1968 Dodge Dart GTS 340 Rotisserie Rare SoCal Cannonball Run Style Road Racer

Description

1968 Dodge Dart GTS
Custom “Cannonball Run” Style

VIN LS23P8E107468

86394 Miles
(79850 at Restoration)
COMPLETE GROUND-UP BODY-OFF RESTORATION
Original CA Black Plates
(that were issued with this car new)

Hi Performance 340 - 400HP
Original Block - Matching Numbers

Comp Roller Cam

(see picture of camshaft readout)

Edelbrock Performer Aluminum Cylinder Heads
(all valves re-stacked)
Chrysler Pro Magnum Rocker Arm Kit
High Energy Hydraulic Lifters
Stud Girdles

Balanced
Edelbrock Intake Manifold
Summit Iron Crankshaft Harmonic Dampener

(see picture Main Crank Spec Sheet)

Edelbrock Performance Series Carb

Aluminum Radiator

Torque-Flight 727 3-Speed Auto Transmission

Tube Technologies Exhaust & Heads

(Custom Mandrel Bent Exhaust)
3” Ceramic Coated Headers & Pipes
40 Series Flowmasters
Custom Body-Side Exhaust Vents

Mini Tubbed
Sub-Frame Connectors

8-Point Roll Cage

SureGrip / Posi Unit
2.73 Rear-end

MSD Ignition - Pro Billet Chrysler V8 Distributor

New Voltage Regulator

New Computer Tested Mini-Starter

Wilwood “Cross Drilled” Brakes
Wilwood Aluminum Tandem Master Cylinder

“Firm Feel, Inc” Mopar Performance Steering & Suspension
Power Steering

Air Adjustable Shocks

Shelby Style American Racing Wheels
Brand New Kumho Ecsta Tires
(Front 215/45 ZR17’s Rear 315/35 ZR17’s)

Kenwood KDC MP342U
AudioVox Interface Adapter
Kenwood XM Direct
Boston Acoustics S55 & SX95 Speakers
Sirius XM Radio Equipped

Vintage Air Gen II Heater/Defroster
All New Gauges

VIN Decode:

LS23P8E107468

L - Dart

S - R/T, GTS

23 - 2 Door Hardtop

P - 340 cu in

8 - 1968

E - Los Angeles, CA

107468 - Production Number

Trim Tag Decode:

LS23 = Dart GTS 52 = 340 4bbl 5 = 3-Spd Auto

PLEASE NOTE: There are 181 pictures that load below this write-up. If you have an older computer or slow connection to the internet it may take several minutes for the pictures to load. If you cannot access the pictures you can go directly to my Photobucket account and view the pictures in large format where you can blow them up. Here is the direct link:

http://s669.photobucket.com/user/fmattingly/library/Dodge%201968%20Dart%20JS

Vehicle Info

Sometimes it seems the Mopar guys are so busy chasing Chargers that they forget about Dodge's equally awesome, and sometimes more exclusive, Dart GTS. Lightweight, and available with an array of ground-pounding V8s, the unassuming Dart was the brand's reasonably-priced alternative for buyers who wanted big performance at a moderate price. And ultimately, when it comes to modern day collectability, living in the shadows of those more famous brothers was a great thing for cars like this striking GTS.
This Dart GTS was California built and California owned since day one. Zero rust, accident free and jaw dropping Southern California barn finds are getting harder and harder to find. This square-jawed land rocket is an incredibly rare car that's freshly restored and fully documented, but modernized and customized to make it a comfortable and reliable cruiser. The performance modifications added during the build turn this 340 into 400 horse power of Mopar muscle performance.

The handling characteristics and gearing give it a Cannonball Run type of feel, where its just getting going at 100 mph and can easily rip the highways at 145-150. The sweet spot seems to be between 90-100 thanks to the 2.73 gears. At 70 the tach is sitting at 2200 rpm.

This ride will get you there in a snap and is built to never let you down.

