383ci, 4-Spd. Numbers Matching Engine & Tranny. Body Plate & Certicard. Rare Car
Make: | Dodge |
Model: | Dart |
SubModel: | GTS |
Type: | Hardtop |
Trim: | Bucket Seats |
Year: | 1968 |
Mileage: | 51,323 |
VIN: | LS23H8B277037 |
Color: | Yellow |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Transmission: | Manual |
Drive type: | Rear Wheel |
Interior color: | Black |
Vehicle Title: | Clear |
Item location: | Thomaston, Maine, United States |
Extras |
Listed by |
Private seller |
Description of 1968 Dodge Dart GTS |
To start with. let me first say that I understand that there is a lot of information in my ad. I also understand that this may be boring to the person who is just looking and not buying. However. for the person who is looking to buy and spend their hard earned money. I feel that there is never too much information. As to myself. I am not a dealer. just a (64) year old kid that loves muscle cars. For my work. I recently retired from managing a Correctional Facility here in Maine and have worked for the Maine Department of Corrections for (40) years. I am also a respected member of my community. I mention this only because of the value of this car and so that prospective buyers will have some idea as to who they are dealing with. Also. please check out my eBay feedback which is 100% with (1. 02) transactions. Many of those have been muscle cars which I have sold to individuals all over the country as well as Canada. England. France. Switzerland and Australia. Just some quick history on the 383ci GTS Dart. First. a little history on the GTS Dart. In 1968 Dodge introduced a new GTS trim for its Dodge Dart line to compete against Chevy's Nova SS. The hot GTS was available with either a standard 340 cid V8 with 275 bhp or an optional 383 V8 with 300 bhp. Coupled with its light 3. 00 pound curb weight. the Dodge Dart GTS did very well on the street and the track. Unfortunately. the extra weight of the 383 tended to negate the power advantage of the 383 over the 340. Furthermore. the 340 was rumored to actually produce over 300 bhp which helps explains the lack of improvement with the 383 engine. Other technical enhancements included a low-restriction exhaust system with chrome tips. Rallye suspension. 14x5. 5 inch wheel rims and E70-14 Red Streak tires. A three-on-the-tree manual transmission was standard. though most GTS models were sold with either a four-speed Hurst floor shift manual or a competition-type Torque-Flite automatic transmission. Identifying the GTS were hood power bulges with air vents. body side racing stripes. special GTS emblems. and simulated mag wheel covers. A rear end "bumble bee" stripe was a no cost option. Vinyl bucket seats were standard in the $2. 11 hardtop and optional in the $3. 83 convertible. Production Numbers: Only (991) Dodge Dart GTS 4-Speed 383ci cars were produced in 1968. OK. about five years ago. I saw an ad in Uncle Henrys Sell & Swap It guide where a person was parting out a 1968 Dodge Dart and loads of parts. All the parts were in a chicken barn and he needed to sell them because he had lost his job. As I had previously owned a couple of 1969 Dodge Dart 383 GTS cars. I decided to take the long trip out into what seemed to be the wilderness and meet the gentleman. When I arrived at his house. we then took another 30-minute drive to the chicken barn where the parts were kept. When we entered the barn I could not believe the parts that were there. A 1968 Dart shell and tons of parts. Doors. fenders. bumpers. seats. trunk lids. trim. glass. you name it and it was there. I started looking over the parts and I soon discovered that the one bare block and the one A833 4-speed transmission both had identical vin numbers stamped on them. He then showed me four dash shells. each having vin tags attached and I found the dash shell that had the matching vin to the block and transmission. I then started looking at heads. intakes. carburetors. exhaust manifolds. distributors. etc. and with the help of my Galen Govier Chrysler Corporation Production Option Code Book as well as Galen’s Part and Casting Numbers Book. it appeared that many items matched up to be parts that were for a 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 4-speed car. I asked the owner if he had a trim tag (body option plate) and he said he had a trim tag and a Certi Card that he believed went to the 1968 Dodge Dart shell at his house. I then surmised that the Dart was probably a real 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 383ci 4-speed car that had the rare