70-76 Demon,Dart sport,Duster Pictorial History

This thread is going to attempt to show a definitive pictorial history of the 1970-76 dartsport ,demon, and duster. the pictures here represented will show different years, and the different stripe packages that were offered. the pictures i gathered here are for reference. i looked through hundereds of pictures and chose only the ones i know are authentic. some are going to be debated i am sure, but i will not post pictures of cars that are not correct. i tried to use as many pictures from factory brochures, or original promo shots as i could. quality will not be great on some but the message will get across. i will try to give a brief description of each car and the information that pertains to it.

in 1971 the Demon was born. it lasted 2 years only. in 1971 the demon had 1 offspring. it was called the Sizzler. it was a Demon with a 318, or slant 6. it had many demon 340 options as standard but with the lesser engine combos.the sizzler never had scoops. the hood scoops on a 1971 demon 340 were 2 single scoops placed on the sides of the hood. the hood had 2 black striped that ran the length of the hood. the sides of both the 71 demons shared the same stripes. the 1972 demon 340 came with the same side striping as the 71 but it borrowed the sizzler's stripe pattern for the hood both the 71 and 72 had solid striping on the back that surrouned the tail lights. the sizzler's name was removed as well. the hood scoops for the 72 demon was changed to a twin snorkel scoop. the sizzler was gone for 72, and at the end of the year so was the demon.

first picture is a 71 340 demon, second picture is the 71 sizzler, the last picture is the 72 340 demon.

next we will get into the Dart sports. the Dart sport arrived in 1973. it was the replacement for the Demon. the dart sports were made until 1976. the 1973 dart sport 340 were basically demon 340's for 73. the same hood scoop was used again this year. the striping was changed on the hood for the dart sport. the 2 stripes were tightly placed and ran from the windsheild to a point on the hood. the side stripes were the new. these new side stripes would continue to be available through 76. the tail stripes for 73 were fine vertical lines. there was also a new stripe for 73 called the over the top stripe. it ran across the top of the roof down the sides to a point on the front of the car. the scoop on the dart was an option this year. it was only available if you got the blacked out hood stripes.

first picture is the new spear stripe on the side. the second picture shows the hood stripes. the third picture shows the rear stripe. the last picture shows the over the top stripe. (hood scoop is incorrect for this package)

does an aftermarket company offer the hood stripe?

in 1974 the Dart sport was changed very little. the 1974 dart sport still had the side spear stripes , and the over the top stripe. the only change occured in the rear. the rear strip now had dart sport written in the stripe. this would remain unchanged through 1976. the hood scoop was gone in 1974. there was a new model introduced in 1973 called the "Rallye". it was again a high option dart with the 318 , or the slant 6. it came with the over the top stripe and had "dodge" on the rear quarters. this model continued through to 1974 unchanged then ended that year. 1974 also introduced the hang ten edition dart. it was a totaly different dart. it came only white and had a surfer theme. the interior was multi striped and was highly optioned. it was carried through for 1975 and it too met it's end


first picture shows the new 1974 rear. the next pictures shows the rallye model. the last picture shows the hang ten edition.

does an aftermarket company offer the hood stripe?
yes, year one, layson's and a few others like phoenix graphics

Sweet

in 1975 the dart got some new stripes. the side spear stripes remained the same. the over the top stripes changed to a multi stripe version. the rear tail stripes still had dart sport written in it. the only other thing of intrest here is the introduction on the dart lite and dart lite special edition. the regular dart lite had the option of the side spear stripe. remember 1976? it was the bi-centennial year! many cars could be ordered with a bi-centennial theme. the dart was no exception. it was white and it had a full length multiple stripes that had an eagle at the front in blue. it changed to red midway through the car and ended at the rear . it also had the words "spirit of 76" just under the side windows the only other stripes available starting in 75 were shared by the duster. they ran at the bottom of the car and folled the contures of the body lines. these stripes continued across the back. these were not on the dart sport models from what i have been able to tell. the only picture i have of them are from a duster so don't jump on this! i know it's a duster! the only other thing of note is in 1976 the grille mounted turn signals were amber not clear!

first 2 pictures are of the new over the top stripes. the second is the stripes that ran down the bottom and across the back ( again it's a duster). next picture is a "spirit of 76" dart lite. last picture shows the front with the new amber signal lights.

Ok i have saved the difficult stuff for last. i know i am going to busts some bubbles here but here it goes. the duster came on the scene in 1970. there was only 1 model that year. the duster did not come with a hood scoop. it did have a special side stripe. the stripe for 1970 did not have "340" callouts. it also had solid stripes that covered the tail light area like the demon. in 1971 the duster got much wilder but solid. the side stripes changed to a much wider stripe. the stripes were solid and ran the lenght of the car. the word duster was in the stripe at the front of the car. the "340" callouts appeared at the end of the stripe. the duster gained a blackout hood option. the fimiliar 340 wedge stickers make their appearence. they only last 1 year. 1971 also saw the introduction of the duster twister. the twister was a highly optioned car with the 318 or the slant 6. the twister ran from 1971 through the 1974 model year. the twister had special side stripes and a black out hood. the twister had special side stripes with the dust cloud made in them. the word "twister" was in place of the engine callouts the 340 had. both cars shared the solid strips the covered the tail light area. hood scoops were available with a special blackout hood treatment. they were an option. there was also a special ladder stripe that ran in the middle of the hood.


first picture is a 1970 duster. the second picture is a picture of the 1971 hood wedge sticker. the third is a 1971 duster side stripe with the 340 callouts. the forth picture is a 71 twister. the fifth picture is th 71 twister with optional hood.

in 1972 the duster changed a little. the duster side stripe remained the same for 1972 . the "340" callouts also remained. the twister remained unchanged as well. the only thing new for 1972 was the gold duster. the gold duster was a more highly option car than the twister. it was more luxury oriented. it had no stripes it's first year only gold duster on it's side in gold lettering. the back was solid stripe also in gold as well.


the first picture is a 1972 duster front angle. the second picture is a rear shot of the same car.

in 1973 it starts to get intresting. the duster changes it's stripes. the side stripes now open up near the fron and then close back just past the door handle. the "340" callouts remain as well as the rear strips. the rear stripes open up in the back now as well. they outline the rear panel. the gold duster for 73 gained a side stripe. it is a spear design. it will be used through 76 on different models. the twister changes its hood striping and scoops. the scoops were optional along with the hood treatment. the scoops were like the 69 cuda 440. they sat back on the hood in about the same place as the cuda did. the red and black pic comes from the dealer brochure for 73. it is legit! 73 also is the last year scoops were available for the twister. the side stripes are the same as the 73 duster.


first pic is the 73 duster side and rear view. the second pic it he front view of the duster. the third pic is the side view for the gold duster's new stripe. the forth pic is the factory pic for the 73 twister hood w/ scoops. the fifth pic is a 73 twister. the sixth pic is another twister (fin is incorrect).

in 1974 the duster stripe remained the same as did the rear. the only change is now the "340" callouts are gone. there were no callouts after 73! no "360" callouts. the gold duster remained unchanged. the twister lost it's scoops. the side stripe are the same as well. things were gearing down...


the first pic is a 74 duster side shot(scoop is incorrect). the second pic is another 74 duster side shot. the third shot is the gold duster again. no 74 twister shots but it is unchanged minus the scoops.

