(first posted 1/24/2013) My friends tell me that I like cars that “last forever”–last forever in my possession, that is. This is the story of my mother’s 1972 Dodge Dart two-door hardtop, Mexican-made and family-owned since October 1971. Nobody in my family ever thought an automobile would endure so many years and different drivers and still keep on going. The Dart was a present given from my father to my mother on the day my younger (and last) brother was born. Now it’s ended up with me, hopefully to last forever.
My father always wanted a males-only family, but after three daughters I was born. Although he tried to do his homework, he got another girl. Finally he fired his last bullet, and bingo! A boy came into the world on September 23, 1971. Father was so happy that he immediately went to look for a car to present to my mother for fulfilling his ultimate goal.
From the hospital in downtown Chihuahua, he made a fast trip to Avenida Universidad, which then was the hub for car showrooms and parts shops. He visited the Rambler dealer, where no car was available. He moved on to Renault, and then to Volkswagen and Datsun, still with no luck. He kept up his search and drove up to the Chevrolet and Ford dealers. At the Ford dealership he was told that over at the next corner, Automotriz Touché (a Dodge and Plymouth dealer) had in stock two or three new 1972 models, while other dealers were still waiting for new ’72s to fill their empty showrooms.
According to my father, there were three cars, two of which were sold: a 1972 Monaco 4-door sedan (the hardtop version never was available in México), and a Valiant Super Bee (pictured above, it is no longer marketed in México as a Plymouth, but as a Valiant). The remaining car was the Dodge Dart two-door hardtop. My father grabbed it immediately, signing the paperwork to buy it for the incredible sum of 38,000 pesos (roughly $3,040, at the then-current rate 12.50 pesos /dollar). My father, who wanted to mark a milestone, actually wanted a 1971 model car, but he reluctantly accepted that there were no other cars in the city to be had, and took whatever he found to thank my mother for her efforts.
Three days later my mother was discharged from the hospital. My father already had the car in his hands, and went to meet her and my little brother and drive them home in the new Dart. My mother was so impressed by the color and brightness of the car that she fell in love with it right away, but (always there must be a “but”, so we say in Spanish) when she sat for the first time behind the steering wheel she realized that the car lacked power brakes, power steering and a heater. The only luxury feature was the automatic transmission, which was proudly announced by a small plaque on the right side of the trunk: in short, it was a Mexican Plain-Jane.
Not wanting to bother my father with foolish things, she remained silent for 10 years. After my father passed away, in 1983, she told us that although she was flattered with the car when it was new, she found it unbearable to fight the unassisted steering and come up with sufficient stamina when pressing the brake pedal. Also, she said that she hated the “poor man windows” (manual instead of power-operated).
The lack of a heater was of no importance to her: She still had her (also) beautiful, old 1965 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 four-door hardtop to use in freezing temperatures. Believe it or not, in the North of México we have freezing winters, often with snow storms and very low temperatures.
Well, after such a confession, her offspring wondered what was going to happen to the car, since it was relatively old, but not excessively so. Ultimately she decided to hold a raffle among her kids, and I got the prize: A low mileage 1972 Dodge Dart, then 11 years old. I kept the car as a fond memory of a time when I was younger, a time when my mother showed me how to drive, as well as of first dates and parties, “Quinceañeras” and girlfriends.
I have kept the car 30 years, and it is a wonderful daily driver. The odometer shows a little bit more than 122,000 kilometers traveled in 41 years. This car took us on trips to Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta; later, when it was fashionable, we spent vacations in Cancún and the Mayan Riviera, and made a lot of shopping trips to El Paso, Texas (only 225 miles north of here) every other weekend.
As such a low mileage (by Mexican standards) car, this vehicle has, of course, spent several years off the road and in a warehouse, getting older. In 2000, my mother got herself a new Chevrolet Malibú, and sold me her old 1991 Sedan deVille–which I treasure as a memory of the first time I became the proud owner of a C-A-D-I-L-L-A-C, and which I still own.
The Dart has a 170 cu in (2.8-liter) Slant Six with a one-barrel carburetor, TorqueFlite automatic transmission, torsion-bar front suspension and leaf springs in the rear. Wheelbase is 110 inches, length 192.5 inches, width 68.7 inches, and height 55 inches.
The shape of the buttresses that ran from the upper C-pillar is slightly different than that of U.S. models and a Mexico-only design. I was told that this the costliest version, with a vinyl padded roof. It reminds me of the Charger Daytona of the time.
This humble Dodge still attracts lots of attention, turns heads, and is a conversation piece whether I’m waiting for the green light at an intersection or out elsewhere. Now that I’m getting older every day, I understand my mother: I have to park it at a corner or next to a driveway, or far from other vehicles. I’ve been stuck between two cars, bumper-to-bumper, and it’s hard and tiresome to maneuver the steering wheel; in such cases I simply left the car and came back for it later. Also, in a heavy rain I have to stop and park at the curb to wait until the water level recedes, so as not to get those old drum brakes wet–at least, if I don’t want to have an accident. I don’t care about the lack of air conditioning or a heater because I don’t use them. What’s more, the suspension works wonderfully–recently I drove a neighbor’s PT Cruiser, and its ride made me feel like I was driving a go kart!
I hope to keep the car for more years. My only son, who is 33 and lives in Calgary, Canadá, told me that he wants the car as an heirloom. I told him that if he comes all the way here for it, it’ll be his. That is the reason my cars last forever…in my hands!
Interesting car with an interesting story. You should give it to you son – not only would that would keep it in the family, but it would also give me a chance to see it cruising around the streets of Calgary.
I would have guessed A body as well, but the flying buttresses threw me off. The locking fuel cap looked *exactly* like the one on my Canadian market ’66 Valiant.
Thanks, a great car and a great story.I always liked the Valiant/Dart/Demon/Duster and the rest of the family of compact cars as having all the style of an American car and not the size or thirst.
Thanks for this story, Juan. Somewhere your Dad is impressed you had a son on the first try! 🙂
I like that underhood shot of the “Super Six.” It looks like you have the original battery cables, as I did on my car until last summer. You may want to think about replacing them – it’ll seem like you’ve gotten a new starter.
To tell you the truth, my father was not very happy when my kid was a boy born in 1979. And yes, those battery cables are the original. Some originality will be lost if I change them? Need advise. Thank you.
…he was envious of my luck the first time. Anyway, he treat both my son and myself, very, very well…
You could always put on new cables but store the originals for safekeeping.
Juan,
As Tom says, new cables are a reversible change, and it doesn’t sound like you’re selling the car anytime soon. 🙂 So, new ones are a pretty simple way to ensure full voltage and safety throughout the system. Heat and age can damage insulation, especially closer to the engine. Also, the positive cable connection at the starter is exposed to a lot of heat, dirt and moisture, so the steel parts of that terminal are likely to be in bad shape.
Also check where the smaller positive wire attaches to a multi-post terminal on the firewall, which leads to the ignition switch and gauges. This “bulkhead connector” is considered a weak spot on old Mopars, as it is a bottleneck through which the entire system draws current. It couldn’t hurt to detach the various connections there and clean them until you get good shiny metal-to-metal contact.
I leave “big jobs” on my ’73 to a trusted mechanic, but I try to look for little steps I can take to keep it happy. Hope this is helpful. Good luck!
A great story. I love these accounts of long-term ownership. This is the first time I have ever seen one of these with the long sail panels. I am trying to decide if I like the look. Let me get back to you on that. I love the white car with white interior.
I never thought that these were bad with manual steering. My 71 Plymouth Scamp had power, but I drove a couple of Dusters without it, and they were not bad at all. One minor nit – Chrysler always listed the wheelbase of the Darts at 111 inches, not 110 (and compared with the shorter Valiant/Duster’s 108 inches). I would doubt that the Mexican spec car would be different in this dimension, but I could be wrong.
