First 1967 383 installed in a Barracuda
Chrysler pulled fifty cars from the assembly line and sent them to Hurst-Campbell for conversion as they had done with the Hemi Darts. Each was serialized with an “M” code in the VIN, equipped with the 440 and an A727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission, and then shipped to Grand Spaulding. When the issue of badging arose, Mr. Norm came up with an elegant and interesting two-part solution. First he substituted the “T” in the cars’ “GTS” designation with another “S”, signifying the GSS (Grand Spaulding Special) model. And while the “383” badges were no longer accurate, there was no version of a “440” marker that would fit in their place, so they were left on all the cars. Misleading? Not in the legal sense, since the 440 GSS Dart was advertised as such. But out on the street, more than one victim was left in the dust of what he presumed to be a lesser car.
The fifty GSS 440 Darts sold by Mr. Norm in 1968 were the only 1968 440 Darts made that year and must not be confused with the 1969 M-code versions subsequently built by the factory. The Hurst-built 1968 GSS 440 Darts were individually converted by hand and are among the lowest-production Mopars ever.
The 440 Dart GSS offered here is believed to be the very one raced by the Service Director at Grand Spaulding Dodge to promote the GSS sales program. The car is exceedingly rare, one of only 12 of the original fifty cars known to exist today, and one of only two painted in special-order Buffed Silver. It has been rotisserie restored to the finest detail, even to the correct colors used in factory hand-markings. Under the hood next to the 375-horse 440, an inscription reads, “To one of the best GSS Darts, Mr. Norm ‘05”.
Chrysler pulled fifty cars from the assembly line and sent them to Hurst-Campbell for conversion as they had done with the Hemi Darts. Each was serialized with an “M” code in the VIN, equipped with the 440 and an A727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission, and then shipped to Grand Spaulding. When the issue of badging arose, Mr. Norm came up with an elegant and interesting two-part solution. First he substituted the “T” in the cars’ “GTS” designation with another “S”, signifying the GSS (Grand Spaulding Special) model. And while the “383” badges were no longer accurate, there was no version of a “440” marker that would fit in their place, so they were left on all the cars. Misleading? Not in the legal sense, since the 440 GSS Dart was advertised as such. But out on the street, more than one victim was left in the dust of what he presumed to be a lesser car.
The fifty GSS 440 Darts sold by Mr. Norm in 1968 were the only 1968 440 Darts made that year and must not be confused with the 1969 M-code versions subsequently built by the factory. The Hurst-built 1968 GSS 440 Darts were individually converted by hand and are among the lowest-production Mopars ever.
The 440 Dart GSS offered here is believed to be the very one raced by the Service Director at Grand Spaulding Dodge to promote the GSS sales program. The car is exceedingly rare, one of only 12 of the original fifty cars known to exist today, and one of only two painted in special-order Buffed Silver. It has been rotisserie restored to the finest detail, even to the correct colors used in factory hand-markings. Under the hood next to the 375-horse 440, an inscription reads, “To one of the best GSS Darts, Mr. Norm ‘05”.