1975 the duster changed the side stripe all together. the new side stripe will be used through 1976 but only on the 360's. the 318 , and slant 6 dusters will get the spear stripe used on the gold duster. the duster also got the same stripe as mentioned in the dart profile for 75. the lower body stripe that followed the contures of the body. it too lasts through the 1976 model year. in 1976 the duster gained 2 new models. the silver duster was introduced to take place of the now gone gold duster. it is a silver car with red top and red interior. it is a luxury car. the feather duster is the other model. it too has a bi-centennial special edition stripe kit but i cannot find any pics of one. i do have the feather duster. it comes either with or without the side spear stripe. the duster remained unchanged in it's last year. 1976 dusters also used the amber signals in the grill...



the first picture is the 1975-76 duster. the second pic is the special side stripe. that runs along the bottom of the car. the third pic its the silver duster (this is a factory prototype has incorrect signals not amber). the forth pic is the rear of the . the fifth is the feather duster. the sixth is the feather duster. the seventh it the duster front showing the amber signals

Wow 7demon2, thanks for the good work and information :headbang: Here's another Hang 10

Awesome job! Couple of questions. Were the 70-72 Dusters ever availible with buckets, console and floor shift auto? Also, were there any tailight changes in the 70 to 72 Dusters?

yes on the buckets and console with floor shifter. 70 72 taillights are the same

On my '73 Duster,above the 2 holes for the Duster badges,on both front fenders,there are 3 more holes. The only thing I can think they would be for,are Plymouth emblems. I don't remember seeing those on other cars,and don't see any in these pics. I'm planning on having them filled in. Any ideas,suggestions? By the way,this is an 'H' code car.

just a guess here. are the fenders the original fender? if not sure then i think that they might be from a 73 dart sport 340. this is the onlt fender that had the additional holes like you are talking about. i am not sure if they interchange. the dart for 73 said "sport" then above it it had "dart 340" only other choice is it is a 74 fender. the duster had "duster" with "360" under it.

quick way to tell the diff. between dart and duster fenders...the first pic is a dart and 2nd is a duster...if you look at the quarter panel wheel lip its like a duster...where as the Swinger wheel lip is like a dart fender

I`ve only owned one Duster, it was a 73-340, and it was a long time ago, but I really enjoyed this thread. These are the kind of threads that make this site so cool. Excellent job 7demon2, it`s obvious you`ve done a lot of research to post all the variations of stripes,scoops,etc.. Here`s a 30 yr. old photo of my Duster with white side stripe with 340 logo and partial blackout hood.

OK, more questions. Was the '70-'72 Duster ever availible with the 8.75 rear end? What gear ratios were availible?

yes on the 8 3/4. 72 last year for that. 3.91 was the biggest ratio for 70-71. 3.55 for 72

i felt i need to add some additional info here. i had someone ask about the demon taillights for 1971-72. the taillights were the same for both years. they were vertical, and six individual lights per side. i also had someone point out the fact that 1975 darts and dusters had a 1 year optional rear trim piece. the peice ran across the back under the trunk. it was made from brushed aluminum.

the first pic is a 1971-72 demon.
the second pic is a 1975 dart.
the third pic is a 1975 duster.

Another 71 Duster "Twister" Pic. No scoops, 318....Restored to "near" original, Bought new by my father in 71...We still have the sales brocures and build sheets. I will see if I can get a scan on here soon...

Nice thread, cool looking cars all!

You say there were no "360" callouts on the 74 dusters but I have pictures of my duster when it was new and it had the "360" callouts and I am now in the process of rebuilding this car and have got my stripe kit from Phoenix Graphics and they showed the 340 or 360 callout. Very good information on the duster history.That's why we come to this site.

All I can say is Wow.. Wow 7demon2.. youve done a really good job..


Now.. you should inform me about my 66 valiant/dart.. so i can learn about MY car. hehe =)



Cerwin

Now.. you should inform me about my 66 valiant/dart.. so i can learn about MY car. hehe =)
And a '66 Barracuda info thread would be nice, too...

Great job on the historical perspective of these cars. :thumbup:

A minor correction if it hasn't been noted.
70-71 Dusters share the same tail lights. 72 is different that then 70-71 tail lights, much longer.

Do you know what color that first 73 Dart sport is? The very dark car. Is it Black or the Dark silver poly color? Thanks

very true the tailights were stretched out some for the 72 dusters. this is more of an ommision on my part because of the fact other than length they are of the same design. the first dart sport is black.

Thought I'd add a clearer shot of the 75 Dart Sport rear tail light trim piece:

http://gallery.rennlist.com/albums/album578/DaS2.sized.jpg

Obviously, the scoop is incorrect as are the 15" steel wheels (plus the bumperettes were removed) but since the car was mine, I added (and deleted) what I wanted! :D

PS: The 360 Dart Sports had a small "360" pot metal badge located on the front fender (same spot as the 340 badge on the 73 models)... if you squint, you'll see the one on mine.

just found this great dealer shot of the 1975 duster 360 w/ stripe. this is a great shot of this rarely seen stripe used only in 75-76 on 360's. still looking for a 1976 bicentennial edition duster shot......

Have you ever seen stripes like this? They were on my first car, a 318/904 73 Duster with fold down rear seat. I presume it was original, but may have been put on later. At the time (early 80's) I did not know how to determine if it had been wrecked.

kinda looks factory??? what is the writing on the stripe? looks like in the rear there is some kind of writing in the middle stripe?

Yes - it said "Duster".

I "looked" factory, as far as I remember, but this is the only 2 pics of the car known to exist. (makes it sound rare, eh?)

was there anything on the back you can remember? what about the interior? anything special? special pattern or nameplate? unless it has anything further on it i am going to say it is a dealer added stripe of some sort or some aftermarket type stripe. very interesting none the less.

i tried to enhance the picture some, but you still can't see it too well....

It is the factory stripe, mine has it as well, I bought my car new in Manitoba Canada

Wow!!!!! and my wife thinks computers are only for playing cards and porn.....
I've learned more here in 5 min. than I will all day at the job site. What a great collection of history. 5 STARS TO YOU !!!!!

It is the factory stripe, mine has it as well, I bought my car new in Manitoba Canada
hey that is great.....do you still have any pictures of it that you can post? maybe this is some sort of a canadian only stripe???? you know only put of canadian built cars that originally were ment to stay in canada???

Wow!!!!! and my wife thinks computers are only for playing cards and porn.....
I've learned more here in 5 min. than I will all day at the job site. What a great collection of history. 5 STARS TO YOU !!!!!
thanks!!!!:notworth:

7demon2,

I too, wanna say what a great job you've done on the history of these cars but, I would like to add a correction. In the 73 340 Dart Sport section, the second picture of the hood stripe on the Blue 73 Dart Sport is not done to factory specs. This is what it should look like.

i felt i need to add some additional info here. i had someone ask about the demon taillights for 1971-72. the taillights were the same for both years. they were vertical, and six individual lights per side. i also had someone point out the fact that 1975 darts and dusters had a 1 year optional rear trim piece. the peice ran across the back under the trunk. it was made from brushed aluminum.

the first pic is a 1971-72 demon.
the second pic is a 1975 dart.
the third pic is a 1975 duster.


Great stuff! Most people don't know that Dusters never had the dual snorkle scoop at all and it was only available of the '73 Dart Sports. I was never sure about '74's.

But I wanted to mention that the full-width panels between the taillights were made of the same material as the regular taillight bezels (potmetal?), not aluminum. They have the same tendency to blister and corrode as most other bezels, emblems, etc. I believe it was standard equipment in 1975 only and not an "option".

Some other info is that the dual snorkle scoops had a pair of 4" holes located in the side corners of the underside hood bracing. It's the middle area that is shaped like a diamond. They came with rubber grommets that helped keep water from getting into the engine bay and the set up never had any type of ram-air or sealed system. Just regular air cleaners.

