Most folks remember the Dodge Dart as a compact car in the 1960s and 1970s. However, from 1960 to 1962, it was a full-size offering, including the only time the name appeared on a B-body product (1962). The seller has a Dart 440 convertible from ’62, the year of the “Plucked Chicken” as Chrysler made an error in downsizing the cars but still marketed them as full-size. This non-running ragtop has been in storage for 35 years and needs restoring. Production figures aren’t known, but it must be rare, as when was the last time you saw one? Located in Vancouver, Washington, this nifty project is available here on craigslist for $7,500 OBO.
Lore has it that Chrysler got hold of intel that suggested Chevrolet was going to shrink their full-size cars. So, for 1962, they set forth to do the same thing at Dodge and Plymouth, but what apparently was afoot at Chevy was preparations for the new Chevy II to join the Corvair in the compact space. Sales of the 1962 “big” Dodges and Plymouths were way off, so Chrysler tried to grow them some in 1963-64 on the same B-body platforms. It wasn’t until a redesign in 1965 that Chrysler would get back on the same page as the competition.
In 1962, four versions of the Dart we available: Dart, Dart 330, Dart 440, and Polara 500. The differences were largely in trim and creature comforts. We don’t know the history of the seller’s Dart 440 convertible, but it was last of the road around 1990. After that, it was dry storage for the Dodge, and the car has retained 100% of its parts in the process. The seller says there is some rust, but the photos don’t hint at how extensive it may be.
A 318 cubic inch V8 resides under the hood along with a push-button TorqueFlite automatic transmission. After 35 years, things could be locked up, but the seller doesn’t elaborate. The odometer reads 44,000 miles, which would mean it was seldom used before 1990. The red paint is badly faded, and the white convertible top has tears in it. There are no photos of the interior, but it may match in color to be exterior. And it looks like headrests are on the front seats, not something these cars would have come with. So, who wants to revive this Plucked Chicken?
I more remember this car driven by the late Dick Shawn in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World….a red Dart convertible…
SYLVESTER!!!!
Hey Russell, wait up! Ooh, you’re buggin’ me man!
The funny thing is that Dick Shawn played almost the same way as HITLER in The Producers, the beatnik version. “Where’s my Goebbels?”
in 1990 the car was 28 years old. more likely it averaged 5,ooo/year and has 144,000 miles.
My dad leased one of these from 1962-’64, when I was ages 6-8. Even at that tender age I thought it was rather unusual-looking – maybe even ugly. The glow of nostalgia has rendered it more beautiful in retrospect. But I still have no desire to own one…he went to a 1964 Bonneville convertible which I liked better then and still do now.
DOGES Darts were first lower priced full size cars Introduced for 1960. Seneca, Pioneer, and top of the line Phoenix. As a teen, our family owned a 61 Red Phoenix convertible. These two year Darts were extremely similar to DODGE senior Polara and Pioneer. Great cars that cut into senior Dodge and Plymouth sales. Then Dart became a compact and then moved up again to midsized nightmares like this one. I’m sure you know how these were mistakenly produced, in a sad final attempt by Exner to again achieve the success of his fabulous finned fantasies. It’s certainly a challenge, but at a fair enough price for someone with Time and $$$. I’ll drop the top on buying.
Miss Hathaway approves!
how about putting some effort into the sale. more pics and air up the tires. it will help the seller in the end
Dick Shaun would be proud of this one!!
I don’t think it has headrests. Those are either bucket seats with a console that has a fold up armrest or simply a bench seat (probably) which has a center armrest folded up..
I’ll be honest and admit I really love these cars. Ever since I was a kid and saw “It’s A Mad Mad ….. well you know.
I’m not a convertible lover at all but I hope it will find a home to be restored.