If you could order one brand new...

[cooldude]

If you could go back in time and order a classic Charger (1966-74) brand new (but on a reasonable, everyday, average working guy budget)...what would you put on the order sheet?

But realistically, what would you really want to pay for?


Lets say that you were engaged to get married soon to the future woman of your dreams, start a family, buy a starter home, and you needed a sensible car. You talked it over with the fiance, and she agreed to combine some of her savings with yours to buy the next family car.

Now, decision time is here. You could order the hemi or whatever the Big block beast mill of that year is, if you wanted to. But it means not getting married to the girl of your dreams, no family, and not owning your own house for the next several years.

For me, Im thinking about 1973, and the Charger I would buy would be the sensible 318, with air conditioning and auto trans (so the wife can drive it, thus relieving me of a lot of cheufer duties). At least, thats what I say now as an older fellow (actually, a grandpa).

I might have thought differently if I was 22 years old and fresh out of the army again.

But enough about me. What would you guys walk into the dealership and order, if you could go back in time?

But what would you guys do?

[Baldwinvette77]

Brand new? 1968 charger, triple black, 383 4bbl, auto, column shift- bench seat, a/c would be nice, as would power brakes, steering, discs up front, and a decent streetable gear like 3.23 

i think that would be a reasonably affordable, streetable daily driver for the 70's 

[DAY CLONA]

What would you guys walk into the dealership and order, if you could go back in time?

But what would you guys do?

Don't need to, I already own it

[Kern Dog]

Green Daytona is a a photoshop. It never happened.

[polywideblock]

 I'd walk into grand Spalding dodge and order a FC7 /white roof ,stripe ,interior, 6 pack ,4 speed  A33  track pack   70 rt charger or the same in a super bee  

[JB400]

69 Charger SE

383 4bbl. automatic so she could drive it

Hemi orange with v21 performance hood paint

no vinyl roof

3.55 gears in the rear with suregrip

power disc brakes

power steering

tinted windows

a/c

right side mirror

rear defrost

3 spd. wipers

undercoating

hoodpins

tic toc tach

[FY1 Charger]

1970 Charger Rt 440 4 speed A34 FJ6
Those are really the only options I would want, that or a white charger rt with EW1 and blue interior and blue tail stripe

[darbgnik]

1970 Charger Rt 440 4 speed A34 FJ6
Those are really the only options I would want, that or a white charger rt with EW1 and blue interior and blue tail stripe

Man! Both those sound good to me! 70 R/T 440 4bbl 4 speed 3.55s no vinyl roof. But color??? Sublime, Green Go, or white. Black interior with console.

[Scaregrabber]

Taking budget into consideration it would be hard to beat a standard 440 r/t for value. However I would have to be ordering a 71 Hemi R/T, I would do whatever life adjustments necessary to make it fit into my life.

Sheldon

[cdr]

 Hemi,auto,3.54 dana,SE, BLACK Daytona.

[2592 creston]

 

    Funny you should mention the marriage thing.  my dad bought my 70 Hemi charger off the original owner in 1972 for 2 grand because the guy was getting divorced and didn't want her to get it. He was in the right place at the right time!

[ht4spd307]

already have it 1969 r/t se 440 727 y3 black vinyl roof black trim a/c disc brakes leather trim tint windows power windows but brand new would be good. wouldn't have to do all this work 

[green69rt]

I actually took delivery of a new 69 Charger RT the day my wife and I had our first date. F5 green, 440 auto, no vinyl top, light package and I don't remember anything else about it.  Got married and still had it, drove coast-to-coast several times.   Wish I had it back.

[marshallfry01]

For me it'd be a 1969 year. Orange, saddle tan interior, 383 floor shift auto, and A/C. 

[alfaitalia]

Does it have to be a Charger they would have actually built or can I imagine a bit...you know like a 69 six pack?

[billssuperbird]

69 Hemi 4 Speed Daytona or Superbird 

[DAY CLONA]

Green Daytona is a a photoshop. It never happened.

Some would like to think so 

[bigdsul]

68 hemi 4 speed and dana rear end black vinyl top black interior black paint R/T with red R/T stripe.

