1970 Dart Swinger 340 found

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mopar3653

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I just bought a car that looks rough but I think it is pretty rare. It is a 1970 Dart Swinger with a 340, 3 speed in the floor and bucket seats. It is Lemon Twist with Black interior. Look at the fender tag decode below and tell me if it is worth sinking the many thousands of dollars required to fix it. I am missing the drivetrain and various other parts but I think it is worth it. I actually think it is a rare find with the three speed in the floor and bucket seats. Since I am new here all opinions will be appreciated. Thanks.

E55 - 340 - 4 Barrel
D13 - 3-Speed Manual Transmission Floor
LM23 - L =Dodge Dart, M =Medium, 23 =2 Door Hardtop
H0R - H =340 275HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL, 0 =1970, R =Windsor, ONT, CAN
14110- Sequence Number '14110'
FY1 - Paint Code : Top Banana/ Lemon Twist
H6X9 - H =High, 6 =Vinyl Bucket Seats, X9 =Black
TX9 - Upper Door Frame : Black/Black Velvet
A05 - Date Built : 10/05/1969
012000- Order Number : 012000
FY1 - Roof Type OR Color: Top Banana/Lemon Twist
A45 - Spoiler Package - Front & Rear
C55 - Bucket Seats
M21 - Roof Drip Rail Moldings
M25 - Wide Sill Molding
A01 - Light Package
M43 - Grill Surround Molding
M88 - Quarter Panel Tape Treatment
N41 - Duel Exhaust w/o Tips
N42 - Chrome Duel Exhaust Tips
R11 - Music Master Radio AM
V6X - Black Longitude Sports Stripe
Y05 - Built to U.S. Specifications

Let me know what you think.
 
Depends on how bad the car is. Chances are you will not get your money back uot of it. So go with your hart and ask your self if you can see yourself dropping that much money on the car.
 
Let someone chime in on your ?.
But it is one I would build for sure ! A great package car and rare to find these days!
Keep us posted and get some pic's of it up for us.
 
It sounds like a neat car with the yellow on black ,the stripes ,and the spoilers. I never understood the manual 3spd. thing, but to each his own. Like Jaws said ,you will have to decide if you have enough of your heart in it to tackle such an undertaking. If you get the car, keep us all informed.
 
Here are your pics. It looks BAD but has lots of potential. I do have the 8 3/4 rear end and all body pieces.

dart2.jpg


dart.jpg


dart1.jpg
 
Just my 2 cents:

Rarity as far as the 3 speed is concerned, won't help the final value if it was restored & auctioned. People who can afford a finished 100 point $$ muscle car would be turned off by the 3 speed.

That's my opinion, but most everyone in my age group that were around back then and can finally now afford their dream car, would not consider a 3 speed standard.

Why?, because when we went through high school in the mid-late 60's, we were fixing up rusty 55-57s chevys or Fords, and none of us could ever afford an expensive 4 speed from a late model wrecking yard. So we settled for a new Hurst shifter kit for our 3 speeds.

Then figure we are now all getting older and most of us (except me :( ) have the house paid for and lots of money (except me :( ) to blow in a mid life crisis, and don't ever want a 3 speed again.

But I say restore it for IF you can afford to and if YOU really like the car. It's a real 340 car, plus nice color, buckets, etc. Run it with a 3 or 4 speed, you can switch later for resale if the market price demands it.

I'm in the same dilema: Refound & bought a 69 Dart factory 4 speed convertible w/buckets and no console, that I tried to buy 15+ years ago. Has had a 340 & bulge hood for 20 years but it was a 273 car, plus I don't like it's colors either. So I decided to do it with it's current '73 340 and a color change, plus an added sure-grip & six-pack. I'll worry about it's resale devalue later, if it works out that way. Just building it with my teenaged son's ideas & some of my own.
 
What is thing on the spoiler package front & rear? I know what the rear spoilers look like but what does the front one look like? I don't believe I have ever seen one.


Chuck
 
I posted in your other thread.

A45? Are you sure of that number. The trunk lid on the car currently doesn't appear to have holes in it, may have been changed at some time.

Can't say I've ever seen a 70 Dart with a chin spoiler from the factory.


Here's mine and it's very close to your car cept mine has a 4 speed... :twisted:

100_0162.jpg
 
A good way to go about the whole project would be to get a pen and paper and start writing down what car needs and guestamate what each item or area is going to cost. Be realiastic. Add it all up and then add a few thousand more for things you overlooked and then get a total. Then go to Hemmings or an old car appraisal guide and find out how rare it is and what its worth on the market. Maybe even check with Galen Govier. He'll know for sure. From there you'll see if it is worth it to fix up as an investment. Now, if you just like the car and want to have it, do like me and throw away the pen and paper and just keep doing it until its done. Building the car for me, is more fun than buying a finished one. JMO, Mike
 
i agree with F&J and Valiantmike.....no 3 speeds and consider total "investment"
set a limit ($x-xx,000)and ask youself if you didn't ever sell it would you be happy with
what you built, ie: custom buckets instead of oem seats: six pack stroker instead
fo thermoquad cast intake stocker and biggest of all: a mini tub job (can't save the parts to be put on later)...a lot of the decsion may rest on you..how much can you do?....lessing the cost but lengthing the time......for you, for now...do ya want to do a yellow car?.. pure stock/pro-street.....then again..ya don't have to keed it yellow
 
I would not worry about the 3 speed part. That is the "standard" transmission if the car was order with manual trans and the 4 speed box did not get checked. If I owned the car I would put a 4 speed in it and enjoy the car. But if you are going back 100% the 3 speed will be fine they are still a blast to drive!!

I think that is the car that has been the Egag a couple of times. Congrats, I can't believe nobody was buying it at the price he had it listed for. It was to far from me here in South Texas or I would have scooped it up!!
 
If you can afford to restore that car, and it will be very expensive, then definately do so. Will it be worth it investment wise, maybe not, at least not in the short term. But if you are going to sink tons of money into a car that is the right car to do it to in my opinion. There is no doubt it will be a very desirable car when done. And a lot of people like Top Banna 340 manual trans '70 Darts. I'd put a 4 speed in there and paint it back to the original color and then drive it. Once your sitting in those buckets, shifting those gears, hearing that hot small block roaring, then you can come back and tell us if it was worth it.
 
if the floors and lower body is solid, i would keep it and put it back together. it looks like alot of surface rust going on there, but that is no big deal, it's the rot all of the way through that is the problem. put it together and go have some fun!
 
The deal fell through. I won't be the one owning it or fixing it.
 
Sorry to hear that.. Might be for the better... May find a better one now.. Just keep looking and good luck..
 
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