Frank Smith’s 1962 Dodge Dart Draggin’ Wagon
While planning a trip to New Mexico to purchase a semi-basket case '68 Charger ( I bought a
new one in '68 for less money than the wrecking yard model ) Gary Bradshaw said I should take a
look at a Dodge over in Irving, also in a wrecking yard. Being a big fan of wagons in the Super Stock
wars it didn't take long to make the deal. Besides, I drove a '62 Dart to the senior prom.
It wasn't exactly a basket case but it did have about 2 wheel barrow loads of Oklahoma sand in any
part that still had a bottom to it. When I got called to the tower for dumping dirt at the starting line
at Red Line I told them it was traction compound.
Ten months after its arrival at MPAR it was on the track, and at thirteen months it had a
bright shiny new paint job.
The power plant is a very conservative 440 pump gas motor engineered to go round after
round with near zero maintenance, topped off with a Carter AFB an performer intake, exhausted
through Hedman headers into 3 inch tubing with x-pipe and really small mufflers. The power takes
to the pavement through a 4.56 spool and M/T slicks with Weld wheels on all 4 corners.
Best E.T. to date is 12.68 in the 1/4 and 7.97 in the 1/8 th. Not a bad way to start.
This project would not have been this successful with out the help of these special friends- Mike
Miller for eliminating the rust and giving the body man a great place to start and all the add-ons
through the building process, Les Adams for another stout transmission, ad a tough, reliable power
plant; my sponsers Express Collision Repair and TaylorMade Graphics and Signs, and Gary Bradshaw
for leading me to the wagon and finding the right parts to make this a fun and enjoyable ride.
Who says ugly cars can't be pretty.
Frank Smith, Owner