This car appears to be one of just 784 built in 1969, a Dart GT Sport (hence the GTS abbreviation). That’s because it came with 383 cubic inch V8 with a 4-speed manual. It was last registered in 1977 and parked for a restoration that barely got started. The seller bought the car off the original owner’s family last year but has too much on his plate to undertake the project. It’s available in Holden, Missouri and here on eBay where the bidding has reached $13,138. But this Dodge could be quite the sleeper once brought back to its former glory!
The Dart was redesigned for 1967 and would change only minimally until the end of its run in 1976. In the 1969 – the year before the Dodge Challenger was introduced – the GTS sort of passed for the company’s “pony car”. Less than 6,000 copies of total Dart production that year were the GTS version, under 1,300 were coupes with the 383, and just shy of 800 had it paired with a 4-speed. The seller’s car was produced early in the model year in September 1968.
This GTS was originally finished in Light Green Metallic (F3) paint, and what’s on the car maybe be largely original except for the hood and right front fender which were replaced at some point due to a small accident. The seller says some traces of that oops remain on the forward part of the fender well. If you’re looking for rust, it’s mostly absent on this car except for surface rust which you might except after sitting around for 44 years. This is also true of the floorboards and trunk which are visible since the seats, carpeting and liner have been removed.
The car’s matching interior is going to need a complete makeover, including sourcing a new driver’s bucket seat because it’s simply missing. The originals steering wheel has some cracks and the odometer reads just 1,000 miles, which means it may have turned over, but the seller has no idea what the car’s actual mileage is.
As you can surmise from the stance of the car, the engine and transmission are not in it. The transmission and driveshaft are MIA, and the block is not the one that came from the factory. But pieces like the crankshaft, heads, manifolds and intake are as they were in 1969. The seller has located a correct tranny and 383 long-block, and he can hook the buyer of his car up with that contact. This non-driving project came equipped with all sorts of goodies, such as dog dish hub caps, console, tachometer, front disc brakes and even an 8-track tape player (I still have a few of those tapes: why do I keep them?)
The 1969 dart is one of my favorite mopars. A 69 dart would cost a lot less to restore than a 68-70 charger.
Hi Arthell.
Agree with you, very cool mopar for sure. My Dad bought a 68 new, seem to recall a 383 (?) in it as well. No 4 speed though.
Recall him constantly complaining about the gas mileage. He had come from a decade of VWs, SAABS, etc., Guess 25 cents a gallon was too much for a gallon of gas…
So I have a question, asked in all honesty: what makes a Dart less expensive to restore than say a Charger? Thanks for your input.
You can find a decent dart 4 door pretty cheap if you need
fenders. grille. trunk lid, bumpers. dash pieces and lots of other parts. A charger has lots of parts that are charger only. A nice charger grille can cost thousands and it would be hard to find a nice set of fenders in a junkyard. The pad on the bottom of the dash is very expensive on the charger. A charger is not a cheap car to find parts for. In all honesty don’t ask how I know this.
To support @Arthell64, a quick comparison of replacement parts at Classic Industries: Dart front fender $500, Charger front fender $800 and so on.
Amazing bidding on non drive train car.
It will never be original.
The “440 Big-Block: 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger” was a better deal.
I hope it gets saved and put back together as a future hot rod by someone with deep pockets. I say go with the Mopar new model engines and enjoy.
A-Body with a big block is a good find!
This must be what was shipped to hurst for a 440, oh maybe they just shipped automatics to hurst to pull and put in the 440, does anyone know ?
Hmm, let’s see. 20K for that nice Nova or 13 K for this.
These cars will attract different types of buyers with different interests.
Steve R
Having owned an M-code big block ‘69 Barracuda fastback,these were manufactured with special made A-frames under them to carry the weight of the monster motors.Most came with automatic transmission but not sure about the 4-speed this should be very collectible classic when finished,make sure to check the numbers! This is a quarter-mile missle !
What a Bummer….
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/mr-norm-kraus
thanks for the very interesting link; sorry to lose him
Really in rough shape for a car that was supposedly parked when it was 8 years old