black horizontal side stripe as well as the super rare grill nose cone insert and the console tachometer. It then hit me like a ton of bricks. I simply could not let this rare GTS Dart die by being parted out. I asked the owner “how much for everything”. He asked me. “Are you serious?” I said I was. We struck a deal. I paid him and came back later with a big truck and took everything home. That was five years ago when times were good and I felt I could afford to save the Dart knowing right up front that I would lose money. Five years later and tons of money later. the car is done and my financial situation has changed considerably. Cancer had struck my wife and as Murphy’s Law would have it. my wife at the time of the discovery. had no insurance. Now. like the previous two owners. I need to sell the car and for a lot less than I have in it. The GTS Dart is not perfect but it is really nice and a steal for someone. As the car was a complete shell when I purchased everything. I can’t confirm 100% that the body is the original one that mates up to all of the original/correct parts. However. I did see the body number stamped on the driver’s side trunk lip that matches the body plate. Not proof positive but I will also show you tons of photos and a video and you can go from there. As a side note. the previous owner told me that the 1968 GTS was purchased with three other Darts from an out of state junk yard. That particular owner was going to restore the 68 GTS and he began the process of having the car stripped and etch primed by a body man. However. the body man mistakenly threw away the radiator support with the vin number stamped on it. The owner was so mad that he stopped the restoration and took everything back to his house where it sat for many years. The previous owner heard about the 68 GTS and all of the parts and purchased everything from that individual. He then moved the bare shell and all of the parts into a chicken barn with the same intention of someday restoring the 68 GTS Dart. However. nothing happened with the Dart and everything sat again for many years until the previous owner lost his job. needed money and decided to part everything out. That’s where I come in. So let’s get right to this rare 1968 Dodge Dart 383ci GTS 4-speed that I am auctioning here today on eBay Motors. Here is what this 1968 Dodge Dart 383ci GTS has:1. Original Vin Stamped Rebuilt Block (see photos);2. Original Vin Stamped A833 Manual Transmission (see photos);3. Presumed to be the Original Rear Axle;4. Presumed to be the Original Rebuilt Heads (see photos);5. Presumed to be the Original Intake (see photos);6. Presumed to be the Original Rebuilt Carburetor (see photos);7. Presumed to be the Original Exhaust Manifolds (see photos);8. Presumed to be the Original Distributor (see photos);9. Presumed to be the Original Water Pump (see photos);10. Presumed to be the Original Re-cored Radiator (see photos);11. Presumed to be the Original Console Tachometer (see photos);12. Original Trim Tag (see photos);13. Original Certi Card (see photos);14. Original Horizontal Black Stripe Car;15. Original Nose Cone Car ( I had the Nose Cone but Sold It) (see photos);16. New Paint (Painted Back to the Original “Code S” Yellow Paint);17. New Complete Interior;18. New Center Force Dual Friction Clutch Kit;19. New Exhaust With Correct Chrome Tips;20. New Front and Rear Shocks;21. New Brakes and Brake Lines;22. New Fuel Sending Unit and Fuel Lines;23. New Hoses (Heater. Radiator);24. New Heater Core;25. New Plug Wires;26. New Front and Rear Bumpers;27. New Windshield;28. Dog Dish Caps. Here is what this 1968 Dodge Dart 383ci GTS has for issues: 1. Heater Not Working (Heater Switch I Think);2. Back-up Lights Not Working;3. Windows Need Adjusting as They Go Up and Down Hard. Look here for a walk around video of this super rare 1968 Dodge Dart 383ci GTS 4-Speed. I know from previous experience that there is never too much information for the serious collectors. So. for all of you numbers guys and gals. this is for you. Vin Number: LS23H8B277037L DODGES SPECIAL23 2-DOOR SPORT COUPEH 383 1-4BBL HP 330HP8 1968B HAMTRAMCK ASSEMBLY PLANT277037 SEQUENCE NUMBER BODY PLATE DECODEBOTTOM ROW LEFT TO RIGHTLS2362 3 39 202 258815L DODGES SPECIAL23 2-DOOR SPORT COUPE62 1968 383 1-4BBL HP 330HP 3 4-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION39 E70 X 14” WHITE WALL TIRES202 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 02. 1968 BUILD DATE258815 SHIPPING ORDER NUMBER2nd AND 3rd ROWS LEFT TO RIGHT2/5 3/0 7/8 A4X TRM/S6X PNT/SS1 U/B S/15 DRIP RAIL MOULDING0 MOULDING BELT LINE8 WHEEL LIP MOULDINGA4 3. 