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

[Paul Ceasrine]

Tom,

According to Al K.

The 1968 Dart GTS cars were pulled from the line on
November 20, 1967.

They were all 383 GTS cars with automatics. #LS23 cars, with 3.55 Sure-Grip gears.
The cars were pulled from the assembly line without the power train (engines), and
shipped to Hurst Performance for the conversion.

The Dodge-Hurst Conversion was code #L68 1703.
Cost was $363.65

440 engines were installed at Hurst Performance.
The cars were shipped back to Grand Spaulding Dodge for final preparation,
Which Included;
GSS badging
Engines were Dyno'd
Power-tuned
Carbs re-jetted (Reset pump shots and re-calibrated floats)
Re-curved distributors
Champion UJ-12Y spark-plugs
Larger belt pulleys
Performance ignition wiring
Low-restriction exhaust system (low-resistance mufflers, not the stock 383 units)
Full factory warranty
Ready-to-drive

Cost $3788

[Alex Denysenko]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Tom,

According to Al K.

The 1968 Dart GTS cars were pulled from the line on
November 20, 1967.

They were all 383 GTS cars with automatics. #LS23 cars, with 3.55 Sure-Grip gears.
The cars were pulled from the assembly line without the power train (engines), and
shipped to Hurst Performance for the conversion.

The Dodge-Hurst Conversion was code #L68 1703.
Cost was $363.65

440 engines were installed at Hurst Performance.
The cars were shipped back to Grand Spaulding Dodge for final preparation,
Which Included;
GSS badging
Engines were Dyno'd
Power-tuned
Carbs re-jetted (Reset pump shots and re-calibrated floats)
Re-curved distributors
Champion UJ-12Y spark-plugs
Larger belt pulleys
Performance ignition wiring
Low-restriction exhaust system (low-resistance mufflers, not the stock 383 units)
Full factory warranty
Ready-to-drive

Cost $3788

More erroneous information.
Dennis Hirschbach, the former parts manager of GSD from 66 through 76 is still alive and a friend of mine.
We both laugh at many of your GSS references Paul.
The engines were not installed by Hurst, they were factory built.
Another ubran legend created by the Hurst marketing arm of the time.
Probably the same group who said Hurst installed the 455's the Oldsmobiles as well.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Alex,

What is Code #L68 1703 (Hurst Conversion)

Now I do have a photo of a 440 engine being dropped into a
68' Dart, utilizing an engine crane.

Was this at Hurst or Grand-Spaulding or the Factory.

And Alex,
I didn't laugh at you when you made an error in posting that the 66' A-Body cars didn't come through
with an 8 3/4 rear-end housing.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,remember the D-Dart thread.

[Paul Ceasrine]

T-N-T,

I think the SS/EA record was 12.20, entering the 1968 NHRA
Winternationals.

That Super Stock class was attacked by Dick Landy's GTS 440 Dart
(not a Mr. Norms GSS 440) and some 68' Ford 428 Cobra-Jet Mustangs.

Some posted times by Dick Landy;
11.91
12.01 @ 118.73
11.81

[Geerhead55]

FYI,,,in the new issue of Muscle Car Review theres a nice 2 page black and white of Dandy Dick Landy and brother Mike taken in late '67 with their brand new '68s. Dick with his Charger (no hood scoop) and Mike with his Coronet,,, about 18/19 pages in.
Check it out if you see the mag. Danny Durham

[Paul Ceasrine]

Ted,

Dick Landy's 68' GTS 440 Dart (SS/EA) made it to the Semi-Finals
at the 68' Winternationals.

I think he had 4 or 5 cars at the 68' NHRA Winternationals.

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Alex Denysenko

More erroneous information.
Dennis Hirschbach, the former parts manager of GSD from 66 through 76 is still alive and a friend of mine.
We both laugh at many of your GSS references Paul.
The engines were not installed by Hurst, they were factory built.
Another ubran legend created by the Hurst marketing arm of the time.
Probably the same group who said Hurst installed the 455's the Oldsmobiles as well.

C'mon Alex, no need to belittle Paul while making your point; he's a class act. If Paul's in error, I'm sure he's humble enough to admit it and update his info.

Anyway....



M68

[bill dedman]

And, if you REALLY want a laugh, persuade Alex to relate (here on ClassRacer) his fantasy about how the O.E.M. FE/C4 bell housing came to be... a Canadian/Ford pickup truck fairytale to end all fairytales!!! LOL!

It is a masterpiece!!!

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

And, if you REALLY want a laugh, persuade Alex to relate (here on ClassRacer) his fantasy about how the O.E.M. FE/C4 bell housing came to be... a Canadian/Ford pickup truck farytale to end all fairytales!!! LOL!

It is a masterpiece!!!

I know the story very well.....I was going to the races with Bill Hawk, Dale Shannon, and Jim Morgan (SS/GA) back in my 428 CJ and 351Cleveland days as I did the cylinder heads for each of them back then. Joe Threatt (sp?) from Calif. had a C4 in his Mustang at the Sports Nationals in Bowling Green Ky. when we were there and we found out about it when his driver out ran Bill for class. Yhis was before NHRA allowed the lighter wt. transmissions but the win allowed. The C4 was worth a little over a tenth back in the day. The C6 had a lot of drag and it was even hard to push the car in the staging lanes with a C6 in it.

[BlueOval Ralph]

C-6 ALWAYS had a lot of case flexing enough that they would split case.

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

I know the story very well.....I was going to the races with Bill Hawk, Dale Shannon, and Jim Morgan (SS/GA) back in my 428 CJ and 351Cleveland days as I did the cylinder heads for each of them back then. Joe Threatt (sp?) from Calif. had a C4 in his Mustang at the Sports Nationals in Bowling Green Ky. when we were there and we found out about it when his driver out ran Bill for class. Yhis was before NHRA allowed the lighter wt. transmissions but the win allowed. The C4 was worth a little over a tenth back in the day. The C6 had a lot of drag and it was even hard to push the car in the staging lanes with a C6 in it.