The 170 ci slant six was long gone from the U.S. market by 1972 in these, as was the 198 ci version. I would imagine that the small engine in this car would make acceleration a bit leisurely. U.S cars used the 225 ci version, which was plenty. With a V8, these could be frighteningly fast.
I was about to point out that the Mexican Dart used the instrument cluster from the U.S. spec Valiant/Scamp, not the different American Dodge cluster. Then I checked and learned something new, the unique Dart cluster vanished after 1971.
I’m a bit intrigued by the “Super Six” decal on the air cleaner. In the US, that was only used on the 2 barrel 225 slant six, if I remember correctly.
Checking Slant Six.org says that the 2 bbl Super Six was offered only from 1977-80. I suppose that if Chrysler would do that much work on the sail panels of the Dart Swinger for the Mexican market, then they could certainly whiff out a quick air cleaner decal. 🙂 Maybe every slant six was designated as “super” south of the border.
Paul, the original was lost in a shop during a tune up and never recovered. So the mechanic put the one you see there. It was in 1985. I was told that it belonged to a wrecked (Mexican, of course) 1981 Dodge Dart station wagon
That explains it; it was from a Super Six 225. You have the only Super Six 170, probably!
You can see the air intake is blocked by the battery. I vaguely remember that the original air cleaner was thinner than this and the intake was in the other side and no decal at all. This “new” air cleaner had a kind of hose or something like the arms of Dr. Smith’s robot in Lost in Space, as I’ve seen in LeBarons, Dodges and Valiants from 1977-1982 Mexican made. I do not know if the US versions were fitted the same, but I suppose they did. However, this hose was never fitted .
That would have been the intake pre-heater, which sent air warmed by the exhaust manifold into the intake, until the engine warmed up.
I like this car! I remember seeing a few of these in Mexico in the mid/late eighties and was intrigued by the extended C-pillar/flying butress design. Also, I like the low back buckets on this car. JPCavanaugh is right – my step mom had a ’72 Scamp with the 318 . . . . that car was a sleeper and a screamer. I’d hate to think what a 340 would’ve done . . . the Scamp had that Mopar “novacaine” power steering which felt like turning a circle in air at speeds of 65 mph +. I remember this from a 1970s perspective.
Great point. Back in the day, people would complain about the lack of road feel in Mopar’s “Full Time Power Steering”, then get back into their overboosted Impalas and Galaxies that were “normal”. I briefly drove a 74 Satellite a bit over a year ago, and had forgotten how light it was possible for power steering to be. Yikes. But I remember liking it a lot at the time.
Having ridden in a new Duster with a 340, all I can say it is wicked. With 5 people in the car the driver got on it from a dead start and slid the car sideways for a block in a cloud of smoke. The car evidently needed more ballast than the 7-800lbs of passengers provided.
I think the 198 was actually still around in the U.S. in 1972, though not commonly seen. Wikipedia says it continued to be produced until 1974. Two other notes from Wikipedia:
–A 2bbl version of the 225 was sold in some markets as far back as 1967, although it was never sold in the U.S. or Canada until the late 1970s.
–After the A-body went out of production, the Dart name was used in Mexico on the F-body, i.e., Aspen (through 1980); the M-body, i.e., Diplomat, with an F-body front clip (1981-82); and K-body, i.e., Aries (through 1989). The 1989 Mexican Dart K was the last car sold anywhere in the world under the “Dodge Dart” name until its recent revival.
I find it amusing that there’s something about life: Take a father who demands sons, and he gets a plethora of girls. My wife’s family was like that – and dad made life miserable for both his daughters for having the wrong chromosome makeup.
