1960 Dodge cars: Dart, Polara, and Matador
1960 brought unibody construction to Chrysler, increasing legroom, easing entry and exit, and providing better sound insulation and cornering as frame and body were integrated. Dodge claimed that the 1960 Dodge's unibody construction was "twice as strong and twice as tight as ordinary body-and-frame construction. Braced in every direction with rugged box-section crossmembers, the Dodge Unibody enclosed the passengers inside a rigid framework of steel."
Miraculously, the company managed to convert its entire product line from body on frame to unit-body without incident.
Body rust was fought by having heavy-gauge body sill members replace former rocker panels. These, and all other underbody areas, were not merely sprayed, but dipped and sprayed in a new 7-step corrosion protection process which included a new rustproofing primer.
Engineering firsts for 1960 included:
1960 was not a banner year for Chrysler Corporation, though it was better than 1961, and the corporation made a hefty profit - $32.2 million ($3.61 per share) on $3 billion of sales, representing 1.2 million vehicles sold worldwide. Chrysler had over 105,000 employees in the United States alone, with a $695 million payroll. The company made not just cars, but powdered metal parts and Oilite bearings (through Amplex), tanks, rockets, boats, and commercial and residential air conditioners.
Plymouth remained the leading division, though Dodge was catching up quickly - thanks entirely to the new Plymouth-based Dart. Worldwide, Dodge sold 424,645 vehicles. Of their 297,500 U.S. car sales, though, 262,300 cars were Darts.
507,177 Plymouths were sold worldwide in 1960, with the Valiant being Plymouth's best seller by a huge margin.
Other divisions were minor: DeSoto had its last serious model year with 21,584 cars sold, Chrysler accounted for 94,620 sales, trucks checked in with 82,173 (split between Dodge and Fargo), and, finally, 16,802 of the premium Imperials, said to be the best cars built or sold in America, left the lots. Chrysler also sold 36,310 Simca and Fiat cars and trucks in North America.
The Chrysler Corporation line was "clean sheet" in terms of styling, with Virgil Exner taking full control and producing a truly distinctive line of cars - as unique outside as their engineering was inside.
Dodge Dart
1960 was the debut of the Dodge Dart, which was essentially a restyled Plymouth with few other differences. Here's what Dodge PR men wrote:
Compound windshields wrapped around the sides and up at the top to give the driver better visibility. Larger rear windows, standard on Phoenix hardtop models, curved high up into the roof.
Big new rear lights and a standard backup light were used for safety, and a center-fill fuel tank eliminated the fuel pipe's intrusion into the trunk.
All engines used regular gas. A new slant six was created from the Valiant's 170 cubic inch overhead valve canted six cylinder, by raising the block height and then stroking the rod length to create the 225 cubic inch canted six engine. The 225 was available across the board in any model in the Dart.
The 145-horsepower Slant Six delivered 24.74 miles per gallon in the 1960 2,061-mile Mobilgas Economy Run. The 318-cubic-inch V-8 with two-barrel carburetor pushed out 230 horsepower (gross) and, in the 1960 Economy Run, recorded 22.29 miles per gallon with an automatic transmission. The four-barrel version delivered 260 horsepower. Several V8s were also available.
Interior styling was designed to match external styling themes. Three-dimensional door panels gave depth, while the "Driver Centered" instrument panel had an elliptical motif with individually cowled instruments, designed to be easy to see and reach, day or night. The unique "see through" speedometer was on top of the basic panel where it could be read at a glance.
A new, deeper steering wheel with a deep-dished, four-spoke design provided a broad impact area for injury prevention. Grip edges of the rim were textured for safe, sure control. The sweeping design of door panels and interior fabrics were repeated in the steering wheel.
The Dart line included three models, but only the Seneca and Pioneer were available as station wagons, including the largest cargo space in their price class (95.8 cubic feet). The conventional roll-down rear window was easy to use with one hand; power operation was standard on the Pioneer three-seat wagon (and was an option on the others). The third seat was easy to store in the floor (most competitors required lifting out the seat and storing it elsewhere).
