74 Gold Duster just starting out...

'74 was the highest year of production for the Duster. The "gold duster" package was pretty popular too, same with the /6.

As is sits, I doubt you'd get much more than $500 for it. If you reassembled the front end you might get some more, but probably not more than $1k. Folks do not like to buy disassembled cars. Even reassembled with a running 318 thrown in, you'd be unlikely to see much more than $1,500 if that was all you did, and you'd need to spend some money to get it converted to the 318. At the very least you'd need conversion engine mounts, a new radiator, and some kind of exhaust, and those things alone would eat the entire increase in the sale price, if not more.

If you tear it down further, you'll get even less money unless you put it all back together, and even then I think you'd be better off just leaving it alone. You'll end up putting more money into fixing stuff as it goes back together and the end result won't be worth any more than it is now. Painting it will cost thousands, and unless you complete a full restoration you probably won't even get the money it costs to paint it back out of it.

Even painted and put back together with a running 318 you're not likely to see more than $5k for it unless you do a really nice job on it, which will almost surely cost more than $5k.

Take a look at this '74. It was originally a 360 car (which is about as rare as a '74 Duster can be), but has a non-numbers 360 in it now. It's in nice shape, with a repaint and good condition interior. Sold for $5k.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1974-Duster-360-E58-360-4-Barrel-/251678700070?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&forcerrptr=true&hash=item3a99383226&item=251678700070&nma=true&si=7jAyiZ5sckZsGGuyFDAyC1W75FM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

I would say your best bet would be to offer it pretty much as is. I would air up the tires, clean off all the crud, and bolt the fenders, bumper, grille etc back on the car. Park it on a driveway, and take some pictures. If the car looks complete and like it could easily be rolled onto a trailer it'll get the highest price you can get. Spending more money on it is unlikely to get you any more profit, even if it does raise the final selling price.