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Last Year: 1976 Dodge Dart Sport Trim

With an average of less than 1,400 miles a year since new, this 1976 Dodge Dart in sport trim has barely been used. This era of once-everywhere-but-now-rarely-seen Dart can be found on eBay with a buy it now price of $3,500. There is no make an offer tab, but I’m sure that a person could send the seller a message if that’s more than you’re willing to pay. It’s located in Royersford, Pennsylvania.

You an see a small dent in the LF fender and also there is some rust along the lower regions of this otherwise good-looking Dart. 1976 was the last year for this model, being replaced by the Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare. The sport trim moniker is a little confusing because most folks equate “sport” to a Dart having a V8, and often a 360 V8. This car has the venerable 225 slant-six. The underside looks good in a couple of the photos, and maybe not quite as good in another.

From this angle all looks great with this car. This is the era that I grew up in and started driving, so mid-to-late-70s cars are right up my alley. I know that most people think that it’s the worst era for American vehicles, but a few million of us grew up in this era and our memories are just as important to us as earlier generations’ memories are important to them – quality of the vehicles notwithstanding.

And, how can this Herb-Tarlek-suit-like seat fabric be so wrong yet so right! This car is a time capsule, what an era. Dodge made a Spirit of ’76 edition Dart and I’m guessing that model would be worth more, if a person were interested in values. Like them or hate them, the seats appear to be in fantastic condition as does the entire interior. I’d want to peek under the trunk mat, that’s one of the known rust areas on Darts.

And here’s the non-V8 in this Dart Sport coupe – the famous 225 slant-six engine, this one with around 100 hp and maybe down to 90 hp or less with the still-cold AC! Yes, the seller says that the factory air-conditioning is still cold. They don’t divulge too much info about this car other than it “runs and drives” and it would be a “great candidate for restoration!” I think this car may be more of a curiosity than a valuable car even if it were in mint condition. The last-year status may be the only thing about this car that even puts it in the maybe-a-worthy-candidate-for-restoration category. Is it worth restoring?

Comments

  1. Avatar Rich Tague

    My sis had a 75 Dodge dart with a Single unit taillite each side . was the Sport taillite Exclusive to Sports ? Hers was a Fast back

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  2. Avatar Steve M

    A friend just sold a ’73 Dart Sport with a 340

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  3. Avatar Mj stolz

    My first car was a 1974 Dodge Dart Sport with the slant six 225. Great memories!

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  4. Avatar jw454

    A neighbor bought a new one with the same interior as this one. Her’s was the same car but with maroon paint. She drove it well into the late eighties and it was still looking and driving good.
    I had two of it’s Plymouth Duster cousins. A 1970 and a 1972. Both of them were good cars as well.

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  5. Avatar jdjonesdr

    I also had a friend with a Duster. He stuck a cam and some headers on it (and a few other goodies) and that puppy would get up and go. Sounded great too!

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  6. Avatar jrmedsel

    If I remember correctly, when the Dodge Demon (same body as the Duster) nameplate was dropped in either 1973 or 1974 due to complaints from religious groups, the model was renamed the Dart Sport. So “Sport” refers to the fastback body style, not a trim level.

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    • Avatar Glenn Quagmire

      The Holy Rollers also had a problem with the model name Swinger.

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  7. Avatar George Schroeder

    Is it worth restoring? Probably not. Even though there were not a huge number of them produced – they just were never very popular. A bodies overall just have never gained the value of the B and E bodies. I would probably keep this one as a survivor – might be worth more that way. It all comes down to what it would be worth to you. I have a 74 Dart Sport. It originally had a slant 6 – but – in high school, for a vocational mechanics project, I pulled the 6 and built up a 318 & installed it. That was in 1979. I still have the car, but it has not been driven since 79 – because I hit a 12 inch curb and wrecked the k frame & steering. Parked it and never fixed it. I am going to do a full custom resto-mod. In the end – its still a 74 Dart Sport and won’t be worth a lot. Probably only about 10% of what I will have into it. But – I won’t be building it for its final value. I will be building it for what I think would have made it a cool car. My plans are a guarded secret.

    A bit of history on the Dart Sport – not everyone might know or realize; in 71 and 72, Dodge had the Demon. Religious groups complained about the Demon symbol enough -so- Chrysler Corp buckled under the pressure and renamed the car – the Dart Sport. Owning a Dart Sport was a little frustrating at times. If people weren’t telling me – nice Duster – they were telling me – nice Nova. I’d be like; LOOK AT THE NAME PLATE!!! It was kind of funny looking back on that!!!

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    • Avatar carroll manning

      I have a 1974 dodge dart sport 360 and i need back bumper guards and the rubber cushions.Mine are the small type cushions.

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  8. Avatar Jay E.

    Good price for a car with 100,000 mile left in her. Had a nearly identical model. No frills basic transportation. Only problem? Everyone passes you, even if you are going with the flow. Somehow these cars just exude grandma and no one wants to follow one.

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  9. Avatar Nrg8

    What was so venerable about the leaning tower of power? My brothers and I learned to drive on these and we kicked the living shat out of them and they kept on ticking. Always started -30. Yep sluggish but never seen one fail personally.

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  10. Gary Gary

    This car is less than a mile from me so I’m on my way to take a look,,, or possibly just buy it and drive it home.

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  11. Avatar LAWRENCE

    Can you go wrong with $3500….a beater for the winter up North… !

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  12. Avatar Gassser Man

    The foot operated windshield washer on the floor was always cool.

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    • Avatar PRA4SNW

      Now that you mention it, my ’73 Barracuda had one of those too.

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  13. Avatar leiniedude Member

    My mom had a 1971 Demon. Guess what color? Yea, green. 6 cylinder, auto. Laughingly referred to as the screamin Demon. Great looking and running rig. Miss them both.

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  14. Gary Gary

    Well. without bidding, I’ve tried to contact seller thru messaging, but no luck. I’m trying again today, maybe I can find it based on the “outside” pics of the garage.

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    • Avatar PRA4SNW

      Let us know if you have any luck.

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  15. Avatar Daryl Conley

    My first car was a 1975 Duster with the same trim and interior as this Dart except the paint was silver.

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