I’m sure there will be a few complaints about what I’m going to suggest for this Plymouth Duster. Rather than give this base level car a complete and expensive restoration, I would turn this into a ratty looking sleeper. I’d pull the dependable but weak inline 6, drop a 360 or larger Mopar V8 in its place and upgrade the other major mechanical systems to handle the power. Then I’d just clean the outside, but leave the paint as is and simply treat any rust with a rust converter. I know there are lots of people that hate the word patina in the context of classic cars, but this car has the right look and would be one heck of a sleeper if done right. You can find this Duster here on eBay in Tucson, Arizona with a current bid of $2,500.
Honestly, some cars deserve to be restored, no matter how cool their worn look is. A cheap base model Duster probably isn’t one of them though and likely never will be. There are a lot of people out there that love these cars, but that doesn’t mean they are worth all that much. Even a cheap low-quality paint job is going to cost as much or more than the car is worth, so why spend that kind of money on this one when you can buy a nice one like this one for not much more? Now that doesn’t mean that this one doesn’t deserve to be saved, it just means you will either need to really love it to justify restoring it or get a bit creative in how you save it.
Whether you make it into a sleeper, a cheap driver or fully restore it, the interior is one area that is going to need work. The front bench seat isn’t in terrible condition, but since it’s where you’re putting your butt, you’ll want to make it comfortable enough to live with. The dash pad and rubber bits are shot, but that’s what happens when a car is left out in Arizona for decades. If you’re going the sleeper route, you could just gut it and install modern bucket seats, but personally, I’d want to keep the inside looking original.
Building this Duster into a hot sleeper could get expensive depending on what engine you go with and what parts you already have access to. There are a few of these floating around that have 440 V8s out of old motorhomes that were built on shoestring budgets, but if you don’t have access to an old RV buying an engine and transmission will be your only option. I guess you could always get the original slant six running and just make it into a nice driver with a very unique look! So, what would it be for you? Could you justify restoring this to perfect condition or would you want to find a more affordable route to saving it from the crusher?
I would think that once you change out motor mounts/crossmembers/suspension/brakes ect to handle V8 power you would be money ahead to just find a V8 car to start with. With that said, I’ve always dug these.
There is a certain satisfaction in doing the work on the car yourself.
At least you know the quality of the work when you put down that right foot.
I was reading a magazine article about a Chrysler concept car that had a factory souped up slant six and was capable of 155 plus! Easiest thing might be to just hop up the six, assuming it was reasonably healthy.
A hopped up six would be pretty cool, something different!
These ol’ Slant Sixes are surprisingly tuneable. Chrysler offered a Hyper-Pak kit for ’em as far back as the early-1960s.
Find some later Feather Duster panels to take a bit of weight out of the front, upgrade the suspension and brakes, swap out the 904 auto ‘box for a 5- or 6-speed manual (I second Miguel’s comments on building-it-yourself) and have some fun.
Thank you Beatnik. I have a little experience getting my hands dirty.
I turned this…
Into this. I know it is not perfect, but it is better than it was.
The goal is this.
Miguel: that’s the whole point: ‘better than it was’. Nice work.
None of the body parts from the Feather Duster models are the same. The only items from the Feather Duster you could use was the aluminum intake manifold and aluminum manual trans housing.
I like it just as it is! . The body doesn’t look too bad, and if the driveline is reasonably sound, you could bring it home for about $1800
I love green. I’d hop it up and fix it as I drove it.
I’d restomod this car, including paint. I have seen them set up that way bring $30k plus at auction. Don’t get me wrong, I’d certainly be upside down when done, but I like a good looking car, not one that looks abused just to fool the guy in the next lane.
That’s exactly the point of a sleeper. Are you familiar with the term “q-ship”? It’s a naval term used to describe a vessel carrying a heavy arsenal of weapons. Looking deceptively innocent, they were used to lure submarines into an attack, but then, opened up and fired on the sub as it surfaced. What’s wrong with rolling up to a car with a dull paint job and ratty vinyl roof on your car? If you’ve spent the money where it counts, you’ll probably beat him to the finish line, anyway. I’d rather see old vehicles like this given even a basic, proper restoration, but if a sleeper is the route an owner goes, a ‘72 Duster is kept alive. Just my two cents.
they are only original……once (referring to the paint mostly )
If memory serves…..don’t the 6 and 8 cylinder cars take different K-frames? That’d throw a wrench in the works, depending on just how much rust is down there.
You can buy all the needed parts to install a big block in one of these. The kits are pretty expensive, but you can fabricate most of the parts or pull them from a donor car.
