From 1963 through 1976, the Dart was Dodge’s entry in the crowded compact car market. And in 1968 alone, they sold nearly 172,000 copies. Many of them were basic 4-door sedans like this one. But how many of those were specially ordered with a 4-speed manual transmission? Probably very few which likely makes this one very rare car 56 years later. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this vehicle but nearly a year and more than 5,000 finds later here on Barn Finds, it’s probably worth a second look as a couple of things have changed.
A year ago, this car was described as having been ordered the way it is when new by the seller’s father. Now the seller claims to have ordered the Dodge himself, so it looks like Dad has taken over disposition of the automobile. Perhaps a family man in the late 1960s (but wanting to hold on to youthful desires), the seller ordered this Darr with four doors, a 273 cubic inch V8 engine, and four-on-the floor (Hurst shifter, of course). To help document the Dodge’s heritage, the seller has the original bill of sale in his name and the build sheet from when it ran down the assembly line.
This car is said to have been a daily driver until 1991. That’s when it went up on blocks and was stored for 33 years, with oil in each of the cylinder heads to help preserve the engine. But the fuel system is now mucked up and the brakes no longer function, so it’s a project car waiting to be revived even though the engine was replaced four years before the car was parked (191,000 miles at the time of the swap). The replacement engine was the same as the original, a small-block 273.
Time and Mother Nature have taken their toll on the sheet metal, though the front fenders were replaced over time and painted to roughly match the rest of the Dart. But the rear quarter panels will require renewing. The seller opted to install an aftermarket stereo back in the day, but the original AM broadcaster has been retained and will come along with other parts for this unusual car. For those interested in seeing the Dodge up close and personal, it’s in Dahlonega, Georgia, and is available here on craigslist for $7,500 ($1,500 less than the 2023 listing).
I KNEW this looked familiar!!! This same car and I think same pictures were in here in July 2023. There were 50 comments on it and its very interesting how it was ordered with a 273 V8 and a 4 speed. I had an opportunity to drive a late 60s Dart like this one, but with a 273 and a Torque flight and I have to admit, it was very quick. I also remember the manual drum brakes and manual steering took a little forethought in using and paying attention to traffic, which sadly today too many drivers do not do. Hopefully this will have better results selling the second time around. It needs work, but sure looks like its a solid car to start with.
I apologize, I meant to say when I saw this in Fast Finds this morning I knew this was here last year. I wasnt trying to repeat what Russ wrote here lol. Boy, that wouldve been a serious senior moment on my part. I do hope they can sell this Dart tgis time around.
I wonder who submitted the tip to Fast Finds. They probably deserve an acknowledgment.
13 inch skins on a Dart that’s optioned with a V8? That’s almost as rare as the manual transmission.
In ’72 my brother bought a ’67 Dart GT with a 273 and auto. trans. It came with 13″ tires, I think that the norm back then for Darts , Valiants, and Falcons.
I’m not saying that they didn’t leave the showroom with 13 inch skins, only that once they had to be replaced the owner usually upgraded to 14 inch for not a lot more. Chysler only used 13 inch skins because they were cheaper than 14 in tires and That made perfect sense on a car that was intended to be at the lowest price point possible. I’d add too that 13 inch bias ply tires of that era on a car as big as a Dart were more like ballooons than what most people would Now consider to be an acceptable tire: that meant there was lots of tire carcass for a cushy ride but the downside of that was that it also produced an huge amount of tire flex as well. In point of fact I have an old Mechanix Illustrated issue from late 1966 and it features a Tom MaChaill test of the then new 1967 Dodge dart. Uncle Tom wrote about how lousythe standard 13 tires were that the Dart came with and wondered why Dorge bothered using them on an otherwise fine car at a time when the VW Beetle had 15 inch tires.
In the early 90’s I bought a 70k mile Dart 270 four door with the 273 automatic, but it was optioned with 14 inch wheels and big drum brakes-best $250 I ever spent!
yes 13 in sounds rt remember in early 60s full size cars such as Impala came with 14 in tires even 348 and 409 s had 14 inch tires
How bout the 1st mustangs with v8 & FIVE! lug 13″ wheels!
Can i assume the wheels on this dart are 4 lug?
I have to believe that 70% of the sedans were ordered with a Torqueflite, 29% with 3-on-the tree, and 1% with a 4-speed. The 4-speed wasn’t available with either Slant 6.
This was the sort of setup that was rare as hen’s teeth on domestic cars for ages and all but the norm on imports. With the exception of VW, Saab and others stuck on 2-doors and the likes of Rolls Royce, just about any company selling import cars in the US in 1968 would’ve sold you a four-on-the-floor four-door (the latest being Toyota whose midcycle facelift for the RT40 Corona replaced the sedan’s prior 3-on-the-tree with one), right off the lot. Some offered nothing but.
Getting back to this Dodge, I wonder if the original buyer saw those but wanted a V8 and/or to buy American.
There might be something to that. One of the guys that ordered a 1966 Coronet Hemi four door back in the day purchased that combo simply because he wanted wanted a dual carb engine in a four door sedan and Chrysler was the only company that built such a beast(I think that his name was Floyd Patterson?).
Interesting. I wonder if the four speed transmission is the same that I had in my 76 Aspen station wagon. Fourth is (was) overdrive, done by gearing in the transmission. It was a heavy duty transmission and there was virtually no chance that the slant six in my wagon could break anything in it. This could be a fun car to own but the two extra doors might turn some people off.
I looked it up. Hemmings.com has an article online about the A833 trans. 1975 is when they changed it to an aluminum case with the overdrive ratio. So if this has the original trans, it would be a regular 4 speed. These were very stout transmissions. Even the overdrive versions made their way into Dodge pickups. And in fact, in the early 80s GM used them as well for their pickups ( we had an 81 with one).
The case in my 76 Aspen was definitely not aluminum. I took it out once to replace the clutch and I was very surprised at how big and heavy it was. When I had it out I decided to replace the tail shaft bushing so I took it to my local Dodge service department. It was a local dealership where you could actually talk to one of the mechanics. It was laying on the tailgate of my truck while they were replacing the bushing, someone walked by and commented on the size of the transmission and asked if it was out of a truck.
If the fenders rotted away, I can imagine what it looks like underneath that car. Chrysler products were notorious for rusting away back then.
Wrong! I’ve owned Chrysler vehicles for nearly 60 years and rust was never an issue. Even 10 years out of production most of my cars were pretty much rust free and I live in a rust belt state.
Where any brand had problems was staying near the ocean and where salt was and still is used excessively.
oh I forgot…. and a lot has to do with owners upkeep. Most car owners even today think maintenance is keeping a full tank of gas.
Ever own an Aspen or Volare?
My bought new june ’74 firebird’s rear qtrs & bottom door edges were rusting in ’78 just from driving in rain every so often. No salt or snow driving – terrible traction with heavy pont v8.
Appears that V8 could be the culprit for the entirely miss matched and obviously not original front clip.
Looks like someone ran into a thing or three.
Take a close look at that line of bolts atop the new Fenders, that part of the fenders is already rotting out. That was a depressingly common thing about A bodys because water tended to collect there and not drain away. They also rotted out at the spot where the ballast resister was mounted.