Looking for the history/ old owners of my 70 Duster 340.

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William Gusler

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I bought an old drag car that was converted to pro street at some point. Original VO29HOB31 340 4 speed car that in silver with black interior. Full old school 2x3 frame, tubbed with a narrowed Strange Dana 60, ladder bars and coil overs, Pinto rack and Mustang II upper control arms/ Coil over front end.

The original frame work was well executed in mild steel and looks to be by a race car builder vs home brew. Some of the work after is a bit dodgy, but a solid foundation. Car guys here think it was an old pro stock car and I would be curious to find out.

I purchased it from ID and the unknown prior owner was from MI. Just a shot in the dark here to see if anyone recognized the car. Title search is a dead end as MI will not release the prior owner information. Any one know this car?
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was it ever raced in ID ?
If so I will ask around... dont remember it myself.
 
Had that still retained the stock front end it would probably be in my garage... You got a good deal on it....

JW
 
Had that still retained the stock front end it would probably be in my garage... You got a good deal on it....

JW
Yes, I am satisfied with the car. The front end was a bonus for me as I like old school race car stuff. Looking to convert it to a 1970's vintage pro stock at some point. ( already have an vintage 426 HEMI Weiand tunnel ram.)

Broke a pushrod the first day I had it. :(. Someone replaced the push-rods with stock length B Block rods that are about .050 too long. Cups hitting the rocker body and the rocker is also hitting the retainers on the ex side. New set of Harland Sharp rockers on the way and then I will measure the push rod length and have Smith Brothers build me a new set.

Lots of little things to address, I am working my way thru them now. I may do a build thread on it as we go on.
 
Last edited:
Thread moved to "Mopar Lost and Found"
 
I organize all records by VIN, so what is the full VIN?

Does it actually start
VO29HOB31
or is that first O actually an S ? Second O a zero - 0 ?
 
That helps!

312035 was for sale on Ebay in April 2010 but the seller did not show the fender tag, just the door sticker & VIN.
 
In the early years of the 1970 Hamtramck Registry, I would print out Ebay auctions for every car offered that was 'new' to me. This one came up after my personal economy tanked in 2008, so I had to cut back on paper & ink expenses. So all I have are my notes at the time & the photos I saved.
 
Contact me via the 'contact' button in the left menu on HH & I'll send you the photos I have.
 
found this tonight, dont know how old the ad is.
1970 Pro Street Plymouth Duster

Ad says its from Dansville Michigan. Thats not far from me, but I've never seen the Duster around before. If it was raced there are only 3 track close by that it more than likely raced at. Milan dragway, Martin dragway or Mid Michigan dragway. Not sure if any of this would help.
 
Not really, but thanks. I have a local company that is going to look for the prior owners information via the title. Would love to know the cars history, but if not, still having lots of fun with it.
 
I too would like to know more on the history of my Scamp. I do know the dealership it was sold at, witch is no longer around. I also have an old work order from the 80s with a name and phone number on it . The car came from California. Not sure if they give any info to the public.
 
When I bought my 72’ 340 4 speed Demon shown in some of my pictures, I bought it from a guy at a car show off a trailer. But I needed a signature and had to travel about 1 hr in the opposite direction to meet the original owner. She was 90 in a nursing home. It seems the car sat in an old garage on her property for years forgot about. When she fell ill her family was no longer living close by so they put her in a very nice nursing home by the shoreline.
The guy I purchased the car from was a “clean out guy” he went thru the property to clean the house for the family to ready for sale. He found the car and the family told him to keep it as nobody wanted it. Lol!

Anyhow meeting the original owner was awesome experience. She cried her “baby” was still around and was not crushed. The paperwork only had her name on it... no husband. I even got the sales brochure with her writing that a fm radio radio was $17 dollars too much so she got am only and a passenger mirror was like $9.00 and she crossed that out. That lt was over 10 years ago and she possibly has passed by now.

Anyhow keep up looking - amazing info and stories can be had when you find the original owners. Especially in this life now of throw away cars.... these really meant something to people.

Good luck- Joe
 
In the early years of the 1970 Hamtramck Registry, I would print out Ebay auctions for every car offered that was 'new' to me. This one came up after my personal economy tanked in 2008, so I had to cut back on paper & ink expenses. So all I have are my notes at the time & the photos I saved.
Have you done any barracudas?
 
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