1971 Plymouth Duster - What would you offer?

[Drache]

Dad is looking for a car to play with.

1971 Plymouth Duster 440

I have a 71 Plymouth Duster 440 Big Block for sale. The car is a project that deserves to be finished... Lots of time and money invested into the car but the time has come to sell it. The car has gone through the body shop and had the rear quarters repaired of rust and roof repaired due to being damaged in previous life.. The car is 90% rust free only small minor surface rust remains and then ready for paint. This Duster was a 225 6 cylinder car before the 440 was swapped in with Schumacher engine mounts and Schumacher headers. The 4bbl 440 is out of a motorhome and had very low mileage before being taken out at approximately 80,000kms along with the 727 3 speed transmission. The rear end has also been changed for the 8 3/4 rear end with 373 gears. I have a brand new Sure-Grip posi and pinion bearing kit to go along with the car. Just needs to be installed as well as 440 fibreglass hood scoop, Edelbrock aluminum RPM intake manifold, auto meter fuel gauge and sender ETC.

On hot summer days, the car overheats if left standing for too long so this issue will need to be tended to if going to be driven as is.

$5000 OBO

 

[younggun2.0]

the car needs alot. i would be scared to buy a car in primer that had rust "fixed". we all have our own idea of what the right way is. in my opinion it needs to be taken back down to bare metal and body work/panel repair then redone. that is alot of time and money. if the car has been out in the weather with just primer and not a sealer then a strip job is basically mandatory. primer is like a sponge. it is a running driving car with a big block but depending on what suspension and rear is in it and the interior quality i would pay 3500 tops for the car.

 

[Oklacarcollecto]

If the details you listed is what you were told you better look closer. That rearend has bolts on the back cover so it certianly isn't an 8 3/4.

 

[Captain Canuck]

If the details you listed is what you were told you better look closer. That rearend has bolts on the back cover so it certianly isn't an 8 3/4.

Yep..... Good eye Bill.

 

[Drache]

If the details you listed is what you were told you better look closer. That rearend has bolts on the back cover so it certianly isn't an 8 3/4.

Maybe the pictures were taken before the conversion from an 8 1/4 to 8 3/4?

Dunno but I asked about that in my latest email to the seller.

 

[bighammer]

Very cool car, but... I would want to see some pics of the restoration / repair work that was done. New primer has me running the other way. And some guys claim that it is 90% ready for paint means little.

 

[68383GTS]

So it has a motorhome 440 so thats nothing special.The primered quarters scare me also.The rest of the looks to be silver and solid.If the rest of the car is solid and runs and drives good.I would say $4500.00 tops

 

[cascius]

Maybe the pictures were taken before the conversion from an 8 1/4 to 8 3/4?

Dunno but I asked about that in my latest email to the seller.

Being a slant 6 car it probably came with a 7 1/4 originally. I don't think they had 8 1/4's in '71. The other thing I would ask about is the suspension. If it still has the stock slant 6 suspension (torsion bars and springs) that's something to think about having to replace.

 

[abodyjoe]

the car needs a ton of work. looks like a $2500 car.

8 1/4 rear, how was the rust repaired?, engine is nothing special and sure isn't fresh and has a cooling problem......

its some ones headache that they are trying to get out of..

 

[R4Sedan]

You better do some asking about the engine. I bet somebody has been in to it. If it is out of a motorhome probably '77 or '78 thinner walls maybe bored out to far, if it's running Hot. They already have electric fan and aluminum radiator on her.

 

[mikebee]

quarters look all outta wack to me...mostly on dr side lower..those headers suck too...bout like manifolds.i'd run the other way!

 

[cudavert]

You better do some asking about the engine. I bet somebody has been in to it. If it is out of a motorhome probably '77 or '78 thinner walls maybe bored out to far, if it's running Hot. They already have electric fan and aluminum radiator on her.

I read an article about the later 440's.....76 and up. All the rumors about them being "thin-walled" apparently wasn't true. BUT....they ARE a softer iron, not thin-walled. BTW, those years 440's were low-compression pig city. Probably .080 in the hole.

