Originality-does it matter?

[Dart Frog]

I've always liked to keep the exterior and interior as close to original as possible even the glass has the original date-coated bugs. To me it's just a little time capsule and cool that it is original looking. being the one year color option and a 340 4 speed car makes it fairly rare. I do like to show it and it gets its share of attention. last time I took it to the races a Mopar Nationals in Woodburn Oregon the announcer said there's a 340 swinger done right. After all my years of hard work yes it did make me feel good. As far as under the hood modifications I like to keep them semi-era correct

 

[mopowers]

even the glass has the original date-coated bugs

 

[Dartswinger70]

I told my wife once "it just has to look good rolling down the street..." when we were detailing her car...

 

[Turbo440Dart]

Restored cars don’t do much for me. Resale value? Don’t consider it one bit when messing with my cars. If they ever get sold I just hope it’s because I’m dead. Let the next guy worry about if he wants to restore it or not.

 

[340sFastback]

My car is an original Formula S 340 automatic AC car. Now its heavily modified 414 small block stroker, 6 speed, Dana 373 rear, 4 wheel disc brakes, 15 inch big bolt pattern wheels, Sanden AC compressor, power steering added ect. I went for stock appearing theme stock appearing interior and engine compartment. Tried to make it look like an original 4 spd car ect. Ppl at car shows ask All Original? Not original, not how it came from factory, but it sure is fun to drive.....

 

[66fs]

I have a 1968 auto trans 383 Formula S Fastback Barracuda. I bought it out of a Junkyard in South Dakota. All intact, but worn out. It has been years and a lot of money replacing parts I threw away and used it as a daily driver. The original HP 383 will go back in with forged pistons, a Racer Brown ST-1 solid lifter cam and a 69 HP 440 750 cfm AVS on the stock 301 intake. I'll run the original Jet Hot coated exhaust manifolds, radiator, and air cleaner. The ignition is a Direct Connection kit with a Chrome box, platinum plugs, and Taylor Spiro Pro wires. Auto trans was trashed so in went a 440 police trans. Came in that light beige paint, I painted it 1968 light green mist. Hood was rusted, so a good one was found and the original hood mounted blinkers were deleted. Interior was Deluxe Black, but will be Deluxe White minus the medallions. What I would have ordered if I bought it new.

 

[matthon]

These are the stories that I can relate to and enjoy.

I got extremely lucky and found the exact car I would have ordered new. So lucky in fact, that I had no clue a 67 Barracuda could have a bench and a 4 speed.

Every single one I looked at had bucket seats.
This is before I knew what fabo was, so forgive me.

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

So, my take is that my GTS is a nice matching numbers car that has been restored, I really like it like that.

But, I have taken liberties, it has a 372” stroker kit in the matching numbers motor, commando gear set going in the matching numbers transmission.

Yes, we drive it, 800 miles to Carlisle and home (2nd place A body stock), 350 miles last Sunday out to Hampton Beach, NH, heading to the Mt Washington auto road for my birthday next month to drive to the top of the highest point in New England.

Drive it in the sun, drive it in the rain if need be but we don’t head out in it. It cruises at 75 mph, 3k RPM and gives 16+ mpg.

I like to have both, an original car, since it has been and a car I enjoy.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

[cli55er]

It only matters if it matters to you.

I used to be very hardcore all about original…. But this above is a very true statement…. Took me a while to figure this out. I have a 1937 Packard limo… very rare car…. I put fuel injection on it…. I wanted original…. Got over it. Drives like a dream now.

My 70 H code dart… been wrecked… not original motor…. I went to town on it.. only thing left original is the vinyl top and rear seat. I sold the rallye dash out of it… don’t care. I’m about to put a TKX 5 speed in it too and it has the original 727… I don’t care. The person after me when I die can care.

 

[Jim Lusk]

This topic comes up way too often, usually to justify one's attitude. For me, it depends. My wife's GTS convertible (hasn't been #'s matching since around 1980) needs to stay original and will. A god running 340 makes for a very nice street car. My '67 Barracuda convertible and my son's '67 Dart GT convertible are not as desirable stock as the GTS, BUT I still like factory parts so they both have 440s, but with all factory parts.

As for that '70 Charger not getting attention doesn't make any sense. My son took his Dart to a small all-make show last year and got a lot of attention. As a matter of fact the 440 cars always draw a crowd. He did win an award, but shouldn't have based on what was there and the categories (nicer Mopar won best Mopar, real remake Shelby Cobra won best Ford, Jeff won best "other", which in my opinion should have gone to the Cobra). Gotta love participant voting...

 

[BkrDude001]

It would take a one hell of a car for me to worry about originality. Which in reality would leave me out anyway. I don't know that I would own one that I would be afraid to drive. I'm all for making it mine.

 

[Dart/Valiant]

I notice, when I go to exhibitions, that my completely original 1975 Dart attracts at least as many looks and questions as the Duster 340 (real and fake)

 

[LO23M8B]

Today if I have a very valuable car that was stock/mostly stock I probably would keep it that way. But for me I like driving something that runs good, stops good and handles reasonably well. AC is a plus. Most of my cars are modified in some way. I prefer performance, street drivers. And I drive them in the rain if I have too don't like to, but **** happens. A couple of years ago I had to drive home from Woodward with my Cuda, no wipers no defroster and slicks. Long 60 mile drive. My current everyday ghetto cruiser is an old police Impala all stock but banged up, ran 14.80's with a v6 and each tire and wheel combo weights 70 pounds. Shows what can be done with proper tuning if they want to.

