Drop-Top Project or Parts? 1969 Dodge Dart

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Dodge’s compacts (along with Plymouth’s) were redesigned in 1967 and those changes would last through the end of the nameplate’s run in 1976. There were popular but not inspiring until Dodge started dropping bigger engines and 4-speeds in them. The GT was one of the snappier editions, but the Slant-Six was still standard, like in the seller’s 1969 convertible. This one has a serious amount of blight and a bad interior, so it will either be a huge project to undertake or a limited parts car. Located in Denver, North Carolina, this Dart is available here on eBay for $3,295, or offers will be considered.

The Dart GT was largely a visual thing as they could be equipped with an inline-6, the 225 cubic inch edition, which the VIN says is in the seller’s car, although we get no photos of the engine compartment. Equipped with a TorqueFlite automatic transmission, this car wouldn’t light up the rear tires but would have looked sharp back in the day with its light green paint and white interior with buckets seats and a console, which came with the GT. Only 5,600 copies of the GT were built with a six in 1969, but there’s no breakdown by body style. Logic would have it that the coupe dominated production, which probably means the convertible was sort of rare back then and certainly so today.

To put this drop-top back into show quality is going to be a long and expensive process. Virtually every piece of sheet metal has either see-through corrosion, dents, or both. And the undercarriage is rather crusty, too. So, you’re going to half to factor a lot of time in the body shop into the budget. As a parts car, the asking price is a lot when little looks salvageable. The drivetrain might be workable, but $3,000+ is a lot for a basic engine and tranny.

While the convertible top is shredded, we’re told the power mechanism is good. The only things that may be reusable in the interior are the dash (for which the pad is surprisingly intact) and maybe the door panels. No title will accompany this sale, but we’re told it has a transferable New York registration since these are said to be the same as titles before 1973. To sweeten the pot, the seller offers to deliver the car within a 150-mile radius. Would you attempt to restore this convertible or is it too far gone even for parts?

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Comments

  1. 8banger 8bangerMember

    toast

    Like 9
    • stillrunners

      Agree – funny this car was listed not to long ago and sold for about that price. Not seeing the money even in parts !!!!!!!

      Like 1
  2. Jim

    $3295? Dream on!!!

    Like 5
  3. Arby

    Ready for a remake of Planes, Trains and Automobiles

    Like 4
  4. Arthur

    Based on the pictures I’ve seen, it appears that if someone wants to restore this car to the original specs, they’ll need a lot of money and the services of Graveyard Carz.

    Speaking for myself, though, I think that this car would qualify as more of a restomod project involving a custom chassis from either Art Morrison or Roadster Shop, a Hellcat engine, fabricated body parts and a custom interior.

    Either way, media blasting would definitely be needed to determine how badly rusted this car really is and what work could be done on it … assuming work can indeed be done on it, that is.

    Like 2
    • Tony Primo

      If you had that much money for a project you wouldn’t be starting with a piece of crap like this.

      Like 15
  5. Poncho

    Sellers ad on auction site says: “SUPER SOLID CAR TO RESTORE !!! CAR IS IN DENVER NC . CAR IS SUPER!!!!!!!!!!! SOLID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”…My concern is…did he use enough exclamation points to make his point? I don’t think I would use this expression to explain this car seeing as I can see it resembles swiss cheese rather than SUPER SOLID!!! Restored, definitely be over budget even if doing work yourself. After all, it is just a 6 cylinder Dart, even if it is a convertible. configuring the car otherwise, it wouldn’t be a restoration.

    Like 5
    • Pugsy

      Misprint……..it’s supposed to read SUPER SOILED!!!!

      Like 7
  6. Rbig18

    Well in truth just about anything can be restored/fixed, however I don’t see a point with this one. Even if you have some deep love affair with these cars you can buy one now and enjoy day one for less than it will cost for this one to be decent.

    Like 1
  7. chevelle guy

    hard no.

    Like 2
  8. James Sayre

    basically a $200 parts car, most of body parts are junk

    Like 5
  9. Charles Sawka

    Again you start out with the numbers thing. Any vehicle that’s in this kind of condition is way past worrying about if it’s number 57 of only 58 in green and black. It doesn’t matter.

