How much did a 1970 PLymouth Duster weigh with a 198 Slant Six engine and manual 3 speed transmission and no accessories
Executive summary
A reliable synthesis of contemporary spec sheets and enthusiast references places the 1970 Plymouth Duster with the base 198 cu in Slant‑Six and the three‑speed manual transmission at roughly a 2,900‑pound curb weight, with reasonable published ranges spanning about 2,870–2,970 lb depending on source and equipment assumptions [1] [2] [3]. No single provided source gives an explicit “factory curb weight” line‑item for the exact 198‑engine + 3‑speed manual, so the answer is an evidence‑based range rather than a single definitive number [1] [2].
1. Exact question and how it was interpreted: defining “weight” and “no accessories”
The user’s phrasing asks for the vehicle weight for a 1970 Plymouth Duster equipped with the 198‑cid Slant‑Six, a three‑speed manual, and “no accessories,” which implies seeking a curb or shipping weight for a base, minimally equipped car rather than a fully optioned example; surviving public spec listings and enthusiast references use “curb” or “shipping” weight terms interchangeably for this model, so those figures are used as the best available proxies [1] [3].
2. What the contemporary spec sources report: a cluster around ~2,900 lb
Several catalog and museum‑style references list the standard Duster’s curb/shipping weight close to 2,900 lb: an auto museum summary gives a curb weight of 2,900 lb for the Duster generally [1], while aggregated international vehicle databases translate Duster curb weights into a 1,305–1,480 kg band (≈2,880–3,263 lb), creating a natural uncertainty band when isolating a specific engine/transmission combination [2]. Dodge/Plymouth heritage content cites specific shipping weight figures for comparable Slant‑Six Dusters (a 2,970‑lb shipping weight appears in a discussion of Slant‑Six Duster variants), which helps bracket the likely range for a minimally equipped 198‑powered car [3].
3. Why there’s not a single exact factory number in the sources
None of the provided sources supplies a quoted factory sheet that explicitly lists “1970 Duster, 198‑cid Slant‑Six, 3‑speed manual, no accessories — curb weight = X lb”; instead, available references record general curb weights for the Duster family and note option packages (Feather Duster weight savings, different engine options) that change mass by hundreds of pounds, so the precise weight for the exact configuration must be interpolated from these published figures [4] [3] [1].
4. Reasoned estimate and supporting evidence
Using the clustered published numbers, the reasoned estimate for a 1970 Plymouth Duster with the 198 Slant‑Six and a three‑speed manual, little or no optional equipment, is approximately 2,900 lb, with an acceptable range of roughly 2,870–2,970 lb to reflect different source baselines and shipping vs. curb terminology [1] [3] [2]. This estimate is reinforced by catalog entries that list the 198‑engine as the base powerplant and by contemporary accounts of base Duster content that tie the 198 Slant‑Six to the lowest‑weight, lowest‑price builds [5] [6].
5. Caveats, alternative viewpoints, and how options alter the figure
The Feather Duster package famously reduced weight by about 187 lb via aluminum components — a useful benchmark showing how options materially shift curb weights [4]; conversely, factory options like air conditioning, radios, heavier wheels, or heavier brakes on performance models raised the curb weight, which explains part of the spread in published numbers [3] [5]. Given the absence of an explicit factory line in the provided documents for the exact configuration requested, the 2,900‑lb figure should be treated as the best‑supported estimate derived from multiple reputable references rather than a precise factory stamp.