.
5 year, 50,000 mile warranty in place.
| Engine size | 170 slant six | 225 slant six | 273 V8 (2-barrel) | 273 V8 (4-barrel) |
| Manual Transmissions | 3 speeds | 3 or 4 speeds | 4 speeds | |
| Horsepower (gross) | 114 @ 4,400 | 145 @ 4,000 | 180 @ 4,200 | 235 @ 5,200 |
| Torque | 155 @ 2,400 | 215 @ 2,400 | 260 @ 1,600 | 260 @ 4,000 |
| Bore and Stroke | 3.4 x 3.125 | 3.4 x 4.125 | 3.63 x 3.31 | 3.63 x 3.31 |
| Compression Ratio :1 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 10.5 |
| Standard Tire/Wheel | 6.5 x 13 (wheel 4.5) | 7 x 13 (wheel 4.5) | ||
Other specs:
| Largest tire/wheel | 7 x 13 (wheel 4.5) |
| Wheelbase | 108 |
| Length | 188.4 |
| Width | 71.1 |
| Height | 54 |
| Track (front/rear) | 57.4/55.6 |
| Headroom (f/r) | 38.4/37.3 |
| Legroom (f/r) | 40.8/35.4 |
| Shoulder room | 55.7 |
| Seat height | 8.9 / 11.1 |
| Knee room, rear seat | 4.2 |
| Suspension | Torsion bars and balljoints in front; 2.5" outboard-mounted asymmetrical leaf springs, rear; Oriflow shocks |
| Rear axle | Hotchkiss drive, hypoid rear axle; ratios 2.76, 2.93, 3.23, 3.55, 3.91 available |
| Fluids | 18 gallons of fuel, four quarts of oil |
| Electrical | 12 volt, 48 amp-hour battery base (38 amp-hour on 170), alternator standard |
| Drum brakes | 9" diameter with 153.5 square inches of total lining (slant sixes) 10" diameter with 156.2 square inches of total lining (V8s) |
| Disc brakes | Front only; 102.3 square inches lining area. Rear is 10” diameter drum. |
Compared with the entire Plymouth car line and a much newer car:
| 1968 Specifications | Fury | Midsize | Barracuda | Valiant | 1995 Neon |
| Wheelbase | 119 | 116 | 108 | 108 | 104 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Track, front | 62 | 59.5 | 57.4 | 57.4 | |
| Track, rear | 60.7 | 58.5 | 55.6 | 55.6 | |
| Length, overall | 213.1 | 202.7 | 192.8 | 188.4 | 172 |
| Width, overall | 77.7 | 76.4 | 71.6 | 71 | 67.5 |
| Height, overall** | 56.3 | 54.7 | 52.6 | 53.7 | 54.7 |
| Head room, front | 39.5 | 38.6 | 37.4 | 38.4 | 39.6 |
| Head room, rear | 37.7 | 37.4 | 35.8 | 37.3 | 36.5 |
| Leg room, front | 41.8 | 41.9 | 41.7 | 41.7 | 42.5 |
| Leg room, rear | 37 | 36.3 | 30.2 | 34.5 | 36.5 |
| Shoulder room, front | 60 | 58.1 | 55.4 | 55.4 | 54 |
| Shoulder room, rear | 60 | 58.1 | 55.4 | 55.4 | 54 |
Engines:
| 170 Slant Six | 225 Slant Six | 273 V8 | 318 V8 | 340 V8 (Barracuda) |
383 V8 (Barracuda) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Horsepower | 115 hp at 4400 rpm | 145 hp at 4000 rpm | 190 hp at 4400 rpm | 230 hp at 4400 rpm | 275 hp at 5000 rpm | 290 hp at 4400 rpm |
| Torque, lbs.-ft. | 155 at 2400 rpm | 215 at 2400 rpm | 260 at 2000 rpm | 340 at 2400 rpm | 340 at 3200 rpm | 390 at 2800 rpm |
| Compression ratio | 8.5 to 1 | 8.4 to 1 | 9.0 to 1 | 9.2 to 1 | 10.5 to 1 | 9.2 to 1 |
| Bore, inches | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.63 | 3.91 | 4.04 | 4.25 |
| Stroke, inches | 3.125 | 4.125 | 3.31 | 3.31 | 3.31 | 3.38 |
| Displacement, cu. In. | 170 | 225 | 273 | 318 | 340 | 383 |
| Carburetor type | 1-bbl. | 1-bbl. | 2-bbl. | 2-bbl. | 4-bbl. | 2-bbl. |
| Air cleaner type | Silenced | Silenced | Silenced | Silenced | Unsilenced | Silenced |
| Exhaust | Single | Single | Single | Single | Dual | Single |
| Camshaft | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Special | Special |
| Fuel | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Premium | Regular |
From an excellent article in Car Life, March 1970:
0-60 in 6.2 seconds (automatic tested!)
