Mopower Garage

Published by Christopher J. Holley | Mopar History & Tech | July 2025

Built to Hustle, Not to Pose

In an era when muscle cars were as standard as sideburns and bellbottoms, Dodge pulled a fast one with a car that barely made the brochures but scorched the quarter mile. The 1968 440 Dart was not about style points or dealership polish. It was born of raw, tire-melting intention.

The 440 Dart was not a model as a movement, part factory experiment, part street terror, and entirely unforgettable. The 440 Dart was a David with Goliath’s heart, shoving Mopar’s burly RB block into the tight confines of the A-body Dart GTS. The result was something visceral and brutal, like stuffing a bear into a lunchbox.

A-Bodied Assault: The Big Block in a Small Package

At its core, the Dart was a compact economy car. But by 1968, Dodge was tired of being overlooked by the Super Stock crowd. The factory had already experimented with the 383 in the Dart GTS. But serious racers and sneaky dealers like Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Dodge knew that if you could shoehorn in a 440, you would be onto something lethal.

The challenge? The RB 440 engine was not designed for the Dart’s tight engine bay. Fitting it required custom mounts, careful header placement, and, in many cases, creative fender bashing. But the payoff? 480 lb-ft of torque, ready to vaporize bias-plys at will.

The Numbers Game: Few Were Made, Fewer Survived

The 1968 440 Dart was never a regular production model. Chrysler built only a handful, likely fewer than 80, and most of those were either internal development cars or handed off to favored racers for evaluation. Most 440 Darts seen on the street were dealer creations, primarily through Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Dodge, who became famous for dropping the Magnum motor into customer GTS cars.

If you ordered one through Norm’s, you received a Dart GTS (VIN prefix LS23) with the 383 deleted and a dealer-installed 440 Magnum under the hood. The factory did not warrant it. You mechanic probably would not even touch it. But it ran and how.

440 Magnum: Street Violence on Command    

The 440 Dart was not just fast; it was terrifying. The Magnum version featured a 10.1:1 compression ratio, a big Carter AVS 750 CFM four-barrel carb, and 370 horsepower on paper. Output was closer to 425 hp when uncorked with headers and race tuning.

In lightweight A-body trim, weighing approximately 3,200 pounds with the driver, the 440 Dart would tear through the quarter mile in the low 13s on street tires. Slicks brought it into the 12s with ease. Mopar’s heavy-duty A727 or A833 transmission sent the grunt to a Sure Grip rear axle, usually geared 4.10 or steeper. Even by today’s standards, that kind of power-to-weight ratio demands respect.

Built to Break Necks (and Parts)

Stuffing a big block into a small chassis came with consequences. The inner fenders needed “massaging” for header clearance. The heater box was often deleted. The brake distribution block had to be relocated. Factory exhaust manifolds barely cleared the steering column. And forget power steering. It was not an option.

The suspension was upgraded with beefier torsion bars and Super Stock rear leaf springs. But truthfully, the 440 Dart never handled gracefully. It was a straight-line weapon, not a canyon carver.

How to Spot One

Real 440 Darts do not advertise their brawn. Most wore standard GTS badging, with either a flat hood or the twin-scooped GTS version. There are no VIN codes or fender tags that specifically call out the 440. That means paperwork is king.

If you are lucky enough to find a surviving example, look for:

• Custom engine mounts
• Modified inner fenders
• High-capacity fuel lines
• Dealer documentation (especially from Grand Spaulding)

Legacy: Forgotten No More

While the 426 HEMI Dart gets most of the glory (and sky-high auction prices), the 440 Dart remains a true underground legend. It was one of the last factory-endorsed street brawlers, a finger in the eye of rising insurance premiums and looming emissions standards.

Today, a documented 440 Dart, especially one touched by Mr. Norm, is collector gold. Even clones and tributes bring strong money because the idea is just too good: massive Mopar torque in a lightweight, no-nonsense shell.

Final Word: The Blueprint for Bad Behavior

The 1968 440 Dart did not ask for permission. It was not legal in California. It was not polite in traffic. And it never made the cover of Motor Trend. But for those in the know, it was the closest thing to a factory hot rod Dodge ever built. No frills. No excuses. It is pure Detroit Thunder in a compact coupe.

If the muscle car era was a war, the 440 Dart was Dodge’s Molotov cocktail, hurled straight from the back alleys of Chicago into the fire of NHRA’s Super Stock.

SIDEBAR: 1968 440 Dart Spec Box

Engine	440 Magnum V8, 370 hp (gross)
Torque	480 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
Transmissions	A833 4-speed / A727 Auto
Rear Axle	8¾” Sure Grip, 3.91–4.56 ratios
Weight (est.)	3,200–3,400 lbs
¼-Mile ET	12.9–13.4 sec @ 105–110 mph
Built By	Dodge + Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding
Production (est.)	50–100 dealer cars
Survivors	Very rare, highly collectible