There was nothing wrong with the idea; after all, the theme of the muscle car was to put a big engine into a small car, and the Dart qualified. The only problem was that Chrysler opted for a watered down version of the 383 rated at 300 horsepower at an anemic 4400 rpm. They already had the 340 producing a conservative 275 horsepower at a few hundred pounds less weight, and a good running 340 could crack low 14 second quarter mile times. The 383 with the milder cam ran out of steam over 4800 rpm and finished a dismal second to its small block brother. 

They also opted not to give the big block car its own model name. Redesigned inner fender panels allowing more room for better exhaust manifolds would have been a good idea, but it seemed that Chrysler vacillated between extremely good ideas and extremely stupid ones, motivated by the bottom line. What they forgot is that if the public saw the flaws and didn't buy the cars, there would be no bottom line to worry about. Drag racers always saw the flaws. This is why the GTS only lasted three years instead of becoming one of the most feared cars on the street. 

In this era, Chrysler got carried away with the success of the Road Runner, GTX, and R/T models. It seems that they then  stamped out a crop of innocuous muscle cars by taking anything they made and shoving a fairly big displacement engine under the hood. By doing this, they diluted the theme and marketed a bunch of cars that couldn't come close to the aforementioned pioneers. They forgot the theme and failed to make cars that had all the ingredients muscle cars required. The Darts and some of the Barracudas just didn't have the power, nor did they have the handling. They were often deprived of power steering because the engineers were just too lazy to figure out how to make it fit under the hood. Pressured by the front office to produce sales, they forgot what generated sales. Either that or they just didn't care any more.

This aside, the good news was that the Dart came from the factory all set up to accommodate a Chrysler big block. Many 383s were either immediately tricked up or found themselves suddenly homeless in favor of stronger MoPar engines. A sawzall fixed the fender well problems quite nicely. Chrysler fixed the error somewhat in 1969 by offering the better Road Runner 383 (rated at 330 horsepower for the Dart), but it was too late. The big block had failed to impress and would officially be dropped from the 1970 option list.


 Dodge had introduced the GTS  in 1967 to compete against Chevy's Nova SS. 

For 1968, the GTS continued to be available with either the 340 cid V8 with 275 bhp or the 383 V8 with 300 bhp. Combined with its 3,000 pound curb weight, the Dodge Dart GTS did okay on the street and track. Unfortunately, the extra weight 
of the 383 cancelled out the cubic inch advantage and gave a slight edge to the 340, which actually produced over 300 horsepower. Other 
technical benefits included a low restriction exhaust system with 
chrome tips, Rallye suspension, 14 x 5.5 inch wheels, and E70 x 14 red 
line tires.

 A three speed manual transmission was standard, 
although most GTS models were sold with a four speed manual or the  Torqueflite automatic. The GTS had hood power bulges with air vents, body side racing stripes, GTS emblems, and simulated mag wheel covers. A 
rear end "bumble bee" stripe was a no cost option. Vinyl bucket seats 
were standard on the $2,611 hardtop and optional on the $3,383 
convertible. 

Another option awaited those wanting even more performance, although it seems Chrysler pulled its usual "try to get one" stuff again. For a 
special few, Chrysler says 50, Dodge shipped 383 Darts minus the engine to Hurst Campbell in Michigan. Factory prepped 440 Magnum engines backed by heavy duty Torqueflites were also shipped to replace the weaker 383s. Hurst Campbell did the conversion, Dodge reps inspected it, and the finished cars were forwarded to Mr. Norm's (Norman Kraus) Grand Spaulding Dodge in Chicago. These cars were called GSS. (Grand Spaulding Sport) They have an M in the VIN code. They retained the 383 emblems on the fenders. 

These cars got VIN numbers, but were not covered by the factory 
warranty. With even more weight over the front wheels and no power 
steering (it wouldn't fit), the 440 Darts were only good for all out 
drag racing. Gee, what a surprise. Most modified 440 Darts also received additional 
performance parts such as aftermarket headers, ignition kit, hoses, 
wiring, and air cleaners. Numbers vary, but Chrysler says 50 of these beasts were built. 8 survive intact. Then again, anybody with a checkbook and an engine hoist could build their own.

If a tricked up 440 Magnum didn't do it for you, approximately 80 Darts were fitted with the 426 Hemi. This wasn't just a engine swap, though; these cars featured  fiberglass hoods and fenders,  front bumpers and doors of a lighter gauge steel, Plexiglas  side windows (which did not meet DOT standards for use on public roads), no door window mechanisms, and no exterior side mirrors. 

