1966 to 1967 Dodge Chargers

Burton Bouwkamp wrote: “The Chrysler turbines had reached the point where production would be practical, and the decision to make a special, limited-production turbine car with different styling was reached. Tom Golec, supervisor of car development, said that low-volume tooling for a 500-vehicle production run had already been ordered, and a no-slip clutch unit was developed (but not used because of its cost). The project, for whatever reason, was cancelled, and the special body became the Charger (but with a different grille).”

The Charger body was based on the Coronet, but with a fastback roofline and unique (if similar) front clip that resembled the Coronet, but had retractable headlights, giving the car a sporty look. A round Charger crest was featured in the center of the convex grille, and the Charger name was spelled in block letters across the full length of the single, full-width tail-light. The rear bucket seats - unusual at the time - folded forward individually - also unusual. The instrument panel was actually unique to the Charger (unlike the current Magnum/Charger), featuring four large, round pods directly in front of the driver (like the new Charger). Both sticks and automatics got a floor shifter in a full-length console between the front seats.

The Charger came standard with a sturdy 318 V-8, then still new and producing 230 hp (gross; about 170 net?) at 4,400 rpm. The 2bbl 361 and 4bbl 383 were also options; the Hemi came in mid-year. The 318 Charger came standard with a 3 speed manual, and the bigger engines came with either a 4 speed manual (with Sure-Grip differential) or the Torqueflite automatic.

1966 Dodge ChargerThe 1966 Dodge Charger was introduced on New Year’s Day, and it didn’t take long for the 1967 model to replace it, with few changes. The 318 lost 55 pounds of weight without any disadvantage; the 361 was replaced by a mild two-barrel 383; and the 440 Magnum became available with 375 hp. Trim was upgraded, with new chrome and fender-mounted turn signals, as well as a new center section in front and optional split seats. The Charger had all the Coronet 500 luxury features, and both years had fold-flat rear seats, for 7 feet of cargo area, as well as a tachometer and full instrumentation. More serious options included a heavy duty suspension with stabilizer bar, towing package, and big 11 inch front disc brakes. This generation weighed about 3,600 pounds and rode a 117 inch wheelbase, with a 75 inch width, 204 inch length, and 54 inch height; it took 41 feet to turn around.



The Charger did very well on the NASCAR circuit, winning the manufacturer's championship, but sales were poor, with only 37,344 1966 Chargers sold, a mere 468 with the 426 Hemi engine (which sold for about 1/3 of the car's base price!). In its second year, a mere 15,000 were sold, including 118 Hemis.
1968 Dodge Chargers - thanks, Jamie Kittrell and Ron Hansen
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The restyling of the 1968 Dodge Charger was the main reason for its sales success, since the 440 Magnum and Hemi were already available in 1967, and sales were dismal. The new "Coke bottle" look made the Charger one of the best-looking muscle cars, with many considering it the best-looking performance car of the 1960s. The base drivetrain remained identical with the 318 on the bottom end.



1968 dodge charger

The model line up expanded to include the Charger R/T, equipped like the Coronet R/T - it came with a 440 Magnum, heavy duty suspension and brakes, and the bulletproof Torqueflite 727 3 speed auto with a 4 speed manual optional. The rear bumblebee stripes were a deletable option. Hemi sales went up to 467, still quite small.

Dodge was understandably torn between the usual annual styling changes and not wanting to mess with a good thing; they made minor changes to the grille as a compromise. The 1968 has a chrome bumper under the grille, the 1969 has a chrome center divider in the grille, and the 1970 has a rectangular chrome bumper around the grille.


The 1968 Dodge Charger

At its Chicago unveiling, Dodge general manager Robert B. McCurry declared the second-generation Charger a full-sized sports car featuring semi-fastback design and "jet-age aerodynamic styling." The new Charger was very different from the fastback introduced in 1966. The "wedge-form" design placed styling emphasis over the rear wheels with the design tapering forward to convey a forward thrusting look. A recessed backlight was added for improved visibility and curved sides and gauges canted to the driver hinted of aircraft cockpit styling.

The 117 inch wheelbase Charger featured a longer, lower hood line and a wind spoiler that was part of the rear deck. Headlights were set in the grille and concealed by an eyelid type of door that automatically moves up and out of the way when the lights are turned on. The grille had a bright aluminum moulding.

Simulated wastegates in the hood and body sides, a large quick-fill gas cap located aft on the quarter panel, and bumper mounted parking lights were also performance cues.

