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Dodge Dart GTs Then and Now

I was excited to hear that the Dart GT moniker is about to be revived for use on a sporty version of the 2013 Dart. Set to debut at the North American International Auto Show with production slated to begin in the second quarter of 2013, the GT is another addition to the Dart line-up, and adds a host of standard equipment designed to further enhance its already solid performance image. You get a sport-tuned suspension, 184 horsepower 2.4L Tigershark MultiAir engine, Nappa Leather heated seats, heated steering wheel, 5-spoke wheels wrapped in 18-inch high-traction rubber that look like they belong on a Challenger SRT8, and sinister-yet-inviting styling tweaks.

Going back half a century to 1963, the first Dart GT followed a similar path – but was more about style and looks than performance. In that first year, the Dart lineup consisted of three models: the 170, 270 and GT. Only the GT was offered as a 2-door hardtop or convertible. The 170 and 270 variants were strictly 2- or 4-door sedans (with full door frames and fixed B-pillars) or utilitarian station wagons. By contrast, the hardtop body style gave the Dart GT an open, airy feeling with all windows rolled down – even if they did tend to let more air in with the windows rolled up. I presently drive a ’63 Dart GT every day and have simply learned to live with the various whistles and swooshing sounds as wind slips past the shrunken rubber window seals at highway speeds. It doesn’t bother me…much.

Inside the original 1963 Dart GT, stylists included the hottest trend to hit Detroit since quad headlamps, bucket seats. Cribbed from 2-seat European sports cars, bucket seats were the ultimate statement of sporting intent. They implied freedom; just me and my honey hitting the road in carefree style. By contrast, lesser Dart 170 and 270 models proclaimed, “this is work, not play” with bulky bench seats – folding on 2-doors for back seat access, rigid on 4-doors. True, the ability to seat three across up front was useful, but again, buckets were – and continue to be –  much cooler. So much so that by 1968 virtually every domestic car in every size and price range had a bucket seat package on the option sheet – even on certain 4-doors and station wagons.

While the empty space created between the bucket seats creates an ideal place to mount a floor shifter and console, thus adding even more sporty overtones, let’s remember that in 1963 Dodge was still enamored with push-button transmission controls on automatic-equipped models. Thus, my ’63 GT (like subsequent ‘64s) lacks a sexy floor shift console. Rather, I shift my Torqueflite automatic via a vertical stack of five circular buttons protruding from the left side of the instrument panel. That said, by 1965 all of Chrysler Corp. had abandoned push-button transmission controls and the 1965 Dart GT finally got the centrally mounted floor shifter and console it lacked before.

Under the hood, my ’63 Dart GT is powered by the standard 225 cubic inch (3.7 L) Slant Six. The optional 273 2-barrel small-block V8 didn’t arrive until 1964. Though my Dart GT’s Slant Six is rated at 145 hp, we must remember that Detroit used a gross measuring system until about 1972. Later net power ratings include the parasitic losses incurred by normal accessories (power steering pump, alternator, etc.) and a full exhaust system. Under the net rating system, my Slant Six might be good for 90 hp or so. This is to say that the 184 hp rating of the new Dart GT’s standard Tigershark four is very real. In fact, even though it displaces 146 cubic inches (79 less than the six in my older Dart), the new Dart makes nearly twice as much real-world horsepower! If the Tigershark’s block architecture wasn’t so devoted to the complexities of front-wheel drive, I’d seriously consider an engine swap.

Fifty years of technological advances can be humbling, yet my intent is not to belittle the early Dart in any way. Rather, this is a fascinating opportunity to gauge just how far we’ve come in the last five decades. Going under my Dart, we see that it has rear-wheel drive with a live rear axle under the backseat area. The modern version has (as mentioned) front-wheel drive and a nearly flat floor. The benefits of each layout are solid and each is a product of its time. In a nutshell, when a light, small vehicle is the primary objective, it’s difficult to improve upon the front-wheel drive layout. The engine and transaxle are combined into a single unit, and the weight and complexity of routing power to the rear of the car is eliminated. That said, as rear-wheel drive platforms go, the Chrysler A-body (which underpins every Dart built between 1963 and 1975) has earned a well-deserved reputation for superior handling versus other rear-wheel drive cars in its price range and market segment. The compact torsion bar front suspension and Chrysler’s practice of positioning the rear axle one-third of the way back between the leaf spring eyes combined to deliver the best handling in its class.

