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Rust Free: 1974 Plymouth Duster

duster

Interested in a clean, rust-free, floor shift, good running classic Mopar? This 1974 Duster is for sale in Farmington, Connecticut after being driven there from California eight years ago and stored since (I hope inside!). The auction listing is here on eBay, where bidding is at $1,900 but it’s still under the reserve. It looks like someone sprayed some rattle-can paint of another color in areas, perhaps to protect those spots? The rest of the paint is the original red. The interior looks pretty decent including a crack-free dashboard although the seller notes that the driver’s seat upholstery and carpet need replacing. Powered by the long-lasting 225 “slant six” with a three-speed manual, this “stripper” model offers a potential purchaser a lot of choices. Would you leave the Plymouth as-is, restore it to original, or improve it’s performance and equipment level? Tell us in the comments section?

Comments

  1. Avatar JW

    When I met my wife 37 years ago my future inlaws had one just like this but blue and a automatic. My father inlaw was a tightwad and he bought it just because it was cheap to buy and cheap on gas but otherwise it was a turd. His son who owned a couple super bees and a roadrunner wanted to pro street it but the old guy said no way. They drove the wheels off it while it rusted in to the local Flintstone look alike and was sent to the crusher. It lived a long abusive Midwestern life.

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  2. Avatar jimbosidecar

    When I was first married, we drove from NH to NJ in a borrowed (from the inlaws) their 1973 or 74 Duster. 6 cylinder, auto, pwr brakes. Worst car I’d every driven and I drove a lot of $100 specials back then.

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  3. Avatar JW454

    I had two of these. A ’70 and a ’72. Both were slant 6’s w/ automatics. Both were very good cars. They were cheap on gas and didn’t break down. The ’70 didn’t have power steering but otherwise, I loved driving both of them. The ’70 became a 440 4 speed car after I sold it. The ’72 was traded for a ’66 Nova SS. very nice car too.

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  4. Avatar jim s

    no p/s, manual, and a slant six. i would daily drive this until it died. i would make it safe and keep it safe but i would not do anything else to it. i hope the reserve is not to high. great find

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  5. Avatar Mike D

    I liked the 73 & 74 Duster/Dart it may buff out, but if not, a repaint shouldn’t send you to the poorhouse a crate 360, a heavy duty 4 speed , keep the steel wheels, and dog dish hubcaps , it probably came with vinyl flooring new, so put that back , and, you’d have yourself a nice looking sleeper

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  6. Avatar pontiactivist

    I myself would love this. I would do a 340 4speed with a posi but leave everything as is but safe. Clean and refurbish as needed but leave it a sleeper.

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  7. Avatar Mtnbandit

    I have a Clifford intake and header that would go perfect with that setup. Of course, a total engine rebuild with a little bore and a bigger cam, and an Edelbrock 650. These things are very fun

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  8. Avatar John

    These were just about as crude a vehicle as has ever been produced, but they were also about as indestructible as an anvil. If it wasn’t for rust, probably everyone of them ever built would still be running. Somebody should buy it and finally put an end to the old question of how long a slant six will last.

    But it won’t be me.

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    • Avatar Ed P

      Lee Iaccoca said Chrysler made a big mistake when they discontinued the Valiant/Dart/Duster line and replaced it with the Aspen/Volare.

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      • Avatar Miguel

        I don’t think Iacocca had anything to do with that.

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  9. Avatar blindmarc

    I’ve built several that were 6 cyl.into 360 nightmares. Cost is in he rearends and suspensions. A v8 and 883 stick are easy to come by.

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  10. Avatar jim s

    reserve not met at $2224.

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  11. Avatar JW

    It doesn’t surprise me it didn’t make reserve, these cars were pretty mundane in their time. The only ones I’ve seen at car shows that draw any kind of interest is the heavily modified ones with blowers sticking out of the hood and big meats in the back that just scream horsepower.

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  12. Avatar Ian

    This type of car is a piece of history lost on nearly everyone except Mopar enthusiasts and those of us who remember them when they were new. My Uncle John drove a brand new, blue 74 Duster with a ‘slant six’ automatic and those great ‘dog dish’ hubcaps. It was a decent car that lent some prestige for its brand new status (the tail lights were different on the 74’s as I recall) and that everyone new the price of new cars were getting ridiculous – well over $5000 for nearly anything! I say keep the car as it is, paint it, put in a factory correct interior and drive it in summer.

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  13. Avatar Ray

    My parents had one when i was a kid Brown with a white stripe down the side with the duster and tornado logo at the back side with the slant 6 and 3spd on the floor I’m 41 now and i have been wanting one ever since my dad bought it brand new the day i was born in 74

    Like 0

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