Pat L. found this interesting project. It is a 1974 Plymouth Duster that was sidelined due to brake issues in 2011. The car has approximately 112,000 miles and looks pretty solid. The seller pulled the original slant six-cylinder engine and bought a 360 V8 to drop in the engine compartment but did not finish the job. He wants to sell everything as a package. The Duster is listed here on Craigslist for $4,000 which seems like a good deal. The ad was posted 8 days ago and the car is located in Farmington Hills next to Detroit, Michigan,
The car is blue with a blue vinyl interior as can be seen the interior is there but the seats are splitting and the carpet looks like someone stored rusty parts on it. The Duster came from the factory as a column shift but the seller has an extra transmission that might be able to handle the extra power if needed. The factory transmission is an A904 automatic transmission.
Here is a picture of the original 225 cubic inch inline 6 cylinder engine. It is a little greasy but looks to be in good shape. Is there any value to this engine? As fare as the body goes, the front fenders were replaced many years ago and the subframe and suspension mounts are in excellent shape. The rest of the car was undercoated and in good shape except for a spot in the driver’s footwell and the trunk.
There is also some rust in the lower fenders and rocker panels. There appears to be rust around the windows but the glass looks good. The extra engine is a LH Series 360 cubic inch V8 from a mid 1980’s D150 pickup. The car comes with some extra parts including a 8.25″ rear end, A904 automatic transmission, A727 automatic transmission and some rear leaf springs. This could be a good project and the seller is open to offers.
You could sell off all of those parts and make a fair bit of coin.
Looks like it was flooded
On the contrary, many big blocks have been stuffed into A- bodies and the 360 is a stroked out (longer stroke) small block with smaller bore than a 340, the 360 would be same bore if .050″ over. 340 stroke is same as a 318. Sorry I have been checking the charts, just wanna share.
junk , part it out!
If titles clean buy it…its a steal…
If I’m not mistaken, you have to change the K-frame to take a V8.
Schumacher Creative Services sells conversion mounts that allow you to install 273~360s in A body slant six cars. They also sell kits to install 383~440’s in A bodys and kits to install the new Hemis in A bodys without changing K-members.I’ve never used their parts but, I’ve heard they do work. For what it’s worth.
I’d have to consider putting the 6 cyl back in this one after a refresh and a few hop-up parts.
No. I had one. Many came with 318 cu.in. and 340 cu.in. engines. The 360 is basically a bored out 340. The big blocks for sure will not fit.
Yes, big blocks fit in a-bodies. People put big blocks in these all the time. Even the factory did, after Mr. Norm showed them how. It’s not necessarily super easy to do, but it’s also not that hard, following other people’s experience.
Actually a 360 has a smaller bore then a 340, but a longer stroke.
Dirty duster
I would sell or trade the 360, rebuild the 6 and put some “umph” in it. Those slant 6s are solid bulletproof engines, add EFI and drive it daily for the next 20 years…
Yes! Everyone seems to pull the sixes to put a V8 in. I’d rather keep the six, hop it up – maybe even with a four or five-speed stick – and have something really unique and fun to drive on the street. In this car, I’d probably keep the automatic just for simplicities sake and with the six hopped up add a shift kit and maybe a 2k rpm stall converter. A 3.55 rear would be a pretty good compromise gear, too.
Love the style of these cars they should of offered more muscle in these babies. I would definitely consider it but I think a fair price would be around $2000. Car looks solid but needs some work so the above price is fair. Hope the seller gets decent money for it
I’ve got a Duster that the guy pulled the 318 and put in a 225 cause he didn’t want his daughter to have a V8. I bought the car and he through in the 318 plus another auto tranny in the deal. I traded him a ’41 Merc that I had 2700$ invested so I came out way to the good on the deal.
Hey … That’s my “project” now!!! Picked it up a few weeks ago. Floors are good except drivers pan. New one just came in.
Installing a 72 LA 318 that came with it
Doors panels already replaced
I actually purchased it as a high school after school auto project