0-100 in 17.5 seconds
30-70 mph in 5.3
Quarter mile in 14.72 @ 94.24 mph
14.8 mpg overall
List price, $2547; weight, 3105 lb (3520 as tested)
Gear ratios: 2.45, 1.45, 1.00 (7.91:1, 4.69:1, 3.23:1)
Plenty of room for four passengers and lots of luggage.
Road Test magazine tested the 340 Demon (similar to the 340 Duster) in April 1971. They found the following:
0-60 in 7.8 seconds (with old-style tires and a 3-speed automatic!)
1/4 mile in 14.56 seconds @ 96 mph
Est top speed is 127 mpg
Fuel economy was 14.3/16.7.
Cornering, finish, luggage, performance, steering were rated excellent.
Details, instruments, quietness, ride, visibility, overall were rated very good.
Base price was $3400 including tach, stereo cassette, and automatic.
The 340 engine had a bore and stroke of 4.04 x 3.31, 10.5:1 compression, 275 gross hp @ 5,000 rpm; 340 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
Wheelbase 108, length 192.5, width 71.6, ground clearance 5.3, weight 3,353, 15.9 feet of usable trunk space.
More detailed Dart and Swinger specifications (which are probably also good for Valiant) are in our 1972 and 1975 detailed writeups; Valiant, Duster, etc. were similar (identical for 1975). Our 1975 writeup also includes competitive comparisons to Maverick, Mustang II, Pinto, Monarch, Granada, Comet, and Nova.
Dodge Dart |
1972 |
1975 |
1972 |
1972 |
1975 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Doors |
2 |
2 | 2 |
4 |
4 |
Wheelbase |
108.0" |
108 | 111.0" |
111.0" |
111 |
Length |
192.5" |
200.3 | 196.2" |
196.2" |
203.2 |
Width |
71.7" |
71.8 | 69.6" |
69.6" |
69.6 |
Height |
53.0" |
52.6" |
54.0" |
53.9 | |
Track-Front |
57.5" |
59.1 | 57.4" |
57.4" |
59.1 |
-Rear |
55.6" |
55.6 | 55.6" |
55.6" |
55.6 |
Headroom-Front |
37.5" |
37.2 | 37.6" |
38.7" |
38.3 |
-Rear |
36.5" |
36.4 | 36.7" |
37.3" |
37.2 |
Legroom-Front |
41.5" |
41.6 | 41.5" |
41.5" |
41.6 |
-Rear |
29.9" |
29.8 | 31.9" |
35.9"' |
35.6 |
Shoulder Room - Front |
55.4" |
57.0 | 55.4" |
55.4" |
55.4 |
-Rear |
55.1 " |
56.6 | 55.2" |
55.5" |
55.4 |
| Trunk capacity - cubic ft | 19.8 | ||||
| Gas mileage, six/manual | 17/23 | ||||
| Gas mileage, V8/manual | 13/20 |
The 1975 Dart four-door sedan weighed 3,140 lb with the slant six, 3,285 lb with the V8.
Dart SE was 3,360 (six) or 3,450 (V8) pounds.
