1968-69 Dodge Dart

by Dave Kinney

The librarian’s muscle car.

Veterans of the ’60s remember the Dart for plenty of reasons, most of them related to its economy-car status. The 225-c.i. “slant six” motor, named for its pronounced lean to the port side of the car, was known as the motor that thrived on abuse—it never seemed to need any attention to keep it running. The slant-six Darts were practical cars owned by practical people and used as reliable, affordable transportation. The Dart jumped into the muscle car race in 1968 by offering a choice of seven engines: 170- and 225-c.i. slant sixes, and 273, 340, 383 and 440 V8s. At the top of the food chain, Hurst-Campbell built 80 426 Hemi-powered Darts. As part of Dodge’s “Scat Pack,” the 1968 GT Sport model came with a 340-c.i. engine and twin bumblebee stripes at the rear. A 383 motor was optional, as was a Hurst four-speed or a Torqueflite automatic transmission (three-on-the-tree manual was standard). The GTS hood had twin “power bulges” with air vents, fake mag wheel...