1970 · Plymouth · United States
1970 Plymouth Duster 340: The $15 Million Valiant That Outsold Its Own Parent
Plymouth's new Valiant-based fastback coupe arrived with a 275 hp 340 performance model priced at $2,547; the Standard Catalog lineage counts 24,817 Duster 340s among 217,192 Dusters.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
Plymouth introduced the Duster on September 23, 1969, and by Mac's Motor City Garage's account it had been done on almost nothing. The article credits a styling team of Milt Antonick, Gene Weiss and Neil Walling with working on $15 million, which it calls nickels and dimes by Detroit standards, and with doing it inside the existing Valiant package, from the front sheet metal and cowl to the rear bumper location. Paul Niedermeyer's 2009 column for The Truth About Cars gives the same budget and adds a schedule: six weeks from sketches to tooling.1,2
What they produced was a two-door coupe on the Valiant's 108-inch wheelbase, 188.4 inches long, 71.6 wide and 52.1 high with a V8, according to Over-Drive, offered as the Duster and the Duster 340, with a Gold Duster package added at midyear. Mac's describes the sloping roof as not quite a full fastback, with curved side glass and generous tumblehome, and Niedermeyer calls the glass the first application of 45-inch-radius curved side windows, his claim rather than a documented first. MuscleCarClub frames the result as a performance version of the economy Valiant, aimed at the Ford Maverick and Chevrolet Nova.3,1,2,4
The Duster 340 carried the 340 V8, which the Dart GTS had already used in 1968. Over-Drive lists the 340 with a 4.04-inch bore, 3.31-inch stroke, 10.5:1 compression and a Carter AVS four-barrel, numbered separately for manual and automatic cars, rated at 275 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 340 lb-ft at 3,200 rpm. MuscleCarClub labels those figures SAE gross. For comparison, the optional V8 for the ordinary Duster was a 318 two-barrel rated at 230 horsepower, a $79 option on the fact sheet's price list.3,4,5
The drivetrain list reads like a small-car version of Plymouth's big performance cars. With the 340 the standard transmission was a three-speed manual with its own closer ratios, 2.55, 1.49 and 1.00. A four-speed, geared 2.47, 1.77, 1.34 and 1.00, cost $188 and was offered only with the 340; the TorqueFlite automatic cost $191 with a V8. Over-Drive lists a 3.23 axle as standard with 3.55 and 3.91 optional, and E70-14 tires as standard on the Duster 340. Plymouth's 1970 Rapid Transit System literature included the Duster 340 in its performance line-up.3
Price was the argument that made the rest work. MuscleCarClub and Mac's both give $2,547 for the Duster 340, and MuscleCarClub says that was about $300 below a base Road Runner and roughly half the price of a Superbird, without printing either price. The option sheet let the car climb quickly: Over-Drive lists air conditioning at $357, power steering at $105, power brakes at $43, an AM/FM radio at $135, Rallye Road wheels at $33 and chrome Road wheels at $50. A buyer who ordered the four-speed and air conditioning alone added $545 to the base price.4,1,3
That price put the Duster 340 in direct competition with Plymouth's own budget muscle car. Ate Up With Motor's Road Runner history counts 41,484 Road Runners sold in 1970, down from 82,109 the year before. By the Standard Catalog count the Duster 340 reached about 60 percent of that Road Runner volume in its first season, from a compact body, a small-block engine and a price roughly $300 lower. The division now had two ways to sell speed cheaply, and the smaller one was new.6,4
The buyers came in numbers. The Standard Catalog lineage, as MuscleCarClub and Over-Drive print it, counts 217,192 Dusters for 1970: 192,375 of the regular VL model and 24,817 Duster 340s of the VS series. On those figures the 340 was about 11.4 percent of Duster production, roughly one car in nine. A second compilation, naming Galen Govier and Consumer Guide among its sources, prints 24,875 Duster 340s; neither lineage shows the factory record behind its count, and the difference of 58 cars stays a recorded conflict rather than a rounding.4,3,5
