Your new musclecar

[Todd Boyer]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

I never had the money fpr a new car during the era of musclecars, but, I have a true story about someone who did. His name is Steve Clukey, and he lives in Maine. Every month when he got paid, he sent money home (from Viet Nam) to his Dad. When he'd accumulated enough, his Dad drove to the local Mopar emporium and bought Steve a shiny new "70 Duster 340 4-speed car.

When Steve got home from the "war," he took the new car to the strip, with disappointing results (low 15''s)

He saw it as a challenge. In the 38 years that followed, Steve never quit making "improvements" to the output of that 340. He has added aftermarket heads, cam, headers, a stroker crank, high-compression pistons, aluminum rods, and a Holley Dominator carb. The car is still all steel (MIGHT have a 'glass hood; dunno), but is totally stock appearing,but for a hood scoop. Runs a Dana 60 and a Hemi 4-speed.

I don't think it's ever been driven on the street.

Thirty-eight years of "improvements" to this small block (now, 383 cid) now yields consistent mid-9-second e.t.s (best of 9.43, @ 143 mph) and I think that's fast, considering he's done nothing to lighten the car and uses NO power adder.

He has run the car in IHRA Super Stock,(at Epping) but usually races it at Winterport jn the brackets.

Some folks don"t consider the 340 Duster a true musclecar, but I think this one qualifies, at least, now.

Steve is a friend of mine. He did drive the Duster on the street when it was new. I think the odo shows 16,000 miles or so now. It was B5 blue with black 340 stripes when new.

He told me he was furious with his Dad who had ordered the car with 3.55 gears instead of the 3.91s that Steve wanted in it. He said his Dad thought he'd get better gas mileage with the 3.55s!!! Of course mileage was the farthest thing from Steve's mind when he ordered the car. Car now has a 414" (I think) small block stroker and a Lenco(!) 4-speed. Steve got tired of breaking the Jerico - which replaced the Hemi 4-speed about 10 or 15 years ago.

I saw the car run 9.20s at the Epping IHRA National this year. There are videos shot by his son Chad on YouTube. There are a couple of in-car vids showing Steve slamming the Lenco sticks!!!

The Duster is indeed all steel except the 'glass hood and scoop. All original glass and weighs around 3200 or so with Steve in it.

Still no lightening and no power adders.

Steve and the car were featured in Super Stock & Drag Illistrated (RIP) in 1985 - '86 or so, and was on the cover of High Performance Mopar mag in '83 I think. In fact I was the one who told Steve his car was on the cover, he didn't believe me, so I mailed it to him !!! I have both of them somewhere.

I'd say this Duster is definitely a musclecar !!!