IT'S A GAS!
Story by Dan Fritter
Photos by Grant McAvoy
In the mid-sixties, a new trend had arrived on the drag racing scene. With massive hemi engines already producing far too much power for the average stock-bodied car, manufacturers were instead looking for ways to help their cars hook up out of the box, a difficult task on the stiff and hard drag slicks of the day! Eventually realizing that the combination of altered wheelbases and lifted front ends translated into better weight transfer onto the rear tires, A/FX cars with those features became the hot thing. And as with any trend, it didn't take long to take to the streets. Soon, bad-ass big-block Darts, Falcons, and Novas were prowling the streets with solid-axle front ends riding at almost vertigo-induced heights.
But with the advent of modern suspension systems and tire construction, the high-riding "gasser" fad died out. Almost.
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Because as with every other fad, there were always a select few that soldiered on, and this 1967 Dart is one such example of that persevering attitude. Built by Rick and the crew at 360 Fabrication, it started life as an unfinished project sporting a set of tubbed wheel wells and a rough body. Stored in a warm, dry garage for 16 long years, the Dart was relatively rust free, but had endured the standard set of maladies usually suffered by vehicles in storage. Thus, the first task was to get the car straightened out, requiring the installation of a new rear quarter panel and more than a few various body tweaks.
With that done, they moved into the necessary modifications. Initially looking to build the ultimate bad-ass street car, the car's owner had spec'd such things as lean-up-against-it-friendly paint job and pop-riveted dashboard, both notions quickly dispelled by Rick and his crew's previous work. Taking his cues from the owner's original intention but combining it with his own skill and talent, Rick first set about swapping out all the front end sheet metal for lighter, and more correct, fibreglass components. Coating them all in BASF Glasurit, the fenders were left devoid of their wheel wells, for that period-correct look, while the front bumper was attached using straps to facilitate the easy and quick removal for those nights when the owner wanted the ultimate look in race car cool. Out back, a set of wheelie bars (which have come in handy, apparently) scare off any would-be Ricky Racers on the Saturday night cruises, while the obligatory Moon gas tank gives a hearty nod to that iconic brand's popularity in the '60s and '70s. On the doors, another nod to '60s style - 24K gold-leaf lettering.
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Underneath, the stock front suspension was completely removed, with the single largest modification to the car's attitude being rolled underneath it in the form of the solid front axle kit. the heart of every gasser, the solid front end not only lifts the front end way into the air for better weight transfer, but sits a surprising three inches forward of the original suspension's centreline for even more traction. Of course, the stock steering assembly isn't compatible with the new solid axle out front, so a Flaming River steering column spans the greater distance to the reworked steering box. Fitting a smaller steering wheel than stock for the '60s race car look, 360 modified the steering ratio to retain the same turns lock-to-lock, meaning the car handles as close to stock as you'd expect a mile-high Dart to drive. Out back, a beefy Dana 60 ensures that there won't be any broken axles, regardless of traction. With a set of new, recurved springs, the rear axle also sits a little further aft of the original.
Inside, the car's existing wheel tubs meant the rear seat had to be tossed in favour of wall-to-wall carpeting, while the history books provided inspiration for the seating, 1967 Dodge Van low-back buckets. Originally utilized in the Hurst-built lightweight Darts thanks to their lighter weight, they complement the custom-built (but not pop-riveted) dash. Likewise, sharp-eyed viewers will notice the custom-made windows that use a strap retention system, just like the original Hemi Darts. Of course, no rank street car of this calibre would be complete without a roll cage, but the Dart sports door bar cutouts to ease ingress, since the ride height would make it difficult for all but a monkey to climb into the cabin.
And of course, at the heart of the matter is a Richmond Engines-built 440 big block. Producing somewhere in the neighbourhood of 550 horsepower and a quantity of torque know simply as "enough," the beefy Mopar muscle flexes through full-length Hooker headers equipped with electronic cutouts. Making the ground shake for blocks, the big motor drives through a four-speed transmission, and hooks up hard enough to pull the wheels well into the air through the average intersection. Specifically built to rank among the most bad-ass street cars anywhere, this Dart remains one of the last few street cars that takes everything politically correct about new hot rods, and hurls it right back in their faces. From its real Cragar wheels to its tall tires to its cutouts, it reeks of clandestine activities on warm summer nights, something we only wish we could have a few more of.
Article from the Winter 2008 issue of Performance Plus.
