--Crosstown 1972 Swinger 340--

[1972coronet]

How many of those among this forum have seen --let alone heard of --the 1971 and 1972 Dart 'Swinger Special' 340 models ?

There were special order 340-powered , base model Dart Swinger hardtops , sold at two Western Canada dealerships : Crosstown and Crest View, located in Edmonton, Alberta and Regina Saskatchewan. http://phscollectorcarworld.blogspot.com/2015/02/ghost-cars-1971-72-dodge-dart-swinger.html

A friend of mine is currently restoring a gorgeous GB5 1972 model ( another 1972 model has been restored ; an FY1 model ) --- here's a photo of it and its present state-of-restoration .

Note it barren appointments : colour-keyed rubber floormat ; no radio (note blockoff plate)  ; base steering wheel ; and , not seen here ; no rear arm rests . Also , no power steering , and no power brakes ( 4 wheel drums ) . The black "Bumblebee" Stripe is a dealer-added embellishment .

Few were built , and few remain . 

[DumpyDan]

That is awesome, very cool

[Mr mopar]

That is Cool ! Johnnson Motors in Vancouver B.C. ordered 12 Black 1970 Dusters with Gold stripes on the tail light panel and they came with 440 's three were 4-speeds all the others were Autos . I only wish I had a photo of this ?

Edited August 2, 2017 by Mr mopar

[br67]

That is too cool

[tim boyd]

Agreed....this is way cool.  Ahh Mother Mopar....always full of surprises back then!   TIM 

[1972coronet]

Agreed....this is way cool.  Ahh Mother Mopar....always full of surprises back then!   TIM 

The idea that any of those special order Darts are still alive is nothing short of amazing ! The harsh Canadian winters plus the nature of those vehicles = high mortality rate .

[Draggon]

That is Cool ! Johnnson Motors in Vancouver B.C. ordered 12 Black 1970 Dusters with Gold stripes on the tail light panel and they came with 440 's three were 4-speeds all the others were Autos . I only wish I had a photo of this ?

I didn't know any Dusters were available with the 440. Was this some sort of special deal?

[Mr mopar]

I didn't know any Dusters were available with the 440. Was this some sort of special deal?

they were special ordred by Johnnson motors , the story is Johnnson had an in with someone at Chrysler of Canada back in the day.

[modeladdict71]

they were special ordred by Johnnson motors , the story is Johnnson had an in with someone at Chrysler of Canada back in the day.

I know they say "Never Say Never" when it came to ordering stuff from Mother Mopar back then but I'm still a little skeptical of a factory big block Duster. Especially given the fact the big block Cuda & Darts were sent out for their conversions. Of course the Dusters could have been back doored thru the same program.

[Draggon]

Didn't Mr. Norm's, or someone, do a big block Valiant or Dart? I've seen pics of an early b-body that was done by a dealer. I think.....

[Rob Hall]

Didn't Mr. Norm's, or someone, do a big block Valiant or Dart? I've seen pics of an early b-body that was done by a dealer. I think.....

There is Mr. Norm's '68 Dart GSS 440, which Revell kitted. 

[Ron Hamilton]

Remember, these cars were sold in Canada, and not the U.S. in the early '70's. The Dusters sound like a Mopar version of a C.O.P.O., and the Darts could have been a low production model, available only in Canada. Both models were doable on the assembly line, and back in the day, if you had the connections, it could happen.

[1972coronet]

Remember, these cars were sold in Canada, and not the U.S. in the early '70's. The Dusters sound like a Mopar version of a C.O.P.O., and the Darts could have been a low production model, available only in Canada. Both models were doable on the assembly line, and back in the day, if you had the connections, it could happen.

Indeed , the Chrysler programme functioned like G.M.'s C.O.P.O. , albeit to a lesser degree . Most of the special order Dodge and Plymouth cars were either Taxis (especially the 'New York Taxi' [ "N" as the second character of the V.I.N. , versus the typical "T" ] ) . NYC had a footwell-to-ceiling requirement ; Chrysler obliged by adding deeper floorboards for the rear passengers , whose modifications were performed at the Amblewagon facility .

Further ; Police cars were also special orders ; mostly , they were built in batches . The CHP units in particular were unique ; special order cam specs , white rimmed steering wheels , etc. , etc .

The 1971-1972 Canadian-only Dart Swinger Special 340s were built in Canada ( Windsor , Ontario Plant ; across the lake from Detroit ) , for those two dealerships . 

Most manufactures would build special order "fleet" cars . with the provisio that there be a minimum order ( e.g. , 50 COPO ZL-1 Camaros , 50 "LL23H_R" Darts , etc. , etc. )

In all of my 47 years , I have never heard of any big block A-bodies being built after the 1969 model year . Gary Dyer at Mr Norms was the first to convert a Dart to big block . He did that in late 1966 ; installed a 383 / 727 / 3.55 rear from a '66 Coronet . This car also had underchassis headers , which were highly unusual at that time . While one could order a 383 in a Barracuda for 1967 from the start of the model year , the 383 wasn't available from the factory until Spring 1967 . 

No Dusters ... but I'm open to seeing evidence or proof of those being built ...

[PARTSMARTY]

Being a mopar guy-this is over the top cool indeed !!!