70 hemi 4 speed and dana rear end panther pink black vinyl top sun roof

[Homerr]

Y39 26 END
N85 P31 R21 V24 V6W
C16 C55 G36 J45 M21 M31
V1W A01 A04 A33 A47 B51
FK5 C6K4 FK5 A01 M99xxx
E74 D21 XS29 R0G xxxxxX

I didn't know what I wanted in a relationship, really, until my 30's.  So those early relationships were doomed anyway, would go more on car.

[Chad L. Magee]

Simple choice on a budget back then:  ($3,139 base price + $161.65 A47 option = $3,300.65 + fuel/taxes/delivery charge)

1970 Dodge Charger 500, A47 SE package, /6

There was only one of those built...


You could go cheaper with the base model in 1970 ($3,001.00), but more of them were made....

[fizz]

I was 9 yrs old when my parents ordered a /6 f8 green 1970 charger radio delete 3 speed on the column. There was 5 of us kids so 7 people on week long family vacations pulling a pop top camper cross country. Still remember the look on gas station attendants faces when they opened the hood to check the oil.
They traded it in 74 for an Aztec gold charger 318 radio delete 3speed on column.
Got a radio in 78 when they traded for a Monaco wagon. No air on any. Same year I got a 1970 f8 green r/t auto charger.

[John_Kunkel]

I'd order a '68 Charger, RR1 Burgundy Metalic with black buckets, 383 4-speed and every luxury whistle and bell.

[G-man]

Don't see the point to the thread. Aint happening and irrelevant. Prices are way too high to even depress one self of what they would get back when things were cheap.

[alfaitalia]

It's just for fun my friend! ...just for fun....
1969 Charger
605 ci Hemi with stand alone efi
8-71 with water injection
Electric sunroof and windows
Air con
Remote start and central locking with total closure, alarm and tracking
Android interface to allows custom maps, lighting control, remote start etc from phone
Custom Built Dana 60
Ride and height adjustable coil overs all round
9 speed AMG auto transmission on custom bell spinning a custom carbon and titanium prop shaft controlled but stand alone tcm
Dark metallic blue paint
Momo Saddle leather interior with matching steering wheel
Custom five spoke 17/18 inch alloys with carbon spokes (painted body colour) with Yokohama street legal track day tyres
Tablet in dash controlling ice and displaying real time diagnostics
Brembo calipers all round (six piston front, four rear) biting on carbon ceramic discs..rear lock out.
Launch control
Completely standard looking (but strengthened and braced) shell




Hey.... we are all just dreaming...I'm just dreaming bigger! Lol

[tan top]

the charger I have now ,  although prolly would just be a R/T only & NO SE or  air conditioning  

Y2 yellow   black top ,   black interior ,   black stripe . power discs ,   power steering ,  console  , tic toc tach , 2.94  or 2.76  gears , light group , AM/FM , tinted glass all round ,  driver remote mirror , with passenger side mirror . undecided maybe an automatic ,or a manual transmission , two weeks with  a manual trans , knowing me I would want a auto again , scratch that ! keep the R/T an auto , save the stick for my second  charger below  

if I can have a second as a sunday driver , 1969 charger 500 XX29 , Y2 yellow, black interior  , hemi & a four speed  

[ws23rt]

Don't see the point to the thread. Aint happening and irrelevant. Prices are way too high to even depress one self of what they would get back when things were cheap.

I see the point of this thread.  It is chat about recalling the days when we were buying or wanted to.
My story is when I bought a 69 383 4sp superbee new.  
I was 19 and making $1.25 per hour.  What I wanted to do was order a Hemi suberbee.
The salesman had much to say about why I should not order a car like that.(He was right with his pitch). The bottom line is he had a car for me on hand and sold it to me.
I drove the crap out of that 383 suberbee for 11 months until I had to let it go back to the finance company.

Since that time I was able to find what I wanted to order on that day. It took another 10 years and some growing up with my chosen work path to get what I wanted to order at that time.

Fast forward to today and I have that 69 coronet RT hemi 4sp with 50k miles on it. I bought it for $900 in 1980.

Also I recall (at the time) looking at the brochures for the 70 dodge cars that were comming. A purple challanger with the hemi almost upset my frugal life again.

Those were fun times on many levels. I miss them as well as having learned from them.
We live in a different place today in many ways.

[odcics2]

What would you guys walk into the dealership and order, if you could go back in time?

But what would you guys do?

Don't need to, I already own it

Wonder what happened to the original McCurry "Daytona" ?   

[Dans 68]

I'd order a '68 Charger, RR1 Burgundy Metalic with black buckets, 383 4-speed and every luxury whistle and bell.

I like how you think, John! Only mine would be LL1 Turquoise Metallic (w/3.54 SG). 

Dan

[XH29N0G]

Probably not that far off from what my dad did. 

70 XH, EF8 with black interior a bench seat for the kids, HD suspension,  383 magnum, rallye wheels, 3 speed on the floor, suregrip 3.23 for and g78 tires blackwall,and A/C.  Like him, I'd wish for the 69 Daytona/70 superbird, but also would think it might stick out as a car for a starting professor and family. He might have bought it with the towing package - it had a trailer hitch until I pulled it off. He bought the car to replace a red 1960 valliant.

[XS29LA47V21]

White 69 Charger with black top, black interior and black stripe, disc breaks, FM, no PW, no sunroof, six way seat, AC......   500 or RT/SE?  Such a hard decision in make believe...

[MoparMotel]

'68 Charger, 383 Mag non console 4 speed, LL1 Tourquoise with black interior and no vinyl top with mag 500's.

[Kern Dog]

Why not a beautiful 1962 Valiant with the aluminum slant six ?

[moparnut]

See alot of guys choosing the 383 hp 4spd nothing wrong with that just surprised. Figured there would be more 440 and hemis.  moparnut

[XH29N0G]

Why not a beautiful 1962 Valiant with the aluminum slant six ?

Well in addition to the charger replacing it, the 1960 red valiant had one other story (which I think I have told before, but will again).  

Shortly after my grandfather bought the valiant, he took it to pick my dad up from the airport (back from college).  Dad had previously saved up and bought a 348 58 Impala as his first car and later sold it to buy a fuel injected 283 57 corvette. You get the picture. And he wanted his dad to get a 300F.  My grandfather wasn't too much into cars, but knew his son was and an opportunity when he saw one.  As the story goes, on the way back from the airport, grandpa asked dad how he liked the new car.  In the process, he managed to get dad so wound up that by the time they made it home, dad unpacked his bags, pulled out a car magazine and showed my grandfather what a 300F looked like and how it was different from the valiant.  Apparently my grandfather replied with a "Got one of those too, its out front."  

It was that valiant that the charger replaced.  The corvette was sold by my dad to pay for education-related expenses.

To the last post, it may sound strange, but if they had offered a 440 or 426 in the XH, I am pretty sure my dad would have bought that.  The point was he was (and I would be) buying a family car.  In high school he had me hop up a 225 outboard and put 150 decals on it for his 16' modified V (boat).  Always wanted it to look understates.  He now has some very fast cars, but also understated.  I never really thought how much my thinking is like his, but I probably would do the same.

[RallyeMike]

Realistically, I have never bought top of the line cars or ordered one. I prefer to hunt for good deals on lots rather than order a car. I assume I would have done the same if I had been a decade older than I am and able to buy one new.

So....realistically I would have cast a wide net looking for a deal on a lot that fit the following criteria: I would have passed on a Charger as too expensive and bought a Roadrunner or Super Bee, 68-70, 383, 4 speed, manual everything, sure grip, and AM radio. Color would have had to have been orange, yellow, or black, preferring a black interior. When I found a car meeting this criteria I could live with PS, PB, or other moderate options as long as the price was right.

[Sublime/Sixpack]

1970 Charger R/T, black, on black, on black, with a red butt stripe, 426 hemi, four speed, track pack, rallye wheels, and buddy seat (no center console).

[6bblgt]

I think (I know, bad start) to get a grasp & put some perspective on the idea of ordering one brand new, multiply the $$s by 15 due to inflation and what little $1 buys today.    here's part of a "end of year" dealer sale in 1970 with adjusted pricing.  

very rounded numbers .....  so a $3000 purchase in 1970 would be a $45,000 car today, $4000 = $60,000 & $5000 = $75,000

& a simple $61.55 AM radio in 1970 is equivalent to a $923.25 OPTION today & that $648.25 HEMI engine for an already expensive '70 Charger R/T is $9,723.75 extra
..... how much money do you want/or have to spend now?

[RCCDrew]

For me:
70 RT, 440 4 bbl 4 speed, go Mango with AC. No vinyl top, black interior and Rallyes.

[Sublime/Sixpack]

Only $9,723.75 for the hemi option? I'll take at least three.

[jessejames]

I think about this often... If I could go back and walk into any Dodge dealership in Spring of 1969 this is what I would order.
1969 Charger R/T
440- 4 speed A-34 package
F8 green/black/black
B5 or B7 blue/white/blue
stripe delete
buddy seat/no console
and an 8 track
I think the color combo would be the hardest to decide on.

[ACUDANUT]

Don't see the point to the thread. Aint happening and irrelevant. Prices are way too high to even depress one self of what they would get back when things were cheap.

And it's kind alike saying "if I won the Lottery".  Pointless

[cbrestorations]

i do already have my favorite charger being a 68 r/t black hardtop 440/ 4 speed dana car. its a pretty base optioned car though. i would go back and order it with a few different and more options like red interior and tail stripe. power windows, disc brakes, s.e. package, console and cruise control. well might aswell drop a hemi in it aswell too.

heres another question too though. once you have bought this car of ur dreams, where would you stash it so you can jump back in the delorean to the year 2017 and recover it untouched for 50 years?

[JB400]

Heck with the Delorean, I'd hook a box car on the train engine, and bring into the future with me.

[Baldwinvette77]

Did someone shoot your B-pillar?

[Lennard]

Did someone shoot your B-pillar?

And the door.

[JB400]

Charger's don't have a B pillar.  It's a C pillar.

[VegasCharger]

Charger's don't have a B pillar.  It's a C pillar.

[cbrestorations]

Did someone shoot your B-pillar?

yes, little did the people know who used it as target practice know it was a true black r/t 4 speed car. it has shot gun splatter all over it, bullet holes, pick axle holes in it, jumped on the roof, axed the dash and so on. still had the vin and fender tag though 

[chargerbr549]

I would order a 69 RT SE, T5 Copper, white top, white tail stripe, sunroof, saddle interior, Hemi, 4 speed, 4.10 Dana, power windows, tinted glass, six way seat. Ditch the factory wheels and tires and install 15' magnum 500's with fat tires that fill up the wheel wells and drop the car down about an inch. Have several extra sets of rear tires.

[Homerr]

I think (I know, bad start) to get a grasp & put some perspective on the idea of ordering one brand new, multiply the $$s by 15 due to inflation and what little $1 buys today.    here's part of a "end of year" dealer sale in 1970 with adjusted pricing.  

very rounded numbers .....  so a $3000 purchase in 1970 would be a $45,000 car today, $4000 = $60,000 & $5000 = $75,000

& a simple $61.55 AM radio in 1970 is equivalent to a $923.25 OPTION today & that $648.25 HEMI engine for an already expensive '70 Charger R/T is $9,723.75 extra
..... how much money do you want/or have to spend now?

From the googles:

$100 in the year 1970 is worth $622.04 in 2017

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1970-dollars-in-2017

So the numbers become:

$25,688.70 / $20,328.27  (70 Coronet 500)

$25,543.61 / $19,588.04  (70 Coronet R/T)

$26,272.79 / $20, 166.54  (70 Coronet R/T)

$22,684.55 / $17,230.51  (70 Coronet Super Bee)

$22,768.84 / $17,983.18  (70 Charger)

$24,157.55 / $19,140.17  (70 Charger 500)


Hemi would be $4,032.40 extra on the 70 Charger R/T.

[6bblgt]

I think (I know, bad start) to get a grasp & put some perspective on the idea of ordering one brand new, multiply the $$s by 15 due to inflation and what little $1 buys today.    here's part of a "end of year" dealer sale in 1970 with adjusted pricing.  

very rounded numbers .....  so a $3000 purchase in 1970 would be a $45,000 car today, $4000 = $60,000 & $5000 = $75,000

& a simple $61.55 AM radio in 1970 is equivalent to a $923.25 OPTION today & that $648.25 HEMI engine for an already expensive '70 Charger R/T is $9,723.75 extra
..... how much money do you want/or have to spend now?

