This Little Dodge Just Picked A Fight With Every Charger In Sight
A 392 crate V8, five-speed auto, rack and pinion steering and custom paint and interior bring this 1970 Dodge compact up to date
https://www.carscoops.com/author/chris-chilton-cc/
by Chris Chilton
A comprehensively modified Dodge Dart is heading to Mecum’s Monterey auction.
The 1970 hardtop has a modern V8 powertrain plus upgraded chassis and brakes.
Tubbed arches make room for huge 18×10 Budnik rear wheels with 285 mm tires.
When it comes to golden-era Dodge muscle, the big-hitting B- and E-body cars, the Chargers and Challengers, always dominate the conversation, and are first in line for the restomod treatment. But this Dart build reminds us that Dodge’s smaller muscle machines punched well above their weight, and also respond well to a contemporary makeover.
Related: The Dodge Dart GTS 440 Was So Dangerous It Made A Corvair Look Like A Volvo
The A-body Dart was Dodge’s compact of the late 1960s and early 1970s, available as a conservatively-styled sedan, coupe or convertible, often with puny inline six power. But tick the right boxes and you could outfit one with Dodge’s giant-killing 340-cu-in or the 383 cu-in V8 from the Dart’s Charger big brother. A few even got monster 440 cu-in and 426 cu-in V8s for drag strip duties.
A Modern Take on a Muscle Underdog
But this restomod 1970 Dart that’s being auctioned by Mecum at its Monterey sale in August is a more rounded performance package than any of those old-school examples. A full suite of modern upgrades gives it sledgehammer acceleration plus the braking and cornering chops and 21st century luxury your Woodstock-era Dart buyer could only dream of.
Under the twin-scooped hood is a 392 cu-in (6.4-liter) crate Hemi V8 that channels 485 hp (492 PS) though a five-speed automatic transmission to a Sure Grip-equipped rear end. The combination of 3.55 gears with the auto should give a great balance between strong stoplight go and bearable freeway cruising.
Built to Go, Stop, and Turn
But unlike some vintage Darts which had to do without power steering and a brake booster to fit their massive engines between the shock towers, this one is a complete package. It has power-assisted rack and pinion steering, coilover suspension, front and rear anti-roll bars and Wilwood four-wheel discs. Budnik wheels occupy all four corners, the 18×10-inch rears being so fat the rear inner arches had to be mini-tubbed to make room.
Mecum
Inside, there are modern power seats, a leather-covered aluminum dash, custom Hi-Fi install and a Vintage Air air conditioning system. The blend of old and new is almost seamless, though the ugly 2010s Dodge shift quadrant for the automatic transmission is a disappointment. Given all the money spent on the rest of the car we can’t help wonder why they didn’t throw a few bucks at creating something bespoke.
Also: This Big-Bucks Dodge Resto Truck With Mitsubishi Roots Makes No Sense And We Love It
The Dart was always a bit of an ugly duckling next to the Charger and Challenger, but it’s also lighter, nimbler and has that underdog appeal that some people can’t resist. If you’re one of those people, you can check out the full auction listing here.
Mecum