The weight saving measures continued inside with the deletion of the rear seat, radio, and the replacement of the front seats with special lightweight van seats mounted on  aluminum brackets. There was no insulation,  undercoating or sealer;  even the right side seatbelt was removed. Hey, who cares, nobody was going to sit there anyway. 

Under the hood, the brake master cylinder was moved to clear the cylinder head and rubber brake lines were used instead of metal so that they could be removed for access to the valve cover without disturbing the brake hydraulic system. The Hemi engine featured 2 Holley carburetors on a magnesium cross ram intake. Cast iron heads  were used to keep the cost down. A heavy duty cooling package was standard, as well as headers. The cars were delivered with no paint, just primer and naked black fiberglass from the cowl forward. The Dart arrived on cheap black wheels with skinny tires, soon to be replaced by racing slicks. Final cost per car was around $4,500.

 To make sure that the cars were raced and not driven on public streets, every Hemi Dart came with a sticker that stated that "This vehicle was not manufactured for use on Public Streets, Roads or Highways, and does not conform to Motor Vehicle Safety Standards." But they definitely performed on the track, and would hit 10's in the 
quarter mile with minimal modification. My mother had one, and she loved going to the grocery store in it. 

1968 GTS Production:
 8,745
440: 50
Hemi: 80

Engines:
340 V8 275 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 340 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
383 V8 300 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 400 lb-ft @ 2400 rpm.
440 V8 375 bhp @ 4600 rpm, 480 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.



For 1969, the GTS sported some exterior changes and a more 
powerful optional engine. The exterior had a new black grille with a
bright horizontal center bar, and a blacked out rear body panel. Under 
the hood, the optional 383 V8's power increased to 330 hp. Dodge strengthened the suspension when the 383 was ordered, increasing the diameter of the front torsion bars and front sway bars. Unfortunately, the 340's  six leaf rear springs and E70x14 tires were retained, which made for lots of tire smoke and very little traction. Transmissions were shared as well, either the four speed manual or  Torqueflite with 3.23:1 gears standard and 3.55:1 or 3.91:1 available with the optional Sure Grip differential. Also new was a rear "bumble bee" stripe with a separate lower section and the GT Sport name written on it. The hardtop cost $3,226 and the convertible cost $3,419.

It appears that Chrysler continued to offer the 440 in the Dart for 1969, but as an in house M code car, not the outside conversion. It was called GTS, not GSS. A small number of hemi Darts were also built. The 440 cars turned high 13 second quarter miles with street tires and closed exhaust, and easily cracked low 12s with ten inch slicks. The 440 was just too much for regular street tires. 

Another specialty model offered was the Dart Swinger 340. Standard equipment included the 340 cid V8 with 275 bhp, four speed manual with Hurst shifter, three spoke steering wheel with padded hub, Rallye suspension, "Swinger" bumble bee stripes, and bigger 14 inch wheels and tires. Seven exterior colors and four vinyl colors were available. The Swinger 340 was only available as a two door hardtop at $2,836. Two axle ratios, 3.55:1 and 3.91:1, were available.

All in all, it would have been a great little muscle car had Chrysler restricted the GTS name to the 383 only, and had offered a pumped up version of the B block right out of the gate. This never happened because of the fantastic success of the Road Runner. Again, Chrysler found itself in a dilemma; which muscle car should we promote? If we give the GTS a full out 383, what does the Road Runner get? The 440? And then what about the GTX? It never ended, the problem flowed uphill. 

I would have given the 335 horsepower 383 to the GTS, and I would have introduced the 400 in 1968 and used that for the Road Runner and Super Bee rated at 375 horsepower. The GTX could have kept the 440, rated at a more realistic 390 hp. A decent rear axle ratio, better tires, and some 7 leaf springs would have made the GTS a force to be reckoned with. The street hemi could have been offered too; maybe in the little Dart, it would have performed as originally expected. 

1969 Production:
Swinger 340: 20,000
GTS: 6,702

Engines:
340 V8 275 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 340 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
383 V8 330 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.

440 V8 375 bhp @ 4600 rpm, 480 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.

 For 1970, the Dart lineup returned with the Swinger 340 and Dart 
GTS trim lines. No convertible was offered, and the 383 was dropped.  All Darts had new front and rear styling. The Swinger 340 was available for $2,808 but now included a 
three speed manual as standard equipment. Instead of smaller power vents, the 
hood now had two long, narrow hood scoops. Front disc brakes were 
included. Despite the introduction of the Dodge Challenger, the Swinger 
340 still remained popular, selling 13,785 units. One reason for its 
popularity was that insurance companies classified it as a compact car 
and thus charged lower premiums than other muscle cars.