1971 Plymouth Duster

Description

This 1971 Plymouth Duster is what you get when you take a mild-mannered A-body and give it a serious dose of horsepower. Finished in Sub-Lime Green metallic paint, this slick compact now carries a snarling 318-inch small block and a high-profile personality that refuses to be ignored.

Originally, this car was just a bland commuter special, anonymous in its factory gold paint. But since it was straight and clean, someone saw the potential in it, so it was stripped down to the basics, the sheetmetal was expertly smoothed, and it was covered in a few coats of that outrageous bright green paint that looks like it might be radioactive. No longer a shrinking violet, this slick Duster was just getting started, so they added hood snorkels and a deck lid spoiler, to really set things off. Workmanship is impressive, with doors that close crisp and solid and a very impressive shine to the glossy urethane paint. Even up close, the finish is astoundingly deep and we really can't see how anyone could have done a more thorough job. A black vinyl roof works quite well with the other black accents on the car and there are fresh chrome bumpers at either end, just to keep it looking mostly stock.

The handsome interior is beautifully restored using fresh tan seat covers, door panels, and carpets to re-create the factory look. It's actually very sophisticated for an affordable car and comfortable enough to spend all day behind the wheel. The original dashboard offers a surprisingly complete array of gauges, augmented by a tachometer mounted on the A-pillar and auxiliary gauges under the dash, all with slick white faces. Factory A/C is always a welcome option and it's particularly unusual in a Duster, and it now uses modern R134a refrigerant inside. It's possible that the back seat is original, and if that's the case, this is one amazingly well-preserved car, so it's easy to see how the builder saw the potential in it. And while the trunk is momentarily full of original Rallye wheels, you'll also note that there's no trace of the original gold paint, meaning that the color change was quite thorough. It also includes correct mats and a jack assembly tucked into the corner.

A fully rebuilt 318 is neatly dressed with a Holley 4-barrel carburetor and Edelbrock intake manifold, providing a proven combination which gives the hot small block instantaneous throttle response and a great mid-range punch. Chrome dress-up items accent the bright green engine bay, but otherwise it looks fairly stock. Factory cast iron exhaust manifolds control noise and heat better than headers and flow almost as well, feeding an aggressive-sounding dual exhaust system with glasspack-style mufflers. The A904 3-speed automatic transmission seems to read your mind when you stomp the loud pedal, dropping down a gear to let the small block get into the meaty part of the power band, and with ultra-tall 2.76 gears in the Dana 30 rear end, it's a great long-distance cruiser, too. Those bright aluminum Centerline wheels are a great look and wear 195/60/15 front and 235/60/15 rear Kelly performance radials, and as I said, the original Rallyes are in the trunk.

Documented with an original build sheet, this is a really neat piece of Mopar muscle that was done right. With a nod to authenticity but a strong desire to attract attention, this Duster is always a lot of fun. Call today!