Yes, Syke, you are right. It is very hard to understand why this infatuation with the sex of our kids and crazy things we would do when the most desired comes to this world
JP, if you do some reading at Allpar.com, you will discover the 170 was the hot-rod, the 225 was a low revving slug, according to the men who designed the slant six, which, to this day is the best engine Chrysler ever made.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaait a minute…YOU were born in … 1971? Your SON is 33? Boy, they grow up fast in Mexico!
Nice car, though, especially the l-o-n-g buttresses.
As for manual everything, I owned a 1970 plain-Jane, el-strippo Duster with auto tranny. Never a problem driving it at all. That car was a half-step above a Model T, especially those low kick-panel, manually-latched vent doors and the foot-bulb windshield washer!
Even the “radio” – I use that term loosely – was an after-market AM job with the speaker built-in!
I quickly replaced it with a under-dash Radio Shack FM/Cassette.
His younger brother was born in ’71.
Very neat car. Love the rear styling. I see a Valiant Super Bee out at the local shows once and a while. A Mexican market car. http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/3725915003/
Guess I needed to re-read that 3 times, not 2…or new glasses.
Interesting to see some Dart/Valiant oddities around the world. 🙂 In South Africa, they used the Charger name for a Valiant version of the Duster/Demon body. http://www.africanmusclecars.com/index.php/valiant-plymouth/valiant-charger A different beast compared to the Australian Charger with the Hemi Six.
Very nice looking car. Love the contrast between the cream colored paint and the black top. Maybe I’m blinded by nostalgia, but we could use more simple yet stylish cars like this to choose from today.
In a lighter car like this with a big steering wheel, I don’t think I’d mind the lack of power steering too much, but unboosted drum brakes would be a deal killer for me. And the lack of a heater wouldn’t cut it up here in El Norte.
You don’t explain why it was so hard for your father to track down a new car in 1971. Why were cars in such short supply in Mexico at that time?
By the end of that september the inventories of the model year were out (1971) and dealerships were expecting the arrival of new (1972) models. Only Automotriz Touché already had the ’72. The others had sold the 71 models or were in the process of. In that time the car market in my medium-size city of Chihuahua was from moderate to high, and almost every car in the floor was sold within days since it was shown through the windows. On the other my father wanted a 71 new car, no less. I can tell you because at the time, I was 10 years old and spent the whole journey with my father looking for the prospect.
I take it the ‘Swinger’ name didn’t work in Mexico for Dart coupes. Was US slang meaning ‘active single person’ in the 60’s, but by 1976, was outdated.
Juan,
How were you able to buy 1966 Oldsmobiles and later Cadillacs? During Lopez Mateo’s presidency, we in Mexico City weren’t able to buy anything but stripper Chevys, Fords and Plymouths. Since el Presidente’s brother was the Mercedes importer, a new 190 sold for the same price as a Dodge Dart. Popular options were the chrome trim package from the 220 range and a full leather interior, both of which my dad had installed. Slick little package.
It was not a 66 Olds, it was a 65 and that was the last year for US made makes to be imported into México. My father was chairman (not the owner) of a local bank and he had a lot of acquaintances to get whatever make was available at the time. Also, it was possible to import several marques with the “10% decree” issued next year and which lasted for one year more, until the government started to tax the use and ownership of latter models to finance the 1968 Olympic Games in this country. And in 1991 the border was reopened to the US luxury makes, Cadillac, Lincoln and Imperial, and Rover, Jaguar, Lexus, Maxima and the like from other parts of the world. Lately, Buick came over and is very well placed in the public preferences. The issues within any government mostly corruption, are well known by most of the world, and is no surprise what you say about the Mercedes factory. But then again, the moves done in those years harmed to a high degree the market, because as you say, we had stripper Chevrloets, Fords and Dodges, being the luxury cars the Caprices, Grand Marquises and Royal Monacos and LeBarones, these protectionist actions were highly unpopular, and people began to buy the real mccoy in the US and bringing them into México, starting a problem in 1988 and currently, nobody here has been able to solve it. For one part are those who say that US used cars are a little bit more than a jalopy, junks and the like, that pollute the air and are gas guzzlers. On the other are those purist who seek this cars to bring them back to their former glory and keep them as an important part of automotive history. Anyway, 26 years of an empty automotive landscape left its mark in a country whose citizens are car lovers.
