Teen Restores Vintage Muscle Car: Epic 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger!

What was the first car you owned? Probably wasn't a 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger, and if it was, you certainly weren't only 14 years old when you bought it! But this is EXACTLY what Ross' story is. Ross always had a passion for muscle cars and classic automobiles ever since he was a kid. Instead of just buying this 1970 Dodge Dart with a 340 engine, he took it upon himself to learn the art of car restoration and brought his dream to life. Now, at 19 years old, Ross gets to experience the thrill of driving on country roads with nothing but a orchestra of this 8-cylinder machine. Watch his incredible journey of transforming his muscle car into a masterpiece.
00:00 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger Mopar muscle car preview episode
01:30 Dodge dart swinger bought at 14 years old
03:25 Small block Mopar 340 Engine specs, compression ratio
05:00 Stock options of a Mopar Dodge Dart swinger
06:40 Engine swap and restoration progress pictures
08:50 Appreciation of old muscle cars
10:15 Grandfather inspiration from e-class hydro plane record breaking speed
11:50 Life goal of being a crop duster flying planes
12:00 Rolling shots of 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger Mopar muscle car
12:40 Burnout, test driving and car review of 1970 Dodge dart swinger
16:20 Transmission of Dodge dart
18:15 Gear ratio of Dodge dart
21:25 Coming up next 1969 Plymouth Road runner
www.Subdivisionauto.com
Master Episode 023
S02E06
Series: Between the Wheels
Episode: 1970 Dodge Dart
Year: 2023
Host: TrooperMax
Theme: Anthony Jarrett
Video Equipment Consultant: Mark Dalpe
Shot & Edited by: TrooperMax
Intro Graphics: Rahul Ralan
#SubdivisionAuto #betweenthewheels #dodgedart

[@user-tn1hk6zm2f]

I bought a 1970 dart swinger 340 4 speed with 390:1 rear gears in 1970 right after I got out of high school. I still have it today. It has sat in a conx box for the last 20 years. I am getting in out next Spring and going to rebuild the engine. Car is nice yet today. It will be on the road next Summer.

[@michaeldyer6304]

I had almost the same car in highschool "87" banging through those gears was a blast. The Mopar bug bite me... Had a 69 super bee 383 auto with the bench seat,"had no idea how special at the time" a 71 cuda 440-pistol grip 4-speed, cant remember 71-72? Superbee with the air-grabber hood"vacuum activated" which was pretty cool to see come open around 50ish mph think that was a 383 then my favorite was the 69 Charger 318 car that i shoved a 383 into. Then i had my girls sold all my mopars including some big blocks and trannys. After a few years without a v8 i bought a 87 Monte Carlo SS"blk" What a knuckle head huh? If i only had one of those cars today! One of my few regrets in life. Late 80's those cars were just big boats not many people wanted. Usually rested out and parts were significantly more expensive than chevy. Who knew ......

[@nicholaspoole8688]

History is repeating itself. Hemis going away for evs. I have a hellcat,scatpack,mopar 11 charger. I plan on keeping them all. I want to pass them down to my daughters and son. I met and older guy who has 3 cudas and 1 barracuda he was telling me he bought 1 in 80s for $200 I was so shocked.

[@blaynepaige2898]

Ross's story takes my back to when I was his age. Buying my first car before I could legally drive it, spending my weekends at Napierville Drags and cruising when there was nothing else happening. I remember the 1st time that I felt that my car was an extension of me and I was one with it. It's a feeling that never dies. Cruise on Ross.😎

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Great story Blayne thanks for dropping in my friend! Well said!

[@chrismaines1285]

Rest in piece Jimmy Bond. He has this exact car.

[@blingbling779_]

Omg Ross, Love it!!! Greetings from Germany, Cindy Lou 💪🏻🤗 hope you get to read this

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Thanks for dropping in Cindy!

[@raphaelhernandez4088]

As a 64 year old i approve of this!😊

[@SubdivisionAuto]

love it!

[@bustedpain9198]

I loved the story!! Beautiful Dart!! I love the Darts!! I even have 1 tattooed on my arm. I miss my Darts. I was on hard times and sold mine. My family is 1st.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Hope you can get one back one day sounds like it would scratch an itch Thanks for dropping in and commenting. What engine did you have

[@GingerMickovitch-un3jl]

He’s always been an “old soul”. While all the other kids were glued to their screens, he was under that hood. As his mom and a defensive driving instructor, sometimes I just don’t want to know🫣 Even that t-shirt is vintage. ‘87 world tour

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Indeed. Ross is awesome I am happy to have been able to not only meet him but share his story. Great guy you should be proud.