The Duster's success is clearest against its own family. Over-Drive counts 50,810 Valiant four-door sedans for 1970, the car the Duster was built from; the Duster outsold it by about 4.3 to one, which Mac's rounds to more than four to one. Mac's also says the Duster accounted for nearly 30 percent of Plymouth's total volume, though it does not give the total it measured against. A $15 million reskin of an economy sedan had become, by Mac's measure, the heart of Plymouth's volume.3,4,1
How fast a Duster 340 actually was is less settled than how many were sold. Car Life published a Duster 340 road test in March 1970 and Car Craft another in May, but their figures have not been verified from the magazine pages. The retrospectives agree only loosely: MuscleCarClub says the car reportedly ran low 14-second quarter-miles at just under 100 mph, and Mac's puts it in the 14-second zone. Neither names a test, a transmission or an axle, so those remain descriptions of reputation rather than measurements of a car.4,1,5,3
The paint chart was loud. Over-Drive lists more than twenty colors for the line, from Alpine White and Black Velvet to Limelight, Sunfire Yellow, Barracuda Orange and Scorch Red, with Bahama Yellow, Orange and Rallye Green available by special order under code 999. Two plainer shades on the same chart, listed as Valiant Light Blue and Valiant Light Green, are a reminder of which car the Duster's cowl and front sheet metal came from. There is no documented count of Dusters by color, by Gold Duster package, or by engine and transmission, so how many 340s left with four-speeds, air conditioning or the brighter colors is unknown. The table stops at the model split.3,1
The success was copied inside the corporation almost at once. Mac's says Dodge wanted its own version and got the Demon for 1971, and that Plymouth later paired the 340's appearance items with ordinary powertrains, down to the base 198 Slant Six, in the Twister package. The 340 itself did not hold its first-year volume: the Standard Catalog lineage counts 12,886 Duster 340s for 1971, about half the 1970 figure, and the other compilation prints 12,866. That compilation also counts 10,098 Dodge Demon 340s for 1971, so on its figures the two 340 compacts together, 22,964 cars, still fell short of the Duster 340's first year alone. Niedermeyer credits the Duster with helping Plymouth regain third place in industry sales in 1971 and 1974, his judgment rather than a registration table.1,4,5,2
Fact sheet · 1970 · United States
The numbers
1970 Plymouth Duster 340 — Plymouth's new Valiant-based fastback coupe arrived with a 275 hp 340 performance model priced at $2,547; the Standard Catalog lineage counts 24,817 Duster 340s among 217,192 Dusters.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- Duster 340: 24,817 built (Standard Catalog lineage); 24,875 in another compilation.3,4,5
- Duster 340 price: $2,547.4
- 340: 275 hp at 5,000 rpm, 340 lb-ft at 3,200 rpm (1970 published rating).3,7
- Base prices in the Standard Catalog-style table: Duster six $2,172, Duster V8 $2,283, Duster 340 $2,547.8
- Car Life, March 1970 (Duster 340, TorqueFlite, 3.23): 0-60 mph 6.2 s; quarter mile 14.72 s at 94.24 mph.9
- AMA curb weights with automatic: Duster six 2,930 lb, Duster V8 3,015 lb, Duster 340 3,275 lb.7
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duster, all models4 2-door coupe · not stated Stated as a total by the source (Standard Catalog lineage). | 217,192 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duster (VL), non-3403,4 Duster · 2-door coupe · not stated | 192,375 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Duster 340 (VS)3,4 Duster 340 · 2-door coupe · 340 4-bbl · not stated Both sources are probably one Standard Catalog lineage. Another compilation prints 24,875; see conflicts. | 24,817 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valiant four-door sedan (context)3 Valiant · 4-door sedan · not stated Not a Duster; shown for line context. | 50,810 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Valiant and Duster combined (context)8 Valiant sedan, Duster, Duster 340 · not stated Stated as a total by the source; equals the Valiant sedan, Duster and Duster 340 rows. Same Standard Catalog lineage as the Duster rows. | 268,002 | built, model-year | Reported |
The Duster and Duster 340 rows partition the Duster total as the source presents it. No Gold Duster, engine-by-transmission or paint counts were found.
