I'm looking at a 75 Dart Sport, which clearly is a cousin to a Duster. What are the differences between the two, and what all can be swapped between them?
Dart Sport vs. Duster?
- Thread starter halfafish
- Start date
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From the inside, they are virtually identical.
From the outside, everything forward of the doors is the same as a Dart Swinger of the same year. You could bolt on a Valiant/Duster front end though if that is your thing. Me? I'm okay with the Dart styling even though the Duster seems to be much more popular.
The taillight panel is shaped the same but had different holes punched in the panel for the Dart Sport taillights.
Doors, roof, quarters and trunk lid are the same as a Duster.
Under the skin, the suspension is identical. Engines, transmissions, exhaust systems, brake and steering too.
From the outside, everything forward of the doors is the same as a Dart Swinger of the same year. You could bolt on a Valiant/Duster front end though if that is your thing. Me? I'm okay with the Dart styling even though the Duster seems to be much more popular.
The taillight panel is shaped the same but had different holes punched in the panel for the Dart Sport taillights.
Doors, roof, quarters and trunk lid are the same as a Duster.
Under the skin, the suspension is identical. Engines, transmissions, exhaust systems, brake and steering too.
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Locomotion
Well-Known Member
Rear bumpers interchange as long as they are the same mounting style - standard brackets or "shock absorber" brackets.
Front bumpers do not because of style.
Doors interchange but glass and parts inside changed in some years. '73 only and '74+. '72 & earlier Duster/Demon door glass and interior door panels & handle location differ than later models.
Front bumpers do not because of style.
Doors interchange but glass and parts inside changed in some years. '73 only and '74+. '72 & earlier Duster/Demon door glass and interior door panels & handle location differ than later models.
Complete front sheet metal and tail lights. Most everything else interchanges.
middleagecrisis
Well-Known Member
I've had both, differences are stated above. Boils down to if you like the styling differences specific to each model. If you find a Dart Sport you like, I'd buy it. They actually seem to be rarer in my area than Dusters.
Bobzilla
Well-Known Member
1975 Dart Sport has a bigger nose than those in post 2, which I assume are 73 and 74.
Locomotion
Well-Known Member
On '73 - '76 models, Dart header panels and bumpers all have the same contours and fit together properly. '73-'74 and '75-'76 grilles also do but the styling is different. Gotta keep the headlight trim with the corresponding grille. The bumper installation may need some tweaking due to the difference between "standard" bumper brackets and the "shock absorber" bumper brackets that make '75-'76 front bumpers stick out more. (As do '74+ rear bumpers.)
DionR
Well-Known Member
The Dart Sport didn’t get the front shock absorber bumper in ‘74 like the Duster did? I know the ‘74 Duster got them and then they went away later in ‘74 until ‘75. But my earlier build (Nov ‘73) has the shocks. I assumed the Dart Sport was the same.
Locomotion
Well-Known Member
I wonder how many were built. Too bad there isn't a count like with regular options.
I hadn't run across any 1974 model year Sport or Duster front "shock absorber" bumper brackets but that model year was an unusual transition year. Dart Swingers and Plymouth Valiants I did see. Dart Sport & Duster - no.
Parts occasionally didn't match up to the year on many occasions which can confuse things. I was buying a hood and trunk from a 1976 only Dart Lite. Despite being from the same, correct car with original paint, the trunk lid bracing was steel, not aluminum. I've also seen people claim the full width taillight bezels to be original on their other than 1975 Dart Sports & Dusters.
It also seems that the "shock absorber" bracket car bumpers got the skinny bumper guards while the regulars had the wider versions.
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