Although not what anyone would call a “survivor,” Stephen Ruiz’s 1969 Dodge Dart GT has a very unique bit of history on its own. In an article published to Classic Industries’ own website, the Dart was purchased originally by his grandparents, Stephen inherited the Dart in 1985 when his grandfather passed away. The car was immaculate back then too – despite the Dart’s “leaning tower of power” Slant-6, having never been rebuilt.

In fact, that’s the “special something” we’re talking about. Even being driven today, the ’69 Dart GT brandishes an impressive 428,139 miles on the odometer (at the time of Classic Industries’ photoshoot) – all without a single rebuild. Classic writes, “Stephen tells us it hasn’t even been opened up at all. This 6-cylinder has simply been maintained consistently and well-cared-for.”

The same cannot be said for the rest of the car. Since 1985, the Dart has been stripped down, straightened and repainted back to its original F8-code shade of dark green, as well as fitted with new chrome bumpers, trim, grille, and lighting. Stephen threw in a set of period-correct chrome Cragar wheels. Inside the Dart received some attention too, including reupholstering the original-style bucket seats that came with the GT package to black.

According to Classic Industries, “Stephen still daily-drives his grandparents’ car, and stops by our Retail Showroom when he needs maintenance parts to keep it running smoothly. [He] also owns several other classic cars, including a Buick Grand National and another 1969 Dart which was built into a pro-street monster with a staggering 1,600 horsepower. We’ve already admired his Buick, and hope to see the race car next time he’s on the way to the track.”