1971 Dodge Dart

The muscle car craze reached its apogee in 1971 as automakers worked aggressively for performance enthusiast's attention. Dodge's pedigree was built atop the newly introduced Challenger, and legendary models such as the Coronet, Demon, and Charger accompanied by an arsenal of engines including the 318-, 340-, 383-, 440-, and the Hemi 426 CID V8. The Dodge lineup was more than just performance, offering coupes, sedans, and station wagons in a variety of sizes with attractive styling and a range of standard equipment.

Dodge introduced the Dart in 1959 and it would remain through 1976. The name originally appeared on a Chrysler show car in 1956 with coachwork by the Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Ghia. Between 1960 and 1961, the Dart was the entry-level full-size Dodge before it shifted to a mid-size platform for 1962, and then a compact for the remainder of its existence. The Dodge Dart and its sister model, the Plymouth Valiant, were redesigned for the 1967 model year and built atop a 111-inch wheelbase with a height of 54-inches. The basic styling introduced in 1967 would continue, albeit with revisions along the way, until the end of A-body production in 1976 for the North American market.

The 1971 Dodge
Dodge's entry-level model for 1971 was the Colt, resting on a 95.3-inch wheelbase and powered by an overhead-valve four-cylinder engine displacing 97.5 cubic-inches. Prices began at $1,930 for the coupe and rose to $2,225 for the station wagon. The Dodge Demon, offered solely as a coupe, had a 108-inch wheelbase and was considered a 'value package' version of the Dart series. The standard engine was the 198 CID Slant Six, while the Demon 340 came equipped with a 340 CID V8 backed by a three-speed manual transmission.

Next in regards to size came the Challenger at 110-inches, followed closely by the Dart resting on a 111-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 197-inches. The Charger had a 115-inch wheelbase, the Coronet at 118-inches, and the full-size Polara and Monaco on a 122-inch wheelbase.

The Charger and Challenger were offered as a coupe and hardtop, with the Challenger adding a convertible option. The Coronet, Brougham, and Crestwood were available as a sedan and station wagon, and the Polara and Monaco were sedans, 2- and 4-door hardtops, and wagons.

Although insurance premiums were on the rise and emission standards were becoming more strict, Dodge's lineup included the 440 Magnum V8 rated at 370 hp, the 440 'Six Pack' with 385 hp, and the 428 'Street Hemi' with a 426 cubic-inch displacement and 425 horsepower.

The 1971 Dodge Dart
The 1971 Dodge Dart received smaller quad taillamps and all the necessary federally mandated safety and pollution systems and equipment. It was offered as a sedan and hardtop with the six-cylinder hardtop priced at $2,400 and the sedan at $2,450. The Custom two-door hardtop coupe became the Swinger, priced at $2,560 with the base six-cylinder engine and $50 higher for the eight. The standard Swinger became the Swinger Special and priced at $2,560 ($2,600 with the eight), and the Dart Custom four-door sedan listed for $2,600. ($2,760 with the eight).

The standard equipment installed on the Dart included all-vinyl bench seats, a three-spoke steering wheel with padded horn button, glovebox with rotary latch, cigarette lighter, armrests, a concealed spare tire, dome light, a heater and defroster, parking brake and brake system warning lights, and two-speed electric windshield wipers. The 198 cubic-inch Slant Six had overhead valves, a one-barrel carburetor, solid valve lifters, four main bearings, and delivered 125 horsepower at 4,000 RPM.

The standard eight-cylinder engine in the Dart was a 318 cubic-inch V8 with overhead valves, a two-barrel carburetor, hydraulic valve lifters, five main bearings, and 230 horsepower.

Standard equipment on the Dart Custom and Swinger included wheel lip moldings, drip rails, a three-spoke steering wheel with padded hub and horn tabs, dual-note horns, and carpeting.

The previous Dart Swinger 340 was replaced by the Demon 340, equipped with a 275 horsepower V8 with a 340 CID displacement, and offered with an optional four-speed manual transmission, blackout hood treatment, and optional hood scoops.

The most popular trim level within the Dart lineup was the Swinger with 102,480 examples built, followed by 32,711 of the 'base' Dart sedan and 13,485 of the 'base' hardtop, and 21,785 of the Custom four-door sedan. The combined 170,461 examples of the combined Dart series accounted for approximately thirty-one percent of Dodge's 1971 production total.

The options list included the 225 CID Slant Six developing 145 horsepower at 4,000 RPM and priced at approximately $39, power disc brakes at $66, and power brakes at $45. A three-speed manual transmission was standard while the four-speed manual or TorqueFlite automatic was optional.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021