Giant sports car ?

[don duick]

 We all {or most of us} agree that the 2nd generation charger is the best looking car ever, 
Does anybody wish that it could have been a bit smaller, like A or E body size?
Or does it have to be this size to look as good as it does?

[RECHRGD]

The size of the car is part of what gives it that "bad ass" look.  If it were smaller, it might just become 'pretty'....

[1974dodgecharger]

No, the size, looks, and everything of the 2nd gen g8ves it such a menacing look to it.  Compare any car during that car and folks will say usually 2nd gen chargers meanest looking.

[JB400]

We all {or most of us} agree that the 2nd generation charger is the best looking car ever,  
Does anybody wish that it could have been a bit smaller, like A or E body size?
Or does it have to be this size to look as good as it does?

Probably only when you're washing it, buffing it, or sanding on it

[Aero426]

We all {or most of us} agree that the 2nd generation charger is the best looking car ever,  
Does anybody wish that it could have been a bit smaller, like A or E body size?
Or does it have to be this size to look as good as it does?

Someone has already tried an E-body downsized Charger it with dubious results.

[Aero426]

I want to barf every time I see this.

[Baldwinvette77]

If thats the definition of perfection, i'll take half-assed ANYDAY 

[Ghoste]

If I wanted a sports car I would get a Viper, if I wanted a little car I'd get a Duster and if I wanted a ponycar I'd get a Challenger.
The Charger is a road car.  The size is exactly what it should be.

[lloyd3]

I'm a fairly big guy and I needed a big car to be both comfortable and moderately safe. B-body Mopars always worked for me for those reasons. Most true "sports cars" are just too small for me to really enjoy.  When these cars were made, America was big and brash and we basically ran the world. These cars reflect that period of history. For all intents and purposes, they were and are Detroit's version of a giant sports cars.

[JB400]

Chrysler got their proportions  right when they designed the Charger, why change it?   I see no need

[Aero426]

Chrysler got their proportions  right when they designed the Charger, why change it?   I see no need

  Talk about scoring a home run.   

[polywideblock]

                if you want the  size of an a or e body might as well buy one of them

    although I'd have to disagree with the statement about "best looking"       
     beauty is in the eye of the beholder  ALL chargers are beautiful  why split ranks /hairs about which gen looks best AGAIN   

[Dreamcar]

What makes the Charger so sought after, IMO, is the entire package that makes up a Charger. That includes its overall size and proportions. I love all cars including sports cars, and I wasn't expecting my Charger to ever fill that role. There are much better cars that serve as a sports car. To me, the Charger is a big, bad, boulevard cruiser that after 40+ years can still surprise some people off the line. 

[myk]

The giant size is what makes the 2nd 'Gen Charger the "king" of performance cars.  It's not the fastest, the best handling or anything like that, but its unique styling that not too many cars come close to as well as its ability to fry rubber at will, makes it the flagship of the musclecar era.  Styling and body wise, not a damn thing needs to be changed on a 2nd 'Gen Charger; like the original Chrysler sales literature once said, "Charger....you wouldn't change a line on it, even if you could..."

[WHITE AND RED 69]

I want to barf every time I see this.

Funny thing is the car couldn't sell. Hell, I don't even think anyone put a bid on it.    I think they realized they made a huge mistake. So they tore it all apart, repainted it all black, added all the original chrome, and changed back to the original grill. Looks waaaay better and I dig it but like others have said if you want a smaller car get an e-body.

Finally did sell though...for a huge loss I bet.

[Mike DC]

  
I'm fond of saying it:


Major changes to the shape of a 2nd-gen Charger = FAIL.
About once every 10 years the car customizing world has to re-learn this the hard way.



The car is arguably a bit too long, I would agree with that.  But that length is part and parcel to the styling and I don't think you can separate the two very well.  If you just literally shrunk down a 2nd-gen by 10 or 20 percent then the hood & roof would be rendered too low for the engine & driver.  The only way to shorten it horizontally is to make it more stubby and that hurts the looks.

You'd end up with something more like a 1st-gen Camaro if you tried to shorten a 2nd-gen in a proportionate way that doesn't make the hood & roof too low.  (Oddy enough, the styling of 1st-gen Camaros is pretty popular too.)

[don duick]

thanks for all input I do agree with you all.  I agree the charger that has been shortened does not look good. I do realise that if you shrunk the charger and kept the proportion  you could not fit into it. It would end up  being a 2 seater with banana seats. I suppose it is very unique that it is the sportiest looking tank/cruiser. Mine needs a some suspension work to be more enjoyable. My apologies to polywideblock I should have phrased the question a bit better and referred to all chargers up to the 3rd generation. Sorry 4th generation fans but chargers look S#$% after 74

[polywideblock]

  even some 4th gen can look alright done the right way   
     I just love mopars in general  the only one iv seen that I don't like is a 61  dodge don't know what they were thinking with those reverse fins and but ugly grill 
  but back on subject part of what draws me to these cars is the size. their intimidating without having to try, when their  just sitting there  they look mean   and demand respect     

[don duick]

exactly When I was young I loved big cars even cadillacs. One of the reasons why I liked the charger was in fact its size. I have lost interest in full size American cars now and the only two left I like is the charger and the chevy impalas from 65 to 68. All people I know have no interest in cars and when they see my charger the usual comments  are

"its big"
look how long it is
I feel like saying thanks prick I never noticed

[Ghoste]

Just tell them it has to be that big, a smaller car could never hold that much awesome.

[don duick]

ha ha ha ha
thanks ghoste I found out how to post pics there are 2 blue ones in the before and after section and this one I have 2  chargers. Both were cheap basket cases and 3 years of  work to get them to this stage. this one has sat in the shed for 11 years.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I always wished my Chargers were a little bit bigger.  


Longer.

Wider.


But...


I'm a big, fat goon.  

[myk]

2nd Gen Chargers AREN'T that much bigger than modern cars in the same class.  My '99 F-bird, '98 Mustang GT and one of my neighbor's Lexus GS400 are all about the same size as a 2nd 'Gen.  It's the muscular curves and the subtle aggression in the styling that imply "bigness" when there really isn't that much of it on a 2nd 'Gen.  By chance, wasn't the 2nd 'Gen considered a "midsize" car back in its time? 

[maxwellwedge]

My Darts were classified as a "sub-compact" back in the day....they are bigger than my SUV! You want giant? look at the old Lincolns and Caddy's etc. They were Land Yachts! Still, had no problem parking theses buses back then.....maybe the parking spots were bigger? 

[Ghoste]

Yes, the wheelbase was quite a bit longer then the GM intermediates like the Chevelle but still a mid size car.