Mysterious 1964 dart rag top????

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cooljjay

Proud Owner Of Christy
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Ok, I was out for my estate sale running to day wen I parked by a very vary sad looking 64 rag top sitting in the drive on 4 flats dents moss etc. I was looking at it when I spied a stick inside looked like a 4 speed. I got that omg look, I then seen a lady coming out and asked about it, well she said her brother had dibs on it but she already had a price in mind 1000$ since she seen it in a old blue book. The car ran too. Of course I tried to tell her the body was in bad shape with rusty/dented quarters and the interior was shot. I then went to look under the hood, what did I spy but a huge v8 painted orange, 340?? I was shocked a rag top with a stick plus v8.....RARE!!! Well now I am wanting to know if this is factory? she said her mother bought it that way. If I get the call is a 1000$ a good price despite all its cosmetic damages?? I wish I had my camera when I was there. Dying for info!!!
 
Sounds like a 273 that the paint faded on.

If you go back look at the Vin and Fender tags.

If is an "L" at the start of the vin it was factory V8 on Dart.

273 was the only V8 in an Abody in 1964-66.

Pictures?

cooljjay said:
Ok, I was out for my estate sale running to day wen I parked by a very vary sad looking 64 rag top sitting in the drive on 4 flats dents moss etc. I was looking at it when I spied a stick inside looked like a 4 speed. I got that omg look, I then seen a lady coming out and asked about it, well she said her brother had dibs on it but she already had a price in mind 1000$ since she seen it in a old blue book. The car ran too. Of course I tried to tell her the body was in bad shape with rusty/dented quarters and the interior was shot. I then went to look under the hood, what did I spy but a huge v8 painted orange, 340?? I was shocked a rag top with a stick plus v8.....RARE!!! Well now I am wanting to know if this is factory? she said her mother bought it that way. If I get the call is a 1000$ a good price despite all its cosmetic damages?? I wish I had my camera when I was there. Dying for info!!!
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It is possible that is was originally a 273 (most likely a 2bbl) with a 3 or 4spd trans. I have heard of early A-Body convs. with manual trans but I would have to guess that they may be somewhat rare but if the car is that bad the rarity might be a mute point. If the engine was in fact a 340 it obviously was not original to the car and was swapped into that car sometime in its life. If the body is badly rusted especially the interior and trunk floors, frame rails, inner fenders, inner and outer rockers and the quarters then $1000.00 is way to much for the car. You will have way more than that is just buying and replacing the sheet metal.

It sounds like nothing more than a parts car now and if it does have a 340 that most likely is the most valuable part on the car. I cut up a 273 push button auto 64 Dart conv. that was so badly rusted that the only thing keeping the car from breaking in have was the center tunnel and what was left of the outer rockers.

Good luck though,
Joe
 
pettybludart said:
I feel it,s worth saving for $1000.:read2:
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My thoughts excactly but after the responses and the more I think about it. I doubt it is. I will wait to see if I get a call from her. The things I noticed about it, is it will need 4 new tires, 3 years of back tags paid, the passenger side quarter near the back seat is completely pushed in, drivers side fender is dented in, both bumpers are rusted, the rear seat is completely gone to the springs, drivers quarter is rusted. I might be able to explain that the blue book value she looked at was for a car that didn't need a complete over haul before it can even leave the driveway. Though when I told her about the rust she said try to be almost 50 and have no rust. May end up like the 1968 v8 barracuda I was also looking at roof is so rusted that another year in the rain it will be a convertible. The only reason it was parked was because it needs a brake booster, the little old lady wanted me to fix it, but I only work on my own cars.
 
bayyum said:
its worth saving!
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But at what cost? Do you know how much money I have sunk into my 71 and I still haven't even touched the body or interior, still have the gash on the side. Then the other day I blew an exhaust manifold gasket, I sure could use a new set of springs to. I would save it for a couple hundred but 4 figures there is no way. I also think after 3 cars I have to register as a dealer in California, can't want for the smog laws to kick in.
 
cooljjay said:
But at what cost? Do you know how much money I have sunk into my 71 and I still haven't even touched the body or interior, still have the gash on the side. Then the other day I blew an exhaust manifold gasket, I sure could use a new set of springs to. I would save it for a couple hundred but 4 figures there is no way. I also think after 3 cars I have to register as a dealer in California, can't want for the smog laws to kick in.
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I had one with a 273 4 speed years ago in WI, this one is probably a whole lot nicer than what had since it's here in CA. Get it if you can, the car is definitely low in the production numbers. There is the nice feeling owning something that they built a low number of that outweighs the $$ value in my book but it's your call. If you get a shot at and don't want it it would be nice to get it anyway and let a FABO member get a shot at owning it.

