The 1962 Dodge Dart 330 seen here is in Joliet, Illinois and can be found on eBay. The unmet starting bid is $9,900 and there is less than a day left to throw down a bid on this one! For a car that originally cost $2,241, that’s a healthy bump in price.
This car is a favorite of mine. I love 1962 vehicles, in general, but these Darts are especially on my radar because the styling is so unusual. The front end/grille treatment is one of the coolest of all time, in my opinion. They say that all “the missing chrome is available and included with the car (not shown in pictures). Buyer will receive NOS headlight rings with the car (which I saw being sold a few months ago online for about $850 a pair).”
And, then there’s the rear end design. This particular car is in amazingly nice shape, despite the spots of primer that you see all over it. The seller says that this is a California car that they’ve had for 20 years and it has “never seen rust or salt.” It has no “rust or rust holes on floors, quarter panels, or fenders.” It’s pretty amazing for a 54-year old car to be so solid. The “California owner used a can of gray primer as you see now on the body (before patina was “cool”). Would probably rub off easy. “
The seats must have been reupholstered, but there is no mention of the interior other than there are no rust holes on the floors.
Boom! Ok, so this isn’t a 413/440/426 V8, but the seller says that this 225 slant-six runs, even though you have to hold the key to the “on” position or it’ll turn off. Being the oddball that I am, not to mention the purist that I am, I wouldn’t change this engine! I’m in the vast minority on that, there is no question about it. I just love this design and this era, not to mention that this is one of my favorite engines of all time. Restored versions of this car with a monster Max Wedge engine will sell for several times the asking price. What would you do with this car? I’m guessing that the first thing would be to deep-six that slant-six?
Starting problem sounds like a ballast resistor. Five bucks at any auto parts store.
There should be no question, it will become a Max Wedge clone. Typically, without that option, it’s not the most coveted Mopar around. Personally, I like it as is, that 60’s Mopar styling was so unique. And the 6 is bullet proof. However, with clones bringing 50g’s or more, the lure will be too much for someone to pass up. The Max Wedges were arguably some of the fastest cars of their day and highly sought after. Quite a find indeed.
very unique old mopar and I like but 9 grand!!!! It must have fallen off the jack on the owner’s head!!!!
I agree Ron: it reminds me of the cheery opening of the song, “Oh, it’s never never ever too late, To GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS”… (Seth Timbs song, where Randy Newman/Pixar meets casual existential angst) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_euBcz4k6Fg
As a Chrysler kid, I really wanted to love their offerings. However, the 60-62 Dodges were hard to love, as were the 60 and 61 Plymouths. Consider what GM was doing with their designs…so much cleaner. Mopar was into a really eclectic idiosyncratic look that didn’t work for me most of the time, as much as I wanted it to.
I did have a very minor epiphany looking at the first picture shown. You can see the Valiant (and Lancer) in the Dodge’s front fenders.
My buddy up the road has a red one. A real Max Wedge car. What a sleeper and he is not afraid to drive her. Cool rigs.
Could never understand the selling strategy of making a starting bid so high. I doubt anyone is going to offer almost $10K to open up for this one, even with no rust! IMHO a much better plan is to hang a reserve on it, allow the opening bids low and let the bidding determine the interest and subsequent value. Probably an inexperienced seller, he only has 3 feedbacks.
You can almost the same car in size and styling in a “62 Studebaker Daytona completely finished for a lot less than this Dodge. Don’t get me wrong I am a big Mopar fan(owned over 20 of them) but not enough to spend my money foolishly. Picture of Studebaker for comparison.
mopar guy here…..there’s just some models that you just have to love to put up the money for……and this is on a short list for a lot of mopar guys……
love the 1962 Daytona with the short script ….
LOL Almost $10k. Best laugh I’ve had in a long time.
Love that body style. A friend bought a new ’62 Plymouth sport fury with a 383 golden commando 3 on the tree. That car could SCOOT!
Auction update: this car went unsold the first time around and was relisted where it was sold for $9,900.
Amazing how people jump all over something like the 62 and poor mouth the seller. How many are there left? How many of those that are left are rusted out. These are amazing cars and deserve the respect that Mopar has earned. A 62 Dodge with a 413 dual quad was capable of 12 second quarter mile times and supposedly the 64 GTO was the first muscle car? These cars ruled in 62. I’m grateful to have finally found one and have a lot of plans for it. Mine is a 440 series two door hardtop with a 318 Poly. It came with a 413 as well.