Here’s one you don’t see every day, a 1965 Dodge Dart GT. The seller tells us that it’s “super rare“, in excellent all-around condition, and out of a private collection. OK, I’ll bite, it has my interest! Located in Beverly Hills, California, this compact muscle car is available, here on craigslist for $15,750.
I refer to this Dart as a “muscle car” because it is equipped with a high-performance, 235 gross HP, 273 CI V8 engine – keep in mind that this is just a 3,000 lb. car. The seller advises, “Runs Drives Fantastic“. As for the “super rare” claim, I can’t verify that specifically. There were about 18K V8-powered Darts assembled in ’65 but I can’t determine the delineation between those powered with the standard 273 CI engine and this Hi-Po version. Making the hook-up is a Torque-Flite three-speed automatic transmission, and unfortunately, not the available four-speed manual which probably would place this Dart in rarified-air territory.
As for the exterior’s condition, I’ll admit it, it’s bland but beautifully bland at the same time. The finish is strong and deep, there’s no indication of rust or crash damage, and the chrome and stainless trim shines. The originality is evident right down to the full wheel covers – it’s amazing that they weren’t swapped out long ago. Styling-wise, this generation of the Dart has a tough time competing with the ’67-’69 follow-on, but it does possess its own character and not in an unattractive way.
Inside is a bucket seat/center console arrangement and it would seem gently used. The parchment or off-white, vinyl upholstery still presents well though the dash pad looks like it has a split (and the dash topper is usually there to hide something). The door panels are showing some discoloration but it all seems minor and is just due to normal wear. The mileage reading is 9,100 so I’ll assume the odometer has been once around. Of note, this Dart is equipped with an original-style A/C!
The Dart nameplate, with the exception of its final 2013-2016 interaction, was always successfully employed on a variety of models from full-size, to abbreviated full-size and then to the compact A-body where it resided for years. There was a time when you couldn’t pitch a horseshoe without hitting a ’70-’76 Dart, they were just everywhere slogging it out in a very competitive market slot. It was nice finding this ’65 example because this generation of the Dart (’63-’66) seems to often get overlooked. Kudos to whoever preserved this car over all of these years. I really like it, how about you?
In a continuing babble, ( until it gets above freezing), from the Valiant, the Dart was just a different class, even though, they were the same car. People that bought Darts, were a step up salary-wise from Valiant buyers. While Joe( or Joanne) 6 pack drove a Valiant, well paid secretaries and such, drove Darts. I read, in ’66, Valiants ( no breakdown on engine) sold over 133,000 cars, while the Dart barely cracked 30,000. Same car, but Darts were always a bit classier. Very nice car here, and if it takes 5 figures for probably the best and nicest compact of the 60s, so be it. No disappointments with this one.
Your comments are always so off – someone needs to mention it.
Howard makes this site better, has for some time stillrunners. Maybe you could learn a thing or two. ✌️
stillrunners – Everybody has an opinion. Apparently even you… it’s too bad that everyone isn’t in lockstep with yours, huh?
I am one that likes to read Howard, Geo, ford guy, amc guy , and others that know what they are talking about. Howard is the best Read to me.
People car purchases are what they can afford, what they like, and what’s available – it doesn’t matter what sex they are, what job they have or how much they earned , `people bought what they bought . My mother was a legal secretary for a lawyer for many years ; she drove a base model Rambler American , and I wouldn’t call her Grace 6pack. My parents bought it because it was at a local dealership, it was a good looking little car, and the price was right . Our neighbor, who was a doctor, bought a base model Gremlin to drive to the hospital every day. . He could afford a lot more, but that’s all he wanted.
Darts were supposedly a step up, but since you could buy a top of the line Valiant and a complete stripper Dart , the only real difference was the Dodge was a little more money – basically it was the same car.
I bought my Duster because I liked the looks of it over the Dart Sport ; my job had nothing to with it
These were in my opinion the best of the comparable compacts of the time. I had two of them 65 two door sedan 6 cylinder that the wife drove, and 66 two door hardtop like this one. The only problem I ever had with them was keeping up with the tin worm which broke out like measles. Both finally succumbed to it, but both were over 15 years old by then. This seems to have avoided it so far.
All I see is the A/C compressor.
Under the dash, in front of the console shifter, although no mention is made of its functionality, as a belt is missing from the engine. :-)
I could never get over the styling of this vehicle. I always call this The ugly duckling. The Plymouth was a much better looking vehicle which was the Valiant. Funny and next car on barn finds I was just talking about the hyper pack 273 and here’s one now with the chrome exhaust tip. This is a fair price for this vehicle it is very clean. Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸
This is an example of my theory that ‘volume normalizes bad, or at least ‘meh’, styling’. We all get used to Big Three styling because of the numbers. I think the styling is dumpy here. I would much-rather own a 1965 Studebaker Daytona, similarly-sized and priced when new, than this car. Most people would disagree because they’ve probably never seen one.
