This 1971 Plymouth Duster sleeper that speaks softly, yet carries a big Hemi stick
Jordan Costello has been a muscle car fan, especially those with Mopar badges, ever since he was a kid. When the time came for him to finally get his own, he was intent on a short-wheelbase early-’70s-era example such as a Demon, Valiant, or his favorite, a Plymouth Duster. He was especially happy to score a 1971 Plymouth Duster which he prefers due to the unique sharktooth grille (available with a 340 small-block only) and split horizontal tail lamps. Next, he contacted BBT Fabrications to handle the transformation.
The Plymouth Duster was based on a unit-body construction combined with a torsion bar strut-type front suspension and a set of weak leaf springs out back. With big power on tap and handling performance a must, BBT put a call into Schwartz Performance for one of its G-Machine Chassis as a foundation. The chassis features a full-floating 9-inch rearend supported with a triangulated four-link setup along with tubular front control arms and adjustable Ridetech coil-over shocks.
The power choice for any modern Mopar build is going to be a Hemi, in this case a supercharged 6.2-liter Mopar Performance Hellcrate backed by a Bowler Performance-prepped T56 Magnum six-speed transmission. BBT detailed the engine and fabbed a set of stainless headers that flow through 3-inch tubing and a set of Borla mufflers for the perfect, throaty street machine tone.
Jordan’s vision for his 1971 Plymouth Duster body was to retain its Plymouth design while maintaining its low-key, sleeper feel, hence the factory Mopar PW7 white hue applied by Goose Graphics. The fab crew at BBT had their hands full with massaging and tightening the panel gaps, adding material to the tail lamp surrounds, smoothing and tucking the bumpers, shaving the gas door, and working in a set of Corvette electronic door latches.
Mopar fans will take note of the A990 influenced hood scoop, yet the sleeper styling really hits home with the custom 18- and 19-inch “steelies and poverty caps” custom machined by Forgeline and wrapped in Michelin rubber.
The interior follows suit with subtle updates along with a few more modern touches such as the Dakota Digital instrumentation, cut-down ZO6 Corvette seats, and custom rear seat. BBT based the custom door panels off the factory versions, fabbed a custom console, and covered it all in blue leather from Moore and Giles.
Jordan’s 1971 Plymouth Duster may maintain a lower profile compared to the brighter colors and graphics that command attention on other street machines, but that’s exactly what he wanted – a Mopar sleeper that speaks softly, yet carries a big Hemi stick.
Photos: John Jackson, Damon Lee
