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Police Car Of The Day: June 14, 2017; Lone Star Roadmasters '61 Dodge Dart Phoenix
Topic Started: Jun 14 2017, 10:51 PM (364 Views)
Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
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Today's Car Of The Day comes from juantoo3's collection and is Lone Star Roadmasters' 1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix.

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Wikipedia
 
The Dodge Dart is an automobile originally built by Dodge from 1960 to 1976 in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart nameplate was resurrected for a Fiat-derived compact car introduced in 2013.

The Dart name originally appeared on a 1957 show car featuring a body designed by the Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Ghia. The production Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, shorter wheelbase, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a mid-size car for 1962, and finally was a compact from 1963 to 1976.


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For more information and pictures of the real car, please visit: Dodge Dart Phoenix

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A lovely vintage piece from Wes' collection. I think this one is a bit on the larger side of small scale, coming in somewhere around 1/50.

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Wikipedia
 
The first Dodge Darts were introduced for the 1960 model year. They were downsized large cars developed to replace the Plymouth in the standard, low-priced car segment for the Dodge dealer network. Dodge dealers had been selling Plymouths since 1930, but divisional restructuring took the Plymouth brand away from the Dodge dealer network. Project planners proposed the name Dart, only to have Chrysler executives demand an expensive research program which produced the name Zipp. This was promptly rejected in favor of Dart.

With the cancellation of Chrysler's upper level DeSoto brand, upper level Dodge products were pushed upmarket, while using Plymouth products with more features for lower-level Dodge products.

The Dart sedans and coupes were based on the unibody Plymouth platform with a 118 in (2,997 mm) wheelbase, shorter than the standard-size Dodge line. However, the Dart station wagons used the same 122 in (3,099 mm) wheelbase as the upmarket Polara wagons. The Dart line was offered in three trim levels: the basic Seneca, mid-range Pioneer, and premium Phoenix. The new Dart came standard with a new engine, the 225 cu in (3.7 L) slant-six. The 318 cu in (5.2 L) (standard equipment on certain Phoenix and Pioneer body styles) and 361 cu in (5.9 L) V8s were optional with two-barrel or four-barrel carburetors, and with single or dual exhaust. The Dodge 383 cu in (6.3 L) V8 was added in 1961. Brakes were 11-inch drums.

Sales of the new Dart were greater than those of the full-size Dodge Matador and Dodge Polara, which also created an in-house competitor for Plymouth. Advertising from 1960 and 1961 compared the Dart to the "C" car (Chevrolet), the "F" car (Ford) and the "P" car (Plymouth). After the economic downturn of 1958-59, Dodge production for 1960 rebounded to a 367,804 cars, the division's highest total to date and good for sixth place behind Chevrolet, Ford, Plymouth, Rambler, and Pontiac. Chrysler officials were somewhat less comforted at how 87% of Dodge's volume consisted of the low-profit Dart line, compared to the upmarket Matador and Polara, of which only 41,000 were sold for the 1960 model year.

As the Dart's sales climbed, Plymouth's sales dropped. Chrysler executives did little to stop the infighting between the divisions. Dart sales were so strong in 1960 that production of the medium-priced model lines were reduced. The full-size, mid-priced Matador was discontinued after the 1960 model year as buyers selected the slightly smaller but better-appointed and less expensive Dart Phoenix. The premium Polara remained in the medium-price segment in 1961.


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Wikipedia
 
For the 1961 model year, the Dart continued as the smallest full-size Dodge. It retained the 118 in (2,997 mm) wheelbase, and was restyled to emulate the larger Polara. The same three trim levels were available: the premium Phoenix, mid-range Pioneer, and base Seneca. Once again, wagons shared the Polara's 122 in/310 cm wheelbase; they also shared the Polara's unique side-mounted taillights.

Engine choices included the 225 cu in (3.7 L) slant-six, and the 318 cu in (5.2 L) and 361 cu in (5.9 L) V8s were also available in various configurations. Phoenix convertibles were equipped with V8 engines. Beginning mid-year, some Darts ordered with the 225 engine were equipped with the die-cast aluminum block. Darts in all series were equipped as standard with three-speed, column-shifted manual transmissions. Chrysler's pushbutton-shifted TorqueFlite automatic was available at extra cost. The alternator, introduced as standard equipment in 1960 on the Valiant, replaced the previous DC generator on all 1961 Chrysler products. Canadian-built 1961 Darts were identical to U.S. models on the outside, but the interior trim, controls, and displays were those used on the U.S. Plymouth.

