Within the Big Three, Dodge was the only brand that produced a compact muscle car that was available as a convertible. It’s an unusual distinction that is not normally recognized by trivia buffs. Someone out there in Reader Land may claim the Barracuda also had the same high-performance chops, but it leaned into the pony car realm, so let’s chat about the more “proper” compact for now.
In 1967, Dodge redesigned the Dart compact. Enthusiasts could find solace in the 273 four-barrel and the 383 four-barrel, the latter of which would turn the Dodge Dart GT into the GTS. In contrast, there were no convertibles among Chevrolet’s Chevy II models, and the Ford Falcon offered neither performance engines nor convertibles.
The GTS became an official model for 1968—and an upscale model at that—offering a standard 275-horsepower 340 small-block, a new performance engine in the Mopar world. Four-speed 340s received a more radical camshaft, but that lasted only one model year. Those who opted for the optional 383 would recognize a gain of 20 horses to 300, thanks to new cylinder heads, though it still lagged the Super Bee’s 335 horses due to restrictive exhaust manifolds.
For 1969, the 340 remained the same (aside from the milder cam for sticks), while the 383 gained better exhaust manifolds to extract all 330 horses from the mill. A special 440 Magnum version was available for the Dart GTS hardtop, creating a monster without a match from General Motors and Ford.
Join Muscle Car Campy as he features Dave Duell and his very rare Dart GTS convertible, one of 417 built and one of 1 of 73 U.S.-spec ragtops built with the big-block. His family has a strong racing background, which he continues today with the Dave Duell Classic.
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