PLYMOUTH DUSTER - WHY WAS PLYMOUTH SO CONFUSED?

The Duster Was A Valiant Coupe
The Valliant was a small car. The Plymouth Duster is a semi-fastback two-door car that cost $15 million to make. This was done to make it look and feel sportier. In 1970, the Duster was labeled as a Valiant, but after that it was just called the Duster. It had the same front end as the Valiant, but the back hood was different, which is what made the Duster so popular among young people. The 198 and 225 slant-six engines and 318 and 340 V8s were the only engines available at first. This year, there were three trims: the regular Duster, the 340 performance Duster, and the Gold trim, which came out in the middle of the year.
The Duster Was Key To The Dodge Demon
The Duster became a runaway success. Pitted against the likes of the slightly smaller Ford Maverick and the AMC Hornet, the Duster also managed to complete well with the slightly larger Chevrolet Nova. Of course, while the Maverick and the Nova also came in four-door versions, the Plymouth Duster was a two-door coupe for all of its short if impactful life. It was also marketed as an alternative to the Volkswagen Beetle and enjoyed so much attention that soon Dodge also wanted its very own version of the Duster. So in 1971, the Dodge got the Demon, and the rest, as they say, is history.
That Unmistakable Duster Logo
Not many people know that the Plymouth Duster was going to be named after a Warner Bros. character. The Duster was going to have a name based on the cartoon Tasmanian Devil, like the Plymouth Road Runner. By that time, Warner Bros. had pulled out of the deal because they wanted a lot more money. So, the Duster got the name "Duster." Thomas Bertsch of Chrysler made the image, which was also based on how the Tasmanian devil moves in the cartoon, which is in a cloud of dust. So, the image for the Duster became a twister with eyes. It is still one of the most well-known car designs to this day.
Performance At A Cheap Price
The top trim of the Duster offered a 340 V8 that pulsed out 275 horses and 340 ft-lb torque - for a car the Duster's size, these were serious performance numbers. The 198 and 225 slant-sixes managed 125 and 145 horses respectively, which could also propel the Duster with good speed. Of course, the 5.5-liter 340 V8's performance was boss, with a 0-60mph sprint of 6.2 seconds, and a quarter-mile run in 14.7 seconds. All that performance came at just $2,947 for the top trim. Ford Mustang cost upwards of $3,300 - so the Duster was quite the steal.
The 1971-72 Dusters: No More Valiants
The biggest and most important change to the 1971 Plymouth Duster was that the Valiant logos on the fenders and the Plymouth name on the grille were taken off. The Duster had become its own car and was easy to spot on the road. The Duster Twister was another new trim. It had special side stripes, a matte-black hood, and the shark-tooth grille from the 340. A non-working hood scoop, back spoiler, dual exhaust, and cool bucket seats were added. In 1971, more than 186,000 Dusters were made. Even though horsepower went down because of a new way of measuring, the power of the 1972 model stayed the same.
The 1973 Plymouth Duster: Spruced Up
The Valiants and the Plymouth Duster were refurbished for this year. There was a new hood and grille, and the fenders, bumpers, and taillights were redesigned. A Space Duster package was also added, which had nothing to do with space and more to do with car space. the backbench could be folded down to add to the cargo space.
The 1974 Plymouth Oil-Embargo Duster
Despite 1974 being flush with the first wave of the oil crisis, the Plymouth Duster outperformed every other year's sales by shipping out more than 280,000 examples. The engine was now a 5.9-liter 360 V8, de-tuned to meet the strict emissions regulations of the day. This engine still churned out 245 horses by using a combination of the camshaft, intake manifold, a dual-exhaust as well as the carburetor. A Duster 360 model was introduced for this engine - and it also had power disc brakes, attractive tape stripes on the side and rear, an upgraded suspension and shocks, and a sway bar. The Duster was still all heart and muscle.
A Strange, Abrupt End
In the middle of 1976, the Plymouth Duster was suddenly replaced by the Plymouth Volaré, and the Dodge Dart was replaced by the Dodge Aspen. We all know how this sad story ends. The Volaré and the Aspen were some of the most beautiful cars Dodge and Plymouth ever made, but they weren't well made. Both cars were perfect examples of rust buckets, as they were very unreliable and leaked a lot. The moisture in the air made them rust like nothing else, and this soon brought about an end to the Volaré, and later Plymouth in general by the turn of the 21st century.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

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[@richardowen4558]

Drove a 1970 Duster340 4-speed that a shipmate owned. I craved one of those but had two more years to go on my current ride. I got my Duster340 3-speed in 1972 after six months of searching for just the right one. Kept the car for 15 years before having to sell it. Still miss that car. A positive note-My daughter gave me a 1/25 model Plymouth Duster340 that I took and painted to look like my original. It sits on my desk today and conjures up such sweet memories.

[@wildbill5126]

A Bodies, My #1 favorite Mopar, my brother bought a brand new 1970 Plymouth Duster 340, his buddy had a 302 Mustang Mach 1, my brother never lost a race, the next year his buddy bought a 340 Cuda. The 340 was an unappreciated motor.

[@lesliemartin2376]

I owned a few 340 Darts back in the day and had a lot of fun with them. But my '71 Duster 340 4-speed was the best muscle car I ever owned l. Not exactly a sleeper in TorRed with the blacked out dual scoops, Go-wing, and 340 callouts. But I worked at a speed shop at the time and surprised all the guys I worked with who had jacked up Mustangs and Camaros. I beat a lot of big block cars that you would have assumed would be much faster. A really underrated and underappreciated car of the era. Nice to see it finally getting some recognition now!

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

My best friend in Hi Skool 1984 had a orange with black hood & stripes '72 340 4sp! As I am a MOPAR fan I loved those 340s & they were very underappreciated back then even after they would "dust" the competition! ✌💖☮

[@kellismith4329]

One of the best engines ever !

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

@@kellismith4329 right on! Great thing was my grandpa sold MOPARS from 1946-1977 so I grew up with them!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Never been a MOPAR fan but my cousin in Los Angeles had one. My professor in college would bring his Duster over to my house and I'd change the oil. I passed algebra because of it! hahaha! Then I took trigonometry and needed to use algebra! Oh Boy that was tough. That's my story about MOPAR and I'm sticking to it. Thanks for watching everyone! Please help us out and subscribe. We promise we won't bother you.

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

@@ThisOldCarChannel Haha at least MOPARS got you an education ☺! I grew up in Georgia at the home of the Dukes of Hazzard

[@justina3221]

high school *

[@whichfinger]

Wife & I bought a new 1970 Duster 340, had the dealer install a hitch and transmission cooler, and set out to move from Illinois to Oregon pulling a huge U-Haul enclosed trailer full of our stuff. Made it in three days through many cone-zones on a still-incomplete Interstate highway system. Our first child appeared soon after the move and I got convinced that a roomier, family-oriented car would be better. Worst automotive mistake I ever made. I loved that car.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Wow....Love it! Thanks for watching and sharing a little of your past!

[@4knanapapa]

Grew up in metro Detroit, graduated in 1970, the peak of the real muscle car era, had 2 friends with 340 dusters and one with a 69 nova SS 396, Woodward Ave was the drag strip and the dusters gave big blocks of all manufactures a run for their money.

[@robertchristie9434]

In the 70s living in St Clair Shores Mich the next door guy stuffed a 440 6pack from a bone yard into a 70 Duster. The engines were dirt cheap then because of the first gas crunch in the mid 70s. Talk about a sleeper.

[@NorthwoodsNomad]

Grew up Downriver, I remember these gorgeous Mopars and all the cool muscle cars. Had a 70 Belvedere with a 318 that was a runner ! Never should have sold that car . But I always loved those Dusters ( actively looking for one with a 340 now )

[@dalehood1846]

Northwoodsnomad, Several different ways to get a DUSTER. First you might want to look for a 318 cu. In. Car, cheaper and many bolt on high performance parts. Second, a 225 cu. In. Car is not a bad idea either. Hear me out. You could swap the engine for a 340. Do not trash the 225. Many people want them. Or possibly keep the 225 in the car. A guy I know, Gordie Stevens, has a 1975 Dodge Dart Sport, looks like earlier Dusters. He has a 4 Barrel carb and manifold, headers, and a performance camshaft. He drag races it very successfully. He was track champion in 2006 at Thompson Drag Raceway in Thompson, Ohio. He was track champion in 2009 at Sunset Drag Strip in Charleston, PA. He knew how to drive that car! So in conclusion, you might consider another engine starting out. Many aftermarket sources for complete rebuilt 340's. Do your homework, find out what you are getting. And last but not least, talk to people and don't be too quick to buy. You will find what you want. Hope this helps, all the best and may God bless.

[@NorthwoodsNomad]

@@dalehood1846 Hey thanks for the input and I appreciate your feedback. I had a 67’ Doge van with that 225 slant six , that was my second favorite one next to my 1970 Belvedere / 318 . I know you can build those up with great success . But … I just acquired a 383 bolted to an A727 Torqueflite transmission from a 1970 Challenger for $1,000 for the two together. Changed my whole thought process. I’m going to build it to go into a truck , so I’m looking for a 67-71 Dodge D200 or something similar to drop it in . Thanks again and God bless !

[@comeandfindme.45]

I street raced a lot and almost always lost to the 340Duster. At that time I was driving a 351 Cleveland Mustang and was about 700 lbs heavier. You can't beat power to weight ratio.

[@roberttauber4927]

The Sox & Martin drag racing team’s massive success with the Duster only added to its popularity. A buddy of mine in high school had a Duster with a 340 “Six Pack”… (Three 2 bbl carbs) and “dusted” everything around!

[@shannonfrench6893]

In 1971 we were on a trip from Northwest Arkansas to Colorado. We stopped for a few days in Dodge City to visit family. I had just turned 10 and a cousin pulled up in his brand new '71 Demon 340 six pack 4-speed Plum Crazy Purple beast with black interior. My brother who was 14 got to go cruise around Dodge City with him and I had to stay. Man I was mad! I've been car crazy (and girl crazy) all my life but I would have traded a couple of the women I slept with for one ride in that mean machine!!!

[@oleandreasjensen5263]

These cars have been so underrated, but with the creations of The Duster & The Demons and Twuisters with the 340 High performance they become legends. With the graphics, stripes and decals, spoilers etc they was hard to beat both in design and performance. I LOVE these leightweight high performance cars. - Today these cars are truly legends !!!!

