Can't Be Done. On 2nd Thought, Maybe It Can Part 2

 How can there be so many currents in such a little puddle? The story behind the 1967 Dodge Dart 383 GTS as well as the 1968 440 Dart GTS are filled with rumors, half truths, and urban legends. The origin of the cars, and exactly who did what and when, is one of the most hotly debated mysteries of all Chrysler cars. You may or may not agree with what is presented here, and that's your right. But let's see if we can nail down a few things.

The Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Dart received a newly designed platform for 1967. Wheelbase, overall length, and width were all enlarged, especially the engine compartment. The guys at Plymouth set out to put the 383 in the Barracuda from the get-go after leaving off the power steering pump and redesigning the exhaust manifolds. The 1967 Barracuda had a 383 option well before it was offered in the Dart. In the end, Plymouth produced 1,841 383 Formula S Barracudas for 1967.

Now here's where it starts to get a little fuzzy - if the Barracuda and Dart were built off the same A-body platform, why wasn't a big block Dart offered initially? The most potent option offered in the Dart for the fall of 1966 was a 235 horsepower 273 small block. I believe it was mostly because of marketing. The Barracuda was competing against the Mustang and Camaro in the pony-car market. Both models were slated to receive big block power during the 1967 model year. And although the Barracuda never did very well sales wise when compared to the Bowtie and Blue Oval offerings, Chrysler felt the need to offer a big block option in order to keep up. The Dart, on the other hand, was marketed as more of an economical compact where as the Barracuda was considered a "specialty" vehicle. In other words, the Dart was not a pony-car.

Now let's make things even more muddy - a great deal has been written that the now-famous Dodge dealer Mr. Norm, came up with the idea and was the first to install a 383 big block between the Dart's fenders. We're not here to debate this. However, the story goes, Norm Kraus called Chrysler and he was upset that the Barracuda had a big block option, but not the Dart. Remember, he was a Dodge dealer - not a Chrysler / Plymouth dealer; although all three brands were under the Mopar umbrella, they were two distinct franchises. Kraus was told a big-block Dart could not be built - can't be done. In hindsight, it's much more probable to think that Chrysler never really planned on offering the 383 option on the Dart, at least in the late fall of 1966. Moving forward, Grand-Spaulding Dodge installed a big block 383 between the Dart's fenders, drove it up to Detroit and showed the big-wigs at Chrysler that it could in fact be done. Personally - I feel it could've been done all along.


Norm Kraus wasn't a mechanic or an engineer but he was a damn good salesman with a flair for marketing. He created the Grand-Spaulding Dodge legend by taking an ordinary car dealership and transforming into something unique. Remember the slogan Mr. Norm came up with for his dealership - "where performance is king." It makes it that much more difficult when you don't have a Dodge pony-car to sell, never mind a small block Dart that just doesn't cut it in the stoplight wars. Norm Kraus most likely installed a big block into the Dart before Dodge got to it, but I doubt that creation had the influence some people said it had. Yes, even Car Craft magazine did a full blown article on the Grand-Spaulding Dart in February of 1967, and I feel that just pushed Chrysler to produce the option all the faster.

However, I do feel Kraus was responsible for the 440 big block Darts. He had one installed in a '68 model and this time Dodge came to have a look. Dodge then set him up to build approximately 50 of them and Grand-Spaulding Dodge also converted a number of regular production Dart GT models into 440 big block GSS in-house models. Dodge and Plymouth would both offer the 440 big block option on the Dart and Barracuda by 1969. The original 50 1968 440 Darts that Chrysler authorized made them legal to compete in the NHRA Super Stock class. The larger quantity of 440 big-block A-body cars that were built for the 1969 model year made them legal for NHRA Stock class.

In my humble opinion, regardless of  what was done or written, actual truth or just fading memories, if it weren't for dealerships like Grand-Spaulding Dodge who created in-house muscle cars, we wouldn't have as many cool cars that were produced in the late 60's as the muscle car and stock drag racing was reaching it's zenith. It was a never-to-be-repeated time - when dealerships had the balls to inspire or even create something insanely magical. I feel that spirit has been substantially snuffed out by corporate bullshit. It was still a time where enthusiastic entrepreneurship still accounted for a great deal.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave