DODGE CHARGER 1966-74
CHRYSLER SPARED NO EXPENSE IN COMING UP WITH A WORTHY COMPETITOR FOR THE PONTIAC GTO, AND IT WAS QUITE A GOER
Dodge released its first Charger late in 1965 as a rival to Pontiac’s GTO. Barrels of development money could have been saved by just adapting an existing model – as practically the whole US motor industry would have done – but the first Charger came with a unique fastback shape, special interior including a folding rear seat and concealed headlights.
At a time when most large US cars retained a separate body and chassis, the Charger used unitary construction and was 100kg lighter. With the 6.9-litre ‘Street Hemi’ V8 an option, it delivered more performance than any other full-sized US 1966 model.
Despite or perhaps because of the Charger’s spectacular shape, sales during its first two production years were disappointing and it took a complete makeover to unleash the model’s full potential.
The ‘cigar shape’ 1968 car maintained a fastback profile but with an inset rear window for improved rear vision. This change unwittingly created greater drag and problems for those who had been enjoying spectacular Nascar success with the previous model.
Although early cars could be found with a 3.7-litre six-cylinder engine, virtually every Charger to come to Australia would be V8-powered. Most popular was the 6.3-litre, 383 cubic inch version coupled to three-speed automatic transmission. Despite their weight and ever-improving performance, US cars were still hampered by a manufacturer belief that all-drum brakes were still perfectly adequate.
Front disc brakes were optional on basic cars and from 1968 became standard on the big-engined R/T. It came standard with a 280kW ‘Magnum 440’engine and three-speed automatic transmission with four-speed manual adding $188.
Critics liked the Charger’s performance and price but complained about the basic levels of trim. To shut them up, Dodge introduced an SE (Special Edition) pack which covered the seats in leather, put fake timber on the dash, added extra interior lights, map pockets and new hubcaps.
Available from 1970, the triple-carburettor ‘440-6 Pack’ engine cost just $119 more than a basic 440, yet just 684 of these ultimate, non-Hemi Chargers were sold during their introductory year. Insurance was the main issue and eventually a factor in the total demise of the most confronting of muscle machinery.
A restyle introduced for 1971 diminished the Charger’s visual impact but did minimal damage to sales. By 1974 though, sales were down to around 30,000 units of the SE V8 and the Golden Years were past.
More than half a million Chargers were built in the space of eight years and only a few versions are rare or revered enough to be collectible. That hasn’t stopped owners of quite ordinary versions looking at the money being generated by R/Ts and boosting asking prices for their base models towards $80,000.
The 1966-67 cars haven’t ever attracted the same buyer interest as later models. Unless fitted from new with a 426 cubic inch Hemi engine, the earliest Chargers on their home market generally sell for less than US$30,000.
Genuine 1968-70 R/T cars are rare in Australia and usually make more than $100,000. Finding a genuine V Code 440 6-Pack will be more difficult and expensive, with high-quality cars on offer in the USA at $110,000-140,000. 1971-73 versions are 30 per cent cheaper than earlier cars with the same mechanicals.