[@powerwagon3731]

I had a 71 340 4 speed back in about 1979. It went well with my 70 R/T Charger. I only have a rusty Power Wagon now.

[@bruschmidt9943]

My father test drove a stealth 1970 Duster 340 preowned. It was light green metallic & stripes deleted. The guy said he did that so it wouldn't attract the wrong attention. I was a child in the early '70s & rode in the back. When my father punched it, that car pushed me back in the seat like we were taking off in the sky! He said there's no way that car had 275 hp; severely underrated!

[@mypronouniswtf5559]

340's were underrated,they had 350 hp..thats the 340 until 1971...1972 all Chrysler engines changed,not just net ratings..lower compression,different valves/heads,crankshaft that lowered the power ten fold!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

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[@chadklotz5494]

I built a ‘71 340. Had to bore it .030 over, put in flat top pistons, compression came in at 10.2:1, gasket port matched the heads, simple bowl clean up as well and a slightly hotter flat tappet cam, Edelbrock performer RPM Air Gap intake, 800 CFM Edelbrock carb, balanced it, roller tip rockers. With my headers on it, on the dyno it came in at 380 hp at 6200 rpm. Great running little engine. Love those 340’s.

[@dalehood1846]

bruschmidt, They purposely underrated the horsepower figures for the insurance companies. Chrysler did this to a LOT of their cars. Lower insurance costs, more cars sold. Plus the race teams helped also. Richard Petty in NASCAR. Sox and Martin in Drag racing. Also the AAR Cuda's and T/A Challengers for the road courses helped to. Ronnie Sox drove several Dusters, very deadly on the drag strip. NHRA even penalizing him at the last, because he WON TOO MUCH! The other team manufacturers ,Chevy and Ford couldn't compete against him. (I thought the point was to win.) Sour grapes.

[@JamesSilcox-if9ke]

My family and I had about 30 A bodys between us over the years. Every one of them were great cars. Man, now that I think about it, those were good times. Wish I had my family and those cars back.

[@erwinvigilia6303]

My first car was a '75 Duster, maroon paint and the dealer put a "Starsky and Hutch" paint-stripe scheme on it... had that car for 15 years... man do I miss it.

[@csumme7]

My friend had a 76 green Duster , manual, and 225 slant 6. I had a 74 Valiant brougham four door, auto, and slant 6. Awesome built cars back then if you could keep them from rusting.

[@cefrancek9810]

My first new car was a 1972 Plymouth Duster with a 3 on the floor and a 225 slant six. It was red with the back trimmed in white, the window sticker price was under $2000.00. I wish I still had that car.

[@digitalwitness77]

A guy from church who lived a block away had one black white stripe, also had a Super bee. I seen these cars and fell in love with cars.

[@jonphillips2951]

Those slant six's would last forever. I think the 318's were pretty good if I remember correctly.

[@albertmcfry6322]

I had a 71 demon with slant 6. Best car I ever owned!

[@danielwymer1580]

The 318 was even better

[@bobmorgan1575]

I had a '68 Satellite with the 318 in it. The water pump on it died right before the 5/50 warranty, but that was the only failure the engine itself had. The oil and filters were changed every 3 months / 3k miles, two tuneups a year, and the cooling system flushed and fresh coolant every two years. I sold it with 98,000 miles on it and it was barely using a quart of oil between changes.

[@Frank-ul1qs]

I had a used 340 stick shift, had nothing but problems I quickly return it, but care sale said no refund, I got a deputy and got my refund back. It was a law in my state. Cost more to repair than what the car value at.

[@wil7228]

The slant 6 was bullet proof also in the dodge dart .

[@kenkellar]

I ordered a 70 Duster 340 and bought it the 4th May 1970. I still own it. It has 33,000 miles on the odometer. Original brakes and exhaust system. I believe it is b5 blue with black vinyl top and black interior. 3.55 posi rear. I have all documentation including the temporary license plate. I replaced the wiring harness due to age plus the water pump has been changed 3 times. About 5 years ago I changed to radial tires from the E70 14 RWL Goodyear's.

[@glenkepic3208]

Very nice. My Nephew bought a Duster from a family friend in the late '80s as his first car I'd sometimes see him on the highway nearly 10 years later and he was still driving it. Not sure of the power train but apparently the 'spark box' failed early on. His Dad was a total gear head and good mechanic so not only figured out what went wrong but taught his Son to have a spare and how to change it. Cool memories!

[@Paul-dy8mo]

Ballast resistor. Always kept one in the glove box...

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Yup...Cousin owned one. Talked about the same think. Thanks for watching guys. Please subscribe and help us out?

[@Alaskajeffro]

I've got a 1970 Valiant Duster and LOVE it! It's quite modified from originally equipped, and a blast to drive.

[@thomasdearment3214]

I learned how to drive on a 70 Duster. 318, I had a 74, 318, 4sp. dual exhaust, the only reason I mentioned the exhaust was it boosted the HP, I really liked that body style many miles looking at that dash it never got old I still think fondly of that car

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Cousin owned one. I've not been a mopar guy but it was nice!

