This 1974 Dodge Dart Swinger is a little gold nugget that proves there are wonderful classics hidden away awaiting liberation. The seller indicates it was parked in 1995, although it may have last seen the road in 2002. Its presentation is impressive, and its rust issue is minor. Its greatest needs are a new home and an owner willing to return the Dart to its rightful place on our roads. It is listed here on Craigslist in Stem, North Carolina. The seller set their price at $6,000, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Pat L. for spotting this fantastic classic.
This Dart makes a jaw-dropping first impression, making it hard to believe it has spent over two decades in storage. The seller indicates it underwent a cosmetic restoration immediately before hibernation, and considering its preservation, the conditions must have been ideal. The Deep Sherwood Green paint shines magnificently without evidence of flaws or defects. The same is true of the panels, chrome, and glass. The restoration process involved removing the glass, addressing any shortcomings, refreshing the panels using a two-stage paint process, and fitting a complete new set of seals and gaskets during reassembly. The front floor has been patched, but a small area requires further repairs. That seems to be the extent of the rust problems, and if that is accurate, this Dart will once again turn heads with minimal effort.
I always hesitate to describe any aspect of a classic of this vintage as perfect, but this Dart’s interior gives the phrase a fair shake. Its Dark Green vinyl shows no evidence of wear, with only some minor wrinkles on the seat as evidence it has ever seen active service. The dash and pad are spotless, and the faux woodgrain is free from wear and lifting. This interior is as it left the factory, with no aftermarket additions. The original owner ordered it with air conditioning, although decades of inactivity mean the compressor seals are probably dry. I would budget for a rebuild, but the miles should roll effortlessly under the tires with that functioning and the factory radio blasting away.
The Dart’s original owner walked the middle ground when ordering this classic, bypassing the 198ci slant-six and the V8 options in favor of the 225ci six. It would have sent 105hp and 180 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels via a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission. The ¼-mile ET of 19.8 seconds would hardly send pulses racing, but that wasn’t the object of the exercise. This Dart would have cruised contentedly on the open road at 70mph, but the fuel consumption figures reveal where this classic came into its own. It returned a figure of almost exactly one mpg better than a 198/auto-equipped car, while the V8 version lagged by four mpg. The seller states they had planned to restore the Dodge’s drivetrain, but advancing years saw the process stall before it started. It is unclear whether it was in good mechanical health when parked, but even if some items require a rebuild, that will be neither difficult nor expensive.
This 1974 Dodge Dart Swinger could be ideal for someone considering a first classic purchase. Its most pressing need is mechanical revival, which will undoubtedly entail replacing many perishable components and plenty of tweaking and tuning. If its rust issues are as minor as the seller suggests, they could be addressed during next winter’s cold months as a way to occupy the time. The exterior and interior presentation is hard to fault, and the price definitely falls within the “affordable” category. With those thoughts in mind, are you tempted to pursue this Dodge further? I wish you luck if you do.
Buyer beware, these cars literally rotted away. If it’s not badly rotted, runs well and it certainly looks nice in the pictures, someone will buy it. I’d get the A/C working. It’ll never be anything special, though.
I’d have to say that these are no different than most 70’s cars for rust. They can rust in the Midwest and northeast but if this car is solid, it’s going to be fun just to roll around in.
Enjoy the car, not worry about driving it like about 95% of the collector cars sold on this site.
Anything that is survived this long that is on the road still (or could be) is special.
Anything that HAS survived this long.
I guess the edit button is gone.
Question…who’s the other Chris??? Lol curious
Oh it could be extra special with a Eagle hemi transplant ! 395 hp junk yard motors are all over the place & my truck get 20 MPG so while no a 440 six pack that gen 3 Eagle hemi would make a lively performer out of this rig & why not pinch the A/C parts for this car as well then you have a bad a$$ rod!
Or leave it original & still have fun. Every vintage car or truck really doesn’t need to be rodded to make it fun (or any more special for that matter) you know. Maybe Richard Lentinello needs to be quoted again: “they’re only original ONCE.”
If it’s solid as it appears then it’s perfection in its current state. Daily driver in dry weather.
The fact that a car was called a swinger makes me smile
It’s Swinging Days Were Over Before 1995
I worked for back Chrysler in 1974. The 198/Slant 6 was no longer available and the only 6 option was the 225. I believe the 198 was put to rest after the 1972 model year. I currently own this one’s “Corporate Cousin”, a 1972 Plymouth Scamp in Avocado Green. It has the 225, factory air (still working with the original R-12) and a factory installed AM/FM radio. Runs and drives great! I plan to use it as my daily driver when I retire. Yes, these cars had a tendency to rust out but if preserved properly, they can hold up well. I had my vinyl roof removed and that nasty “seam” between the quarter panel and the roof properly joined. These cars were everywhere when they were new but sadly, have not held up well over the years. That’s why it’s such a joy to see one now, in good driving condition. No sense in over-restoring one because they simply don’t have the value of an E body or a Charger. But to have one that is a good, reliable driver? It doesn’t get much better than that.
Not sure if I agree with you Ian, because personal experience says otherwise. I owned a ’74 Duster in the same green with a manual 3-on-the-floor. It was a 198/slant 6. My 1970 Duster (also 3-on-the-floor) was a 225 as was my ’74 Swinger (automatic), but the ’74 Duster was a bottom-basement model with a 198. Gotta say, it was a real dog with that 198 and all of the “new” smog control!!
Loved your comment Mr. Carlton. ” keep it original and enjoy it “!
I liked the ones better with the taillights in the bumper, 1970 to 1973. And the flat fronts (1970 to 1972 were my favorite. But I always did consider the Darts to be of classic design, and I hope this one finds a home with someone who will finish and enjoy the restoration.
My second car a dark yellow 73 swinger with a 318. Dogged out when I got it for $250.00 in 1989. But no rust. I enjoyed it. Love to have another. Agree about the rear bumper design on the earlier ones being cooler
So far as nothing special , in 1974 or even 1980s , you’d be right. They were every were. But by 2023, 50 years latter. Kinda special. Maybe not jaw dropping or rare when new. But this was a throw away car in its day. Much like the ford focus I drive today. No one respected em much then so they got used up and crushed. But now it’s very cool.
The slant-six Mopars were some of the most reliable cars of their time. They were easy to work on, got good gas mileage, and had enough power, especially the earlier-pre-smog versions. This one is a 74. A good thing about it is that it’s the last year before the Catalytic converter and smog pump. This items put more drag on this, and every car out there. Having owned a number of them, one of the things that would go routinely was, believe it not, the ballast resistor. It’s that little white thing that you see on the firewall-up higher-Driver side-with little wires going into it. They would get little cracks in them, preventing the car from starting. I used to carry a spare or two in the glove box. Also, base models did NOT get carpeting. They had a black rubber mat. This encouraged more floor rust because the water tended to lay there and not absorb and evaporate like it would with a rug. Other base model cars of the day also had rubber mat floors. Always nice to see one of these today. Slant-Sixes always had a distinct sound. You knew what it was without even seeing it. You could close your eyes at a traffic light and there was one next to you. Great cars that were far more reliable than many brand new cars of today.
That old soil banger will still be kicking long after the big V-8s have slung themselves apart.Won’t snap your neck getting from point A to B, put they get you there, AC blowing infamous Chrysler tap, tap tap. Bulletproof, been tortured many times by many men.
Slant 6’s are just about indestructible! I have had several iterations, from a 1970 to a 1974……all with A/C………….wish I had them now:-)…………oh well, just have to motor-vate in my 1964 Studebaker:-)