Yes, this is a real 340 4-barrel Dart GTS Hardtop. And yes, it is fresh out of a ground-up rotisserie restoration that was conducted by the pros at S&S Enterprises here in San Clemente, CA, completed in 2010 but rarely driven. The father and son team here at S&S work with a lot of vintage metal. But, given this stunning hardtop's exclusivity, they pulled no punches in making it a truly amazing restoration and capable road racer. This is Jason’s personal weekend warrior and was set up mini-tubbed to accommodate some amazing tires on the back side and a lot of modern goodies to make it a formidable road rocket.

This awe-inspiring hardtop rolled into the S&S’s shop looking barn-found but very complete, dry and totally rust free. This is why people come to Southern California to find the best examples of old rides to rebuild. Take a look at the pictures of the car before it was restored and you get an idea of what a spectacular candidate this was for a ground up rotisserie style restoration. Aside from a thorough sandblasting, the car needed almost zero metalwork. Since the body had never been wrinkled, or had any unfortunate run-ins with a drag strip guard rail, its reassembled panels displayed stellar gaps. Eventually, weeks of primer and sanding counted down to a coat of Flossy Black paint. That’s right…Flossy Black is what we call it. Jason wanted a sinister look to this ride and painted it in Black Primer, but wanted it to have more of a semi-gloss look to it. So once the paint was applied they went after it with a couple of different polishing compounds til they found just the right look… FLOSSY… a little bit Flat and a little bit Glossy… Shazam!!

What’s cool about this look is the new buyer has several options, leave it like it is or just squirt it any color you desire. Since the jams are done in semi-flat black it would not have to be jammed and still look really cool against almost any color you put on the exterior, making for a really easy paint job.

Throw this Dodge on a lift and you'll find a fully restored undercarriage that, in addition to grilling many Fords and Chevys, looks clean enough to grille a rib eye steak on. Most everything on the underside has been powder coated at the S&S facility. Note the custom exhaust system exit through the body rear quarter panels behind the doors. The sound is intoxicating to say the least…

Ike and Jason are motor heads of the truest sense. They drag-raced motorcycles at the highest level for many years. They have been building motors for over 30 years. They know how to build motors and this baby has a motor. Nothing was sparred in this build and it runs out with perfection. Make sure you check out the pictures below of the binder they built with all the engine specs and records detailing the build.
Cool and confident stops are provided by a full set of Wilwood Disc Brakes at all corners. Study the pictures and you will notice everything in the front-end, brakes, exhaust system are brand new. Well, let’s take that one step further… everything in this build is brand new or restored.

Nothing was left to chance on this gorgeous one-off build. The wiring system was completely replaced, all rubber and felt in the doors and trunk, complete suspension, exhaust system, cooling system, wheels, tires, stereo system and heating system. All chrome and stainless trim is all new. All windows are new with the exception of the rear window which appears to be near flawless. The engine and every component have been taken to the highest level of restoration for performance and longevity. Everything in the car works exactly as it should and after Jason driving it for the last six years and 6500 miles it is all broken in for the new owner. The Dart is turn-key.

These classic Darts had a really cool interior and they elected to keep it fairly stock with their vision of what a modern racer should look like. The first thing that catches your eye is a duo of rebuilt red/black bucket seats which are firm to the touch and extremely comfortable. The interior materials selected are of highest quality that should allow for many years of wear and tear. At the sides of that dash, interior painted black door panels hang bright chrome hardware with bold "DART GT" badges.

The driver spins a simple modern style black steering wheel that works perfectly with the steering system from Firm Feel, Inc. It maneuvers wonderfully in tight spaces and gives great feedback on the road at high-speeds. This is a true performance steering and suspension system. Under the steering column you will notice you have some exterior mounted Auto-Meter temperature and oil pressure gauges.

On the road this Dart feels nimble and confident at any speed and any driving condition. You can sit in traffic with this ride and never fear an overheat problem.