The low, level, sturdy tailgate was supported by the bumper for greater strength. The tailgate was counter balanced to operate easily.
Three automatics were available in 1960 and 1961 for the Dart:
Engines were:
Compared to Ford and GM:
With regard to pricing:
Dodge also noted:
With regard to safety, 68RT wrote, "They drilled out the sides of the [front sub]frame to make a collapsible area so the main frame would not be tweaked in a frontal accident. She was in an accident bad enough that all frontal sheet metal needed to be replaced but the front suspension was still in perfect alignment."
Dodge Matador and Dodge Polara
The standard-sized Dodges were not given their familiar names (Coronet, Royal, Custom Royal and Lancer); instead, there were two models, Matador and Polara. Their styling was similar to the Dart.
For the standard 1960 Dodge - Matador and Polara - the company wrote: "Coming or going, the '60 Dodge has the look of success about it. Its tasteful use of chrome, its low, wide look of solidity, its smooth, taut, elegant lines make it the styling standout of its price class! Never before in even the highest priced luxury cars on the road has there been such a solid, substantial look coupled with the Real beauty of the '60 Dodge."
Polara was above Matador, and added a four-barrel carburetor, fin ends with a lighted red deflector (as well as chrome on both models), a chrome rear window molding, door garnish, and roof rail, a standard large rear window, and a 383 V8 instead of Matador's standard 361, giving it a 30 hp and 35 lb-ft advantage. Exterior dimensions were nearly identical and interior dimensions were identical. The Matador with base V8 had a two-speed automatic; Polara always came with a three-speed, as did the slant six and D-500.
In the front was the new "floating bumper" styling, smooth, sweeping lines, bumper impact pads, twin headlights in chrome bezels, and new fender guides. In the rear were "dynamically balanced integral fins," large new tail-lamps, "jet-tube" styling, and fin accent lighting.
All 1960 models had a huge front window, with hardtops having a matching rear window; the windshield curved around the sides and up into the roof for greater visibility. Interiors were designed for a rich look with a variety of colors, and easier to use (and see) controls, knobs, and instruments. Stylists tried to make the interiors and exteriors share themes and looks.
The instrument panel itself was "driver centered," with sculptured lines, greater use of texture, and finely detailed knobs and switches.
Matador and Polara were both available as four-door sedans, two and four door hardtops, and wagons. The Matador had chrome fin ends, the Polara adding a lighted rod deflector. Both used V8 engines, the Matador a 295 horse, 390 lb-foot 361 cubic inch unit with a two-barrel carburetor, the Polara with a four-barrel 383 putting out 325 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque.
The Polara station wagons had semi-hardtop styling. On both Polara and Matador, the rear window rolled down, and the third seat could be stored under the floor. A counterbalanced tailgate supported by the bumper was designed for greater strength and easy operation.
Engineering and manufacturing details
The 1960 Dodge used improved epoxy primers that resisted chemical action, reinforced to provide a claimed 25% more gloss that would last twice as long. Chrysler claimed that "the Dodge Unibody encloses the driver and his passengers inside a rigid framework of steel. Separate frame-and-body cars lack this all-around, full-width passenger protection... the floor can be dropped down into the space otherwise used for the separate frame. This enables more legroom and higher, more comfortable seats without sacrificing headroom."
Using plastic scale models in development cut the time required to thoroughly test new models, getting a jump on competitors. Crash testing was done with these scale models as it is now done with computer models.
Redesigned roof pillars, better use of interior space, and improved seating angles, front and rear, improved riding comfort. A new windshield post with only a slight arc eliminated the "knee-knocker", allowing easier entry and exit. A new center post in 4-door hardtops eliminated the web for easier access and better foot room.
Front and rear doors opened wider, staying open at either of two positions. Hinges were larger and stronger. Helper springs assisted in closing.
New features included doorways cut higher into the roof, for easier access. Legroom was increased by lowering the floor pan, and the floor tunnel was narrowed by an inch for greater foot room. Built-in rear-seat footrests provided extra roominess. Narrower door sills were easier to step over.
