Mopar appreciators' thread

[matthew1]

Completely missed your post, BL. Dart: no AC, no power steering or brakes. Bench front seat, black vinyl all around. AM radio.

I forgot how easy it is to remember options for older cars. That's about the whole matrix of what options it could have. AC, seats, radio, power steering, power brakes. What am I forgetting? Three on the tree?

That set is probably 1/4 as long as a modern Dodge. Maybe 1/10.

That Charger front grill is probably the most evil, yet beautiful, thing ever designed by man. Top ten car front ends ever.

[scot850]

BlackLab keeps turning down my offer to paint a flag on the roof of his car. No idea why?

It is certainly a very nice example he has. Not a Mopar fan, but that generation was definitely a special time for sure!

I recall maybe 30 years ago when still living in Scotland being offered a 66/67 Charger if I recall. I was tempted as I like the more square shape and that large rear glass window they had. Unfortunately it turned out to be a dog and missing the original engine.

Neil.

[Blacklab467]

That Charger front grill is probably the most evil, yet beautiful, thing ever designed by man. Top ten car front ends ever.
[/quote]

No worries Matt, yes the front grill is pure evil, I think it looks angry and sinister. I often find myself studying the body lines on that car for long periods in amazement. You couldn’t get away with putting 8 inch wide shoulders on a car nowadays, and who came up with that crazy gas cap? I’ll post a few more photos this evening on this thread.

[matthew1]

I recall maybe 30 years ago when still living in Scotland being offered a 66/67 Charger if I recall. I was tempted as I like the more square shape and that large rear glass window they had. Unfortunately it turned out to be a dog and missing the original engine.

Hm I wonder what the OG engine would have been in 66-67? What was in it when you considered the car, Neil?

BL, another bit about the Dart: my grandfather bought it at Northglenn Dodge in '71, off the lot new. A young dealership service employee (mechanic IIRC) ordered it, but he couldn't pay for it when it was delivered. He was the one who optioned it. I'm guessing/speculating he couldn't afford a 340/426/440 car, so he chose the 318 and saved further by optioning it not at all. Or maybe he wanted max lightness.

Whatever the case, she was a hellion off the line, absolute terror, especially in the 1990s when most of the cars on the road were weak 1980s weakmobiles. Easily the fastest car I ever owned to 30mph, and maybe the fastest in any regard. Certainly faster zero to 40-50mph than my 850 T5 or V70 R. It would strain your neck, mountains of torque. She could accelerate very well even at 60mph. There was really no dropoff.

The back end was very light. The car was all engine and body. Every other element was trivial by mass comparison.

[matthew1]

No worries Matt, yes the front grill is pure evil, I think it looks angry and sinister. I often find myself studying the body lines on that car for long periods in amazement. You couldn’t get away with putting 8 inch wide shoulders on a car nowadays, and who came up with that crazy gas cap? I’ll post a few more photos this evening on this thread.

Good for you, they don't shape them like that any more, and they never will. The "design language" of the 60s-70s was hit or miss, but when it hit, planets exploded in nearby solar systems. It was that good IMHO. The '71 Dart was decent, but the Charger was timeless, elegant, muscular, sinister... the Venus de Milo of cars and I'll fight anyone who says it isn't.

You could post photos every day for a year and I wouldn't get tired of looking at them.

[matthew1]

I had a chance to buy a ~1965 Barracuda in Seattle in 2000 or 2001 and passed. The look was what I considered less pretty than the Dart. A little awkward, too early in the muscle car era for my taste.

[Blacklab467]

I was just going to comment on that Dart after zooming in on it, its actually very well optioned. That its got a V-8 albeit a 318 puts it above about 80 percent of most of the Darts and Valiants manufactured. I also see front chrome bumperettes, a vinyl roof, rally wheels, chrome package which included wheel opening and rocker panel chrome strip, also I see a driver's side tailpipe which indicates dual exhaust. It was probably also a disc brake car.

[Blacklab467]

A few more photos:

Shoulder.jpg (101.56 KiB) Viewed 290 times

8 inches of wasted cabin and trunk space...........beautiful.

hood indicator.jpg (102.53 KiB) Viewed 290 times

These on the hood so you don't look like an idiot driving with your blinker on!

Fuel.jpg (146.32 KiB) Viewed 290 times

This is where you put the gas, lots of it.

Grille.jpg (158.25 KiB) Viewed 290 times

Evil, wicked, mean and nasty, and yes, that's the licence plate the car left the dealership with on December 27th, 1969.

rear .jpg (138.57 KiB) Viewed 290 times

The view most seen by Chevelles, Mustangs, GTO's and more recently 3 series BMW's.

[BlackBart]

Nice paint for original.

[scot850]

Edit: I have failing memory. It was not a Charger, but a Plymouth Barracuda. Looking at the pictures it must have been a 66 as it had the big rear window. I believe the original engine was possibly a 318.

Neil.