Some people have claimed to have gotten the scoop option on their cars, but that it didn't have the fresh air holes underneath. But I haven't seen any official documentation on it. That, and/or the Dusters may have been dealer installations.

The '76-only Dart Lites and Plymouth Dusters had aluminum bracing under the hood and trunk lids as well as aluminum bumper reinforcements between the steel bumper and the shock absorber-style bumper brackets. There were many other special "tweaks" to the overall combo, including aluminum intake manifolds, special carb and aluminum cased 4-speed overdrive transmissions.

Lots of other tidbits here:

http://www.valiant.org/duster.html

Heres a Spirit of 76

Great stuff! Most people don't know that Dusters never had the dual snorkle scoop at all and it was only available of the '73 Dart Sports. I was never sure about '74's.



72 Demon, 73 Dart Sport only.

Excellent writeup I really enjoyed reading it. I have done some duster hoodscoop research too and it supports what you are saying. Can you clarify the availability of the twin scoops on a 1971 duster. Were they only available on a twister? Or could you order a 71 340 duster with a blackout hood and scoops? To date, I have not seen a 340 duster with a factory installed scoop (lots of owner installed ones). Back in the 80's (before all the "restorations") the only dusters I saw with the twin scoops were twisters, never a 340. But I am still curious if it was possible to order a 340 duster with scoops?

Also could you comment on the rear wing availabilty on demons and dusters. Sometime in 71 the trunk lid got changed to the center rib type which doesn't allow the factory spoiler to be attached properly. My 2-70 340 dusters (which I still have) had the flat trunk and my 71 340 duster (which is gone) had the rib type trunk. So what is the deal with that.

Also on the discussions of hoodscoops, if you look in the parts manuals for the demons and dart sports with hoods scoops, the hood panel has a different part number than the standard hood. This makes sense as the hoods have the holes cut in them. Another interesting factis that the grommet that fits in the hole is called a rain guard (or something like that - I'd have to look it up again to get the exact wording) So I am thinking it is just to keep water from running through the hole, there was never any intention to seal it to an air cleaner assembly, just my thoughts anyway.

Excellent writeup I really enjoyed reading it. I have done some duster hoodscoop research too and it supports what you are saying. Can you clarify the availability of the twin scoops on a 1971 duster. Were they only available on a twister? Or could you order a 71 340 duster with a blackout hood and scoops? To date, I have not seen a 340 duster with a factory installed scoop (lots of owner installed ones). Back in the 80's (before all the "restorations") the only dusters I saw with the twin scoops were twisters, never a 340. But I am still curious if it was possible to order a 340 duster with scoops?.

correct...340 dusters never had the scoops no matter what year. the twisters were the only one to recieve them....whoever the dealer could install anything, if you wanted to pay for it!

Also could you comment on the rear wing availabilty on demons and dusters. Sometime in 71 the trunk lid got changed to the center rib type which doesn't allow the factory spoiler to be attached properly. My 2-70 340 dusters (which I still have) had the flat trunk and my 71 340 duster (which is gone) had the rib type trunk. So what is the deal with that..

i am going to assume by rib you are refering to the seam that runs down the center of the trunk lid. trunk rib thing is something i have never looked at. i thought the trunk lids were all interchangeable? at least 72-76 anyway. i know i have a 72 demon. it has the rib running down the center. i have a factory 71 wing on it that was installed by the selling dealer in 72. i have no fit issues with mine. i rallly don't see at to where there would be a problem to be honest. i have seen wings on many different a-bodies form 70-76. both the 70 style and the 71 style.

Also on the discussions of hoodscoops, if you look in the parts manuals for the demons and dart sports with hoods scoops, the hood panel has a different part number than the standard hood. This makes sense as the hoods have the holes cut in them. Another interesting factis that the grommet that fits in the hole is called a rain guard (or something like that - I'd have to look it up again to get the exact wording) So I am thinking it is just to keep water from running through the hole, there was never any intention to seal it to an air cleaner assembly, just my thoughts anyway.

this is also correct. however i have an article somewhere that i have not been able to find, that states the original idea was to have a fresh air setup for these cars. the insurance regualtions of the day along with the impending fuel crunch stopped the development of it fully. the holes were however left in so the end consumer could set it up themselves. this is why they had the rain guard gaskets.

The trunk lids are all interchangeable, but the flat lids (no center rib) had provisions or cut outs on the inner trunk structure to allow for the wing brackets. I have 3 1970 dusters and all use this trunk lid (2 340s and one /6 car) none have the wing installed though. Allthe other 71-76 and up cars I have owned have the rib on them.

Great info here! Couple of things:

The 1975 Duster stripe could be had on a non-360 car. I had a 21k mile original slant 6 Duster with this stripe.

The lightweight (Feather, Lite) cars could be had with 318s and automatics - not all were slant 6 w/ overdrive.

Easy way to id a 1976 a-body: foot pedal parking brake, rearview mirror glued to windshield.

My 1975 Duster (sold it in 1996):

Great info here! Couple of things:

The 1975 Duster stripe could be had on a non-360 car. I had a 21k mile original slant 6 Duster with this stripe.

The lightweight (Feather, Lite) cars could be had with 318s and automatics - not all were slant 6 w/ overdrive.

Easy way to id a 1976 a-body: foot pedal parking brake, rearview mirror glued to windshield.

My 1975 Duster (sold it in 1996):

very nice car! i do like this stripe as it is seldom seen. do you have any rear shots? it is too bad no one is reproducing these today. at least that i have seen anyway......do you remember if this was possibly a canadian car or not? just wondering as they seem to get special items not always available in the states.....

Great info here! Couple of things:


The lightweight (Feather, Lite) cars could be had with 318s and automatics - not all were slant 6 w/ overdrive.

I have to disagree with that. 318's were not a Feather Duster or Dart Lite option. But the package with special 6 cyl. could be ordered with an automatic or a 4-speed O.D. "Regular" 6 cyl. were used in the "regular cars". The only related statements in print that I can find at the moment are at the bottom of this article where the author states: "Along with the usual slant six engine".

http://www.valiant.org/duster.html


... this about 1/2 way down the page: "The 1976 Feather Duster was an engineering (if not marketing) success, featuring many lightweight parts including some aluminum body panels. It had a slant-six with gas-miser tuning and a special exhaust that could achieve over 30mpg."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Duster


.... and this near the bottom in the "1976" section: "Another interesting new package was the "Feather Duster", which was available only as a Slant Six"

http://wikicars.org/es/Plymouth_Duster


.....and one more, just past 1/2 way down the page: "A Feather Duster was introduced which replaced many of the body components with aluminum, resulting in nearly 200 pound weight loss for the vehicle. It was outfitted with the six-cylinder engine, special exhaust system, and promoted as a light-weight, fuel efficient vehicle."

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10449/Plymouth_Valiant%20Duster/default.aspx

I have to disagree with that. 318's were not a Feather Duster or Dart Lite option. But the package with special 6 cyl. could be ordered with an automatic or a 4-speed O.D. "Regular" 6 cyl. were used in the "regular cars". The only related statements in print that I can find at the moment are at the bottom of this article where the author states: "Along with the usual slant six engine".

http://www.valiant.org/duster.html


... this about 1/2 way down the page: "The 1976 Feather Duster was an engineering (if not marketing) success, featuring many lightweight parts including some aluminum body panels. It had a slant-six with gas-miser tuning and a special exhaust that could achieve over 30mpg."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Duster


.... and this near the bottom in the "1976" section: "Another interesting new package was the "Feather Duster", which was available only as a Slant Six"

http://wikicars.org/es/Plymouth_Duster


.....and one more, just past 1/2 way down the page: "A Feather Duster was introduced which replaced many of the body components with aluminum, resulting in nearly 200 pound weight loss for the vehicle. It was outfitted with the six-cylinder engine, special exhaust system, and promoted as a light-weight, fuel efficient vehicle."

