1976, as a junior in HS I owned a respectable 1972 340 3-sp duster.After the usual "farmer's boy modifications" the car ran like hell, and for some reason always seemed to beat any small block. and several big blk. cars. My favorite story was in 76 after spending time at the local drive-in some Charles City guys in a 455 trans am started "chest beating" We took it to a back road blk. top and settled it for 50 bucks. The start was even but when I hit 2nd. I pulled 3 car lengths ahead and never looked back...as we stopped at the local car lot they jumped out and screamed what the hell do you got in there! I popped the hood and they left shaking there heads and 50 bucks lighter they couldn't get past the stock air-cleaner...Fast forward to 1991 after college and paying off loans, I had accumulated 4 or 5 mopars. One was a 71 340 4spd blk on blk duster. when I bought it in 85 it sported a custom 3-tone paint job and stripped for the 1/4 mile.. I painted it vit. c dropped in a 440, 509 cam, 915 hds with mild port and max. wedge valves, 4 spd with low 2nd. gear, and added b-body dana with 4.56 gears, street stickies and SS springs, 90/10 front shocks , fenderwall hooker headers, 850 double pumper on holley High rise with spacer.. .. car ran 11.60's through exhaust and would pull the wheels ... one night I brought the beast out I ran into a 64 ford falcon. it sported a "lumpy" sound, roll bar, super lites rims, big tac on dash and gorgeous girlfriend..the stage was set on a 3 lane university ave. in Cedar Falls Iowa, I was in the middle lane,Ford on left and a bunch of HS kids on my right in a chevette..On launch the duster pt. up and I only had to " slide step and spd. shift 1,2and into 3rd.. by that time I was way out front and coasted to the next light...the girl smiled and said " wow damn nice car" the driver never looked, and the HS. boys went nuts.. I just rumbled away later I put in a tran-brake, j-converter, and would run 11.15 all day long....now I'm going to repaint it blk. with ghost flames and add a 400 stroker.....
