This solid, original “desert car from Arizona” is now in Penfield, New York, 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY; most definitely not rust-free desert territory! This one is “barn fresh!” according to the seller. It’s listed on eBay and it’s a 1964 Dodge Dart GT. It’s in pretty good condition, but it’ll “need restored”, as some folks say… The current bid price is just a touch over $2,500.
This Dart GT has a great, dare I even say it?.. patina.. I would not do one thing to the body of this car, but that’s just me. Maybe I’d straighten the bumpers and a few detail things like that. Of course, I always love a nut-and-bolt perfectly-restored vehicle, but sometimes a person just likes to have an original one that hasn’t been “updated” or changed during the restoration because someone else thinks that “it’s much better this way”.. or something like that. Give me original or restored-to-original-specs every time.
Here is where I’d restore this car, on the interior. The floors look rusty but not holy (unholy?!) from the one underside photo provided. As does the trunk. This does look like a solid car, I guess I could go either way, restore everything or just the interior. This car has the “rare 4 speed on the floor! Bucket seats, PS , PB car. Everything works, just inspected!” I’m surprised to see power steering and power brakes listed. I think I see a power steering pump but is that a power brake booster on the firewall? There is only one engine photo and it’s tiny. Power steering would be super nice to have but it would rob a bit of power from the engine. I never had either power steering or brakes on my Dodge vans with a 225 slant-six and didn’t seem to need either, but I guess it would have been handy.
Here’s the part where some of you move on to the next Barn Finds listing; seeing a slant-six instead of a V8 in this car. Dodge offered three engines for the Dart in 1964, the aforementioned top-shelf offering which was a 273 V8 with 180 hp; the base engine, which was a 170 slant-six with 100 hp; and the engine that this car has, one of my top-five engines of all time: a 225 slant-six with 145 hp, which was a $50 option over the 170 slant-six. The seller says that it “runs drives and shifts great! New carb, distributor, plugs an wires, Gas tank, ect. Currently daily driving it.” This car has a new “carb, distributor, plugs an wires, Gas tank, ect. Currently daily driving it. 103k original miles.” I don’t think I would restore this car, or at least the visible body panels, maybe the interior and under the hood, in the trunk, the underside, etc. What about you?
I personally own and also daily drive an unrestored 1964 Dodge Dart. Mines a “270” 4 door sedan. Same 225 slant 6, and while I can attest to power steering, steer with a pinky power steering that is, there are not power brakes. That’s the same master cylinder as mine which has manual 4-wheel drum brakes.
Thanks for the power brake info, Jake!
It sounds like you have a winner there; nice car.
Patina isn’t a badge, it’s a blight.
To me ‘patina’ is oxidized paint. That can be brought back to life. Worn paint and rust is not ‘patina’. It is ugly.
I had a paper route at 12. A dart gt with 4 speed similar to this was on my route, although it was white with red interior. It was one of the first cars i saw with a floor shift. Thought it was really cool. The lady that owned it was pretty too, seemed to always dress in outfits that turned my head.
reminds me of the 66 gt 273/4sp that I got from the next door folks engine was out but all there. $75 and down the ally was a sunbeam tiger. never for sale but I tried this was never for sale.
Had a 1965 Dart Gt with 225 slant 6 , put 70k on it in a little over a year , only problem I ever had was puddles and water in distributor .
Great ad, actually is my car and if I didn’t have so many projects I would keep it! I drive it every day and runs like a top. Haven’t seen a 1964 unrestored car this solid in my life . Thanks for the post!
Never liked the styling when they were new but now I appreciate the fundamental elegance. It’s timeless. And the Slant Six – When Chrysler engineers were asked why the engine seemed to run forever they pointed out the huge tolerances. “Nothing touches. Y’all might have thought of that…”
Back in the day my older cool sister had a brand new ’64 Dart G.T. convertible with the 273, she let me use it like it was mine as long as I kept it clean and gassed up. This was during my high school days, I loved that car. Sadly she got married and traded it in on a ’65 Fury lll 2 dr. H.T. But that Dart has a place in my memory that still makes me smile over 50 years later.
Great cars. power trains never die, smooth ride. I have a red ’64 Dart gt conv, with 225, push button tranny, power steering, no power brakes, nearly all original. I’ve changed out the radiator and had the power steering pump rebuilt. Purchased it from an elderly gent 5 years ago, who babied it for about 20 yrs. Great car, still needs lead additive(substitute). I think about rebuilding the motor, but my friends say to keep driving it and rebuild when/if it dies. Many people tell me their stories about having one in their family when at shows or even just getting gas, but not many around in decent shape anymore. I’d re-buy mine and recommend it.
It may have come out of the far west, but if it is ever gets driven through a Rochester, Penfield, Fairport, Pittsford winter, it will be Swiss Cheese a year from now. These were nice driving cars with the slant six and easy to work on. Always started in the winter. Lots of people had these as commuter cars to Kodak and Xerox back in the day. Nice project car for a fun summer driver.