Dodge Dart Swinger, Similar to 1973 I owned
I was out running a work errand and as I was heading back to the office and at 580 to 80 West interchange, I saw a car sitting on the side of the road, the owner gas can in hand refilling the tank. Normally, I would have not paid any attention to the stranded motorist, but it was car that caught my attention.
It was a well maintained Dodge Dart Swinger (73 or 74). It brought back a rush of memories, especially the filling of the tank. The reason is the 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger was my first car and the gas gauge did not work. The Swinger name, introduced in 1969, was applied in 1970 to all Darts that had two-door and hardtop.
The Swinger was essentially a two-door Dart with styling similar to the four-door. Standard equipment included a vinyl front bench seats, simulated woodgrain, two-speed wipers, front armrests, deep pile carpet, dual horns. The Piece d'resistance was chocolate brown vinyl hardtop. You could see this 2,000 pound beast coming from a long distance.
I had this piece of 70s practical transportation from 1980 to 1984. The solid engine was easy to maintain and the car was twice hit when I owned it with little damage to the Swinger. These solid pieces of Detroit machinery totaled a motorcycle and Honda CVCC. The only downside was the gas gauge did not work, so I must have run out of gas at least 30 times. My buddy Denis and I got good at pushing it to a safe location, and I invested in a gas can. Actually, I swiped my dad’s can for the lawn mower and never returned it.
But the Swinger was awesome. We would cruise all over Alameda with up to seven high school kids with crammed into its bench seating. The trunk was huge; it could hold two ice chest or a keg. This car transported my friends and I to Santa Cruz, to the Valley and everywhere we could think of on a budget. Primarly the car served as a gathering spot for an instant party, behind the Alameda drive-in, out at Ratto farms, or hanging at South Shore Round Table. All three locations are now gone. We would park it in all the out of the way places we could find to hideout from the local po-lice. Those spots have been developed into mostly homes. So with all the memories flooding back it also brought back all the Bad Beer I drank in high school.
My buddy Denis had a mustache in High School that would rival any porn star. Purchasing alchol was never a problem it was always more about finances and choosing between gas and beer. The beer usually won out, thus pushing the car so often.
Here are the top Five bad Beers from bad to worst:
Number 5 – Hamm's is a poor man's Coors. Not much flavor and you have to drink a lot of them. A friends Dad kept them in the garage by the case, so access was easy.
Number 4 – Olympia had a resurgence in the 80s. This was my father's beer. Again easy access and the price was right. After a while I came to hate Olympia.Number 3 -- Burgie -- This was very cheap and plentiful at the Liquor Barn. A Big Box Liquor store that predated BevMo.
Number 2 – Schaefer -- Ahhhhh, this was truly shitty beer. This was used for shot-gunning beers and to drink when you were hanging with your closest friends.
Number 2 – Schaefer -- Ahhhhh, this was truly shitty beer. This was used for shot-gunning beers and to drink when you were hanging with your closest friends.
Number 1 – Generic (In the Yellow Can) -- Do I have to say anymore.
