Vehicle Description
This 1974 Dodge Dart Swinger is an awesome way to get into the old
car hobby without spending a ton of cash to do it. With V8 power in
a compact body, it's got plenty of performance, and by borrowing
some styling cues from its big brothers over at the Mopar factory,
it has an aggressive look that's instantly recognizable.
The red shade on this Dart is a perfect complement to the '70s
bodywork. It's a good repaint that shows a soft gloss and that
typical Mopar shine that is endemic of the era, so while it's very
nice, it does have a proper all-of-a-piece look that's very
appealing. All the bodywork is straight with no signs of previous
damage, a testament to its life under the tutelage of careful
ownership. The dual hood scoops and Go-Wing are all traditional
Chrysler pieces that give the car a high-performance look that
Mopar fans will instantly recognize. The chrome bumpers fore and
aft remain bright and shiny, the rear tail panel and front grille
are typical '70s nostalgia, and even though the rest of the trim is
minimal it provides a nice contrast to the bright red backdrop. We
don't know if this is one of those little old lady specials, but
someone certainly took exceptionally good care of this little Dart
Swinger and it shows.
The split bench in this example does a pretty good impersonation of
buckets with traditional Mopar pleats and built-in headrests. It's
also wonderfully preserved with no damage or even notable wear. The
white vinyl seat covers are still taut and present very well, with
the back seat looking brand new, which is rather amazing for such a
light shade. The factory instrument panel offers a complete array
of gauges, and they're augmented by a set of auxiliary units and
tachometer integrated into the makeshift center console below. The
original Music Master AM radio is gone, upgraded by a RetroSound
AM/FM/AUX in the factory dash slot. If you wanted A/C in your Dart,
it was equipped as an under-dash unit as shown here, a very rare
option for a Dart, which has been updated with today's R134a
refrigerant blowing nice and cold. Black carpets provide a nice
contrast to all that white upholstery, and the wood applique on the
dash warms the entire cabin up a bit. Open the trunk and there's a
correct mat that fits better than most, as well as a correct jack
assembly tucked into its spot in the quarter panel.
Powering this Dart as a 318 cubic inch V8, a common and very
dependable small block from the era. Powerful, smooth, and
surprisingly torquey, it delivers great performance thanks to the
car's lightweight body. Thanks to upgrades like a polished Holley
4-barrel carburetor in place of the original 2-barrel, and
ceramic-coated headers, it definitely makes good power. It's quite
nicely detailed with shiny chrome valve covers and a matching air
cleaner, and the big aluminum radiator up front keeps the whole
show nice and cool. A Torqueflite 3-speed automatic transmission
shows quick reflexes and spins what appears to be the original rear
end, and the Magnaflow-equipped dual exhaust system sounds suitably
threatening. Flashy chrome Foose wheels wearing staggered 215/45/17
front and 225/55/17 rear performance radials make the Dart a nimble
handler, and they really fill the wheel wells nicely for a sporty
look.
Simple, clean, and very affordable, this Dart is a lot of fun for
the Mopar enthusiast, or any cool classic car buyer. Call
today!
