Fine Lines....1970-74 Plymouth Duster / Dodge Demon / Dart....

By 1969 Insurance companies were really jacking up the prices on musclecars, especially anything over 400 cubic inches. In 1970, Plymouth hit a home run. They introduced the Duster 340. It was based on the lightweight Valiant / Dart platform, but had a swoopy, semi-fastback body and menacing front grille. They stuffed in the high-winding 340 V8 out of the Barracuda and backed it with a 3 or 4-speed manual or a Torqueflite. They also had a blacked out hood, stripes and large "340" emblems on the hood and 1/4 panels. With a curb weight under 3,000 lbs-they easily ran low 14s-they were faster in the 1/4 mile than a 383 Road Runner. A lot of big-block cars were shocked by the lightning quick Dusters. They were a huge hit. Dodge realized their mistake in not having a Duster clone. ( You could get a 340 in a 1970 Dart Swinger-but they were the square, grandpa looking Valiant style. ) In 1971 Dodge came out with the Demon. It was basically a 340 Duster with a twin-scooped hood and a Dart grille. It had cool graphics featuring a smiling little devil holding a pitchfork. "Speed Demon" get it?  You also got a Go-Wing spoiler and Rally wheels. Mr Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge offered Demons with the "Six-Pack" 3-2bbl induction system that the Challenger T/A and 'Cuda AAR used, and he offered them with Paxton Superchargers as well. The Mr Norm Demon "GSS" models are rare today. In 1972 the compression ratio was dropped from 10.5:1 to 8.5:1 to accomodate low-lead fuels. Horsepower dropped from 275 to 240. They were still good performers-CARS magazine's 1972 340 Duster test car ran a 14.34 e.t. in the 1/4 mile. For 1973 a bunch of Christian groups complained about the "Demon" decals and Chrysler stupidly caved in to the pressure and the name was changed to "Dart Sport". Since Chrysler later went bankrupt- where were these devout Christian "buyers" then?  Anyhow in 1974 the 340 was discontinued. It was the last vestige of performance-it was the basis of Chrysler's 1970 Trans-Am effort. It was replaced with the 360 truck engine-which while rated at 245 hp-5 hp more-it wasn't the same as the high-winding 340. That would be like Chevrolet trying to replace the LT-1 Corvette engine with the 400 small block from the Impala!!!  It didn't work. The line soldiered on until 1976-and was replace by  the Volare / Aspen line in 1977-another of Chrysler's "better ideas". Anyhow-a 340 Duster is still a great buy if you can find one in decent shape. And- if you can't 318 versions are the proverbial dime a dozen-and a 380 hp Mopar Performance 360 crate motor would be a bolt-in-and Mopar Performance sells crossmenbers and motor mounts to install a 440!! Since a new base Hemi Charger or Challenger is over $30,000-A Duster / Demon-excuse me Dart Sport is still a great buy. It will not pass this way again.  Mastermind.