Dodge Demon 340: Vintage Muscle That Won’t Break the Bank

The Dodge Demon 340 is 275-horsepower classic muscle car that offers many of the same thrills as more expensive models.

The Dodge Demon 170 is one of the most desirable and powerful muscle cars the world has ever seen. But it is not the original Dodge Demon. The Demon 340 holds that distinction as it was released way back in 1971. And most people have forgotten about it. Unlike the attention-grabbing Demon 170, the 340 was a budget muscle car. And as CarBuzz reminds us, the Demon 340 can be an excellent way to get your classic muscle car kicks without having to take out a second mortgage.

The Demon was launched in 1971, a year after the Plymouth Duster hit the scene. Dodge took the Duster and applied a Dodge Dart front clip, with revised frenched taillights. Under the hood was a 340 cubic inch small block V8 that was rated at 275 horsepower. By way of comparison the top dog 426 cubic inch Challenger R/T in 1971 made 425 horsepower. But that Challenger R/T was twice as expensive as the Demon 340 back in 1971. Today the Challenger is worth about five times more than the Demon 340.

But that doesn’t mean it is five times the fun.

Demon 340 Marketing

Dodge has long been known for its rather cheeky marketing practices. And that goes back to the days of the Demon 340. One dealership marketing campaign stated, “Come in for a Demon-stration ride—just for the devil of it.”

Another was “Dodge’s new Demon brings out the Devil in you.” But the Demon 340 could back it up thanks not only to the engine but the Rallye suspension (heavy-duty torsion bars, heavy-duty rear springs and sway bar, and heavy-duty shocks), 10-inch drum brakes (2.25-inch-wide front, 1.75-inch-wide rear), 14 x 5.5J wheels, E70 x 14 wide-tread, bias-belted tires and dual exhausts. In the quarter mile these cars ran in the low to mid 14-second range.

Didn’t Last Long

Unfortunately, by the time the Demon 340 hit the streets the war on muscle cars began. Stricter emissions standards were strangling cars like this. As a result, the Demon 340 was cancelled after the 1972 model year. So, what you are left with is a rare, classic Dodge muscle car with decent power. And the world is beginning to notice.

Values

About five years ago you could grab a Demon 340 that was in excellent condition for around $33,000. Today that same car will cost you about $50,000. And that is during a time when the values of a lot of classic muscle cars took a hit. That 426 Challenger R/T we mentioned earlier saw prices decrease by over 40 percent since January 2023 according to the Hagerty Valuation Tool.

The Demon 340 is still affordable, but those days might be coming to an end soon. If you like the original Demon, the time to buy one might be now. Nobody can predict the future, but values have been climbing for the past couple of years. But no matter what happens to values, these are cool cars that you are sure to enjoy.

Photos: Dodge

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the 1970s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.