Safety-recessed outside door handles opened easily with a one- or two-finger pull and had no projections to snag clothing. Locks on front door handles had shutter seals to prevent lock freeze-up in winter.
The front seat could be moved up, down, forward or back, or angled.
The vent windows had new latches that pulled open for easier operation; weather-stripping was also revised and improved. Tempered safety glass in side windows withstood up to eight times more impact, without breaking, than competitive laminated safety glass; and when it did break, it did not form shards but relatively harmless clumps.
A repositioned rear-view mirror gave more view of the road behind. The defrosting action was faster and more complete. Electric windshield wipers maintained steady speed regardless of engine load (Ford used vacuum operated wipers; Chevrolet used electric motors). The larger windshield required 16-inch wiper blades, longer than most competitors, dirven by electric, wide-arc wiper arms.
Rust was fought by using new weatherstrip seals for all windows; eliminating holes through the cowl by putting retaining brackets in the engine bay; using weld-on clips instead of holes to attach chrome mouldings; using drain troughs; and providing rubber-sealed cowl openings for pass-through wires and cables.
Front suspension
The "Torsion-Aire" suspension was refined for better ride, handling, stability, and more level starts and stops. Tempered steel torsion-bar springs absorbed road shocks and bumps, and resisted lean on turns. Anti-dive upper control arms kept the car's nose up during sudden stops. Front-end components stayed in alignment longer, with less maintenance and adjustment. Rubber cushions and nylon bearings isolated road noise and minimized friction.
Dodge described how torsion bars work: "When you twist a length of rubber hose, you can feel the spring action, as the hose tries to retain its normal position. Torsion springs act in the same manner. Bumps are absorbed by the twisting action of the torsion bars."
Dodge wrote:
Used throughout the front suspension, rubber bushings eliminated the need for lubrication, reduced friction, and absorbed road shocks. There were only eight lubrication points on the Dodge running gear; most other cars of the time had at least 16.
Torsion bars absorbed road shocks with less bounciness than coil springs. They needed only minor adjustment to compensate for any change in resilience, and allowed a lower engine mounting than with coil springs ... a safer, lower center of gravity. The extra space provided a better location for steering linkage which resulted in easier steering.
Rubber-cushioned struts ran diagonally from each lower control arm to the front crossmember of the underbody structure. They braced the front suspension against backward push, when the front wheels hit a bump.
The rear suspension used a Hotchkiss drive, which uses the cushioning effect of the rear springs to check the shock of starting and stopping. This lightens the strain on engine, transmission and drive train.
Dodge took the springs out from underneath the car and moved them up alongside of the wheels, keeping weight closer to the road and adding stability.
A wide spring base helped rear-end stability. Dodge leaf springs were set wide apart, and paralleled to provide maximum twist resistance. Competitive coil springs, set closer together, had little resistance to twist and lack ability to keep the car from tilting.
The forward ends of Dodge rear springs now floated in thick rubber bushings to absorb wheel and drive train vibration, improve handling, and soften the ride.
The short section of the spring ahead of the axle was stiffer than the long, more flexible section of the spring behind the axle. This feature helped to keep the car on even keel during sudden take-offs and during braking.
Steering was updated as well, with equal length tie rods for balance, widely spaced ball joints for jolt protection, roller bearings and low-friction oil seals for long life.
A low-friction manual steering gear was tougher but used new low-friction needle bearings (rather than bronze bushings) and had a higher steering ratio.
Power steering was also available, with a new power piston steel to reduce effort.
Brakes and wheels
Brakes were set up with a flexible web that let brake shoes adjust their shape to conform to distorted drums; each backing plate had three platforms for each shoe, to bear against corresponding projections in the shoes. This ensured that the entire shoe would make contact, unlike competitive designs. Cyclebond lining, bonded to the brake shoes, was usable for virtually its full thickness (no waste-space rivet holes) - a feature used by Ford only in their taxis.