[@tint661]

I like everything about this story. I've wanted to get one of these A body cars and stuff a 340 or a 360 in it. I'm getting too old to be crawling around and under cars though. You can tell Ross is having fun every time he hits the gas pedal. Keep the rubber on the road and the shiny side up !!!

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Yeah man Ross is one of a kind he's the youngest guy here in town and pretty sure he's the only other "under 40" other than myself that's into the classics here. Was happy to share his story thanks for dropping in feel free to check out some of the other stories we got some pretty cool ones. All the best

[@iamspecialized808]

Old soul in a new world!

[@andrewhazenberg3398]

Yup .Ross is an awesome young dude . 👍

[@dannymcminn7347]

I've got one same color bought it at 19 years-old still got it I'm 59 now keep up with the classic

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Wow that's awesome history. beautiful cars you guys are keepers of history. Thanks for watching there are some other really cool stories on this channel as well. Cheers

[@Eldude350]

He's having too much fun, but I love it!

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Hah!

[@chrismaines1285]

Grew up with a guy that had this color and same hood shops on a 340 Dart. Had a hurst shifter and was Lou’s and bad ass. Brings back memories tooling around in it. I had a blue dart with slant six that was no match but still a great car.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Sounds like great times. Didn't always need the most badass engine to have fun. Great car indeed I am sure that engine has been replaced since

[@camerondouglas4162]

Great job, Ross! By now, you must know how a 340 Dart gets under your skin. There's nothing else quite like it.

[@bruceboulder7677]

I used to have one of these in Panther Pink. Wildest color ever.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

I legit have never seen one in that color before... just looked it up pretty cool actually. Will try to do more Mopars on this channel. You should check out the Charger video we did a few weeks back pretty cool one as well.. cheers

[@scario64]

That was a hoot.....glad to see he is enjoying it....that is what it is all about

[@SubdivisionAuto]

100% thats why we all do it :) Very happy to have been able to share this story as Ross is the youngest person we have had on the show thus far; but talking to him you'd think he's 55!

[@johnnyduplantis]

I lived it. I can assure you those 340's never sounded like that back in the day. Amazing that a nineteen year old is that fluent in the tech language. That's astonishing. True passion, no doubt. I've always loved that body style. I thought the Plymouth Dusters and Dart Sports as they were called with the bulbous body/semi-fastback design were far less attractive. I must have been an old soul too as almost none of my friends when I was a teen agreed with me on that point.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Very cool JD! Good points!

[@ericburns2421]

Welcome to KZbin nice to meet you

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Likewise

[@MikeJBlues]

Beautiful car, well done 👏

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Indeed thanks for dropping by you should check out the 69 Roadrunner if you liked this one!

[@MikeJBlues]

@@SubdivisionAuto I did before I watched this one 😂

[@clarkepearson4705]

perfet combo for that at awesome

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Yeah buddy!

[@arthurwatts1680]

Gearheads will laugh, but the best motor I ever had in ANY Chrysler I owned - coupe or 4-door - was the little 273 cu in V8. Great exhaust note, loped along at highway speeds and made overtaking a breeze, but best of all I didn't spend half my pay on fuel. Sure, the 360 I replaced it with had a lot more torque but it was far too thirsty - the 340 has a reputation for being even quicker to empty a tank of gas. Enjoy your Dart.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Interesting points thanks for droppin in. We are got some mopars coming in the future for sure

[@chrissalmon3503]

That exhaust at idle sounds amazing. Must have a big cam

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Yeah he does. Its the best sounding Idle we have had on the show to date and we've done 45 cars

[@blairlindsay5791]

the 70 Dart was in the compact class . dodge colt ,and Plymouth cricket , were sub-compact class .

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Very cool Blair didnt know this thanks for the tip brother.

[@Randy-lf2dp]

Nice nice

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Glad you enjoyed it thanks dropping in randy

[@ezekielmoorejr3145]

There's hope for the genZ yet ! And that's where it all starts getting them interested when they are young. Good video

[@SubdivisionAuto]

That was my thoughts as well. Ross is a cool dude you'd think he's 55! Thabks for watching and commenting

[@CalebGibbsAvenue]

Lots of pride right there.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Yes sir!