While the modern Dart GT benefits from stiffer springs, bushing hardness adjustments and other refinements for sharper handling than the Dart Limited, the 1963 GT package didn’t address the suspension. There are no antiroll bars or heavy-duty shock absorbers triggered by the GT badges. That said, when the 225 cubic inch Slant Six was ordered, the rear leaf springs employed five plates. By contrast, the base 170 cube engine warranted four plates. The same 9-inch diameter drum brakes were employed on all Darts – GT or otherwise. Superior front disc brakes would arrive in the 1965 model year – while optional 10-inch diameter drum brakes debuted in 1964 (standard with V8). But again, the components were well suited to sane street driving. My daily driving experience is pleasant though I am frequently reminded a front disc brake swap would be a good idea when passengers are aboard.

Moving beyond mechanical and interior specifications, we get to that intangible thing called image. To set it apart from the nearly 154,000 Darts built in 1963, Dodge applied a specific set of emblems and badges to each of the approximately 34,300 GTs built in ‘63 (including hardtops and convertibles). On each front fender, the traditional tri-pointed Dodge “fratzog” (really…that was the term used by copywriters when they registered the tri-pointed Dodge emblem) is bisected by serious-looking GT letters. On the trunk panel, the rectangular decoration breaks ranks to a degree and reads Dodge GT (rather than Dart GT). Why? I do not know. Inside, each door is adorned with two-tone chrome and matte black Dart GT emblems, and up front the plastic insert within the centrally mounted metal fratzog reads GT (lesser models bear 170 or 270 inscriptions). Finally, full wheel covers were standard equipment versus the smaller hubcaps used on lesser base models (though these wheel covers were also offered on Dart 270 models).

The new 2013 Dart GT also employs a series of visual identification cues. Though this writer does not have close access to an actual production model as of this moment, long lead photographs indicate that black-out treatments and subtly shifted bumper caps will be part of the formula. I do wonder if the exterior design boys will revisit the well and revive the original low-and-wide fonts on the new GT badges. It’d be extra cool if they do. Stay tuned, in my next blog post we’ll take a look at how the original Dart GT evolved from its humble beginnings of 1963. Later, we’ll explore alternate uses of those two magical letters, G and T, and review how they were applied to numerous Dodge and Plymouth models for extra sizzle!

–Steve Magnante

Courtesy blog.dodge.com

Maintenance Monday Tip: Be patient during the break-in period

You’ve bought your dream car and now you want to make it last at long as possible in top condition. Here are some things to remember as you pull it out of the dealer’s lot:

• During the break-in period, typically the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), keep your speed under 55 mph (88 kpm) or to the speed recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
• Avoid heavy loads on the drive train, such as towing trailers, and loading the roof rack or trunk with heavy construction materials.
• Do not allow your new car to idle for long periods — this is good advice for the life of your car, but especially during breakin. The oil pressure generated by doing so may not be sending oil to every part of your engine.
• Use only light to medium acceleration, keeping the engine rpms below 3,000 for the first few hours of driving.

Courtesy of www.rd.com

2013 Dodge Dart Registry Takes a Page From Bridal Playbook

The new 2013 Dodge Dart registry takes a page from the traditional bridal playbook by providing a unique way to raise money toward the purchase of a Dart.

Instead of pots and pans, participants can fund specific parts of the Dart, such as a steering wheel, seat or engine. The online registry is not limited to brides and grooms. It is an unexpected twist on funding a new-car purchase.

"Unless your friends are all rich, generous and powerful, it will be tough to raise the full price of a new car," the Dodge Dart registry notes. "But you might be able to raise enough for a down payment. Or a few thousand dollars to lower your payments. If you fall short of your goal, you'll still get the funds you've raised."

The registry lets participants donate as little as $1. It says that donation tiers don't reflect the actual cost of the part of the car

The Dodge Dart registry launches January 20 with a new 30-second commercial titled "How to Change Buying Cars Forever."

"Brides and grooms have been doing it for years," said Chrysler in a statement. "Now it's easier than ever for new car buyers, too."

Wedding registries now include such unusual items as "lifestyle requests" that fund guitar lessons or wine tastings and charitable requests that let guests give a donation to select charities.

Edmunds says: A clever approach that's bound to be copied by other automakers.

Courtesy of Edmunds.com

Listen to Coldplay if You Want to Stay Safe on the Road, Study Says

Want to stay safe on the road? Wear a seat belt, check your blindspots, avoid texting while driving and ... listen to Coldplay.

Strange as it may sound, the British band's soothing tunes could help you avoid accidents while driving. Coldplay's "The Scientist" landed on a list of "ultimate safe driving songs" compiled by Confused.com, the creator of driving app MotorMate.

