1971 Plymouth Duster

Smaller and lighter than its Road Runner brother, Plymouth's Duster 340 was a compact powerhouse that provided all the thrills one expected of an old-school Mopar muscle car. Throw in a four-speed and you can't help grinning like a teenager every time you run through the gears. Here we have a real-deal 1971 Duster 340 that still sports its original, rock-solid body panels. Look closely and you'll see even panel gaps and supple weather stripping. The doors click shut with a finger's push. Note that the exterior was originally EV2 Tor-Red. During the Duster 340's restoration in the late 1990s the car was completely disassembled and the color was changed from Tor-Red to Formal Black with no remaining signs of the original color. A black vinyl top, dual sport mirrors, a blacked-out hood with "340 Wedge" decal and orange factory side stripes add more pizazz to the Duster. The car retains all of its original glass, including the windshield that's in very nice condition, as is the chrome and stainless-steel trim. A set of period-correct aluminum wheels with unique raised orange letter BF Goodrich Radial T/As round out the Duster's considerable curb appeal. Underneath, it's the same story as the undercarriage has the nicest floors you'll find with along with the very solid torque boxes and overall structure with no signs of any rust. The trunk pan is original and it comes with the original jack, mat and spare. Inside, everything looks factory fresh and rather than a boring bench seat there are bucket seats with the factory Hurst 4-speed shifter with its original wood knob between them. The black and bright orange upholstery ties in perfectly with the exterior's orange accents and the sporty "Tuff" steering wheel provides a meaty grip; no skinny plastic rim here. An old-school tach sits on the steering column, allowing an easy read of the V8's revs. A factory AM/FM radio provides clear sound for when you're just cruising. Under the hood the original 340 block is long gone, a victim of a steady diet of drag racing in the 1970s. No worries, as a high-performance 340 crate engine now occupies the engine bay. A few highlights include Edelbrock aluminum heads and ceramic-coated Doug's headers. The original 340 was underrated at 275 horsepower and gave these cars ripping performance. This even more powerful 340 transplant likely makes at least 100 more horsepower, considerably boosting the fun factor. Note that the original 340's heads, Thermo-Quad carb, exhaust manifolds, distributor and correct original wrinkle-finish air cleaner. All that power is sent through the 4-speed gearbox and out to the Sure-Grip rear end. Manual steering and brakes make this a true, engaging-to-drive muscle car, while the dual exhaust with its OEM style mufflers makes this car sound as good as it looks...and goes. Given its combination of condition, desirable features and affordable pricing, we don’t expect this muscle Mopar to last long. Please call Carroll Street Auto at (603) 627-5595 to schedule time to view this classic close up. Financing is offered through our approved lender, trades are welcome and enclosed shipping can be arranged.