Why do some '70s Dodge Darts look like Plymouth Dusters ...

[MaximRecoil]

... while others look like late '60s Darts, even for the same years? For example, this is supposedly a 1976 Dart (looks like a Duster), but this is also supposedly a 1976 Dart (looks like a late '60s Dart). They are both 2-door pillarless coupes, so why do they have different body styles?

[Aero426]

The Dart Sport model has the Duster style body.

[Cooter]

For the same reason a Dodge "Demon" has a Dart front clip on a Duster body. Same reason mid 70's Plymouth Scamps had Dart rears with Duster front clips. Saved the factory in redoing sheet metal.

[Drache]

The Dart Sport model has the Duster style body.

This is the correct answer. There were two body styles for Darts in the later years.

[Kern Dog]

... while others look like late '60s Darts, even for the same years? For example, this is supposedly a 1976 Dart (looks like a Duster), but this is also supposedly a 1976 Dart (looks like a late '60s Dart). They are both 2-door pillarless coupes, so why do they have different body styles?

That orange Dart has a Duster/Valiant fender on it. The Dart fenders have a flatter slope at the trailing edge of the wheel opening.
The Demon and Dart Sport were built in response to the wildly successful 1970 Duster. There were no 1970 Demon models. The 70-76 Dart sedan/Hardtop models changed the rear edges of the quarter panels to a sloped design.

[rt green]

movie quote- how does the posi trac in the plymouth work? i don't know it just does-  Joe dirt. this just reminded me of that lol.

[MaximRecoil]

Are there any other vehicles that have different available body styles for the same model year while having the same body type (e.g. coupe, sedan, etc.) and model name? 

[Kern Dog]

?

[Mytur Binsdirti]

A ll you need to know is that a Dart is a Duster that looks like a Demon.

[Ponch ®]

Hence the confusion about Al Bundy's Dodge actually being a Duster in some episodes..

[HPP]

The Dart Sport model has the Duster style body.

Correct.  A regular Dart has the notchback window, but the Dart Sport has the semi-fastback Duster styling cues. I'm not sure when this happened, 73, maybe 74.

[Indygenerallee]

Yepper my 72 Dart Swinger has the 72 Demon (Duster variant) front sheetmetal, pretty slick how Ma Mopar swapped sheetmetal between the A bodies to save some cash!!!

[MaximRecoil]

?

What post are you replying to?

[MaximRecoil]

A ll you need to know is that a Dart is a Duster that looks like a Demon.

Some Darts look like Dusters (which look like Demons), but others (even from the same model years) look like late '60s Darts. Apparently the Dart Sport is the one that looks like a Duster; which is strange; you'd think they would have just called it a Demon. This results in the (unique?) situation of two cars of the same model year with the same model name (Dart) and same body type (pillarless hardtop / coupe) having significantly different sheet metal. "Sport" is normally an option package that doesn't affect the sheet metal; i.e., a 2001 Dakota Sport has the same sheet metal as a 2001 Dakota; and so on.

[Indygenerallee]

Dodge came under fire from religious groups on the "Demon" name thus from 73 on they were named Dart Sports. (and they had that attrocious front end)

[Kern Dog]

Are there any other vehicles that have different available body styles for the same model year while having the same body type (e.g. coupe, sedan, etc.) and model name? 

THIS one...
??

[MaximRecoil]

Are there any other vehicles that have different available body styles for the same model year while having the same body type (e.g. coupe, sedan, etc.) and model name? 

THIS one...
??

I'm asking if the case of the Dodge Dart vs. the Dodge Dart Sport is unique or not. Is there any other case from any car manufacturer where you can have two cars that are the same model year, the same body classification (e.g. 2 door coupe), and the same model name; yet have drastically different sheet metal (not counting the various bed options on pickup trucks)?

[hatersaurusrex]

Bundy's car is really a 72 Duster though, no?  At least in some episodes?

[Drache]

Bundy's car is really a 72 Duster though, no?  At least in some episodes?

It's always been a Duster yes. They just called it a Dodge Dart on the show.

[Kern Dog]

Lets look at the competition.
How about the early to mid 70s  GM X body cars: Nova, Apollo, Omega, Ventura.  Those were available in 2 door, 4 door and at least in the Nova, a HATCHback.
The Vega and Astre were either 2 door sedan, 2 door hatchback or 2 door station wagon. The VIN told the story of the body type, same as with the Chrysler.

Mopar A bodies are pretty simple, really. The addition of the Fastback Valiant in 1970 was in response to Plymouths loss of the A body Barracuda. Plymouth wanted a sporty fastback coupe but had a meager budget to make it happen. Published reports indicate that the design and production schedule of the 1970 Duster was unheard of in its time, especially considering the shoestring budget. Take away the roof and quarter skins of any Duster and the substructure is nearly identical to the 2 door Valiant model.
When the 1970 Duster became a runaway hit, Dodge executives wanted in on the action. The 1971 Demon was the result. The Demon was a styling compromise though, as the Dart fenders had front wheel openings that were different than those on the Duster. By late 1972, Dodge executives were tired of defending the "Demon" name and dropped the name in favor of "Dart Sport".
Theoretically, you could put a 67 Valiant front group on a 76 Dart Swinger. The interchangeability of the sheetmetal from 1967 to 1976 is amazing.

[MaximRecoil]

Lets look at the competition.
How about the early to mid 70s  GM X body cars: Nova, Apollo, Omega, Ventura.  Those were available in 2 door, 4 door and at least in the Nova, a HATCHback.
The Vega and Astre were either 2 door sedan, 2 door hatchback or 2 door station wagon. The VIN told the story of the body type, same as with the Chrysler.

There's nothing unusual about that. Sedans, hatchbacks, and station wagons are all different body classifications. On the other hand, an e.g. 1976 Dodge Dart and a 1976 Dodge Dart Sport can both be 2-door coupes (i.e., the same body classification), yet have drastically different sheet metal.

So, same model name (Dart), same model year (1976), same body classification (2-door coupe / pillarless hardtop), yet drastically different sheet metal. Is this a unique case in automotive history?

[Kern Dog]

I think that I understand now. You make an interesting point. I'm the guy on the right here......

[Ponch ®]

Bundy's car is really a 72 Duster though, no?  At least in some episodes?

It's always been a Duster yes. They just called it a Dodge Dart on the show.

actually they just called it "the Dodge". Most of the time they didn't show the front or rear (with a few exceptions, as in the pics above) and all they showed were the doors and roof, so it was easy to pass it off as a Dart.

[hatersaurusrex]

Are there any other vehicles that have different available body styles for the same model year while having the same body type (e.g. coupe, sedan, etc.) and model name?  

THIS one...
??

I'm asking if the case of the Dodge Dart vs. the Dodge Dart Sport is unique or not. Is there any other case from any car manufacturer where you can have two cars that are the same model year, the same body classification (e.g. 2 door coupe), and the same model name; yet have drastically different sheet metal (not counting the various bed options on pickup trucks)?

Well if all you're asking is for a slightly different model name (sport vs non) then I'd say the Wagoneers from the late 80's would have to be pretty close.  I know 'Grand' implies another class of vehicle, but then again so does 'Sport' for the most part.  

1990 Wagoneer:



1990 Grand Wagoneer:



They're even trimmed similarly