Someone we all know is having a “big” birthday, a round numbers kind of year, this year. That’s the US itself, celebrating its 250th birthday. You could be part of the excitement by grabbing up this very American 1976 Dodge Dart “Spirit of ‘76” special edition. What better car to drive in a July 4th parade? You’ve got the chance if you respond to the ad here on facebook. The price of entry is $15,000, though the fact that the car has been advertised for 47 weeks might say that that’s a bit too much. So make your play and get to Buffalo, NY to start the semiquincentennial in style. (Yes, I had to look that up.) That party, by the way, is officially known by the more mouth-friendly term, “America 250,” for marketing purposes.
The Dodge Dart Sport was a nifty fastback variant of the economy-minded Chrysler A-body. This model was preceded by the Demon, which had its name squelched due to religious objections. The Dart Sport existed from 1973-76, with engines available from 225-CID (the “Slant Six”) on up. This particular car is a bit of a high school boy’s dream machine, with its colorful under-hood wiring and aftermarket valve covers and intake air filter set-up. This was likely done in the 1980s, but you can reverse the course with a good afternoon spent with the right accessories catalogue.
What’s fun about this model, aside from the “Spirit of ‘76” theme, is what makes it go, a four-speed with a 360. But the real kicks are in the graphics emblazoned on the body flanks and paid off by the stylized red-white-and-blue seat fabric. One unfortunate apparent add is the silly rear spoiler, but that’s probably the fault of the same adolescent who worked his anti-magic under the hood. Ditto the hood scoops, though for cosmetic purposes, those can stay.
The body of this particular unit looks to be solid, not easy for having passed its life in salty-winters Buffalo, but it would still be wise to take a magnet with you for inspection purposes, and run it over a number of surfaces. My 1975 Dart Sport, I discovered a year after I bought it when bubbles started coming out everywhere, rusted even on the tops of the front fenders. If the sheetmetal checks out, and you don’t mind spending some money to do a bit of tidying up, then this could be a great ticket to celebrating Uncle Sam this summer.
USA, USA,,still the best, even though, every now and then it’s kind of hard to tell. Some here may not be old enough to remember the 200th, and all the crazy hoopla that went with it. From cars to candy bars, it was a big deal, even as USA sentiment was at its all time lowest. The cars like this, and every US car maker got in on the action, was a half baked attempt to boost American moral. Did it help? Meh, a little, I think it helped the car makers more than anything. Will it be the same for 250? Nah, we’re much more global now than in 1976, and Americans come from all over today, so probably not.
This car, hoopla included, should remain like this, as a reminder to future generations, we were so proud of America, it was emblazoned on our cars. We sat our tushes on R,W,&B. These were fun, cheap, durable cars, and still is. Great find. You can bet my Jeep will adorn Old Glory this 4th, my neighbors Hyundai Sonata,,,we’ll see, I suppose.
I think it did help. Gen X, it inspired me as a young kid. Brother had a Spirit of 76 Lionel train. Saw it everywhere. We didn’t live through Vietnam, weren’t yet jaded with reality. I mean we got 9/11 and war though. Still the greatest country in my proud opinion. We’ll get through the division and economic warfare soon enough, God willing, and everyone else still tries to be here.
I have to agree…STILL the greatest country on the face of the earth or they wouldn’t still be come here in droves! As for this car though? I think I’d rather have Howard’s Jeep but that said…still a nice find.
Howard’s jeep? I don’t think that I would set the bar that low!
Greatest? That’s funny.
At this point, “America 250” is more of a wake than a celebration. Hey…we had a good run. But this is a nice little car, in spite of a couple modifications that are questionable. The four speed with a 360 would be pretty fun. The graphics are a bit over the top, as is the red, white and blue interior. But it’s what’s under the hood that counts. $10 or $12k seems a bit more reasonable, and like Brian says…. make sure and check for rust…. it’s from Buffalo after all.
The Spirit of ’76 is a Dart Lite, which has some aluminum bracing, brackets, etc, to allegedly save about 150 pounds over a regular Dart Sport. I’d love to have this car, but can’t do it right now.
We had a Bicentennial Day celebration at my school in 76 (2nd grade). Every time I see one of these special cars for that year on Barn Finds, I think of that day.
I’ve got you beat, I was a junior in high school during the Bicentennial year, LOL! I was doing automotive penance, driving Mom’s 1972 Maverick instead of one of these!
360, 4sp 👍
God bless America
Land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above
From the mountains, to the prairies
To the oceans white with foam
We have 2 options , vote for America or Vote for disaster [ come on you all watched this going on ] , we dont need to like our leaders but we must back them with caution but I still do believe the best is yet to come for America , no pokin holes in the boat please .
Back a bunch of sociopathic, psychopathic, killing criminals? Sorry, not from my vantage point. The boat’s already sunk. Sorry if you didn’t notice.
Paul, you seem to be pretty much alone if you track the “thumbs”.
I agree Paul. Its going to take a lot to come back from this debacle… if it’s possible at all.
Price negotiable ~~??
3 pedals, hell yes!!
They also had a Hang 10 edition in the two years prior to this one. Same color scheme, different side stripe. A neighbor of mine bought one new but it had the 225 slat 6 and auto in it. Not a nice engine /trans combo like this one.
I owned a 74 Dart Hang Ten for a couple years. Crazy interior with orange shag carpeting, orange panels on the white console, white panels on the dash, and what some called a swimsuit interior bucket seats with white vinyl striped black, yellow and orange. Exterior graphics just as nuts.
Here’s a picture of a Hang 10 that I downloaded and posted the last time we talked about there here on BF. Interesting model, and I think it’s cool that Dodge / Plymouth came out with these funky models.
There is a Facebook Group dedicated to the Spirit of ’76 vehicles.
This was the last year for the Chrysler A-Bodies, the Dodge Dart/Demon/Sport and the Plymouth Valiant/Duster. They were replaced by the execrable Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare twins! That makes these Bicentennial special editions a bit more rare. Note that this one isn’t sporting the Federally mandated “Bash Beam” bumpers! Chrysler got a special dispensation from Uncle Sam, as this was the last year for these cars. So, something close to normal size bumpers at both ends of the car, no “park bench” to sit on, LOL!
The valve covers don’t bother me, but I’m not a fan of the aftermarket cassette deck that replaced the factory radio, or the CD changer under the dash, but that can be fixed easily enough. The usual go-fast goodies can restore the lost ponies stolen by the EPA’s anti-smog gear, so this one is a good start for some more upgrades. GLWTS.
I’m surprised this hasn’t sold. The scoops and wing look out of place, but other than that it is an interesting reminder of the time gone by. After falling for the 70-72 versions I looked down on these. But the dressed up Spirit of ’76 brings back a lot of memories of 200.
250 is just a number today, but waiting for 252, which should memorable..
Cool trip down memory lane. The Bicentennial was an awesome time to be alive. People from around the world recognized the achievement of the American experiment. Our Semiquincentinnial is just as much so. Too bad so many believe otherwise. There is still no greater place to live. Time to support that foundation and not allow it to disappear forever. 🇺🇸
The car is nice with all the eighties it can muster. Pistol grip 4-speed behind a 360, Tuff wheel, aftermarket cassette and rear view mirror laying on the floor.
@Henry Davis
The thumbs?
I was 9 years old in 1976. I remember all the patriotism and celebrations. The only debates were Coke or Pepsi, Burger King or McDonalds, Miller or Budweiser, and Ford or Chevrolet. Sadly today we are so divided on politics and personal values that we can’t come together as a country and face the world as one nation. I love my country, my God, my family and 60s and 70’s American cars. Hope we make it another 50 years.