The year 1960 was a fairly significant one for the automotive industry. It marked, among many things, the final year of the doomed Edsel, the beginning of the end for tail fins, and most significantly, was the year the Big Three introduced their compact cars to the marketplace. Whether it was due to the still-recovering economy, growing families needing a second car, or an increasing number of female drivers–or most likely, to the combination of all three–the Corvair, Falcon, and Valiant certainly were the right cars at the right time. But what about Dodge? Surely, Chrysler’s mid-priced division would not be left behind in changing times: Enter the 1960 Dodge Dart.
Economic factors certainly were a factor in the conception of the Dodge Dart; even so, Chrysler’s restructuring of its dealer network was probably the main reason Dodge needed a lower-price model. Historically, Dodge dealers had also sold Plymouths, but under the new plan, Chrysler Corporation created newly separate Chrysler-Plymouth dealerships and standalone Dodge dealerships. The Dart would be Dodge’s compensation for the Plymouths that would no longer be sold in their showrooms.
Riding on Plymouth’s 118-inch wheelbase, these “smaller” Dodges were approximately seven inches shorter in length than the standard-size Polara and Matador. Station wagons rode on the same 122-inch wheelbase as the Polara wagons.
Like most cars of the era, the 1960 Dart was highly configurable. Available in four body styles (two-door hardtop, two-door sedan, four-door sedan and four-door wagon), three trim levels (Seneca, Pioneer, and Phoenix), and three engines (a 225 CID Slant Six and 318 and 361 CID V8s), the Dart was an instant hit, becoming Dodge’s best selling line of cars for 1960.
The 1960 Dart is among my favorite Dodges of all time. It has great styling, proportions and trim, without looking as overwrought as the more expensive Polara. The trapezoidal grille and front bumper comprise my favorite styling feature. Sadly, things would change for 1961, when styling took a turn for the worse.
Another thing I’ve always liked about these 1960 Darts is the trim level names: Seneca, Pioneer and Phoenix are great car names. Our featured car is a 1960 Seneca wagon, photographed and posted to the Cohort by KiwiBryce in his native New Zealand. Now, Chrysler did not sell the Dodge Dart line in Australia or New Zealand, which likely makes this one an export model with right-hand drive.
Chrysler of Australia did, however, sell the Dodge Phoenix, an Australian-assembled version of the American Dart available only as a four-door sedan. Our feature Seneca does not appear to wear any “Dart” badging, so it’s very possible that it was sold simply as a “Dodge Seneca”.
Looking at the fins on these Dart wagons, a word that I haven’t thought of or used in a long time popped into my mind as I looked at those fins: superfluous ( had to check that, yes, it has 3 u’s… superfluous number of u’s? LOL! )
Still, pictures of these vehicles from my misspent youth always bring back good memories…
Lovely wagon, but I agree on the fins. I think this Dart swallowed a 1959 Fury and hasn’t fully digested it.
Swallowed is the word, Dodge stepping into Plymouth territory and sort of, swallowed Plymouth in a way and 1960 Darts sold in Canada have a Plymouth interior as well creating another “Plodge” after the Regent and the Mayfair sold in the 1950s. https://oldcarbrochures.org/Canada/Chrysler-Canada/Dodge/1960-Dodge-Dart-Brochure/slides/1960_Dodge_Dart_Cdn-06-07.html
Was thinking the same thing. Nice lines if only those useless fins had been removed. Always liked the ’60 styling otherwise.
I have to weigh in on this one. As a teenager, parents bought a 61 Phoenix convertible, red with white top. While similar in styling to full size Dodges it had a love or hate appearance, as Exner sought his next direction. The instrument panel with see through speedometer was the same as the lamented 61 DeSoto and one of the best 👌 EVER. And, yes I love the hierarchy of model identity, as well as aspirational names! Unfortunately,IMO the 63 smaller Darts failed to hit the target!
My mother purchased a new 1960 Dodge Dart Pioneer when I was a Junior in High School. It was a 4 door sedan with the 2 bbl 318 V-8 (230 hp) mated to a Torqueflite transmission. Considering it had the base V-8 it was really pretty quick. For example, I could easily blow off my friend with a ’56 Chevy with the power-pack V-8. There was no positraction, so nailing it from a stop would break loose the right rear tire which would spin pretty much without the car moving. the tranny would shift into second and the speedometer would rest at 90 while the car was barely moving. The tire smoke was pretty impressive! My attempt to convince my Mother that the right rear tire must have been defective when it was bald at 4,000 miles was unsuccessful and I was in trouble!
That car looked good inside and out, cornered well for the time (Torsion Air suspension) and rode well. Mom had no major problems and traded it in on a ’65 Dodge Coronet 440. I still have a place in my heart for 1960 Dodge Darts.
I’ve long thought of the 60′ – 61 Mopar styling as the backwards look. While GM and Ford where starting to clean up their lines, Chrysler corporation was 3 years late to the party.
The wagons used the Polara wheelbase and the Polara fins, which never looked right to my eyes.
