There aren’t many more distinctive designs than Virgil Exner’s early 1960’s Mopar products. This pair of 1962 Dodge Darts is being offered by auction here on eBay, both for one price. While the bidding is starting at only $1,000, the buy it now is an expensive $23,000. The Darts are located in Columbus, Indiana.
The convertible is the star here, complete with the vintage Keystone Classic wheels. It runs but needs body work to the level you would like, a new top and a power steering pump. It’s hard to tell how much body filler is in there, but looking at the rear quarter panel I’m guessing a decent amount.
I’m pretty sure that seat upholstery isn’t original, but it doesn’t look too bad. The dash looks nice and although you’re going to want to replace some weatherstripping, overall the car looks like you could fix that power steering pump, put a top on it and drive it while you improved things.
I was expecting a slant six, so this V8 was a pleasant surprise. The underhood appearance really is pretty good, although it’s obviously been resprayed as I’m pretty sure the wiring harness didn’t start out white.
Above the convertible in the driveway is this four door. Still wearing what I think is its original wheel covers, this two-tone larger version of the Dart looks like a winner as well. The sedan also needs some body work, new door and body gaskets. It also needs some vent work according to the seller. I’m wondering exactly what that means.
Apart from the makeshift seat covers, the interior of the larger car looks pretty nice, certainly for a driver.
Under the hood, we can see a V8 (somewhat surprisingly) and the obvious air conditioning compressor. So–faced with both of these cars, what would you do? Pretend for a moment you own them both. Would you move the air conditioning to the convertible and sell off the sedan? Keep them both and continue with the mirror image color scheme? And would you build the unbuilt model kit that’s included, or keep it in the box?
Love the Keystone Classics!
Seriously? You expect a Dart with Keystone mags to have a slant 6? I’M say the convertible might be worth $15,000 but the hardtop would take more than it’s worth to fix all the flaws.
Probably a total value of 9k if that.
The convertible is cool. I’d take the wheel covers and steering wheel from the sedan and swap them onto the 2-dr. Then use the 4-dr for parts.
I’m not a Mopar guy, and I think they’re way overpriced, but I could see gutting the 4 door of all the good parts, and building a very nice PS, PB, air convertible from the two.
Around 71-72, I high school buddy of mine had a brown 62 Dart 330, 4 door post, with the 225 slant six and push button TorqueFlight. He inherited it from his grandfather. I don’t remember how many miles were on it, but I’m pretty sure it was less than 50,000. Like so many of the boring, low miles 4 doors, that the elderly have owned, it was spotless. I loss contact with him and his Dart, when we went off to college.
The base Dart and 330, came with the slant six, but I think the 440’s, came with the 318 standard?
The sedan may have more room inside, but the exterior dimensions are the same as the convertible. Not sure if it’s the color or the camera that makes it appear larger, but it’s not.
The story of how these smaller, “plucked chicken” Dodges came to be is fascinating. I often wonder what would have happened if the cars had been built as true full-sized cars, as originally designed. Would better proportions and curved glass have pulled the design together, or would they have been merely larger oddballs?
I think they would still be weird but larger. There are some pictures such at Allpar.com
The styling on these cars always made me wonder. Still, put a 413 in a two-door version and the outer space-type sheet metal starts to look OK. These two seem kind-of expensive.
I could not believe what I saw in the convertible’s upholstery. It’s an exact match to a 1950’s kitchen chair, that my Dad reupholstered in 1959, with the identically colored material.
I have always said everyone needs a convertible plus a closed car for the blustery days. I’d restore them both, but I am a bit different.
I have two of these rare Darts. One is a 4-dr. sedan parts car, 440 trim level, with the 318 (for sale, good running engine); the other is a 4-dr. hardtop Polara 500 with the 361 4-barrel–very fast car since it is so light weight. The vent duct areas behind the cowl and around the hood hinges are well known for rusting out on these cars. The convertible here has the wrong radio speaker cover, wrong dash pad above the glove box, and wrong upholstery. The 4-dr. has the correct dash pad and radio speaker grille. I would leave the 4-dr. hardtop as-is since it is such a nicely equipped car with factory A/C, power steering, and power brakes. It would be a very nice car to drive every day–quick with the 318 and surprisingly good on gas. These cars are so rare now, hardly ever seen, and you either love the funky styling or hate it. Lots of ’62 Chevrolets and Fords around, but drive one of these to a local car show and you will be surrounded by people looking at them and asking questions.
Pete in Tx.
@Pete in Texas: My dad bought a ’62 Dart 440 4 dr. hardtop in black (like the Polara above), but w/ a gray interior, and I blacked out the grille to match. It was passed to me when he bought a fully loaded ’72 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham. I passed it to my younger brother, when I bought a ’70 Charger in 1974. My brother located a rare four barrel intake for the poly 318, and when he decided to sell it, my oldest sister said no, keep it in the family and acquired it…it is now owned by my nephew! And yes, those are the original hubcaps on the two toned Dart. :-)
My race car in `78 was a `62 Dart wagon.
I also had Keystone Klassics on the front.
This is better…
Sorry, uploaded the wrong one…
Love the station wagon!!!!Bruce.
At least they’re not 61s
I always loved the Darts and Valiants. My mom’s cousin had a ’60s Lancer that was a very nice car. I’ve mentioned on this board before my ’63 Valiant slant-six which was a super neat car and had 28K on it when my parents gave it to me for Christmas in ’65.
fix the convertible AND the more door, look CLOSELY, its a more door HARDTOP not a sedan, factory two tone, V-8, with factory AIR, granted the rag top is worth more, but that 4 door would be a beautiful car when done. There not worth the reserve, but I would have NO PROBLEM giving $7500 for both.
Hmmmm?
Doesn’t the guy own a compressor ?
I may be one of the few people who actually likes the styling of the ’62 Dart/Polara (as well as the ’62 Fury). I liked it new and I like it now. Somewhat Italianate. Much more interesting than, say, the stupefyingly boring ’62 Galaxie or Fairlane. The ’62 Impala was considerably more palatable and stylish than the Ford, but really still a decorated box. I perhaps could live without the set of “louvres” on the Dart/Polara rear fender, which don’t really seem to relate to anything, but otherwise the MOPARS showed much more creativity and dynamism than those Ford and GM competitors. I like these cars. However, if I was the seller I would take a few minutes to pump up the tires.