Need info on Duster

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StrokerMan

StrokerMan

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Hey guys, I just bought a 1973 Duster 340. The problem is I'm lacking on information for this car and it's affecting my build. Ex: It has a vinyl top but since I don't know how many came like this I'm not sure if I should replace or eliminate. I do know that there were 15,731 Dusters made in 1973 but that's it. I want to go all original on this car with a frame off resto, and tweek it here and there to make a "me" car. Any help with information, advice, or parts is much appreciated!
 

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I am far from a Duster expert but I feel the vinyl top is cool and would keep it.
 
look under the back seat to see if the buildsheet is still there... also the tag under the hood can be read and options can be figured...
 
I really want to keep the vinyl top too, and since it's going to be a "show like" car it won't see any water. Plus it'll look cool since I'm thinking of painting it Grabber Lime.

Thanks moparkid, I'll check under the seat. I don't think the tag under the hood is there though.
 
I think your car has great potential and I even like the strip...just know that restoring it should be fun so enjoy the ride!!
 
Being in TX I would put to top back on if you wanted since rust isn't to bad of an issue there. there is a metal tag on the drivers side inner fender with all needed info. pull the back seat out and there might be a very fragile piece of paper with all needed info also (Broadcast Sheet). It probably has Rallye wheels on it when new.
 
If the vinyl top and trim is there, it's likely original. People usually remove them, not add them. So you should keep it.

As for "frame off resto", it's not applicable to a Mopar. (Someone would have mentioned it eventually.) You can separate the frame from the body on GM cars, but not Mopars, because they are uni-bodies.

Here is a little Duster history - http://www.allpar.com/cars/plymouth/duster.html

Good find and good luck with the resto!
 
Thanks for the info! I'm really excited about this one. I've done plenty of trucks but this will be my first car. It has a lot of surface rust but not too many rust holes. Picked it up from a guy who's had the car sitting around since 1982. The car was barely driven and I'm the third owner, his friend being the first bought it new in 1973.
 
StrokerMan said:
Thanks for the info! I'm really excited about this one. I've done plenty of trucks but this will be my first car. It has a lot of surface rust but not too many rust holes. Picked it up from a guy who's had the car sitting around since 1982. The car was barely driven and I'm the third owner, his friend being the first bought it new in 1973.
Click to expand...

Under hood pictures!!!! Origional drivetrain or any engine???
 
Kegan is right, it's an all original 340 duster with a 727 trans. First owner had an issue with the head gasket and took it apart in the late 70's and drug it around with him for some time before selling it to a friend who did nothing with it but sell it to me. The car only has 3,967 original miles on it. It came factory with power steering, front disk brakes, and A/C. I'm not sure what the rear end is. The car was painted silver with the Chrysler Blue engine, but I'm thinking of painting it Grabber Lime with black accents and maybe the Street Hemi Orange used on the Hi-Performance, 70'-71' 340s or Race Hemi Orange. I'll post some more pics later.
 

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Keep the car original.
That is a pretty well option duster.
Nice find.
It still looks like that it has the original exhaust tips.
 
The car will be mostly all original since it's numbers matching and has so many options. I'm going to change the color scheme, open back up to the 2.02 intake valves (that's a secret :-#), and put in aftermarket stereo, (but package up the original).
 

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The rear end if factory will be an 8 1/4 with most likely 3.21 gears and no sure grip
No way it has 3 thousand original miles the odometer has rolled at least once
Look at the metal tag bolted to the inner fender on driver side it will list most but not all options.
If you post a pic of it someone can decode it with a decoder for you

I would be very interested in a pic of it because by the looks of the underside of the decklid it is a factory JF1 car which is a rare one year only color.
My 73 340 car was JF1 but with white top and stripes: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=217020
 
74DartSwinger360 said:
The rear end if factory will be an 8 1/4 with most likely 3.21 gears and no sure grip
No way it has 3 thousand original miles the odometer has rolled at least once
Look at the metal tag bolted to the inner fender on driver side it will list most but not all options.
If you post a pic of it someone can decode it with a decoder for you

I would be very interested in a pic of it because by the looks of the underside of the decklid it is a factory JF1 car which is a rare one year only color.
My 73 340 car was JF1 but with white top and stripes: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=217020
Click to expand...

