This 1973 Plymouth Duster is what you get when you take a mild-mannered A-body and give it a serious dose of horsepower. Finished in slick Bright Amber paint, this street brawler compact now carries a snarling 400 cubic-inch big block and a high-profile personality that refuses to be ignored. Originally, this car was just a bland commuter special, anonymous in its factory blah paint. But since it was straight and clean, someone saw the potential in it,... so a few years ago, it was stripped down to the basics, the sheetmetal was straightened, and it was covered in a few coats of that unique amber paint that looks like it might be radioactive when it gets out in the sunshine. No longer a shrinking violet, this slick Duster was just getting started, so they added Gold Duster stripes with '440' callouts on the flanks and a blacked-out dual snorkel scoop hood, just in case anyone wasn't paying attention. Workmanship is pretty darned good, with doors that close solidly (quite unlike an affordable commuter car) and a very impressive shine to the glossy urethane paint, although not perfect, so you'll never be afraid to go cut up some asphalt at any time. The bumpers at either end were painted to match the body, just to keep it uniform, and you have to admit that it looks clean and sleek from any angle. It's not perfect, but if you want perfect you're probably not shopping for an affordable Duster. The handsome interior wears handsome gold seat covers, door panels, and carpets, all of which appear to be stock equipment. It's actually very sophisticated for an affordable car and comfortable enough to spend all day behind the wheel. The dashboard offers a surprisingly complete array of gauges with their round pods echoing the Rallye gauges of the past. It's likely that the back seat hasn't ever had a passenger, and if that's the case, this is one amazingly well-preserved car, so it's easy to see how the builder saw the potential in it. And speaking of the back seat, it's actually a very rare fold-down option, like found in the Space Dusters of the era. The original AM/FM radio is remarkably still in its factory slot, although it's currently inoperable so bypassing it with a modern unit in the glove box might be a wise choice. The trunk is incredibly spacious for what was originally a "compact" car, and it includes a correct mat, a full-size spare tire mounted on a matching rim, and a jack assembly tucked into the corner. Originally powered by a wheezing, emissions-choked 318, there's now a thunderous 400 cubic inch V8 between the fenders. Helping power the big block is an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and a stock intake manifold underneath, a proven combination that makes it easy to drive. The smooth-running block offers instantaneous throttle response and a great mid-range punch, which makes it a lot of fun to drive. Factory style exhaust manifolds help build torque and feed an aggressive-sounding dual exhaust system with chambered mufflers, so it's got a nice rumble that never gets annoying. The Torqueflight A727 3-speed automatic transmission seems to read your mind when you stomp the loud pedal, dropping down a gear to let the 400 get into the meaty part of the power band, and with 3.27 gears in the posi-traction rear end, it's a great long-distance cruiser, too. Those handsome Rallye wheels are a great OEM look and wear 215/70/15 Cooper Cobra white-letter performance radials all-around. Thanks to a bunch of professional restoration work, this is a really neat piece of Mopar muscle that was done right. With a nod to authenticity but a strong desire to attract attention, this Duster is always a lot of fun. Call today!
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