Moparcrazy.com
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SINISTER PLYMOUTH DUSTER $13750
There’s no secret formula for building a fast car, simply remove weight and add horsepower. In the case of this ‘73 Plymouth Duster, the lightweight part was already done, and the builder went crazy in the adding horsepower department, with a 383 cubic inch big block and a 727 Torqueflite. Trust me, you will feel and hear it coming.
This car started out as the proverbial “little old lady special,” packed with a slant-six and a low key paint job from the factory. Purchased with low miles(47000) on the clock a couple years ago with original rustfree body panels.
But the real story is under hood, and that’s 383 cubic inches of 1969-vintage big block Mopar built professionally. The crank is a standard 383 piece that was balanced, then a set of reconditioned rods and 10-1 pistons were attached. The heads are ported with big valves , while the camshaft is a custom-grind solid lifter unit. There’s a holly carburetor on top of an aluminum intake manifold, and an electronic ignition system. We used a motor plate for the big block conversion. The Hookerheaders feed into to the new 3” exhaust system. Keeping things cool are a big aluminum radiator.
The engine churns all that horsepower through a big-block appropriate rebuilt Chrysler 727 Transmission into a B&M shifter and custom drive-shaft. And the cool thing about a big motor in a small package, you don’t need super-steep gears to get it moving – this one packs a suregrip 3:91 rear, which is ideal for both cruising and racing. Up front, disc brakes were added to keep things under control, and heavy-duty springs were fitted to handle the weight of the big block. Drag shocks round out the suspension modifications, partly responsible for the car’s impressive acceleration abilities. Wheels are vintage ralley with new tires.
The upholstery is original and looks almost as good as it did the day it rolled off the assembly line. Auxiliary gauges have been added in the dash for precise monitoring of the goodies. As part of the “add lightness” mission of this potent little missile, the heater was removed as well, another few pounds the engine doesn’t have to move. All the gauges and lights are fully functional. The trunk is completely stock with a relocated battery thus showing a lot of additional evidence that this was a rust-free car from Day One.
So that’s the magic formula, all wrapped up in a low-key package and ready to rock. The drive train is virtually bulletproof, with a period-correct (if not accurate) build, the parts are all high quality, and the workmanship is nice. Placed in a body that’s several hundred pounds lighter than any car the factory built with a 383, and you have a very potent street fighter that isn’t ashamed to show up at the local cruise and pop the hood . This is another one of those cars that you just couldn’t duplicate for the asking price. And just try to find a similar Duster anywhere! Set up to run, fully sorted, and 100% reliable, this is a lot of fun in a small, inexpensive package.
There’s no secret formula for building a fast car, simply remove weight and add horsepower. In the case of this ‘73 Plymouth Duster, the lightweight part was already done, and the builder went crazy in the adding horsepower department, with a 383 cubic inch big block and a 727 Torqueflite. Trust me, you will feel and hear it coming.
This car started out as the proverbial “little old lady special,” packed with a slant-six and a low key paint job from the factory. Purchased with low miles(47000) on the clock a couple years ago with original rustfree body panels.
But the real story is under hood, and that’s 383 cubic inches of 1969-vintage big block Mopar built professionally. The crank is a standard 383 piece that was balanced, then a set of reconditioned rods and 10-1 pistons were attached. The heads are ported with big valves , while the camshaft is a custom-grind solid lifter unit. There’s a holly carburetor on top of an aluminum intake manifold, and an electronic ignition system. We used a motor plate for the big block conversion. The Hookerheaders feed into to the new 3” exhaust system. Keeping things cool are a big aluminum radiator.
The engine churns all that horsepower through a big-block appropriate rebuilt Chrysler 727 Transmission into a B&M shifter and custom drive-shaft. And the cool thing about a big motor in a small package, you don’t need super-steep gears to get it moving – this one packs a suregrip 3:91 rear, which is ideal for both cruising and racing. Up front, disc brakes were added to keep things under control, and heavy-duty springs were fitted to handle the weight of the big block. Drag shocks round out the suspension modifications, partly responsible for the car’s impressive acceleration abilities. Wheels are vintage ralley with new tires.
The upholstery is original and looks almost as good as it did the day it rolled off the assembly line. Auxiliary gauges have been added in the dash for precise monitoring of the goodies. As part of the “add lightness” mission of this potent little missile, the heater was removed as well, another few pounds the engine doesn’t have to move. All the gauges and lights are fully functional. The trunk is completely stock with a relocated battery thus showing a lot of additional evidence that this was a rust-free car from Day One.
So that’s the magic formula, all wrapped up in a low-key package and ready to rock. The drive train is virtually bulletproof, with a period-correct (if not accurate) build, the parts are all high quality, and the workmanship is nice. Placed in a body that’s several hundred pounds lighter than any car the factory built with a 383, and you have a very potent street fighter that isn’t ashamed to show up at the local cruise and pop the hood . This is another one of those cars that you just couldn’t duplicate for the asking price. And just try to find a similar Duster anywhere! Set up to run, fully sorted, and 100% reliable, this is a lot of fun in a small, inexpensive package.