A new special performance model, the Charger R/T (Road and Track), was added to the lineup. This new model was equipped with the high performance 440 cubic inch V-8 heavy duty suspension and brakes, dual exhausts and wide tread tires, as well as "bumble bee" stripes across the rear deck and down the quarter panels.

Charger's six passenger interior featured front bucket seats with an optional center cushion console. A rallye clock and the addition of convenient map pockets on both doors were new for 1968.



interior of 1968 Dodge Charger

(Note: This is apparently a 1969, not 1968, Charger.)

The standard engine in the Charger was the 318 cubic inch V-8. Options included the 383 cubic inch two barrel V8, the 426 Hemi, and the 440 Magnum.

New safety features included a glove box door hinged at the top so that it could fall open and downward. All window crank knobs were made of soft plastic formed into a tulip shape to yield in the event of impact.

The top of the front seat back incorporates a corrugated section metal structure covered by a pad of energy-absorbing foam. Instrument panel padding has also been extended around the lower portion of the dash for added leg and knee protection. Federally mandated side marker lights are located at the front and rear of the Charger. Fold down front seats will offer manually operated seat back latches to prevent any forward pitch.

Other standard safety features include recessed instrument panel ashtrays and a power window safety lockout, and a child protection feature which requires the ignition switch to be turned to either the on or accessory side for power switches to be activated. Optional safety equipment included front seat head restraints, lap belts for center seat passengers, shoulder belts for front and rear outboard passengers, padded steering wheel, and rear window defogger.

The 1968 Charger came in a choice of six interior and 17 exterior colors. In 1968, three out of every four Chargers had a vinyl top.

Total production of the 1968 Charger was 96,100, far outpacing projected sales of 35,000 units. Production at the Hammtramack, Michigan plant was tripled and a Charger production line was added at St. Louis, Missouri. The Charger accounted for 16 percent of Dodge car sales in 1968, and ran 460 percent higher than in 1967.
1969 Dodge Charger

interior of a Plymouth Sport SatelliteMopaully wrote that MoPar Muscle Feb/Mar 1991 listed the following 1969 production figures: 392 Charger 500s, 67 Hemi 500s, 433 Daytonas with 440, 70 Daytonas with Hemi. Sales were already down, though, with only 69,000 built - still double the 1966 sales.

The Charger was left virtually untouched, and for good reason. They added a center grille divider, and recessed taillights. The backup lights moved to below the rear bumper.

The Charger 500, with a Coronet grille and a flush rear window, was built by Creative Industries; 500 were sold in accordance with NASCAR rules. The main reason for the Charger 500 was to eliminate aerodynamic problems that hurt it in comparison to Ford's lower-power but more slippery racing models. Chrysler had an ace up their sleave, though: the product of extensive wind tunnel testing, the Charger Daytona included a massive rear spoiler and an aero nose. No other car could match it for top speed (200 mph), with its standard 440 and optional Hemi. Its looks, notable today, were not appreciated in 1969.

The slant six was actually added to the range — or this year, though only about 500 were sold. Slant-powered Chargers, if left unmodified, would have been fairly slow (even modified, they had quite a bit of weight to push around).



1969 Dodge Charger photos
Richard Bowman wrote: (courtesy of the Walter P. Chrysler Club)

1969 charger carsFor 1969, Dodge refined Charger with a new grille and tail light treatment to bolster the sporty image, new vinyl roof treatments and exterior colors, and engineering innovations from seat tilt adjusters and easier rear door lock buttons to improved brake adjusters.

A new optional Special Edition decor group for Charger and Charger R/T models was added. It featured leather bucket seats, wood grain steering wheel, and wood grain inserts on the instrument panel.



These cars were identified by SE name plates on the roof pillars. The Special Edition package also included bright trimmed pedals, deep dish wheel covers, and a light group including time delay ignition light and hood mounted turn signal indicators.

Dodge had a Charger for the Scat Pack: the Charger 500, with a slanted rear window (to be flush with the trailing edge of the rear window pillars, for a substantial aerodynamic advantage). The basic Charger and Charger R/T have a "tunnel roof" and the rear window is slanted less. The grille is flush mounted instead of recessed to improve air flow and the headlights are fixed instead of concealed as in the Charger and Charger R/T. The 500 was powered by the 426 cubic inch Hemi engine. The Charger 500 was built to a NASCAR requirement to allow Chargers to race on the stock car circuit. (Flush mounting provided a tremendous aerodynamic advantage which was to culminate in the Charger Daytona.) At the other end of the spectrum, Dodge also built about 225 slant six Chargers for those desiring economy in a sporty looking package.

