1966 Dodge Charger
During the early-1960s, automakers were exploring new ideas in the personal luxury and specialty car segments. Chrysler, fast to enter the specialty car market, selected their Dodge Division to enter the marketplace with a mid-size B-bodied sporty car to fit between the "pony car" Ford Mustang and "personal luxury" Ford Thunderbird. The intention was to create a fastback look while sharing as much existing company hardware as possible.
For consignment, a first-year edition of the first-generation Dodge Charger. Having been treated to new quarter panels and a recent repaint, it sports a rebuilt and upgraded drivetrain, has had some recent maintenance and runs like a top. A well maintained car in need of some TLC on the undercarriage and functionality fronts, this Bright Red cavalry horse is definitely ready to do battle...blow the bugle!
Exterior
If you thought the Barracuda fastback was cool, get a load of this fastback. It is truly the next level looking much like the concept car of 1965 Dodge rolled out to wet future appetites for the upcoming muscle race. At first glance one assumes there is no trunk lid here, although the gap suggests otherwise, but the long sloping line hides it well. Outside shows the Charger badge on the long triangulated B pillar. The sides, showing the beginnings of the Coke bottle shape design have well minded gaps and plenty of trimmings on the rockers, the wheel wells, belt line toppers, as well as around the windows. We note the rear glass is missing its trim, but our consignor is including it with the purchase. All this steel is bathed in a respray of Bright Red and shows at the deep end of the pool with only a few non-noteworthy flaws. Tucked in lightly tarnished bumpers along with the chrome trimmings decorate the swoopy body. Up front, hidden headlights give the grille the appearance that it runs the entire way across the front of the car. The rear picks up on this and has the taillight strip run entirely across the car as well. Fratzog badges are seen on the grille and a large circular badge on the trunk lid. 15-inch chrome Magnum 500 wheels are on all 4 corners and are shod in like new red stripe radials.
Interior
A swing of the doors and black vinyl mixes with aluminum panels and black carpet to create a sporty looking panel. Turning our attention to the seats, pristine black tuck and roll pattern seats in the form of low back buckets in front and a duo of more buckets that have fold down capabilities, and center armrest that folds allowing the user to store many a cargo item under that large fastback. A center console upfront as well, not to be outdone by the snazzy rear setup, holds the long arm chrome shifter along with a padded arm rest for the front and rear buckets and a Mopar "Performance Meter' vacuum gauge. Looking up front at the dash and it is factory gorgeous. Very clean with its lineup of circular instruments for the cluster, and a row of buttons, ignition and knobs just below, all within perfect reach of the driver. The remainder of the dash uses a rectangular pattern to add texture and house the AM radio and airflow levers, and a glovebox. Black carpet for the floors remains mostly unmarred save for some heavy fading in the front area and light fading in the fastback storage area. A clean tight headliner in black is above.
Drivetrain
All correct under the stylish hood and cleanly restored. Take an aqua block and intake, water pump, then top it with more aqua for the valve covers and I'm nearly ready to eat this engine as it presents as a piece of eye candy. It is a non original rebuilt 383ci V8, and is topped with a 4-barrel carburetor. A shout out to the chrome air cleaner cover with orange 383 Magnum pie plate which can feed plenty of air for the fossils to mix with and turn this V8. A non-original A833 Torqueflite 4-speed manual transmission, and an 8.75 inch rear axle complete this nice package.
Undercarriage
Underneath, a newer dual glasspack exhaust system guides us through the factory undercoated and mostly structurally sound undercarriage. Surface rust has reared its head on the usual suspects and we note heavy invasive rust on the driver's front floor pan, allowing the carpet underlayment to show through along with the beginnings of invasive rust appearing on the outboard section of the passengers rear torsion bar mount. Independent torsion bar suspension upfront, and leaf springs on the rear are in fab condition along with drum brakes all around can be seen.
Drive-Ability
This horsepower embellished horse fired right up and ran very nicely through all aspects of our test track although the brake pedal is very soft but is able to be pumped up to stop the car. A good accelerator, strong flow through the gears power and smooth ride left us with a smile on our track test dummies face, (Wait! not dummies!). Although we did note the horn, speedometer, odometer, heater blower and radio did not function as well as notable popping noise being heard from the left front suspension. Also, the headlight doors did not open, nor did the headlights nor front parking lights turn on.
There are nice examples of many cars in Classic Auto Mall and it's rare we get a Charger in our vast inventory, let alone one from this era. In need of some TLC on a few fronts, a fancy futuristic design line, and that solid looking front grille, and you will be turned into a sucker for a 66 muscle car. Da Da Da Dit Da Dee...Charge...r!
XP29E61290644
X-Dodge Charger
P-Premium Price Class
29-2 Door Sport Hardtop
E-318ci V8 2bbl
6-1966
1-Lynch Rd, MI Assy Plant
290644-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display. This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