[@Seanyhwh-qu4sb]

love the oldies,the rare finds are so interesting and the rescue story's behind them.i miss my muscle cars,they brought me so much joy and adrenaline rushes.

[@todd5082]

I had a 340 4-speed Duster and it was a rocket! After buying I called my ins. company who gave me a great $ quote. Then she ran the vin number. Then she said oh wait, it’s a three four zero?? My ins. rate doubled.

[@thomasmaloney843]

I had a 72 duster with a 225 six and three speed auto. It was faster up to about 60 than what many would think. It was a great car and I drove it for a long time, primarily as a commuter car.

[@owlnswan4016]

Mom had the same...a Gold Duster in True Blue with black roof and interior that she bought new. While it certainly was not a 340 in performance, nor was it meant to be, I don't recall it seeming weak. They are good motors, and the car was ever pretty good driving on snowy roads.

[@tommycrist1856]

had a 70 duster. loved it. best little race car I ever had. that 340 4blr 4 speed won me a lot of pinks.

[@adamtrombino106]

It's funny that by 1976 a Dart Sport with the (expensive) optional 360 4bbl would be 1 of the fastest US made cars you could buy...Also 1 thing of mention was that some Chrysler executives at the time didn't want to phase out the Duster/Dart Sports until '77, so that teething problems could be worked out of the new F/M cars. Bean counters rushed production. If you bought a 76 Duster/Dart Sport, you got a much better car than any F car, 76-80.

[@vladtepish1790]

Yes, F cars came pre-F'd

[@kevinpatrick8788]

I love my 71 Duster 340 . Factory H code four speed car . It was originally F8 green but its been In Voilet purple since 1984 . ive owned it since 2014 but i bought it from a good friend who had ownedit since 1982

[@geebs76]

I had a 1973 Duster 340 and I worked with a girl that had a 1974 360. We loved them. I sold it when the floor board started to rot. I've always missed it.

[@parnellitube]

My grandma had a slant 6 Gold Duster in the early 80's. It had a fold down rear seat and factory A/C hanging below the dash. I remember the brown alligator textured vinyl roof, how slippery the vinyl seats were, and how much the slant 6 clattered.

[@wedge4hire]

Owned a 71 Demon 340 w column shifted automatic! At 105,000 miles, it spun a main bearing and the rebuild was a disaster! Sold it shortly an exhaustive battle with the engine builder! A great car!!!

[@slchambers1]

My life long high school buddy owned a new 1971 Dodge Demon 340 OD green with 340 MAX WEDGE in flat black on the hood. AT/transmission. Pretty fast with the headers and Holley with manifold.

[@garysarnowski3113]

71 340 four speed equipped with 3.91 sure grip Dodge and Plymouth versions made big block Mopars come up short in street races, provided they had G60 tires on the rear instead of D70 or E70 rear tires. Got to be able to hook up those cars.

[@danmorley8116]

Enjoyed this. I knew Dusters were popular because I saw a lot of them as a kid. I think I had a patch with that logo on it. I saw Demons too-that controversy about the name always makes me chuckle.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thank you for watching. Glad you enjoyed. Please subscribe and help us out. We promise we won't bother you! :)

[@davidallen5776]

Six model years (1970-76)? I wouldn't call THAT a short time!

[@bobnewton8359]

Thanks for the video, very nice surprise. My dad bought our family a Duster in 1970. It was given to me in 1976 when I got my license. My Duster had the 318. It was dependable and got me through high school fine. Can't say it impressed the girls (that was probably because of me more than the car). Very rare to see one these days. I do feel lucky to have owned one.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for sharing!

[@CarsandCats]

The '73 thru '76 models are actually second-generation Dusters. Nobody calls them this, but I've owned both and can tell you that there are far more differences that similarities. The only sheetmetal unchanged was the roof!

[@swissman5643]

My Dad owned a small-town Chryster/Plymouth/Dodge dealership. I turned 16 in 1971 and was never tempted to buy a Duster. We sold a lot of them but they were just not my cup-of-tea from a styling perspective. And yes, the 318 V8 engine was a trouble-free longterm workhorse for Chrysler Corporation.

[@iDarkfigure]

Had a '72 340/4 with Auto! The Ram Air Hood was a big drag on aerodynamcs and would shake violently when driving on the highway. unnerving to say the least. I bolted on a stock hood and drove it to California and was getting 24 MPG until I hit the Rockies. The car had plenty of power to get up into the mountains without the need to stomp on the pedal. It was one of my favorite mopars until the insurance cost killed the fun factor! The Question was, Does it have 2 doors or 4 doors... When you answered 2 doors, they called it a sports car and the rate nearly tripled.

