The now-defunct Dodge Dart may not have been a solid presence in the industry back in its day, but some examples of this rather short-lived nameplate still exist today. And in some cases, they manage to turn pockets inside out when becoming available on the open market.
Just like any other car family that ever was, the Dart had its share of special models over its four generations, and it’s these cars that capture all the attention today. Like say the Mod Tops, a very limited run of special Darts made in 1969 and 1970.
Back then, women were beginning to assert their rights, and the Vietnam war was entering its final, most brutal years, so Dodge decided it was time to target both female drivers and peace lovers with a special run, and the Dart was the chosen platform to do that with.
That’s how the Mod Top program was born, offering customers the choice between flowered vinyl designs for the cars’ tops, but also other unique touches here and there. In all, about 3,000 of them were made during the two years.
The Dart you’re looking at here is a GT wearing one of those crazy tops, and one of just 14 like it to be made in 1969. It’s wrapped in a color that was only available in 1969, a special-order Bright Green/Rally Green combination.
The car is equipped with a final-year E31 273ci engine, and the unit comes painted in red instead of the orange usually used for such things. The engine is run through an automatic transmission.
We’re told this particular Dart is listed in the Mopar registry and has over 50,000 miles (80,000 km) on the clock. The car is for sale at the hands of Mecum during the January Kissimmee auction, and hopes are it’ll fetch as much as $125,000.
