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Dodge Charger (B-body)
The B-Body 'Dodge Charger was offered from 1966-1978, when it was replaced by the Dodge Magnum. The Charger started out as basically a fastback version of the Coronet with a few unique individual touches that set it apart from its more pedestrian offspring. The Charger would be redesigned in 1968 and still be based on the Coronet, but it now had a design all its own and would ultimately become one of Mopar's most successful and gorgeous designs ever made. In 1971, Dodge dropped the Coronet 2-door and the Charger became more or less a personal-luxury version of the Coronet - there were still some hot versions available, but its personality had definitely been toned-down. From 1975-1978, the Charger had unfortunately lived out its last few years as a watered-down Chrysler Cordoba clone after being replaced by the short-lived B-Body Dodge Magnum (B-body).
The Charger had a rich and colored racing history, including numerous Winston Cup Championships, a long driving record under the greats such as Richard Petty, Buddy Baker, David Pearson and many others. Over the years the charger was offered with a very wide range of engines, running from the reliable old slant six up through the mighty greats such as the 426 Hemi, and 440 six-pack cars.
1st Generation (1966-1967)
1966 Dodge Charger was the first in a long line of outstanding Chargers. The styling cues of the '66 Charger were mainly carried over from the '65 Charger Concept car (not to be confused with the '64 concept car, a completely diferent design). Essentially, it was a fastback version of the 1966 Coronet, with minor changes such as a new grill, full-width taillamps, etc. It was offered only as a hardtop, code XP29. With a host of options including electroluminescent dash, quad buckets, concealed headlamps, and five different engines, the Charger was an immediate success. Powerplant options ran from milt-to-wild, starting with the 230 hp 5.2L (318 cid) V8, 265 hp 5.9L (361 cid) V8, 335 hp 6.3L 383 cid) V8, and the almighty 425 hp (426 cid) V8 Hemi. All engines except the Hemi had the 3-speed manual transmission as standard, with the 4-speed manual (standard on the Hemi) and 3-speed automatic as an option on all engines. As Hemi powered versions began beating up brand X on the streets and tracks, David Pearson would win the Grand National Championship for his first time, behind the wheel of a Charger. The Dodge Boys would close the year with a special “birthday” package option consisting of a lower body stripe and conical hub caps. Total unit production 1966: 37,344.
1967
Although the '67 Charger was virtually identical to the '66, there were a few significant changes nonetheless. First off, the 361 V8 was dropped, and the larger 375 hp 7.2L (440 cid) V8 debuted, but other drivetrain choices continued. Inside, the center console no longer ran between the front and rear seats; it now ran only between the front seats, although the rear seats still retained their bucket design and still folded down. Trim was upgraded, with new exterior chrome moldings and fender-mounted turn signals. Despite this year's improvements, sales dropped an eye-opening 50% this year to around 15,000 units. Normally these sort of low sales figures would be a death-knell of a car's existence, but Chrysler had an all-new Charger on the horizon for 1968 that would soon turn the Charger's fate around.
2nd Generation (1968-1970
The Charger was completely new for 1968, and this generation's success as one of the best-looking and distinctive cars ever built still endures today and continues to appreciate (emotionally and monetarily) every year. The Charger was of course still based on the Coronet, but it ditched its ungainly (and unpopular) fastback body in favor of a more conventional "coke-bottle" design (very popular for the time) and a "flying butress" rear window design previously made famous by GM's A-body muscle cars (Chevrolet Chevelle, Pontiac GTO, etc). Although the Charger remained a Coronet underneath, they shared no exterior body panels other than the front windshield, and featured a longer, lower hood line and a wind spoiler that was an integral part of the rear deck. The front grille was now blacked-out and was recessed. Headlights were still hidden, but they were now hidden by conventional raising doors instead of the flip-type of the previous generation. Taillights were dual round units styled much like a Chevrolet Corvette's inside a flat-black tail panel. Even the gas cap was race-car inspired, being a chrome flip-top design placed atop the driver's side rear quarter panel for quick and easy fillups. The Charger was originally designed with the flip-top gas cap on both sides of the car, but that idea was scrapped due to production costs. The hood and doors both had dual scallop inserts (which housed the optional turn signals on the hood) that helped set off the new distinctive design.
