How common is this option on 69 340 swinger?

Rare in any A-body. And only available in A-bodies.

Don't know if there is a 69 Dart production report.

But there is one for 68 barracuda. I don't have access to it right now. But IIRC its really low.

tell us more about the dart...

I knew of a EV2 69 Swinger 340 with fast ratio bought from the orginal woman owner. She had the fast ratio removed early on because it was too hard to steer in the city (Los Angeles area)

The dart belongs to my good friend Phil. He bought the dart new upon his return from Vietnam. B5 with B7 bench interior 4 speed 42k mile original everything. Car is also coded for redline tires and wheel lip moldings, stripe delete too!Pic was taken after we delivered it to a close friend for full resto. Car was in storage for 25+ years. Spent many weekends at Muncie Dragway. Best ET 13.40's with headers and slicks. Bought new at Western Dodge in Marion Indiana same as my A 12 bee and just days apart.

How many turns lock to lock on a fast ratio box? Any external markings on the box?

3.6 turns for fast steering compared to 5.3 for standard. The boxes are the same. The longer length of the arm is what makes it "fast".

See this.

This is always confusing...

The factory longer length arm deal is for power steering fast ratio. This was optional on 70 TA/AAR's, 71 340 cars, and standard on 71 340 power steering cars built after March? of 1971. 70-71 E-body only on certain models/combinations. It's roughly equivalent to 12.7:1 ratio and it's 2.8 turns to 1.

The manual steering 16:1 fast ratio was done by the gearing in the box itself. Optional on 65? to 69 A-bodies only. It's 3.6 turns to 1

Modification-wise you can put a repro power steering arm with the appropriate output spline diameter on a manual steering box. Some of the aftermarket resellers like PST advertise this. On a std manual 24:1 box the net turns lock to lock will be 3.6 to 1.

Longer pitman arms interfere with all off the shelf A-body head-pipes for manifolds and headers except for Schumacher Tri-Y big block and Spitfire Tri-Y headers.

"The dart belongs to my good friend Phil. He bought the dart new upon his return from Vietnam. B5 with B7 bench interior 4 speed 42k mile original everything. Car is also coded for redline tires and wheel lip moldings, stripe delete too!Pic was taken after we delivered it to a close friend for full resto. Car was in storage for 25+ years. Spent many weekends at Muncie Dragway. Best ET 13.40's with headers and slicks. Bought new at Western Dodge in Marion Indiana same as my A 12 bee and just days apart."



If your friend Phil has the time, it would be a nice addition to the members projects and survivors page.