1973 Dodge Dart

3.7L 3687CC 225Cu. In. l6 GAS OHV Naturally Aspira

Automatic

Clear

GAS

This is my clean, straight, no-rust, low-miles, well-equipped 1973 Dodge Dart Custom. This listing contains lots of photos and descriptive text. Please read the whole listing; if there's anything else you'd like to know I will answer questions promptly. Detailed description follows the photos. Return to Daniel's cars --> Front Side Rear Front seat Back seat Odometer shows original miles as of September 20, 2012 Door panel (they're all this nice) Underside (before new exhaust system) Underside (after new exhaust system) Underside (another view) Muffler (Quality made in USA) Quarter panel, Left (rust free!) Quarter panel, Right (rust free!) Trunk floorpan, Left (rust free!) Trunk floorpan, Right (rust free!) Underhood Fender tag Safety Certification Label On Halloween (looking down from my roof, lit only by distant Sodium street lights, 60-second exposure): And now the description: This car reminds me of my granddad's last car—that's why I bought it. It puts a smile on my face whenever I drive it (and it would do the same even if it weren't for all the smiles and waves it attracts). It's also a good bit scarcer than the 2-door hardtop versions, probably because over the years most of the sedans either got used up and driven into the ground (a family car for a succession of six different families, then a taxi cab, then nothing left of it) or else cut up to make yet another 2-door car. Not that there's anything wrong with the 2-doors, but a well-preserved 4-door Dart is no longer often seen. Me, I've always preferred the 4-doors; much easier to carry around friends and stuff without everyone having to get out of the front seat to let people (or get stuff) out of the back. I am selling it because I have too many cars and not enough space. If that weren't the case, it would be an easy no-brainer to keep it. But I just can't. All in all, it's a hop-in-and-drive-anywhere car in terrific condition with very minimal "surprise, you get to spend more cash on the car you just bought" factor to it. But it is a 39-year-old car, so there are a few negative points: There's a hole in the carpet on the driver's floorpan; I have a new premium correct replacement from Stock Interiors, plus a new set of matching embroidered "DODGE DART" mats, as well as a large bunch of additional new and excellent used spare parts listed below. Wants some door and window rubber seals; I have all of 'em brand new from Steele. The driver's window mechanism wants some attention. It works, but I think one of the rollers is not quite installed right. Rear bumper chrome is in fine driver condition—not show condition, though. Rechroming the rear bumper guards, which are slightly flaking, would bring it to "excellent driver" condition. I I have a really nice shiny '73 Scamp bumper which would convert the car to the nicer looking (my opinion) one-per-side taillights as found on '70 Darts and '71-'73 Scamps. Engine idle is maybe a very slight bit rough -- I think it's just because I don't drive the car often enough to keep fresh gasoline flowing through the system. The idle smoothed-up when I took it out for some exercise and added some fresh gasoline. Now lots of good stuff!: 56k original miles. Still has all the original esoterica in the glovebox including the owner's manual, warranty booklet, first-ever inspection report, "Your Chrysler Man In Detroit" customer service brochure, and briefly-mandated brake performance disclosure No rust. NONE! Undercar thoroughly inspected, cleaned, and epoxy-sealed. No dents. It's straight as an arrow (or...a Dart!). There is one minor ding in the rear bumper, and that's it. 225 slant-6 engine, A904 Torqueflite automatic transmission. Power steering, power disc brakes, factory air conditioning, lights everywhere—glovebox, fender top turn signal indicators, under dash, trunk, etc. remote sideview mirror on the left and matching mirror on the right, 3-speed wipers with electric washers, factory tinted glass all around Nearly perfect shiny Dark Gold Poly paint, perfect black vinyl top, shiny stainless steel trim, virtually perfect original tan interior. In certain lights, from certain angles, it looks as if the left front fender might have been repaired or replaced and repainted sometime in the past, but I can't tell for sure. It would've been before I owned the car. Repairs & upgrades: The car is originally from Kentucky, and still has an interesting Kentucky insurance sticker in the back window. I fixed the stuff that goes wrong with cars that sit too long and don't get driven enough: Engine: Pulled the cylinder head and cleaned out the water passages, put in new valve stem seals, de-carboned the combustion chambers, etc. The cylinders look beautiful; they've still got cross-hatch. Doug Dutra blueprinted oil pump new exhaust manifold (real Chrysler, not aftermarket copycat). New exhaust system front to back, upgraded to 2" from original 1" diameter. Quiet muffler. New Mopar heavy duty (truck) vibration damper Electrical system: New engine compartment wiring harness (repairing previous-owner hacks) New (not "remanufactured") distributor, recurved for optimal advance. Upgraded FBO electronic ignition control unit New (not "remanufactured") alternator Upgraded high-current/low-resistance heavy-duty ammeter Exide spiral-cell premium battery, heavy-gauge new battery cables New GE Night Hawk high performance headlamps Fuel system: New (not "remanufactured") Carter carburetor and AC fuel pump. Powder-coated aluminum intake manifold (factory '76 special item) Cooling, Heating, & A/C systems: New heavy-duty radiator core and heater core, belts, hoses, and thermostat, running Evans waterless coolant (zero corrosion). New water pump. Upgrade inertia-ring type A/C compressor clutch installed Undercar: Rebuilt the entire brake system, upgraded the front disc brake calipers to the 1976 (2.75" bore) items with cop-spec pads, cop-spec rear wheel cylinders (13/16" bore), new booster, new master cylinder, premium brake fluid, etc. O'Reilly ("Engineering", not "Auto Parts") heim-joint strut rods, new ball joints, bushings, idler arm, and Edelbrock IAS shocks all around new 5-leaf HD rear springs—no droopy tail on this Dart! Premium Vredestein Quatrac-2 tires with 12k miles on them (I'm going to miss these tires; I like them a lot) Body & Interior: New premium correct trunk mat and trunk lid seal Front seat resprung and refoamed, NOS correct vinyl material used with original fabric in excellent condition. You will not sink down to the floor when you sit behind the wheel! Original radio has stealth (invisible) conversion to stereo FM/AM + line-in for MP3 player or iPhone etc.; new kick panels with built-in speakers—no hack/cut type of speaker installation. Spare parts: New-in-box premium correct carpet with upgraded "mass back" quiet underpadding; set of matching "Dodge Dart" floor pads Set of four premium interior door panels in perfect condition, with arm rest bases in likewise perfect condition New-in-box rubber weatherstrips for all doors, windows and backglass Rechromed '73 Scamp rear bumper described above Assorted mechanical parts Scarce heated (factory defogger grid) tinted backglass. Some of the grid lines will want repair; there's an inexpensive, effective kit available at any parts store to do so. If winning bid exceeds $4400, spare parts go with car at no extra cost. If not, it's just the car (spare parts negotiable separately). Appraisal: This car has a current local appraisal‚Äîa real one, available for buyer's inspection, done by a certified appraiser; not a bogus inflated "appraisal"). Vehicle location: The car is for sale "as is" and "where is". Specifically, it is in Seattle and is in "drive it anywhere right now" condition; it will readily go wherever you wish to drive it. Here is a movie of a cold startup on a 40°F morning: