1975 Duster – Jay Leno’s Promise To A Friend

When the name Jay Leno pops up, many people know him as the guy in Hollywood with a gazillion cars, and many others know him as the car fanatic who also happens to have a late night show on TV. But Paul Annunziata knew Jay Leno as something else, he knew him as a friend.

Paul and Jay had worked at the same auto dealership in the Boston area while growing up, and Paul later had his own tuning shop. This award-winning 1975 HEMI Duster that Paul built is a testament to his abilities as a master mechanic and his attention to details.

Paul had bought a scratch-off lottery ticket and hit it big for $10,000, and he used his winnings to purchase the Duster. In all total, Paul spent nearly $27,000 and about five years building the car.

He wanted to keep the car roadworthy, so he kept much of the interior and also managed keep the heater intact. Pretty tough job considering he still had to squeeze the massive HEMI into an engine bay that was never intended to be a home for one.

Installing the HEMI meant relocating some things because of the massive size of the heads. The brake master cylinder had to be moved, as did the shock towers. He also had to tub the rear to make room for the big tires, and of course what 426 HEMI would be complete without a blower and dual carbs? The car was roadworthy, about as much as you can expect from 1000 supercharged horsepower in a Duster.

Sadly, Paul was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer last year and he wanted his Duster to be preserved. He contacted Jay Leno and asked him to take the car with the promise that he would never sell it.

Though Jay wanted to pay for the Duster, Paul refused any payment and settled for just the promise. Jay agreed to take the car and in return he made a donation to McPherson College in McPherson, KS, in Paul’s name. McPherson College is the only college to offer a degree in automotive restoration.

Paul passed away in September of last year, and left behind a trophy wining car that will remain as part of Jay Leno’s stable of vehicles. It will remain in good company with the countless classic, antique, custom and one-of-a-kind cars there, and it will be with someone who knew Paul Annunziata well, and is keeping his promise to him.