From the data, London Metropolitan University professor Simon Moore concluded that the optimum music volume for driving is 55 to 65 decibels, while the ideal tempo should mimic the human heartbeat at around 60 to 80 beats per minute.

Based on Moore's findings, Confused.com created a safe-driving playlist that includes: Norah Jones' "Come Away With Me," Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours," Radiohead's "Karma Police" and Elton John's "Tiny Dancer." For more, check out the video above.

On the other side of the spectrum, Moore cautioned against listening to music that is noisy, upbeat and increases your heart rate. For example, drivers should avoid the Black Eyed Peas' "Hey Mama," which topped Confused.com's list of top 10 dangerous driving songs.

Courtesy of Mashable.com

Cummins Produces Two-millionth Diesel Engine for Ram Trucks

Cummins Inc. has produced its two-millionth diesel engine for Ram Trucks, highlighting the latest milestone in a storied partnership that spans four decades.

The 350-horsepower, 6.7-liter, in-line 6-cylinder turbo diesel is distinguished by its “Cummins Red” rocker cover and breather.

But despite its 800 pound-foot peak torque rating, the historic engine—feted at a Cummins plant in Columbus, Indiana—will not see service. Instead, it will go on display, touring the U.S., according to a Chrysler Group news release.

“The Ram Truck-Cummins diesel partnership is one of the industry’s most enduring and certainly fitting of such a tribute,” says Fred Diaz, President and CEO – Ram Truck Brand and Chrysler de Mexico.

“Both companies have benefited greatly, but Ram diesel customers are the real beneficiaries. Every day they experience the toughness and capability a Cummins-powered Ram can deliver.”

Cummins began supplying engines to Chrysler Group in 1988. Today in North America, only Ram-brand pickups and chassis cabs feature the coveted Cummins “C” logo.

“I am immensely proud of our association with Cummins,” says Bob Lee, Chrysler Group Vice President and Head of Engine and Electrified Propulsion Engineering.

“And I have no qualms matching our truck diesels against those of any competitor for performance and durability.”

For 2013, Cummins-powered Rams boast capabilities and features include:

•     Best-in-class torque and a 10 percent fuel-economy improvement
•     Exclusive dual-inlet “Ram Active Air” that adjusts induction according to driving conditions for optimal performance
•     “Smart” exhaust brake for smoother driving characteristics
•     Best-in-class 15,000-mile oil-change interval
•     A new cooling system for improved performance and durability
•     B20 fuel capability
•     Next-generation Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and diesel exhaust fluid system with range of up to 4,000 miles between refills
•     Dual fuel filtration system for enhanced reliability and durability in virtually every climate and environment
•     Unsurpassed powertrain warranty – five years/100,000 miles

Cummins-Diesel-Built-for-RamThe Chrysler Group-Cummins partnership traces its beginnings to 1985, when development work began on a 5.9-liter 12-valve in-line 6-cylinder turbo diesel. When it launched in 1989, it was rated at 160 horsepower and 400 pound-foot of peak torque—less than half the numbers for today’s High-Output 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel.

In the 2013 Ram Heavy Duty pickups, the top-line Cummins engine makes 385 horsepower and a best-in-class 850 pound-foot of torque.

Other notable events in the evolution of Cummins diesels produced for Chrysler Group include:

•     24-valve design introduced in model-year 1998.5
•     Adoption of high-pressure common-rail fuel delivery in 2003
•     Named to Ward’s 10 Best Engines list in 2004
•     Displacement increased to 6.7 liters from 5.9 liters in model-year 2007.5
•     Met 2010 EPA emissions certification in 2007

Courtesy of Vogeltalksrving.com

Getting a grip on tire fundamentals

A tire's sidewall is packed with information. Each manufacturer's Web site has a detailed key translating the figures, but this quick primer will help you decipher the information. Look for an alphanumeric combination such as "P245/40R17 91Y." The "P" indicates the tire was designed to meet North American passenger-car standards. If it were "LT," the tire was designed for light trucks. A lack of a preceding letter means a tire designed for European standards. The "245" is the nominal section width (not exactly the same as tread width but close) in millimeters. The "40" is the aspect ratio: The sidewall height expressed as a percentage of the tread width. In this case, 40 percent of 245 mm, or 98 mm. "R" indicates a traditional radial tire design. "17" is the wheel diameter in inches. "91" is the load index-a larger number means the tire, if inflated properly, can carry more weight, in this case 1,356 pounds. "Y" is the speed rating, meaning this tire is capable of sustained speeds of 186 mph. Other common speed ratings are S = 112; T = 118; H = 130; V = 149; W = 168; Z greater than 149.