As far as CA and the number of cars you can own, you can buy and sell 5 cars every year without a license so I wouldn't be concerned. I've owned 60 in the last 4 years so I guess I'm in trouble. I also forgot, I'm supposed to get a permit everytime I want to part out a car too.... yeah right. That car is probably out of the CA DMV computer so I doubt there would be any back fees if it's been sitting since before 1997.
 
If you do get it and want to part it out I would be interested in some parts. How are the tail lights? Power top or manual?
 
dart4forte said:
If you do get it and want to part it out I would be interested in some parts. How are the tail lights? Power top or manual?
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Both tail lights were busted, along with 95% of the chrome, roof I am not sure of.

I will go for it, if I get the chance. My first impression was it would be a fun *** car to drive, that is if the frame doesn't crumble from underneath it. I will let you guys know if I ever hear about it.
 
Wow sounds like a parts car to me... Spend more money get a car that needs less work.

My Valiant is not rusted like that. Same year car.From Calif.

cooljjay said:
My thoughts excactly but after the responses and the more I think about it. I doubt it is. I will wait to see if I get a call from her. The things I noticed about it, is it will need 4 new tires, 3 years of back tags paid, the passenger side quarter near the back seat is completely pushed in, drivers side fender is dented in, both bumpers are rusted, the rear seat is completely gone to the springs, drivers quarter is rusted. I might be able to explain that the blue book value she looked at was for a car that didn't need a complete over haul before it can even leave the driveway. Though when I told her about the rust she said try to be almost 50 and have no rust. May end up like the 1968 v8 barracuda I was also looking at roof is so rusted that another year in the rain it will be a convertible. The only reason it was parked was because it needs a brake booster, the little old lady wanted me to fix it, but I only work on my own cars.
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100_0401a1Small.jpg
 
if you purchase the car, sometimes its better to put the whats left out of its misery and donate the leftovers. unless your doing the body yourself, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching!
You always pay a premium for a clean starter, but the savings can be tremendous.
good luck
 
sounds a lil high for a rough car. The engine size is on the driver side of the block right by all the freeze plugs, rearward of the motor mount. It also could be a 3 spd sick instead of a 4 spd. I think the /6 cars came with 3 spd. There was a guy around here with a really rusty one that ran with a 318 3 spd and I didnt even want to give him $800. He sold it on ebay for over $2000. Its crazy.
 
64 Dart ragtops were fairly common, and about half were 273-2 cars (273-4 came out in 65). The four speed makes it a bit more scarce. Even then I'd bet there were several hundred made.

As for whether or not it is worth saving, that's a bit tougher. You could probably part it out and break even for $1500. It will probably never be worth what it would cost to restore, even if you do most of the work yourself. BUT it would make a great cruiser with a mild engine. Body/trim bits are hard to find for the early A's, so don't discount the possibility of a replacement body and/or another 6 cyl parts car to make a good driver.
 
If the car is rough and has a lot of missing or broken parts, it may be wise to avoid it. As others have mentioned you can empty a bank account pretty fast with a car like that.
 
Hey cooljay, back in '77 i bought a car out of a someones yard in Vallejo..it was a 63 Falcon Futura Sprint, 260 4 speed, had a bad cam in it, otherwise was damn near perfect. I paid $35.00 for it and sold it about six months later for $3200. I put a junk yard cam in it to get it running.
I used to pull cars for a guy that had Sunshine Auto Wreckers....if you took the exit off 80 at the top of the hill (coming from Fairfield) and went down by the dirt track (which I think is now gone) he was in that area. Don't know if he's still there or not.
I have a 65 vert and like was mentioned they are not bringing much restored, it'll definately cost you more to restore then you could hope to get out of it from an investment standpoint. If I had it to do over I probably would have looked for one that just needed a motor or a little body work or just the interior redone, instead of what I got needs everything.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
GTGrinly said:
Hey cooljay, back in '77 i bought a car out of a someones yard in Vallejo..it was a 63 Falcon Futura Sprint, 260 4 speed, had a bad cam in it, otherwise was damn near perfect. I paid $35.00 for it and sold it about six months later for $3200. I put a junk yard cam in it to get it running.
I used to pull cars for a guy that had Sunshine Auto Wreckers....if you took the exit off 80 at the top of the hill (coming from Fairfield) and went down by the dirt track (which I think is now gone) he was in that area. Don't know if he's still there or not.
I have a 65 vert and like was mentioned they are not bringing much restored, it'll definately cost you more to restore then you could hope to get out of it from an investment standpoint. If I had it to do over I probably would have looked for one that just needed a motor or a little body work or just the interior redone, instead of what I got needs everything.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
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I lived in Vallejo when I was in HS. I remember that year. It's all houses there now.
 
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