By definition, a Muscle Car is a lightweight body matched with a
big motor. The 1970 Dodge Dart, weighing 2,840 pounds, mated to a
500 cubic inch, 850 horsepower engine is the ultimate expression of
that ideal. The 500 Cubic Inch wedge was built by Pete Tritak of
Tritak Performance of War Wagon and Car Craft Hemi Cuda drag racing
fame. The rest of the car was built by professional builder and
body man, Joe Pardo. Joe creates some of the slickest Pro-Street
and Pro-Touring beasts we've had the pleasure to drive. The
workmanship and parts-matching talents rival any found on the
national show circuit. Stunning, tasteful, and goes like hell, his
30+ years of building and racing experience show in both the design
and execution of this beautiful beast.
EXTERIOR
Any good custom car design is emotionally evocative, yet still
looks as if the factory produced it. Often times, you would have a
hard time knowing what is factory and what is custom, unless the
original and the custom were parked side by side. This 1970 Dart
high impact green, but pulls a modern Dodge color from the last
generation Viper. The body is keeps the factory lines while
accommodating a tubbed rear section. The car was soda blasted,
taken down to bare metal, painted and polished throughout. The
floor-pans have the same show car sheen as the roof. All the
stainless trim has been polished to new condition; all the weather
stripping is new. All the glass in the entire car is also new. The
headlights are new and the headlight bezels have re-chromed.
Modern bonding agents, like those used in ultra-light and
ultra-strong modern supercars were employed to keep this Dart tight
and light. The stance is low with just a slight forward rake,
giving it the look of going fast while standing dead still. The
paint and body work is on par with any you'd find on a Good Guy's
or World of Wheel's award winning car.
INTERIOR
The interior looks and smells new. Just as with the rest of the
car, the builder was thorough throughout the interior. All new soft
trim and cushions were fitted to the front seats. The back wheel
tubs are paint is the same factory semi flat black as the rest of
the interior metals. The 10 point roll-cage is tastefully
integrated into the cabin. The steering wheel and door panels are
stock. The stock dash-pad houses a custom crafted gauge bezel
fitted with white faced Autometer gauges. The center console serves
as the throne for the gated Cheetah SCS "Touch Command" Shifter.
The overall effect is one that ultra-clean, perhaps the way Mopar
would have delivered it as a factory drag package in 1970.
ENGINE BAY
Normally cartoonish and cramped, the giant wedge is a diamond,
gleaming in a Viper green jewelry box of this Dart- a testament to
the quality of workmanship and artistic eye of the builder. The
legendary Pete Tritak of Tritak Performance made magic with this
440 stroker. Stroked and poked to 500 cubic inches, the monstrous
Mopar mill is made for the severe duty of 8 second runs, making as
much as 850 horsepower. The goodies in this full roller include
Manley connecting rods, JE Pistons, Comp solid roller cam and
roller lifters. The 1090 CFM 2 circuit quick fuel carb mixes the 93
octane with a "Big Gulp" of air from the Super Stock hood. The
port-matched Indy intake drives the concoction down the Indy 44-1
CNC raised heads. Spent gasses are passed through TTI headers and a
full length, custom fabricated 3" exhaust.
CHASSIS
Power with control would make this stroker powered monster just
another smoking noise maker. This job was left to two of the top
names in custom car suspension, Reilly Motors Sports and Chris
Alston's Chassis Work. The Pete Tritak 500 seems to float above the
RMS AlterKtion coil-over front end, adding both artistry and
performance to the car. The Chris Alston FAB9 rear center section
keeps the 4.30:1 cogs contained, sending the twist through the 35
spline axle shafts all the way out to a pair Weld wheels and Mickey
Thompson Drag Radials wider than a Montana Sky. An Alston four link
suspension set-up keep the tires to the ground and the Dart
tracking missile fast toward its target.
BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
- Tritak Performance built 440 Wedge Stroked to 500 Cubic
Inches
- Fully Rollerized 727 Torqueflite w/Aluminum Drum
- 8" ATI Torque Converter
- RMS Coil Over Front Suspension
- Chris Alston FAB9 Rear End, 4.30:1
- Chris Alston Four Link Rear Suspension
- Four Wheel Disc Brakes by Wilwood
- Weld Wheels
- Mickey Thompson Drag Radials