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10449/Plymouth_Valiant%20Duster/default.aspx

agreeded....here is an official press release from chrysler upon introducing the dart lite for 76.....

DETROIT -- Dodge is introducing a liteweight contender for the compact car economy crown.
Called the Dart Lite, the 1976 Dart Sport with the fuel economy package weighs in more than 150 pounds lighter than the conventional version of the popular compact.

Dart is available for 1976 in low line versions of the coupe, two-door hardtop and four-door sedan, and a high-line version of the two-door hardtop. A series of merchandising packages are available so that the motorist can tailor his Dart to meet his motoring needs.

"The Dart is one of the most successful compact cars ever introduced in the American automobile marketplace," according to R. D. McLaughlin, vice president of Chrysler's Automotive Sales Division. "It enjoys a strong owner loyalty and is a car that has established a reputation for reliability and value.

"In a price-conscious market, Dart will have an advantage. The car has more than a decade of building a strong reputation for extra value as a new car purchase and good value at resale. These are the reasons why we will continue to market the Dart while introducing the new compact Aspen," he added.

Weight saving in the Dart Lite economy package is accomplished by use of aluminum components. The 225 six cylinder engine, the only powerplant available with the package, is equipped with an aluminum intake manifold.

Bumper reinforcements are aluminum instead of steel and the hood and trunk lid inner panels also are fabricated from aluminum instead of steel.

In addition to the lightweight manifold, the engine block has been modified to lessen the weight. A dual biscuit catalyst is utilized and a new, larger exhaust system is a part of the Lite package.

The Lite is equipped with a 2.94:1 rear axle when the car is ordered with a three or four-speed manual transmission. A three-speed column shift is standard and three-on-the-floor and Overdrive-4 manual transmissions are optional. A 2.76:1 rear axle is standard on Lites ordered with automatic transmissions.

Dodge's Overdrive-4 manual transmission has a 0.73:1 final drive ratio which allows cruising at highway speeds with minimum engine revolutions. When the Overdrive-4 transmission is ordered with the Lite package, the transmission case is made of aluminum.

In addition to the 225 six, the Dart line includes the 318 cubic-inch V-8 and 360 cubic-inch four barrel V-8. The 360 is available only in the performance oriented version of the Dart Sport.

The various merchandising packages available for the four 1976 Dart models allow the buyer to outfit his car in trim levels ranging from the high line Custom package to the premium line Special Edition trim.

Rear axle ratios, vital to economical fuel usage or performance -- whichever is preferred -- are available in a wide selection. A 2.45:1 rear axle is mated with the Federal 318 V-8, while the six has a 2.76 standard rear axle. The standard ratio for the 360 four barrel V-8 is a 2.94:1 rear gear. Also available is a 3.21 rear axle option.

Guys,

Sorry to rain on your parade, but there is no evidence the 72 Demons and 73 Dart Sports ever came from the factory with the hood scoop holes in place. The snorkel scoop was cosmetic only. The rain grommets were only used on the 71 model, and they were not hooked up to a fresh air package.

There's not enough evidence that says holes did not come with the scoop option either! You were open to someone getting more info on the '72's and '73's from Galen Govier in a previous scoop thread. So in all fairness, I think we should agree that it's still up in the air, including the possibility that they may have come with and without the holes!

The burden of documented proof is on the "with holes" crowd because it's not common to find documentation that says what a car "didn't" have. However 7demon2 did post a parts page that listed the under-scoop grommets in '72 and '73 parts books. His quote was: "baffle a/scoop water (sports hood). part#2998881. it lists 2 being 1 for each hole. the third column is dart/demon. if you look down further in the same column near the bottom you can see the stripes listed and the scoop and scoop nuts to secure it on. the book is dated november 1972 in the right corner. now if the holes weren't being put in then why would they list the water baffels for it in the parts book for 72 demon and 73 dartsport? i still haven't been able to locate the article for this but i am still looking.....hope this helps shed some light.

While that is not "undeniable proof", because there probably have been parts listed that didn't actually make it into production models, it's a good start.
(The '71 Challenger T/A ad comes to mind but I don't know if that included actual parts.) There may have also been parts on production vehicles that weren't in the catalog. (i.e.: '71 spec 340's and/or parts in early '72 production models.)

I've been checking out later A-bodies for a long time and there would seem to be a lot of restored '72 Demons and '73 Dart Sports that would be "incorrect".

I also purchased a light blue hood with scoop, stripes, holes and grommets from an apparently unmolested 318 Dart Sport, which I still have.

So I'm not saying that a factory installed scoop could not have come without the holes. But everything I've seen, heard and learned makes for a comfortable umbrella over my "with holes" parade, even if the holes weren't in all of the scooped hoods ;) I'd put money on it. If we can only compile more info.

I'm not ruling out the possibility of this option, but no one has come forward with any proven documentation that the scoop and holes option were offered TOGETHER on the vehicles in question. Could you get the scoop, yes. Could you buy the hole grommets and install them yourself, yes. Were both of these parts in the catalog for 72 and 73, yes. But I have almost every A-body reference guide that's ever been published, and there is absolutely no mention of this package ever being offered FROM THE FACTORY. Sure, you see a lot of cars around with the scoop and holes, but that really doesn't prove anything.

I'd really like to think that this option came with my car, but as someone who appreciates the history of these cars, I'm not willing to accept theories. Let's see some factory documentation.

I have a friend who ordered a new '72 340 Demon and still has the car, which is a low mileage NHRA SS car. (Only unaltered OEM hoods and scoops are allowed.) I requested his personal input as well as any other info he might have on a racers forum. I'll attach a link when he replies.

You also have to consider that the grommet part number in the '72 and '73 books were in production/replacement parts books, not aftermarket or performance books! They list parts on production vehicles for the respective years. It wouldn't appear to be a misprint because it carried over through '72 and '73.

What kind of documentation is there for the '71 twin scoops indicating that they came with fresh air holes and grommets?

I'll continue to post tidbits as I find them.

Here's what I find curious: 7Demon2 has pointed out (and I believe he is correct) that the holes were originally planned for some kind of fresh air package that never made it to production for the 71 model. I can see where the factory might have left the holes in 71 if it were too late, or too expense, to eliminate them for the 71 production run. But it makes no sense to also include the holes in 72 and 73 when there was plenty of time to get rid of them. I just can't see the factory purposely installing holes in the hood if there were no plans to hook them up and make them functional. The holes have virtually no performance benefit with the enclosed 72 and 73 air cleaner. So, I find it hard to believe that Chrysler would have continued to offer an aborted, half-completed fresh air package for two additional years...especially when they would have had to move the holes from the 71 location to the 72 location to accommodate the new snorkel hood.

I believe the seperate twin scoops and holes began on 1970 Dart Swingers and then continued through 1971 on Demons, which used the same hood.
I also recall hearing about Chrysler considering a sealed ram-air option with these holes. They did have 2 years to do it. If it was considered for '72 and '73, it was probably economics and emissions that kept it out of production. And, as I saw somewhere, Chrysler stopped putting so much empasis on performance because of gas prices and emissions.

