My '69 340 Swinger

[BJCHEV396]

Bought this car when I was in college Feb/'72.A guy needed a fast $1500.00 to close on his house purchase. It's on my list of top 3 cars that "got away." On a positive note the seller and I have remained friends to this day!

[BJCHEV396]

Here's another pic.Sure wish cell phones were around back in the day.A lot of cars are just a memory unfortunately.

[RALLY]

Bought this car when I was in college Feb/'72.A guy needed a fast $1500.00 to close on his house purchase. It's on my list of top 3 cars that "got away." On a positive note the seller and I have remained friends to this day!

Nice Dart. I could of purchased my neighbors 69 Dart Swinger Orange with a Black Stripe 4 speed 340, black interior in the middle 70's he had for sale. It was all stock. I am sure many of us have stories too the cars we passed up on.

[BJCHEV396]

I only kept it 8 months unfortunately. Put Goodyear RWL tires on it and American Racing slot wheels.And a Lear Jet 8 track player,lol.Got a case of "Corvette Fever",so sold the Swinger and bought a '64 vert with the 327/365 mill.Faster than the Dodge for sure!

[jl8z28]

I had a 69 340 dart swinger B4 red 4 speed 391 gears X heads fast car sold in 78 would love to find that car

[gts340]

Great car and photos!

[70 Forest Green Zee]

Here's one I owned about 20 or so years ago....fun and fast, 383 with a 4 speed but drove like a truck. Got a lot of looks and thumbs up at car shows and cruise nights though.

[napa68]

Here's one I owned about 20 or so years ago....fun and fast, 383 with a 4 speed but drove like a truck. Got a lot of looks and thumbs up at car shows and cruise nights though.

I remember coming to look at it. That was a nice little car. And you're right......it drove like a truck.

[RALLY]

Here's one I owned about 20 or so years ago....fun and fast, 383 with a 4 speed but drove like a truck. Got a lot of looks and thumbs up at car shows and cruise nights though.

What a nice ride. Love to have a 69 Dart 340 4 speed Swinger.

[BJCHEV396]

Here's one I owned about 20 or so years ago....fun and fast, 383 with a 4 speed but drove like a truck. Got a lot of looks and thumbs up at car shows and cruise nights though.

Great color combo! I've heard that the 383 Dart is not much faster than the 340?

[RALLY]

Great color combo! I've heard that the 383 Dart is not much faster than the 340?

The 340 Darts from what i read and was told could beat the 383 Darts all day long at the track. Those 340 engines had a good parts, good 2.02 X heads, high rise cast iron intake, forged crank, rods and pistons and free flowing cast iron exhaust manifolds, a hydraulic camshaft, windage tray etc. Well built engines.

[BJCHEV396]

The 340 Darts from what i read and was told could beat the 383 Darts all day long at the track. Those 340 engines had a good parts, good 2.02 X heads, high rise cast iron intake, forged crank, rods and pistons and free flowing cast iron exhaust manifolds, a hydraulic camshaft, windage tray etc. Well built engines.

But only had a horse power rating of 275....wink wink,lol!

[RALLY]

But only had a horse power rating of 275....wink wink,lol!

Exactly, just like the 69 Camaro Z-28 302 engines, 290 horsepower. 340 Dart i think actually produced 340 horsepower. All for insurance reasons.

[Bill Pritchard]

The 340 Darts from what i read and was told could beat the 383 Darts all day long at the track.

x2. In addition to the additional weight of the big block, the 383 Darts had some pretty restrictive exhaust manifolds.

[GrumpyJeff]

The 340 Darts from what i read and was told could beat the 383 Darts all day long at the track. Those 340 engines had a good parts, good 2.02 X heads, high rise cast iron intake, forged crank, rods and pistons and free flowing cast iron exhaust manifolds, a hydraulic camshaft, windage tray etc. Well built engines.

I had a good buddy in High School 1979/80 had a 340/4SPD Dart, With the right Gears, Sticky Tires & Headers on the Street was Tough to beat from Red light to Red light... Hurt alot of Big Block Guys feelings. In Fact the other 2 Cars that gave him a Good Run were a 65 L79 4 spd Chevelle & a 70 LT1 Z28 automatic w/a Vega Torq converter ,4.56's

[BJCHEV396]

I only street raced the Swinger once and it was against my friend Gary's '69 Chevelle 396/350.I'd always beat him out of the hole but he'd eventually catch and pass me.

[RALLY]

I had a good buddy in High School 1979/80 had a 340/4SPD Dart, With the right Gears, Sticky Tires & Headers on the Street was Tough to beat from Red light to Red light... Hurt alot of Big Block Guys feelings. In Fact the other 2 Cars that gave him a Good Run were a 65 L79 4 spd Chevelle & a 70 LT1 Z28 automatic w/a Vega Torq converter ,4.56's

Cool story. Yes those 340 Darts set up right for traction were tough to beat. I am a Chevy guy thru and thru but the Dodge Dart Swinger 340 4 speed cars would be my second choice without a doubt. Years back my former neighbor growing up had one. I took a ride in that car and it was impressive. Again never thought of asking him if i could buy that car when he sold it. It was all stock too, not even headers. Kick myself to this day which i am sure we all have a story to tell we had a chance to buy these types of cars.