Was JF1 Mist Green? I had a '73 Duster 318 that color with white stripes, there was a '73 340 floating around for sale a couple of times on the various sites the last few years. Before I found my Demon I was hoping to find a Duster to redo in Mist Green.
 
74DartSwinger360 said:
The rear end if factory will be an 8 1/4 with most likely 3.21 gears and no sure grip
No way it has 3 thousand original miles the odometer has rolled at least once
Look at the metal tag bolted to the inner fender on driver side it will list most but not all options.
If you post a pic of it someone can decode it with a decoder for you

I would be very interested in a pic of it because by the looks of the underside of the decklid it is a factory JF1 car which is a rare one year only color.
My 73 340 car was JF1 but with white top and stripes: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=217020
Click to expand...
Decklid looks swapped. i know JA5 Silver anywhere. in the trunk and engine bay is JA5, underside of decklid is JF1..
 
72_340_Demon said:
Was JF1 Mist Green? I had a '73 Duster 318 that color with white stripes, there was a '73 340 floating around for sale a couple of times on the various sites the last few years. Before I found my Demon I was hoping to find a Duster to redo in Mist Green.
Click to expand...

Yes Mist green for Plymouth and Pale Green for Dodge
 
With certain areas of the car being looked at I'm inclined to believe its original color is silver, but then again I'm not too knowledgeable on dusters. I checked the tag from under the hood and it reads:

26 EN2
H51 M21 N76 R11 V6X V8X
V4X U B41 C16 C56 G36
JA5 C6X9 000 915 145935
E55 D34 VS29 H3B 146428

I checked under the seat and there is no paper there.
 
I went online and found a vin decoder and this is what it gave me:

Body Type: V = Plymouth Valiant / Duster
Price Class: S = Special
Body Type: 29 = 2 Door Sports Hardtop
Engine: H = 240HP(net) 1-4BBL 8 CYL
Year: 3 = 1973
Sequence Number: 146428 = 46428th Vehical Built
 
I went ahead and found a fender tag decoder, It reads:

Code Description
E55 = 340-4 Barrel 69-73
D34 = TorqueFlite Automatic Transmission
VS29V = Plymouth Valiant / Duster
S = Special
29 = 2 Door Sports Hardtop

H3BH = 340 240HP(net) 1-4BBL 8 CYL
3 = 1973
B = Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA
146428 = Sequence Number '146428'
JA5 = Paint Code: Unknown At This Time
C6X9 = Trim Grade/Style/Color
C = Charger
6 = Vinyl Bucket Seats
X9 = Black
000 = Upper Door Frame: Full Door Panel
915 = Date Built: 9 / 15 / 1972
145935 = Order Number: 145935
V4X = Roof Type OR Color: Black Canopy Vinyl Roof
U = Built to Specifications for USA Order
B41 = Front Disc Brakes Some Yrs. Power
C16 = Console w/ Buckets
C56 = Bucket Seats 1972 up
G36 = Left Hand Remote, Right Hand Manual Outside Mirror
H51 = Single Air /w Heater
M21 = Roof Drip Rail Moldings
N76 = Coolant Recovery System
R11 = Music Master Radio AM
V6X = Black Longitude Sports Stripe
V8X = Transverse Stripe - Black
26 = 26 in. Radiator
EN2 = End of Codes Assembly Line 2
 
That's a great find, per your codes posted..the car was painted A5 "Silver Frost/Silver Metallic". With that nice dark silver, I would put the vinyl top back on it. Nice contrast with the stripes.... I recently picked up a 73 Duster 340 JF1 car...its a 1 year only color..word from a mopar judge was said that there had only been 250 made...1.7% of Duster 340's
 
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