112 0504 Ic Tire Side Z Tire manufacturers have a size "window" in which to fit a nominal dimension. While all of Maker A's 245/40R17s will be identical, they may be ever-so-slightly wider, narrower, shorter, or taller than Maker B's 245/40R17s. A tire focused on performance will likely be in the wide and tall corner of the window, while one that prioritizes low cost will likely be in the narrow and short corner. Since the size windows overlap, some makers use one size mold to produce a pair of dimensions. "M+S" means the tire meets the standards for an all-season tire. This does not imply the tire performance rivals a dedicated snow tire, just that it's better in snow than one without the M+S designation.

Widely misunderstood, "Max Load/Max Pressure" is not the pressure at which the tire will burst. Instead, increasing pressure beyond this point results in no additional load-carrying capacity beyond that stated.

Uniform Tire Quality Grade is shown as numbers or letters after the words "treadwear," "traction," and "temperature," this is the tire manufacturer's self-assessment of how this tire compares to its other offerings. The treadwear number, determined by field testing on a government-specified course, is a percentage of a control tire graded at 100 points. Thus, a tire marked "200" means it lasts twice as long one graded "100." The traction rating comes from a straight-line wet (more like damp) grip test (not really stopping distance, as its performed on a traction trailer). "AA" is best. And temperature indicates the tire's resistance to heat generated by running at high speed. "A" is best. So many high-quality tires get "AA" and "A" in the last two categories, that they are of relatively little use, except to convince you not to buy cheap tires.

Courtesy of MotorTrend.com

Looking for a new Dodge? See how the new Dart stacks up against the competition.

Check out the comparison chart on our website.

Special Edition of Chrysler 300 to Honor Motown

Chrysler has announced that it will offer a special edition Motown version of the 300 sedan. To be introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and offered for sale in the spring, the car comes with the blessing of Berry Gordy Jr., Motown’s founder. Mr. Gordy also appears in a new television advertisement publicizing the Motown edition and promoting “Motown: The Musical,” a production based on Mr. Gordy’s life set to open on Broadway in April.

In the ad, Mr. Gordy is seen in the back seat of the new car. The car passes the famous Hitsville U.S.A. house, site of the company’s early offices and now the Motown Museum. To a soundtrack of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” the Marvin Gaye-Tammi Terrell Motown classic, the ad presents stills of Motown stars and clips of a drive from Detroit to Manhattan. It tracks a journey that begins with such Detroit landmarks as the Detroit Institute of Arts, but ends in New York, specifically in front of the Lunt-Fontanne Theater.

The Motown edition is visually cleaned up and accented. Its face is a good match, it turns out, for the face of the balding Mr. Gordy, a former boxer. Both are planar and rugged.

Unlike the Chryslers of Motown’s golden years, the Motown 300 offers neither eight-track stereo nor 8-cylinder engine. There is, however, an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission to make the most of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, with 292 horsepower and 31 m.p.g. on the highway.

The custom look of the car is restrained but bold. It’s no blingmobile, but there is plenty of brightwork, including a seven-blade grille whose pattern is picked up by the 20-inch wheels and chrome accents on fascias and door handles.

The interior is based on a theme of white and black — like a piano keyboard. There is pearl white Nappa leather seating and a cockpit accented with piano black and black olive ash wood trim, a warm gray, to judge from the detail images Chrysler made available to the press.

The car arrives with 100 Motown songs preloaded on a memory card, part of the UConnect media info system. Sound comes from a 10-speaker Beats system with an 8.4-inch touch screen display. The Motown logo is visible outside, on the front quarter panels and insider embossed on the white leather seatbacks.

Chrysler has a history of nurturing sales of models with special editions. (Chrysler has sold 63,572 300s through November.) Previously it offered John Varvatos Luxury and John Varvatos limited editions of the 300C, each reflecting in different ways the style of Mr. Varvatos, a Detroit-raised fashion designer. (Mr. Varvatos is a music fan, too; he displays guitars and vintage records and audio equipment in his stores.) The John Varvatos Limited Edition offers a choice of the 5.7-liter Hemi engine.

The Detroit News reported that the Motown edition 300 will be joined by a Chrysler 200 8 Mile special edition, timed to the 10th anniversary of the film “Eight Mile” and extending the company’s relationship with Eminem.

Chrysler has something of a musical tradition in promoting and customizing its cars. Who can forget Snoop Dogg’s 2005 round of golf with Lee Iacocca? And decades before, when Mr. Iacocca was Chrysler’s chief executive, the company produced a 1981 Frank Sinatra edition Imperial.

The Motown 300 is available in bright white, gloss black, deep cherry red or jazz blue.

Courtesy of New York Times