Trim levels were base and the all-new sportyR/T (Road/Track), a package that debuted on the Coronet a year earlier. Engines for base were the 230 hp 318 and 383 V8 in 2- or 4-bbl (290 and 330 hp) configurations. The R/T had the 375 hp 440 "Magnum" V8 as standard with the holy-grail 425 hp 426 Hemi as an option. 3-speed manual transmissions were standard on the 318 and 383-2, with a 4-speed manual optional and standard on the 383-4, 440 and 426 Hemi. A 3-speed automatic was optional on all engines. 318 and 383-2 Chargers had single exhaust, while the 383-4, 440 and 426 Hemi had duals. R/T models could have a rear "bumblebee" stripe that consisted of 2 small parallel stripes that wrapped around the trunk and quarter panels.
On the inside, all Chargers had full instrumentation (including a clock) as standard with a tachometer as optional (some had the now-very desirable tach/clock combo, known as the "tic-toc-tach"). Rear seats no longer folded down and its dashboard was now shared with the upper-level Coronet models, but that was apparently no matter to new Charger buyers, as sales jumped to an astounding 96,100 models this year - an incredible feat considering just the year before there were some in the automotive press (and general public) ready to write this car's epitaph and deliver its eulogy.
After being on the market 2 years, the Charger had finally arrived, and a true legend was born.
1969
After a successful debut year, Dodge didn't change anything big on the Charger in 1969, but it did make some fairly small ones, such as a divided grille (with 3 small "gills" on each side of the divider) and new larger-length taillights that eliminated the previous Corvette-inspired units. To some, the new taillights made the car look much more aggressive when viewed from the rear, and they looked especially good in the standard flat-black concave tail panel. Reverse lights were now on the lower valance panel. Side marker lights were now larger and rectangular instead of the small round ones used from last year. Drivetrain choices remained the same as last year, but the 3.7L (225 cid) "Slant-6" was now offered as a $50 "credit option" on base models.
Inside, the seat patterns differed from last year's, and front seats now had adjustable headrests. There was a new Special Edition, or SE, luxury option package that included upgraded interior and exterior trim such as special exterior badging, chrome-trimmed pedals, woodgrain dash, hood-mounted turn signals among a few other small details. The SE could be had on either the base or R/T. The R/T's optional bumblebee stripe was revised this year, it was now one large stripe instead of 2 small ones.
The Charger R/T was more popular than ever, but overall Charger sales dipped a bit this year to less than 70,000 units. 2 other Charger models were produced this year, the Charger 500 and Charger Daytona (see separate entry for information on those models).
1970
The Charger underwent a few changes this year, inside and out. Starting with the outside, the front end was revised with new fenders borrowed from the 1970 Coronet, and a new chrome loop bumper now surrounded the nose. The grille was no longer divided in the middle, but its all-new grille was split, dividing the top and bottom portion. The taillights remained the same, but the taillight panel was now body-colored and flat-black only in the middle between the taillights, and were now both encircled by a single chrome strip. R/Ts got new simulated door scoops with R/T emblems. The 500 designation was now relegated to a trim-level, being slotted in between the base and R/T models. The SE package continued and could still be had on base and R/T models.
Engine choices remained the same as before, starting with the unpopular 225 Slant-6, 318, 383-2 and 4-bbl on base, 500 and SE models, the R/Ts still had the 440 and 426 Hemi V8s, but this year the 390 hp 440 "Six-Pack" (3x2) V8 was offered, an engine that debuted in the Coronet Super Bee a year prior. Inside, the front seats were now the high-back type, eliminating the low-back with adjustable headrests. Like all Chryslers this year, the ignition switch was relocated to the steering column from the dash, and the glove-box was now hinged at the bottom. Base and R/T models lost their standard door map pockets, and the clock was now optional. Interior door panels were revised as well.