[@SteveNovakMusic]

I owned a stock '73 340 Duster in 1980. Bought it for $2000 with 61,000 original miles. The small town where I lived was chock full of muscle cars as many of them were now approx. 10 years old and could be bought for a decent price. They were mostly still original, so we got to see which ones were the fastest before people started bolting on the mods - carbs, headers, cams, etc. My Duster was very tough to beat. It would just hook up and go leaving almost everyone I raced in the 'dust'. That 340 would rev up so quickly. It was unlike anything else I had ever driven. I even beat a lot of guys who had the engine mods on their Chevys and Fords. They were no match for the Duster. It was just a well balanced machine in terms of power/weight ratio, a great power plant, traction and the amazing Torqueflite auto tranny, which had a mild stall converter, all factory! The engine itself had a great carb, the Thermoquad, high flow exhaust manifolds so there was no need to add headers and hollies. People were usually shocked, when I opened the hood after blowing their asses off, to see the stock blue painted motor and nothing extra. It had a huge back seat (a real plus) and a huge trunk and rear deck which made my Pioneer stereo with the 8x9 speakers in the back sound fantastic! I wished I had kept it. I practically lived in and drove the snot out of that thing for 2 years later before selling it for $2500. Great memories.

[@jeffcampbell2710]

We had 76 Aspen. Never rusted. I painted it because the silver had faded. A guy bought it, super nice car, to use the front sheet metal to fix his Aspen, V8, T Top car. I gave $300 for the Aspen. It was the 225. Most comfortable car I've ever owned. Had leather interior, like the commercial.

[@PerrynBecky]

I had 7 of them at different times from 1983 to 2001 when I had the last one. They ranged from 225 slant sixes, to 318, to the 360, but I couldn't get my hands on the 340. I had a Dart Swinger as well, but I didn't get my hands on a Demon as they became hard to find. Wasn't a fan of the Volare, even with the Road Runner package, and by the time the Horizon came along with the "Duster" package, I thought it was pure sacrilege. Same with the "Charger" and "Daytona" K-cars. Chrysler went from the king of muscle cars in the 60's to pure wimp-mobiles in the 80's even until they attempted to redeem themselves with the revival of the Charger and 300, but dropped the ball making the Charger and 300 into a 4 door. Then came the Challenger to compete with Ford's Mustang and Chevy's Camaro revivals, and in 2024 I hear they're killing the hemi, Ford neutered the Mustang with the rebadged Focus, calling it a "Mach-E" for electric car... When will the car companies ever learn that the public likes fun cars to drive, not nerd mobiles?

[@ML-fd4ih]

Had a Duster in the 80s in HS Great memories love to get one now.225 ran smooth probably saved my life not having the V8

[@CattooButt]

Late eighties Oahu Hawaii MCAS Kaneohe Bay my friend Doc Wills had a greens duster with the 360 4bbl console automatic. Exhaust leak was such that when he floored it flames would come through the firewall through the openings created by removing weight such as heater core and fan unit. We pulled the motor out of it using E-2&E-3 ranked Marines and a couple of 4x4x6’ posts and a couple twisted up flat sheets for a chain. Stored the block in his wall locker and we rebuilt it in the barracks room over the weekend. We carried it back downstairs from second floor and reinstalled it Sunday late afternoon. Racing it by following weekend. Doc Wills -hit me up. Been searching for ya for a very long time. Miss ya. Semper Fi.

[@dr.hugog.hackenbush9443]

I owned 2 Dusters and a Valiant. All with the indestructible Slant Six.

[@Gremllion]

I work for a Chrysler dealership from 69 to 73 and the 340 wedge with the three deuces on the side draft would almost pull the front tires off the ground. The owner's son and I tested every car and got them ready for delivery and the 340 super Bee was badass out of the whole nothing else could touch it. The only son and I drag race down the main street in New Orleans and had a blast. It was more fun than the roadrunner GTX and even the hemi cuda because the way it screamed out of the hole. If you got those three deuces adjusted properly all I can say is look out as they were turning 11 seconds from the factory. Scary cars which I love and they are a lot of fun what a rush

[@patcurrie9888]

As someone who inherited a Brown 72 Gold Duster with slant 6 I can say most were basertized, painted oddball colors, giant wheels and tires after original owners. Mine went to the junkyard with 315,000 miles, stock, I still own the keys and trunk badge.

[@stevemarsh1540]

Hi my first car was a 1971 340 duster and it was a 3 speed manual. Tore red with flat black hood and scoops. Got it when I was a senior in high school

[@andrewps84]

My dad had 3 Dusters; I assume they were all slant 6 engines because he commuted a lot during those years. It made him fall in love with Chrysler products, remarking that the Dusters were his favorite cars of all the cars he owned. I wouldn’t mind finding one of them for my collection.

[@craigarnold1212]

I bought a 76 Feather Duster. My first new car. The feather had aluminum I beams in the doors rather than steel and a hand crank sun roof. The slant 6 with a four speed Hurst shifter with overdrive. Bench seats you could put 6 in comfortably. I threw away the weight savings by getting a fold down rear seat and a fold down pass threw into the trunk. I could sleep in it if needed. Never had an issue with rust and I live in the wet side of the PNW. Very quick off the line and for the time good highway mileage. You could put an 8 foot board in it and I used it to ski every year and take 1 or 2 friends along with the 210cm skis in back. It handled being on ice pretty well and could track in snow with the right tires. The only time I did not drive aggressively in snow I ended up in the ditch but managed to split between two telephone junction boxes. I was high centered with my bumper on the other side of the ditch. Got a tow truck to pull me out and drove away. But I did not like the buying experience at all and it was my last new car. I had the car checked out later and it was fine.