Interesting history, thanks. Seems like more evidence that hosting the Olympics is not a smart economic development strategy, yet they’re always promoted that way.
Imp, this tax was supposed to last only one year, 1968 and precisely for that end. A year ago, the State of Chihuahua Legislature supressed it as well as other Mexican states, but it still is present in some. Several years ago people requested to be deleted. Cars were taxed during 10 years, the amount diminishing as they were getting older, A bothering situation.
Ahh yes. Nothing is so permanent as a “temporary” tax.
That sort of goes for hosting sports stuff in general. An awful lot of cities that have ponied up for sports stadiums in search of an economic boost that never really materializes (having often traded away the potential tax revenue from the stadium itself and put a bunch of city money into construction) and then ended up with a vacant, dilapidated wreck after the team owners decide the numbers no longer make sense and head off to somewhere else.
Great story! My mother’s first car was also an early 70’s Dart. A blue Dart Swinger to be exact. Not sure of the year without asking her though.
“The shape of the buttresses that ran from the upper C-pillar is slightly different than that of U.S. models and a Mexico-only design. I was told that this the costliest version, with a vinyl padded roof. It reminds me of the Charger Daytona of the time.”
Brazil got the buttresses too apparently, though a little later on the 68 Dart body to create their 1973 “Charger”: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifhp97/5103610125/. I must say I love the look of these A bodies with that roofline.
You are right, Matt, and altough the model you posted is, indeed, a ’73 Brasilian Dodge, the body is of a ’67 or ’68. Many Latinoamerican automakers followed the Mexican fashion during certain period and used our cars as templates. These years models were not sold with the buttresses in this country at the time. They were, really, unique.
There were approx 200 special edition “Mexicana” hardtops sold in Australia around 1970 with the extended buttresses. Otherwise the hardtops were based on the Dodge Dart hardtops, and unusually were longer than the sedan they sold alongside.
Wow, I’d not heard of the Mexicana, it’s so much fun learning new things about familiar cars, thanks John! 🙂
There are or were some in NZ as they came here new Valiant hardtops were a big seller with Kiwis and came in assembled.
Even found one on the Shannons site:
Ay ay ayyyy! ¡Quiero el tablero!
How I’d love to have that impresive dashboard! So weird (for me, at least) to see the engine compartment reversed, the booster at right, the wiper washer bin at left. Your’re right, NZ, it’s so much fun learning things about familiar cars! Nice photos, too!
Thank you! – but I can’t take the credit for the photos, they came from when the car was auctioned in 2007 – here’s the link to the auction site: http://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/lot/P5B1UP8VZ8B1AF64
Great to know because Ive seen one of those long buttress hardtops and Ive never been to mexico I saw one during my 20 year stint in Aussie it was in a wrecking yard with no front (totalled) so it was impossible to tell which model. I was beginning to think my memory was playing tricks.
The information is right but the year of the first Brazilian “Charger” with the buttresses was 1971.
Great car, Juan! That roofline makes the car one in a million. Your car certainly looks all original. No rust, chrome looks like new. The car must have sat every winter.
Best Wishes!
The weather here in Chihuahua is almost the same as that of Western Texas and Southern New Mexico, desert like, but we have had winters with temperatures of -19°C, as two years ago or -12°C recently. And we don’t salt the streets or have frequent rains. That may be the reason why the cars in this latitude hardly show rust other than the normal appearing with the passing of time. I wash the car every two weeks in and out and wax it twice a year, and it needs no more, it was well built and with the proper care when I’m driving I do not need to worry more. I’m the only driver of it, nobody else wants to drive it and I use it daily to commute to work (3 kilometers each way) and that is all. I mostly use city buses when going downtown or the Cadillac, if necessary. Really, a very “honest” car with my pocket!