New brake shoes had no lining overhang. New spacing of support plates eliminated any plate-to-web interference. Design changes were meant to reduce the need for brake adjustments, while a unique-in-class two cylinders per front wheel brake put more stopping power up front. A new independent parking brake was easier to operate and provided a margin of safety, since competitors used the normal brakes with their parking brake; however, putting the parking brake on the driveshaft would be somewhat problematic for many customers in the long run, and the company later returned to a more ordinary setup.
Power brakes included a reserve tank with enough vacuum for several normal stops in case the engine should stall.
Safety rims were designed to hold deflated tire in place so in case of blowout driver can bring car to a safe, controlled stop (competitive cars still had standard rims). Wheels used tapered bearings to reduce friction and have a longer life.
Sound insulation
All suspension system elements were mounted in rubber to isolate road noise and vibration. Rigid, welded construction cut down on rattles and squeaks. Soundproofing and vibration damping did the rest; an inch-thick Fiberglas blanket with asphalt-felt pad arid pressed board faced the cowl and side cowl panels, and a laminated Fiberglas underhood pad, 1-inch thick, was optional.
Sprayed-on mastic sound-deadener covered the entire floor pan. Mastic-felt pads were cemented to the floor pan at toe boards, front and rear footwells, and under seats. Jute padding was cemented underneath carpet.
Blanket insulation, a half-inch thick, completely lined the underside of the roof panel. An asphalt-impregnated felt pad covered the entire underside of rear package shelf.
Mastic sound-deadener was sprayed onto wheel housings, top side of floor pan, engine side shields, front and rear doors, quarter panels. An asphalt-impregnated felt pad covered the gas tank to muffle the sound of sloshing gasoline.
Engines
Dodge wrote this about its engines: "So durable are they that the standard 25,000 mile laboratory tests for wear had to be changed to 50,000-mile and 100,000-mile checks-because no discernible wear showed up until long past the 25,000-mile figure."
New engine mounts were dubbed "Free Flight Power;" they used more rubber to control vertical and rocking engine movement. The rear engine mount was spring-reinforced to allow limited engine movement, but suppress vibrations from the drive train; a rubber block above the spring prevented high-frequency vibrations from passing to the body.
The 1960 Dodges had new exhaust systems, using aluminized steel to double life expectancy; they were routed through the propeller shaft tunnel, to protect against road damage. New loop-type exhaust hangers had flexible hollow rubber and fabric loops that allowed freedom of motion and minimized vibration, isolating the car body from noise and heat.
1960 brought unibody construction to Chrysler, increasing legroom, easing entry and exit, and providing better sound insulation and cornering as frame and body were integrated. Dodge claimed that the 1960 Dodge's unibody construction was "twice as strong and twice as tight as ordinary body-and-frame construction. Braced in every direction with rugged box-section crossmembers, the Dodge Unibody enclosed the passengers inside a rigid framework of steel."
Miraculously, the company managed to convert its entire product line from body on frame to unit-body without incident.
Body rust was fought by having heavy-gauge body sill members replace former rocker panels. These, and all other underbody areas, were not merely sprayed, but dipped and sprayed in a new 7-step corrosion protection process which included a new rustproofing primer.
Engineering firsts for 1960 included:
- Using an AC alternator instead of a DC generator that kept electrical current flowing, even at idle, in a full mass production, nonluxury car.
- Ram tuned regular production engines that got a "supercharged" effect without having the mechanical components of an engine driven blower.
- Overhead valve six cylinder engines canted 30 degrees to lower the hood lines ("slant six").
- Mass produced unit bodies designed using computers.
- Outside sheet metal didn't have to be part of the overall structure for strength of the unit body.
- A seven step series of body structure rust proofing bathes that employed an electrostatic charge to insure sealant bonding to the structure metal. About the only component of the body that wasn't dipped was the top of the roof.
1960 was not a banner year for Chrysler Corporation, though it was better than 1961, and the corporation made a hefty profit - $32.2 million ($3.61 per share) on $3 billion of sales, representing 1.2 million vehicles sold worldwide. Chrysler had over 105,000 employees in the United States alone, with a $695 million payroll. The company made not just cars, but powdered metal parts and Oilite bearings (through Amplex), tanks, rockets, boats, and commercial and residential air conditioners.
