1976 DODGE DART AN F

[CM360]

Is the 1976 Dart the same as the F body with the transverse torsion bars or the last of the A body's?

 

[volare 77]

76 was the last year for the A body Dart/Duster. They also introduced the 76 F body that year. They are different and the 76 dart is like the 73 74 75 models

 

[Greg55_99]

Not even close. Although, I did see some pic where somebody put an F front suspension in a A body. Didn't look very good though.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Is the 1976 Dart the same as the F body with the transverse torsion bars or the last of the A body's?

Up here,back in the early 2000s, I met a guy at a Chrysler car show in Winnipeg,with, IIRC a 76 Duster with F-body suspension. He claimed it was original. I did not check the VIN

 

[Oldiron440]

The 76 Dart and Duster were Abodys, the last huraa for the Abody platform. The Fbody front suspension was a popular swap in the late 70s and early 80s but it was more for fat fender street rods and pickups than unibody cars. I've never seen a swap in a unibody car. The Abody is quite a bit narrower than an Fbody, in fact the Fbody is wider than the earlier Bbody if I remember correctly. But I still laugh at the advertising of the time calling it a compact car. Some of the 76 Abody cars if not all got aluminum hoods and deck lids, I had a friend in school that got a Feather Duster for graduation.
Mopar used the Duster name in 79 as a trim package on the Volare Coupe.

 

[AJ/FormS]

I have even seen K-cars up here with Duster badging.

I often wondered if F-bodies were the new E-bodies; short wheel base and wide tracks with E body brakes, but with the new suspenders. At the first I didn't like them, but as time went by, and after I had owned a few of them, they grew on me.

My 1980 model Volare looks like a big old Caprice.... from the front; and rides like one.....sorta; yet once I filled those humongous wheelwells, it handled reasonably well ...... for what it is.

 

[Aspen500]

Up here,back in the early 2000s, I met a guy at a Chrysler car show in Winnipeg,with, IIRC a 76 Duster with F-body suspension. He claimed it was original. I did not check the VIN

I think he was full of something, if you know what I mean!

 

[BudW]

Some of the Mexican and Canadian vehicles received different badges than those sold in USA.
This is a fellow forum member’s Mexican ’80 Dodge Dart:

On classification of vehicles, my ‘77 wagon is a “compact” vehicle. My ’86 Fifth Ave is a large or “full size” vehicle, even though both are the same body size/wheelbase (with exception of the additional cargo space via wagon aspect).
BudW

 

[Kernel Sanders]

I don't know why anyone would want to put the Kframe from the FMJ onto an A

I have a 76 Dart and the reconditioning of the A body suspension is WAY cheaper and MOOG still produces ALL the bushings required

 

[Locomotion]

The 76 Dart and Duster were Abodys, the last huraa for the Abody platform. The Fbody front suspension was a popular swap in the late 70s and early 80s but it was more for fat fender street rods and pickups than unibody cars. I've never seen a swap in a unibody car. The Abody is quite a bit narrower than an Fbody, in fact the Fbody is wider than the earlier Bbody if I remember correctly. But I still laugh at the advertising of the time calling it a compact car. Some of the 76 Abody cars if not all got aluminum hoods and deck lids, I had a friend in school that got a Feather Duster for graduation.
Mopar used the Duster name in 79 as a trim package on the Volare Coupe.

The Feather Duster & Dart Lite were an option package in 1976 which included underside aluminum bracing on the hood & truck along with aluminum inner bumper reinforcements, 4 speed OD case and intake. Slant 6 only with an economy tuned carb too. The hoods saved about 10-15 lbs and the trunk saved 5+ lbs and used lighter springs. They make a nice swap to earlier models.

 

[BudW]

I don’t recall seeing any Dart Lite’s but did see a lot of Feather Dusters. I know Chrysler didn’t make many replacement aluminum body panels for them for I recall a lot of racers hitting our part department looking for new aluminum for their cars (after finding un-mangled used aluminum parts difficult to find). I “suspect” Chrysler had very few Aluminum parts after say ’77 or so, sense all of the replacement body parts only came in steel. I even saw a few wrecked Feather Dusters sold at our body shop – just so racers could get all possible aluminum parts from them, purchased straight from the insurance company (which I thought was odd). I do believe there was a lot more aluminum used in those cars than what was published – but at the time I didn’t pay any attention (not an A-body expert and didn’t care much to work on ‘em).

Also seen more than a couple of Feather Dusters purchased and had the /6’s replaced with V8’s (340 or larger), back in the day. Apparently, the Feather Duster was a really lightweight car.
BudW

 

[Oldiron440]

The 73 - 76 Dart hood is the same as a 67 - 69 Barracuda hood in case anyone needs to know.

 

[BudW]

With AMD re-popping sheet metal for many ABE-bodies, I’m surprised they don’t make aluminum versions for sale. Quarter panels – I can understand making in steel (for welding, etc.). For bolt-on items like hoods and fenders, I don’t see a reason why not.

Now if we can get AMD to repop some F & J-body parts . . .

How many people racing F-bodies would purchase aluminum fenders, hood and/or bumpers (if rules allow for it)?
BudW

 

[Oldiron440]

Aluminum bumpers would be nice, fiberglass is fine for the Volare but the Fairlane aluminum would be nice.

 

[Locomotion]

I'm guessing that the market for aluminum body components would be limited. It's also more fragile (dentable) and adding strength would mean thicker, heavier parts. Don't know about the price of steel vs aluminum panels.

The Dart Lites and Feather Dusters had the aluminum underside bracing and steel hood surfaces crimped together and some glue/foam in the middle. You can see the little rectangular crimps around the perimeter. The 2 trunk sections were glued together.

Chrysler may have run out of the respective Lite and Feather parts before the end of the model year. I went to buy a hood and trunk "set" off of a car a while back and the trunk turned out to be all steel. Owner swore it was from the same car and the paint backed him up. But I only bought the hood.

 

[F body Deconstructor Jim]

The 73 - 76 Dart hood is the same as a 67 - 69 Barracuda hood in case anyone needs to know.

73-76 dart/dart sport hood outer skin is the same as the 69 Barracuda.
Underside structure crumple zones are different.
67 and 68 didnt have the center rib/beak in the hood so its not a fit.

 

[Greg55_99]

Jim's BACK!!!!

 

[Oldiron440]

I stan corrected...

 

[BudW]

I stan corrected...

Stan or stand?

Jim - Glad to see you on this side of the daisy's!
You have been missed!
BudW