I'm seriously not feelin' it with this duster......it's one of those primered cars you hafta inspect for a good 90 minutes, then make an offer.

 

[QuintinMotorCompany]

A slant six car, a motor home 440,and a 7 1/4 I would offer $2500

 

[74DartSwinger360]

Motorhome motors will have HD internals(Basically a Sixpack Motor)
But very low compression with stock car heads with no milling and have like a 8.0 to1 or 8.5 to 1 compression ratio. So they perfect for some form of forced induction with out using the cast pistons obviously

i would offer between 2500-2800 if it runs like a watch

 

[Rengo]

I would say between 3800 and 4200, there is nothing special about this car.

 

[magnumdust]

the car needs a ton of work. looks like a $2500 car.

8 1/4 rear, how was the rust repaired?, engine is nothing special and sure isn't fresh and has a cooling problem......

its some ones headache that they are trying to get out of..

I agree, my 73' nearly restored was 4500 bucks.

 

[replicaracer43]

quarters look all outta wack to me...mostly on dr side lower..those headers suck too...bout like manifolds.i'd run the other way!

Yeah, just look at those 1/4s.... especially down low, they look wrong, and probally home made.. That car is a dissapointment waiting for a new buyer

 

[Drache]

Yeah, just look at those 1/4s.... especially down low, they look wrong, and probally home made.. That car is a dissapointment waiting for a new buyer

The 1/4s were off another car.

 

[replicaracer43]

The 1/4s were off another car.

Well, I dunno what they are off of, but they dont look right.... and look at the front of the car, hood, grille and fender gaps, it is all whacked up there too, car looks like a POS body, with a motor slapped in. RUN away as fast as possible!

 

[HotLines]

I don't normally hi jack posts but here is what's on Craigslist from my area which matches what you guys all seem to have in common.
http://medford.craigslist.org/cto/3797260599.html
http://medford.craigslist.org/cto/3805316956.html

 

[Drache]

Ok my dad isn't looking for a show car, just something to have fun with, although he doesn't want a rust bucket either. Here are some other cars in our province in his price range.

The price of the car then going to get the car has to be under $5500 CDN, so the closer the better (thus no out of province purchases). Also it must be a two door and a V8....

1973 Plymouth Duster Coupe

1973 duster needs wiring for motor and front end installed new rad new front disc brakes new booster and new wiring in dash 318 dual exhaust with headers.health and moving reason for selling

Price $4,200.00


1969 Dodge Dart Coupe

1969 Dodge Dart Custom
Awesome project car
273-V8, 3 speed automatic
22842 miles
runs great, dependable running car
too many projects and not enough time for this one

Price $3,000.00


1964 Convertible Valiant

Old school fun...runs awesome.

Price $5,500.00

 

[jd340]

Are you able to see the car in person, or is it not local? Pics can be deceiving, it might be better than it looks here. Then again, $5k doesn't buy a whole lot of classic car up here to begin with. Good luck either way.

 

[74DartSwinger360]

That 73 looks to be a basket case and overpriced by 2200 since has a 318 and needs body work and lots of it by the pics

The 69 Dart looks to be the best for the price and looks to be fairly original. The only thing that scares me is the rust all over the fenders especially on the fender bolts along the inner fender

 

[74DartSwinger360]

The First Duster may be a good car but you dont know til you look at it.
And you dont know how old the pics are? is it before the 8 3/4 or guy dont know what he is talkin about?

The 1/4s dont look that bad and the bottom body line is still there and seems very well done

If motor aint enough for him just mill the heads to raise the compression swap in another cam and be set

All the hard work of shoehorning the big block in there is done just needs refining

Also make sure you check all the mounts and parts that were needed to put the motor in

Just make sure you look over the car very well and then decide. I wouldnt right it off as junk yet and if its solid car and motor runs good and it drives and stops i could see 2500-3000 for that car.

 

[sireland67]

The dart looks like the best one of what you posted.
It looks like it will need inner fenders and fenders.
Check for under side rot real close, plus it has a thumb wheel radio.
I would buy as close to original car as possible.