Words & Photos: Clive Branson
At first, it looks as innocuous as the family sedan – something that would be at the bottom of the food chain. There are no racy bumble-bee tail stripes (instead the Swinger decal is on the front side panel), nor splashy Hot Wheels replica wheels, spoilers, wings or dramatic side and hood vents usually associated with ‘muscle,’ but that dismissive observation ends the moment you hear the ignition turn on. The sound of the 340-cid V8 is sheer street poetry. It is a rumble reminiscent of AC/DC playing from the pit of a volcano’s mouth and it is one clear reason why Bob Fraser has held on to his 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger 340 since 1973.
Actually, the original owners were Bob’s parents in Thunder Bay, Ontario, who ordered that the car come with the 340 “package”: a 4-speed manual transmission with a Hurst shifter, as well as, front disc brakes with power assist, power steering, sure-grip differential, E70x14 fiber-glass-belted wide tread tires, the obligatory Music Master AM radio, upgraded upholstery, real carpets (instead of rubber mats), variable-speed wipers and electric washers, and outside remote control mirrors. Except for the engine, which was restored to factory condition for better fuel economy, the car is as original as a fingerprint, with numbers matching.
“My philosophy in restoring the car was to return it to near factory condition as possible,” estimated Bob. “Its value will never diminish.”
It’s a bit like putting five pounds of explosives in a shoebox. I asked Bob if the car is difficult to drive.
“Get in and I’ll show you,” came Bob’s response, so we went for a spin. There are no retract mechanisms to the seatbelts, so once belted in, you are sucked in like an industrial vacuum.
“The 340-cid engine is a high performance engine in a car that weighs about the same as a Honda Civic,” Bob explained. “To say that it is responsive is an understatement. The clutch is heavy and changing gears with the 4-speed transmission feels like you are shifting something more akin to a tank. It is not equipped with traction control, abs, stability control and other electronics that today’s cars feature (to protect us from ourselves).”
As I found out, it is more like driving a go-kart.
“If you get into the throttle,” continued Bob, “you will need to keep it pointed in its intended direction.”
As we stopped at traffic lights, no one paid attention until Bob revved the engine, then all eyes suddenly darted in our direction. Eyebrows were raised, curious expressions painted on faces or smiles stretched with admiration.
“My focus in restoring the car was to be driven,” Bob told me. “Each July, for the past three years, my wife and I have taken the Dart on a 1,400-mile road trip to Carlisle, Pennsylvania to attend the Chrysler Nationals car show. Given the hot, humid July weather, you would think that the Dart’s vinyl upholstery on the front bench seat and no air conditioning, your skin would be like gum to hot tarmac. On the contrary, the car is quite comfortable. The ventilation system is far better than any provided in today’s cars and although not air- conditioned it does make the heat bearable. And oh, the sound resonating from the dual exhaust pipes can clear any sinus problems!
“The Dart served as a second car in our family for its initial years and I was thrilled to have a set of wheels. For me this car was a dream come true. It was driven gently and kept spotless always. My friends teased that it was the only Swinger 340 in town that the front tires wore out faster than a pair of old jeans.”
I asked Bob how he kept it in such immaculate condition.
“In 1973 it was time for the Dart to go, so I made a deal with my dad and it became mine,” he recalled. “It travelled with me when I left home to go to school and soon enjoyed a gentle life, seeing use in the summers only. By 1978 leaded premium gasoline was a fuel from the past and the 340 didn’t run well on regular unleaded gas, the only type available, so I parked it intending to address the engine problem later. It followed me to Ottawa and was always stored indoors in dry conditions.
“My life changed with marriage, children, a mortgage, responsibilities and no spare money for hobby cars so the Dart sat and the years went by. Time isn’t kind to a machine left unused. I felt badly about this and would sometimes sit in the driver’s seat dreaming of driving it again but never really sure it would happen. Thirty years passed. I realized that I wasn’t getting any younger and I certainly wasn’t getting much enjoyment from the Dart so it was decision time. Either do something with it myself or sell it so someone who would enjoy it. I decided to restore it.”
The car underwent a complete rotisserie restoration beginning in October 2009; the car didn’t hit tarmac till 2011.
“It took in excess of 1600 hours to restore the car,” Bob said. “The body took the most time simply because of the amount of work involved to disassemble it, strip off the original paint and undercoating, repair the sheet metal, apply the primer and finish paint and reassemble the body. Between priming and sanding, it seemed to take forever to create a seamless surface. In all the body made about 16 trips into the spray booth before the paint was finished. Now the finish is wet sanded then buffed to bring it to a very high gloss finish.”
It goes to show that such work ethic values substance over flash.
“The colour is Dodge bright turquoise metallic, paint code Q5. It is the original colour of the car in keeping the car to original look. This colour is relatively rare as few cars were originally painted in bright turquoise. It was a one-year colour offered only in 1969. Today it draws a lot of attention, particular from women.”
The more I learned about the car, the more I admired it. Bob was proud to boast the fact that the car has won several awards, including First prize and runner up for three consecutive years for Best Restored from 1969-to-Present at Automotion 2011 in Brockville, and first place at the 2012 Carlisle All Chrysler Nationals (Showfield winner).
“I usually get the ‘thumbs up’ from motorists,” he said, “but once a Hell’s Angels member pulled up beside me on his motorcycle as we drove down the highway and enthusiastically showed his appreciation of the car.”
I asked Bob what he considers the ultimate pleasure in driving his Dart.
“There comes a stage in life when the toys of one’s youth return. Being able to climb into the driver’s seat of the muscle car you drove as a teenager and reliving the experience has to rate off the scale as one of life’s great pleasures.”
I noticed there was a noticeable change in Bob’s demeanour as he drove the car. A pride enveloped him. “How has the car changed you?” I asked.
“Since I have owned the car for so long, I can’t say that it created a major change in my life,” he reflected. “It does exemplify certain things about me. I have always been one to take care of my possessions and value those of significance that others might cast off. Some might call me a pack rat. I do have some of my childhood toys that I particularly valued. I guess it is no surprise that I do have the Dart today, given that it was something of a dream come true for me.
“Restoring it has created some changes in my life. First it did make me focus on my age. I felt badly that it had been in storage for so many years but was comfortable in the thought that I would restore it one day and drive it once again. However after 30 years the comfort of this thought dissipated with the realization that I wasn’t getting any younger and had less time for hobbies with each passing year. It was time to rethink how to restore the car so I could get more pleasure from owning it. Now that the restoration is complete, I do enjoy driving the car, attending car shows, meeting people and have certainly made new friendships. In that regard, it has opened so many doors that were closed before.”