For 1969, an even wider array of vinyl top choices were offered including tan, green, black, and white.

Charger's appearance in 1969 was enhanced by the use of a divided grille with six functional air vents in the divider piece resembling dual intakes. Near wall to wall rectangular tail lights which were recessed replaced the dual, round projecting lights used on the 1968s. These lights are surrounded by a black insert as they were in 1968.

Standard engine for 1969 was the 318 cubic inch V-8 producing 230 horsepower (gross). The six cylinder was the 225 cubic inch, 145 horsepower (gross) slant six. Two optional 383s were offered with either a two or four barrel carburetor set up producing 290 and 330 horsepower respectively. In the Charger R/T, which accounted for 21 percent of 1968 Charger sales, the 440 C.I.D. Magnum, 375 H.P. power plant was standard and the 426 C.I.D., 425 H.P. Hemi was optional.

A high rate suspension, including sway bar, was standard. The R/T and 500 models had special handling suspension package which inclined heavy duty torsion bars, heavy duty shocks, extra heavy duty rear springs and sway bar. The long list of options included automatic speed control, front disc brakes, tachometer, rear window defogger, AM, AM/FM, and A M/Stereo Tape radios.

The Charger's wheelbase remained at 117 inches, overall length was 208 inches, width 76.6 inches, and height 53.2 inches.

Dodge also built the Dodge Charger Daytona to take back the NASCAR limelight. The Daytona featured a wind cheating billet-shaped front cap instead of the standard grille, hidden headlamps, front spoiler, flush backlight, and a huge rear deck spoiler, to make it 20% more wind-efficient than the already-good Charger 500 — while putting more downward force on the back tires at high speed. Dodge built 505 Charger Daytonas, just enought to beat the NASCAR 500 unit minimum to qualify as a production model. Standard engine in the Daytona was the 440 cubic inch V-B, the 426 Hemi was optional. The Daytona's first outing at Talladega, Alabama was successful. Piloted by Richard Brickhouse, the Daytona won handily. Charger also won at the Daytona 500 driven by Bobby Isaac. Dodge won 22 Grand National races that season, but the NASCAR manufacturers trophy went to Ford.

1969 production totaled 69,000 Chargers.
1970 Dodge Chargers


For 1970, the Charger received only minor changes, except for the 500 model, now not needed for racing with the Daytona and Superbird making speed. The Charger's overall length increased by one inch. The model lineup was revised now being topped by the Charger R/T, then the Charger 500, and the Charger. The least expensive Charger came with a bench front, while all the others came with bucket seats. The 500 was now a dressed up base model with the 318 as standard equipment; the SE package was still available, but only with the redesigned (optional) bucket seats. Unlike other Chrysler intermediates, the Charger did not have 15" wheels.

New features for the 1970 Charger included a front bumper which completely encircled the grille and new full width tail lights. Also new far 1970 was the Federally mandated ignition switch buzzer to remind drivers not to leave their keys in the car. The R/T got simulated scoops on the door, and a longitudal stripe instead of the rear bumblebee stripes.

Engine options remained the same, except for the addition of the hot 440 6 pack (three double-barrel Holley carbs monted on an Edelbrock intake manifold).

Total Charger production for 1970 was 49,768 vehicles, of which 10,337 were Charger R/Ts. Volume was still very high compared with the 1966-67 models but just a bit over half of the 1968 peak. It should be noted, of course, that the Charger was very similar in design to several other Dodges, and was at heart a retuned, restyled Coronet; and that Plymouth had its own versions of the Charger and Daytona.

The standard Charger came with the 225 slant-six or 318 V8, neither of which was a barnstormer in the big car. The standard transmission was a three-on-the-tree manual. The interior had a vinyl bench seat, deep-pile carpet, three-spoke steering wheel with a separate horn ring, heater/defroster, cigarette lighter, self-adjusting brakes, fiberglass belted tires, heavy duty suspension (using torsion bars and a front sway bar), rear bumper guards, concealed headlights, and quick-fill gas cap. The parking brake was foot activated.

The Charger 500 added vinyl bucket seats, a clock, and wheel-lip mouldings. The R/T made the clock optional but added the 440 V8 with four-barrel carb and dual exhaust; automatic; heavy duty drum brakes; F70 14 inch wheels with white sidewall tires; the R/T handling package; simulated walnut instrument panel; three-speed wipers; and a bumblebee or longitudinal stripe.