NOW......hopefully someone has access to part numbers to verify something. I did PM 7demon2 asking if he could access the parts books again to see if there were 2 different hoods in 1972 and 1973. Since then, I found this link and am wondering if these are actually part numbers for 2 different hoods in 1973! With scoop - 3684286, and without - 3684266

Interchange numbers 54 and 55 in the upper right-hand corner:

http://books.google.com/books?id=erai-evtz94C&pg=PA125&lpg=PA125&dq=dart+sport+hood+scoop&source=web&ots=PaBHnX6I86&sig=kogwzt81PhxCsbNjP4KHBL3iDAk

Would the only difference be the holes for the studs, or did it also include the 4" holes for fresh air, which do have the grommets listed in the parts books as production/replacement parts for the years in question?

I also remember seeing some "crash" books, or body parts replacement books with soft covers that had illustrations for the parts listed. One of those may have illustrations of the different hoods or may mention the differences if those are the part numbers.

I own a 72 Demon 340. It came fully dressed, and the holes/hooscoop were factory. I have posted a pic of the underside for measurement purposes previously. It is the original hood, and the holes (after I removed the dried grommets) were too perfect to be cut after the fact. The holes are the same size as my 70 Swinger, which is 4-1/8" I believe.

Grant

very nice car! i do like this stripe as it is seldom seen. do you have any rear shots? it is too bad no one is reproducing these today. at least that i have seen anyway......do you remember if this was possibly a canadian car or not? just wondering as they seem to get special items not always available in the states.....

Not Canadian - it was an Alabama car originally.

I guess it's possible there might have been two hood part numbers: one for the hood with the scoop installed, and one for the hood without the scoop. But the holes on the underside of the hood for the stud mounting nuts are there either way.

I'm not sure the fact that the holes are cut perfectly on some hoods is strong evidence of factory installation. It's possible to make a very clean cut with the right tool and technique.

One note about the parts interchangeability book referenced here. Check out the descriptions of the hood packages for the other (non-A-body) vehicles. They all specifically reference "fresh air package." The description of the Dart Sport hood only says "with scoop." There's no reference to fresh air.

[quote=Locomotion;225157]I have to disagree with that. 318's were not a Feather Duster or Dart Lite option. But the package with special 6 cyl. could be ordered with an automatic or a 4-speed O.D. "Regular" 6 cyl. were used in the "regular cars". The only related statements in print that I can find at the moment are at the bottom of this article where the author states: "Along with the usual slant six engine".



The reason I stated this is that MCG had a Feather Duster featured in the mid 90's which was a 318 car. Could have been an engine swap, but I don't remember that in the article. I have all my magazines so if I'm bored someday I could look thru and find that issue.

Also, at the 1995 Mopar Nats I saw a Dart Lite (only 1 I've ever seen in person) and it was a 318/auto. Could also have been an engine swap but the owner said it was all original and it sure looked it.


Mine is the 225 w/ overdrive and no options:

ok, i have come across what i hope ends the speculation on the hood scoop hole or lack there of proof. what i had forgotten is i have a chrysler parts interchange manual. it lists most common parts with their respective part numbers and their interchanges if any....this book is hard to scan but i gave it my best shot. it clearly lists 2 different hoods with different part numbers for both. if there had been no holes then there would have been only 1 hood and 1 part number not 2. i think this along with the scan from the part book from the dealer showing the rain gaskets for the holes on both the 72 book and 73 book proves there was holes as there were gaskets for it as well. hope this helps to answers some questions....

I guess it's possible there might have been two hood part numbers: one for the hood with the scoop installed, and one for the hood without the scoop. But the holes on the underside of the hood for the stud mounting nuts are there either way.

I'm not sure the fact that the holes are cut perfectly on some hoods is strong evidence of factory installation. It's possible to make a very clean cut with the right tool and technique.

One note about the parts interchangeability book referenced here. Check out the descriptions of the hood packages for the other (non-A-body) vehicles. They all specifically reference "fresh air package." The description of the Dart Sport hood only says "with scoop." There's no reference to fresh air.

the fresh air reference you speak of on the non a-bodie cars is easy. look at number 44 right above the section for a's. it is refering to a 71 charger r/t and superbee w/ fresh air package. those cars had actual popup scoops as i recall. this made them truely fresh air capable, like 70 roadrunners. why would the dartsport or the demon have fresh air in their description if it never actually hooked to the aircleaner in any way to deliver the fresh air the way the chargers or roadrunners did? wouldn't make sence to call it that....

I have only one question: how do we know the two different part numbers don't just reference two different available hood configurations: 1) hood with scoop, and 2) hood without scoop. Again, where is the verification that the "hood with scoop" included the fresh air holes at all? Other vehicles mentioned in this guide that did, indeed, have functional fresh air packages mention "fresh air" specifically. There is no such mention in the section about Demon/Dart hoods.

"why would the dartsport or the demon have fresh air in their description if it never actually hooked to the aircleaner in any way to deliver the fresh air the way the chargers or roadrunners did? wouldn't make sence to call it that...."

Good point. But then again, isn't it safe to assume the description of the hood would say SOMETHING about holes being present?? That's kind of an important feature not be mentioned ANYWHERE in these reference guides. It just defies logic to believe that NONE of the reference guides would list holes if they were in fact included with the hood -- with or without some kind of functional fresh air hook up. I'd like to see just ONE credible document describing fresh air holes as a bonafide factory option with the hood.

There simply aren't any.

well no matter what i say you will never be convinced but i will say this. what sense does it make to have 2 part numbers for the same hood? do you actually believe the fiberglass scoops were installed on these hoods and were stacked up untill they had a scoop car come down the line to put it on? it makes no sense....the only justifaction for 2 part numbers is for 2 different parts. hence the 2 different hoods. the scoops were bolted on the holes hoods and no scoops on the non holed hoods. to further prove this i will look on my hood and find the part number if i can. i will take a picture of it and post it. if it matches the scooped hood then you look at your hood and see if your hood matches the scooped number. if mine does and yours dosent then we have the truth about your hood or mine.........."fresh air" i already explained before.

I'm sorry that you're taking my inquiries personally. I certainly don't mean to question your intentions, and I hope you won't question mine. As a serious muscle car and Mopar enthusiast, my only interest is getting this matter right!

I agree that it makes no sense to have two separate part numbers for two different hoods -- one with the scoop installed, and one without. Then again, it makes no sense to believe Chrysler would offer a hood with useless, non-functional holes for a three-year period...without ever fully describing the hole option as part of the official factory documentation. Maybe the holes weren't part of some kind of official fresh air package, but cmon, don't you think the factory manuals would have explained the purpose of the holes at SOME POINT? I own A-body reference guides that go into every tiny detail of these cars, but for '72 and '73, the holes are NEVER mentioned. And I'm supposed to believe this is just some kind of oversight or coincidence?

That's why I want to see something definitive before accepting this business as fact.

It's -30 tonight and the hood is in the unheated shop. It is original. I will report my findings.

Here is another eyewitness account:

http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?p=54816&posted=1#post54816

I agree with the opinion that the A-bodies did not indicate "fresh air" because they were not sealed to the carb like the other examples. The Challenger R/T - Rallye hoods had a little plate in their scoops which could be taken out and would allow outside air to get in. But they weren't called "fresh air" or "ram air". Not sure if there are other examples. Is there info on '70 Swingers and '71 Demons that go into detail about the scoops and holes? If not, then the same applies to the '72 and '73's. They had the holes, but didn't go into "detail" because they were not ducted in any way to the carb. Why mention it if it wasn't a performance benefit? But just because it didn't do much doesn't mean it didn't exist alltogether.

