Green On The Tree: 1973 Plymouth Duster
The Plymouth Duster, a car that came and went faster than a squirrel on an energy drink (1970-1976), was like the wild, distant cousin of the Plymouth Valiant and Dodge Dart A-body sedans in the Chrysler family. It’s the budget-friendly ticket to ride into the classic Mopar universe, kind of like getting invited to the party without the VIP wristband. Sure, it might not have the swagger of the ‘Cuda, but the price tag won’t have you selling your kidneys on the black market either! Find this 1973 Plymouth Duster bidding for $8,100 in Springfield, OH with 2 days to go via ebay.
From the seller:
THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE CAR THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO CRUISE ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
Slant Six Engine, 3-Speed manual on the floor with original shifter and knob. Killer Kenwood Stereo
2BBL Holley with Split Dual Exhaust…SOUNDS GREAT!
Original Carpet and Interior!!!
Mostly Original Paint
Perfect starter Mopar muscle car without the muscle!
Fender Tag Breakdown:
E24 225 Slant Six
D13 3-Speed Manual Transmission floor shift
VL29 V=Valiant L=Low Price Class 29=2-Door Hardtop
C3B C=Slant Six 3=1973 B=Hamtramck Michigan
171893 Serial Number
JF1 Mist Green (Mid-Year Color) RARE
D2F6 D=Deluxe 2=Vinyl Bench F6=Green
000 One Piece Trim Panel
A02 October 2, 1972 Scheduled Production Date
135835 Shipping Order Number
JF1 Mist Green Roof Color (no vinyl top)
H Order Type 1973 and Up
V6W White Longitudinal Stripe
V8W White Transverse Stripe
EN2 End of sales codes
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I’ve never seen a bench seat Duster etc with a floor shift. I hate to say this as it betrays the passage of MY time, but this is kinda…I SAID…kinda…cool, for what it is. I knew a girl back in the day who had a Duster. I think it was a ’73. That it would be bidding at 8 K plus just shows us the deflation of the dollar. I mean this was once an 800 dollar car………..all day every day.
I like it, too, just would like it better with buckets and four on the floor. Still, I like it. Would love to hear it run. My buddy had one of these back in high school days, same drivetrain, he could out drag my 260 V8 Cutlass.
The 80+ year old grandmother of my college girlfriend drove a late ’70’s 4-door Aspen w/ the 318 and floor 3-speed as ‘that’s what she grew up with’ she said. She hated the vinyl roof but claimed it was the only way she could get the V8.
Nice, something sold as basic that is now just about a Unicorn. The Slant 6 has tons of potential.That’s a center feed Holley just above the wrapped (!) headers. They look to be equal length and proper primary pipe matching unleashes some more power and torque. I bet it does sound great. That motor is hard to kill and overall the car looks pretty acceptable.
And I used to drive a bench seat ’78 Granada 300 six with a 3 speed overdrive on the floor. Great car until the body disintegrated.
guessing that with it’s econo build order, this Duster’s equipped with 4 wheel drum brakes. remember now those slowed things? if you dont, this could be a real eye opener, as you examine- very close up- the rear end of the car you are closing in on.
non-assisted drum brakes are not for the faint of heart. Better not skip leg day.
Oh, nonassisted drum brakes can do a great job of stopping, once. Stopping twice maybe. Slowing down after crossing the continental divide with a trailer not so much.
I’ve had some nonassisted disc brakes that were pretty scary, because you can’t set up a leading shoe with bite in a disc brake the way you can with drum brakes.
Single circuit hydraulic brakes, now that’s scary, but at least this doesn’t have that problem.