The Dodge Dart enjoyed a long run in the 1960s and 1970s, with the most successful being its second generation as a compact which comprised the model years 1967 through 1976. This low mileage example from 1975 looks like it could have been Grandma’s car, only driven to church on Sundays. It has a few more modern conveniences, like fuel injection, and we’re told runs like a top. From Vero Beach, Florida, this surviving Mopar is available here on eBay where you’ll have to do better than $3,150 to crack the seller’s reserve.
After shifting the Dart name to a smaller platform in 1963, Chrysler redesigned the automobile and its stablemate, the Plymouth Valiant, in 1967. The Dart usually followed in the Valiant’s shadow in terms of sales, and 1975 was no exception. While Plymouth would pump out 211,000 Valiants that year, Dodge would only muster 56,000 Darts by comparison. And that number is half of the output for 1974, which was a peak year for compacts during the mid-decade energy crisis. The Dart and Valiant would only solder on for another year before retiring in favor of the new Aspen and Volare.
If you’re in the market for a survivor-quality Dart of this era, you’d be hard-pressed to find one much nicer than this one. While the body and brownish paint are not perfect, they’re darn good (Grandma may have had a couple of small run-ins in the parking lot or the garage at home). The interior is like new for this Custom edition, which is as close to a luxury car as a Dart would ever be. The seller says this Dodge has just 12,000 miles (how does this happen?) and given what we see, that could be quite possible.
This Dart is propelled by Chrysler’s venerable 225 cubic-inch Slant-Six engine, which would serve buyers for several decades. It’s paired with a TorqueFlite automatic transmission, the same pairing that was in my mom’s ’74 Dart Sport which served her well for many years. The seller has made a few upgrades to the mechanics of the car in terms of adding fuel injection and a front sway bar. In addition, the radiator, water pump, alternator, and more have been replaced, likely due to the car’s age rather than use. All the original parts are in the trunk. What would you be willing to spend to acquire this sweet Dodge?
I can’t say how much I’d be willing to pay for this little classic, but it’s a year older than my first car, a ’76 Dart Custom. It had been rescued and rebuilt by my grandad’s shop after having been rear-ended by a dump truck, effectively pushing the rear bumper forward to put it flush with the bottom of the back window, and compacting the trunk like an accordion. It always did ride a little crooked, but I learned how to drive in that little copper colored 4-door, and even though it was very cold natured, it would start on the coldest day of the winter when my dad’s brand new Nissan Sentra would just click pitifully.. I’ll be keeping my eyes on this one! Ahh, the memories…
It’s nice to see a low mileage car in mostly original shape, especially one of these, most of which rotted away or were just run into the ground. A 4 door with a slant six is boring, even if the aftermarket fuel injection to replace the 1 bbl carburetor makes it a little more peppy. It does have factory A/C, so that helps. My uncle is a member of a mopar club only a 1/2 hour north of there, so he may know the owner of that car. I hope it finds a good home, but who’s gonna want it?
I would want it!
I once sent a rod through the side of the block in a ’74 Duster in this same colour scheme. I had her floored going up a hill with 5 large guys in the car and there was a loud clunk and then oil smoke coming up from under the hood. We stopped and opened the hood and saw a piston and rod lying on the crossmember next to a giant hole! I’m sure many others met similarly indignant demises. And they did rust, correct. So this is probably one of very few left.
Wow. How? You could latterly stand on the accelerator pedal of a slant 6 and not blow it up! Ask me how I know. My mother had a 76 Aspen coupe…same motor…stalled relentlessly at intersections. Used to pi@$ her right off! In park she went where she promptly stood on that pedal wide open until her temper calmed or what congestion aled it cleared… they had a run or die relationship. Never blew. Go figure…
Another entry into the “I Owned That Car” archives- I did own a twin to this car. It came with the “elderly couple from Florida” story and of all the cars I have owned it had the absolutely coldest air conditioning system ever built. I would have not have been surprised to learn that my elderly couple froze to death in the car on a 90 degree day in Miami Beach
The one I had would throw ice crystals at you.
I d like to have it if I could. 318 Be better but still , neat ole gal. Very period typical. My 2nd car was a very dogged out 73 swinger with a 318. It we fun when it ran. Grandfather had a mint 73 custom 4 door with a 318. He kept it for about a decade
Actually there was an SE version that was the top of the Dart line right above custom.
Plymouth had the Valiant Brougham which was even spifier
I always preferred the Valiant as the Darts grew a Pontiac nose which I find quite ugly
And how it is! My very first car was a ’74 Valiant. White with a green vinyl top. Pretty much the same interior & drivetrain as this one. And yes, that A/C could cause frostbite if you weren’t careful! Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane. 👍👍
Well if any car needed a more reliable fuel feed system its that choked out thing. Although I’d never spend the money on it. Only accident I’ve ever been at fault for was in a 75 Dart. Emissions were crude and 1/2 the time you pulled out it would stall. Mistiming was dangerous, and it died on me as I made a left in front of a school bus. Nailed my rear quarter. Still it lasted forever, and we hauled a pop up or a 15’ 85hp speedboat all over the eastern US and Canada somehow.