If you want something in print, here are pages from the Mopar Performance race manuals outlining OEM scoop configurations. Aside from the probable mistake refering to '74's having a scoop, it does detail the '73's as having the scoop and holes. The drawing, while showing a '72 Demon hood, does refer to '73 Dart Sports also.

You have less info to dispute the holes than we have that they were included from the factory! If I put the effort into it, I can come up with at least a dozen people that back up the holes to every one of yours. Some have already posted their personal experiences with it. Are they lying? I conceded that "some" may have come with no holes because Chrysler was known to mix up some parts. But there are way too many restorations and photos all over the internet, in addition to other things that have been mentioned already, to believe that so many people decided to fabricate their hoods all in the same way. Yes, I'm sure some were fabricated, including the one on my race car. It's much easier and more functional if fabricators opened up a bigger area instead of putting in a pair of 4" holes. Why would anyone bother to do it that way if it wasn't really beneficial---------unless it came that way from the factory or they they were duplicating what came from the factory! But you keep coming up with excuses for every tidbit we come up with. There is a lot of mis-information floating around and I would like to preserve the history and accuracy of information in this hobby. Unless you can come up with more info to counter what we have been finding, please do not say that there is no evidence that '72's and '73's did have holes!

Locomotion:

I don't understand some of the things you're saying. I have not called anyone a liar, nor have I questioned their motivations. I'm sure we're all interested in verifying the facts so that we can be sure about history of our cars. But you have to admit, there are some major "holes" (pardon the pun) in this entire story that need to be resolved. You act like I should just take this matter on faith. As I've said before, I have not made my mind up (although I am highly skeptical of the factory holes theory) -- I'm willing to accept definitive proof, whichever way it turns out. On the other hand, you guys seem to have your minds made up -- and you're not willing to consider the possibility that I might be right.

Look, I bought my first Duster in 1974 and have owned three A-bodies over the years. It's not like I'm some johnny come lately to this hobby. You guys clearly know a lot about this brand. I think that's great. It would be nice if you'd afford me the same consideration.

The document you have posted is likely the best evidence presented so far. Thanks for taking the time to locate it. It is troubling that the author didn't even know that the snorkel hood was not offered on the '74 model, but regardless, I'm willing to give this material its due. As far as the possible retrofits by owners, there's really only one logical place to install the fresh air holes, and the rubber grommets that go in the holes have been available commercially for years. So the fact that all the hole installations look the same is a non factor. Plus, I've seen plenty of installations where the holes were a little higher than others, or a little closer together.

I've sent an email to Dave Young, the technical editor at Mopar Muscle magazine, asking his opinion on this matter. At this point, I'm also willing to pay the $75 needed to get Galen Glovier's opinion. I'll let you know what I find out.

I'm starting to think there's a good chance you're right about the hood holes, but without any factory option code clearly describing the hole installation, I'd like to get Galen's opinion.

I have the information that should resolve the 2 different part numbers for the hoods. I have an original 1973 parts manual and it lists two hoods for the L (dart/dart sport) carline: Part number 3684266 is listed as "Hood Panel Std." and Part number 3684286 is listed as "Hood Panel w/Holes for Scoop".
There is also listed for the L (dart) line is "Scoop, Hood orn. (double)" with part number 3672605 and "Water Baffle, A/scoop (sports Hood) (Rubber)" with 2 required and part number 299881.

This should settle the hood argument for the darts.

Now I found some interesting things for a V (valiant/duster) Hood ornaments. In the parts book there is a picture of a VS Duster 340 with twin scoops on it! The scoops are the 69 barracuda type. There is only one hood part number listed which is 3684274. There is also listed for the V (valiant Duster) carline is what must be the twin scoops. It is listed as "Ornament Assy.(Sports Hood)" and has part numbers 2949336-7. Note that the 6-7 at the end of the part numbers is for and left and right so it is really part numbers2949336 & 2949337. And there is no water baffle listed for the V (valiant/duster) carline. So from the parts book it would seem that the 73 duster had the twin scoop option only on the 340 cars and has no water baffle.

I also checked my 1970 parts manual and it lists only I hood for the duster and two different hoods for the dart. The dart had a different hood if it was a 340 car. And to the best of my knowledge every 1970 340 dart had a set of scoops on it.


Thank you 7demon2 for your informative posting and don't be discouraged by others comments.

"Part number 3684286 is listed as "Hood Panel w/Holes for Scoop"

Uh, sorry to be a naysayer, but it sounds to me like this part is the standard hood with the holes drilled for mounting the scoop. That's how "Holes FOR Scoop" sounds to me. Since it's a bit tricky positioning the scoop when mounting it on the hood, it would make sense that the factory would offer a hood with pre-drilled mounting holes for those models that had the sport hood package.

As far as the part numbers being listed for the water baffles in the '73 parts book, I think we agreed that the parts manual would probably list all parts that FIT the '73 model, and not necessarily just the parts that were installed on various '73 models.

I have one question: why is it that part numbers for these water baffles in the major aftermarket supplier catalogs are usually described as "hood to scoop seals, 70-71 Dart and Demon?" Could it be because that's how they were described in the original Chrysler parts books? And why is "72-73 Demon and Dart" not mentioned?

I'm still waiting for a reply from Galen Govier. I suspect he can solve this mystery once and for all.

As far as the part numbers being listed for the water baffles in the '73 parts book, I think we agreed that the parts manual would probably list all parts that FIT the '73 model, and not necessarily just the parts that were installed on various '73 models.

The water baffle part number for 1973 is specific for the L carline only which is the dart/dart sport. That is as far as it breaks it down.

Sometimes the parts manual breaks it down further for certain items. Like it could break it down to a VS29 which which would mean it is specific parts for a 340 duster only. (the v is valiant carline, s is special meaning 340 duster, and the 29 is for the fastback model). But in this case it only breaks it down to the carline L (Dart/Dart Sport)

"Part number 3684286 is listed as "Hood Panel w/Holes for Scoop"


As far as the part numbers being listed for the water baffles in the '73 parts book, I think we agreed that the parts manual would probably list all parts that FIT the '73 model, and not necessarily just the parts that were installed on various '73 models.



WRONG! If it is listed in a factory parts manual, it means that they are factory parts that were installed in certain models from that year. It's not a performance catalog, it's not an aftermarket catalog, it's not a parts list of stuff they have from previous years that might be used in current year.... it's a current (for '73) OEM replacement parts catalog!

And anyway, going by your above comment, they wouldn't "FIT the '73 model" if they weren't made for the application because you are saying that the hoods didn't have holes for the grommets to fit into in the first place! Why would there be a part listed in an OEM parts replacement manual when it would require cutting AFTER production to install it?

In one post you say that it might be possible that the holes existed, then when someone posts a little info to support it, you come back with "hate to rain on your parade", "sorry to be a naysayer", etc. Give people the courtesy of posting their findings/documentation in peace so others can make their own mind up instead of discrediting it with your opinions/interpretation. We already know what your opinion is.

Yeah, right. Everybody should be able to post their opinion without "comments" from others. Everybody except me, apparently. When I post a comment, it's viewed as "condemnation" of others. Whatever. I've been rude to no one. My only "crime" is having a different view than the self-appointed experts on this board. I'm done with it...

I hope you understand my frustration:

* You say you have this wealth of info. Yet you never quote or post any of it to try and support your position.

* You wait until others do the work to find info, and there has been a wealth of circumstantial evidence. Then you rationalize/interpret the info to your benefit.

