Now this is a fun video! You are about to see the road test of a 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger as it was performed on the old television show Car and Track. The best thing about this one is how hard they drive the car(s) around the road course. The show actually got two Dart Swingers. Both were 340 cars. One had a stick in it and the other hand an automatic. For whatever reason, most of this video is based around the automatic. We think that is because they were able to get that car far more sideways on the road course and it makes for some really compelling video!
Overall these guys really seemed to like the car and as you will see in terms of performance, the four speed out runs the automatic by a bunch. That’s not too surprising to us though as the more favorable gear ratios as well as a more favorable factory tuneup on those engines set the stage for that performance advantage.
Braking is one of the areas that is kind of hilarious because it is so bad. When we think about today’s cars stopping from 60mph, about 120ft or less is what we are considering. When we hear about this 3,300b Dart on its tiny pizza cutter factory tires taking 213ft from 60 mph it gives you an idea of just how things have improved on every level of stopping over the years.
This s a really fun little video and it harks back to the day when a cheap performance car was just that. Cars like the Dart Swinger do not really exist anymore. The weights have gone up, the prices have gone up, and the average age of a new car buyer has done the same thing. Sucks, don’t it?
Fun watch. Had one in high school and bought its replacement7 years ago.Fun little car.
4 speed cars had a bigger camshaft than the 727 cars.
You think the OEM’s would produce a similar car now and get away from the fatass bloated HP cars they’re pushing off the assembly line.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the drivetrains but the cars themselves are fat, ugly, and have no soul.
Long live the cheap musclecar…