Replies

But IMHO the reason people love A-bodies (or show fondness) is not the car as much as the engine. The Slant 6 was so reliable you had to really work hard to kill it. [ ... ]In the eighties and even nineties you really could get a reliable Dart/Valiant for $500 esp if you knew anything about them.

I think it is more than just the engine. It is the whole car. The Lancers and Belvideres just didn't stick around. The Dodge Darts and Plymouth Valiants and Dusters certainly did. They got everything right except for the ball joints and brakes (pre '68).

Besides the engine, let's not forget the Torqueflite transmission.

I have paid the following for Darts:

▀$200 (1974 Dodge Dart Custom, 144,000 miles) bought in 1988. Brake issues. Sold car for $300 one year later.

▀$5 (1966 Dodge Dart tourquoise, pristine interior, wheel well rot and bad drums, 29,000 miles in 1990, little ol' lady car) I put 100,000 miles on it before parting it out.

▀$55 (1973 Dodge Dart bought in 194 with transmission problems), lasted 10 days before it gave out..

▀$600 identical car in mauve and 59,000 miles in 1994. (little ol' lady car) power steering included in this model. I went 80,000 miles on it, and in '97 slid on some ice into an unmarked Crown Victoria. The Crown Vic won that match up. I still managed to drive the car for another year with one headlight pointing straight up.

▀$250 1976 Dodge Dart Brougham bought in 1997 with the two barrel holley. Mileage unknown. Numerous electrical problems. Rear end collapsed in 2000 after moving to the rust belt (Illinois). Comfy seats.

▀$1500 (1973 Dodge Dart, 39,000 miles). Baby Blue with a white vinyl roof for my wife (my '76 was burgundy. His and her Darts) Car was named Desireé. Great 50 foot car. In reality, skillful use of bondo disguised the cancer. That car had lived in the rust belt all its life, and the body suffered. Bad oil pump eventually led to an engine fire (one way to kill a slant six) at 89,000. Donor engine from a '71 turned out to be a bad match. Eventually the torsion bars tore through the rust and the front end collapsed. Died prematurely at 106,000 miles due to being in Illinois.

The '65 Chrysler 300 2 door hard top coupe (gold) was bought in 2002 for $1050 in Texas, and driven back up. One dented fender. Problematic brakes. Strong engine rebuilt once. Smooth rider with power, room and authority. Parts hard to find.
It was more than I could maintain as an everyday driver, and even as a three season car, the midwest salt was starting to do its thing. I sold the car for $800 in 2006 to someone who had room and expertise to treat it right. When I picked up the '89 Fifth Avenue for $500 as a replacement, I did it knowing that the local cancer would finish it off, and it did.