“Configurable” is a great word for the era. Lots of sizes and engines and options. Chrysler’s big wagons around that time had one unusual option: a dual air conditioner with separate controls and blower and outlets above the rear seat.
Long time fan of these ‘60 Dodge Dart Senecas here.
Right around the time I was born, my Dad traded in his ‘56 Chevy Two-Ten sedan (his first car) in on a brand new one of these in a baby blue color. It was a 4-door sedan, with the push button transmission. It must have been that venerable Torque-Flight (727? – not sure… not a MOPAR expert here). I say that because of a story he told me.
One day while out driving, he was playing with the push buttons and accidentally pushed the one that was labeled “R”… Oops. He said he was going about 30, and thought for sure he destroyed the transmission. Surprised tire smoking fun!
It never missed a beat in the 6 years he owned the car after this incident. Mechanically, that car was quite sound and never gave him any trouble. I think it was powered by the venerable leaning tower of power, the 225 Slant Six.
Ultimately, he went back to Chevy with the purchase of a ‘66 Impala 2-Door Hardtop.
Our next door neighbours had a blue Seneca wagon just like the brochure illustration with a slant six and three speed manual. It was a former provincial government car which explained its lack of options. Being a Canadian model it had the Plymouth instrument panel, I also don’t recall any Dart badging but it did have Suburban badging. By the time we moved in next to them it was no longer their first car and their teen aged son was the primary driver. He read the liscence and insurance rules and discovered that it was far less expensive to liscence and insure a farm truck. As they owned some farm land he converted it to a truck by bolting a sheet of plywood over the back seat thusly making it a panel truck. As farm trucks could be used for personal transportation (but not to drive to another job) he was able to get farm rates and burn purple gas which had no road tax.
That Dodge ad that describes the development of the Dart states that it is an “expensive looking” car. Hmmm, the ’60 model looks pretty sharp, but by ’61 the Dart looked particularly dowdy. My Dad bought a ’61 Dart in the mid ’70’s and it was a total stripper. Cheap looking upholstery, a rubber floor mat, radio delete, slant six, and three on the tree. The styling was unusual, to say the least. I got to drive it quite a bit and nick named it “the Pig” because of the grunting like sound of the exhaust. I will begrudgingly give it some credit because it was a simple honest car, something that I appreciate now, but back then I thought, “how could anyone buy one of these new?”
I was given a 1961 Phoenix in about 1976, a two door, it was light blue and had a V8 ~ I too liked the see through speedometer but the wiring under the dash caught fire and filled the speedo with smoke, shortly after that I scrapped it .
Interesting looking when new and still today decades later .
-Nate
I always thought the ’60 Dart had an odd look, especially the tail fins and lights.
However, as pointed out, compared to the ’61, which is just a mess from all angles, the ’60 looks terrific.
Lol, the “61” looks like it’s “mold” was left in the sun and melted. They did have some neat interiors though.
Agree the fins looked wrong on the wagon. However, the non wagon fins reaching to the taillight looked really handsome. The fins did look in proportion then. I love those tail lights. I remember the wedding car for my cousin was a white Dart and I was impressed with it as a kid.
Wonder what “11” years and some have done for the car. It’s quite an “eye catcher”, in the pics.
The Dodge Phoenix was on sale in NZ till the mid 60s, this car I suspect was a hearse in a former life, Those silver on black plates were issued in July 64 to all cars, trucks in July 65 they are permanents so this car arrived before that and likely new, these are the cars that I stop and look at RHD & NZ new and spacecraft by Chrysler especially, there was a rusty beatup Dodge Seneca for sale at a hotrod show I was at RHD NZ new slant six, it had endured a hard life, it was rough.
My Dad bought the first 60 Dodge in my home town of Covington KY. He got one week early from the official release date. It was a two tone green slant six with three on the tree and 4 door. He drove that car for 11 years. I always loved that car and thought the styling was very nice. Special memories with that car including replacing the top of the front fenders after they rusted through..
The ’60 Dodge was my favorite that year, first time in my young life that a car beat Ford in my eyes. I liked the more traditional high-mounted headlights, almost everyone else (but not Cad) had moved the lights down into a horizontal grille. Saw Joey Chitwood torture these poor cars when a friend’s Dad took us to the York Fair…amazingly they survived lol.
I do like the somewhat richer look of the big Dodge Polara/Matadors, but to this day the ’60 Dodge & Dart still look great, best of the year along with Chrysler & DeSoto.
My Dad was a car salesman in the 60’s for Dodge/Chrysler. He bought a 1960 Dodge Dart Phoenix convertible-the show car off the floor. Red interior, 4bbl, dual antennas on the back deck, swivel seats. In other words the works. I drove it as a Junior and Senior in High School and it was a real chick magnet. Went to the Navy 3 days after graduation and when I came home, the car was sold. I was PO’s beyond belief. Been looking for one ever since.
Have a 1950 Dodge Coronet Convertible full restored. Great car but not the dart
Those small finlets look like they would be handy to hold a Taco 🌮 😂