Most remember the Dodge Dart as a popular compact car (from 1963 to 1976). But before that, it was a budget-minded, full-sized product at the beginning of the 1960s. This 1961 edition is a 2-door sedan that appears to have been restored – though the seller does not use that term. While it looks like a sleeper, there aren’t any significant performance mods under the hood. This Dodge can be found in Omaha, Nebraska, and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $27,800.
More than 60 years later, many consider the styling of Chrysler’s cars in the early 1960s as strange. That was especially true of the downsized Dodges of 1962, which earned the nickname “Plucked Chickens”. The reverse-slated fins of the ‘61s were no less awkward – as is the case with this Dodge Dart Pioneer, a mid-tier model. It was sandwiched between the Seneca and Phoenix in the Dart ensemble.
While the Slant-Six was standard fare in these big Dodges, this one sports the more capable 318 cubic-inch V8. It’s paired with the push-button TorqueFlite automatic still deployed by Chrysler through 1964. The car is said to have covered just 43,000 miles, and everything we see could be original (but doubtful). Power steering was ordered when new, but the rest of the options were kept to a short list (for example, no full wheel covers).
New or newer items on this Plain Jane Mopar include the tires, air shocks, and a cool-sounding dual exhaust. We’re told this Dodge has been “fully serviced” (please define) and is ready to rock and roll. The seller could be a dealer, but no trades will be entertained. Who’s ready to add this funky Dart to their arsenal?
Good luck getting $28k for a car almost no one wants. And I don’t think it is a stretch to believe someone that wants one doesn’t want to pay that.
That’s not to say I don’t like it. I love it. But that kind of money buys more interesting and popular iron,
Thanks Dixon. 🤝
I love it. If it had the R or RB engine, Id be on my way. I have a nice long Ram set up for a R/RB engine that would look fantastic in this cool 61.
An RB would even make the PHOENIX attractive, maybe. Then again…
I gotta say this is interesting, you don’t see many of these anymore. I remember these being around when I was a kid, we lived in a small town with a Dodge dealer. The new low priced Dart was a Plymouth underneath. Back then Plymouth was actually a step below Dodge. I really like the looks of this one, and its a V-8 too. Doesn’t have the original wheels and hubcaps but I like the look. I don’t know about the price, but where are you going to find another one. Even with a low mileage car like this somebody put in time, effort and money to make it look this good.
The hopeful seller refers to the dog dish hubcaps as “covers”. Ummm no.
Why do people buy these God awful lime green batteries? They look like a nuclear plant even in the daytime, let alone the eerie glow at night. Black batteries please, I don’t care if they are Interstate or another make.
Now to the positive. This looks to be an original looking car, but I may suspicion a respray, but it looks great with the period matching color. Clean, wear free interior. I would prefer a 3 on the tree to go with the plain Jane look. This car would draw some attention at a show for it’s uniqueness.
Hey Jon 👋. I’m STILL here. I’m sure it will come as NO surprise that as a teen my parents bought a 61 Red PHOENIX Convertible with white top. I practically begged Dad to buy it. Exners controversial next direction styling was his final statement before the disastrous 62s. Loved that car. Part of the deal with Dad was that I could drive it on weekends, but had to keep it clean. With Dad driving it to work and parking in Inland Steel, that was not an easy task, but well worth the effort. The best of The Darts interior was the see through speedometer (partly shown) which was shared by my beloved 61 DeSoto. PHOENIX was top of the DART line, naturally fitting my TOO MUCH is NEVER ENOUGH philosophy. How, times have changed. But my love of The GREAT AMERICAN LAND YACHT lives on. LOL!
I know a fellow in Havre MT. just had a very high end restoration done on a BLACK 1961 Phoenix hardtop. What a car! It was funny, he was telling about starting the restoration and later that day while out on a ranch I found a parts car with lots of good parts. I got the car bought and he sent a roll back truck to pick it up.
Last time I looked, Hemmings Motor News had a 61 black PHOENIX from a dealership listed for $99,900. Like it’s namesake, it’s apparently risen from the ashes. SO different from 80s Pontiac PHOENIX. Strange how names migrate from one to another 🤔
At 16, I had as my first car, a ‘64 Valiant with the push button tranny and more than one time pulled the park lever down accidentally while I was not quite ready too. It was vertically positioned on the dash, to the left of the steering wheel.
When I saw the fat tire/`78 police-issue rims and caps, I was thinking this might have a hotter engine than the 318. And it’s in my city of Omaha! GLWTA!
Those are not 1978 police wheels or caps.
