Chrysler long had a reputation as the “engineering” company of the Big Three, but their greatest successes came when they took an evolutionary tack rather than a revolutionary one. Look at the most recent Chargers and Challengers; they almost qualified for historical license plates right in the new-car showroom, yet people were still snapping them up right until the end of production (including me – I have a ’23 Challenger). Other examples include the Valiant and Dart, which enjoyed a long, fruitful stretch spanning over 15 years (if you count the early ’60s Lancer as a “Dart” beneath the skin). Because of this, there are still plenty of A-Bodies to go around, some of them original. This ’74 Dart Sport is said to have its original paint (looks like it), and it’s currently for sale on Marketplace in Glenns Ferry, Idaho.

The Valiant and Dart were always marketed as compacts, but the Dart in particular seemed to occupy a slot somewhere underneath the intermediates, sort of like a Mercury Comet. Of course, the Duster and Dart Sport of the 1970s were functionally identical, but look at the roominess of this trunk; it has almost 20 cubic feet of space. No wonder so many people bought these things; they were reliable, roomy, and good-looking. I’ll never understand, however, why Chrysler couldn’t figure out a more elegant solution to the age-old problem of the fuel filler neck. It’s just hanging out there in the trunk trying to look inconspicuous, and it’s failing miserably.

The drivetrains didn’t change too much over the years, either. The 198-cubic-inch slant six was standard while the 225 was optional. Whoever ordered this Dart stepped up to the reliable and peppy 318 small block, which was a decision I can applaud. People love the slant six, but having driven many a mile in my 225 Dart wagon, I can say that a small-block swap has crossed my mind more than once. The 318 was never a performance engine, but it combined decent fuel mileage with more-than-adequate power, which was the perfect combination for a daily driver.

The seller of this Dart doesn’t say too much about its condition aside from that it’s in “great shape for its age,” which is a descriptor that is as wide as a barn door. The interior could clearly use some cleaning up (in addition to a dash pad), but the door panels look good and it really isn’t too bad for being 50 years old.

With a claimed 83,000 miles on it, there’s a lot of life left in this old Dart Sport. They’re not making American “compacts” anymore, so maybe it’s time to take advantage of Chrysler’s evolutionary engineering expertise and put yourself in a 50-year-old daily driver. The seller is asking $9,000 for this one; I’m not sure if that’s just right or a little high, but you’re not going to find anything equivalent on the lot today.