'72 Duster

[mainedeersniper]

Theres a 1972 Plymouth duster for sale like in the town next to mine for $4500 firm. Has a 225 slant six. Has a bit of rust around the edges. Hood needs new paint. THe engine needs a new belt and some other small stuff. Frame has a bit of rust. This would be my first project car. My question is...Is it worth it? i really want it. Dont have the money right now. My parents said they might be able to get it for me and ill have to pay weekly payments to them for it.

[jimbires]

I don't know old car prices . but it is only worth what a person is willing to pay . I think $4500 sounds high for a fixer upper . can you do most or all the needed repair work yourself ? if not body work and paint will really add up fast . you could easily get $2500 - $3000 in a little rust work and a complete paint job . and I'm not talking a top of the line, show quality either . be careful and use your head . Jim

[dubyam]

You could easily get $5-8k in rust removal and paint work.

$4500 will buy a lot of project car - it sounds like you really need to do some shopping. A 1972 Duster is not a highly collectible auto, and if you're interested in having a hot rod or muscle car, it's a decent platform, but what you described will require a bunch of work. You're looking at something on the order of several thousand in body and paint, plus another couple or three grand in a motor to swap to a V8, depending on if you need a new K-Member or not. All of a sudden, with no tranny work, no tires, wheels, or interior, you're about $13-15k deep in a car that will bring about $6-9k best case, if it's show quality. That's bad medicine all the way around, if you ask me.

Take a look at Hemmings Motor News or the antique car trader, or just be patient looking locally, and I bet you'll find something more budget friendly with a better long-term prognosis. It's your money, ultimately, but $4500 for a rusted, six banger 1972 Duster is a very high price, in my opinion. I could probably spend about two weeks and $2500 and find you something comparable within hauling distance of your house.

[JimT]

I would say thats pretty high as well. Slant six is a tough engine, but not in the performance catagory. Offer them $2500.00 and see what they say. If they want $4500.00 firm I would think it will rust into the ground before someone buys it.

[mainedeersniper]

yea there was no way i am paying $4500. I was gunna offer $3k and see what he says. The body is in good condition with only one dent near the rear. Theres no much rust. Its not visible unless your right on it. The rust is in places like where the hood meets the body. Like right along the edges there. The hood has like white paint spots all over. I just need to get a touch up kit for the rust, and to get the hood painted. Looking to hopefully try to get it in the next month. That way i can work on it over the summer. The engine doesnt have any rust. I was eventually planing put a 426 or 472 hemi in it or a 360 mopar. It only has 50,000 orginal miles by the way. 22 miles per gallon also. Automatic tranny. Down the road hopefully a manual tranny alone with a new engine.

[Todd G.]

If you are planning on dropping a 426 or 472 Hemi in that Duster, I don't understand why you would have any questions about the price of the car. At 15K for the motor and then another 4k for the tranny, plus finish parts, who cares about paying $4500 or $2500 for the car?????

Putting a value on a "muscle" car is pretty tough. Obviously, as a 6 cylinder grandma car in its original form, it isn't worth much. However, if the body is sound and all of the parts are good, then you may have a good platform from which to build something you can be proud of. However, as a slant 6, its never going to make Barret Jackson.

[mainedeersniper]

i know it wont be show quality. I just want a 70-73 muscle car that is in decent condition that i can work on as a project and then drop a a huge big block in. It is probably a good platform to starting working on.

[dubyam]

From a cost and street usability standpoint, you'd be better off finding an old 440 from a mid-1970's truck and having it rebuilt than trying to stick a hemi in that thing. Hemis are nice, and they're great for talking about, but in all reality, in street trim, without breaking too many laws, you're going to spend three times or more on the hemi what you'd spend on a well built, reliable 440 wedge motor, which will have power to spare, I can assure you. In fact, in street trim, you could put together a good 360 using a core from any of the Rams that came with them over the however many years that is, and you'd likely have a motor that would run all day long, have plenty of power for street use, and be waaaaay cheaper than a big block.