1962 Dart Thoughts?

I have been out of the Mopar thing for awhile. Looking at 62 Darts or at least 60's B-bodies. I'm more of a patina but not rotten kind of a guy, fast, big and littles and drive it 2K a year kinda guy. Lay rubber after work and do a trip down the strip or two once in awhile. I have other hobbies as well. I have low interest in restoring a car to perfection just want a driver.

I know the 62 is a one year only. Is there any particular things to look for when purchasing one. Specific to that year? Any parts that you just can't find? Rough values on cars?

I am not opposed to getting a mid-60's or even late 60's car. Been doing the A body thing and thinking of moving over to B's.


Thank you for your thoughts and ideas.

defiantly a love it or hate it body. I like them myself. With the right color, stance, wheels, mean looking cars. As with any one year only car, get one as complete as possible. I would imagine parts would be hard to find or $$. Good luck!

Trim/stainless is going to be the hard part. None repopped. And, the higher end models, with more trim, will be the hardest of that to find.

I love the '62 Dart, especially the base Dart club sedan (2-door post). The love/hate relationship of these cars makes them a little less-desired and cheaper than some of the other early B's.

Rust is always an issue with these, even those that might not show rust in the common places might have it in the cowl above the drivers door upper hinge.

Black, Please! Makes young children and the unknowing immediately fearful and worried doom is upon them. :-)

Im after a builder or deal as well.
Ones on the East Coast are rotten $2500-3500 or restored /drag cars. Hard to find in between.
Ebay builders seem to be 7-10G
Came across a cool Red NHRA Class car for $35,000 NY. Prob be had for less
Maxie clones seem to be 45G
Mosher cars are over 50G

Another gu in Northern Jersey has a few and is selling some off to build another car.
Saw a nice original 440 come up in Idaho for like 9G...Definately petina but NO RUST!

I have seen a few out here in the west. I'm just doing research at this point. The 65-70 cars are a lot more common, but the 62 is more difficult. I haven't seen one locally ever, but then Klamath County isn't a hot bed for Mopars so to speak.

This one caught my attention.

62 Dodge Dart

That one looks like A LOT of fun.
I myself like the 62, would prefer a 63 ,,,but then again so do a lot of other poeple

to me the '62 dart is the mopar holy grail. I found and built a very nice '65 coronet, but the '62's are my fave with the '64 belvedere 2drhtp second.

Let's see, currently in 62's:
Polara 500 w/273 4spd (nice cruiser) (its in the member car section somewhere)
Polara 500 w/400 727
Polara 500 w/361 727
Polara 500 Vert, too far gone, sadly, seller said it had some rust, in that everything else had already rusted away.
Dart 440 2 dr stock 318 Auto
Dart 440 Wagon, Body shop went under and parked outside, maybe one day
Lancer GT just to have a baby dart around.
They are the ugliest mopars ever IMO, but like a train wreck, few can turn away.

'62s have a lot of unique parts; some are shared with '63s, some were used through the '65s. The cowl area & doors are '62-'63 only. Buy the best one you can find; the up-front cost will save you a lot of aggravation, delay and money later for the stuff that's not reproduced...which is, most of the car...

Something I have always heard said usually about other cars but it fits here, and that is "if you can afford a good_________, you really can't afford a bad one".

I've been cruising my catalogs etc. and there really isn't much reproduced that isn't an arm and a leg or just not made. I may have to do some more thinking on this and head for a more pedestrian year...

Some life advice here. Wait until you can get what you want.

Getting second best and spending time on it so you can eventually get what you want, doesn't work.

Life is not long enough, and you are working on something that is second best to you.

Thank you Sport F. That is the story of my mechanical life. Always building something, never what I really want etc.

I am actually in the process of simplifying my life so I can get what I want, and get rid of that which I don't.

Just finishing a two year build on a vehicle and it is fun, but takes a lot out of you or it can. Tons of work.

I'm not in a huge hurry, and would like to make a purchase on whatever it is that I build next in the fall or early winter.

I think of mine (just like the pic only gray) from time to time, got it in 73, a race car, had a 426 max with a spun bearing, $500. Ran it maybe a year and found my 64 Savoy, put the engine in it, now the Dart and a 55 Chevy are laying under 100 tons of dirt out behind the shop. Uglier than a 61 Plym but would like to have both back now.