What defines a Charger as a Charger

[JB400]

After reading this article about the BBT "Charger,":

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/1969-charger-love-or-hate/?wc_mid=4035:9944&wc_rid=4035:1298639&_wcsid=196164CDAB676507899B3AD18DBB13EEB447363C2458438B

I have to ask:  What features on a Charger actually define a Charger as one?  Please note, this question is not limited to just one gen. of Charger.

Fair warning:  Hot Rod website is a wreck with all the ads.

[darbgnik]

I always associated the Gen 2 Charger with the buttress rear window, even as a kid.

Through all 3 original generations, maybe the hidden headlights??

[cdr]

That is not a Charger, looks like a ford Torino   

[Homerr]

Simple - a Charger is the car sold new by Dodge.

Modification is just that, people screwing around with an already great design.

[Lennard]

Another f#×*ed up second generation Charger.

[Fitz73Chrgr]

The VIN defines a Charger.

[VegasCharger]

I stopped reading the Hot Rod article once it said "I wanted to get rid of the overhang up front". Not those exact words but you know what I mean if you read the article.

WTF!!! Why is it that people believe that the 2nd gen Chargers needs improvement?? Quit trying to modernize these poor Chargers to look like the new style shaped cars of today.

[Nacho-RT74]

Talking from Mopar perspective, Charger is an unique car, offered with same name no matter the trim... not like belvs/satties or Polaras/Monacos, etc... and diff from Coronets from the name up to the shell... I think thats a definition

[alfaitalia]

Yeah...that is not a very pretty car...losing the door scallops and gaining all that slabbiness does nothing for it imo . His car and his cash...so I guess it's fine!

[Nacho-RT74]

Car itself is nice. I think is still a Charger... ugly or pretty, at each own.

about the "crisscrossed lines" well... 73/74 got missed that and 1st gens never got them, but those are another story. I preffer continuous lines on 3rd gens over the 71/72 crisscrossed lines, but not really because the line itself, like the height the rear section reachs on quarter panel. I like more the lower line build on 73/74 and the lower cut on the belt line ( yes ACUDANUT, thats my prefference LOL ). Maybe I think the 71/2 looks way fat bottomed due this shape. 73/74 are more "slim" on this area, somehow. I don't like that mod made on the 69 on discussion though ( neither the front wheels move )

HOWEVER, overal I like this car more than one black and bronze around with the front clip modified being cut to get exposed headlights. It is a 68 I think ?

[Baldwinvette77]

honestly i think bullit set the tone for the charger pretty well, first, 2nd or 3rd gen, it should look evil.

the stock designs of each generation were great, each individual part was cool, i remember talking to a guy and mentioning " i think the 2nd gen charger is the only car i can think of where just the parts can look cool"

for example just having a charger door laying around on the ground still looks good, it doesn't necessarily need the rest of the car to compliment it, same goes for the hood, full quarters, bumpers etc. at least thats my opinion.

[tan top]

 all these modern custom second generation chargers like this ,  have some awesome fabrication / interesting  ideas . & loads of time work gone into them  , BUT why are they turning the most beautiful shaped cars ever built , in to  a kid toy cartoon type car , you know the ones that kind of  look what they are meant to be , the shape is not quite right & have a jumble of ideas ,  no offence ,  not taking nothing away from the workman ship ,  in these custom builds ,   perhaps im old & stuck in the past ,  I  still think no bigger than 15" size diameter wheel for a second generation charger   

[Homerr]

all these modern custom second generation chargers like this ,  have some awesome fabrication / interesting  ideas . & loads of time work gone into them  , BUT why are they turning the most beautiful shaped cars ever built , in to  a kid toy cartoon type car , you know the ones that kind of  look what they are meant to be , the shape is not quite right & have a jumble of ideas ,  no offence ,  not taking nothing away from the workman ship ,  in these custom builds ,   perhaps im old & stuck in the past ,  I  still think no bigger than 15" size diameter wheel for a second generation charger   

In a word:  ego

[Fitz73Chrgr]

  not taking nothing away from the workman ship ,  in these custom builds ,   perhaps im old & stuck in the past ,  I  still think no bigger than 15" size diameter wheel for a second generation charger   

I think your sentiment is shared with 99% of Charger enthusiasts.  These guys who build the custom Chargers likely are not Charger enthusiasts. 