 

[Woody500]

If the car came with a putrid color and drab interior I wouldn't want it put back to the factory design. They got to stand out like a pumpkin in a pepper patch. Shake the ground and run like a raped ape. If you want a numbers queen get a E or B body. All a-bodies should have came with a cage and slicks.

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And A-bodies can be made to handle very well, if you are wanting a corner carver or to go road racing instead of drag racing.

 

[nutz]

And A-bodies can be made to handle very well, if you are wanting a corner carver or to go road racing instead of drag racing.

Yeah that's more my style
I would carve some corners with mine back in the day and didn't have any new wave tech
After I get done with the vert might go there

 

[Kemper]

I can go either way. I love the show cars that look factory and the daily drivers. I wouldn't want the responsibility that comes with keeping a show car in show condition but am glad some people do.

 

[Mtrhead]

One of the most humble true statements I've heard in a long time on this site

 

[Larsen74Dart]

Around 1990, I needed a car for college. Mom found a 1975 Dart Custom 4 dr with a slant 6 and only 22K miles, perfect condition. Looked good enough to me and thought it would be good on gas. Paid $1500 for it. At the time, I really wasn't into cars much, let alone classics. About 2 years later, guy darted (no pun) out in front of me and I t-boned him. Crunched front end pretty bad. Got radiator fixed and sold it for $500. Ever since then, been loving the Mopars, but esp Darts. My current one (for sale in classifieds) I found in FL. Wanted one in as original condition as possible. Didn't have to be mint, but wanted it to be clean and look good. This one does. Extremely clean, but not restored. I WAS a stickler for 'originality' but after getting this one, I would not have been unhappy if some of the original parts had been upgraded, or just simply replaced. I like seeing a car's history in the paint, etc., but while replacing a cracked dash, ripped up seats and headliners, etc. makes the car look great, it removes its history. A completely restored car looks beautiful, but it has no 'visible' history. No evidence of what the car has lived through, "All original" or nearly 'all original' seems to be becoming more and more rare.

 

[FlamesAreWicked]

I have a 68 Dart GT.. it came factory with a 318 2 barrel, 904 auto, and a 7.25 rear axle.. I’ve since swapped to a 3.55 SG 8 3/4 rear axle, swapped the 904 for a 833 4spd, and by the end of the year I’ll have a warmed over 340 in it.. Ive killed the originality of it but ultimately if the day ever came where I had to sell it, it would be more desirable how I have it. In this particular case I have zero regard for originality. If it was originally a GTS car, I might would have more care about originality but it would still have lots of “day 2” mods so.. I wanna drive and enjoy them without fear… within reason of course. Being non original makes them more affordable. I have zero desire or intent on ever selling my Dart but in my case, what I’ve done and will do will only add value to most people.. not everyone but most.

 

[RON REAGLE]

My black 68 Barracuda fastback is PROOF originality DOESN'T MATTER. Originally a plain jane green on green 318 auto Barracuda. It had been modified , rotisserie restored , painted black top to bottom , all new interior etc. then a 451 stroker big block was added. Now don't get me wrong this was a nice car. Maybe one of the nicest you'll ever see BUT NO WAY WAS THIS CAR $100K yes someone paid $110k after buyers premium was added at MECUM. There are original M-code cars out there that don't bring $100k

 

[MMissile]

OEM cars have never been of any interest to me. Really can't say much more.

 

[Kemper]

My black 68 Barracuda fastback is PROOF originality DOESN'T MATTER. Originally a plain jane green on green 318 auto Barracuda. It had been modified , rotisserie restored , painted black top to bottom , all new interior etc. then a 451 stroker big block was added. Now don't get me wrong this was a nice car. Maybe one of the nicest you'll ever see BUT NO WAY WAS THIS CAR $100K yes someone paid $110k after buyers premium was added at MECUM. There are original M-code cars out there that don't bring $100k

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That's nice ,but what did it cost to make it a 100k car and how much does it continue to cost to keep it a 100 k car ?

 

[DartGTDan]

While I appreciate/respect original cars, I can't afford to play the numbers matching game. 100 point cars are not in my budget, nor are they my style, but I do appreciate them and the people that own/preserve them.

Another thought, my car came with drum brakes on all 4 corners. It now has aftermarket discs up front. It also has electronic ignition, radial tires, etc... Better living through technology!

My buddy's '63 Dodge 440 still has bias ply tires & 4 wheel drums (with the single jug master cylinder).

My view is if it's rare, original is the way to go. But if you're going to drive it, make it yours and make it safe enough to be on the road with more modern technology.

 

[Woody500]

No Recaro buckets with a standard fold down rear seat in a fastback Barracuda? could not agree with you more.

That car is after my time, but that is a damn nice Duster. The stance and tires to fenders and tires rear quarters couldn't be better.

BMW '86 Sport Seats in mine. Got them free.

 

[tom999w]

But for me I like driving something that runs good, stops good and handles reasonably well. AC is a plus.

Then save yourself all the work and buy a Hyundai.