Awesome car i love these alternate universe Valiants so different from the local models the roof line is very different from our 71 VG hardtops and of course no Hemi6 in north America. great car to keep
The wheelbase is shorter than the Dart-based hardtops we got, which makes it look a lot different even without the extended buttresses.
Very interesting. Probably the only reason I still have my antique car is that I have a son that wants it. Just sold a 59 chev schoolbus/rv. It’s at the point where I just want to drive and don’t care nearly so much what I’m driving.
Very nice car Juan; thanks for sharing. I also love the white/black/white color combination! I really like the 1972 bumper and grille, too; very smooth.
I would also like to read about your Cadillac, as the 1989-93 de Villes and Fleetwoods are a favorite of mine. I test drove several secondhand ones in the late ’90s but never bought one.
Thank you, Tom, I’m flattererd with your comment. I’ll be most happy to tell this other story if Paul allows me to do so in a near future.
You might enjoy this ’89 Fleetwood I saw in a parking lot a couple of months ago. It was in mint condition, with dark red leather interior. Very nice!
Of course I enjoy this photo. Not too many Fleetwoods were seen in México at that time. It wasn’t a model for the national market. My Cadillac has the canvas type padded roof, with fender skirts and gold badges. I’ll ask Paul permission to write about it and I’ll do it as soon as I get the green light from him. It also has an interesting story, because it costed millions of pesos when new and three years later its resale value was of only some pesos…
Juan, I look forward to anything you come up with. Our pleasure!
Juan, that’s a wonderful story and a fantastic car! I never knew that design differences existed in our Detroit models built and sold in other countries. Those flying buttresses give the Valiant a look similar to the 66/67 GM intermediates. I think it’s a great look. I wonder if you ever considered retrofitting power steering and brakes to your Valiant?
Love that Valiant Super Bee, too, and would love to see some more photos and write ups of Detroit’s South of the Border cousins never seen in the US….
Thank you, Michael, I’ll do my best to come up with something interesting the next time.
Juan,
Que chevere la cuenta que nos dio de su Dart. Tengo un poco de nostalgia para los Darts de los 70, pero que vaina que les ofrecio un carro sin calentador en los 70!
I worked on a photographic job in Mexico in 1979-80. On our last job I rode with my Mexican escort from Monclova, Coahuila to an iron mine midway between Monclova and Piedras Negras. It was late February. We were in his new ’79 Dodge Duster (or Plymouth whatever) without a heater/defroster and I froze my ass off. My last four cars have all had automatic climate control. This is an feature I can not live without.
Yipe. The wagons we had in Ven when I was a kid didn’t have seatbelts (my mom had them installed by the dealer) but no heater….that’s the kind of thing I associate with stripper models from the 50s. Bring a blanket!
Probablemente era vehículo de demostración y para el mercado de las costas mexicanas.
It probably was intended as a demo vehicle. In that time cars with no heather were sold in towns and cities located in the coast, down or near the Tropic of Cancer. These vehicles were very popular as taxies in most parts South of México and that might be another reason for the lack of heather. Anyway, I don’t recall all the issues negotiated between my father and the salesman, I was only ten and my only concern was to gather as many brochures and catalogues as I was able to hold.
Congratulations on a great car, Juan. It’s great to have a paisano as a contributor to Curbside Classics! You have taken great care of it. In Mexico City, cars last less because of the altitude and traffic that wear the engines, and lack of parking space that makes for dents and scratches when other drivers are parking in and out of their spot. My 2008 Jetta (Bora) probably needs more detailing than your 41 year old beauty.
I recognized the clue immediately as an early 70s Dart, but didn’t know the design was for Mexico only and therefore didn’t bother to answer, thinking I would be already beat by the more knowledgeable members of this forum.