As for the 15" max wheel size, I think you are old & stuck in the past.   

[F8-4life]

I think builders are in the industry,  and they want to show off there achievements in a way that relates to the most people. This may mean using a very popular car to gain attention from the lesser knowledgeable audience. People who actually build stuff know how hard it is on -anything- or -any- car, but casual bystanders only look relitivly quickly and say "hey thats cool", for a builder..using a charger is a good eye catcher for that group.

[ws23rt]

To me, the name Charger says 68-70. (70--not so much)
In 68-70 no fresh air hoods were offered to the public. Plymouth had them. The Coronet had them.
Maybe someone can chip in with what the original designers thinking was on this. An old memory that was any change to the hood just messed with a great look.

[XH29N0G]

I usually follow the "Everyone has their vision of perfection.  Let it them do what they want principle."

But in this case,  am just grateful the original designers did what they did and I have what I have.  

[Baldwinvette77]

a bit off topic but i saw this one on facebook today, its a 68 on a chrysler 300 frame, but i just feel like they probably ruined a really nice car, im not liking the 6" they added to the bottom 

[Fitz73Chrgr]

a bit off topic but i saw this one on facebook today, its a 68 on a chrysler 300 frame, but i just feel like they probably ruined a really nice car, im not liking the 6" they added to the bottom 

Aren't you building a '68 on a Chrysler 300 platform as well?  Maybe it started with a car in the same condition as yours.

[Lennard]

a bit off topic but i saw this one on facebook today, its a 68 on a chrysler 300 frame, but i just feel like they probably ruined a really nice car, im not liking the 6" they added to the bottom 

Another example of: just because you can,  doesn't mean you should. 

[Mike DC]

  
They didn't voluntarily add that extra part to the bottom.  That is how the two different bodies fit together.  The modern car's dashboard is just too high above its rocker structure for the '68 body shape to agree with it.  

Everyone who has done the conversion better has fought a big battle with this problem.  


It looks like they also moved the rear wheels back rather than shorten the 300's wheelbase (it is 3 inches longer than a 68-70). 

[Nacho-RT74]

I rather preffer another GL  around, maybe like the KWS Extreme Lee than those experiments

[tan top]

  not taking nothing away from the workman ship ,  in these custom builds ,   perhaps im old & stuck in the past ,  I  still think no bigger than 15" size diameter wheel for a second generation charger   

I think your sentiment is shared with 99% of Charger enthusiasts.  These guys who build the custom Chargers likely are not Charger enthusiasts. 

As for the 15" max wheel size, I think you are old & stuck in the past.   

         

[charger_fan_4ever]

all these modern custom second generation chargers like this ,  have some awesome fabrication / interesting  ideas . & loads of time work gone into them  , BUT why are they turning the most beautiful shaped cars ever built , in to  a kid toy cartoon type car , you know the ones that kind of  look what they are meant to be , the shape is not quite right & have a jumble of ideas ,  no offence ,  not taking nothing away from the workman ship ,  in these custom builds ,   perhaps im old & stuck in the past ,  I  still think no bigger than 15" size diameter wheel for a second generation charger   

im 37 and i agree. fast and furious trend is now ruining these great cars.

[aerolith]

Not 4 me, that scoop is down right AWFUL...

I like white cars but this looks kinda weird, subtle little changes that don't work?

Very much a 'HOT WHEELS' retro bad moulding in 1/64...

[TPR]

Nothing about this car says Charger to me.
TPR

[sixty-niner]

I just watched an interview of the builder from SEMA 17, The guys pretty much admits he hates dodge chargers and was paid to build one.  Its like he tried to make it look like a chevelle. The build quality is amazing, but he just took all of the COOL out of the car.  I love pro-touring rides but this one is horrible.

