The early Dodge Charger muscle cars
1968-1974 Dodge Chargers • Charger SE • 2006-09 Charger • Current Dodge Chargers • Inside story • Sidelight Story
Earliest Dodge Chargers
In 1964, the first Dodge Charger was shown; based on the Polara and fitted with a 426 Wedge engine, it was a single show car. Jim Rodebaugh created a convincing replica (though in silver rather than the concept's ruby red), with a 413 V8 dressed to look like the 426 Wedge, shown below.
There was also a 1965 Dodge Dart produced with the "Charger 273" name. 180 were made at the factory, and 300 kits were available to be dealer-installed. It was based on a Dart GT hardtop or convertible; all were yellow with a black top and interior, with the 273, 13X6 Cragar mag wheels, and Charger emblems. Lewis wrote that it had glass-pack mufflers for a nice roar, and Charger emblems for the engine bay.
1966 to 1967 Dodge Chargers
According to Diran Yazejian, "The 1966 (1/2) Charger got its start with Lee Iacocca and the 1964 1/2 Mustang. Plymouth Division Sales needed a quick answer to that and approved the Valiant fastback, Barracuda, which, by comparison, was mildly successful. Now, Dodge Division Sales did a Dart GT for '65 but it didn't fill the bill. What they wanted was a mid-size specialty car so Dodge Studio (principally, the late Carl Cameron), using the all new '66 Coronet, changed only the roof, quarters, deck lid and grille to come up with a very competitive specialty car for 1966 1/2. After the die models were complete, parts were made and used to make an extended body show car which was shown before the production car, and it led the public to think it was designed first."
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 was cancelled, and the special body became the Charger (but with a different grille)."
He later added, in 2015,
The unique dashboard featured high-clarity backlighting at night, and a large tachometer sitting among the other instruments, rather than down in the console - where a clock sat. The standard engine was a 230 hp 318 V8 (roughly 150 hp, net), with an optional 265 hp 361, 325 hp 383, and 425 hp Hemi. Transmissions were the three-on-the-tree (318 only), four-on-the-floor, and three-speed automatic.
Jamie Kittrell wrote:
Dodge Charger cars | Engines | Variants | |
---|---|---|---|
2015-17 Charger | Hellcat V8 | Police ('15-18) |