1966 Dart GT, 273/4, 4 speed registry.

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toolmanmike

toolmanmike

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I would like to get a registry started for 66 Darts with the Hipo 273 and 4 speed. There were only 1237 of this combination made which included hardtops and convertibles. According to Galen Govier, no further breakdown is available for these cars. He has a registry but unless you pay the price for a VIN, or build sheet decode, your car is probably not registered with him. I thought it would be fun for all the owners here to group together with their rare cars. You can post your info and photos here but if you don't want to post your VIN# you can send it through a conversation to me and I can group it with others. Your's might be built the car before mine and that would be cool. Looking foreward to hearing from you. toolmanmike
 
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There were post cars I'm sure. I will search for further breakdown but it's the HP 4 speed GT's I am interested in. My first car was a 65 Dart 270 post with a HP 273 and a 3 on the tree. One of like 8 if I remember correctly.
 
I have no information beyond what I have seen, but there was a silver hardtop in northeast San Jose back in the 1980s (was original owner at the time). There was also a pale yellow (color is recollection) convertible that I saw ONCE (also in San Jose), but I can give you the exact date (January 27, 1983 - the day after we bought our GTS convertible) and the fact that it was raining...
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Jim Lusk said:
I have no information beyond what I have seen, but there was a silver hardtop in northeast San Jose back in the 1980s (was original owner at the time). There was also a pale yellow (color is recollection) convertible that I saw ONCE (also in San Jose), but I can give you the exact date (January 27, 1983 - the day after we bought our GTS convertible) and the fact that it was raining...View attachment 1715020456 View attachment 1715020457 View attachment 1715020459 View attachment 1715020460
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Thanks Jim. Love the original Inland shifter. Mine was replaced with a Hurst.
 
I had better post mine. I found mine on E bay 10+ years ago 50 miles away from me. It was a barn find and I heard it barely run by jumping it and trickling some gas down the carb. The previous owner registered it with Galen Govier, did a VIN breakdown, fender tag decode and a build sheet breakdown. (Thanks for that) It's a GT HP273/4 speed/ 8 3/4 Sure Grip with a 3:23. It has manual brakes and steering with the HD suspension option. Am radio, buckets, console (of course) and that's about it.

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I am just asking, are the 65's not Included? Mine is pearl white four speed, but my 66' Is a slant six GT Convertible.
 
oldmopardude said:
I am just asking, are the 65's not Included? Mine is pearl white four speed, but my 66' Is a slant six GT Convertible.
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Sorry, this thread is just for the 1237 66 GT 273/4 speed cars produced.
 
toolmanmike said:
@ddartdude, yours is one of 50 produced? I kind of know the story of your car and D Darts like yours. Could you enlighten us a bit? Thanks.
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Mine has the first VIN number of the 50 built. It was also the first one delivered. Actually, Ted Spehar picked it up at the Hamtramck Assembly plant because he didn't want anyone driving it and blowing up the engine. This was a common occurrence in those days.
The scheduled build date for the D/Darts was Sunday April 17th. The actual build date of the cars was either April 28 or 29. The engine in Ted's car is stamped as being built on 4-27 and Ted picked up his car on the 29th. All the bodies were built, the bodies and fender tags were stamped for the April 17th build. While they were in hold for the engines to be delivered, some of the bodies were used for other builds. I was informed by the current owner of the Trans Am Dart that it has no radiator support or package tray stamped numbers. Another one has no radiator support number and the package tray number indicated it was for a car scheduled to be built on 4-27. They must have been scrambling around to find 50 Dart GT bodies with the 4-speed option. So April 28th looks like it might have been the real build date.
Ralph Costa and Ted partnered up on the car and raced it at Milan Dragway, Detroit Dragway, and National Trail Raceway. I have a dozen or so time slips from these tracks. It ran mainly in the 13 teens at around 104. It's best times were 12.92 and 105 mph.
Like most race cars, they raced it for one year and put it up for sale.
 
Ever get anywhere with this Mike ? I always thought about something like this just to know how many survived.
 
