440 Compact Muscle! 1969 Dodge Dart Custom
I’ve been a fan of E-Bodies and B-Bodies since I was old enough to dream out loud, but it took me quite a bit longer to realize that the Dodge Dart just got better and better in terms of performance options as the sixties decade went on. In ’69, Dodge offered a GT model with four engine choices, the 318 being top of the food chain, and unless you stepped up to the GTS level this was as good as your GT got, and for a car this light the 318 was a decently capable performer. Not good enough said the owner of this 1969 Dodge Dart Custom, who calls it a GT Tribute, and the build was on. If you’re salivating over the thought of a 440-powered Dart, this may be a good one to consider. The car can be found here at Midwest Car Exchange in Alsip, Illinois, being sold on consignment with the owner asking for $34,900.
We’d like to thank Barn Finds reader Rocco B. for the great tip on this one! If there’s any bad news, it’s that the car was born a lower-level 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger Custom, and with values of the factory GT cars seeming to be all over the place, it may be a bit hard to evaluate the real-world value for a car dubbed a tribute, especially since the 440 was only available in the latter part of the ’69 run and only on the GTS model. But as we all know, a car is worth what an eager buyer is willing to pay for it, and considering everything that’s been done to this one I’m having a hard time finding much not to like here, other than I may have considered calling it a Dart Custom sleeper rather than a GT tribute, although that’s kind of small potatoes. The body is said to be rock-solid and rust-free, finished in Y4 gold paint with a vinyl top that’s believed to be the original material.
The 440 is of 1969 vintage with Edelbrock aluminum heads and intake, and a Brawler 850 CFM dual-feed carb sitting on top. MSD ignition has been added, along with an aluminum radiator to keep things cool under the hood, plus there are also aluminized headers and a Flowmaster dual exhaust system. The seller says the car sounds fantastic, and just the thought of that big-block idling through those pipes is like music to my ears! The only information we get about the 727 automatic is that it’s built, but no additional details beyond that other than it has an extra-capacity aluminum pan on the bottom. Outback is an 8 3/4 rear end with 3.55 gears and Mopar Madness axles.
Few details are given about the interior other than it’s stated to be very nice, but there are several photos provided of the inside and they all seem to back up this claim. It looks like the factory AM radio is still in the dash, but there’s also an AM/FM/CD combo hidden in the glovebox in case that 440 isn’t enough music for your passengers. Some other aftermarket parts inside are a column-mounted tach and a trio of gauges under the dash, making it easy to keep an eye on things. I’m really digging this Dart and impressed with how the builder’s vision turned out, how about you? If nearly $35k sounds a bit high, what do you think is a reasonable price to pay for what you’re getting here?
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Comments
This was the car that Dodge went after that 427 Fairlane with. To give credit where it’s due, this is NOT one of Mr. Norms cars, it would have an “M” in the vin, but in ’69, I read he made 50 of these so it could run as a “super stock” class. Previously, Dodge only offered the 383, I think, and liked Norms 440 idea. So much so, Dodge followed suit in ’69 with 640 of these 440 hardtops, all had the automatic. With low 13s out of the box, and 12s with minor mods, it cleaned up on everyone. This was, for all practical (?) purposes, the hottest stick you could buy, and went downhill from here. I suppose, as usual, seems like just add a zero to everything today, but for $3150 new, it was a lot easier to come up with than $30grand today. Yeah, eat your hearts out, it was just a better time and NOTHING exemplified that more than a 440 Dart, no foolin’.
Even though this isn’t the real deal, beautiful tribute car. Had a bunch a street racers I knew growing up. One of the cars was a 440 Dart, no idea if it was built or the real deal, but it had a reputation and was quick. This is a beauty and should move about quite nicely.
Nice car, the 440 cars were GSS’s if I remember correctly.
Not totally sure, but I think the “GSS’s” were 340 6-packs, A-Bodies in 70′. RARE!!!!
Correct, the Darts with 440’s were “GSS’s”. “GSS” just stood for “Grand Spaulding Special”.
I never seen or heard of a 340 six pack . That’s news to me .
Nice sleeper mobile.
Muffle the heck out of the exhaust and then hit the cut outs after the light turns green – Yahoo!
Front panel a lighter shade than the bulk of the car. Interior looks exquisite , nice straight car.
It’ll leave a patch of rubber, about as long as you want it to. 🙌
Hopefully two.
Nice car. Good luck
The GSS was available and the 1968 They made a GT, a GTS, and a GSS, I have had a GTS 340 and I’ve had a GTS 383 the 340 to me was the best
Originally it was a total of 1000 cars to make it “legal” for NHRA stock class racing,, 660 Darts//340 or so Cuda”s factory equipped with 440’s, no power steering or even brakes, tiny wheels and tires as Chrysler figured racers would use their own set up. The magazine tests I read with stock tires were a joke, absolutely zero traction, still in the 14’s though, with nothing more than slicks Joe Oldham dropped into the high 12’s…so the package definitely worked as intended: a straight line terror! Nice machine here that isn’t for the faint of heart.
Agree with history of these Darts. My brother bought a new 69 440 Cuda. As a young teen , I was with him when he picked it up at the dealer. On the way home we ended up at a light with a solid lifter big block Camaro. To are surprise, he took him in a short run. I think he just realized his kid brother was with him, and didn’t go to extremes. But the car was brand new and needed a few miles to seat everything. The only thing he did to it was better tires, carb work, and gears in the rear. 12.26 at Great Lakes dragway.
Good story Dan
I had a 68 Dart GT with a built 340.. It ran mid 12’s… Loved that car.. Never got beat.. There we’re cars out there that were faster, but I never came up against them…
To be truthful the best motor that was ever put in the Darts. The big blocks would never turn the 6500 RPM’s from the factory. I had the GTS with the 340. The block blocks used to like to try me red light to red light. They had no idea what hit them.
Nice car! If I had the money,it would be sitting in my garage.