71 Plymouth duster 426 HEMI

[426 pack]

Well like the title says I’m building an amt 1971 Plymouth duster.

I am going to be building it complete stock and it’ll be what would probably be considered a base model car (bench seat, steel wheels, no striping and a somewhat boring colour) but with something a little extra, a 426 HEMI with a 4 speed a Dana 60. I don’t believe that there was ever a 71 duster that could be optioned with any big block and especially not a HEMI so I’m going to be building it as a dealer special sleeper, kinda like the Mr, Norm dodge’s or yenco Chevys. 
 

The colour is Ford sunburst gold (it’s pretty close to some of the Chrysler gold of that era. 

I borrowed the engine from a Revell 1967 Plymouth GTX and the air cleaner is from an amt 1969 GTX. 

[1972coronet]

Cool concept ! I like the gold; quite similar to a shade of gold metallic offered from c.1970 (see below).

I have the MPC 1972 Duster annual kit. Some day it'll get the DOHC Hemi from the 1970 Super Bee, 4-speed, Dana 60 -- it'll be a phantom Arlen Vanke DOHC-powered Pro Stock.

The 1970 Hamtramck Registry - 1970 Paint Chip Charts Slideshow (hamtramck-historical.com)

[Bainford]

Cool project. That Duster looks mean already. Are you going to keep the black steelies on it?

[kruleworld]

it looks like a tight fit. looks awesome so far

[bisc63]

Should be fun! Gonna be a tight fit, but you should be able to get it all in there.

[charger74]

Love that sleeper look 

[slusher]

So many Dusters with the plain look had Slant 6cyl. Did you have to do much modifications to the Duster for the Hemi?

[espo]

I also like your concept for this build. They used to have a trim option called the "Gold Duster" and this color would really fit that. The engine looks like it fit very well with just a little hood clearance problem. 

[426 pack]

thanks everyone 

I was able to get the HEMI down and back as far as I could. I couldn’t quite get it as far back as I would have liked so I had to trim the water pump and the crank pulley to make room for the big block radiator. I also had to trim the underside of the air cleaner to clear the hood. The Dana 60 has been attached to the stock A body leaf springs and I built the exhaust, I decided to go single exhaust to keep with the sleeper look.   

Edited February 28, 2022 by 426 pack

[426 pack]

On 2/26/2022 at 9:20 PM, Bainford said:

Cool project. That Duster looks mean already. Are you going to keep the black steelies on it?

thanks. Yeah, in my opinion 14” steel wheels look right on almost any mopar 

14 hours ago, slusher said:

So many Dusters with the plain look had Slant 6cyl. Did you have to do much modifications to the Duster for the Hemi?

I didn’t have to do much, just modify the engine mounts and transmission mount. It cleared the transmission tunnel, firewall and inner fenders quite well. 

[deuces wild]

Great project you got going.... ??I'm just a little curious if the Revell '68 Hemi Dart chassis will fit the amt Duster body..? I believe the Dart chassis has larger rear wheel wells for slicks... I could be wrong....??

[Mopeyguy]

Great subject story, fab work and color, but they would never ever put a single exhaust on something with as large of exhaust ports as the Hemi had, which is a race engine in disguise.

[Mattilacken]

Sweet build!

[mchook]

Great project and nice work. I like the single exhaust but maybe have a set of cut outs on the y pipe to open her up & let her breath when she's leaving a Chevy or Ford in it's rear view mirror.?

[Geno]

That's gonna be so cool Cale. I did a conversion of a Johnny Lightning 1/24 Duster several years back.