Id take a earlier v8 GT, but want no part of mid 70’s cars.
Nice looking car. Assuming everything on the car works like they should and it can be driven under its own power, then I’d be willing to pay around the asking price of $3,000. I’d still have enough money left over for things like inspection, maintenance, and other essentials.
There is no “asking price of $3,000”. The auction still hasn’t hit the reserve at (currently) $3,550. It would have sold very quickly at a BIN of $3k, I’m sure.
I’d like to have the car looked at; my appraiser is in Ft. Pierce. I’d like to send him up to examine the car.
I flew my appraiser in from Monaco. He said $2500, tops.
Money well spent.
lol. As Perry Mason used to say- “Paul, I need you to go to Fresno”
Good one Bub …
Who makes an FI kit for a 1975 slant 6? Is it reliable? Is it adjustable? Sounds interesting . . .
Holley does. Here’s a link:
https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/fuel_injection/sniper_efi/sniper_1-_and_2-barrel_systems/
They’re throttle-body systems, of course, but fix all of the drivability issues in “Malaise Era” iron caused by the “prehistoric” emission controls of the era. Chrysler already had factory electronic ignition, so this completes the package, offering improved drivability, better gas mileage and probably lower emissions, to boot! You’ve got make sure that the engine’s internals are up to snuff, good compression, valve seals, etc., but if the motor is in good shape internally, it’s pretty much a bolt off, bolt on deal. The computer is internal to the throttle body, so it’s pretty much a bolt it on and wire it up deal. Holley has an installation video on their web site, if you’re interested.
Great info!
Thank you!!!
I looked at the picture of the TBI system on eBay, it’s a Holley unit. Originally designed for Ford one-barrel applications (usually only seen on Ford 170-250 straight sixes), it also fits the one-barrel Slant-Six configuration. According to Wikipedia, the Slant-Six got a two-barrel carburetor starting in 1976, in an attempt to compensate for the declining power output of the Slant-Six, largely due to the primitive emission controls and tightening emission standards of the era.
Nice looking car. With the TBI I’ll bet it runs out nice. Yes, there was a Special Edition model, 2 or 4 Dr that had cloth seats. Otherwise the SE wasn’t that much nicer equipped. I’m not in the bidding on this one. Just dumped some more money in my Ford product. If they brought out a Mopar in this style and equipment I would return to the Mopar fold in a heart beat.
My parents had a 1973. They bought it new and gave it to me when I was struggling after a divorce. I drove that gem until the odometer read just shy of 250K. Still had the original motor and trans. Just lots of regular maintenance and easy driving kept it going. When I bought a new car in 1989, I gave it to a Cuban immigrant who thought he would never own his own car. He drove it for another 5 years.
These are much better cars than the Ford competition, IMHO. Better engines and transmissions than the Ford offerings (except for the 302 V8), better instrumentation, better handling, and even slightly better styling, at least for the pre-Federal bumper versions. This one has the Federal bumpers, so it’s not my favorite look, but it is still a good solid daily driver. The low miles makes it for me. I just hope that whoever buys it keeps it stock, and doesn’t try to restomod it by dropping in a small-block V8. If it were in worse shape, I wouldn’t mind so much, but this one is too nice to mess with it!
I’d drop an LS into it … just said that to annoy people.
Couldn’t agree more Robert , blown motor and or totally dogged out , go for it wedge the biggest thing you can it in. But not this one. Too nice to mess with
Very sensible and practical car… bulletproof driveline… and simple accessories. ideal for someone who lives on an island.
I had 2 slant 6 cars in the 60’s and they just ran without any complaints. Drove one 1000 miles per week. Oil changes and very infrequent tune ups kept them running like a watch.
The mid 70’s cars all suffered from gov’t regulations.
I had a 76 Dart 2 door. Was dark green with a black interior. 318 2 barrel with a 904 tranny car was mint in and out. All I did to was add a set of police steel wheels with dog dish caps and a dual exhaust set up. Car ran great and never needed anything but oil changes. Best part it would get 19 to 20 mpgs.
4 door, slant six, automatic? No thanks, I don’t have insomnia that bad! In ’78 I was a senior in high school. I had a 71 Duster 340 4sp, great car! I hit a monster pothole at night, and broke the K-frame at the torsion bar. A week later I got home from school, and my dad “surprised” me – with a 4 door, slant six Dodge Aspen. He couldn’t understand why I wasn’t happy….