, the V8 made these a nice cruiser and high teens for mileage, what was wrong with that? Nice car!
Straight up, Howard.
Right on Howard 😎 👍 🏁
Complete with the Little Tree air fresheners and the high school graduation tassel hanging from the rearview mirror. Boy does that bring back memories from the 80s. : ) GLWTS.
….and from the 90s for us Gen X’ers. My high school parking lot was not as full of sixties and seventies muscle cars as it was when my brother (10 years older) was in HS, but we still had a solid selection of muscle car staples from GM, Ford and Mopar at my school. And each of us thought we had the fastest car…and post graduation – tassels and smell good trees in every one of ’em!
Flattened cardboard boxes get soggy in a hurry. I go to the dollar store and buy a foil oven liner, if I am solving a dripping problem.
Or you can get a thin (like 1/16″ or 1/8″) sheet of 5052 aluminum. Just clean it off with Brake Kleen. I took a sheet to my buddy’s machine shop and used the bender to fold the edges, then cut small L shaped pieces for the corners and pop riveted them together. But I am a little anal I suppose, a flat sheet would suffice just fine…and you can use it forever.
By 1973, the 340 was nothing like earlier models. Gone was the steel crank, big valves, hot cam, high compression pistons and aluminum intake. The government neutered a once great engine.
Well since the engine needs to come out anyway to repair the leaky pan gasket, what a perfect time to update to 1970 specs with that Steel crank, big valves, hot cam and higher compression pistons! Cool car. My experience with older cars like this is that if there is no body rust, the engine is the easy part! Have a great day!
Good call John. I’d add a second snorkel to that air clear. Nice car here.
The 340 used cast iron intake manifolds, high compression isn’t particularly good with today’s gas, cast cranks will work fine on a street car.
If the motor is out making some upgrades is a good idea, but makes those modifications based on how it’s going to be driven and budget.
Steve R
Only Automatic transmission cars went to a cast crank. The 4sp cars detained the forged crank, rods oil pump and drip pan. The only Aluminum intake used on a stock 340 was the 6pak 3 two barrel motor. Although the newer manifold did use the the Thermo-quad had emissions control devices. So piston, cam, intake manifold, exhaust manifolds and carburetor were the changes
No doubt values on 70-72 340’s has really taken off. At this price it may be a way to get a decent 340 Duster w/o breaking the bank.
My thoughts exactly. This is a great asking price, in 2026, where everything halfway decent seems to be 30K+.
As usual, many more pictures and a closer examination are really needed.
I owned a new 1972 Plymouth Duster, bronze with big PLYMOUTH logo on rear quarter panels. Secret to making a Stop Light Racer was to have the dealer install the 4:11 rear gears, then you had a inexpensive drag car, A pair of Mickey Thompson slicks helped too.
Was yours fast though?
Forget the second snorkel. Just replace it with a wide open air cleaner with a 3″ filter. Depends on how original you wanna keep it after changing the guts to 1970 (or 1969) specs. Friend of mine had a 69 Dart 340, 4 speed, that thing was wicked!
Russ, in 1973 gas stations sold low lead regular fuel. Not a big seller. By the end of 1974 those tanks were converted over to no lead for the cat. converter cars.
Nice write-up and nice car.
If it’s a good in person as the pictures…
First thing I’d try is tightening the pan bolts. I’ve fixed a few leaks that way.
Sweet looking Duster. It looks great in silver too!! It is equipped nicely with the 4 speed!!
Who cares if the car does not have 275 HP as the early ones, it was a 4-speed. A fun ride as is.
I would have to get rid of those rear bumper guards, but other than that, i think it’s a pretty decent looking Mopar.
God, I LOVE this car! The second car i ever bought, first one was a 67 mercury cougar 390 car, was a 1973 340 4speed car. Same color, same stripe as this one but mine had a flat black hood. I even put on the Hurst shifter handle the first week I owned it.
There are some cars that you wish you would never have got rid of, this car is in the top two. I hope someone gets this and enjoys it as much as I did mine.
I had a 73 Plymouth gold duster with a 225 slant six. I was stationed at Miramar NAS by early 74. I don’t remember unleaded fuel in CA available until after opec started the embargo that year.