[@johnmaki3046]

I drove a '72 Duster once! It was PLAIN ("slant 6, auto, NOTHING more), but IT was TRUE PROOF of Chrysler QUALITY "in the day"! Great handling/brakes, RESPONSIVE (for a "6"), and ACTUAL WORKMANSHIP!

[@tywebbgolfenthusiast8950]

My oldest sister bought a 1970 duster new for $2400 w/ auto and 318 and not much else. She barely drove it. When I got my license in 1977, it was still in great shape and she would let me borrow it. I could light those back tires right up. 2nd oldest sis got a 74 slant 6 duster. Got rust in my eye putting a new muffler on it for her.

[@kjquinn7856]

I learned to drive on my dad's 1971 Duster with a 318 V8 and Torqueflight automatic. It was quick and easy to drive. The power steering was very light. The interior was very basic: black vinyl bench seat, rubber floor mat (instead of carpeting), simple door trim, pop-open rear windows. It was also very simply built, making it easy to maintain. The front fenders and bottoms of the rear quarter panels were prone to rust. There were some design quirks like the fuel filler pipe running diagonally down through the trunk to the fuel tank and a pedal to manually pump the windshield washer fluid onto the windshield, but overall, it was a good car for the times and the price.

[@30pvfd]

I had a 70 vallant 340 duster in HS loved it it was a speed demon

[@elhoward7440]

I had one. Very poor weight distribution, all the weight was in the front. The one I had was pretty gutless too. Looked nice, and you could drop the rear seat and make a (very small) bed in the back. The Maverick had an even worse weight distribution problem.

[@sd31263]

I had a '71 Demon 340 when I was high school in 1980, and a buddy of mine had a '70 Duster 340. Guess whose car got more attention. Everyone knew what a Duster was, but no one had ever heard of the Demon. Plymouth made a million Dusters in seven model years, but Dodge only made 110,000 1971-72 Demons, 20,000 of which were 340 cars.

[@Timinator62]

The 340 also sported a Forged Crank and Rods, changing the Intake and Carb and putting on a set of Headers turned the Duster into a mid 13's / 110+ mph screamer.

[@user-mo8vh6uk5n]

I had a 73 Root beer metallic brown 340 Duster with 4 speed tranny when I was in college. Replaced the stock carb with a Holley 750 and changed the clutch to a 3000lb McCleod racing clutch which made a huge difference. Unfortunately I had to sell it when I went to work full-time and commuting in the stop and go traffic on the California freeways was detrimental to my wallet in gas costs and my left leg trying to hold in that clutch during the commute!

[@robertchristie9434]

I have owned numerous A-bodies (Dusters, Swingers, Sports, Demons, etc.) over the years. Most had the bullet proof slant 6 and were very cheap, one for only $150, the most was a '76 Dart Sport 6 with a 4 speed & sunroof with 9k miles at the Chrysler exec lease turn in center for $3k. They were easy to fix and were very reliable. Sadly, Michigan salt laden winters ate the bodies. I used a lot of Bondo, sheet steel and roofing tar to keep some together. Chrysler used common B-body front spindles to save cost.

[@lanceortmann4157]

Kid down the street from me had one years ago. He worked at Kmart and everytime it snowed he would put it in the ditch. That car became known as the Kmart slider.

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

I had a used '73 Space Duster with a slant six. Got me through 6 years of university. Lost track of how many times I drove non stop from New Orleans and Boston and back. Alas norther road salt took it's toll.

[@mrmoparrr]

Space Duster?

[@mrmoparrr]

Ahhhh ‘ fold down rear seat !

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

@@mrmoparrr Two would sleep in back in sleeping bags while one would drive. 7 hr shifts for the 21 hr drive. Unfortunately the floor pan gave out long before the drive train ever did.

[@hillstreetb]

I owned a 71 Duster 340 Wedge. Red and Black. Loved that car. Wished i still had it!

[@THEScottCampbell]

The Duster was/is a cult car with a range from practical but capable small car to stealthy muscle car that could tear down the road like a rocket 🚀 🚀.

[@72442conv]

The Duster was passed over by most collectors as it did not have the performance image of the big block cars. The Cuda/Challenger, Roadrunner/Super Bee/R/T cars all came with standard big block power, the Duster never did. Never mind that a well optioned Duster 340 would clean the clock on most of the other BB Mopar offerings. I drove a 1972 Demon 340 4 speed in high school, a little later I had a 71 Duster 340 auto as my street racer, and I now own a 72 Duster 340 3 speed. I have owned a 72 Rallye Charger factory 440 Magnum auto car, a 71 Cuda with a 440 auto, 3 different 1971 Road Runners with both 383 and 440 power. The little Duster/Demon 340 cars were always my favorites. They can easily run with the big block cars and are a lot nicer drivers, you don't feel like you are driving the Titanic down the road. Also, they are a lot easier to work on, the fender are not too wide and it is easy to get to everything, and they do not have 3 feet of overhang on the front of them like some of the B-Body cars do, which makes it a lot harder to work on them.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thank you for sharing. That's what the channel is all about! Thanks for watching! We're on a SUBSCRIBER BLITZ. We can't tell if you are a subscribers or not. If you're not, can you please help us out by hitting the like and subscribe button. We're trying to reach 100,000 subscribers in the next 6 months!

