1967 Dodge Dart Series

Dodge dealers had sold Plymouth vehicles since 1930, but following a restructuring of the division, the Plymouth brand was surgically removed from the Dodge dealer network. Left without a low-priced replacement, Dodge introduced the Dart for the 1960 model year. With the cancellation of the DeSoto brand, the upper-level Dodge products moved farther upmarket with more standard features than lower-priced Dodge vehicles.

The sedan and coupe body styles of the Dart were based on the Plymouth's unibody platform measuring 118-inches, while the station wagons rested on the 122-inch wheelbase of the upmarket Polara wagons. Initially, the Dart was offered in three trim levels including the basic Seneca, intermediate Pioneer, and premium Phoenix. The base engine was the 225 cubic-inch slant-six, with the 318 CID and 361 CID V8s options in various configurations.

Over 306,600 examples of the Dart were sold in its inaugural year, accounting for nearly ninety-percent of Dodge's 1960 volume. Although successful, it vastly outsold its larger Dodge siblings and cut into Plymouth's sales as well as took sales away from the full-size, mid-priced Dodge model lines. Buyers often selected the slightly smaller but better equipped and less expensive Dart Phoenix rather than the higher-priced, base full-size Matador. As a result, the Matador was discontinued after the 1960 model year.

1961 Dodge Dart
Styling changes followed for 1961, bringing its design more in line with the larger Polara. The Virgil Exner designed rear styling and the concave grille was unpopular, and Dodge quickly remedied the problem mid-year by making auxiliary taillights available at extra cost through its dealer network. Of the 269,367 Dodge vehicles produced for 1961, 142,708 were Darts.

The 1961 Dodge vehicles were joined by a new model called the Lancer, essentially a Plymouth Valiant resting on a short 106.5-inch wheelbase. Although popular, its production lifespan was brief, ending in 1963.

1962 Dodge Dart
Dodge downsized its Dart and Polara models, leaving the company without a proper full-size model, a void later filled with the introduction of the Custom 880 in January 1962. The Dart, similar to the Plymouth, rested on a new lightweight unibody 'B' platform and had a wheelbase of 116-inches. It used Chrysler's 'Torsion-Aire' torsion bar front suspension and asymmetric rear leaf springs, and its base engine was a 225 CID Slant-6. Optional engines included a 318 CID, 361 CID, and 413 CID V8, with the mid-year 'Ramcharger' 413 CID V8 delivering approximately 415 horsepower.

1963 Dodge Dart
In the wake of the Lancer's absence, the Dart became Dodge's new compact, albeit resting on a slightly longer (at 111-inches compared to the Lancer's 106.5-inch platform) wheelbase. It continued to use the A-body setup and suspension of the Lancer and Valiant, which it would employ on all Darts from 1963 to 1976, except on the station wagons of 1963 through 1966, along with the 1971 through 1976 Demon/Sport. Body styles included a two- or four-door sedan, a two-door hardtop coupe, a convertible, and a station wagon. Trim levels included the entry-level Dart 170, intermediate level Dart 270, and the range-topping Dart GT. The standard engine was a slat-six with a 170 CID and developing 101 horsepower. The 225 cubic-inch Six was optional and boosted horsepower to 145 bhp.

The styling introduced in 1963 would continue, albeit with changes along the way, through 1966.

1967 Dodge Dart
The 1967 Dodge Dart and its sister model (the Plymouth Valiant) continued to use the same chassis as the previous year but with all-new styling. The Dart's wheelbase measured 111-inches (a half-inch shorter than the previous year) and had an overall length of 195.4-inches. The Coronet had a 117-inch wheelbase, and the Polara, Monaco, and Monaco 500 rested on a 122-inch platform.

The styling of the Dart included a rear window with compound inverse curves, a slightly rounder profile than the previous year, a full-width grille with a large vertical bar in the center and flanked on either side by round headlights. The bumper, leading edge of the hood, and the center section of the grille were recessed from the front plane of the car, and the single headlamps were located slightly forward of the recessed center section. The park and turn lamps were integrated within the grille.

The Dart 170 and station wagon body styles were no longer offered, with the 'Dart' serving as the base trim level, followed by the intermediate Dart 270, and top-of-the-line Dart GT. Standard equipment included electric windshield wipers, a heater and defroster, a manual three-speed transmission, and the 170 CID Slant Six. The engine had overhead valves, solid valve lifters, four main bearings, a Carter one-barrel carburetor, and delivered just over 100 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. The optional 225 CID 'Slant' Six delivered 145 horsepower. The 273 cubic-inch V8 was also optional and produced 180 horsepower at 4,200 RPM. Both the six and eight-cylinder engines could be fitted with an optional TorqueFlite automatic transmission or four-speed manual. Additional performance upgrades included power steering, power brakes, power front disc brakes, and Rallye suspension.

The 'base' Dart was offered as a two-door sedan with a base price of $2,185 (or $2,315 with the base V8) and a four-door sedan listed at $2,225 (2,352 with the V8). Most of the base Darts were powered by six-cylinder engines, with just 2,200 of the 53,100 Darts receiving V8s.

The Dart 270 Series came standard with carpeting, vinyl interior trim, and Deluxe two-spoke steering wheel with a horn ring. The two-door hardtop coupe with six-cylinder power was priced at $2,390 ($2,520 with the V8) and $2,360 for the sedan ($2,490 with the V8). Of the 63,200 Dart 270s built, 13,500 were equipped with eight-cylinder power.

The Dodge Dart GT of 1967 through 1969 steadily progressed from same, family-oriented cars to high-performance compacts. For 1967, the Dart GT came with special emblems on the roof 'C' pillar, chrome rocker panel trim, wheel covers, a padded instrument panel, and bucket seats. The two-door hardtop coupe was priced at $2,500 ($2,627 with the V8), and $2,730 for the convertible ($2,860 with the V8). Of the 38,200 Dart GT's built in 1967, 21,600 were powered by eight-cylinder engines.

With approximately 154,500 examples of all Dodge Darts produced in 1967, it helped Dodge rank seventh that year in the North American automobile industry.

The styling updates introduced in 1967 would remain with the Dart through 1976, with several significant chagnes along the way, including new front-end styling in 1973.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021