1970-71 dodge dart differences.

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hosehead

hosehead

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So I am going to try and recreate my favorite high school car(1970 dart 340 four speed) and since I'd never sell it and clones don't bother me, I was thinking of maybe doing a clone. I have noticed that 71 darts seem to be a little more common than 70s in my area, so I was wondering what the differences are between a 70 and 71 dart swinger? Obviously the rear bumper and emblem location, but if any of you guys have any info on this let me know what else is different. Thanks guys!:burnout:
 
Real obscure: I vaguely recall one has jacking slots in the rear bumper and the other does not.
 
Honestly...I vaguely recall 1971 being pretty much a carryover year. (Which makes sense, since the B-bodies were all-new for 1971, plus Dodge getting the new Demon.)

Wait: when did the key switch move from the dash to the column? What about 3-point front belts?
 
The emblems are different! The 70 emblems are written in script and they're located in a different spot! I believe that the front fender extension is also deeper on a 70 and the chrome is deeper as well! Ill probably think of more stuff later!
 
hosehead said:
...and since I'd never sell it and clones don't bother me, I was thinking of maybe doing a clone. ...
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Be careful. I've heard that before. :tongue5:

But easier car to clone since you can bolt on hood scoops and 340 scoop emblems. And they made of lots of those 70-71 Darts. Seems to be a decent selection of used parts still.

I'd skip the rallye dash changeover because they are so expensive. An 8 1/4 rear would be fine with a FMJ body front disk spindle swap. Big bolt pattern 14" rallyes are cheap.

4spd changeover is pricey. But you can pick away at it.
 
autoxcuda said:
Be careful. I've heard that before. :tongue5:

But easier car to clone since you can bolt on hood scoops and 340 scoop emblems. And they made of lots of those 70-71 Darts. Seems to be a decent selection of used parts still.

I'd skip the rallye dash changeover because they are so expensive. An 8 1/4 rear would be fine with a FMJ body front disk spindle swap. Big bolt pattern 14" rallyes are cheap.

4spd changeover is pricey. But you can pick away at it.
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Don't remind me Steve!:banghead: at least the barracuda was sold to buy a house. At any rate, that's what I would do I think. Buy a car and start collecting four speed and rallye dash stuff.( I got a set of rallye gauges today for 20 bucks!). Hood scoops are re popped now. Seems like a fairly easy clone to do. Now to find a nice solid foundation to build on.........:tongue5:
 
hosehead said:
Don't remind me Steve!:banghead: at least the barracuda was sold to buy a house. At any rate, that's what I would do I think. Buy a car and start collecting four speed and rallye dash stuff.( I got a set of rallye gauges today for 20 bucks!). Hood scoops are re popped now. Seems like a fairly easy clone to do. Now to find a nice solid foundation to build on.........:tongue5:
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And the scoops do come up for used too. Used on 69 and 70 Air grabber Dodges also.

The stuff that kills you are the exhaust manifolds, 8 3/4 rear, 70/71 Air cleaner, fan shroud, front sway bar setup with LCA's, floor shift column (really 1970 only). The rallye dash structure is 70-71 340 cars only. Can add up to be very costly.

The much more plentiful 67-69 Barracuda rallye dashes came on every Barracuda. The 70-71 ralley dash with the ignition switch on the column only came on 70 340 Swingers/Duster and 71 340 Demon/Duster.
 
bunch of little things..

here are a couple..

grill and no slots in the 70 bumper

DSCN6893.jpg




swinger emblem location

DSCN6895.jpg


DSCN6896.jpg
 
Here are the most noteable differences that i know of:
Grilles are the same, just different colors.
Emblem placement on upper quarter panels on a '70, and on front fenders on a '71.
Gas tank and filler tube.
Steering wheel.
Rallye gauge cluster is a '70 only thing.
Rear bumper and tail lights
''Dodge'' emblem on the hood is in the center on a '70 and is in script not block letters, emblem on trunk lid is the same script as front but has different attaching pins.
Center cap color on rallye wheels, light argent on '70 and dark gray on '71.
Hood and scoops, can modify the '71 hood to fit the '70 scoops.
Slots in the bumpers on late production '71s.
Obviously the 340 engine wasn't available on a '71 Swinger. Some Canadian sold cars were available with them from the factory, but they are very rare.
 
electrical system is different - based on ground
340 k-member from V-8 k
interior trim w/headrests
dual exhaust has factory bracket welded to body
worth purchasing an original 340 roller and restoring as Cali has no rust
 
I spoke to a member just yesterday about a 70 340 duster (I think) car for sale here in Oregon. Rust has kicked it in the nutz but all the goodies are there except the 8 3/4 was swapped out. The complete rallye dash (pad toast), harness, column with PRND21, K-frame, disc brake, sway bar and front suspension it seems is all intact.
 
Rocky_JS said:
I spoke to a member just yesterday about a 70 340 duster (I think) car for sale here in Oregon. Rust has kicked it in the nutz but all the goodies are there except the 8 3/4 was swapped out. The complete rallye dash (pad toast), harness, column with PRND21, K-frame, disc brake, sway bar and front suspension it seems is all intact.
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Thanks Rocky! It's a 71 Duster 340. Buying it soon as I get off here. Yes all is there what he described. From 1/4's back rusty.
 
The 70 is much more desireable and sought after and is way cooler than the 71. The 70 has many more performance and handling advantages too. Not only that, the styling of the 70 makes it a true work of art, and the 70 was the last year of a true muscle car.
 
Wow, this thread came back from 2013! I'm happy to report that no cloning was needed! See my sig.:thumbsup:
 
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