I am borderline retarded, dodge dart content...

So I have been looking for a new toy. I had a hankering for something older and American, to cruise around in and eventually resell. We'll yesterday this dodge dart popped up on craigslist, and long story short it is now parked in front of my house. It has 107k miles, cold a/c and it runs great.

The issue is tomorrow I am driving to braselton ga for the petit lemans at road Atlanta (325 miles one way). I was originally going to take my 1981 land cruiser but now that I have the dart I was thinking of taking it. The land cruiser is reliable but it tops out at about 60-ish (4-speed and 4.88 gears) and gets atrocious gas mileage. The dart rides better and would get better gas mileage (slant 6 225).

What does the brain trust say, I am leaning towards the dart. What could possibly go wrong taking a untested 40 plus year old car on a 750 mile trip....

Take a tool box. You'll be fine. Probably.

Got AAA or Better World Club or something to get towed to civilization if you need repairs involving parts?

Was the Dart being driven or just sitting before you got it? If it's been sitting, I'd be a little more concerned that something's been rotting away only to fail shortly after being pressed back into use (hoses, belts, water pump...)

Take the Dart. Not for fuel mileage or anything, just on principle.

The recently acquired Dart, I have had it 5 hours....

Land Cruiser...

Take a hammer, a flat head screwdriver and a pair of vice grips. There isn't anything on a slant 6 that can't be fixed with those.

If the car as run at all in the last year, drive it. If it's been sitting for years, I'd probably take something else.

I drive the Land Cruiser daily. The sller told me he did the same with the Dart. I drove it quite a bit today (40 miles or so) and nothing jumped out at me which is why I am considering it in the first place.

Ohh, pictures.

With that in the drive, there is no way I would drive the Land Cruiser, take the Dart.

That dart is FRESH. Take it.

Slant 6 Dart? I'd take that even if it had been sitting for the last 30 years.

Take the Dart. Take a spare ignition module (Standard LX101, don't buy the cheap ones), a spare ballast resistor, and some hand tools. Keep the ignition module and ballast resistor in the glove box. If you sell the car they stay in the glove box. Standard Mopar insurance package.

I think there's a GRM network anywhere in your 750 mile trip that can help if anything else hiccups.

That's purty. I think you need to drive that on looks alone.

Lovin that Cruiser too!

Needs moar 440 and 727.

Seriously though, both of those are friggin' sweet!

Keep the slant. Triple Weber side drafts or a Hyper-Pak

Take the Dart. It has to be taken on a shakedown run eventually, might as well be sooner than later.
You probably only need a screwdriver and four box end wrenches to fix anything on the car. A whole box of tools is certainly overkill.

Woody wrote: Take the Dart. Not for fuel mileage or anything, just on principle.

This. Great memories and stories rarely start with making the most rational decision.

Awesome aquisition by the way, definitly drive and enjoy it before winter gets here.

I'd drive the Dart. Make sure you have AAA and a tool kit. Looks like rain Thursday (60%chance), if that sways your decision. I like that both your cars are a similar color.

I am in Florida, Winter consists of 40 degree lows. I am leaning towards the Dart. One downside is that it only has the OEM AM radio which works perfectly. I have a battery powered boom box that I will set on the seat so I don't lose my mind listening to sports radio....

I am not worried about the rain, neither car is particularly fun in a downpour or is equipped with stellar brakes to begin with. They will both be piloted with some trepidation.

Woody wrote: Take the Dart. Not for fuel mileage or anything, just on principle.

Just so it is said again.

Classic mopar all the way. About the only thing can destroy a straight 6 dart is rust and you have that covered.

Take a small tool box and a radio and enjoy the drive.

In reply to pimpm3:

Ah, well then scratch that logic and just take the dart anyway.

I vote Dart and a tool box. And, none of that silly metric stuff. Real SAE stuff.

Looks like my grandmother's Dart. Hers has a 318, though. I think it's a '72 Swinger.

Oooh, just the right stance. I've liked that body style Dart since I was a teen and they were newish. Wanted one with that stance and Crager Klassics wheels.

Take the Dart and the mentioned tools/spares. Will be more comfortable.

Since there isn't a front shot I'm guessing 71-72? Is it beige or gold? I had a 74 in beige and my dad had a 72 in beige.