507,177 Plymouths were sold worldwide in 1960, with the Valiant being Plymouth's best seller by a huge margin.
Other divisions were minor: DeSoto had its last serious model year with 21,584 cars sold, Chrysler accounted for 94,620 sales, trucks checked in with 82,173 (split between Dodge and Fargo), and, finally, 16,802 of the premium Imperials, said to be the best cars built or sold in America, left the lots. Chrysler also sold 36,310 Simca and Fiat cars and trucks in North America.
The Chrysler Corporation line was "clean sheet" in terms of styling, with Virgil Exner taking full control and producing a truly distinctive line of cars - as unique outside as their engineering was inside.
Dodge Dart
1960 was the debut of the Dodge Dart, which was essentially a restyled Plymouth with few other differences. Here's what Dodge PR men wrote:
The Dodge writers noted the forward thrust of the headlight enclosures, for a look of "leaning into motion," and pointed out the lack of hard-to-clean nooks and crannies. They pointed to the "floating bumper" style, with "unique aluminum grille arcs." Chrome was set on a base of double-thick nickel plating for added life.
Compound windshields wrapped around the sides and up at the top to give the driver better visibility. Larger rear windows, standard on Phoenix hardtop models, curved high up into the roof.
Big new rear lights and a standard backup light were used for safety, and a center-fill fuel tank eliminated the fuel pipe's intrusion into the trunk.
All engines used regular gas. A new slant six was created from the Valiant's 170 cubic inch overhead valve canted six cylinder, by raising the block height and then stroking the rod length to create the 225 cubic inch canted six engine. The 225 was available across the board in any model in the Dart.
The 145-horsepower Slant Six delivered 24.74 miles per gallon in the 1960 2,061-mile Mobilgas Economy Run. The 318-cubic-inch V-8 with two-barrel carburetor pushed out 230 horsepower (gross) and, in the 1960 Economy Run, recorded 22.29 miles per gallon with an automatic transmission. The four-barrel version delivered 260 horsepower. Several V8s were also available.
Interior styling was designed to match external styling themes. Three-dimensional door panels gave depth, while the "Driver Centered" instrument panel had an elliptical motif with individually cowled instruments, designed to be easy to see and reach, day or night. The unique "see through" speedometer was on top of the basic panel where it could be read at a glance.
A new, deeper steering wheel with a deep-dished, four-spoke design provided a broad impact area for injury prevention. Grip edges of the rim were textured for safe, sure control. The sweeping design of door panels and interior fabrics were repeated in the steering wheel.
The Dart line included three models, but only the Seneca and Pioneer were available as station wagons, including the largest cargo space in their price class (95.8 cubic feet). The conventional roll-down rear window was easy to use with one hand; power operation was standard on the Pioneer three-seat wagon (and was an option on the others). The third seat was easy to store in the floor (most competitors required lifting out the seat and storing it elsewhere).
The low, level, sturdy tailgate was supported by the bumper for greater strength. The tailgate was counter balanced to operate easily.
Three automatics were available in 1960 and 1961 for the Dart:
- Torqueflite 6 - The new A904, but without the park sprag and with the driveshaft emergency brake, for the slant six engine. The Dart still had Lockheed brakes.
- Powerflite - Chrysler's 2-speed automatic, used only on V8 models.
- Torqueflite - The cast-iron case version, used only on the V8 D-500 models. The D-500 transmission had a high gear governor that raised shift points to higher engine speeds.
