challengergary
Well-Known Member
Now I remember why I stopped buying classic car auto-trader back in the day. I simply cannot resist a good deal when it is local. Picked this up after seeing it on FB Marketplace for a few days. Tried to ignore it and then a buddy sent me the listing noting how it was in the same town as me. The ad was pretty generic, just said 1970 Plymouth Duster project and a couple of pictures. No real information given other than it was a roller. I messaged the seller and asked a few basic questions, how are the frame rails? What rear end does it have? Was it a /6 or v8 car? The seller said he wasn't sure but he could send me pictures once he went out to his garage. I asked where he was located and it turns out he was less than 2 miles from my work. Asked if he minded if I just pop on by and he agreed that would be easiest.
I get there and notice right away, the body is very clean - like NO RUST visible at all. I walk up to the car, bend down and see an 8-3/4" rear end. Then, I notice it still has the correct 1970 early 71 trunk lid. Open the trunk lid and see no rust on the lip at all and the trunk channels are super clean. The 8-3/4 got me thinking, maybe it's a 340 car? I walk up to the driver window and peak inside and see a full rallye cluster laying there on the floor board. Oh man I think. I gonna have to buy this thing, crap. I pop the hood and see front disc brakes and a sway bar. I am thinking, it's gotta be a 340 car. I ask the seller what the VIN is and he doesn't know but the dash frame is in the car. He climbs in the car and pulls it out of the stack of stuff in the interior. I see the VIN plate is there and the color of the dash frame matches the color of the rest of the metal in the interior - green. I wipe the layers of dust off the VIN plate and, yep, she's a 340 car. So now I am sure I have to buy it. Because I don't want to be a prick, I let the seller know it's a real 340 car. He is kind of surprised, he just bought it because the body was in such good shape and his wife wanted one but had since changed her mind. He just wanted it out of his garage. The seller was originally asking $4500 for it when I first saw the ad but had dropped it to $3500 the day before. Now came my decision time. Because I REALLY don't need another project, I asked if he could do $2500 even though I had told him it was a 340 car because I told him I really don't need it but for the right price, I would buy it. He came back a 3200 and we agreed on a price at $3000.00. We shake hands and it's a done deal. He was happy to no longer to have to deal with the Marketplace yahoos and I was happy(?) to have another cool project. A win-win.
First task when I got it to my garage/shop was to do a little more evaluation. I knew it would need a trunk pan since the spare tire well had been cut out already. The only rust in the floors is a small area in the passenger front. The rest of the car is extremely clean. To my surprise, a prior owner had already installed the US Car Tools inner fender bracing and lower radiator support bracing. As a bonus, the USCT frame connectors were also in the passenger compartment. The radiator core support has a different 1970 VIN stamp on it so it looks like she was in an accident some time in the 70's or possibly 80's. I am betting in the 70's because there is parking permit sticker on the front bumper that expired 7/77. When I saw the core support numbers, I immediately checked the package tray VIN and thankfully, it matches the dash/title.
Trying to decide what to do with it but in the meantime, I bought a trunk pan and started on that. Since the engine and fender tag are long gone, I am trying to decide if I should drop the 340 I had earmarked for my 71 Challenger in it or not. Also, since it's originally an F4 green poly car of which I am not a fan, I am kicking around painting it FE5 Rallye Red.
Oh well, maybe I will call this one Project Hole in the Head LOL
I get there and notice right away, the body is very clean - like NO RUST visible at all. I walk up to the car, bend down and see an 8-3/4" rear end. Then, I notice it still has the correct 1970 early 71 trunk lid. Open the trunk lid and see no rust on the lip at all and the trunk channels are super clean. The 8-3/4 got me thinking, maybe it's a 340 car? I walk up to the driver window and peak inside and see a full rallye cluster laying there on the floor board. Oh man I think. I gonna have to buy this thing, crap. I pop the hood and see front disc brakes and a sway bar. I am thinking, it's gotta be a 340 car. I ask the seller what the VIN is and he doesn't know but the dash frame is in the car. He climbs in the car and pulls it out of the stack of stuff in the interior. I see the VIN plate is there and the color of the dash frame matches the color of the rest of the metal in the interior - green. I wipe the layers of dust off the VIN plate and, yep, she's a 340 car. So now I am sure I have to buy it. Because I don't want to be a prick, I let the seller know it's a real 340 car. He is kind of surprised, he just bought it because the body was in such good shape and his wife wanted one but had since changed her mind. He just wanted it out of his garage. The seller was originally asking $4500 for it when I first saw the ad but had dropped it to $3500 the day before. Now came my decision time. Because I REALLY don't need another project, I asked if he could do $2500 even though I had told him it was a 340 car because I told him I really don't need it but for the right price, I would buy it. He came back a 3200 and we agreed on a price at $3000.00. We shake hands and it's a done deal. He was happy to no longer to have to deal with the Marketplace yahoos and I was happy(?) to have another cool project. A win-win.
First task when I got it to my garage/shop was to do a little more evaluation. I knew it would need a trunk pan since the spare tire well had been cut out already. The only rust in the floors is a small area in the passenger front. The rest of the car is extremely clean. To my surprise, a prior owner had already installed the US Car Tools inner fender bracing and lower radiator support bracing. As a bonus, the USCT frame connectors were also in the passenger compartment. The radiator core support has a different 1970 VIN stamp on it so it looks like she was in an accident some time in the 70's or possibly 80's. I am betting in the 70's because there is parking permit sticker on the front bumper that expired 7/77. When I saw the core support numbers, I immediately checked the package tray VIN and thankfully, it matches the dash/title.
Trying to decide what to do with it but in the meantime, I bought a trunk pan and started on that. Since the engine and fender tag are long gone, I am trying to decide if I should drop the 340 I had earmarked for my 71 Challenger in it or not. Also, since it's originally an F4 green poly car of which I am not a fan, I am kicking around painting it FE5 Rallye Red.
Oh well, maybe I will call this one Project Hole in the Head LOL
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