* You say there is no obvious info linking '72 and '73 scoops/holes. Yet you never replied if there was any obvious info linking 1970 and 1971 scoops/holes. I'm pretty sure you said that they did go together, at least in '71.

* Then you make a totally incorrect assessment that the '72 and '73 OEM replacement parts books contain parts (grommets) that someone might use on their cars even though those parts did not come on them!


Just because some things aren't "in your face" obvious, doesn't mean that they don't exist. One can usually come to an accurate conclusion based on enough corroborating and circumstantial evidence.

I hope you eventually find the undisputed answer.

Unsolicited testimonial from a person claiming to have purchased a new '73 Dart Sport indicating "it came from the factory with a functioning (Black) snorkel hood scoop".

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_105744.html


Does anyone have any old magazine road test articles on new '72 Demons or '73 Dart Sports where they might mention the scoop/holes or show pics of the underside of the hood?

MY 73 dart sport came from factory with the "Sport Hood" option, which is basically a fiberglass "twin scoop" bolted to a standard hood with two 3" -3.5" diameter holes in it to allow air to enter the engine compartment .

I know of two other 1973 dart sport 340 cars that I worked on in the eighties that were also equipped the same way (I worked on them for friends that owned them).

If you like I can take a few pictures of the underside of my hood showing these features and post it for you.

Bob

PS: some chevy guys down at track told me the factory holes in my hood were too small to help out my engine, but I ran out a few times while driving into 20+ mph headwind (which indicates to me that the hood scoop helps me make more power, even if I don't need it!)

Thanks Summitar,

I'm pretty familiar with the scoops and holes. I'm just trying to get as much info and personal statements posted here about the '72 Demon and '73 Dart Sport scoop/hole combo because at least a few people don't believe they were available together. After the previous debate with DartSportDude, I'm a little surprised the thread didn't get locked or us getting a warning. Luckily the info is intact and I'm just trying to reinforce the info posted by 7demon2 and others. But feel free to post any additional info to back up your statements.

The holes are a bit larger than you mentioned. But a little bit of outside air directed into the engine compartment can't hurt!

will a 72 dart hood fit a 74 duster??? and dident dusters come with louvers??

a 72 dart hood will fit a 71-72 demon and a 70 -72 dart.

73 duster can use a hood from a 73-76 duster or vailiant

as far as 1973 dusters are concerned:
I am not sure if they came with a Hood Scoop (sport hood) option like the dart sports. I know the IHRA allows it in Crate motor stock and I have seen a few on the street like that but I am not sure if factory made any that way??

Bob

The scoop on Dusters is a popular add-on and it looks like it belongs there. But they were not available with them from the factory.

Louvers? Nope.

A Demon hood might bolt on and latch on a Duster because they both overhang the grille. But it probably wouldn't look right.

But whole front clips seem to interchange between A-bodies without too much trouble!

As a 1976 Duster owner, I've discovered a few differences in my vehicle versus other A-bodys...

Fender on p/side is unique (antenna hole is different than all others).
Inside rear view mirror is unique (mounted on the windshield, not the roof).
Kick panel on d/side is unique (first year for foot activated e-brake).
Dash circuit board is unique (ammeter gets it's reading through the board, not red/black wires).
Green interior is unique shade.
Semi-unique upper door hinge (75/76 are different than all others.)
Amber turn signal lenses are unique.

I'll add more later. I'm sure I've forgotten a couple.

Great thread.

Ok, so after reading that "discussion" toward the end....you guys keep saying this scoop/hood wasn't offered on 74' dart sports?....Or was I reading that wrong.......I ask because the 74' I just brought home has the sport hood with chrysler part no.3672605 scoop and blackout stripe treatment on it....

it was gone in 74....you have the correct parts so somewhere along the line it was installed.

It would be listed in the data plate right?...and just to add, I have 2 3 to 3.5 inch holes in it and I scuffed the hood and it's the same color as the car all the way through.

is j-54 listed on the fender tag?

Yes, second line from the top near the middle....

really? interesting and it is a 74? if so never seen that before...everything i have ever seen before on a 74 dart sport says the scoops were gone after the 73 model. got to be pretty rare i would say to see this...

build date of 11/26/1973.....with the fender tag can i figure out the axle ratio? also It's a given that since the car was a 360/flite that it has a 8 1/4 right?

that is a pretty nice car. i do stand corrected! i went to look at another reference i have that does list it as haveing the scoop available for 74! axel ratio will be on the build sheet, and on the rear if the tag is still there. standart ratio is 2.94 , optional is a 3.21 or 3.55 sure grip. 8 1/4 yes...

just an update here. today i found out that the dual snorkel scoop was available on the 74 dart sport as well. so to correct this i am posting this for everyone to see. the scoop was gone after 74 not 73!

Thats another question I have, where do folks usually find the build sheet in these cars?

Under the front seat is most common, I found 2 in my car 1 under the front seat the other under the rear seat.

Whew, so there's still a chance I can find one, my interior was damn near gutted. they left all the seats but pulled the cluster, ran off with the console, shifter, and no jams......but i got a ashtray!

i have also found one taped above the glove box liner before as well.... also under the carpet sometimes too

As a 1976 Duster owner, I've discovered a few differences in my vehicle versus other A-bodys...

*snip*
Amber turn signal lenses are unique.

When were amber front grille lenses added? At the start of '76 production, or were they a running change?

I'd have to check if they're original, but this '76 Duster has clear lenses:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/77TradesMan/Mopar%20Cars/A%20Bodies/DSCN0658.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/77TradesMan/Mopar%20Cars/A%20Bodies/DSCN0650-1.jpg



Here's what's left of another '75(?) with the bodyline strips shown on page one:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/77TradesMan/Mopar%20Cars/A%20Bodies/DSCN0527.jpg

When were amber front grille lenses added? At the start of '76 production, or were they a running change?

I'd have to check if they're original, but this '76 Duster has clear lenses.

My '76 has a 10-75 build date, so theoretically, yours should have them too. I could see clear ones getting onto a very early car (depleting the '75 stuff), but not vice versa.

Make sure the car in your pic has the correct parts and is indeed a '76 (build date would indicate so). I can't see the inside rear view mirror or the antenna hole to be sure.

I looked again, it appears the grille at one time may have been installed in a Valiant. The Duster grilles I've seen were painted black on the horizontal surface in front of the signal lenses. All Valiants I've seen are silver, like the one in your pic.

I looked again, it appears the grille at one time may have been installed in a Valiant. The Dusters grilles I've seen were painted black on the horizontal surface in front of the signal lenses. All Valiants I've seen are silver, like the one in your pic.

That could very well be. This car has some after market fog lamps mounted to the radiator support, so the grille may have been changed at one point.

I always wondered if turn signal lenses were different between Dart Sport/Dusters and their Swinger/Scamp counterparts. White on the fastbacks and yellow on the notchbacks, or at least based on the notchback trim options. Obviously they interchange depending on the years. ('73-'74 and '75-'76)

The rear shot pic of the white car with stripes is a '74 or '76 Dart Sport. It depends when that stripe was on option. '76?
In 1975, Sports and Dusters had a bezel panel across the back connecting the taillight bezels.

I might add in regards to the side stripes. 1971 was the only year that the "340" numbers were part of the stripe on the rear quarters. In 1972 they were added on below the stripe just like the "Twister" words. All 1972 stripes had the dust cloud in the rear of the quarter panel stripe whether it was a 340 or Twister. The dust cloud was not in the rear quarter panel stripe in 1971 Dusters or Twisters. The rear tailight stripe of a 1970 340 car had the Duster cloud with the words "Duster 340". The 1971 Duster 340 just said "Duster" on tailight panel even if it was a Duster 340. 1972 Duster 340's again said "Duster 340" on the rear.

