Dart Lite

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basement

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What can someone tell me about a Dart Lite? Have a friend at work with one parked at his parents. A '76' with a slant and manual on the floor. Sounds very interesting.
 
in 1976 a special Dart Lite was released. This was a Dart Sport made as light as possible with an aluminum hood, trunk bracing and bumper brackets, an aluminum intake manifold on the 225 in³ Slant-6 engine for the first time since 1960, specially-calibrated carburetor and distributor, economy rear axle ratio, and TorqueFlite automatic or A833 4-speed manual overdrive transmission. When equipped with the manual transmission, the Dart Lite was rated by the EPA at 36 highway mpg. The Plymouth version was the Feather Duster.....
 
I believe they has aluminum frame supports on the hood and trunk, light weight bumper brackets, also had the light weight aluminum transmission case on the overdrive 4-speed.
 
Didn't Chrysler try casting the /6 in aluminum back in the early '60s? One of those would be a great fit with one of those light weight cars.
 
A 3 speed manual was an option, but it would be a very early model if it had the 3 speed. Mine has the 2.94 axle ratio. but there was some variance in axle ratio as well, some say 2.76, some have something in the 3. range if I recall. It should be BBP disc brakes, with a 7.25 rear axle, but the potential for 4 wheel drum and SBP exists.
 
I had 2 Feather Duster's back in the 80's. The Dart Lite and Feather Duster were built in 76, approx 1500 of each were sold mostly in the Midwest. These were an early attempt at fuel economy, they came with the Super Six and the 3 speed overdrive std and were available with the automatic. They used a 2 1/4 inch exhaust as well to help the engine breath better. The 2.76 ratio was used behind the automatic and the 2.94 behind the overdrive, this is why you see 2 different ratios. The hood and trunk lid were brace with aluminum, they used a primitive pinch bonding method for the hood and it was pretty flimsy, the trunk skin was attached by crimping the metal over the aluminum and caulked and it was pretty good. This is probably why you see trunk lids for sale from time to time but not many hoods. Other features to lighten the car were aluminum bumper braces, 4 leaf springs and D78 14 tires. Most of these came pretty bare bones but I have seen a bucket seat automatic with factory rally wheels but never one with A/C to date. Disc brakes were std equipment an all A-bodies in 76. The one I had that was a driver had the overdrive and radio, I got 31.2 on a trip from Madison, WI to southern IL running 70-75 on the highway and it had 112K on it at the time. They were rated at 36 mpg highway on the sticker from the factory, don't know if anyone got that but 31 was impressive for the size car and the date is was made. One thing that was a real drawback was the lack of power in top gear, anything more than a slight hill required a down shift. Hope this helps anyone curious about these cars. JB
 
69Dartconvt69 said:
I had 2 Feather Duster's back in the 80's. The Dart Lite and Feather Duster were built in 76, approx 1500 of each were sold mostly in the Midwest. These were an early attempt at fuel economy, they came with the Super Six and the 3 speed overdrive std and were available with the automatic. They used a 2 1/4 inch exhaust as well to help the engine breath better. The 2.76 ratio was used behind the automatic and the 2.94 behind the overdrive, this is why you see 2 different ratios. The hood and trunk lid were brace with aluminum, they used a primitive pinch bonding method for the hood and it was pretty flimsy, the trunk skin was attached by crimping the metal over the aluminum and caulked and it was pretty good. This is probably why you see trunk lids for sale from time to time but not many hoods. Other features to lighten the car were aluminum bumper braces, 4 leaf springs and D78 14 tires. Most of these came pretty bare bones but I have seen a bucket seat automatic with factory rally wheels but never one with A/C to date. Disc brakes were std equipment an all A-bodies in 76. The one I had that was a driver had the overdrive and radio, I got 31.2 on a trip from Madison, WI to southern IL running 70-75 on the highway and it had 112K on it at the time. They were rated at 36 mpg highway on the sticker from the factory, don't know if anyone got that but 31 was impressive for the size car and the date is was made. One thing that was a real drawback was the lack of power in top gear, anything more than a slight hill required a down shift. Hope this helps anyone curious about these cars. JB
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hmmm interesting my 76 sport has sbp and 4 wheel drum it does in fact have the 2.76 rear gear tho
 
Well, maybe you got one of the cars I bought just to swap big bolt from and early car, I bet a lot of other guys did the same thing or I could be wrong. I used to have a Feather Duster dealer pamphlet but I can't seem to find it after all these years. Anyone out there with a 76 A-body and disc brakes have B41 or B42 on their fender tag? That would tell you if it was an option and if standard, no option code. JB
 
I found out starting in 1-1-76 Mopar issued a technical 'upgrade' that all cars made after that date were to automatically become standard Disc Brakes (a few SBP drum cars slid through after the date as they used up 'stock' off the factory floor). I knew I had read something about this at one time, just took some time to find. So, I was wrong because some early 76's and a few stragglers after the cutoff got drum but I knew my 2 cars had disc and there was no code for it on the tag. Somewhere around here I have a copy of the build sheet from one of them and I'll post it if I find it, it has Feather Duster stamped in red at the bottom.

On another note, I saw a D13 (3 speed) Dart Lite, I was under the belief that the A91 package (FeatherDuster/Dart Lite) was to include the overdrive and you could order a 904 but I was proved wrong again. I guess those that got the other trans options didn't get the great fuel economy.

I currently am playing with a 74 Duster with the three speed, vinyl mat and radio delete. The only options on mine were the 225 over the 198 and the G51 (body side molding) and I guess it could have had a D12 (column shift) so the D13 is an option. I haven't checked the mileage yet but it had to be close to that of the light cars in 76 short of about 150 Lbs it's the same. I'm adding the O.D. and I just put on the rally's, yes I had SPB drums still.

JB
 
The tag and emission stickers in my Feather Duster
 

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Here's another attempt to show that emissions sticker legibly
 

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Anyone want to take a stab at deciphering the fender tag?
 
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