[@user-mp6fq1ls1e]

Still have my 70 dart been in the shed for over 30 years now kinda sad I've never restored 318 3 on the floor

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Wow nice cars. If you were in Canada id love to see it. Great cars I know a few people who got em and love them. Thanks for sharing hope you get to restoring it one day...

[@blueduster74]

I started with Chevys because they were easier to find in the late 80s. 68 Chevelle and 70 Camaro were my first. A 71 Dart that started as a slant, swapped with a magnum 360/4spd was my first Mopar. That was 1998. Nothing but Mopar since. They rated the 340 at 275 at 5500rpm. It made 320+ at 6200.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Wow yeah I know a lot of Mopar guys they are die hard. Thanks for watching the show

[@dennisoliver9120]

The older cars had the souls of the early owners hard work. The newer tuner cars just don't have that. Changing a few computer settings to make HP, Isn't the same as changing cams and lifters to make HP.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

100% Dennis well said I think you sumed it up. Cars were earned back in the day not fiancee

[@christianandrews1328]

im 20 i bought a 1974 plymouth duster got that when i was 17 got a few muscle cars 73 javelin pierre cardin 75 dodge w200

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Oh wow thats a hell of a collection man. You got great taste!

[@christianandrews1328]

i could be friends with that guy not to many young people into older muscle cars@@SubdivisionAuto

[@Flussig1]

They called them "The Scat Pack Compact."

[@SubdivisionAuto]

This car is a beast a blast to drive. He really sent it a couple times was a great drive.

[@jasonwilliams3967]

I had a 1970 340 4sp dart Swinger hemi orange with 323 suregrip

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Nice man!

[@jasonwilliams3967]

@@SubdivisionAuto, a friend of mine has it now.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

@@jasonwilliams3967 hey at least you know where it is. Any chance youd be able to get it back ?

[@jasonwilliams3967]

@@SubdivisionAuto, I doubt it, he was originally gonna strip the engine, trans and 8 3/4 rear for his '67 Barracuda. I planned on snagging the body back. The original 340 was traded in as a core, so I was gonna go with a 408 stroker, but then I found out he's bought a whole interior for it, even though the original wasn't that bad. He did find an unused stock stearing wheel, to replace the crappy Grant GT it had. So it appears he's restoring it. He also wants a pistol grip shifter I have laying around from a wrecked Charger. So I guess the running gear is remaining in it.

[@thomasthesing7452]

I'm jealous, well I am 64yo now and at 18yo I saved my money and bought a 69' Dart gt with a 318ci. one owner little old lady you know. I had big plans for it too 340ci, shackle the rear end up, big slicks side pipes etc... but at 18yo I discovered beer, weed and girls and you could imagine the rest of the story. Have fun with your car, be carefull and skip over the beer and weed.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Good advice doesn't take long for that stuff to run the ship and eventually shipwreck you. Interesting you mention that because a lot of guys we interview are guys who has thsor problems and decide to quit and keep themselves busy by building cars. Do you think you'd try to get a dart now that youve lived life with some tough lessons?

[@thomasthesing7452]

@SubdivisionAuto I've thought about another Dart. Let me be clear I wasn't on a good path when I was a teen, but woke up. I started and ran a business for 37yrs and retired at 62yo.

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Sounds like you did alright Thomas, happy to hear brother thanks for dropping in. Hope you stick around there are more Mopars on the way... @@thomasthesing7452

[@vincegedeon6583]

340 is great motor i prefer it over the 360

[@jamiegunter7016]

Texas Pete in Canada

[@kevinmason9783]

One of my favorite cars was my 69 dart swinger with a 383 and 4 speed

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Thats a beauty setup love the 383 and the 4 speed. You would like the Road Runner video we have on this channel that exact setup was super nice. Whyd you get rid of it?

[@user-im1ut8mg6q]

Never sell it bro❤

[@SubdivisionAuto]

He will never sell it for sure. He's still raising hell in town with that 340!

[@truthray2885]

I found this on WHAT? "guhgigi"? What's that again?

[@SubdivisionAuto]

Kijiji

[@markjohnson1279]

do you buy muscle car