Photo: scottandgretchen/eBay
Plymouth joined the emerging compact car market in 1959 with the Valiant. Some ten years later, the company decided it needed a sportier body style to get customers into showrooms, and the Duster was born.
Aimed at the Ford Maverick and AMC Hornet, the Duster was essentially a semi-fastback, two-door coupe version of the Valiant. The car became an instant hit, moving 217,192 examples in 1970. By the time it was replaced by the Volare in 1976, the Duster had sold a whopping 1.3 million units.
Not surprisingly, the Duster is not as popular on the classic car market as other vehicles introduced in the golden muscle car era. Collectors usually go for the Road Runner, Barracuda, and GTX. And that makes sense because the Duster is not as spectacular as these rigs. At least not performance-wise because the compact wasn't offered with big-block V8 engines.
But that doesn't mean the Duster family does not include a few cool versions. The Duster 340 is the first that comes to mind. Although it's not exactly rare, it's the fastest and most powerful of the pack. Powered by a 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) LA-type V8 rated at 275 horsepower (in 1970), it's as quick as a 383-equipped midsize Mopar down the quarter-mile.
Plymouth also offered several special-edition models, each fitted with unique features. In 1976, the company introduced the Feather Duster, which was around 187 pounds (89 kg) lighter than the standard Duster thanks to lightweight aluminum parts. There's also the Space Duster, which offered enhanced luggage room thanks to a fold-down rear seat and security panel.
Plymouth also created the Silver Duster with special stripes, a cloth Boca Raton-style interior, and the Twister, essentially a Duster 340 fitted with entry-level engines. Finally, there's the Gold Duster. Introduced in mid-1970, this bundle was offered through 1975, making it the longest-running special-edition Duster.
Also an appearance package, the Gold Duster was a bit more comprehensive than the Silver Duster. In addition to the gold badging and stripes, it also included wall-to-wall carpeting, pleated vinyl seats, a deluxe insulation package, and a unique vinyl roof that did not cover the C-pillars. It was rather fancy.
There is no official statistic on exactly how many were built, but very few survived to see 2024 in one piece. The example you see here is one of those cars. And not only is it finished in a rare Mist Green over green color combo, but it's also a spectacular one-family survivor.
It's not entirely unrestored, though. The exterior was repainted once, and the driver's door panel was replaced due to age. The vinyl top was also swapped during the repaint, and the owner opted to add modern self-retracting seat belts. But other than that, it's as original as they get. And it looks spectacular in this minty green livery with white stripes and gold decals despite having quite a few imperfections.
Powered by a 318-cubic-inch (5.2-liter) V8 good for 150 horsepower, this Gold Duster is anything but spectacular performance-wise. But it's worth noting the 318 was the range-topping option for this model in 1973. But while it won't get you down the quarter-mile fast, it's a solid cruiser with decent gas mileage for the era. It's also a numbers-matching unit.
With the same family since new, this Mopar is looking for a new home. The car is in Santa Rosa, California, and the seller is asking $15,000 or best offer. And that's not a lot, given that many 1973 Dusters in similar condition are going for more than $25,000.
Not surprisingly, the Duster is not as popular on the classic car market as other vehicles introduced in the golden muscle car era. Collectors usually go for the Road Runner, Barracuda, and GTX. And that makes sense because the Duster is not as spectacular as these rigs. At least not performance-wise because the compact wasn't offered with big-block V8 engines.
But that doesn't mean the Duster family does not include a few cool versions. The Duster 340 is the first that comes to mind. Although it's not exactly rare, it's the fastest and most powerful of the pack. Powered by a 340-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) LA-type V8 rated at 275 horsepower (in 1970), it's as quick as a 383-equipped midsize Mopar down the quarter-mile.
Plymouth also offered several special-edition models, each fitted with unique features. In 1976, the company introduced the Feather Duster, which was around 187 pounds (89 kg) lighter than the standard Duster thanks to lightweight aluminum parts. There's also the Space Duster, which offered enhanced luggage room thanks to a fold-down rear seat and security panel.
Plymouth also created the Silver Duster with special stripes, a cloth Boca Raton-style interior, and the Twister, essentially a Duster 340 fitted with entry-level engines. Finally, there's the Gold Duster. Introduced in mid-1970, this bundle was offered through 1975, making it the longest-running special-edition Duster.
Also an appearance package, the Gold Duster was a bit more comprehensive than the Silver Duster. In addition to the gold badging and stripes, it also included wall-to-wall carpeting, pleated vinyl seats, a deluxe insulation package, and a unique vinyl roof that did not cover the C-pillars. It was rather fancy.
There is no official statistic on exactly how many were built, but very few survived to see 2024 in one piece. The example you see here is one of those cars. And not only is it finished in a rare Mist Green over green color combo, but it's also a spectacular one-family survivor.
It's not entirely unrestored, though. The exterior was repainted once, and the driver's door panel was replaced due to age. The vinyl top was also swapped during the repaint, and the owner opted to add modern self-retracting seat belts. But other than that, it's as original as they get. And it looks spectacular in this minty green livery with white stripes and gold decals despite having quite a few imperfections.
Powered by a 318-cubic-inch (5.2-liter) V8 good for 150 horsepower, this Gold Duster is anything but spectacular performance-wise. But it's worth noting the 318 was the range-topping option for this model in 1973. But while it won't get you down the quarter-mile fast, it's a solid cruiser with decent gas mileage for the era. It's also a numbers-matching unit.
With the same family since new, this Mopar is looking for a new home. The car is in Santa Rosa, California, and the seller is asking $15,000 or best offer. And that's not a lot, given that many 1973 Dusters in similar condition are going for more than $25,000.
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