Engines were:
- 225-cid slant 6, 1 1-bbl carb, 145-bhp
- 318-cid V8, 1 2-bbl carb, 230-bhp
- 318-cid V8, 1 4-bbl carb, 255-bhp
- 361-cid V8, 2 4-bbl carb, 310-bhp (D-500 for Dart Phoenix)
- 383-cid V8, 2 4-bbl carb, 330-bhp (Police package only)
Compared to Ford and GM:
Ford | Dodge | Chevrolet | |
Base V8 | Thunderbird 292 185 hp, 292 lb-ft Two stage fuel feed; slow reacting choke | Red Ram 318 230 hp, 340 lb-ft Three-stage fuel feed; choke in manifold | Turbo-Fire 283 170 hp, 275 lb-ft Slow reacting choke |
Top V8 (Dart) | 352 cid V8s Up to 360 hp, 380 lb-ft Tuned for high-rpm ranges | Ram Induction D-500 361 310 hp, 435 lb-ft Tuned for mid-rpm ranges | Super Turbo-Thrust 280 hp, 355 lb-ft Not really a turbo |
Six Cylinder | Mileage Maker 223 145 hp, 206 lb-ft Manual choke | Slant Six 225 145 hp, 215 lb-ft Light; efficient manifolds | HyThrift 135 hp, 207 lb-ft Choke fed by tube |
With regard to pricing:
Low Line | Fairlane | Seneca | Biscayne | Fairlane 500 | Pioneer | Bel Air | Galaxie | Phoenix | Impala |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2-door Six | $2257 | $2278 | $2262 | $2334 | $2459 | $2384 | |||
4-door Six | 2311 | 2330 | 2316 | 2388 | 2459 | 2438 | $2603 | $2595 | $2590 |
2-door V-8 | 2370 | 2397 | 2369 | 2447 | 2530 | 2491 | 2723 | 2737 | 2704 |
4-door V-8 | 2424 | 2449 | 2423 | 2501 | 2578 | 2545 | 2716 | 2715 | 2697 |
Dodge also noted:
With regard to safety, 68RT wrote, "They drilled out the sides of the [front sub]frame to make a collapsible area so the main frame would not be tweaked in a frontal accident. She was in an accident bad enough that all frontal sheet metal needed to be replaced but the front suspension was still in perfect alignment."
Dodge Matador and Dodge Polara
The standard-sized Dodges were not given their familiar names (Coronet, Royal, Custom Royal and Lancer); instead, there were two models, Matador and Polara. Their styling was similar to the Dart.
For the standard 1960 Dodge - Matador and Polara - the company wrote: "Coming or going, the '60 Dodge has the look of success about it. Its tasteful use of chrome, its low, wide look of solidity, its smooth, taut, elegant lines make it the styling standout of its price class! Never before in even the highest priced luxury cars on the road has there been such a solid, substantial look coupled with the Real beauty of the '60 Dodge."
Polara was above Matador, and added a four-barrel carburetor, fin ends with a lighted red deflector (as well as chrome on both models), a chrome rear window molding, door garnish, and roof rail, a standard large rear window, and a 383 V8 instead of Matador's standard 361, giving it a 30 hp and 35 lb-ft advantage. Exterior dimensions were nearly identical and interior dimensions were identical. The Matador with base V8 had a two-speed automatic; Polara always came with a three-speed, as did the slant six and D-500.
In the front was the new "floating bumper" styling, smooth, sweeping lines, bumper impact pads, twin headlights in chrome bezels, and new fender guides. In the rear were "dynamically balanced integral fins," large new tail-lamps, "jet-tube" styling, and fin accent lighting.
All 1960 models had a huge front window, with hardtops having a matching rear window; the windshield curved around the sides and up into the roof for greater visibility. Interiors were designed for a rich look with a variety of colors, and easier to use (and see) controls, knobs, and instruments. Stylists tried to make the interiors and exteriors share themes and looks.
The instrument panel itself was "driver centered," with sculptured lines, greater use of texture, and finely detailed knobs and switches.
Matador and Polara were both available as four-door sedans, two and four door hardtops, and wagons. The Matador had chrome fin ends, the Polara adding a lighted rod deflector. Both used V8 engines, the Matador a 295 horse, 390 lb-foot 361 cubic inch unit with a two-barrel carburetor, the Polara with a four-barrel 383 putting out 325 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque.
