No sympathy for this Devil
30th July 2009
The 1971 Dodge Demon was a compact coupe born of the demand for economy and compliance with growing emissions awareness.
It was a sleeper that left behind a surprising performance legacy.
The Demon had a very short production run of only 10,098 in 1971 and 8,750 in 1972, making it one of the rarer A-bodies of its time. It was also a bona-fide member of the "Scat Pack" -- Mopars capable of turning a quarter mile in less than 14 seconds.
Back in 1970 Chrysler was planning to build a lightweight car with a small-block engine to challenge the Chevrolet Nova.
The solution was the 1970, Plymouth Duster 340, a compact two-door coupe with a radical B and C pillar design, a swept-back windshield and swooping fastback. A huge sales success, it inspired the Dodge division to demand one of its own.
In the fall of 1970, the 1971 Dodge Demon was released. Suffice to say, this moniker ruffled some feathers in the Bible belt.
Basically a Duster body with a Dart front clip and saucy devil and pitchfork graphic, the Demon shared a lot of the Duster gene pool -- which helped keep production costs low.
With a fairly decent power-to-weight ratio, the Demon was capable of 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and a 14.5 second quarter-mile.
The list price of approximately $2,800 gave buyers a lot of bang for their buck, with seating for four people, a sensibly large trunk and the appeal of sporty good looks.
The base Demon had a V6 and minimal equipment. But the Demon 340 featured the 275-hp V8, a three-speed fully synchronized floor shift, Rallye instrument cluster, heavy-duty suspension, stripes. and dual exhausts.
Halfway through 1971 the Demon Sizzler became available. According to Chrysler press releases , it was intended for buyers more interested in "show than go."
The Demon GSS was a wolf in sheep's clothing, a true sleeper. At low rpms, it idled quietly using little fuel and behaving like the little econobox it was conceived as, until around 5,500 the supercharger kicked in and the devil roared to life. With more than 400 hp at the rear wheels, the Demon GSS trounced the big block legends of its time, ripping through the quarter mile in 13.9 seconds.
By 1972, performance models were being ruthlessly cut industry-wide and those that remained were sadly detuned.
Oil crises, emissions standards and soaring insurance rates all contributed to sounding the death knell for big block power.
Things were looking grim for the performance industry.
Was the Demon discontinued due to public pressure over its name?
It's just as likely that it joined the ranks of those that fell victim to the triple-headed assault of emissions testing, high insurance rates and fuel shortage.
But, to paraphrase a song from its day, there should be no sympathy for this devil.
The Demon overcame its humble beginnings to stake out a spot in Mopar's performance history.
LINK:
No sympathy for this Devil | Autonet | Edmonton Sun
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