Bogie said:
Ever get anywhere with this Mike ? I always thought about something like this just to know how many survived.
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No it kind of fell through the cracks and got forgotten about.
 
ddartdude said:
Mine has the first VIN number of the 50 built. It was also the first one delivered. Actually, Ted Spehar picked it up at the Hamtramck Assembly plant because he didn't want anyone driving it and blowing up the engine. This was a common occurrence in those days.
The scheduled build date for the D/Darts was Sunday April 17th. The actual build date of the cars was either April 28 or 29. The engine in Ted's car is stamped as being built on 4-27 and Ted picked up his car on the 29th. All the bodies were built, the bodies and fender tags were stamped for the April 17th build. While they were in hold for the engines to be delivered, some of the bodies were used for other builds. I was informed by the current owner of the Trans Am Dart that it has no radiator support or package tray stamped numbers. Another one has no radiator support number and the package tray number indicated it was for a car scheduled to be built on 4-27. They must have been scrambling around to find 50 Dart GT bodies with the 4-speed option. So April 28th looks like it might have been the real build date.
Ralph Costa and Ted partnered up on the car and raced it at Milan Dragway, Detroit Dragway, and National Trail Raceway. I have a dozen or so time slips from these tracks. It ran mainly in the 13 teens at around 104. It's best times were 12.92 and 105 mph.
Like most race cars, they raced it for one year and put it up for sale.
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Jim Lusk said:
I have no information beyond what I have seen, but there was a silver hardtop in northeast San Jose back in the 1980s (was original owner at the time). There was also a pale yellow (color is recollection) convertible that I saw ONCE (also in San Jose), but I can give you the exact date (January 27, 1983 - the day after we bought our GTS convertible) and the fact that it was raining...View attachment 1715020456 View attachment 1715020457 View attachment 1715020459 View attachment 1715020460
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This was car was owned by a friend of mine. He bought it brand new in 66. The original motor was replaced with a 340. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years ago. Last time I talked to his son, the car was still parked in the garage.
 
Greasyfingers said:
This was car was owned by a friend of mine. He bought it brand new in 66. The original motor was replaced with a 340. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years ago. Last time I talked to his son, the car was still parked in the garage.
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Sad to hear that he passed away. I knew him, but not that well. Did go to his house once or twice in the late 1980s when I lived in Milpitas.
 
Cool cars & I love the red project car.

Here’s a convertible for sale in Kentucky on Facebook
There’s a pic of fender tag
273-4 4-speed and disc brakes

 
I have a local friend that's had 2 66 GT Coupes with factory 273/4 barrel/4speeds. One was light blue and one was red. I doubt he still has the info/vin about them though, it was 30 years ago. Red one was cut up/had rusty rear quarters, blue one was t-boned and eventually fixed/probably still out there somewhere.
 
Would the Commando 66 dart come with a 4/speed and a console? Met this guy who’s had one parked since the 1980s showed me some pictures but on the fender it just had the v8 badge not the 273 commando badge, have yet to see the v tag hopefully I see that 32 on there
 
Slantsix64 said:
Would the Commando 66 dart come with a 4/speed and a console? Met this guy who’s had one parked since the 1980s showed me some pictures but on the fender it just had the v8 badge not the 273 commando badge, have yet to see the v tag hopefully I see that 32 on there
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The 66 Dart Gt's with the Charger 273 do come with 4 speeds, buckets and console. I have one. It should have the 273 badging on the front fenders. Yes, look at the fender tag for the AB engine code.
 
Slantsix64 said:
Would the Commando 66 dart come with a 4/speed and a console? Met this guy who’s had one parked since the 1980s showed me some pictures but on the fender it just had the v8 badge not the 273 commando badge, have yet to see the v tag hopefully I see that 32 on there
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As the tool man hinted at, there was no such thing as a "Commando" Dart. Commando was a Plymouth name. The same engine in a Dart was the Dart Charger 273. The car I posted above was a non-console four speed 235hp car. D/Darts (275hp) did not come with a console, but were all four speeds. Interestingly enough, the 275hp motor was not available in a Plymouth. The emblems on a Dart were 273 four barrel (both horsepower versions). On a Valiant or non-Formula S Barracuda you got Commando V8 emblems. On a Formula S you only got the "S" emblems.
 
Jim Lusk said:
As the tool man hinted at, there was no such thing as a "Commando" Dart. Commando was a Plymouth name. The same engine in a Dart was the Dart Charger 273. The car I posted above was a non-console four speed 235hp car. D/Darts (275hp) did not come with a console, but were all four speeds. Interestingly enough, the 275hp motor was not available in a Plymouth. The emblems on a Dart were 273 four barrel (both horsepower versions). On a Valiant or non-Formula S Barracuda you got Commando V8 emblems. On a Formula S you only got the "S" emblems.
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:thumbsup: Yes, I hint a lot. A lot of these discussions could take me down a rat hole and often I don't take the time to write a book. THanks for filling in a lot of blanks.
 
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