The Over-Drive production table splits price and weight by six and V8 for the Duster, but not production; no six/V8 production split was found.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Duster 340 price4,8,9 | $2,547 | factory price as stated by the source (basis not specified), 1970 model year |
| Base price, Duster 2-door coupe, six (VL29)8 | $2,172 | factory price as printed by the table (basis not stated), 1970 model year |
| Base price, Duster 2-door coupe, V8 (VL29)8 | $2,283 | factory price as printed by the table (basis not stated), 1970 model year |
| Base price, Duster 6 sport coupe (Motor Trend test car)10 | $2,175 | base price as listed by Motor Trend for its test car (basis not stated), 1970-01 (issue date) |
| Duster 340 as tested by Car Life (TorqueFlite, power disc brakes, vinyl roof and other options)9 | $3,155 | as-tested price printed by the magazine, 1970-03 (issue date) |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| E55 · 340 V8, 4-bbl3,4,7,11 340 cu in · Carter AVS 4-barrel (AVS-4933S manual, AVS-4934S automatic) | 275 hp @ 5,000, 340 lb-ft @ 3,200 (SAE gross) | standard in Duster 340 (VS29) only | Not yet sourced |
| E44 · 318 V8, 2-bbl3,4,7,11 318 cu in · Carter BBD 2-barrel | 230 hp @ 4,400, 320 lb-ft @ 2,000 (SAE gross) | optional in Duster ($79); listed as the standard V8 of the VL29 Duster in the order code list | Not yet sourced |
| E22 · 198 Six, 1-bbl7,11 198 cu in · 1-barrel | 125 hp @ 4,400, 180 lb-ft @ 2,000 (not stated on the AMA form (period gross convention)) | standard six in Duster (VL29); not with air conditioning, trailer towing or 4-speed | Not yet sourced |
| E24 · 225 Six, 1-bbl7,11 225 cu in · 1-barrel | 145 hp @ 4,000, 215 lb-ft @ 2,400 (not stated on the AMA form (period gross convention)) | optional in Duster (VL29); not in Duster 340 | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| D13 · Three-speed manual, 340 ratios (2.55 / 1.49 / 1.00)3,11 | standard with 340 (floor-mounted, fully synchronized); optional floor shift on other engines | Not yet sourced |
| D14 · Three-speed manual, column-mounted11 | standard with 198, 225 and 318; not available with 340 (first gear not synchronized with the sixes) | Not yet sourced |
| D21 · Four-speed manual (2.47 / 1.77 / 1.34 / 1.00)3,11 | 340 only ($188); Hurst shift linkage | Not yet sourced |
| D34 · TorqueFlite three-speed automatic (2.45 / 1.45 / 1.00)3,11 | optional ($191 with V8) | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
D21sales code |
Four-speed manual (340 only)3,11 | $188 | Not yet sourced |
D34sales code |
TorqueFlite automatic (V8)3,11 | $191 | Not yet sourced |
D34sales code |
TorqueFlite automatic (six, Motor Trend test car)10 | $216.20 | Not yet sourced |
H51sales code |
Air conditioning3,11 | $357 | Not yet sourced |
S77sales code |
Power steering3,11 | $105 | Not yet sourced |
B51sales code |
Power brakes3,11 | $43 | Not yet sourced |
|
AM/FM radio3 | $135 | Not yet sourced |
W21sales code |
Rallye Road wheels3,11 | $33 | Not yet sourced |
|
Chrome Road wheels3 | $50 | Not yet sourced |
A01sales code |
Light Package (fender turn indicators, trunk, glove box, ashtray, time-delay ignition and map/courtesy lights)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
A04sales code |
Basic Group (solid-state AM radio, variable-speed wipers with washer, left remote mirror, foam front seat)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
A21sales code |
Deluxe Trim Group (Duster; N/A Duster 340)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
A22sales code |
Sport Trim Group (Duster: black tape between taillights, belt and drip-rail moldings, cigar lighter, floor-mounted all-synchro 3-speed, D2 vinyl trim)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
|
'Special trim group' (Motor Trend's label; which factory group is meant is not stated)10 | $51.70 | Not yet sourced |
A23sales code |
Custom Sport Trim Group (Duster: wheel-lip and custom sill moldings, tape, belt and drip moldings, dual horns, cigar lighter, floor 3-speed, D2 vinyl trim)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
A35sales code |
Trailer Towing Package (225 without A/C, 318 or 340; TorqueFlite required; 2,000 lb maximum trailer)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
