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1972 Dodge Duster Is Modified Like An Old NASCAR RacecarWhile we always appreciate when young kids build their own cars, this 1972 Dodge Duster done like a NASCAR racecar is cool regardless. The fact it’s the creation of member of Gen Z only adds to our admiration. After all, the owner is only 21 years old.
This car is only as wide as a headlight assembly.
When the owner, Cam, went on Autotopia LA recently, he revealed that the old Duster has been his since he was 16. Don’t tell us kids don’t like cars these days. We think more would be doing this if parents were supportive and HOAs didn’t make working on vehicles at your house so difficult, if not impossible.
The classic Dodge was sitting in the New Mexican desert when Cam plucked it out of that harsh environment. Even better, he drove all the way from Illinois to get it – that’s dedication.
His dad helped with the initial build, which involved taking out the slant-six and replacing it with another, repairing big rust spots including installing a whole new floor pan, swapping out axles, etc. It was a learning experience for the teenager and helped propel him into working for a shop in Southern California.
With more money in his pocket and greater know-how, he swapped out the slant-six for a hard-hitting 5.3-liter LS V8 that’s been bored, has forged internals, plus a BTR camshaft. He’s put the muscle car on a dyno and it’s making 400-whp, which is a lot for such a small, lightweight vehicle.
Backing that is a TKX 5-speed manual transmission. We love that this Gen Z kid not only can drive a stick but prefers it.
He’s swapped out many of the factory parts, like the front suspension, front disc brakes, etc. But the best part is the old NASCAR vibe, something you don’t see too often these days.
Cam is working on another build at the moment, a 1970 Dodge Charger. He seems to have a thing for Mopars, although we wonder if he’ll do an LS swap on that one as well.
Check out the Autotopia LA review of this Dodge Duster here.
Image via cam_racing/Instagram