[Mopar Nut]

 

[Sublime/Sixpack]

I try to keep my posts on a positive note, but the white car in the story sort of makes me feel sick to my stomach. 
I don't care how good the workmanship is, how well it drives or how much horsepower and torque it develops, I don't like what they did to it!
And for some reason when I look at the engine bay it makes me think of a stainless steel toilet or basin.

To each their own, but in my opinion they really spoiled that car.

[Kern Dog]

The white car?
Door redesign...
Choice of color...
Rear valance......
Hood scoop........

That burgundy 68 looks like shit too. Its a real abortion that should have never happened.

[Baldwinvette77]

 
They didn't voluntarily add that extra part to the bottom.  That is how the two different bodies fit together.  The modern car's dashboard is just too high above its rocker structure for the '68 body shape to agree with it.  

Everyone who has done the conversion better has fought a big battle with this problem.  


It looks like they also moved the rear wheels back rather than shorten the 300's wheelbase (it is 3 inches longer than a 68-70). 

the rockers I understand, but they could have left the rear alone, all they had to do was delete the stock resonators, and the stock rear valance and quarters would have been fine.

[alfaitalia]

I can see why they did it...it would have looked even worse with sides that low and a rear that high.

[Mike DC]

 
The lower-hanging rear quarters on the red car are caused by the same issue as the rockers.  The modern chassis hangs down too low behind the rear wheels too.

[Baldwinvette77]

ok, i have to say i like how they handled the windshield area 

[Sublime/Sixpack]

My eyes gravitate to the early T-bird, and the black coupe in the back ground.

[timmycharger]

Is this one real? as much as I don't care for changing the second gen styling, this one is cool in a GT/LM sort of way, ok except for the blower sticking out  


Edit:  for some reason it didn't copy the image but its the black one posted by Mopar Nut

[alfaitalia]

You are right...it has a certain cartoon cool about it! And you are right about the blower....it needs to be BIGGER !

[odcics2]

I have to ask:  What feature on a Charger actually define a Charger as one?  Please note, this question is not limited to just one gen. of Charger.

The coke bottle shape...   

[JR]

I just watched an interview of the builder from SEMA 17, The guys pretty much admits he hates dodge chargers and was paid to build one.  Its like he tried to make it look like a chevelle. The build quality is amazing, but he just took all of the COOL out of the car.  I love pro-touring rides but this one is horrible.

This makes sense. The proportions of the white one scream 66-67 Chevelle.

Not a fan.

[Baldwinvette77]

i don't know how any car guy could hate a dodge charger, i mean i love chevelles, camaros and novas, but i don't have a burning desire to own one, they're great, but not amazing.

[Kern Dog]

Those white cars...That is an interesting comparison.
People that don't like the 68-70 Charger are idiots. You'd have to be a total jerkoff to think a Chevelle is a better looking car.

[JB400]

Charger= The perfect combination of the illusion of speed, with the power to back it up, and luxury, in a multi passenger car configuration, in it's time period, built by Dodge.

Unfortunately, most want to take some of the features of each, instead of leaving them or enhancing them.  The white car in question took away the illusion of speed.

[Harper]

People that don't like the 68-70 Charger are idiots.

absolutely agree

68-69-70 chargers are some of the best looking cars on the planet!! period! I mean look at the Fast and Furious even they knew it thru every episode

[XS29LA47V21]

a bit off topic but i saw this one on facebook today, its a 68 on a chrysler 300 frame, but i just feel like they probably ruined a really nice car, im not liking the 6" they added to the bottom 

Aren't you building a '68 on a Chrysler 300 platform as well?  Maybe it started with a car in the same condition as yours.

I have a friend that bought a SRT 300 for just that same plan yrs back.  Car is done.  Beautiful car with a trophy at ever show I have know him to go.  It is a full mod rod on the ground and big wheels.  He initially intended full 300 under it and ended up with Art Morrison as I recall (not sure of aftermarket frame he went with).  He did that because he wanted it channeled and low, not like this car above.  It looks very high to me too and not my thing. 

[ACUDANUT]

 A SRT 300 and a trophy ? What is this world coming to.