65 Dart Wagon Conversion to a Sedan Delivery
Here’s the story behind that round emblem - in 2004 I won the wagon on eBay. After winning it, I was corresponding with the lady owner concerning the wagon, title, etc and she tried to give me all the info she knew about it - 6 cylinder, automatic, no radio, front seat pretty well torn up on the driver’s side - would need some cushions or something since I told her we were planning on driving it across country. She said the previous owner had brought it back to LA from Mexico and sold it to her. The VIN indicated is was built in LA so who knows how, when or why it ended up in Mexico before her. Anyway a new job canceled the plans to attempt a cross country drive. I contracted with a transport company to haul it back from LA to here in VA.
Fast forward a month or so later when it arrived. I did drive it from where we met the transporter back to the house - maybe 4 or 5 miles. Like a new kid with a toy, I went though it looking for the broadcast sheet and anything of importance. In the glove compartment I found the CA registration, other paperwork AND this dirty emblem:
An online translator said the writing decoded to High (ALTO) Performance (RENDIMIENTO) with I’m sure the 225 representing the 225 slant 6. I have no idea who made the emblem or why. I put the emblem away as the plan was to V8 the wagon. Later I thought why not do a hot slant and use this emblem. So I started scouring eBay for another one. i did find another one which was already painted. The seller was from Mexico which made sense since the one I had was Mexican. He offered me another one which was also already painted.
Fast forward to 2015 or so - youngest son begged me go with a V8 and not a slant (he’s probably gonna end up with the wagon; oldest son wants the 47!
Now fast forward to 2020 when the body conversion from wagon to panel wagon
Is complete. I find these emblems in a box in storage and wondered how I could change the 225 to 273 as that’s the motor it’s getting. I thought these emblems would definitely be something different. I sounded out my mentor and friend @65dartcharger who said if I could do it, go for it. Looking around on good old eBay, I found a guy selling all sorts of numbers (273, 218, 340, etc) to use wherever one wanted.
So I carefully milled off the 225’s, test fitting the 273 numbers before finally deciding on the more diagonal placement of the left emblem.
And here was the final result after affixing the emblems and a coat of gloss black in the middle
Ulf sent me the measurements from his DartCharger where the DartCharger emblems are placed which is where my ALTO RENDIMIENTO 273 emblems are located.
Since the wagon is now a 1 of none so right or wrong, I can take what ever liberties I want with it. Since I like them, guess that’s what matters.
Here’s the story behind that round emblem - in 2004 I won the wagon on eBay. After winning it, I was corresponding with the lady owner concerning the wagon, title, etc and she tried to give me all the info she knew about it - 6 cylinder, automatic, no radio, front seat pretty well torn up on the driver’s side - would need some cushions or something since I told her we were planning on driving it across country. She said the previous owner had brought it back to LA from Mexico and sold it to her. The VIN indicated is was built in LA so who knows how, when or why it ended up in Mexico before her. Anyway a new job canceled the plans to attempt a cross country drive. I contracted with a transport company to haul it back from LA to here in VA.
Fast forward a month or so later when it arrived. I did drive it from where we met the transporter back to the house - maybe 4 or 5 miles. Like a new kid with a toy, I went though it looking for the broadcast sheet and anything of importance. In the glove compartment I found the CA registration, other paperwork AND this dirty emblem:
An online translator said the writing decoded to High (ALTO) Performance (RENDIMIENTO) with I’m sure the 225 representing the 225 slant 6. I have no idea who made the emblem or why. I put the emblem away as the plan was to V8 the wagon. Later I thought why not do a hot slant and use this emblem. So I started scouring eBay for another one. i did find another one which was already painted. The seller was from Mexico which made sense since the one I had was Mexican. He offered me another one which was also already painted.
Fast forward to 2015 or so - youngest son begged me go with a V8 and not a slant (he’s probably gonna end up with the wagon; oldest son wants the 47!
Now fast forward to 2020 when the body conversion from wagon to panel wagon
Is complete. I find these emblems in a box in storage and wondered how I could change the 225 to 273 as that’s the motor it’s getting. I thought these emblems would definitely be something different. I sounded out my mentor and friend @65dartcharger who said if I could do it, go for it. Looking around on good old eBay, I found a guy selling all sorts of numbers (273, 218, 340, etc) to use wherever one wanted.
So I carefully milled off the 225’s, test fitting the 273 numbers before finally deciding on the more diagonal placement of the left emblem.
And here was the final result after affixing the emblems and a coat of gloss black in the middle
Ulf sent me the measurements from his DartCharger where the DartCharger emblems are placed which is where my ALTO RENDIMIENTO 273 emblems are located.
Since the wagon is now a 1 of none so right or wrong, I can take what ever liberties I want with it. Since I like them, guess that’s what matters.