Thank you very much, ferluc, for your kind words. I’ve taken good care of my Dodge simply because I like the general shape, with or without those now famous sail panels. And all what has been necessary for me to keep the car as you see it is LOVE for it and the memories within, which have more value attached than the price of the car, new or old. I appraisal my car for what it represents, not for its value, which tends to be less as time goes by, that’s for sure. I believe that if my son comes all the way to Chihuahua for it, it would not resist 5 years more in his hand and in the weather he lives in.
Great story, If I had walked by this car I know I would have noticed something was different about it ,but wonder how long it would have taken me to notice the longer sail panels. As a Minnesotan , I’m fascinated by any car that comes from the factory without a heater. I guess I could understand living in a warm climate and not needing heat but what do you do when the windshield fogs up?.
Oh, I clean it up with a tissue or my bare hand, hehehehehe!
Great story, Juan. You’re a talented writer and I look forward to seeing your byline much more often!
Thank you, Imperialist! Paul has given me the chance and I’ll be back, as someone, sometime, somewhere, said!
Juan, Imperialist is correct…please send us more. Seeing autos from other parts of the globe is always great!
Hey Juan, I enjoyed looking at and reading about your car’s history. Long-term ownership stories are so enriching & bring life to the interesting photos and factoids. I can’t help but be drawn to the elegant roofline of your Dodge. It adds a touch of class to what would normally be a utilitarian vehicle.
It’s nice to know you are taking such good care of it. Hope to you hear more from you here 🙂
To all you guys who liked this story, thank you. And Imp, I’ll do as you said with the cables and other miscellaneous issues in the engine compartment. I think it is time to pay more attention to them, although I’ve never had any problems with battery charge or discharge, but I can use your advises to prevent damages that come up with an elder boy like this Dodge. You’ll find amusing that most of the younger attendants at the gas stations ask me the make of the car, and when I say Dodge Dart, they immediately add “K”. They are so young and probably never seen a car like this. Not many can be seen in the streets of Chihuahua, I think there are, when most, 7 cars like this in different shapes. Again, thank you all.
Hold on a sec: Mexico still has gas station attendants? Wow. A couple weeks ago, my wife & I were debating when full-service disappeared in this country.
I like the more extensive gauges that were standard in the pre-Oil Crisis Chryslers like yours. Nowadays, I’m shocked to see that even some Japanese models have dropped the temperature gauge (e.g. Mazda3, Honda Fit). Some think they’re cheapening because of the exchange rate.
Thanks for the write-up, very interesting.
Yes, you can see them in the photo. The self service is not operating here yet, maybe in 100 years!
It never completely disappeared in the US either. Here in Oregon self service is not permitted, and I believe the same applies to new Jersey. My wife loves not having to pump her gas, and our prices really aren’t any higher as a consequence.
Its customary to tip the attendant, and women always get more tips than men. Usually it is embarrasing when you don’t have the $5- or $10- pesos coin to give them, but they understand. This people is the most courteous you can find in many services-related business. Self service is threatening for old people who don’t know how to deal with electronic pumps and credit card chips. These folks prefer someone else pumps the gas and still, have a little chat with the attendant who has become a fixture at the filling station.
Mrs. JPC loves not having to pump gas in Indiana as well. We have self service, but she has her own personal gas station attendant. 🙂
Oh, Mrs. JPC is a smart lady who prefers the old fashion way. I believe that always is nice to have someone to help you, get acquainted with that person and share a chit-chat for a minute and receive a nice smile that says “thank you, come back again, I’ll provide you the best service in town”. That makes my day when I go to the gas station.
NJ has gas station attendants. Some states do!
NJ also has very cheap gas. When I worked in NY, I used to drive to NJ just to buy gas.
The gas companies lobbied a Republican governor Christie Williams for self-serve gas. She said, “NJ already had cheap gas, I cannot imagine it getting any cheaper.”
Fascinating article Juan, very well-written and interesting!
Thank you very much, NZ. I’m glad you liked it!
