The main focus of the annual Chicago Auto Show is production vehicles and modern concept cars, including the power-packed Dodge display, and there is also a classic concept car on display that will be of interest to Dodge fans. As part of the Klairmont Kollections display in the McCormick Place North Hall, the 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger 340 Concept is a cool piece of brand history.

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The fourth generation of the Dodge Dart, which began with the 1967 model year, was the budget muscle car of the brand when compared to the likes of the Charger or Coronet. In 1968, the Dart was offered with the legendary 426 HEMI^® engine in race-only form, but in 1969, you could get the small Dodge muscle car with the 440-cubic-inch big block V8. The Dart from the late-1960s doesn’t get the same level of respect as the Charger, but it was a very popular model back then, both as a performance car and as an affordable daily driver for the general public.

Seeing the interest in the sporty, affordable Dodge Dart, the brand teamed up with Detroit’s Alexander Brothers to create a sporty concept version of their popular small car for the 1969 Chicago Auto Show. That car was the 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger 340 Concept and what makes it so unique is that, unlike most concept cars, it was not destroyed, disassembled or absorbed into a corporate collection. Instead, it was sold to a collector and, over the past few years, showed up in the high-profile collector’s auction scene. Through those channels, the deep red Dart concept landed in the Klairmont Kollections and thanks to that non-profit museum, it is on display at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show.

Dodge Dart Swinger 340 Concept Features

The Dodge Dart Swinger 340 Concept is powered by the 340-cubic-inch V8 mated to a 4-speed manual transmission, with power steering and power brakes improving drivability. On the inside, it features bucket seats, a radio delete plate and a wood-rimmed steering wheel, in addition to the familiar chrome Hurst shifter. While the interior looked a bit different than any factory 1969 Dart, the big differences were on the outside.

Up front, the Dodge Dart Swinger 340 Concept had large, rectangular headlights with small, circular driving lights mounted in the middle of the custom chrome grille. This is a huge departure from the production front end of the 1969 Dart, with circular headlights and a grille design with horizontal bars. The front end of the concept also benefited from the unique – and surprisingly non-functional – custom hood scoop.

Along the sides, the 1969 Dart Swinger 40 Concept wears Ansen Sprint slotted aluminum wheels for the classic race-ready look and the chrome flip-up gas door of the Dodge Charger, but the biggest difference was out back.

Rather than bolting on a unique spoiler and calling it a day, the designers created a uniquely sculpted tail with an integrated spoiler that flows down into the rear section of the quarter panels. This gives the car a very different shape from the production models, which tapered down toward the taillight panel. The taillight panel itself is also very different, with a recessed area and custom elongated taillight lenses stretching across the rear end. For those who aren’t sure, the production ’69 Dart had small, stacked taillights on the outer edge of the rear end, which was flush with the downward-facing portion of the trunk lid.

Finally, this gorgeous concept car was painted dark metallic red with a black tail stripe that was a popular option on many classic Dodge models.