The Charger SE was more of a luxury package and had leather and vinyl front bucket seats, a simulated walnut steering wheel, pedal dress-up, lighting group, deep-dish wheel covers, simulated walnut instrument panel, and vinyl map pockets.

Options included air conditioning, cruise, front center cushion with fold-down armrest (for bucket seats), headlight time delay, locking gas cap, luggage rack on the rear deck lid, sunroof, left remote control mirror, right side mirror, power brakes, steering, and winddows, rear seat speaker, a variety of AM and FM radios (with an optional stereo with 8-track player and three speakers, all in the instrument panel), rear shoulder belts, rear window defogger, six-way manually adjustable driver's bucket seat, three-speed wipers, tinted glass, and hood insulation. There were also numerous appearance options. Performance options included the 383 (two and four barrel) engines, the 440 Six-Pack (R/T only), the 426 Hemi (again, R/T only; with two four-barrel carbs), automatic, four-speed manual transmission with Hurst shifter (the only way to get a manual with the R/T, and available only with the four-barrel 383, the 440, and the Hemi), floor-mounted three-speed stick (383 four-barrel only), Sure Grip differential, tachometer, front power disc brakes, heavy-duty drums, trailer towing package, axle packages, and XHD Rallye suspension (R/T suspension).
1971 - 1974 Dodge Chargers (by Jamie Kittrell)

1971 brought a restyled Charger with a Pontiac-like grille and high beltline. Styling covered a two inch shorter wheelbase and three inch shorter length (see stats).



The six Dodge Charger models in 1971 included a base, hardtop, 500, SE, R/T, and Super Bee, a Road Runner imitation which became Dodge's street racer. It replaced the Coronet Super Bee with a standard 300HP 383 and floor mounted 3 speed manual. Optional engines were the 440 six pack and the 426 hemi.

1971 dodge chargerThe top of the line was the Charger R/T with its standard 440 Magnum V8 rated at 370 HP. Optional were the 440 six pack and 426 hemi. The R/T used the same hood and tape side treatment as the Super Bee, but two additional stripes on each door simulated vents.

The base V8, the 318 engine was still rated at 230 horsepower, gross, in 1971, with its normal Carter two-barrel carburetor; in 1972, that would change to 150 horsepower, net, at 4,000 rpm. That would continue to be the 318's horsepower rating for some years to come. The base-base engine, the reliable but under-tuned slant six, continued to put out 145 gross horsepower in 1971, as it nearly always had; in 1972, when they changed to net ratings, the figure dropped to 110 horsepower. The 318, through its life, generally had a Carter two-barrel which was good for reliability and economy, while the slant six breathed through a single-barrel Holley; in both cases, the engines can "wake up" by doubling the number of barrels and making appropriate, relatively minor changes.

1971 proved to be the last full performance Charger. From 1972 to 1973 the performance model was the Rallye, with an optional, detuned 440 engine putting out a still-substantial 280 horsepower (net) with a four-barrel carburetor, five main bearings, and hydraulic lifters. In 1974, the rating went down slightly to 275 horsepower.

Added by Allpar based on materials from JACumbo (including the photos): Dodge advertising for the Charger R/T noted its “styled road wheel with chromed trim ring,” Ramcharger hood, and standard tachometer; more to the point, they pointed to the 440 Magnum engine with dual bright-tip exhaust, extra-heavy-duty suspension, full instrumentation, and vinyl bucket seats with built in head restraint. “The windshield wipers are hidden. Concealed headlights are optional. So is a little device that washes them with a brush. Still, it’s the way it all goes together that counts. Balance. The extra leaf in the right rear spring to handle the torque. Easily adjustable torsion bars, heavy-duty brakes...Standard.” The hood came with a blackout treatment; other standard features included a glove box lamp and lock, 150 mph speedometer, oil pressure gauge, simulated wood grain on the doors and dash, high rate torsion bars, heavy-duty shocks, extra heavy duty rear springs, and sway bar. Fourteen inch tires concealed 11” x 3” front and 11” x 2.5” rear brakes. The TorqueFlite automatic, acknowledged as being no street-racing handicap, was also included.
1971 dodge charger super bee dodge charger pictures - 1971 R/T



