Plymouth launched the successful Duster coupe in 1970 based on the Valiant compact. It was intended to do battle with the likes of the 2-door Chevy Nova. It was only natural that Dodge would lobby for its own version of the car, and they got their wish in 1971 with the Demon (and its special logo). This ’72 Demon may have once been a 340, but it has a Plain Jane 225 cubic inch Slant-6 under the hood now. The car runs but it’s not roadworthy and needs attention almost everywhere. From Chesterfield, Michigan, this Dodge is available here on craigslist for $7,800, but the seller is motivated. Another Mopar tip from Gunter Kramer!
In its second year on the market, the Demo saw a production of about 40,000 units and some 25% of those would be the performance-oriented Demon 340. That left the rest to be equipped with either a Slant-6 or 318 small-block V8. The origins of this car are up for debate as the cowl tag says it had a 340 engine, yet a six is there today along with the corresponding rear-end. Did someone get tired of going fast or blow up the 340 and decided to downgrade to save money? Given resale values 50 years later, that would not have been the wisest of decisions.
The seller has managed to get this Dodge running and it will drive around the yard, but that’s about it. At a minimum, it’s going to need some brake work if stopping is important to you. The mileage is unknown, so we have no idea how many miles the motor and TorqueFlite automatic transmission have traveled. The cowl tag confirms that Hemi Orange was applied to the car when new, although those wild “High Impact” colors had begun to wear out their welcome by 1972. The body is going to need some work in terms of sorting out dents and dings and the floors will require some patchwork. There is no rear window in the car and the seller doesn’t say if it has survived.
Another question mark pops up regarding the placement of the VIN as it’s not in the customary spot in the dashboard, though there is a tag in the door jamb as was customary for Chrysler in those days. If you were to buy this car, what would you do with it? Restore it as it sits or locate a Demon 340 drivetrain and facilitate a transplant as part of the restoration? That could result in a $25-30,000 automobile.
So, $500 rust-belt parts cars are 8 grand these days?
A loaf of bread, some milk and snacks at the grocery store is like $8k these days!! Maybe it’s smart they switched this to slant….. no one will be able to fuel the 8’s soon. You’ll need to take out a mortgage for gas!!
Wow, never heard of a 340 becoming a slant six, but I like it! I assume that when the engine blew, someone dumped the car and whoever got it for a song had a slanty laying around. The six was more than adequate for a car this size, even better with a stick. If you just had to have a little more performance, the 318 was a great compromise. No one needed the 340, no one at all.
Agreed. Just perfect to leisurely mosey down the road, which is all anybody needs!
No offense, but if you’ve ever driven a 340 A-body car you might have a different opinion. I’ve owned several 226/6, 318 and 340 cars. If your going to cruise, a slanty is a great choice. But if you want to properly shock and embarrass Camaro and Mustang drivers, nothing beats a sleeper 340 Dart or Duster, IMHO.
Says no muscle car guy ever. Lol. But hey, I love a smooth six too….. just rather have a that torque
I know , they should have stuffed a 3 cyl sprint engine it it ! -honestly, why do
you complain about any car that doesn’t have the smallest engine available in it ?
Nobody would have pulled a 340 drivetrain out to put a 225 in it , on top of everything else, you’d have to change the k frame as well as the rear diff. .If the 340 was blown , a 318 would have bolted right up and you wouldn’t have had to change a thing . The vin tag on this car is fishy
Shame several religious organizations forced Chrysler to scrap the Demon nameplate.
Yeah, but move forward to modern times and they started using it again. The new versions are slightly (understatement of the century) more wicked 😈.
Yeah but could you just imagine how Chrysler/Dodge could’ve profited from 1972 till 2022 with the Demon nameplate?
Sister Anne, head of st. Michaels convent and my catechism teacher for years, drove a blue one. It was awesome. If anything could inspire a sence of awe in a nun, it was that car. I happen to know for certain she chose that model intentionally. Pretty cool sis
I have this 440, A727 tranny, and a Danna 60 laying in a trailer.
Ummm?
Is this thing still available?