How I bought my first new car, a 340 dart in 1970

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scatpack340

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Thank you all for the warm welcome to my introduction tread. There were a few of you that asked about, and I received a few PM's about the circumstances around buying my Dart, well...here's the story. I grew up in Metuchen New Jersey about two blocks from Suburban Dodge. I would walk home from school everyday and stare at those beautiful cars on the front line of that small dealership. At the age of 15 in 1968, my dad suprised me with my first car, a 1964 sport fury. The car needed work and was dented in more panels than were not, but it had a 413 and a 4 speed and I was up to the challenge. I was suprised he gave me a car, and a Mopar to boot, as I was two years away from getting my license and he was a devoted Ford man.

He was at Boro Motors (also in Metuchen) to buy a new Shelby GT500 and the Sport fury was a recent trade in that was sitting in their back lot. He knew I liked the Mopars and made a deal for the Shelby and the old Plymouth. I went to Suburban Dodge to get parts for the 413 and saw a help wanted sign and got the job...so I was 15 and working around all those great cars. Of course all I did was clean the showroom and take out the trash, I couldn't drive any cars because I didn't have a license yet.

I watched the cars come and go and wanted the Y2 383 '69 GTS that was in the showroom, but of course that wasn't going to happen. Once the '70 model year came around...that was my year. I had my license, I was driving 340's, 383's, 440's and Hemi's on a daily basis. When the first '70 340 Swinger came in I was hooked, I Knew that years of saving all my money would pay off because I would be able to buy the coolest car around. According to the sales manager and my parents, I needed to put down $ 1265.00 because that would lower my payments enough for my to be able to afford with my weekly salary.

I had 6 to choose from: 2 Yellow (1 with vinyl top and black out hood paint), both automatics, 1 Purple with white stripe (4 speed), 1 Burnt Orange Metallic with black top and white stripe (4 speed), 1 Red with white stripe (automatic), and the Go Man Go one that I chose. Mine is a 4 speed, 3.55 sure grip, bench seat, rallye wheels, tach and AM/FM radio. I drove the car sparingly from the start because I wanted to keep it as nice as I could. To date the car has 33,550 miles.
 
Is your name Marc Fitzpatrick ? My dad was the shop foreman at Suburban from '67 thru '72 and became service manager in '72 until '80. If this is you, I remember you and that Swinger, yuo even came to my house a few times when I was little ( in the early '70's). Glad to hear you are doing well and that you still have the Dart. Just an FYI, in 1986 I bought my 340 Swinger, it is the Burnt Orange one that was next to yours on the lot all those years ago... funny huh ?
 
Holy crap, I never thought I would find someone knew on here. My name was Fitzpatrick, I changed it to Tutton in honor of my birth father about 25 years ago. Larry is your dad, I remember you too, you were always running around the shop as a little kid on saturdays. Your dad taught me alot, how is he? He doesn't still have that Purple hemi Challenger does he? I sent you a PM with my number, call me, I would love to catch up. By the way, I have some old paperwork from Suburban, like some duplicate window stickers, and warranty papers. I kept all I could that pertained to 340 Swingers.
 
scatpack340 said:
Holy crap, I never thought I would find someone knew on here. Larry is your dad, I remember you to, you were always running around the shop as a little kid on saturdays. Your dad taught me alot, how is he? He doesn't still have that Purple hemi Challenger does he? I sent you a PM with my number, call me, I would love to catch up. By the way, I have some old paperwork from Suburban, like some duplicate window stickers, and warranty papers. I kept all I could that pertained to 340 Swingers.
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I'm sure I was a pest back then, but I loved being around all those cars. Dad sold the Hemi Challenger around '84. We were at a show and he found a guy that wanted a hemicar, he had two cars that were complete but that needed to be restored and wanted to trade. One was a Green '69 Coronet R/T and the other was Pink T/A Challenger, we restored both and he still owns them. You said you have some old paperwork from Suburban...any chance you have anything from my car ? Mine was FK5, black top/white stripe.

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I believe I spoke to you a few years back @ Carlisle or Mopar Nationals and if I remember right one of your buddies bought a 70 Swinger 340 off that lot at the same time:) If this is correct you need to tell that part of the story to. Love the 70 Swinger 340s.Always have been my favorite Mopar.And EK2 Go Mango orange is my favorite color. =P~
 
Three40 said:
I believe I spoke to you a few years back @ Carlisle or Mopar Nationals and if I remember right one of your buddies bought a 70 Swinger 340 off that lot at the same time:) If this is correct you need to tell that part of the story to. Love the 70 Swinger 340s.Always have been my favorite Mopar.And EK2 Go Mango orange is my favorite color. =P~
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No, I'm sorry but you must have me confussed with someone else. I never had my Dart at Carlisle or the Mopar nats. I did have friends that bought cars off the lot while I worked at the dealership, and we had our own little club of hell raisers. We all thought we were Ronnie Sox and Dick Landy...they were great times.
 
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