Hardtops were 3,115 - 3,265 lb for Swinger, 3,340-3,425 for SE (six and V8).
Coupes (Dart Sport) were 3,060 lb for slant six, 3,205 lb for 318, and 3,415 lb for 360 V8.
AXLE RATIOS |
Six cylinder |
318 |
340 |
Manual |
3.23:1 |
3.23:1* |
3.23:1* |
Automatic (Standard) |
2.76:1 |
2.76:1** |
3.23:1 |
Automatic (Optional) |
3.23 or 3.55 |
3.23 or 3.55 |
|
* 3.55:1 with Sure-Grip and three-speed manual, or with Sure-Grip and four-speed manual and 340.
** 3.23:1 with SureGrip
| Engines | 198 | 225 | 318 | 340 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bore x stroke | 3.40 x 3.64 | 3.41 x 4.13 | 3.91 x 3.31 | 4.04 x 3.31 |
| Carb | 1-barrel | 1-barrel | 2-barrel | 4-barrel |
| Compression ratio | 8.4:1 | 8.4:1 | 8.6:1 | 8.5:1 |
| Horsepower @ rpm | 95 @ 4,400 | 105 @ 4,000 | 150 @ 4,000 | 240 @ 4,800 |
Wheels: 14 x 4.5 standard, 14 x 5.5 on Dart 340. Many options. Battery 280 amp standard (base model), alternator 34 amp standard slant six, 41 amp standard V8; air conditioning, towing, and other options or packages would increase both battery and alternator (and sometimes tire/wheel size). Axle ratios varied depending on engine (slant six vs 318), and transmission. Only three-speed manuals were available except on Dart 340 which could get a four-speed manual, according to contemporary literature, which might have been wrong.
| Dodge Darts | Body | Standard |
Optional | Axle Ratio | Opt A.R. | Trunk (cu.ft.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dart | A | 198/318 | 225, 318 | Varies | 3.21 | 14.3 |
| Dart Sport | A | 198/318 | 225, 318 | Varies | 3.21 | 15.9 |
| Dart 340 Sport | A | 340 | 2.69 | 3.55 | 15.9 |
Full specifications are in our 1975 detailed Dart writeup (Valiant, Duster, etc. were identical in this year except in slight differences in length).
Wheelbase: 108" (two door special) or 111" (others)
Front Tread: 59"
Rear tread: 55.6"
Length: 197" (Valiant two door) to 203.2" (Dart)
Government passing specs follow. A low speed pass started at 20 mph and was limited to 35 mph. A high speed pass started at 50 mph and was limited to 80 mph. The object being passed was a 55 foot truck; the car had to be 40 feet behind the truck when starting and 40 feet in front when finishing (for a low speed pass; a high speed pass made that distance 100 feet). The greater acceleration of the slant six Fury over the slant six Valiant is puzzling but may be related to gear ratios. Transmissions were not specified and we are assuming automatics. The Volare/Aspen actually had longer passing times. The Dodge Colt, with a 1.6 liter engine and manual transmission, beat the 318 but not the 360.
| Slant Six | 318 V8 | 360 V8 | Slant Six Fury | 440 Fury | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low speed pass | 475 feet / 11.0 sec | 460 feet / 10.5 sec | 405 feet / 8.6 sec | 465 feet / 10.6 sec | 400 feet / 8.4 sec |
| High speed pass | 2090 feet / 24.8 sec | 1480 feet / 16.2 sec | 1245 feet / 13.3 sec | 1945 feet / 22.8 sec | 1130 feet / 11.7 sec |
Government braking specs from 60 mph to a stop:
| Valiant/Dart, Drum brakes |
Any car, Disc brakes |
Fury/Monaco Taxi (Disc brakes) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light load | 225 feet | 194 feet | 220 feet | |
| Maximum load | 225 feet | 204 feet | 215 feet (that’s what it says) | |
| Emergency brakes | 450 feet | 456 feet | 495 feet | |
| Power brake booster failure |
n/a | 456 feet | 475 feet |
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