From the googles:

$100 in the year 1970 is worth $622.04 in 2017

http://www.in2013dollars.com/1970-dollars-in-2017

So the numbers become:

$25,688.70 / $20,328.27  (70 Coronet 500)

$25,543.61 / $19,588.04  (70 Coronet R/T)

$26,272.79 / $20, 166.54  (70 Coronet R/T)

$22,684.55 / $17,230.51  (70 Coronet Super Bee)

$22,768.84 / $17,983.18  (70 Charger)

$24,157.55 / $19,140.17  (70 Charger 500)


Hemi would be $4,032.40 extra on the 70 Charger R/T.

that doesn't take into account the buying power of the dollar (or lack there of) some historical VS. current prices (some market & some subsidized)

Cost of a new home:
----- $26,600.00 1970 (x 6.2 = $164,900) (x 15 = $399,000) $363,000 2016
Median Household Income:
----- $8,734.00 1970 (x 6.2 = $$54.150) (x 15 = $131,000) $55,775 2016
Cost of a first-class stamp:
----- $0.06 1970 (x 6.2 = $0.37) (x 15 = $0.90) $0.49 2016
Cost of a gallon of regular gas:
----- $0.36 1970 (x 6.2 = $2.23) (x 15 = $5.40) $2.38 2016
Cost of a dozen eggs:
----- $0.62 1970 (x 6.2 = $3.84) (x 15 = $9.30) $1.68 2016
Cost of a gallon of Milk:
----- $1.15 1970 (x 6.2 = $7.13) (x 15 = $17.25) $3.20 2016

[6bblgt]

I did go into those prices a little lot heavy, was trying to get the Coronet R/T into the price of an modern Scat Pack Charger or Challenger, my mistake was using the sale price not the MSRP

Cost of a new car:
----- $3,900.00 1970 (x 6.2 = $24,180) (x 15 = $58,500) $33,560 2016

using just the average new vehicle cost the correct price correction should be 860%, but I'm not sure that would get you into the same level/status vehicle (lots more compacts/sub-compacts today VS. 1970 * for better or worse) 

[cooldude]

I like how this thread is going, and the prices adjusted for inflation is a really helpful thing. Thnx.

This helps us be able to interpret our old cars in thier correct and proper original context. Back then, not too many people were really seriously into drag racing, other than just some kids borrowing thier big brothers cool car once in a while. The folks that actually bought these cars new just wanted, good cars.

I think the racing craze for these cars actually came in the mid to late 70s and into the 80s, as they went down in blue book value enough so that us teenage hotrodders of the time could actually afford them. That was the real high performance hey day of our old cars.

I bet that a lot of Barracuda Grand Coupes got rebadged, re-engined, retraineyed, and so on. There were probably more RT cars on the road by 1980, stripes, wings, scoops and all,... than Chrysler ever built.

[RCCDrew]

Probably not. Attrition on a 10 year old car was much higher than it is now. And there weren't any reproduction scoops and wings. If you had them you took them off another car.

[Scaregrabber]

Something else to consider is the cost of insurance back then. My brother ordered a new 67 Satellite with a 318 in it. If he had ordered even a 383-2 his insurance cost would have doubled making the car unaffordable for a 19 year old.

Sheldon

[cooldude]

Probably not. Attrition on a 10 year old car was much higher than it is now. And there weren't any reproduction scoops and wings. If you had them you took them off another car.

Yup, thats what was done. I spent a lot of time prowling junkyards in my high school days. I skipped alot of classes while going junkyarding. Our teachers called my group the "correspondence" students.

But,at least they knew where to find us if we were really needed for something. 

[Ryan.C]

.

[Dans 68]

Something else to consider is the cost of insurance back then. My brother ordered a new 67 Satellite with a 318 in it. If he had ordered even a 383-2 his insurance cost would have doubled making the car unaffordable for a 19 year old.

Sheldon

Great point. A quick internet search revealed the cost of insuring one of our muscle cars ranged from $1,000 to $1,500/year back in the day. About 1/4 of the cost of the new vehicle. 

