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From Donald Côté – I came across this 1970 Dart Swinger 318 while on vacation on a small Caribbean Island. It is in poor shape and has a lot of rust. But it still has the original drivetrain on it and it can be had for cheap. What is weird about it is that it has a dual exhaust, when the 318 only had a single exhaust. It was also repainted orange a long time ago, while the original color seems to be purple. The other problem is that it would cost about $3000 to bring it by cargo to Miami. And make no mistake, I did verify the vin on the dash and front fender and it is a 318 car, not a 340.
What do you think, is it worth saving locally?
Thanks,
Donald
I’m thinking this would be better used as a doner car. There are some good parts on it but saving it would have to be a labor of love. Nice find.
Its always a good save. This one is border line but it is certainly unique which makes it a “Save”. Freight is just part of the total expense.
Would be nice to save it but being a 318 and 3K to ship it to the states along with restoration costs it just wouldn’t be worth the hassle IMO. Some things are best left alone.
Hi Donald, sadly, I think we’re going to have to “blow taps” on this one. The cost of fixing it up ( and shipping) would probably far exceed what you could find a decent one for. Duel exhaust could have been added at any time.
@ Donald… If you have $3000 to spare, I have this Bridge……………….
Much as I love me some A body MOPARS, this is likely best left where she sits. Even if it is a factory Plum Crazy car, the cost to repair(never mind the shipping and initial purchase) would be stout. Unless it’s something you just couldn’t live without I think I would pass.
It looks like the rear wheel openings have been cut out, so new 1/4 and wheel houses plus rust issues, leave sleeping dogs lie.
Salvage the center console (if mostly complete) and let the rest go. It look like every external sheet metal needs repair. Let it go , let it go
My sugestion is to weld 55 gallon drums to it disconect the rear u-joint,install a bearing and a prop,and try to “sail” it to Florida.Thats if it will float.
Floor is probably too rusted away…this poor ol’ thing was from the era that MOPAR meant Mostly Old Paint And Rust.
this needs to be parted out. ship just the the good or interesting parts to the states. great find.
“Life’s too short” bell is going off- this is a parts car at best. Seriously look at it- there’s almost nothing good or usable, and it isn’t that special even if perfectly restored.
The only way I could save this car is if I had access to a professional hot rod shop that specializes in building G-Machines.
For $200 more than just the cost of shipping alone, you can get this one, straight body, no discernible rust, no engine, no dents, apparently its’ original rims and hubcaps, and all its’ glass with a reasonably nice interior that would make a much better car to start with as a project car.
http://www.schmitt.com/viewimage.asp?ID=3727
My bad, wrong one, this is the car I was talking about above. Apologies. –
http://classiccars.com/listings/view/557072/1970-dodge-dart-for-sale-in-phoenix-arizona-85085
It’s toast. Too far gone and too far away.
Hello to you all and thanks for your input. I’m thinking, get the arizona car and get all the good parts from the car in the carribean and voilà! A complete 1970 Dart swinger 318 with dual exhaust in crazy plum colour…I am positive it would be much cheaper to send the good parts to Miami than the complete car…Bring the arizona car to miami and have the work done there…What do you think?
Sounds like a winner of a plan to me. A Mopar donor helping another Mopar stay on the road to cruise another decade or two.
Im in California ,a few years ago I cut up a nice example of this same model car,Then traded the 318 for a generator.This car was not a high performance car,Its hot roded.Its very cut up,Not originaly plum crazy,not originaly dual exhaust,Its a 318 with a 2 barel.Its not particularly rare.The only features that seem out of place is the shifter and the console.
I checked the fender tag and it is originally a plum crazy car, with paint code fc7. That might explain the center console and the bucket seats
Well,That IS very odd!!!, That console is odd also ,I do know that Dodge was way more responsive to actualy building the car the way you ordered it.Ford and Chevy would rather make a bunch of different cars and then you would pick what you wanted.But back then,you could order your new Mopar the way you wanted.Thanks for correcting me. Youre right that car is unusual.Maybe because its not a car built for the American domestic market?
It also has the “H” price class in the VIN which is “High”…what does it actually mean?
Ok, I went back to the car, found the fender tag (which was under a lot of paint, so some of the codes were hard to read, but I think I got it right) and this is what it comes out to:
LH23:
Dodge Dart,Demon
High
2 Door Hardtop
G0R: 318 230HP 1-2BBL 8 CYL
1970
Windsor, ONT, CAN
275821: Sequence number
E44: 318 cid 2 barrel V8 230hp
D31: A904 3-Speed Auto Trans.
FC7: Plum Crazy Metallic Exterior Color
H6X9: Trim – High, Vinyl Bucket Seats, Black
TX9: Black Int. Door Frames
Z14: Build Date: 14
EG0920: Order number
V1*: Full Vinyl Top, Unknown color
A65: Dart GT Package
C16: Console w/Woodgrain Panel
C55: Bucket Seats
F11: 46 Amp Alternator (std with AC)
G33: LH Remote Racing Mirror
H51: Air Conditioning with Heater
M21: Roof drip rail moldings
M25: Wide sill moldings
M26: Wheel Lip Moldings
N31: Optional Engine Compression Ratio
M43: Grille Trim Moldings
M88: Decklid Moldings Treatment
R11: Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
V78: Accent Stripes, Deleted
Y09: Build to Specs for Export
So, do I still forget about it for $600?
So this is a 1970 Dodge Dart Custom with GT package…
Based on my search, it seems that a 1970 Custom with GT package in plum crazy is quite rare…Save it?
Y09: Built to Specs for Export, Not a Swinger,but a Demon. I dont think we ever got these options(together) in the States.I know very little about Mopars.I thought Demons were Duster bodies ? I have owned a ’73 Dart GT before,318 with a factory Hurst 4 speed.