Everyone loves a good car story, and here's your chance to be a part of one. Read on:
I work at a rather large Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Ram dealership in Southern Illinois. One of the many small perks of this job is taking the chance every day to walk the wholesale lot to check out the interesting older trade-in cars that arrive and depart quietly, most often without much fanfare.
However, on occasion, the glimmer of a chrome bumper or the black canvas of a convertible top (see my other listing for the low-mileage 2005 PT Cruiser Convertible) catches the eye and warrants a closer look. That's what happened with this car, and as so often as is the case, that closer look led to bringing her home. I am nothing if not a hopeless romantic when it comes to classic cars. Some people rescue puppies and kittens. Me? The thought of this motor finding her way to an urban "Buy Here, Pay Here" lot where she would almost certainly be butchered and abused, fitted with some horrid 22" wheels and eventually wrapped around a telephone pole or left to rot when the new owner couldn't figure out how to replace the rapidly-worn front end components that his "customizations" had accelerated left me unable to sleep at night. So, I decided to investigate further.
The story as I have been told it by the salesman who took the car in on trade, and that I have supported by the available evidence, is this: The previous owner purchased the car in 1981, with a total mileage of 40,xxx according to the title that came with the car. The car was driven very little in the 30 plus years that the gentleman owned it, but he had recently begun to bring the car up to a respectable state. As the project went on, the gentleman decided to instead focus his finances on something more modern, and contacted our dealership regarding the purchase of a new 2013 Dodge Dart. The new car was delivered to his home on a flatbed truck, and the '74 was collected and brought back to the dealership where I became aware of it. I'm am also told that not too few a tear was shed by the gentleman as the car he had owned for 32 years made its way down the road.
Sometime during his ownership, the car had a Ziebart undercoating done, so the car exhibits very solid underpinnings. The previous owner began to repair the car back to roadworthy condition, starting with repairing the sill rot that is common on these cars. There is evidence that other semi-professional body repairs were undertaken, presumably with the idea of removing and stopping any rust appearance. The car appears to have had an "Earl Scheib" level respray at some point in what I believe is a GM (60's-70's Chevy Impala?) orangey-red.
However, where the most time/attention/money was spent was in the driveline and suspension. The car is currently showing 54,138 miles after driving it to work and back today (74.8 miles), and I absolutely believe that these are the genuine miles. The transmission (original standard-duty Torqueflite 3 speed automatic) was rebuilt about 2000 miles ago, and the engine (which according to the "E44" stamp on the build tag is the 230HP 2 barrel 318 c.i. V8) has been tuned up and starts, idles and runs smooth, strong and just plain brilliantly, even up to 100mph (professional driver on a closed course, of course). Most impressive, though, is the ride quality. All four corners have had the suspension components replaced, and the car simply glides down the road in quiet comfort. If you're looking for the ultimate daily-driver classic MoPar, I think you really would be hard-pressed to find a better one.
When I say "daily driver", I mean just that. If you're looking to purchase a solid car that can be hopped in and driven at a moment's notice, here's your ride. I've proved this to myself by driving over 800 miles in the car in the last month. No leaks, no drips, no noises apart from the quiet rumble of that gorgeous 318. I've replaced the fluids (engine, transmission, rear end and coolant) as a matter of precaution, though apart from the engine oil, none of them showed any signs of age or consumption.
Where the car does need help is the interior, though the present state certainly hasn't kept the family and I from enjoying a good few cruises in the car. The dash is cracked and the seats are tired, but the car is certainly in "drivable restoration" condition. The car originally was copper with a black vinyl top, and would look fantastic in that livery once again.