A88sales code |
Interior Decor Group (wood-grain instrument panel, standard on Duster 340; wood-grain door panels; 3-spoke wheel; rear armrests with ash trays)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
D91sales code |
Sure-Grip differential (required for 3.55 and 3.91 axles with 340)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
D56sales code |
3.55 axle ratio (340 with Sure-Grip)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
D57sales code |
3.91 axle ratio (340 manual transmissions with Sure-Grip; N/A with air conditioning)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
J81sales code |
Aerodynamic rear spoiler (Duster 340 only)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
N85sales code |
Tachometer (Duster 340 only)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
S13sales code |
Heavy-duty suspension (standard on Duster 340)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
S25sales code |
Firm-ride shock absorbers (standard on Duster 340)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
B41sales code |
Front disc brakes (standard on Duster 340)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
R11sales code |
Solid-state AM radio11,10 | $61.55 | Not yet sourced |
E24sales code |
225 six engine (in place of 198)11,10 | $24.65 | Not yet sourced |
H31sales code |
Rear window defogger11 | — | Not yet sourced |
G11sales code |
Tinted glass, all windows11 | — | Not yet sourced |
C16sales code |
Console (bucket seats and automatic only)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
G41sales code |
Inside day/night mirror11,10 | $7.10 | Not yet sourced |
W11sales code |
Deluxe wheel covers (not Duster 340)11,10 | $21.30 | Not yet sourced |
W15sales code |
Wire wheel covers (not Duster 340; D78x14 or E70x14 tires required)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
N95sales code |
Evaporative emission control (required on California-registered cars; N/A otherwise)11,10 | $37.85 | Not yet sourced |
T76sales code |
E70x14 raised white letter tires11 | — | Not yet sourced |
V1W / V1X / V1Fsales code |
Vinyl roof, white / black / green (extra cost)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
V5Xsales code |
Body side vinyl insert protection molding, black only (deletes the Duster 340 sport stripe)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
V8Xsales code |
Transverse tape stripe (extra cost on Duster VL29; standard on Duster 340 VS29)11 | — | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
A4 |
Silver3 | Not yet sourced |
B3 |
Ice Blue3 | Not yet sourced |
B5 |
Blue Fire3 | Not yet sourced |
B7 |
Jamaica Blue3 | Not yet sourced |
F3 |
Frost Green3 | Not yet sourced |
F5 |
Limelight3 | Not yet sourced |
F8 |
Ivy Green3 | Not yet sourced |
L1 |
Sand Pebble Beige3 | Not yet sourced |
Q5 |
Seafoam Turquoise3 | Not yet sourced |
R4 |
Barracuda Orange3 | Not yet sourced |
R6 |
Scorch Red3 | Not yet sourced |
T3 |
Honey Bronze3 | Not yet sourced |
T5 |
Bronze Fire3 | Not yet sourced |
T7 |
Saddle Bronze3 | Not yet sourced |
W1 |
Alpine White3 | Not yet sourced |
X9 |
Black Velvet3 | Not yet sourced |
Y2 |
Sunfire Yellow3 | Not yet sourced |
Y3 |
Yellow Gold3 | Not yet sourced |
Y4 |
Spanish Gold3 | Not yet sourced |
Y6 |
Citron Gold3 | Not yet sourced |
C |
Valiant Light Blue3 | Not yet sourced |
F |
Valiant Light Green3 | Not yet sourced |
999 |
Special order (Bahama Yellow, Orange, Rallye Green)3 | Not yet sourced |
EB3 |
Ice Blue Metallic (factory order code list)11 | Not yet sourced |
EB5 |
Blue Fire Metallic (factory order code list)11 | Not yet sourced |
EB7 |
Jamaica Blue Metallic (factory order code list)11 | Not yet sourced |
FC7 |
In Violet Metallic (extra cost)11 | Not yet sourced |
FE5 |
Rallye Red11 | Not yet sourced |
FF4 |
Lime Green Metallic11 | Not yet sourced |
EF8 |
Ivy Green Metallic (factory order code list)11 | Not yet sourced |
FJ5 |
Lime Light (extra cost)11 | Not yet sourced |
EK2 |
Vitamin C Orange (extra cost)11 | Not yet sourced |
FK5 |
Deep Burnt Orange Metallic11 | Not yet sourced |
BL1 |
Sandpebble Beige (factory order code list)11 | Not yet sourced |
FT6 |
Burnt Tan Metallic11 | Not yet sourced |
EV2 |
Tor-Red (extra cost)11 | Not yet sourced |