It’s interesting that even with a protected market and such limited availability, cars were put together a la carte, with this one having the high-end roof treatment and no power assists.
I owned a 1972 Dodge Dart sedan. It had manual (roll up and down) windows, manual brakes and vents that had to be opened manually.
I did have power steering and heat.
No AC, though.
It’s hard to tell in the old photo, but that looks like the same Tawny Gold Metallic paint, blackish-brown vinyl roof and yellowish-tan interior that adorned the 71 Scamp that took me through the first half of the 80s.
My! A 200-mph spedometer! Maybe that’s really a souped-up Hemi Six under the hood (just kidding, I know it’s really kilometers) 😉
Awesome story! My favourite years for the Dodge Dart are 1970 and 1971. I’d buy one if I could find one in decent condition, and with a 225 slant six engine.
I love the flying buttress’ on this car ! .
Nice story and well written Juan .
-Nate
I’m sure your son in Calgary realizes that if he inherits the car, it won’t be suitable for a Calgary winter without a heater!
Have you ever thought of retrofitting front disc brakes?
My Dart had a small bolt-circle. Only suitable for factory drums. I couldn’t afford a custom disk-brake set-up. Maybe Juan’s does, too!
Great story, Juan. Nice to see a perspective on the Mexican market. Looking forward to hearing about the Cadillac.
Oh, the mythical flying buttress.
BTW, Paul, why is one not able to comment on Jim Klein’s article on the Titan?
Juan, what a wonderful article! The picture presentation got me first and then the story along with the facts. A real treat for me on a Sunday afternoon.
Thanks for putting this up.
Brian
Originally, quite probably. But the engine compartment photo shows a 2bbl air cleaner and throttle/kickdown linkage, both of which are different enough to the 1bbl parts to indicate that a 2bbl setup from a ’77 or later Slant-6 car was swapped on somewhen along the line.
You apparently didn’t read the older comments. I asked the same thing in one, and here’s Juan’s answer:
Paul, the original was lost in a shop during a tune up and never recovered. So the mechanic put the one you see there. It was in 1985. I was told that it belonged to a wrecked (Mexican, of course) 1981 Dodge Dart station wagon
I like the way the transmission selector display housing matches the shape of the roof of the car, coincidence or on purpose? My memory does not remember if that’s the same housing used on all Chryslers of that time.
Interesting story and a very unique Dart.
Good to see it preserved for future generations. It would certainly create conversation at car shows in Calgary! And without a heater, most definitely a summer only cruiser.
I have a similar story about a car being bought for a birth – namely mine!
My father had arranged to trade in his immaculate cream FJ Holden ute for a new EH Holden station wagon on the 23rd of December, 1964. It just so happens that my mum had to go to the hospital, so my Dad dropped her off at the hospital, traded in the FJ for the EH, and then went back to pick her (and me) up.
Fun story. But sounds like your father really got taken. In the late summer of 1970, my parents bought a stripper Valiant in Palo Alto (hand cranked windows, no power steering, though power brakes) for $2,600, after passing up a Dodge Dart (power steering, etc) which was offered to them for $2,750 (the difference is around $850 in current dollars). They had that car for 16 years, the longest they ever kept any car.
My husband has the same car, his father bought it back in ’76 when he was born, it is in our garage in Los Angeles now.
Great story on preserving your Mom’s old car.
That taillight setup is the same as on the 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger that I drove in driving school. That was the first car I ever drove. However it did have power steering. That car got parallel parked a lot in its lifetime.
Neat and cool old car! Thanks for sharing your great story!
What a great engine the Slant 6 was. Up here in Winnipeg ,Canada there was a bit of a cult following for old Dodge Darts as they made great winter beaters. I remember starting my 73 Dodge Dart in the winter when it was close to -39 below and it fired up. It had a good tune up and newer battery but still the block heater wasn’t plugged in! Only problem with the Dodge Darts was when they got rusty from all the salt and wet the torsion bar would pull out of the rusty frame.