[@williamhesprich9040]

I had bought a 1974 2-door Duster with the 318 2-barrel automatic with bucket seats vinal roof and the space-saver package. A panel flipped down behind the rear seat that also folded down

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525]

I had a Gold duster. Slant six no fooling insurance company there. Besides what time does cars at ten-fifteen years old insurance company really do not care. Your video episodes have improved greatly in this is another example of a fine video.

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

In 1965 I had the Dodge Dart GT with the 273 HP. Loved that car. In 1970 I bought the Duster 340. I mainly got it for my then wife. Bench seats and an automatic. It too got out of it's own way. Gas milage was not what I would call good! About average for the time and performance. My then wife kept hitting things with it when we were separated before the divorce. By the time she was done with it I didn't want it back! Nice car though and it rode a lot better than my 65 Dart! The name Valiant was never mentioned at all? Insurance was not that bad.

[@dougkennedy4906]

My first car was a 71 Sport Fury( paid a whole $200 for in 78) 2nd car was a 71 Duster ( paid $300 for in 81). Wish I still had both.

[@JayBee3237]

My grandmother had a Duster when I was small but I remember it well. It was red, probably a base model, nothing fancy. Had a you alligator in the back window that terrified me. Probably a 74 based on the video. A few years later my Dad had a Volare 2 door. It was Maroon. I remember standing in the back seat floor area kind of leaning on the front seat so I was sort of between my parents. That would never fly now. Thanks for the video!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and for sharing!

[@brianjensen7985]

My first car was a 1975 Duster with the slant 225. It was a nice car that I wish I still had.

[@just-incase]

Probably one of the last models where you could order up a 4-speed manual gearbox to go with it.

[@Flussig1]

4 speeds could be had in a multitude of Chrysler products for many years, the final US market car with an available 4 speed sold new was the 2020 Dodge Journey, 50 years after the introduction of the Duster

[@tedunguent156]

Good video. I knew most of the facts presented here because I owned a '73 Duster. One of my all time favorite cars.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Flies2FLL]

In the mid 1970's I was in elementary school, and standing at the bus stop in my subdivision, every day I heard this woman start her Plymouth Duster and drive away. The agricultural sound of the slant 6 engine firing through it's two year old but QUICKLY rusting exhaust will always be associated in my mind with cheesiness~ My dad always told me to stay away from Chrysler products. Then again he never drove an '86 Omni GLH turbo.... 😛

[@Kawboy65]

I had a '73 Dart Sport. I loved that car.

[@michaeltutty1540]

The only automatic transmission offered in Mopar compact cars was the 3 speed Torqueflyte. That went back to the 60 Valiant. It was interesting, but nothing new for a car nut who remembers them new. What was not mentioned was the Sport Instrument Cluster that was available on both Duster and Dart Demon and GT in 1970 and 71. Demon ran the same shorter wheelbase as Duster and the rest of the Valiant line. In return for Dodge gaining Demon, Valiant gained a 2 door hardtop called Scamp. Scamp rode on the longer Dodge Dart platform. The difference in length showed up in rear seat leg room. One last thing. Duster and Demon had by far the largest trunks in the compact field. They had almost 20 cubic feet of cargo space, with a full sized spare tire under the trunk floor.

[@stevec4533]

I had a 72 340 Duster. Great car. Wish I still had it.

[@kylebrown6951]

Another Great posting thanks

[@zone47]

I had a 71 340 and it looked cool but man was it ever a cheap car compared to Chevy or Ford. Lots of corner cutting. What it did have was a decent engine comparable with the Chevy 327 and beefy drivetrain. One thing Mopar did right was offered a sure grip axle with all their performance cars where with Chevy you had to pay the extra $42 to get a limited slip. Case and point, I owned a 396 Chevelle with a 12 bolt open rear end... now what good was that?

[@blackwidowsm]

When I went yo school The Duster Valiant was a common every day car. We’re about ten in the high school parking lot it was over powered if it had the 340 and every shop in high school you know they were uptuning. Another rare crazy Fau car was 1970 amc scrambler with 390 engine car was so light the challenger 440 6 pack had trouble staying with it weight in a car makes huge difference. Very understated muscle car!

[@robertsullivan3278]

Have a 70 black gold duster that was my great aunts car .it has a 318 v8 with factory a/c ,power steering but no power brakes its been in the family for52 years with 92,ooo original miles on it and iam still driving it today

[@kcoop9999]

I had a '73 Duster with a 225-slant6 and a 3 speed. A great car! It got close to 30mpg and got around really well, as long as you didn't have delusions of being a nascar hero. Wish I still had it!!

[@tedunguent156]

I had a '73, 225 slant six with a 3 speed (floor) shift. It was maroon with black vinyl. I never saw another Duster with a 3 speed floor shift. My buddy had the exact same car with a 318 V8 and a 4 speed. Drum brakes all around. LOL I had a '68 Chrysler Newport convertible, too. My two most favorite cars to date.