    Like 3
  10. Vance

    Everytime you close the doors, hood, or trunk, you can hear rust particles rattling around. Rust is the only thing keeping it together. Maybe $32.95?

    Like 3
  11. Rex Kahrs Rex KahrsMember

    So the question is “Drop-top project or parts?”. The answer is: neither.

    Like 3
  12. Last 1LE

    Definition of ‘MOPAR’ … Mostly Old Paint And Rust

    Like 2
  13. Car Nut Tacoma

    Looking at the car, I see a combination of both a droptop project and a parts car. I think there are areas that with the parts and know-how, can be used to make a good convertible.

    Like 0
  14. moosie moosie

    Car has a New York transferable registration, is in Denver North Carolina and a phone number with a New York area code, besides its being priced pie in the sky . I’d be very leery of the rust bucket.the only useable thing on the car appears to be the dash pad. So far gone I’d bet the recycler would want it ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, No sale here ! ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    Like 1
  15. DON

    $500 bucks, tops , and thats allowing $200 bucks just for the small bolt pattern Rallye wheels . The entire body is trashed as is the interior ( and the dash pad is full of cracks by the way, and likely hard as a rock) The only thing its good for are the GT related items like the moldings, and the top bows. There’s plenty of pictures of the underside, but only the rear trunk area and none of the floor pan, which I’m sure is shot. I’d be willing to bet the metal area where the top stows away is rotted away too .I’m a huge fan of A body Mopars ,but this one is a parts car at best

    Like 3
  16. DST1965

    Looks like an escapee from the scrap yard

    Like 2
  17. David Davidson

    Easy restoration. All it needs is a new body, new interior, probably a new chassis and probably a new drive train. Throw in all the miscellaneous parts needed and there you go. If you look around a bit, you can probably find everything you need already assembled and ready to drive. 😜

    Like 4
  18. Gary RaymondMember

    Being a lifetime Mopar guy, I remember when A-Bodies were looked down upon, like, ‘is that all you could afford?’ A shame about this one, I’ll bet one could pick one up at one of the major auctions for less than it would cost to do a full resto on this one

    Like 1
  19. Kenn

    Numbers matching? Original miles? Without that info I’m out. (I’m finally learning what’s important here.)

    Like 1
  20. Doug

    IF the front frame rails and torsion bar crossmember are as clean as the rear frame rails and spring boxes it’s a nice builder. Remove all the bolt on sheet metal, you could have the base chassis buttoned up in two weekends with a talented buddy. Hood ? You know you want a gts hood, doors? They are around, fenders ? You know there are 4 doors out there as donor cars, which would have a trunk lid too. Drive train? 5.7 hemi with the tremec conversion. All of the sketchy metal is around reproduction. 1/4s, trunk extensions and outer wheel houses. At the end of the day, the car has good bones and I wouldn’t hesitate to tear into it. Console car ? Bonus. Yup your going to spend some money, it’s a cool ride finished. I had a 67 rag, that car got compliments everywhere we took it. Please note, I’m from the northeast and this is normal…

    Like 1
    • Jeremy Chartrand

      You sir are completely correct. I actually bought this car. Picked it up cheaper as well. Already got title coming for it. As far as the work on the car yes it needs a lot of work. But I picked up a 340 I’m going. To stick in it. Already got a better hood and truck as far as the body goes it is hurt but not that hard to get most of the parts I need. You just gotta have an imagination. Nobody can see the forest through the trees this car might not win alot of medals when it’s done but I can’t wait to finish it

      Like 3
      • Doug Stickney

        Kevin, congratulations on your purchase! I’m glad to see somebody pick a great project like that. It’s going to be amazing, you are going to have quite a car. That one that I had got more compliments everywhere we went in it. The 340 will be a ball to run. The 67 I did, I swapped in late model disc brakes, an 8 3/4 with large bolt pattern axles, mag 500 rims (you would not believe the puzzled looks I got from that) and 340 rear springs. Gas shocks and a front sway bar made the car drive like a dream. Good luck with the build, and again congrats !!!

        Like 2
  21. Kevin

    Too far gone..another sad sight,caused by neglect!

    Like 0
  22. Rex Kahrs Rex KahrsMember

    Hey Doug S., are you a Westerville guy?

    Like 0

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