Opinions on a Wrecked '70 340 DEMON

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CornDog

CornDog

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I came across this '70 Demon about 5 or more years ago. At the time, I wasn't too concerned with A-bodies and was mostly a B-Body guy. So I never paid it much attention. Well, the years have passed and now I have grown to love A-Bodies. I still like the B's too :) About a year ago I stopped to talk with someone about the car, but no one was home..... the house really looks abandoned. While I was there I took these pictures but have not been back since. I plan to go back and talk with neighbors about the car and the owner.

I have talked with someone who knew some of the history on the car. Supposedly, a 16 year old ran the car off in a ditch back in the late 80's / early 90's and it has sat ever since. From what I was told, the kid planned on yanking out the 340 and putting it in another car. He let it sit with water in it and supposedly froze and cracked the block. I find this part to be highly unlikely. We're in central Mississippi.... it doesn't get THAT cold here.

I haven't crawled under it to checked numbers yet, but I was told the engine is still a 340 besides the blue valve covers, intake and air cleaner which were all removed from a 360. The car took a pretty good blow to the front as you can see. The passenger window is either rolled down or knocked out and Mother Nature hasn't been kind to the interior. Floors and interior is JUNK!

I have considered buying this car mostly for the engine, trans, and possibly I will find a 8 3/4 in the rear. My question is... what is something like this worth? What is an honest price for this car? I don't look to flip the car. Is the car too rare to be a parts car?? I'm clueless. I just wonder what everyone's opinion is.... Thanks!

Justin
"CornDog"

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Jeepers.............

First, it's a 71.........I'm not sure if they changed the motor, but a Demon never came with a 360......so if the air cleaner is correct, it has the wrong motor.

The subframe at quick glance appears to be bent, and the floors are non-existent......... Although there are some parts (doors, trunk, windows, interior parts, etc) that can be salvaged other than the drivetrain, it's gonna be a money pit if someone attempts to restore the car. :read2:

If you find the parts you've mentioned, from my experience, I'd offer no more than a grand tops.
 
From what I was told, the 340 is still in it.... notice the orange block and heads. The only parts from the 360 that were used are the valve covers, intake, and the air cleaner.

Justin
"CornDog"
 
Not enough photos to see if the frame is bent, but it could be repaired! It is also Butterscotch! Would be a cool car.
Get more pics and numbers!
 
It was also a factory hood pin car too. May be a dumb question, but what is that motor-looking thing mounted on the passenger inner fender??

Justin
"CornDog"
 
A '71 Butterscotch Demon with a black top. That was a really nice car at one time. It would be interesting to know if that is the original 340 under that air cleaner.

For most people its too wrecked and rusted to be anything more than a parts car. Its for someone with the skills to repair it with a donor car. The economics of fixing it may not work out but who cares, it is a rare, factory high performance car.

I would say if its still has the 340 motor, its not cracked, and there is a title it would be worth up to a grand. Good luck with it. Let us know how it works out.
 
CornDog said:
It was also a factory hood pin car too. May be a dumb question, but what is that motor-looking thing mounted on the passenger inner fender??

Justin
"CornDog"
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Looks like a air compressor for the air shocks if it had any.
 
3404speed said:
Not stock, maybe a compressor for the Duke's air horns?
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That's what it is.... guess that explains why he was trying to jump a ditch.... I am going to get an update on it Wed or Thurs. I drove by yesterday and it was still there. You have to look REALLY hard. I'm anxious to find out something on it. It has plently of parts that will help convert my Dart Sport over to a Demon clone. :)

Justin
"CornDog"
 
i see it has the rally dash/hell that is worth a few bucks how about the axle assy if it has an 8 3/4 maybe its a possi that alone is worth over 500 by it self
 
I have the match to this car. To bad I cut it up. We could of cut them in half and welded them together to make one good car from. LOL


That car is bad looking. I would say it is a parts car. Unless you have a lot of time and money and skill.


Looks like the only parts you can use to change your Dart over to a demon is the back end. Hope it still has the 340 in it for you.
I would not pay more than $500 for that car.

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You don't need to crawl under it to see if it's a 340. Look on the front of the block where there red area is circled.

Whether it's the original to the car, then yes, you'll be under the pass side looking at the pan rail. The numbers you find on the front of the block may tell you whether it's necessary to even crawl under it...
 
i have seen worse cars brought back from the dead. if it is all there and original i say it is a good car to bring back. butter scotch is a pretty rare color and very nice looking when done.
 
It's a mess but it's got a floor shift column, ralley gauge bezel core, bucket seat cores, possibly a 340, 727 and 8 3/4 rear (most likely a sure grip) and a front sway bar. As parts you should be able to make a buck or two if you got it for less than $1000. That's the MOST I'd pay. If it could be restored then great, but you won't come out ahead on it when your done.
 
Hey, unless you know for sure, it couldn't hurt to run the VIN past Larry Weiner and see if it's a GSS. The swapped top end of the engine kinda makes me wonder.
 
gts340 said:
Hey, unless you know for sure, it couldn't hurt to run the VIN past Larry Weiner and see if it's a GSS. The swapped top end of the engine kinda makes me wonder.
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Now you've got me REALLY wondering about the car. If it was a GSS car, then what would be different about the 340? It was mentioned a few times above.... it needs a lot of time, money, and skill to bring it back from the deal. I'm lacking in two of those :) I am a body tech and have fixed worse than this. But I still need money and extra time. As if I don't have enough projects going already ('69 Charger, '69 Bee, '73 Dart Sport, and a '70 Superbird). Between my brother and I, we have enough A-body parts cars to build it back.... the right way.

Justin
"CornDog"
 
CornDog said:
Now you've got me REALLY wondering about the car. If it was a GSS car, then what would be different about the 340? It was mentioned a few times above.... it needs a lot of time, money, and skill to bring it back from the deal. I'm lacking in two of those :) I am a body tech and have fixed worse than this. But I still need money and extra time. As if I don't have enough projects going already ('69 Charger, '69 Bee, '73 Dart Sport, and a '70 Superbird). Between my brother and I, we have enough A-body parts cars to build it back.... the right way.

Justin
"CornDog"
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sounds like a match made in heaven. the gss had a 340 w/ six pack setup. missing the original breather and possibly the original intake then it is just a guess..
 
Check out the balancer. If it's flat, it could be a forged crank 340 (or 318). A big counterweight would make it a 360. A cast crank 340 would have a smaller counterweight and "Cast crank 340 only" or something like that cast into the front of the counterweight.
 
if you have the money to spare buy it if not somebody else will and you wished you had
 
My brother had an identical '71 Demon back in the 70's, Butterscotch color, black vinyl roof and all.. His was a 4-speed with a factory 8 3/4" 3:91 suregrip .. That car was QUICK !! I had a '71 Duster 340 w/ 3:23's and a 4-speed, and he used to smoke me off the line, but once I caught him it was all over.. Ahhh, the good old days !! How's the left side ??
 
Get a picture of the fender tag if you can. It looks to be nicely optioned and would be worth a resto especially if you can do all the body and paint work yourself. So much of the cost of bringing a car like this back to life is in the body and paint IMO. It for sure was a hard hit and will require some suspension repairs at the minimum if not a little tweaking on the frame rail.

We owned this car's twin years ago, 340 / 727 butterscotch, blk vinyl top and all, but with the twin scoops and blacked out hood. It's a sharp combo.....

Good luck with whatever you decide......nice find though. 8)
 
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