What makes this car interesting is that even when it was brand new being a Dodge Dart nobody thought of it as a factory hot rod or muscle car. Checking off the hypo 273 engine on the option list was out of the norm on a car line advertised as an economical car choice. So it already started life as a sleeper on the street. I would love to own one.
I had this very same car, white, V-8 however it was a convertible. I loved it ,it was a great driver, one of those I wish I could have kept.
me and my x-wife both had 1 of these, mine was the v-8 hers was a slant 6… same color as this 1, ours had tan vinyl…
Had a 65 with a slant six. It was bullet proof. That little car ran and ran. No speed demon but it always got you there and back. No problems.
I had a 1965 Barracuda Formula S with this same engine. Hurst 4 speed Dual points solid lifters and Plymouths version of headers with a side dump. A/c too. That car was a giant killer stop light to stop light in Lansing Michigan. I traded it in on a 68 GTO. The Girl that bought it ran it into a tree on her way home and totaled it. Lots of great memories in that car!!
I had a 64 Dodge Dart with a 273, and a four speed. It had a relatively small clutch disc so I took out the 4sd, and replaced it with a Torqueflite with push button shifter.under the instrument panel escution, the dash was already cut out for the push button shifter. I just left the escution off.
I put over 100k on the above car, that I bought (well) used. I served me well!
I actually had a 64 barracuda with the hypo 273. Was told by someone at dodge service it may have been one of one. Apparently in 64 if a Barracuda came with the hypo 273 it always came with either the floor shift auto or a 4 speed and if it came with the slant 6 it always came with the push button trans unless ordered otherwise. The service rep said mine was the only Barracuda he had seen with the hypo 273 and the push button trans. Couldn’t actually verify that but made for a good story as a 17 year old kid. It was a blast. My brother talked me out of it. Said he was going to restore it then he got ahold of a very cherry 65 valiant that needed a left front fender and without my knowledge removed the fender from the barracuda and SCRAPPED IT!!! Who knew the fender would interchange? Sad face. Miss that car. Only good part is he gave the Valiant to our mom and REALLY made her happy. She loved that car for a long time.
I worked at a Dodge dealership 69-71 as a detailer. We had one of these in Mauve come in on trade. It had the same drivetrain as a Plymouth Formula S Barracuda including a suspension upgrade. It was mentioned here that it came with a chrome exhaust tip. Actually, it came with the same 2.5 inch single performance exhaust system that the Barracuda Formula S had installed. It should have the lower valance cut with half of a square cutout and a large resonator, muffler terminating into a chrome rectangular integrated exhaust tip, the 65 dart was quite loud but toned down for 66. The stainless strip on the roof might indicate it also had the optional half vinyl roof.
My late brother bought one in Zimbabwe back in the late sixties that had the slant 6 motor with a three speed, floor change gearbox. It was known as a Chrysler Valiant Signet. Great car.
One of my nerdy childhood neighbors had one of these, Although it wasn’t a GT, which wasn’t even aware a nerdy Dart came in.
This guy was such a geek, his son still had training wheels on his bike
at age 12 or so.
Oy vey !
The D-Dart is super rare..looks the same as this regular Dart GT but has a spec’d engine red interior no console..50 were made for racing against 289 Mustangs in NHRA,this is not one of those.The only rare thing about it is most have been crushed.
You don’t know of what you speak.
The D-Dart was ‘66 only. This car appears to be the Power Pack option which has a hi-po 273, 10.5:1 Compression, bigger cam, 4bbl.
It is the highest performance top trim offered in 65. While not D-Dart or Charger Dart rare, 5600 where made with this option in auto and 4-speed.
I know because I own one of the 4-speeds.
…that’s true of most older cars. The hypo Dart is rare. It is not listed in any antique auto value publication I can find. They only give values and numbers for 1965 Dart GT V8’s.
This guy sells a lot of cars. His ads are memorable because he is from Beverly Hills (maybe) and always starts his CL listings with words like AWESOME.
Not sure where he finds them, but his stuff is usually pretty good (looking).
It’s pretty rare. I own one just about like it except no AC and 4-speed. As for being rare the hi-po V8 Power Pak option was only about 3% of this year’s production. They made a little over 3000 of auto trans Darts with the hi-po out of over 200,000.
I raced a 65. Added super stock springs and big torsion bars. Large bolt pattern 3.55 gears and big disk brakes up front. Add a 340 stroker to 413 cubes and a 4 speed….
We did fairly well for several years on the international RR circuit.
Of course we painted our small block 413 RED and added all the 273 badges to the car and the engine – never got caught.
nice to see any of the mid or dwn szed cars w/more displacement. Even nicer
when equipped w/hotter ign, better breathing both in & out, disc up frnt, better suspension (lota modern speedy bits made for retrofitting w/backwrd compatibility). The ranchero w/the 250 or SB; these w/ 225 offy webers x3, the nova w/327 oem. Too much fun!