This 1973 Dodge Dart two-door hardtop is a Canada-market car that sat outdoors for years before being acquired by the seller as a project in 2017. A 2004-model 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and a Tremec TKX five-speed manual transmission subsequently were installed, and the vehicle was mechanically refurbished and the upholstery was replaced. The multi-year build was started in 2023 and completed in 2026, and the Dart has been driven about 10 miles under current ownership. The engine has been bored .020″ over and rebuilt, and it is augmented by a Holley Terminator ECU and wiring harness, a Comp Cams camshaft, Manley valves, Comp Cams pushrods, a Melling timing chain, an aluminum radiator, a Melling oil pump, a Milodon oil pan, and Hooker exhaust headers. The rebuilt 8¾” rear end has a limited-slip differential and 3.91:1 gears. Other equipment includes a McLeod clutch, a Lakewood bellhousing, Eagle Alloys 17″ wheels, front disc brakes, polyurethene suspension bushings, subframe connectors, Borgeson power steering, a Holley Pro Dash touchscreen gauge display, and tilt steering. This modified Dart is now offered in Canada at no reserve with spare parts, a seller-provided components list, and Alberta registration in the seller’s name.
The 5.7-liter Gen III Hemi V8 is said to have originated in a 2004 Dodge Ram. The block was decked, align-honed, and bored .020″ over in 2025 and the cylinder head was ported, with machine work performed by Muscle Motors of Wheatland County, Alberta. The timing cover, intake manifold, valve covers, ignition coils, fuel rail, injectors, and throttle body were sourced from a Chrysler 300, according to the seller. The following parts were installed during the build:
- Replacement stock-type pistons
- Comp Cams camshaft (part number 112-303-11)
- Comp Cams pushrods
- Comp Cams LS6+ valve springs
- Comp Cams valve-spring retainers, seats, and locks
- Manley Performance oversize intake and exhaust valves
- Automotive Racing Products cylinder-head bolts
- Holley Terminator X Max ECU and wiring harness
- PowerBond harmonic balancer
- Melling timing-chain kit
- Melling high-volume oil pump
- Engine-oil cooler
- Milodon oil pan and pickup tube
- Remote oil-filter adapter
- Gates water pump
- Liland Global aluminum radiator
- Flex-a-Lite ECU-controlled electric cooling fan
- Flex-a-Lite radiator shroud
- AC Delco starter
- Hooker “shorty” exhaust headers
- Holley engine mounts
- Holley in-tank fuel pump
The seller notes that the engine has not been tuned or tested on a dynamometer, and it is currently running on a Holley base map. The car’s chassis number indicates that it was originally powered by a 318ci V8.
The Tremec TKX five-speed manual transmission (part number 17805) is a GM-style unit with a “deep overdrive” top gear. It is teamed with a Lakewood aluminum bellhousing, a McLeod Racing steel flywheel, a McLeod Racing organic clutch, a Wilwood clutch master cylinder, and a Speedway Motors hydraulic slave cylinder. A Holley transmission crossmember is supported by an Energy Suspension mount. Subframe connectors have been added and the torque boxes welded during the refurbishment.
The “489 case” 8¾” rear end has been rebuilt under current ownership and contains a clutch-type limited-slip differential with 3.91:1 gearing. The assembly is augmented by chromoly axle shafts, Mopar Performance “green” axle bearings, a Sonnax forged-steel slip yoke, and a 1350 universal joint. The underside is documented in detail in the seller’s narrated 30-minute video provided below, which shows rusted areas and other issues.
Finished from the factory in Top Banana (FY1), the car has received some body work, repairs, and primer. Its condition is shown up close in the seller’s photo and video galleries below; in particular, the video shows patchwork to the driver-side quarter panel that has deteriorated along with rust in the rocker panels and the driver-side fender. Exterior equipment includes a black grille, dual side mirrors, a concave rear window, and chrome bumpers. The reverse lights do not work.
Eagle Alloys 17×9″ five-spoke aluminum wheels with custom Dodge-fratzog-logo center caps are mounted with 215/45 front and 275/40 rear Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires. The steering has been updated with a Borgeson power-steering gear; the cooler for the engine’s previous automatic transmission has been adapted to have the power-steering fluid flow through it. A Wilwood manual brake master cylinder works in conjunction with front disc brakes and rear drums that were overhauled by the seller. Energy Suspension polyurethane suspension bushings were installed by the seller, as were Competition Engineering front shocks and Monroe rear shocks. The upper and lower ball joints were replaced under current ownership along with the tie rods. The upper ball-joint boots are torn.
A custom bolstered front bench seat is trimmed in black vinyl upholstery with Porsche-style houndstooth inserts. The rear bench was fitted with replacement foam, and its original vinyl covers were updated with houndstooth inserts to match the front seat. Replacement black carpeting was applied over sound-deadening material on Auto Metal Direct floor pans and a Hurst transmission tunnel. The headliner and dash pad also were replaced. Rear seatbelts are fitted, but the front belts have not been installed. The motors for the heater and the windshield wipers are seized, the horn and the radio are not connected, the glovebox does not stay shut and lacks a lining, and the door cards have been cut for speakers.
A Grant GT steering wheel is affixed to a GM-style tilting column. A Lokar shifter (part number MSL6B2) is topped by a Moroso T-handle knob.
The Holley Pro Dash touchscreen gauge display is shown above in one of its selectable settings, and the unit is housed in an AutoMeter bezel. Its digital odometer shows 10 miles, and true chassis mileage is unknown.
The driver’s footwell features a Chrysler 300 by-wire gas pedal, a Wilwood brake-pedal pad, and a Wilwood clutch pedal. The foot switch for the high-beam headlights is not secured. A rubber button to operate the windshield washers is also located in this area.
The battery has been relocated to the forward portion of the trunk compartment. The patterned mat has been replaced, and rust is noted in the trunk floor.
A seller-provided three-page list of the components used in the build is viewable in the photo gallery. The document lists the equipment mentioned above and more.
Accompanying spare parts are shown above, and the seller’s video also mentions a variety of spares that are included in the sale.
The fender tag indicates that the vehicle is a Canada-market (C) Dodge Dart two-door hardtop (LL23) that left the factory in Windsor, Ontario, Canada (R) equipped with a 318ci V8 featuring a two-barrel carburetor (E44) along with a light-duty automatic transmission (D34). The tag also reveals that the car was originally finished in Top Banana (FY1) over bench seats upholstered in black vinyl with white and black cloth inserts (A1X9).
The vehicle is being sold on its Alberta registration, which serves as the ownership document in Alberta, Canada.