Vehicle Description
Not very often would a 1969 Dodge Dart be referred to as rare and
unusual, but here's one that most certainly is. That's because this
Dart is Hecho en Mexico, and not only built south of the border but
delivered there for home-market sale. With just 42km or 26,000
miles This rare Dodge Dart GTS, was produced at Chrysler's AutoMex
plant in Toluca, Mexico, and most noticeably differs from its U.S.
counterpart by having a metric speedometer and odometer. Also, the
Dart has no U.S.-style VIN plate, instead identified with a metal
door-jamb tag showing serial number, engine number and registry
number. Mopar guys know that the GTS was the hot setup for Dart,
with U.S. models boasting 340, 383 and 440 cid big-block engines.
Mexican GTS Darts apparently came with the more-subdued 318 cid V8
that generated 270 horsepower in 1969, according to an excerpt from
Auto Hobby Digest that is quoted in the ad. All Dodges were built
at the AutoMex plant in Toluca, Mexico assembly plant from
1960-1972. The GTS was also built there using body panels imported
from the USA but finsihed rather differently than the USA/Canadian
versions of the 1968 and 1969 GTS. 1968 was an exciting year for
the Dart in Mexico. In addition to offering a two door Dart 270 and
a four door Dart 270, Chrysler was now offering a Dart GTS. Along
with the Barracuda, the GTS was fitted with all available high
performance components: disc brakes, a four speed transmission (or
an optional automatic), sway bars, and D-70x14 tires fitted to
14x5.5" rims. Initially in 1968, the engine was the corporate 230hp
318cid V8. For 1969, Chrysler introduced a 270hp 318 V8 and this
became the standard engine for the GTS. It featured a 4bbl carb,
9.5:1 compression, larger valves and a heavy duty crank. GTS's were
available with both bench seats and buckets, in addition to being
outfitted with a Barracuda instrument cluster and dash (did you
look at the photo above this section??). Unlike GTS's in the US,
the GTS of Mexico would continue on for the 1970 model year." The
cars did not have a VIN as we know it here in the USA. They were
not assigned dash board VIN plates until 1980! The VIN is very
different from the other VINs contained in the GTS Registry-as you
will see with our first listing below! The cars were identified
with a metal door jamb decal displaying the serial number, engine
number, and registry number. Engines were assembled in Mexico and
were "numbers matching" to the car. "Hecho en Mexcio" was stamped
on the intake manifold but no serial number. After assembly at the
Toluca plant, the cars were driven by independent contractors from
the plant to the dealerships!!! Odometers were disconnected!!
Speaking of odometers, the speedometer and odometer were in metric,
and with the use of the Barracuda Rallye cluster, the markings went
up to 240 kph (160mph)!!
