1968 Dodge Darts (Factory SS/EA 440's)

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Here is a 69' GTS Dart

'Desert Fox',,,,,Hollywood Dodge,

They also sponsored Bill Bagshaw's 'Red Light Bandit' SS/B, LO23 Hemi Dart

1969 NHRA Dodge Dart Classes;
* 440/375 HP,,,,,,,,,C/SA,,, or,,, SS/GA
* 383/330 HP,,,,,,,,,E/S and E/SA,,, or,,, SS/I and SS/IA
* 340/275 HP,,,,,,,, F/S and F/SA,,,or,,, SS/J and SS/JA

This is a 1969 Dart 'Swinger 340', and ran in F/Stock in 1969.

Anyone have anymore photos of this one...

.

[65Val]

I've always wondered...Why does the story of Mr Norm having to show Chrysler how to put a 383 in an A-Body in '67 when Chrysler was already building '67 383 Barracuda's long before that?

[Paul Ceasrine]

Moose.

Several stroies about who came first, the 383 in a Plymouth Barracuda
by the factory, or Mr. Norm's 383 in a 1967 Dart.

I've read that Mopar wanted to 'only' make the 383 available in the 1967 Plymouth Barracuda, and on a limited basis.

Mr. Norm forced their hand, by putting the 383 in his Dart project, and
getting some publicity in the Performance Magazine's.

[Hemi Moose]

[Hemi Moose]

Another one of Mancini's 1968 440 Dart called the 'Bee Leaver'...

[wv_bob]

Originally Posted by 65Val

I've always wondered...Why does the story of Mr Norm having to show Chrysler how to put a 383 in an A-Body in '67 when Chrysler was already building '67 383 Barracuda's long before that?

A master marketer, like Norm was/is, can sometimes manipulate history to their own benefit. See also, Jim Wangers and the GTO being the first muscle car.

[Kyle Kohr]

Hi, my name is Kyle Kohr. we believe we have the 68 440 dart given to Saddleback Dodge and Charlie Allen to race in SS/EA. We got the car from Roland Osborn Chrysler Power magazine in the late 90s. From our information the dart was transformed into a prostock car with 72 fenders,grille, rear clip etc. We are currently restoring this car back to its original 68 appearence and ANY information will be greatly appreciated.

We have a American rodding magazine article from september 1969 with an article about this car in it.

Im a junior in high school and I am using this car as my graduation project. We are currently doing the body work to the car. It is currently in the Kohrs Kustoms garage getting restored by me and my dad.

We do have a few pictures of the car from back in 1968/1969 along with the funny cars Charlie Allen had. But we could always use more.

[bigsixman]

Kyle: Good luck with your project on this significant car.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Kyle,,,,

Good start,,,,,,,

National Dragster publications (From; January 1968 and up thru 1969)

* Super Stock and Drag Illustrated
* Rodder and Super Stock
* Super Stockers in Action

Hooker Header archives, as they built special 'fenderwell' Headers
for these handful of 1968 GTS Darts.

[Kyle Kohr]

Paul, Thanks for the response. That is the magazine that we have, it has a pretty good article in it about the car which is nice to have while we are building it. Reading this thread has really helped with under standing why certain things on the car are why they are.

We have to back track alittle bit now (we not really) but it had the cut outs for the fender well headers and we just though they did that when the car was transformed into a pro stock car so i cut out inner fender wells off another 68 front clip and welded one side back to stock. I guess now we are gonna cut it back out LOL.

You said all the cars were 383 automatics. Well im not 100% sure why but the car has the pivot point for the z bar still on the drivers side frame rail leading us to think it was an original 383 4-speed car. however it could very well of been added when the car was being run as a pro stocker because they are 4-speeds.

Also does anyone know of any of the other cars being around?