Go with a small block. The parts are inexpensive and readily available on the secondary market. There is no need to go with a big block on a car like this. A small block will keep added weight off of the front end, making for a much better driving experience. A stroker small block can easily reach well over 400cid which would be a true sleeper compared to the readily identifiable 383/440.
Steve R
It’s a base model Duster so if you keep it original, it will look like a sleeper whether you paint it or not. I don’t care for the shabby, unpainted look; I want my car to look as nice as I can get it; be it a plain Jane or one with all the factory glitz. And don’t even mention the word “patina,” that’s a word you use for antiques or your weird old grandpa, not for a car.
Upgrade the motor and mechanicals, keep the bench seat and column shifter, wider plain steel wheels with poverty hubcaps, PAINT IT and there you have it; a sleeper.
Brakes first….Then at least a 340 or Crate Hemi & running gear. Easy 12’s. Brakes first though. Says a GTS/Swinger owner. Those stock 6cyl.(8cyl. too) brakes will have you changing your shorts after a panic stop/ a few high speed stops or end of run attempts at stopping.
Love the sleeper look myself.
Did you mean to say Brakes First?
’73-up ‘standardized’ spindle. Order a pair of Cordoba discs. Pop on a set of calipers & adapters, use ’80 Aspen brake hoses…12″ brakes on the cheap. If you can, use the LCA (with sway bar tabs) and K-member from a ’73 up A-body. 1 1/8″ sway bar is now a possibility. Set up the rest of the suspension, wheel & tire combo to work together and you will have a vintage car that handles surprisingly well
weren’t the cordoba rotors 11″, ?
I only had all original stuff from the slant six , (I only swapped in the 340 with ECU ignition, and transmission , ALL other parts were the original parts that came with the car ! )
12.1 sec qtr , never had it on a track sadly , but same with my 69charger , just put in the 440 , brakes were good enough to make the first turn off the track , (over 4000# , at 109 mph !!lol) ,
where would be a decent source of the spindles and calipers to upgrade my dusters/dart !?? 😁
Good car for beginning enthusiast to learn on.340 would be good
Put in the garage keep it dry take a year or 2 spending $ when you can & end up with something really nice
Josh Mortensen I have a question for you regarding a car you posted a wile back
Hi Robert,
What can I do for you?
Josh
The parade of green cars and trucks recently on BF is fantastic… it’s my preferred colour on a ’70s classic. As Josh suggests I’d leave the exterior as is… but with a stoked up slant 6 under the hood.
$2500? are you serious? interior is literally toast. lot of “surface rust” for an advertised CA and AZ car. The trunk is surprisingly rusty, makes me suspicious of floorboards, too. The exterior is relatively straight, but me thinks there is more rust hidden. It needs just about everything. That’s a $500(tops!) car to me.
this is how much AZ cars are, if you want I can pull a seat out and lift the carpets if youd like ? 500 wetrdry sandpaper, a little water and sanding would take off most of the surface rust you are referring to in a few hours.
Why not drop in a current Hemi?
Josh, I think you’re right on the money with this car. I would do the same.
Love this car, lots of these in my neighborhood growing up, and some looked like this only after a couple years. Drove a similar car in 2013 when my modern Honda Civic was in the shop. Not sure I’ve ever heard the slant-six being called an “inline 6” ever.
I’d fix any rust on it, resto-mod the interior and then go whole hog and drop a full tilt 440 in it, torque flite & converter, narrowed 4:10 Dana and just enjoy the $hit outta it,,,,,
Wow, kinda forgot about that popular color of green when I saw the it on the door caps. Amazing how faded it is.
Would be cool repainted the original color with a vinyl top color of your choice, a replicated Hyperpak etc.
I see what looks like an a/c compressor as well as power steering in the engine photos – but no a/c inside the car. Am I imagining this?
that I is a factory emissions air pump
I am a big fan of basic cars.
Get it running, address the mechanicals and address the rest as time and money allow. Hang the tributes, clones and Barrett Jackson high dollar restorations.
As Miguel said above: make it better than it was when you found it and have fun getting there.
The real value is the value the owner gets from enjoying the car, not some arbitrary $ # published by the experts.
Just sent the ad to my little brother as we’re both in Tucson.
A “hot” sleeper car from Arizona. There is a joke in there somewhere, right, Josh? Do we bleed a few horses from the bigger motor by putting A/C on it? Enquiring minds want to know.
Slant six – built to handle turbo power with a manual valve body automatic, adjusted rear gearing and go cruising. Low budget fun! Chuck in Kansas
Someone call All Bundy! They found his car! He only has 5 more payments on it and it’s his! It must have rolled out of his garage and kept rolling south til it stopped here! Great and dependable cars back in the day. I’m thinking a beefed up 318 or 360 and a 4 speed myself