The Polara station wagons had semi-hardtop styling. On both Polara and Matador, the rear window rolled down, and the third seat could be stored under the floor. A counterbalanced tailgate supported by the bumper was designed for greater strength and easy operation.
Engineering and manufacturing details
The 1960 Dodge used improved epoxy primers that resisted chemical action, reinforced to provide a claimed 25% more gloss that would last twice as long. Chrysler claimed that "the Dodge Unibody encloses the driver and his passengers inside a rigid framework of steel. Separate frame-and-body cars lack this all-around, full-width passenger protection... the floor can be dropped down into the space otherwise used for the separate frame. This enables more legroom and higher, more comfortable seats without sacrificing headroom."
Using plastic scale models in development cut the time required to thoroughly test new models, getting a jump on competitors. Crash testing was done with these scale models as it is now done with computer models.
Redesigned roof pillars, better use of interior space, and improved seating angles, front and rear, improved riding comfort. A new windshield post with only a slight arc eliminated the "knee-knocker", allowing easier entry and exit. A new center post in 4-door hardtops eliminated the web for easier access and better foot room.
Front and rear doors opened wider, staying open at either of two positions. Hinges were larger and stronger. Helper springs assisted in closing.
Safety-recessed outside door handles opened easily with a one- or two-finger pull and had no projections to snag clothing. Locks on front door handles had shutter seals to prevent lock freeze-up in winter.
The front seat could be moved up, down, forward or back, or angled.
The vent windows had new latches that pulled open for easier operation; weather-stripping was also revised and improved. Tempered safety glass in side windows withstood up to eight times more impact, without breaking, than competitive laminated safety glass; and when it did break, it did not form shards but relatively harmless clumps.
A repositioned rear-view mirror gave more view of the road behind. The defrosting action was faster and more complete. Electric windshield wipers maintained steady speed regardless of engine load (Ford used vacuum operated wipers; Chevrolet used electric motors). The larger windshield required 16-inch wiper blades, longer than most competitors, dirven by electric, wide-arc wiper arms.
Rust was fought by using new weatherstrip seals for all windows; eliminating holes through the cowl by putting retaining brackets in the engine bay; using weld-on clips instead of holes to attach chrome mouldings; using drain troughs; and providing rubber-sealed cowl openings for pass-through wires and cables.
Front suspension
The "Torsion-Aire" suspension was refined for better ride, handling, stability, and more level starts and stops. Tempered steel torsion-bar springs absorbed road shocks and bumps, and resisted lean on turns. Anti-dive upper control arms kept the car's nose up during sudden stops. Front-end components stayed in alignment longer, with less maintenance and adjustment. Rubber cushions and nylon bearings isolated road noise and minimized friction.
Dodge described how torsion bars work: "When you twist a length of rubber hose, you can feel the spring action, as the hose tries to retain its normal position. Torsion springs act in the same manner. Bumps are absorbed by the twisting action of the torsion bars."
Dodge wrote:
Widely spaced upper and lower ball joints provided a wide base of support for the front wheels to improve stability and reduce undesirable wheel motion. Rubber-isolated nylon bearings allowed easier action than metal-to-metal, spring-loaded joints.
Used throughout the front suspension, rubber bushings eliminated the need for lubrication, reduced friction, and absorbed road shocks. There were only eight lubrication points on the Dodge running gear; most other cars of the time had at least 16.
Torsion bars absorbed road shocks with less bounciness than coil springs. They needed only minor adjustment to compensate for any change in resilience, and allowed a lower engine mounting than with coil springs ... a safer, lower center of gravity. The extra space provided a better location for steering linkage which resulted in easier steering.
The rear suspension used a Hotchkiss drive, which uses the cushioning effect of the rear springs to check the shock of starting and stopping. This lightens the strain on engine, transmission and drive train.
Dodge took the springs out from underneath the car and moved them up alongside of the wheels, keeping weight closer to the road and adding stability.
A wide spring base helped rear-end stability. Dodge leaf springs were set wide apart, and paralleled to provide maximum twist resistance. Competitive coil springs, set closer together, had little resistance to twist and lack ability to keep the car from tilting.