EW1 |
Alpine White (factory order code list)11 | Not yet sourced |
TX9 |
Black Velvet (factory order code list)11 | Not yet sourced |
FY1 |
Lemon Twist (extra cost)11 | Not yet sourced |
DY3 |
Yellow Gold (factory order code list)11 | Not yet sourced |
FY4 |
Citron Mist Metallic11 | Not yet sourced |
V1W / V1X / V1F |
Vinyl roof: white / black / green (green recommended only with green-family paints)11 | Not yet sourced |
two-tone |
Two-tone paint, extra cost; upper colour chosen from a recommended list keyed to the interior (for example FE5 lower with EW1 upper)11 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
L2B7 / L2F8 / L2X9 |
Vinyl bench seat, Duster and Valiant sedan: blue / green / black (not with trim groups A21, A22 or A23 on the Duster)11 | Not yet sourced |
D2B7 / D2F8 / D2X9 |
Vinyl bench seat, Duster and Duster 340 (standard on Duster 340; the '4-place vinyl trim' of the Duster trim groups): blue / green / black11 | Not yet sourced |
L1B7 / L1F8 / L1X9 |
Custom interior: cloth-and-vinyl bench seat with carpets, Duster, Duster 340 and sedan: blue / green / black11 | Not yet sourced |
L4B7 / L4E4 / L4F8 / L4T5 / L4X9 |
Custom interior: vinyl bench seat with center armrest and carpets: blue / red / green / tan / black11 | Not yet sourced |
L6BW / L6EW / L6XW / L6X9 |
Custom interior: vinyl bucket seats with carpets, Duster and Duster 340 only: white and blue / white and red / white and black / black (second colour on carpet, instrument panel, steering wheel and headlining)11 | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase3 | 108 in | Duster |
| Overall length3 | 188.4 in | Duster |
| Overall width3 | 71.6 in | Duster |
| Overall height3 | 52.1 in | Duster V8 |
| Tread, front / rear3 | 57.4 / 55.6 in | Duster |
| Tires3 | E70 x 14 | Duster 340 |
| Rear axle ratio3,7,11 | 3.23:1 standard; 3.55 and 3.91 optional | 340, all transmissions |
| Overall height7 | 52.6 in | Duster six (body 29) |
| Curb weight (with automatic)7 | 2,930 lb | Duster six |
| Curb weight (with automatic)7 | 3,015 lb | Duster V8 |
| Curb weight (with automatic)7 | 3,275 lb | Duster 340 |
| Shipping weight8 | 2,790 (six) / 2,865 (V8) / 3,110 (Duster 340) lb | Duster VL29 and Duster 340 VS29 |
| Standard tires7,11 | 6.95x14 (198, 225, 318 without A/C); D78x14 (318 with A/C); E70x14 on 14 x 5.5J rims (340) | Duster and Duster 340 |
| Front disc brakes7 | 4-piston caliper, 10.79 in vented rotor; swept area 314.7 sq in | Duster 340 (standard) and cars with optional discs |
| Suspension rates at wheel, front / rear7 | 100 / 132 lb/in | 340 (0.87 in torsion bars, 6-leaf rear springs, 0.88 in front stabilizer standard) |
Period road tests
| Test | Car tested | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Car Life, 1970-0390-60 mph | Duster 340, TorqueFlite (column shift), 3.23 axle, F70x14 tires, power front disc brakes; test weight 3,520 lb | 6.2 s |
| Car Life, 1970-0390-100 mph | Duster 340, TorqueFlite (column shift), 3.23 axle, F70x14 tires, power front disc brakes; test weight 3,520 lb | 17.5 s |
| Car Life, 1970-039Standing quarter mile | Duster 340, TorqueFlite (column shift), 3.23 axle, F70x14 tires, power front disc brakes; test weight 3,520 lb | 14.72 s at 94.24 mph |
| Car Life, 1970-039Stopping distance from 80 mph | Duster 340, TorqueFlite (column shift), 3.23 axle, F70x14 tires, power front disc brakes; test weight 3,520 lbDone on a substitute track with a slicker surface, per the magazine | 341 ft |
| Car Life, 1970-039Fuel consumption, test conditions | Duster 340, TorqueFlite (column shift), 3.23 axle, F70x14 tires, power front disc brakes; test weight 3,520 lb | 14.8 mpg |
| Motor Trend, 1970-01100-60 mph | Duster 6 sport coupe, 225 six 1-bbl, automatic, 2.76 axle, 6.95x14 tires, drum brakes | 13.6 s |
| Motor Trend, 1970-0110Standing quarter mile | Duster 6 sport coupe, 225 six 1-bbl, automatic, 2.76 axle, 6.95x14 tires, drum brakes | 19.2 s at 71 mph |
| Motor Trend, 1970-0110Stopping distance from 60 mph | Duster 6 sport coupe, 225 six 1-bbl, automatic, 2.76 axle, 6.95x14 tires, drum brakes | 159.8 ft |
A road test result belongs to the one car that was tested, with its engine, gearing, tires, and conditions. It is not a figure for every car of the year.