Virgil Exner's 1961 styling with its reverse fins, rear fender scalloping (the headlights were widely referred to as "ingrown toenails") and concave grille was highly unpopular with consumers. The low position and small size of the Dart's tail lights just above the corners of the bumper, was also criticized and drivers of following cars complained that they could not see them. The wraparound taillights projected light sideward, not rearward. By mid-year, Dodge made auxiliary taillights available at extra cost through its dealer network. However, these large round lights were mounted near the inboard side of the reverse fins, and aggravated the already awkward styling.

The 1961 automobile market was generally off-year for automobile sales, and Dodge production went down to 269,367 units, of which 142,708 were Darts. Among all the Darts sold, almost half (66,100) were the Seneca line, down from 111,600 in 1960. Combined sales of Dart and Polara were lower than Plymouth's sales for 1961. Dodge ranked ninth in sales in the American market in 1961, down from sixth place in 1960. Sales of the compact Dodge Lancer were 74,773 units compared to its Plymouth twin, the Valiant, which sold 143,078 units for the same year. The 1961 model year saw Dodge's total production drop below the slow selling 1959 model year and almost the disastrous recession year of 1958 when Dodge faced the consequences of the poor reputation of its 1957 models.


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Wikipedia
 
Right-hand drive 1960, 1961, and 1962 Darts were exported to commonwealth countries such as Australia, South Africa, Singapore and badged as the Dodge Phoenix. In South Africa, a DeSoto-branded version of the car called the Diplomat was sold from 1960 to 1962, as well. Once the "Dart" name was moved to Dodge's compact car for 1963, the Phoenix was no longer Dart-related; each year thereafter through 1971, the "Phoenix" name was applied to the RHD version of a Dodge or Plymouth B-body or C-body for Commonwealth export.


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Wikipedia
 
The Dodge Dart was sold alongside its replacement for part of the 1976 model year before it was discontinued in the U.S. and Canadian markets. Over its original 13-year production run, the Dart earned a good reputation. "The Dart was one of the most successful compact cars ever introduced in the American automobile marketplace," according to R.D. McLaughlin, then vice president of Chrysler's Automotive sales division, "It enjoys a strong owner loyalty and is a car that has established a reputation for reliability and value...these are [some] reasons why we will continue to market the Dart while introducing the new compact Aspen."

The A-body Dart was replaced by the F-body Dodge Aspen in late spring of 1976. The compact car segment was expanded with the Omni for Dodge to compete in a rapidly changing automobile market. These were replaced by the smaller front-wheel-drive Aries, as well as several captive import models. Dodge's economy car segment was then filled by the Shadow and the Spirit (unrelated to the AMC Spirit), which themselves were replaced by the Neon. After 35 years, the Dodge Dart (PF) was resurrected or the 2013 model year as a nameplate in the domestic market to replace the Caliber as Dodge's compact passenger car.


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Dean-o-mite
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Muscle Car
Sweet! It's the valuable White Lightning version!
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dean-o-mite
Jun 14 2017, 10:54 PM
Sweet! It's the valuable White Lightning version!
LOL :toofunny:

FWIW, it seems all of the Roadmaster series 1/50 scale are not easy to find, at least not in the states. I stumble on them from time to time looking for Impys. This series doesn't have all of the fun details the Impys do, no opening parts or jeweled lights, but they are interesting models in their own right. I was very pleased to find this police car version of the Dodge Dart, it was a happy accident.
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94cadillacfleetwood
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Nothing good ever happens after midnight.
They may not have all of the fun details, but I do like the venetians in the back window. I recall one of my cousins having an El Camino that had similar wheels. Even at age 2-3 it was tempting to sneak off home with it... :angel:
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Pegers
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Pony Car
with both the real car and this piece. a lot of iron went in to making them.
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

94cadillacfleetwood
Jun 15 2017, 04:25 PM
They may not have all of the fun details, but I do like the venetians in the back window. I recall one of my cousins having an El Camino that had similar wheels. Even at age 2-3 it was tempting to sneak off home with it... :angel:
Yes, there is a 1960 El Camino in this series! I have a beater missing the tailgate.
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ivantt
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New casting? Quick! Take it apart!
Another I've never seen until now.
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