The forward ends of Dodge rear springs now floated in thick rubber bushings to absorb wheel and drive train vibration, improve handling, and soften the ride.
Steering was updated as well, with equal length tie rods for balance, widely spaced ball joints for jolt protection, roller bearings and low-friction oil seals for long life.
A low-friction manual steering gear was tougher but used new low-friction needle bearings (rather than bronze bushings) and had a higher steering ratio.
Power steering was also available, with a new power piston steel to reduce effort.
Brakes and wheels
Brakes were set up with a flexible web that let brake shoes adjust their shape to conform to distorted drums; each backing plate had three platforms for each shoe, to bear against corresponding projections in the shoes. This ensured that the entire shoe would make contact, unlike competitive designs. Cyclebond lining, bonded to the brake shoes, was usable for virtually its full thickness (no waste-space rivet holes) - a feature used by Ford only in their taxis.
New brake shoes had no lining overhang. New spacing of support plates eliminated any plate-to-web interference. Design changes were meant to reduce the need for brake adjustments, while a unique-in-class two cylinders per front wheel brake put more stopping power up front. A new independent parking brake was easier to operate and provided a margin of safety, since competitors used the normal brakes with their parking brake; however, putting the parking brake on the driveshaft would be somewhat problematic for many customers in the long run, and the company later returned to a more ordinary setup.
Power brakes included a reserve tank with enough vacuum for several normal stops in case the engine should stall.
Safety rims were designed to hold deflated tire in place so in case of blowout driver can bring car to a safe, controlled stop (competitive cars still had standard rims). Wheels used tapered bearings to reduce friction and have a longer life.
Sound insulation
All suspension system elements were mounted in rubber to isolate road noise and vibration. Rigid, welded construction cut down on rattles and squeaks. Soundproofing and vibration damping did the rest; an inch-thick Fiberglas blanket with asphalt-felt pad arid pressed board faced the cowl and side cowl panels, and a laminated Fiberglas underhood pad, 1-inch thick, was optional.
Sprayed-on mastic sound-deadener covered the entire floor pan. Mastic-felt pads were cemented to the floor pan at toe boards, front and rear footwells, and under seats. Jute padding was cemented underneath carpet.
Blanket insulation, a half-inch thick, completely lined the underside of the roof panel. An asphalt-impregnated felt pad covered the entire underside of rear package shelf.
Mastic sound-deadener was sprayed onto wheel housings, top side of floor pan, engine side shields, front and rear doors, quarter panels. An asphalt-impregnated felt pad covered the gas tank to muffle the sound of sloshing gasoline.
Engines
Dodge wrote this about its engines: "So durable are they that the standard 25,000 mile laboratory tests for wear had to be changed to 50,000-mile and 100,000-mile checks-because no discernible wear showed up until long past the 25,000-mile figure."
New engine mounts were dubbed "Free Flight Power;" they used more rubber to control vertical and rocking engine movement. The rear engine mount was spring-reinforced to allow limited engine movement, but suppress vibrations from the drive train; a rubber block above the spring prevented high-frequency vibrations from passing to the body.
The 1960 Dodges had new exhaust systems, using aluminized steel to double life expectancy; they were routed through the propeller shaft tunnel, to protect against road damage. New loop-type exhaust hangers had flexible hollow rubber and fabric loops that allowed freedom of motion and minimized vibration, isolating the car body from noise and heat.
1960 Dodge V8s | D500 (1) | D500 (2) | Ram-Fire | Red Ram | Super Red Ram | Truck V8 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cubic Inches | 361 | 383 | 383 | 318 | 361 | 318 |
Bore x Stroke | 4.12 x 3.38 | 4.25 x 3.38 | 4.25 x 3.38 | 3.91 x 3.31 | 4.12 x 3.38 | 3.91 x 3.31 |
Compression | 10:1 | 9:1 | 10:1 | 9:1 | 10:1 | 8.25:1 |
Carburetor | Dual 4-barrel | 4-barrel | 2-barrel | 2-barrel | 2-barrel |