With collectors' primary focus on other members of Dodge's incredible family, it's been entirely too easy to overlook the sensible Dart. But that also means while this killer GTS offers the same performance and handsome good looks of its siblings. Professionally finished in every way, this cool coupe is a fully-sorted classic racer that'll show well at any major event and hold its own at any stoplight in America. And it simply doesn't get much better than an extremely exclusive Mopar built by some of the best in the business.

Just as a matter of reference, I have been judging cars at all types of show levels for over 25 years and have extensive experience in restoration of many marques. I am extremely picky and probably grade more on the lower side when evaluating vehicles. This example is collector quality and is in solid #1 condition from my perspective. Other than the fact that the odometer reads 86394 miles (6544 since built in 2010) you would believe this car had zero miles if you were physically present to place your eyes on it. My friends Ike and Jason are probably the most fastidious builders of specialty cars I have ever known in my life. Period. To say they are A/R is an understatement.

Is you are anywhere near or around Southern California you should stop by and take a look at this modern Road Racer. If you are a movie producer for Fast and Furious 15 or a Cannonball Run remake you might want to take note of this unique ride for your project.

I have been around many cars in the last 30 plus years in this hobby and this little rocket has got to rank right up there with one of the coolest, most fun cars to drive that I have ever been around.

For further information please call Frank at 949-310-6262. The owners number is available as well upon request.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

The car is for sale locally and we reserve the right to cancel this auction at any time before the end of the auction. We do not have a Buy It Now Price listed.

The car will be made available for inspection by serious bidders throughout the auction. Please e-mail us if you would like to see the car. If you prefer, we can arrange to have a qualified, independent, professional mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection for you (at your expense). It is the buyers responsibility to verifythat all of the sellers information and claims about the car are true and correct prior to the sale of the vehicle. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT PAYPAL AS A FORM OF PAYMENT. THIS IS TRUE FOR BOTH THE INITIAL DEPOSIT AS WELL AS THE FINAL PAYMENT.
Winning bidder must contact us within 24 hours of auction end, and make arrangements for payment at that time. A $1000.00deposit is due within 48 hours of end of auction. The deposit can be made by cash (please do not mail cash!), bank check, cashier's check, or bank transfer (preferred). The remainder is due within 7d days of Auction end. The remaining balance must be made in the form of a bank transfer (preferred) Cashier'scheck, or bank check (all forms of payment subject to verification). PayPal will not be accepted as a form of payment for either the deposit or the final payment. If no contact is made within 24 hours we reserve the right to re-list the vehicle, sell it to the next high bidder, or sell it otherwise. Please arrange financing prior to bidding. Once the final balance has been paid, title transfer paperwork will be initiated.
Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping of this vehicle. If you wish to have it shipped using a service, we will gladly cooperate, you can locate shippers by doing a search for “auto shippers”. We have relationships with both domestic and international shippers should you need some assistance.

This vehicle is being sold as is, where is with no warranty, expressed written or implied. The seller shall not be responsible for the correct description, authenticity, genuineness, or defects herein, and makes no warranty in connection therewith. No allowance or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness, imperfection, defect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle and to have satisfied himself or herself as to the condition and value and to purchase based upon that judgment solely. The seller shall and will make every reasonable effort to disclose any known defects associated with this vehicle at the buyer's request prior to the close of sale. Seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs regardless of any oral statements about the vehicle. Please Check My Feedback- I value my 100% positive rating, and will do my best to keep it.

The winning bidder should have the car insured from the time the final payment is made to us. Once final payment is made, we will exercise a generally accepted standard of care, but the buyer assumes all liability and risk once the final payment is made.
Before delivery of the vehicle, the winning bidder must provide a photocopy of a valid driver’s license. Delivery is defined as the time at which physical possession of the car is transferred from us, the seller, to the buyer or the buyers’ agent or chosen transport company.
If you are not sure about something, Please ASK. Do not assume anything not listed is included. We reserve the right to cancel bids for excessive negative feedback. We reserve the right to end the listing if the vehicle is no longer available for sale.