[@elcanaldejohnbo-linemanpue3143]

Amo a los Duster .. Tengo 4 de ellos ... Un ' 71 / 340 , 2. '72 318 y '74/ 318

[@Nomadcreations]

Thank You, Very Informative & Interesting! I'm a Chevy fan (They are All good if You Choose Them to be & lemons Happen In any Brand) But Loved the Presentation aspect & Just Seeing All The oldies In Factory Glossy paint. & a Lot Of Good info from Posters here

[@sheldonheathersr5161]

I loved them had a 72,73,&74

[@user-nv7mh3ji8t]

Loved the Duster 340 Would love to have one again..

[@janetgilmore8006]

My man got his Duster 340 4 speed -duel point - green with black stripe 340 in 1976 as a teenager and now it has 79.000 original miles on it, the only thing ever changed was a windshield. his car sits in our barn to this day , we drive it on holidays and parades , it is as clean outside as it is inside..?

[@christopherkraft1327]

Great video guys!!! When I was in high school one of my neighbors bought a brand new Duster. It was a really nice car. 👍👍🙂

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Chris! Thanks man! Appreciate ya!

[@markallen2984]

My buddy had one with slant six and a manual transmission.... I have many fond memories of going in that car to Zuma Beach (from Burbank) in the summertime.... Almost always including a stop at the Jack In The Box drive-thru at PCH and Sunset for a Bonus Jack and a Dr. Pepper

[@davidvarga376]

I had a Duster 340 in 1971, I deleted the 340 side stripe, had the shark tooth grill, couldn’t delete the back stripe but removed it later. It was a sleeper, ralley wheels with trim rings. The 340 with 4-speed blew off most at top end of 130 but scared you when the side glass popped out of the moldings. Fun car.

[@davidvarga376]

I currently drive a 1964 Dodge Dart 273 4-speed convertible, it’s not a 340 but it’s just about as much fun and it sure turns heads because you just don’t see many these days..

[@miltcarlton2593]

Had a 1970 Plymouth duster and drove it for eight years with the 318 in it. Would love to have it back. I don’t remember mine having a name tag of valiant anywhere on the car.

[@stevenduering7155]

I love the A Body MOPARs. They’re extremely underrated and under appreciated

[@dgwinc]

I had a 76 duster with the space pack and a 79 volare. Loved the duster, the volare was actually pretty darn good. I enjoyed this video, thanks.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for sharing!

[@tbd-1]

Owned my '72 Duster 340 since 1984. Getting ready to paint it a third time in a few weeks. Black/black, 4 speed. Motor is out of a '70 Duster.

[@steveflor9942]

The Fastback roof gave it better aerodynamics than the Dart. My 1970 340 Duster would go 150mph stock. I bought it brand new at Green Gifford Plymouth, Norfolk Va. $2800

[@KS-bo1ut]

I had a '73 Duster years ago and always thought it was super a nice all around car. Good interior room, nice rear seat, decent trunk, good handling and performance. I blew the engine so, got rid of it. Wish I hadn't. 😢

[@tedunguent156]

That's the thing, the Duster was a LOT of car for the money. Roomy and comfortable (back in the day) with a huge trunk.

[@charlesfuller769]

my mom bought a '72 Duster Twister brand new,had the 318.the sad part about it was that she traded a Satellite Sebring for it.I was 5 and don't remember the exact year(68 or 69 maybe),but I do remember the Sebring as being gold.oh to have those cars now.

[@davidkastin4240]

Thanks for another great, fun and informative video. I love Mopars 👍

[@ralphaelalfaro6023]

When a sophomore in hs in 1973 there was this old retired couple that would collect bottles for recycle around my school. A few yrs later they were driving a beautiful blue Duster. I was tickled, since they bought it with their recycle money. Around 2005, after my ex filed for divorce, I found a Duster parked in an alley. I located the owner and he sold it to me. Mine is primered gray, but straight body, never wrecked. It was originally gray and has a black interior with a bench front seat(oh well) . Had a half vinyl top, and has a 318 engine with an A/T which spins those wheels. It came with American Wheels aluminum rims. Hoping to get back on road soon, since I'm still(finally) recovering. I used to let my daughter drive it when her car was broke, and though she was unhappy with the gas mileage, she enjoyed the attention she got while driving it.

[@MWL4466]

The 75 Dart Sport was my first car. The 225 slant six was bullet proof but gutless. Kick it down on the highway and it made a lot of noise but nothing much happened.😂 But in the end it beat walking.

[@P_RO_]

Mom got a new 73 in 75, it was a 'stripper' from the dealer with only A/C and the fold-down rear seat options. Something like 75 miles on it. Nobody wanted cars like that so she got it cheap and it was the only new car she ever owned. Her brothers told her to get it because of the slant-6 225 engine, which was a mistake. No power, rough idle, nobody could make it run smoothly for more than a week (if that long),. Sitting in the back seat was torture, no padding and all the wrong angles and dimensions. Everything broke, rattled, or fell off until 2 years later someone crossed 3 lanes of traffic and hit her head-on. If nothing else, it was a solid car and that probably saved her life. I've driven plenty of Dusters and think the pre-safety-bump models are about as good-looking a car s has ever been built. With a good 340 or 360 under the hood you've got seriously respectable acceleration which can put one heck of a lot of the "muscle cars" to shame. If Plymouth and the Chrysler Corporation had gotten this concept going earlier it could have gotten a lot of Mustang and Camaro buyers to go Mopar instead.