What do you think???

[gtgto]

So I have been working on my 72 340 Duster for a little over a year. It'll be a while before she is on the road. Matching number 340 and 4 speed. Still in need of some body work and paint and then all of the interior will need to go back in.

I have recently found 2 pretty nice 340 Dusters both matching number column auto's

One is a 70 with some options. power steering and brakes with front Disc , AC, bucket seats and a black vinyl roof. Color Code Y3 Yellow Gold with Black Side stripes. It was in a small accident and needs a passenger side fender and new bumper. It was originally a Ca. car and the body and undercarriage have never had any rust.

The other is a 72 EV2 Tor-Red with black stripes. Bench Seat auto, drum brakes. This one sat in a garage for more than 20 years and is registered and driven regularly by its current owner.

Both cars are about the same price. The 72 is local and the 70 is a couple hours away and would need to be towed.

So my dilemma is, first which one would you guys prefer? If I do purchase another one I would most likely have to sell the original project.

 

[cosgig]

I'd buy the one that can be driven and is registered! A lot to be said about not having to do anything but jump in and drive!!

 

[ktcnn94]

I'm with cosgig I'd wanna ride. But honestly at the end of the day the choice is yours, think about it hard. Do you wanna do body work and paint etc for a 4-spd car or sell it and move on to one with what looks like less work. Unless your in it good you may not get what you want $$$$ for your car if it's a basket case, lots of things to consider. Be sure and look the other cars over really well, they may need more work than your being told. Also I don't know if you were looking around and found these or they fell in your lap but if you were looking for another car knowing you'd have to sell yours to buy one makes me think you want something else. Good choices to have though. Good luck.

 

[ScampMike]

well, which one would you want to end up with yourself? As you are already "in project" and spending $$ anyway, spend it on THE car that will make YOU happiest when it is all said and done.. to answer your question directly: the 70 Y3 Yellow Gold AC car. JMO

 

[barbee6043]

there is no substitution for a 4 speed! add on the garage and buy a driver to keep you happy! I have no use for air, I take a 70 over a 72 any day. original color red , good. ya can always add discs to the drum car.

my opinion: send a check for $.50 please! ha

 

[dodge71demon]

there is no substitution for a 4 speed! add on the garage and buy a driver to keep you happy! I have no use for air, I take a 70 over a 72 any day. original color red , good. ya can always add discs to the drum car.

my opinion: send a check for $.50 please! ha

I agree on the extra pedal buy one and put your 4 speed in it and sell what's left I did a 69 Valiant with an automatic and hate it and will be adding the extra pedal soon

 

[75slant6]

I'd have to say 72 since it drives AND I think 72 has the nicest taillights (only wish they'd used the 70-71 markers one more year) but like others have said, a 4 speed would be awesome.

Oh. And now that I went back and read your original post I see your 4 speed car is a 72 so I say finish that one and maybe buy the other 72 for a driver till yours is done.

 

[gtgto]

Advertised as light hit in front....easy fix. Car was pretty nice. Had bad parts from accident already off of car. Passenger fender,bumper and piece between grille and bumper, Car looked clean and it sounded good as well. Now here are a couple of pics. Looks like the light hit was a bit harder. Drivers door and fender do not line up. What would I be looking at roughly to straighten it out? And how would it be straightened out? Even the hood gap at cowl is wider on passenger side than it is on the drivers side. I'm no body man and didn't see the radiator support being bent but the fan is mangled and it got mangled by hitting the radiator.

 

[MrJLR]

well, which one would you want to end up with yourself? As you are already "in project" and spending $$ anyway, spend it on THE car that will make YOU happiest when it is all said and done.. to answer your question directly: the 70 Y3 Yellow Gold AC car. JMO

I agree. ....it took me 2 Stingrays to learn I wanted a 'Cuda. ....
Buy the car you want, not the one that makes sense.

 

[Ddaddy]

Advertised as light hit in front....easy fix. Car was pretty nice. Had bad parts from accident already off of car. Passenger fender,bumper and piece between grille and bumper, Car looked clean and it sounded good as well. Now here are a couple of pics. Looks like the light hit was a bit harder. Drivers door and fender do not line up. What would I be looking at roughly to straighten it out? And how would it be straightened out? Even the hood gap at cowl is wider on passenger side than it is on the drivers side. I'm no body man and didn't see the radiator support being bent but the fan is mangled and it got mangled by hitting the radiator.

The front unibox is pushed out of position by about 2° to the left. It needs to be put on a frame alignment machine to pull it all square again and make it solid. Figure about $1k to do it right unless you know someone with a 360° frame alignment machine who is willing to work with you.

You can hack it by replacing panels and making them line up, but the front box will always be skewed.

 

[blu340dart]

So the passenger side took the brunt of the hit but now the drivers side fender, hood, cowl and door dont line up?? Looks like a lot more happened than a little. I was originally gonna say the 70 as it has the buckets,a/c and disc brakes but after the pics I'm not so sure you are going to want to tackle the repairs. Too bad its so far away as you really need to check the frame rails for damage and wrinkling. I know you can add all the options but if they are originally on the car that makes it worth a little more. Go check the other 72 out and if it suits your taste buy it and put all the good parts you have between both cars on the keeper and sell the other. My 2 cents here and I dont need a check, heck the stamp will just about break you !! LOL

 

[GeorgeH]

Yep, needs a frame machine. Look at it carefully might have been half assed pulled and needs a rail or something

 

[oem6pak]

i'd take the 70 anyday over the 72,i had a 70 340 4spd,light weight,great engine,72 performance is worse I don't really consider anything after 71 a musclecar.the pics of the 70 look good,those cars are high teens to mid twenties,the 72's low teens to high teens at best.And it should be easy to sell a 4spd.

 

[66fs]

...Buy the car you want, not the one that makes sense.

And be done.

 

[moper]

A dent car for one that needs body and paint and assembly? What do you think the bent one will need?
I'd stick with what you got.

 

[gtgto]

Saw the EV2 72 Duster today. It was pretty nice. The ground was a little wet and we went for a pretty long ride. When we got back you could see remnants from the oil leak the car has. The car was very tight and had no rattles and ran and shifted great. Alot of work I have already done to my car like rear main seal and oil pan gasket and a general clean up of engine and repaint of engine parts is deperately needed. The rail down the drivers side trunk area was the worst of the rust although both quarters down low were starting to rust through a little. The owner is firm at $9000 so I would much rather dump that kind of money into the car I already own and you are all right....Nothing like a stick in an old car...musclecar or not.

 

[gtgto]

Oh boy......So I advertised my car on CL with the intention of selling it to buy one of the 2 cars I was going to look at. The 70 is still available but needs the unibody straightened and the other one ended up selling. In the mean time I've had no real interest in my car except for emails and a trade for a Harley that I have no interest in. So today I let someone come and look at my car. He knows I am on the fence as far as selling it or continuing to work on it to make it the car I know it could be. He offers me my asking price for the car. I swear he would've brought the cash and a trailer to take my baby away. I told the guy to give me a couple days to think about it. I don't wan't to sell it if I am not going to be able to find something to replace what I already have. Has any of you been in the same situation? Realistically what am I looking at to purchase a 70-72 340 Duster matching numbers and a 4 speed that doesn't need to have the entire body replaced?

I went from having 1 car to almost 2 and if I sell mine I will have 0. I have a knot in my stomach right now thinking about this.