The 73 hood and side I have came from phoenix graphics
The hood black out does not look 100% like the ones in the pic on page 1 of the blue car. I have never seen the hood black out like on the blue car before that has black in the center.
It is open in the center and shows the paint color.
also the Rear part on the cowl behind the hood was org paint. But we did not thinjk the paint matched well next to the vinyl so #-M vinyl was used on my car. we had to heat it and cut the slots to get it to look right in the vent holes.
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee87/fast340six/Dart%20Stripes/battleship.jpg

The scoop on Dusters is a popular add-on and it looks like it belongs there. But they were not available with them from the factory.

Louvers? Nope.

A Demon hood might bolt on and latch on a Duster because they both overhang the grille. But it probably wouldn't look right.

But whole front clips seem to interchange between A-bodies without too much trouble!
I know that they had 2 part #'s for the scoop. I went down to the Dodge dealer many years ago and got a brand new duster hood scoop in a mopar box and it bolted right to the duster hood and fit the contir of the duster hood.
The dart sport hood is no way near the same shape.
So that eaves me to believe that they had 2 scoops one for dartsport and one for later year dusters.
If no year dusters got the scoop then why did they have them in the parts book to sell?

But was it an OEM replacement part number or an aftermarket/Mopar Performance/Direct Connection #?

There hasn't been any proof of a Duster scoop or Duster hoods with holes listed in OEM replacement parts books, or a fender tag with any code that would indicate that scoop option.

Not sure if the Demon and Dart Sport take different numbers. Those hoods had different contours and one may fit the Duster hood better than the other.

It was a OEM part.
It also fit the Duster hood cuntor right. it was not the Dartsport one that would not have fit the duster hood right.
I no longer have the scoop it went with the car when i traded it long ago for a 73 challenger
I have a Mopar blue org parts book i guess i have to look at it an see if they list a part#

all of this has been covered before. the dusters never came with a scoop except the twin scoops made for the twister models............ check here and click on any plymouth dealer data material for plymouth and read. http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

"The 73 hood and side I have came from phoenix graphics
The hood black out does not look 100% like the ones in the pic on page 1 of the blue car. I have never seen the hood black out like on the blue car before that has black in the center.
It is open in the center and shows the paint color.
also the Rear part on the cowl behind the hood was org paint. But we did not thinjk the paint matched well next to the vinyl so #-M vinyl was used on my car. we had to heat it and cut the slots to get it to look right in the vent holes."

this has also been dealt with, your hood is correct. on the blue one i did not catch the mistake at the time i originally posted the picture......see page 3 again

It was a OEM part.
It also fit the Duster hood cuntor right. it was not the Dartsport one that would not have fit the duster hood right.
I no longer have the scoop it went with the car when i traded it long ago for a 73 challenger
I have a Mopar blue org parts book i guess i have to look at it an see if they list a part#

i too have part books from 1966 thru 1973.......

Wow! What a thread! Great job on gathering all that info 7demon2.....I love the look of the individual twister scoops and wish that my car could have been ordered with them, especially with the performance hood treatment option. I owned another 72 in 1980 that had the single snorkle scoop...it was installed by the dealer..like someone stated, you could get any option available installed by your dealer. Very informative, nice work! Dave

When replacing quarter panel does where panel meets rocker become one piece or was there a line left ? I have looked at some pictures and need to know how it came from the factory.There was lead at the joint when old quarter was removed. Some help needed before new quarter from AMD go on.
thanks

Here,s a pic of my 73 Dart Sport 340,4 speed.

P.S Great job with informative info.

When replacing quarter panel does where panel meets rocker become one piece or was there a line left ? I have looked at some pictures and need to know how it came from the factory.There was lead at the joint when old quarter was removed. Some help needed before new quarter from AMD go on.
thanks

All the original cars I've seen have a line (mine included). It looks like the q-panel overlaps the rocker panel. When mine reaches the paint stage, I'm asking my bodyman to leave it.

Love the information here. Good informative. But I didnt find the answer to my question. I have a passanger side early duster fender. 70-71. I had a fellow as me if the it would fit a 76 duster. I told him I knew forsure that the side lights are different. But I want to be postive I give him the right information. Will it fit and what other differences might there be?

Besides the different marker lights, it will bolt on. But there may be problems bolting the later model grille and headlight bezels to the older fender.

Love the information here. Good informative. But I didnt find the answer to my question. I have a passanger side early duster fender. 70-71. I had a fellow as me if the it would fit a 76 duster. I told him I knew forsure that the side lights are different. But I want to be postive I give him the right information. Will it fit and what other differences might there be?

One of the two bolts behind the grille will not line up. Can't remember which one. Years ago I but a 75 duster fender on my 1970 duster and one of the holes was in a different location.

Just wanted to post what I found. I picked up a snorkle scoop from a 1972 Demon and matched it to my 1974 Dart Sport's with original snorkle scoop. The part # of the Demon scoop is 3573698. Didn't want to unbolt the scoops from my Dart Sport's so if someone has one lying around could you look for the part #? The bottom portion of the front is held on with 6 screws so I unscrewed it but did not find any part #'s. The bottom is the only piece that MOPAR re-did to make it fit the Dart Sports so the part #'s will probably be the same on the scoop itself. The Demon scoop bottom is almost flat with slight knotches on each side of this detachable bottom, about 1/8". This probably is for water drainage. The Dart Sports has a large "peak" in the middle of the hood so the bottoms are different.

I haven't tried the Demon scoop on my 73 Scamp hood so don't know how close it comes to fitting. It'll try this weekend. Will have to remove the studs.

I have two 1974 Dart Sport 360's with this hood scoop and the fender tag shows J54. The hood tape looks like the green and pink 1973's on this post. The holes in the hood are stamped and are 4 1/8" diameter. They are the same as my two 1970 Swinger 340's except they are spread out and use the same rubber seals that are used to keep water off the engine.

BTW, that pink 1973 had hood pins. Don't remember that being available. Anyone can add to this? If that owner can show underhood photos I'd appreciate it.

I have original new car brochures and none of them shows this scoops on the 1973-74 Dart Sports but I know they were available in 1974 because I saw them when they were new. They ALL had the two holes in the hood. They were a cosmetic option as I even saw a new 1974 Dart Sport 318 with it. That car even had the holes.

The Dart Sport hood and scoop I removed from a parts car several years ago came from a light blue '73 model with a 318 and had black hood and side stripes. I also couldn't find any part # on the front-lower screwed-on portion under the scoop openings. But I'm sure it's safe to say that those parts were different, depending on what hood the scoops were used. Mine has an obvious taper in the middle to match the Dart Sport raised middle area of the hood.

The main portion of the scoop has 2 numbers in the rear underside section: 3573698 and a smaller print 3672605.

I'm late to the party, just thought I'd point this out as someone brought this up.

Been using the Mopar / Direct Connection engine & chassis books for 25+ years now (heck I have the original loose bullitins before they were in book form!) and they are rife with errors, don't use them for reference when restoring a car.

i,ve read this post before. i will add a 1 owner pic,s of a demon /6 car from fla. would the strips be dealer in stalled as the car has o/e paint and never been wrecked.

Here are pictures of my '74 Gold Duster before it was repainted, all original stripes.

Great reading. Very informative.

Wilson
Ontario Canada