Ready to Rumble! 1971 Dodge Demon 340
The original Demon was Dodge’s answer to the successful Plymouth Duster. It was introduced in 1971 after the Duster proved to be quite popular. The name was only used for two years before the car was rebranded as the Dart Sport (supposedly they got some backlash on the Demon moniker from church-going folk). The seller has a sweet ’71 Demon 340, the muscle version with the small-block V8 that produced 275 hp. This car has been treated to what seems to be a thorough restoration which results in a rather lofty asking price.
As the Duster was a fastback version of the Valiant compact, the Demon was the same car as a Dart with a different front clip and taillights. In 340 garb, the Demon was almost as successful as the Duster 340, selling 10,100 copies in 1971 versus 12,900. For some reason (perhaps that issue with the name?), interest dropped in 1972 to nearly half that of the Duster 340, 8,800 Demon 340s versus 15,700.
This Demon’s VIN decodes as being a proper 340. But the engine is indicated as being NOM (Not Original Motor) and the automobile’s overall mileage isn’t given. So, we don’t know when it hooked up with the rest of the Dodge or how many miles it’s got on it. But we’re told the car, with an automatic transmission, is said to run as good as it looks. It’s a well-optioned Mopar including factory air conditioning, but the under-the-hood hardware was removed for detailing but will come with the deal for you to reinstall.
Before new paint was applied, the seller says the body was as solid as you would find. The Butterscotch paint looks grand and the black accent stripes are also nice. The interior was redone, as well, including bucket seats and a console where a bench seat was often found in these cars due to their budget nature. Overall, this machine looks spectacular and could be one of the nicest Demon 340s left on the road.
From Farmington, Connecticut, this sweet Mopar is available here on eBay. $15,250 is the current bid, the reserve is unmet, and the Buy It Now price is $45,000 (more than we often see for one of these cars; but restorations don’t come cheap).
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Comments
Worked with a guy who had one of these. Painted it a brighter yellow, including the bumpers. Was very proud that it was a limited edition. Parked it in his girlfriend’s driveway on a main street, could never figure out how his wife found out where his girlfriend lived. Dusters were fun cars, too bad they evaporated in New England
The car that made all the little church ladies throw a fit. It has to be admired if for no other reason than that!
Spoiler delete, and some 3.91 gears, for that Torq-flite ⚙️ 🏁
Owned one when I was much younger. Someone had put a 3speed on the floor in place of the column shift auto. Had a lot of shoddy front end mods I was too young and dumb to know that I needed to prioritize its repair and replace. I loved listening to the engine.
Wrecking it was inevitable. I guess I’m part of the reason the seller can ask that price
I have never driven a 340 A-body, but I have owned more than one 318 A-body and they flew. I like that this one still has the 60’s A-body Barracuda instrumentation, which would include an oil guage and optional clock/tach/vacuum gauge between the larger dials. Nice color too.
Rear spoiler isn’t the right one for that model year, should be the go-wing. The one on it is about $150 the go-wing is $400. Somebody was cheap.
They also had bad taste.
Steve R
One clean car. They rusted away here in PA usually with the forever running 225 tower of power still good to go. Prices are crazy now for these but someone will buy it.
Nice car! I had a 340 4 speed in high school! Man I miss that car! Fun to drive! I would never pay that much for one though! That’s crazy!!👎
If it was a correct restoration, and a numbers matching car in my opinion, 45.000 would be about right.
You could order a base 340 car with automatic for under 3000.
Loved my 72 340 car.
At 45K, this one will sit for awhile. I’m not sure what a realistic price for a non-matching numbers car is anymore. Maybe 30K?
Of course, realistic is thrown out the window if the right buyer shows up.
Too much $ for a non number matching Demon 340 Automatic.
Not exactly original but the color is cool (butterscotch?) Enough to drive and enjoy.
Great example of a kinda rare – not many 340 cars survived – Mopar….should bring the money.
Had both the 1971 with 340/auto in pretty green and a 1972 340/4sp in Orange and black checker board seats inside…..one I should have kept.
Back in 73 there was a guy who had the twin to this car same colour and drive train exactly that was supposed to be pretty hot I had a 67 Fairlane GTA with a tweaked 390 and I met up with him one night and wanted to run him on the local quarter mile . He said he wouldn’t run me for anything less than a hundred bucks being a high school kid at the time $100. was something that I didn’t want to put up I just wanted to race him for fun . Later that night we jumped into my car and I took him for a rip that Fairlane was fast when we got back to town he had all kinds of excuses why he couldn’t race me tranny was slipping and would talk to me later never did I scared him and he knew his hot rod Demon had met it’s match and rather than getting embarrassed by getting beat by a high school kid in a Ford he left town with his unbeaten streak intact.
I would try to find an optional factory tach front & center – this is a much superior gage layout than later model darts & dusters.
I wonder if any very religious people actually drove/owned/or hitched a ride in one of these – & what would the repercussions in the afterlife.
I would think certainly none of the cast or crew of any Exorcist movie would want one. lol
His ad says “high impact Butterscotch paint”, bahahahahaha….
I have a real FC7 Plum Crazy ’71 Demon in my driveway, it has the optional 225 1 bbl slant six with the optional matched auto trans on the column. Its one of probably four in the world that don’t have those cheap aftermarket repro double hood scoops that everyone and everyone is slapping on their Demons.