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Jay Leno’s 1975 Plymouth Duster has a story as powerful as its 1,000-hp engine

Motoramic -- Jay Leno's garage isn't some Hollywood creation. First, it's in Burbank. Secondly, the cars, motorcycles and steam monsters housed there represent some of the greatest examples of their kind anywhere in the world, cared for by a staff of mechanics who know their Voisin inline sixes from their Hispano-Suizas. This 1975 Plymouth Duster doesn't have a classical provenance like much of Leno's collection, but it does carry an amazing backstory.The Duster came to life thanks to Paul Annunziata, a Boston-area mechanic who wanted to build a drag racer that could also work as a street car. His project started with a 1975 Duster purchased with $10,000 Annunziata won from a scratch-off lottery ticket. The real challenge was squeezing a massive 426-inch Hemi V8 into the Duster -- and then superc

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Submitted May 05, 2012 By: LanguageMan1

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Hemiramrules Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:91,438 Points:2,401,295 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: May 18, 2012 6:28:37 PM Ignore Hemiramrules Report Abuse Loved your video of Jay with his blown HEMI Duster! Stop by my "Just say HI" thread sometime! Lots of great people there! Have you ever checked out my '66 Plymouth Satellite Hemi photos? Have a great day!
jrs4125 Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,748 Points:589,795 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:38:30 AM Ignore jrs4125 Report Abuse Raining here in north central Indiana today.
DesertRat2011 Champion Author Riverside Posts:3,607 Points:483,855 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 11:08:01 PM Ignore DesertRat2011 Report Abuse Jay has some great vehicles in his collection. When you hear him talk cars he's just like any other car guy.!
Ply440GTX All-Star Author Texas Posts:949 Points:309,730 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 7:02:56 PM Ignore Ply440GTX Report Abuse Dig the video of the interview and Jay driving this monster! Under normal acceleration you can hear it "chirp" second gear! Only wish all A-bodies came this way -- with a shoe-horned big block. I'd have a couple of 'em!!! Hemi was "donated" from a '68 SuperBee... Wonder what became of THAT body.
vegan_power Sophomore Author Hartford Posts:126 Points:51,030 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 2:18:51 AM Ignore vegan_power Report Abuse I'd like to see it :0P
335d1 Champion Author Virginia Posts:2,371 Points:757,095 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 12:44:30 AM Ignore 335d1 Report Abuse Our old Duster never looked like that and didn't have that engine. I'd like to Jay's Duster out for a test drive.
PathfinderSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:9,506 Points:1,828,690 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 11:19:02 PM Ignore PathfinderSC Report Abuse Good Article, I liked it.
hubie24 Veteran Author Michigan Posts:315 Points:204,080 Joined:Jul 2010	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 10:05:56 PM Ignore hubie24 Report Abuse I'm thinkin more like 3 mpg.
ziyulu Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:8,485 Points:1,600,720 Joined:Aug 2007	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 9:52:42 PM Ignore ziyulu Report Abuse I wonder what his MPG was back then? If my 290 hp Nissan Maxima can get 25 mpg, his 1,000 hp Plymouth Duster should be able to get about 8 mpg.
ExplorerWA Champion Author Washington Posts:4,069 Points:795,240 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 9:52:18 PM Ignore ExplorerWA Report Abuse Great story and the car is good hands. Thanks for posting this article.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,203,580 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 8:18:35 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Loved the article LanguageMan1! Thanks.
DerHahn Champion Author Illinois Posts:13,698 Points:2,112,185 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 7:29:21 PM Ignore DerHahn Report Abuse "After a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer last year, Annunziata asked Leno to take Duster, on the condition that Leno never sell it. Leno agreed, and when Annunziata declined any payment for the car, Leno made a donation in Annunziata's name to McPherson College in McPherson, Kan., the only college that offers a bachelor's degree in automotive restoration." good man for doing that
Skunk63 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:2,551 Points:556,525 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 6:52:19 PM Ignore Skunk63 Report Abuse He's got a killer car collection.
Suzzoom Champion Author Nevada Posts:2,354 Points:503,285 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 6:26:23 PM Ignore Suzzoom Report Abuse Not long ago, I was driving up Hollywood Way (Burbank) in the direction of the airport, when to my left my attention was captured by a weird-shaped eggplant purple convertible driven by a grey-haired man. "Aha," I thought, "now there's a midlife crisis car." I looked again, and sure enough, it was Jay Leno, taking one of his cars out for a spin.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,132 Points:2,369,420 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 4:50:51 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse now THATS a dust pan..
graceman Champion Author Baltimore Posts:4,968 Points:1,158,725 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 3:55:44 PM Ignore graceman Report Abuse He should contribute some of his money.
Jkent1953 Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:1,981 Points:438,985 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 3:05:25 PM Ignore Jkent1953 Report Abuse Love to take that out on the road.
EricBrazil Champion Author Miami Posts:2,127 Points:470,525 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 2:45:01 PM Ignore EricBrazil Report Abuse Very cool
BUSMAN1105 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:2,148 Points:1,168,115 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 2:42:07 PM Ignore BUSMAN1105 Report Abuse GOOD FOR HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LanguageMan1 Champion Author Tampa Posts:11,707 Points:1,658,890 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 2:38:40 PM Ignore LanguageMan1 Report Abuse Hemis are some of my favorites! What a beautiful car, a true piece of art by that Mr. Annunziata! I'd say she's in good hands with Leno. There's a good video on the page covering it all. Anyone playing in the Yahoo Fantasy Finance? If so, let me know and lets make some money. Even if you're not, if you're interested, let me know and perhaps we'll make some money.