There are those who restore a car exactly as it came off the assembly line. Strategically placed paint inspection daubs and chalk marks are meticulously applied. The original style hose clamps, painted only with the correct value and hue of semi-gloss or flat black paint, are located precisely on correctly date-coded radiator and heater hoses. The body-color paint under the hood has drip runs and sags that directly correspond to the degree of hangover the original painter had that Monday in 1971 when he was spraying the lacquer into the engine bay. On the other side of this equation are the people that simply don’t care. These intrepid few are more interested in driving their classic car around. Case in point is this mystery Dart, which has parts from Mopar and AMC combined into one obviously still working machine. No, there was never a Dodge Charger Dart Sport Swinger with AMC slot mags ever produced. Except for this one. Seeing is believing. The caution tape was likely there to prevent the restoration crowd from getting too close and suffering an embolism. We don’t know who this mystery Dart belongs to, but we salute you.
Mopars and the people that love them will be descending on Woodley Park in Van Nuys April 17th and 18th for the Mopar Spring Fling XXIV. Come on out for the Car Show and Swap Meet along with assorted Mopar-based activities.
I’m all in favor of driving your classic, but can’t help but wonder whether inappropriate “Swinger” and “Charger” badges the Mopar equivalent of Rice? I’m getting the same uneasy feeling get when I see an automatic base model Civic with big Type R badges.
They slapped the charger name on a Dodge Demon for South Africa from 1970 to 1975. Yes 1970. The Demon debut was in S.A. as a Chrysler Charger prior to the 1971 Dodge Demon.