However, as Bob Dylan said, "Times, they are a-changin'", and so it goes with my time with the car. I purchased the car to save her from the certain doom of the wholesale lot, but I have a two car garage with a convertible, a classic, a motorcycle and the wife's minivan. I can't justify keeping her out of selfishness or greed, so I've decided to try to find her a good home to go to. To prove my desire to see her with someone who deserves such a sweet ride, I've decided to list the car for my absolute bottom-dollar price, and start the auction with no reserve. To assure you of how awesome this car drives, I will deliver it for gas money plus mileage (via driving the car @ $0.40/mile) within 500 miles of St. Louis, Missouri.
This car in this condition is worth what I am asking for it. I know it is certainly not perfect, which is why I'm not asking more. But, as the base for a full restoration, it'll be pretty hard to beat.
I welcome questions from genuinely interested buyers. I also welcome accurate information/correction from persons more knowledgable than myself about the car.
I am an honest seller, so please be an honest bidder so we don't waste your or my time. Happy bidding!
Dodge Dart for Sale
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Auto blog
Tue, 22 Jan 2013
Striving for improved fuel economy, we already knew that Chrysler will begin using a nine-speed automatic transmission in some of its new products this year, but what we haven't known is that volume at which this gearbox will be used. According to Bloomberg, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has been quoted as saying that the automaker expects to sell close to 200,000 units equipped with this new transmission in 2013. Those gear-rich trannies will be spread out across three models, consisting of the redesigned Chrysler 200, the still-unnamed Jeep Liberty replacement and the Dodge Dart.
This transmission should play a pivotal role in making Chrysler vehicles more competitive in their respective segments. Just for comparison, one of the Dart's key competitors, the Toyota Corolla, still uses a four-speed automatic, and a previous report indicates that the next-generation 200 could get up to 38 miles per gallon on the highway, which is better than most non-hybrid midsize sedans on the market. Marchionne says that the new Jeep model is expected during the second quarter of this year, but there is no word as to when the new 200 or nine-speed Dart will debut, but clearly Dodge would like to have the transmission in its compact yesterday. As for that volume figure, it definitely doesn't seem out of reach since the Dart, Liberty and 200 combined for a total of more than 225,000 units in 2012.
How many more gears can we expect in future cars? Probably not many more, since the CEO of transmission-builder ZF, Stefan Sommer, previously stated that nine speeds was the "natural limit" for transmissions.
Wed, 29 Oct 2014
Including all-wheel-drive models, there are ten versions of the 2015 Dodge Charger. The tenth variant - better described as the ten-tenths variant and the topmost model - is this Charger SRT Hellcat.
Superficially, you already know what it is: take the massively powerful Hellcat engine that's Frankensteined into the Dodge Challenger and stitch it into the recently facelifted Charger sedan.
Oh, but that would be superficial knowledge indeed. Russ Ruedisueli, vehicle line executive and head engineer for SRT, claims the Charger Hellcat is, "The industry's most irreverent four-door supercar." We looked up the word "irreverent" in the Oxford dictionaries, and it turns out the word doesn't mean "707 horsepower," nor "650 pound-feet of torque" nor "3.7-second 0-60 time, and seats five adults." It does mean, "Showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously."
Fri, 18 Oct 2013
Straight off its refresh, the Dodge Durango is slipping back into its dress blues and getting back to work. The 2014 Dodge Durango Special Service Vehicle boasts all the refinements and improvements that the refreshed, civilian-spec model received, most notably a 15-percent improvement in fuel economy.
Designed for police and fire departments, and as Chrysler's answer to the Ford Police Interceptor Utility and Chevrolet Tahoe PPV in the growing service SUV market, the Durango boasts a 600-mile range, thanks to the addition of an eight-speed automatic, available on both the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Equipped with the 360-horsepower Hemi, the Durango SSV can tow up to 7,400 pounds (the V6 is limited to 6,200 pounds).
Police and fire department Durangos get a few special features over the civilian models. The electric systems are ruggedized, with a heavy duty battery and a 220-amp alternator in place, while the engine's water pump and oil cooler are both stronger. The brakes are tougher, and a load-leveling suspension has been fitted, too.
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