The Charger Super Bee came with a standard 383 Magnum engine that drank regular gas, a heavy duty suspension and brakes with 14 inch wheels, and a floor-mounted manual transmission synchronized in all three forward speeds. The hood got the blackout treatment, the interior got the simulated woodgrain and full instrumentation with 150 mph speedometer, the brakes were the same as in the R/T, and carpet and dual exhaust were included.
1971-1974 Dodge Charger specifications
Name 1971-74 1975-77 2006 Engine HP Available
Wheelbase 115” 115 120 225 100-105 1971-76
Length 205” 216 200 318 150 or 230* 1971-78
Height 53” 52 58 340 240 1972-73
Weight 3,460 lb 3,786 lb 3,800 - 4,041 lb 360 155-245 1974-78
Headroom, front/rear 37”/36” 38 / 37 39/36 383 2V 275* 1971
Legroom, front/rear 42”/34” 43 / 32 42/40 383 4V 300* 1971
Cargo volume 14.2 cubic feet 16.3 c.f. 16.2 cubic feet 400 2V 190 1972-73
Turning circle 38.3 feet 41.1 feet 400 4V 250 1972-74
426 425 1971
440 4V 275-280 or 370* 1971-75
* Gross horsepower 440 6V 330 1971-72
1973: Suspension redesign and quiet interior (by Tannon Weber)

The suspension redesign for 1973, advertised as being quieter than previous years and one of the quietest coupes ever, continued into the body change of 1975. Much of the unibody remained the same from 1973 through 1979 under the skin, so suspension, drive train, and the bulk of the front part of the exhaust systems are compatible if not outright interchangeable. My father has a beautiful 1973 Charger SE with a 1979 300 center console that was installed for the armrest for comfort on long trips, and everything on the transmission tunnel just fit stock to the later year console.

Some people have used parts from other bodies and years; one guy swapped the front subframe out of a Cordoba into his Charger when it needed replacing, another guy put an 8.75" rear off of a Satellite into his Magnum. I've put headers and polyurethane suspension bushings into my Cordoba; the headers were specifically listed for 1971 through 1974 Charger/Satellite on the info that came with them, and the bushings were the same kit that my father used on his 1973 Charger in front, the rear difference only being the front oval spring eye on the Cordoba. That Charger enjoys torsion bars, front sway bar, and 12" front rotors and caliper mounts off of a 1981 Dodge St. Regis police interceptor. The R bodies continued to use the same suspension setup as the 1973 and newer B bodies, so factory police suspension components are sometimes in wrecking yards, and they bolt right in.

The only kit-style performance upgrade that I can’t use from the pre-1975 Charger is the full dual exhaust system out to the back, as the fuel tank was positioned over against the driver’s side frame rail instead of centered. I'd have to either modify the trunk floor to move the tank over, or go with a smaller gas tank if I wanted to go with a pre-existing full exhaust system.
Dodge Charger SE (1975-78)

1975 brought the Charger SE, a clone of the Chrysler Cordoba; even its front clip (grille, headlights, and bumpers) was nearly identical to the early Cordobas. The Charger SE offered a huge amount of standard equipment and had a standard 360 engine, which was more substantial than the past base slant six and 318 and, to a degree, made up for the loss of the 440. The 360 pumped out 180 net horsepower with its standard two barrel carburetor; a four barrel version was available with 200 horsepower, and a 400 engine had 190 horsepower at 4,200 rpm. These engines were from the same family as the old 440 and 383.

In 1978, it was replaced by the Dodge Magnum, which was, save mainly for its rectangular-themed front clip, identical to the Charger SE. The Charger name would later adorn a barnstorming version of the Dodge Omni which was to its 1980s brethren roughly what the 1960s-70s Magnum was to its peers.
1965 Dodge Chargers (Mike Sealey and Jeff Chong)

There was a 1965 Dart produced in small numbers with the "Charger 273" name. 180 were made at the factory, and 300 kits were made available to be dealer-installed. It was based on a Dart GT either as a hardtop or convertible and all of them were yellow with a black top and interior, with the Hi-Po 273, 13X6 Cragar mag wheels, and special Charger emblems. These cars do not show up in the Standard Catalog of Chrysler, which notes that the 273 had 180 gross horsepower at 4,200 rpm in that year (with five main bearings, hydraulic lifters, and a Carter two-barrel carburetor). At about 2700 pounds, the A-body-based Dart was probably pretty quick with the 273.

As i have gone digital now , i have began to start planning to make a permanent track in my garage.
i have made a simple and basic plan of my track to set up in the garage.
i know this might seem like basic and boring layout at first but much more track shall be added to make
a really tricky yet fast track.

here are a few pic's of what my track looks like at the moment

Hi all,
i have changed my name from evilben to slaeen s7 (12.6.06) which is pretty cool
cheers ben