The Dodge 440 was a mid-size car marketed by Dodge from 1962 to 1964. It began as the upmarket trim of the Dodge Dart and then became a separate model, sitting between the cheaper 330 and the top Polara in the Dodge range.
Dodge 440 at a glance
| Class | mid-size car |
|---|---|
| Production | 1962-1964 |
| First version | Dart 440, an upmarket Dart trim |
| Wheelbase | 116 in (1962); 119 in (1963-1964) |
| Standard engine | 225 cu in slant-six, 145 hp |
| Optional engines | 318, 361, 383 and 426 cu in V8s |
| Body styles | 2- and 4-door sedan, 2- and 4-door hardtop, convertible, station wagon |
| Position in range | between the Dodge 330 and the Dodge Polara |
| Replaced by | Dodge Polara for 1965 |
| Canadian version | Polara 440, 1965-1966 |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Dodge 440.
History of the Dodge 440
For 1962 the 440 was a trim level of the Dodge Dart rather than a model in its own right. The Dart 440 added backup lights and exterior mouldings to the equipment of the Dart and Dart 330. It was available as a four-door sedan, two- and four-door hardtop, two-door convertible and four-door station wagon, all on the 116-inch wheelbase shared with the Dart, Dart 330 and Polara 500. Standard power came from the 225 cu in slant-six with 145 hp; Dodge claimed 24.1 mpg at a steady 40 mph for that engine. V8 options ran from the 318 and 361 to the 383 and the 426 in single and dual four-barrel form, and power seats cost 96 dollars.
From 1963 the 440 was separated from the new, smaller Dart range and became a model of its own. It moved to a 119-inch wheelbase shared with the 330 and Polara and was offered as a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, two-door hardtop and four-door station wagon. During 1963 and 1964 it was the mid-range Dodge, with less chrome and a plainer interior than the top-trimmed Polara.
The 440 disappeared after 1964. For 1965 the 440, the 330 and the 880 were all replaced by the Polara, which moved to the new C-body with a 121-inch wheelbase; the 426 engine was no longer offered in full-size Dodges. The name did not vanish completely: 440 stayed on as a trim level of the Dodge Coronet. In Canada the mid-priced big Dodge was marketed as the Polara 440 for 1965 and 1966. The number referred to a trim level, not to an engine: the 440 cu in V8 did not appear in cars until 1967.
Design and features
- Trim-turned-model: started in 1962 as the best-equipped Dart and became a separate Dodge a year later.
- Straight-six economy: the standard 225 slant-six was quoted at 24.1 mpg at a steady 40 mph.
- Wide V8 choice: from the 318 up to the 426 in single and dual four-barrel form.
- Plainer than the Polara: less chrome and a simpler interior marked its mid-range position.
Dodge 440 versions
- Dart 440 (1962): the upmarket Dart trim with extra lights and mouldings.
- Dodge 440 (1963-1964): the separate mid-range model on the 119-inch wheelbase.
- Station wagon: offered in 1962 and again in 1963-1964.
- Polara 440 (Canada, 1965-1966): the Canadian name for the mid-priced big Dodge.
The 440 sat below the Dodge Polara and was replaced by it in 1965, while its cheaper stablemate was the Dodge Coronet-based 330. More Dodge models are in the Dodge collection.
Sources
- Dodge 440, English Wikipedia: trim levels, engines, wheelbases, end of production
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