23:1 AXLE 8¾”S 68 SPORT TRIM6 VINYL BUCKET SEATS – PREMIUM GRADEX BLACKS YELLOW BOTTOM PAINTS YELLOW TOP PAINT1 UNKNOWNUB BLACK UPPER DOOR PAINTS1 HORRIZONTAL BLACK SPORT STRIPE 4th AND 5th ROWS LEFT TO RIGHTR/1 T/7R1 AM MUSIC MASTER RADIOT7 TACHOMETER6th AND 7th ROWS LEFT TO RIGHTA/6 B/4 U/1A6 CONSOLEB4 BUCKET SEATSU1 SOLD CAR/EXPEDITECERTICARD DECODELS23H 8B 277037S6X S6X T3 SA 0202PHILLIP L. RENSHAWSALISBURY. MD. 2-20-68L DODGES SPECIAL23 2-DOOR SPORT COUPEH 383 1-4BBL HP 330HP8 1968B HAMTRAMCK ASSEMBLY PLANT277037 SEQUENCE NUMBER S 68 SPORT TRIM6 VINYL BUCKET SEATS – PREMIUM GRADEX BLACKS YELLOW BOTTOM PAINTS YELLOW TOP PAINT1 UNKNOWNT3 4-SPEED TRANSMISSIONSA STANDARD AXLEPHILLIP L. RENSHAW ORIGINAL OWNERS NAMESALISBURY. MD. ORIGINAL OWNERS HOME TOWN0202 FEBRUARY 2nd BLOCK CASTING NUMBER2468130 1968 383CIBLOCK VIN NUMBER8B2770378 1968B HAMTRAMCK ASSEMBLY PLANT277037 SEQUENCE NUMBERBLOCK STAMPINGD383D 1968383 383 Cubic Inch Motor1 29 21 January29 29th Day of January2 2nd ShiftTRANSMISSION STAMPING8B277037 Matches Vin Number8 1968B HAMTRAMCK ASSEMBLY PLANT277037 SEQUENCE NUMBERPP833 2363 0135PP Production Plant833 Type of Tranny A-8332363 January 16. 1968 Based on 10. 00 day calendar0135 135th Transmission Produced on January 16. 1968CARBURETORCarter AVS 4426S 1968 383ci Carter AVS. Manual TransmissionK7 Thursday. December 7. 1967 (No “I” used. )INTAKE2806301 1968 383ci with 1-4BBLDISTRIBUTOR2875336 1968 383ci. Manual TransmissionRADIATOR2898033 1968 22” 383WATER PUMP2780987 1968 383ci with no A/CEXHAUST MANIFOLDS2863900 1968 383ci RH2899002 1968 383ci LH EXTERIOR:Restored and painted the original Yellow color with the black horizontal stripe. Rust free. New bumpers. Decent trim. New windshield. New door handles and mirror. New door locks keyed with ignition that work. New antenna assembly. Good rims and tires. All lights work accept the backup lights. INTERIOR:New interior to include seats. door panels. carpet and underlayment. headliner and headliner insulation. package tray and seat divider. All gauges work. The horn works. The radio is not hooked up but may work. New heater core but the heater switch does not work. New rubber weather stripping and window whiskers. (The windows go up and down hard and I think they need adjustment and grease. ) ENGINE:Completely rebuilt engine with new battery. hoses. belts. brackets. alternator. wiper motor. master cylinder. hoses. etc. TRUNK:Clean trunk with new trunk mat and spare. New trunk weather strip. No jack assembly. UNDERCARRIAge:Rust free undercarriage with new exhaust system. new brakes and brake lines. new fuel sending unit and fuel lines. new front and rear KYB shocks. A833 transmission that has been opened. cleaned and refilled. rear axle that has been topped off with fresh gear oil. Important ID Photos: I highly recommend that serious buyers come themselves or send an agent to see this car in person. All photos and information that I have documented on this car will be burned on a CD and given to the new owner. I am an individual and do not claim to know everything there is to know about these cars. It is your responsibility to ensure that all of you questions or concerns are resolved prior to bidding and not after. WINNING BIDDER DOES NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO LOOK THIS CAR OVER AFTER THE AUCTION CLOSES TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO BUY. INSPECTIONS "MUST" BE DONE PRIOR TO THE CLOSE OF THE AUCTION WITH NO EXCEPTIONS. In fairness to all. I am not revealing the reserve price. If you are interested in owning this car. please place a bid TO OWN ONLY NOT TO PASS TIME. If it does not make reserve. I may contact the high bidder depending on what the highest amount was on the last bid. There is no Maine title for this 1968 Dodge Dart 383ci GTS 4-Speed as Maine does not issue titles for vehicles that are more than (15) years old. I have sold cars all over the country as well as Canada. England. Switzerland. France and Australia and have never had a problem. The car will come with a Bill-of-Sale. the excise tax portion of the Maine registration (for proof of ownership) which I will sign over to the new owner and a copy of the Maine law regarding titles. which is on a form issued by the Maine Motor Vehicle Department. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR BIDDING. On Nov-23-14 at 07:34:43 PST. seller added the following information:MUSCLE CAR TRADES WILL BE CONSIDERED. UP. DOWN OR SIDEWAYS. WHAT DO YOU HAVE? |