I don’t recall ever seeing one of these before, but I love the atomic-age styling – especially the instrument panel and horn bar. This will take a specific Mopar aficionado to pay asking price for this, but it’s probably the nicest one out there. A unique 64 yr old vehicle in turnkey condition for under $30K? You could certainly do better, but you could do worse, too.
Atomic age. I guess that might explain things. Seems like there were a lot of other choices out there in ’61. Loved seeing it but don’t think I’m the target buyer.
The front end styling reminds me of a moose. The jury is still out on the rear.
Bullwinkle does come to mind, gotta love or hate the early 60s Mopars.
This is one unique car. The styling team at Chrysler were really doing some outlandish propositions in those days. In my opinion, this is not an attractive car, but I would still own it for it’s uniqueness factor, think De Soto Fireflyte. For this one I would be comfortable paying about 15,000.
This is one great forum, andI look forward to it every morning. Thank you barn finds team and members.
The weirdness of this car is what makes it so appealing. I remember these and other Chrysler products of that era driving around and saying “what were they thinking”. Now, like any other thing that can only be explained by nostalgia, it brings back memories. Thanks to whomever put the time in to bring this ride back to it’s present condition. Sure to draw a crowd at any show. I can see this car in a period movie.
So weird. I was a kid in grade school and I still thought these were strange. I wonder how these sold? Years later we get the Pontiac Aztec and it bombed. Oh and the Edsel too. And they weren’t even that extreme like the Dart.
Fox, (maybe Audi Fox?) I’ll make your Aztec nightmare worse. My cousin’s wife owned a bright yellow one. EWWWWWW! Like you, I hated those vehicles in any color. Just glad I didn’t eat before I first saw it!
On the other hand, we had a black Buick Rendezvous CXL that we liked. Ride all day and not be tired.
Saw the tire/wheel package, and I thought maybe we had a 440/TF cop car wanna be… but alas, no! Stock poly 318–which ain’t bad, mind you!–and stock TF, so a grand cruiser overall. But $28k? Umm, no. For someone, probably, but not for me.
Being that no police car had a 440 until 1967, I would guess not…and the 318 polyspheric engine was a pile of poop.
By 1961 there wasn’t much left to do with the styling of fins — so they put them on backawards.
Oops. Typo, not misspelling.
Jerry, I’m okay with backawards
By 1961 there wasn’t much left to do with the styling of fins — so they put them on backwards.
My ’64 Dodge wore the same baby blue paint as this ’61, and had the push-button auto-tranny. The dash changed a lot in those 3 years, but the rest of the interior didn’t change much. This one appears to be in excellent shape according to all of the photos on FB Marketplace. The early 60’s Chrysler divisions styling was an attempt at being “different’ from all the rest, and I agree, they should have gone with another kind of “different” over what they chose. But, the American auto industry has put out its fair share of “strange” – and there’s none stranger than the Ford Edsel – the painting “The Scream” frozen solid in the strangest ugliest car ever produced. But, it has its fans all the same – who will pay big bucks to find one in as good a condition as this ’61 Dodge Dart. With what I can see from the photos, the asking price is not at all extravagant for what you get – and I’m sure there’s collectors out there who have a soft spot for this car’s unconventional styling as well. — Just because you may not like the styling is no reason to put it down like I see being done here.
Growing up I really liked the tv show “Car 54 Where are you?” and being a car nut from an early age I remember the show featured these weird Chrysler products as the cop cars. It seemed to add to the bizarreness of the main characters’ behavior (“ooo, ooo”, pulling on ear lobe). I WANT THIS WEIRDASS CAR! BUT, $28K ???
“Awkward” seems too restrained. “Hideous” describes it better. Is this a Virgil Exner product? Was Virgil on mushrooms that day?
Exner was trying to find another direction from the finned fantasies. This is somewhat of a preview of the disastrous downsized *Chicken Wing * 62 Plymouths and Dodges. IMO, as stated above, I actually liked the 61 PHOENIX we had. But it was the end of Exners Chrysler career.
It is a nice vehicle for someone, not be but someone. It’s hard to find “it’s good side”. That being said the dash has some interesting designs. Hats off to the owner, it presents well.
Good luck to the seller.
$2,780.00 would be a stretch.
I was 9 years old when this came out. It was ugly then, it’s still ugly, but I would enjoy owning it, although nowhere near that price. It would be a hit at car shows!
I know it’s late in commenting, but I just remembered the police car Daniel Day Simpson (D-DAY) stole at the end of Animal House was a Dart Pioneer. I like this car, be even better with some Torque Thrust rims.
Almost every one of these butt-ugly cars I have seen has had a slant-six. At least this has one redeeming feature!