1974 Dodge Dart Swinger Street/Track project.

This project looks like a blast and potentially amazing. This $350 Craig's List find '74 is just the kind of thing that inspires me.

You said "around the track" so do you mean road course kind of stuff? If so,the advice you've gotten so far sounds good. The parts list is obviously going to look very different for a drag focused build.

The only suggestions I would add may be slightly beside the point but possibly worth considering.

The 440 sounds just fine. I can't believe that we live in an era where a naturally aspirated V8 cranking out 550+hp is considered "mild." With enough traction, this Dart would easily crack the 11s. Dude. That's QUICK in anyone's book.

First thing I would do is look for aluminum heads and an aluminum water pump, incase this motor doesn't have them already. The heads will cost significant money but power improvements aside, getting that weight off of the front end of the car will be hugely helpful when trying to change direction!

Second, those 1974 bumpers have a ton of weight that can be removed without much effort...definitely look into that.

Third, chassis reinforcements are going to be incredibly disappointment. The subframe connectors are great but also look into torque boxes, steering mount point reinforcement, etc. The parts are cheap but the welding is costly if you can't do it yourself.

Fourth...spec out some modern (17"+)wheels that you can live with. There are no 15" street tires out there that are going to be worth a damn. @72bluNblu is a guru on this topic. His Challenger is running the most nearly "vintage-correct" looking 17"s that I have ever seen.

Fifth, leave the seatbelt interlock system in place. You'll have one of the last Darts on the planet to still have it! :D

Lastly...I hope you'll consider keepng this thing looking like a '74. Lots of guys don't like the "beak" and the rear treatment is certainly less elegant than previous years...but leaning into the mid 1970s aesthetic, even if it's not classically beautiful, can make for a unique and enviable machine. Just my opinion.

Keep us posted!