Duster project

I am currently saving up funds to start a little fix up project on a duster. I dont have the car yet, so im not sure what year it will be, Im looking for a '71 but ive been scouting a '74 thats in great shape but needs some work.

I have a few questions for anyone thats done this before, as this is my first car that i plan to rebuild from the ground up.

my first is, would you keep the plymouth engine in the car and just rebuild and go mopar all the way? OR a friend of mine suggested throwing a big block chevy under the hood.

Im looking for power, i want this thing to be an absolute monster. and price is not too much of a concern, im looking to dump atleast $10,000 into this project.

After beefing up the engine and everything what would you do as far as the tranny goes? I've never done anything with a tranny so im not very knowledgable on what i should plan on doing to it



also not that important right now, but does anyone know off hand what the alternator in a duster is rated at? as i plan on putting a descent stereo system in it, and was wondering if it would be able to handle the added load.

thanks

Just to give you some info from memory, for 1974 the biggest Chrysler engine for the Duster/Valiants/Darts/Dart Sports was the 360(5.9l) 175-180hp? My dad's Dart had the 318 engine, rated at 150 hp/255 lbs-ft torque for a 3300 lb car which Consumer Reports tested out at about 11-12s 0-60mph, which many mags consider slow today. The alternator was 41 amp(30 amp for slant-six), which was low even in its day for city driving and was replaced by me with a 60 amp alternator.

damn i did not know that. maybe i will rebuild it with all chevy under the hood, i planned on getting a more powerful alternator anyway, but damn 41 amps?!

thanks.. anyone else have any opinions/in-put

Go for a '71 or '72. '73 and up had tons of problems. An older 318 or 340 would be my power plant of choice. The 360 was pretty lame, but the '74 did have a high performance 360 with a 4bbl and a 4 speed that was like 250 hp. Back in those days a 41 amp alternator was plenty. All you were running was an AM radio and lights and the factory battery packed a whopping 250 cca. Electronic ignition was only an option until '73. 60 amp are available back to like '69 because they used all the power plants in all size cars and trucks basically unchanged.

my goal is to find a '71 340, but i havent really seen any around here. I dont like the idea of bidding on ebay, but i may have to...

thanks for all the info

Do not get sucked into one of the 340 "6 pack's" with the 3 -2bbl carbs. They are adjustment hell.

If you want to go Chevy it would be much cheaper and easier to start with a Nova or Pontiac Ventura (Pontiac's version of the Nova). If you want a Mopar A body Duster or Demon I think a 360 is a great base for an engine. They are easy to find parts are cheap and respond well to performance mods. If you are going to rebuild the engine there are a lot of companies that offer nice packages for the 360. Also 73 and later cars have disc brakes, 8 1/4 rear ends and 4 1/2 in bolt patterns so Ford/Mopar wheels will fit. I used to have a 69 Cuda with a 340 6-pack the outboard carbs are vacum operated and sufferd no more adjustment maladies than a regular Holley has.
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IF you are still looking for that project I have 73 plymouth scamp for sale looks just like a dodge dart. The motor is cooked the price is low you have to move it . I live in arizona