Vehicle Description
Now that 'Cuda and Challenger prices are through the roof, where
are true-blue Mopar fans to go for their performance fix? How about
this beautifully restored 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger 340? With all the
styling cues that make its bigger brothers so striking, great
options like factory A/C, plus potent performance delivered via a
thundering 340 cubic inch small block V8, this is a car to be
respected on the street.
Plum Crazy purple finish is a perfect high-impact Mopar hue that's
back in fashion today, and the ultra-straight flanks on the 1970
Dart wear it incredibly well. The PPG basecoat/clearcoat finish has
an almost impossible shine (which is what you get when the body is
fully disassembled, stripped to bare metal, expertly prepped, and
then coated in high-end paints) and it looks sleek and slippery
with a great glow in the sunlight. These guys spent a lot of money
getting this car into shape when it was fully restored 10-plus
years ago, and you'll note that the gaps are excellent, and the
finish is deep, lustrous, and smooth to the touch. They got this
sucker right in just about every way, and there are very few
complaints to be had about this top-quality driver that's bordering
on show-stopper. That aggressive hood features twin functional
scoops and hood pins that set the muscle car tone early, and with
the white 'bumble bee' stripe encircling the rear end and a black
vinyl top on the roof, that loud purple finish is contrasted just
enough to help this Mopar appeal to everyone. The front grille is
gorgeous, the chrome and brightwork has been shined up to a
near-blinding level, and the pillarless hardtop design accentuates
the Dart's forward-canted shape. A lot of these were mere
grocery-getters, but when you dress it up properly the way this one
has been, it definitely has presence. Even the lowered stance
suggests speed and performance, and the whole car looks a lot more
expensive than it is.
The interior is where the Dart's economy-car roots are most
evident, but that only meant that you could afford the hardware
that mattered when you walked into the showroom in 1970. Nobody did
big performance on a budget like Chrysler Corporation, but quite
frankly this cabin is very upscale for a muscle-era Mopar. The
original high-back deluxe buckets have been reupholstered in
Legendary Auto vinyl seat covers, which look awesome with the
bright purple paint. There are also original black door panels,
plush black carpets, and the original dash features a crack-free
pad up top, stylish woodgrain applique, and a full array of factory
switches, knobs, and gauges. The 3-spoke steering wheel is
factory-issued and in great shape, and just ahead of it the three
pods house all the instruments, including a center-mounted
tachometer. A retro-style AM/FM/AUX/BT stereo was swapped-in and
features Mopar's favorite thumbwheel controls in the middle of the
dash, the highly desirable middle console is beautifully accented
with chrome and wood applique and houses the shifter for the
automatic transmission, and the original under-dash A/C system has
been upgraded with modern hardware (although it does seem to have a
slight leak). Out back the rear seat looks untouched, as does the
surprisingly roomy trunk that features a new mat that fits well and
gives it a clean, well-tended look.
The Dart's real claim to fame, however, is under the hood. No need
for a big block when you have a lightweight shell, and the
numbers-matching, high-performance 340/275HP under the hood pulls
this lightweight A-Body with great gusto. With a big Edelbrock
650CFM 4-barrel carburetor, it thumps out plenty of horsepower and
great torque while the easy, light weight handling of a smaller car
remains. The engine and valve covers are dressed in proper Hemi
Orange, while the Plum Crazy purple inside the engine bay is the
perfect backdrop, and with correct components like the original air
cleaner found throughout, the engine bay looks just like it did in
1970. It's backed by a heavy-duty A727 TorqueFlite automatic built
for combat that spins the original 8.75 rear end filled with 3.23
gears inside. Which means it's comfortable off-the-line and on the
highway. Stock manifolds feed into a stainless-steel dual exhaust
below, so the soundtrack is instantly familiar to anyone that
remembers their Grandpa's Mopar, and one look at the clean
undercarriage let's you know how thorough this restoration really
was. Power steering means easy maneuverability on the road, front
disc brakes help the car stop on a dime, and traditional Rally
wheels wear 225/70/14 BFGoodrich T/A white-letter radials that
finish off the look perfectly.
A very cool compact with big money spent in all the right places,
this Dart Swinger is ready to rock. Forget the big guys, the little
Mopar will show them how it's done. Call today!