Identification
- VIN plate (1970 'F' series)
- 13 characters on a plate at the top left of the instrument panel: car line (V = Valiant, including Duster), price class, two-digit body type (29 for the Duster coupe), engine letter (B 198, C 225, G 318, H 340), model year (0), assembly plant and a six-digit sequence from 100001 or 500005. The Duster is price class L and the Duster 340 price class S, so a Duster 340 VIN begins VS29H0.11,12,7
- Assembly plants
- The 1970 code list marks the Valiant car line, which includes the Duster, for Hamtramck (plant code B) and Windsor (R).11
- Duster 340 appearance
- Black-finish grille, black sport stripe (deleted when the V5X body side molding is ordered), transverse tape stripe (V8X) between the taillights and a 150-mph speedometer in a four-gauge instrument panel.11
- Series codes
- The Standard Catalog lineage lists the Duster as VL and the Duster 340 as VS.4
Where the sources disagree
1970 Duster 340 production
The Standard Catalog figure leads as disputed; the alternative is shown. No factory record was inspected.
1970 Duster exterior colour list
- Over-Drive's list: A4 Silver, B3, B5, B7, F3 Frost Green, F5 Limelight, F8, L1, Q5 Seafoam Turquoise, R4 Barracuda Orange, R6 Scorch Red, T3 Honey Bronze, T5 Bronze Fire, T7 Saddle Bronze, W1, X9, Y2 Sunfire Yellow, Y3, Y4 Spanish Gold, Y6 Citron Gold, C and F Valiant Light Blue and Green, 9993
- Factory Valiant order code list: EB3, EB5, EB7, FC7, FE5, FF4, EF8, FJ5, EK2, FK5, BL1, FT6, EV2, EW1, TX9, FY1, DY3, FY4 (18 colours)11
The factory order code list leads for which colours could be ordered on a Valiant or Duster. The two lists share Ice Blue, Blue Fire, Jamaica Blue, Ivy Green, Sandpebble Beige, Alpine White, Black Velvet and Yellow Gold; Over-Drive's other entries do not appear on the factory Valiant list and may belong to other lines or years. Both lists are shown.
1970 Duster six base price
Both shown; neither states its basis (P.O.E., destination or dealer preparation), which may explain the $3 difference.
1970 power steering option price
Both shown with their scope; the fact sheet does not say which engine its price applies to.
Standard tire on the 1970 Duster 340
The factory documents lead; Car Life's test car wore F70x14 tires and its tested figures are attached to that configuration.
Identification
Read a 1970 Plymouth VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1970
- AMC AMX The last two-seat AMX: a restyled nose, a 360 base V8 and a 325-hp 390. At 4,116 cars it was the rarest of the three two-seat years.
- AMC Javelin Penske and Donohue brought the Javelin to Trans-Am, and the showroom answered with 2,501 Mark Donohue Javelins and 100 red-white-blue Trans Am Javelins, while total production fell to 28,210.
- AMC Rebel and Rebel Machine AMC's intermediate supercar: a 340-hp 390, four-speed and Hurst shifter in the Rebel hardtop, first in white with red-white-blue stripes. Totals reported for the one-year run range from about 1,200 to 2,326.
