But he said that the longer he owns the Dart, the faster it gets as he tinkers with performance. 'There's a fine balance between stock appearance and getting performance out of it,' he said, adding that he's kept most of the original parts. He said he has raced at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire Lebanon Valley Dragway in Lebanon, New York and Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. Then they would load it up again and go camping. They would unload the camping gear in the parking lot at the dragstrip, replace the rear wheels with slicks, and he would drag race the car. He also used it to go camping with friends. The Dart is no longer his everyday car, as it was when he was in college. 'Other cars come and go, but this one will never go.' 'It was the first car I bought,' he said. Indeed, he initially had to jump-start it using a screwdriver across the starter solenoid.Ĭertainly, he's invested a lot more in the car than the $450 he paid for it originally.

Meanwhile, the mechanicals were in need of attention. The dashboard is very much original and shows wear, but he has made small additions for racing, such as a slot for a tachometer that he plugs in. Plus, he has restored the upholstery to factory black vinyl. 'I think I've replaced nearly every panel of this car and even the roof,' he said.

1972 dodge dart