1971 Twister

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daveb

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A nice 71 340 twister is coming up on auction. Are these considered rare or desirable? Haven't found much info about these cars. Does the Twister designation make any more rare or valuable than any other 340 Duster?
 
Twister appearance package it was meant to mimic the 340 package
Was not Available with a 340 in the USA
 
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!971 was the only year that came with the 340 Grille (Shark Tooth) as standard equipment (optional other years). The Twister Package also included Flat Black Hood Performance Paint, Strobe Stripe, Side stripes, Lower Deck Stripes, Racing Mirrors, and 14 x 5.5 Rallye Wheels without trim rings. The 198 and 318 were the standard engines and the 225 was optional. Hood Scoops were also optional.
 
daveb said:
A nice 71 340 twister is coming up on auction. Are these considered rare or desirable? Haven't found much info about these cars. Does the Twister designation make any more rare or valuable than any other 340 Duster?
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Being a mid-year introduction, the 1971's are fairly rare but I haven't seen production numbers on them. They have gone up some. Not as valuable as a true 340 Duster.
 
The "twister" was a appearance package on a otherwise low end duster... definitely worth less than a 340 duster in equivalent condition. And, if it's a auction, you WILL pay more than its worth, Mark my words. Be VERY careful
 
daveb said:
A nice 71 340 twister is coming up on auction. Are these considered rare or desirable? Haven't found much info about these cars. Does the Twister designation make any more rare or valuable than any other 340 Duster?
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Also there is no such thing as a "340 twister" that should be red flag #1
 
I owned a 71 twister hemi orange was it ev2 I forgot ?
There is a pic in my profile of it.
I added trim rings and had the rear wheels made into 15x8 .
I traded it to my brother for the 68 dart in my avatar.
 
Here it is. I have seen this car in person Beware. It is a bondo buggy. He swore that the decals came that way. Its a very special edition. its just a G code Duster

Find & Bid On dUSTER1 - Now For Sale At Auction

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Bondo buggy , is it reflections or is that quarter wavy like the ocean ?
 
There were dealerships willing to cobble together anything a buyer was willing to pay a premium for.
This example could have been delivered to the buyer as is. The DeMon moniker conflicted with a Christian so his Plymouth dealer hooked him up? That scenario is more believable than factory assembly line "one off".
 
DaveB (OP) ---

To summarize the replies --- Chrysler Plymouth NEVER offered a 340 engine in any Duster Twister, further the Twister is nothing more than a simple appearance package ---- the factory added a stripe package, lifted the 340 shark tooth grill, a couple of fake hood scoops and hood blackout treatment, rallye wheels, and NO drivetrain PERFORMANCE parts...Chrysler had advertisements in many of the car enthusiast magazines from the 1971 era (Hot Rod, Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding, etc.) that clearly showed the Twister 's appearance package, and made it very clear that the Twister was only an appearance package...

Basically a Twister is a tease --- All show and NO go ...it was for posers....

Compared to a real factory 340 car -- the Twister is not in the same performance league.

Duster 340 cars had upgraded mechanicals, including heavy duty suspension, heavy duty transmissions, heavy duty rear axle packages, along with a rallye dash panel for 1970 - 71 model years, heavy duty cooling, to name a few of the systems/components installed to complement the output of the 340 engine. In other words, the Duster 340 was a fully upgraded car, front to back, compared to the lower end /6 or even the 318 cars.

Here is the 1971 Duster Twister advertisement :

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/vintage-advertising/1971DusterTheQuickest-1of2.jpg
http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/vintage-advertising/1971DusterTheNewest-2of2.jpg

Please take note of the specs for the 1970 Duster 340 shown in the following attached Plymouth Rapid Transit System (RTS) advertisement from 1970. Notice all the heavy duty systems and components that came as standard equipment.
The Twister is nothing more than a run of the mill /6 or 318 car with a tacked on appearance package ---

The 1970 Hamtramck Registry - 1970 RTS Brochure - (Butterfly version)
 
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a 318 four speed twister would be fun.

...and yes a true twister package car is more desirable than a "regular" Duster all other things being equal.
 
I'm not sure about the slant 6 ones ?
But the 318 twisters had 8 3/4 rear ends at least in 71.
 
I had 1971 Demon Sizzler in the early 70's It was a 318 3spd. with disc's and stabilizer and 8 3/4 rear It had the gull wing also factory. I added the 72 snorkel scoop. And a 4 spd. it was Winchester gray metallic with cragers 8's and 6's. I wish I would have it today. sharp looking car. One day I was walking through a salvage yard and I saw it smashed.
I always wished I would find it but not in that condition. I sold it to buy a 70 roadrunner.
 
The '71 demon sizzler that i have is a 318 column automatic car with a 7 1/4 rear end in it.
Other than the Sizzler package, the only options i see on the car were power steering, power drum brakes and a radio.
It's F7 dark green with white stripes.
 
I had the E body equivalent- a 73 Rallye 318 Challenger.

Had side gills and strobe stripes, rallye hood (with no engine call-out), 8 3/4 3.23 SG, and both thick sway bars. 318-2 with dual exhaust and square tips, rallye dash with tach, and slapstick auto.
 
YY1 said:
I had the E body equivalent- a 73 Rallye 318 Challenger.

Had side gills and strobe stripes, rallye hood (with no engine call-out), 8 3/4 3.23 SG, and both thick sway bars. 318-2 with dual exhaust and square tips, rallye dash with tach, and slapstick auto.
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Yeah but unlike the Twisters and Sizzlers the Rallye Challengers were actually available with 340’s. Not all of them had 340’s, but you could actually get a factory ‘73 Challenger 340 rallye.

The Twisters and Sizzlers were not available with 340’s, just /6’s and 318’s.
 
72bluNblu said:
Yeah but unlike the Twisters and Sizzlers the Rallye Challengers were actually available with 340’s. Not all of them had 340’s, but you could actually get a factory ‘73 Challenger 340 rallye.

The Twisters and Sizzlers were not available with 340’s, just /6’s and 318’s.
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Sorry to resurrect this older thread, but I am looking at a 71 Twister, with a slant. seems mostly original, but I don't understand the trim on the sides, was that an option? Also the wheel covers? Does $6000 seem sorta high? I do love the Slant. Thanks for your help guys.

twister.jpg
 
The fender tag would tell the tale. If it's V5X it had that trim that goes down the side of the car to deter dings. If it's V8X it has the longitude decal stripe. I don't believe you could order both together, I certainly have not seen one with both. Nice car btw. It should have the rallye wheels without the trim rings if it is a true "Twister"
 
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