- Buick Riviera The 455 (370 hp gross) arrived with a restyle; production fell to about 37,300 with some 3,505 GS cars.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX Buick's GS went to a 455 rated at 510 lb-ft, the Stage 1 option added 10 advertised hp, and a mid-year GSX package was built 678 times in two colors.
- Buick Wildcat The final Wildcat, Custom trim only, with the 370-hp 455; 23,645 built.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The year the Chevelle Super Sport split into RPO Z25 SS 396 and RPO Z15 SS 454, with the LS6 454 rated at 450 gross horsepower.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Last year the source engine table lists the big-block (as 402) in the Nova. Enthusiast-compiled production: 307,280 cars; Super Sport 19,558.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS The Malibu/Custom El Camino could carry either RPO Z25 SS 396 or RPO Z15 SS 454, including the 450 hp LS6; the El Camino share is not separately published.
- Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS The first Monte Carlo, with the SS 454 as RPO Z20: 3,823 of 145,976 Monte Carlos per Chevrolet-report-derived tables.
- Dodge Challenger Dodge's first pony car arrived as a 1970 model with nine advertised engines, base, SE, R/T, and R/T SE hardtops, two convertibles, and a one-year Trans-Am homologation special, the T/A.
- Dodge Charger The last year of the second-generation body: a new full-width grille, three series (Charger, 500, R/T), the 440 Six Pack added to the R/T, and production roughly half of 1969's.
- Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The final Coronet-based R/T and Super Bee: the R/T fell to 2,615 cars, while the Super Bee added a 3-speed manual and kept its Six Pack and Hemi options.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon With the GTS gone, the Swinger 340 was the only performance Dart; it kept front discs, Rallye suspension and a twin-scoop hood and sold about 13,800 beside the new Challenger.
- Ford Fairlane The last Fairlane year: the name survived only on the Fairlane 500 beneath the new Torino, with a mid-year Falcon sharing the body at the bottom of the range.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The Grabber appearance and tire package arrived in mid-1970 on the new two-door Maverick; no Grabber count for 1970 was found.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Torino-based Ranchero GT could take the 429 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet; reference counts give 3,905 GTs, while Barn Finds rounds the GT figure to about 3,600 of 21,640 Rancheros.
- Ford Thunderbird The 429 at 360 hp was the standard and only engine listed in the 1970 catalog.
- Ford Torino A new, longer body on a 117-inch wheelbase; the Torino Cobra became its own model with the 429, offered in 360, 370 (Cobra Jet) and 375 (Super Cobra Jet) horsepower forms.
- Mercury Comet and Cyclone A new, longer Montego-based Cyclone in three versions: the 429 Cyclone, the small-block Cyclone GT that outsold both others, and the Ram Air 429 Cobra Jet Cyclone Spoiler.
- Mercury Cougar The last first-generation Cougar moved to the 351 Cleveland, kept the Boss 302 as an Eliminator-only engine, and built 2,268 Eliminators.
- Mercury Marauder and S-55 The second and last year of the 1969-70 Marauder: production fell to about a third of 1969's, with the X-100 near half of it.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 got a standard 455 rated at 365 hp, the W-30 went to 370 hp, and the small-block W-31 moved to the Cutlass and F-85 coupes.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda The E-body redesign split the line into Barracuda, Gran Coupe, and 'Cuda hardtops and convertibles, put every Chrysler performance engine through the 426 Hemi on the order form, and added the one-year AAR 'Cuda for Trans-Am homologation.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite Now hardtop-only, the GTX fell to 7,748 cars while its 440 Six Barrel option cost just $119.
- Plymouth Road Runner Production halved from 1969, the 440 Six Barrel became a regular option, and the winged Superbird was built as a Road Runner hardtop to put Plymouth back on NASCAR superspeedways.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am A late-arriving, coupe-only second generation: 48,739 Firebirds, 3,196 of them Trans Ams, and 88 Ram Air IVs.
- Pontiac GTO A new Endura nose, a 455 added beside the three 400s, and GTO production falling to 40,149.
- Pontiac Grand Prix The SJ took a 370 hp 455, Hurst built the SSJ, and production fell to 65,750.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The T-37 and GT-37 bring budget performance to the Tempest.