Dan

[green69rt]

I don't remember the real numbers so I'm going to make some up.   My first Charger was a 69 RT 440 auto.  I was 23 when I bought it.  Insurance was about $600 (made up number.)  I got married and turned 25 within two months of each other.  Insurance dropped to about $200!!  What I do remember is the insurance was a third of the old amount.  My yearly income at the time was about $5000, maybe a hair less.

[Draco]

    If I could order one new it would be a 68 R/T Charger, Black on Black with red Bumble stripe. 440 with Trac-pac, 4sp, 3.23 gears and 15" Magnum wheels. Tinted windows, AM/FM radio, rear window defogger,  oh yeah and A/C.

[Dans 68]

    If I could order one new it would be a 68 R/T Charger, Black on Black with red Bumble stripe. 440 with Trac-pac, 4sp, 3.23 gears and 15" Magnum wheels. Tinted windows, AM/FM radio, rear window defogger,  oh yeah and after market A/C.

I fixed it for you.    (No factory A/C available on R/T 4-Speeds    )

Dan

[Draco]

    Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Never had A/C in any hot rod just thought it would be nice.

[Kern Dog]

The 440-4 speed cars were limited to a Dana 60. The ratios were 3.54 and 4.10.

[Homerr]

I don't remember the real numbers so I'm going to make some up.   My first Charger was a 69 RT 440 auto.  I was 23 when I bought it.  Insurance was about $600 (made up number.)  I got married and turned 25 within two months of each other.  Insurance dropped to about $200!!  What I do remember is the insurance was a third of the old amount.  My yearly income at the time was about $5000, maybe a hair less.

What year are you talking about?

[6bblgt]

68 R/T Charger  
Black on Black with red Bumble stripe - OK
440 with Track-Pak, 4sp - OK
3.23 gears and 15" Magnum wheels - neither existed in '68 - the above "TRACK PAK" was 3.54s (the ONLY available ratio with 440 4-spd)
Tinted windows - OK
AM/FM radio - not a factory available OPTION on a '68 b-body
rear window defogger - OK
oh yeah and A/C - covered above



substitute: AM w/stereo 8-track, 14" chrome ROAD wheels *** total: $3,973.25

no console, tach, power steering or brakes?

[green69rt]

I don't remember the real numbers so I'm going to make some up.   My first Charger was a 69 RT 440 auto.  I was 23 when I bought it.  Insurance was about $600 (made up number.)  I got married and turned 25 within two months of each other.  Insurance dropped to about $200!!  What I do remember is the insurance was a third of the old amount.  My yearly income at the time was about $5000, maybe a hair less.

What year are you talking about?

Bought my first Charger new, so 69.

[Draco]

   Dam you guys are tough, I guess I should have checked my red book first.

[Dans 68]

   Dam you guys are tough, I guess I should have checked my red book first.

Well, perhaps a little anal, but in a good way.    As the quote goes in that famous Faber College movie, "Knowledge is good".

Dan

[VegasCharger]

68 R/T Charger  
Black on Black with red Bumble stripe - OK
440 with Track-Pak, 4sp - OK
3.23 gears and 15" Magnum wheels - neither existed in '68 - the above "TRACK PAK" was 3.54s (the ONLY available ratio with 440 4-spd)
Tinted windows - OK
AM/FM radio - not a factory available OPTION on a '68 b-body
rear window defogger - OK
oh yeah and A/C - covered above



substitute: AM w/stereo 8-track, 14" chrome ROAD wheels *** total: $3,973.25

no console, tach, power steering or brakes?

No AM/FM radio on a '68 B Body?? Never knew that. 

[Cncguy]

Not saying I could afford it but, a 1970 Charger R/T SE Hemi 4 speed High impact color, V21 hood treatment, hood pins, and go wing.

[Draco]

    My 68 came factory with AM/FM, rear spreaker with a fader switch on the dash.

[Dans 68]

   My 68 came factory with AM/FM, rear spreaker with a fader switch on the dash.

You could have the dealer install the optional accessory AM/FM solid state radio but from the factory only an AM radio was available to order.

Dan

[Draco]

    Copy that, That clears things up.

[41husk]

69 Daytona and spring the extra few hundred bucks for the hemi