“I’ve had so many old-timers tell me you can’t kill this engine. We’ve tried, but can’t seem to do it!”
Bryan Jewell
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It’s often said that there are more V8-powered 1968-72 Mopars on the road now than there were back in 1972.
Indeed, look under the hood of any classic Barracuda, Scamp, Dart, Belvedere, Charger, or Challenger at a car show now, and you’re almost 100% sure to find some sort of 318, 340, 360, 383, 440, or 426 Hemi lurking between the frame rails.
Which is funny, because Mopar made an awful lot of six-cylinder cars back in the day.
That also means, ironically, that any vintage Mopar that still retains the once-ubiquitous Slant Six is now a rare find.
…and that’s exactly what we found when we came across this stunning 1972 Duster at the 2024 Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals.
Though it’s fair to say we assumed this would be a V8-swap car, given its Twister-style hood scoops, but when we drew-in closer, we noticed something written on the side of each one.
Yeah—we had to find the owner to get the scoop (pun!) on this particular Duster.
“I just wanted to be different I guess,” admits Bryan Jewell. “In a world full of V8s, not too many people keep the six.”
But Bryan’s quick to point out one of the biggest advantages of keeping the venerable powerplant:
“I’ve had so many old-timers tell me you can’t kill this engine,” he laughs. “We’ve tried, but can’t seem to do it!”
The even more interesting news is that this isn’t the original block either. The Duster left the factory with a 198 and Bryan swapped-in this 225 from a 1973 Duster.
“I wanted those extra cubic inches,” he jokes.
You heard that right—Bryan actually swapped a six for a six. That’s a feat which deserves a serious slow-clap in our book. Bravo.
Better still, as the Clifford intake demonstrates, the new engine received plenty of attention before settling into its new home. “It’s got a four-barrel, header, and it’s been bored 0.30 over,” he tells us.
As for the rest of the party, the 225 sends power through the Duster’s original Torqueflite transmission on its way to a modified rear end pulled from a 1974 Roadrunner.
Outside of the engine bay, the Duster was treated to the gamut of paint and body work. The car was originally blue and Bryan explains that most of the work was done while he was still in High School—and it still looks this good close to 20 years later.
Finding the car was a serendipitous turn as well.
“I bought it from the original owner’s son,” Bryan reveals. “They pulled it out of their barn and two days later the barn fell over!”
When hearing Bryan talk about the Duster, it’s clear that he’s got some serious attachment to it. “It was my first car, I drove it all through high school,” he beams.
It looks like it’ll stay in the family as well.
“My daughter turns 16 next March,” Bryan laughs. “She’s already been driving it.”
…And with the trusty Leaning Tower of Power under the hood, we can bet Bryan’s Great-Great-Grandkids will be driving it too.
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