Charger I

[learical1]

A few pix from Barrett-Jackson about 25 or more years ago.

[bull]

I wish I owned... so I could sell it and pay off my house and finish my good-looking '68. That thing does nothing for me in the looks dept.

[Charger1973]

Looks more like a T-bird than a Charger.   

[bordin34]

Looks like a combo of a falcon and t-bird to me.

[Brock Samson]

Don't forget the Charger was Dodge's attempt at a personal luxo liner to compete with the T-bird the Riv. & the G.P. personal Luxury Hardtops. One thing it wasn't was a four door sedan.
                                                                               

   The new thing the Charger brought to the party was some real performance credentials. ie: the 426 HEMI.
By the time the Charger did come on line in 1966 the others were no longer nearly as sporty as they were luxurious. They certinly weren't raced in NASCAR.
Another way to look at the Charger's product placement was as a midsize pony car, Dodge had a chance to get their own version of the Barracuda, but the powers that were,.. elected to go their own route with a car capable of accepting the largest V-8s, which in no way could the a-body biased bacaruda do, and, as we have allready discussed many times, the Thunderbird's designer went to Chrysler in 1962 where he penned the Ghia Turbine which was originally destined for the Charger.
So there is a good reason for the Thunderbird resemblance.
So keep in mind this Charger shown above was a midsize version of the Darroo. If Dodge had gone with an A-body sports/pony car it most likely would have looked like this..

 

[41husk]

I kinda like the look of the red one.

[Ghoste]

And the first one was a concept car built off of a Polara so the T-bird influence would be even more apparent.  Especially being those were some of the first cars penned for Chrylser by Elwood Engel who came to us from Ford. 

[bull]

I kinda like the look of the red one.

Kinda.

[Silver R/T]

Looks more like a T-bird than a Charger.   

no offense but id take Tbird over that

[learical1]

Didn't say it was pretty, but it IS a Charger.  You can see where the 1st Gen got its tail lights.

[Brock Samson]

so where is this real charger concept car now?...
n why are the headlights different from the official pics i've seen?..


thanks for all the pics Lyrical.. 

[TripleBlackGator]

The red one has an Dodge Omni 024 DeTomaso front end but so does a turd.

[Ghoste]

Well, the ones at the top, if it's the original car, show a number of changes.  Headlights, taillights, and color scheme being most notable.  I seem to vaguely recall one of it's owners trying to customize it (imagine customizing a concept car?). There is one very accurate replica out there other than color, and as for the original, it was found a couple of years ago and is undergoing restoration.  The Charger II concept car is still unaccounted for as far as I know.
As to the Charger being penned by Engel, I think it would be more accurate to say his influence was felt, but overall, the car was created by Carl Cameron.

[Magnumcharger]

Geez guys...I figured you long timers would have all the facts by now!!
The Charger I showcar as seen above, is the real car, as it was customized by an owner.
There is a replica of this car, which is very well done, but painted silver.
The real car was recently restored by it's owner, Joe Bortz, and was retrofitted with an era-correct 426 Hemi by John Arruzza.
It is now repainted back to it's original color of burgundy.
Thanks to learical1 for posting the pictures!
Any chance you have the Supercharger, or Dodge Deora pictures too?

[Brock Samson]

     i tend to forget alot of stuff since i turned 20..
i think it was 20...

[Ghoste]

Why do I keep hearing Paul Harvey in the background. 

[learical1]

I have pix of the Duster 1 roadrunner , a 71-72 satellite showcar, and the dart daroo II.  I've loaned them all to 6pkrunner, so he can make you a poster, if you ask him real nice.

[Magnumcharger]

Hmmmm....how nice we talkin' here?
I can only go SO far before I start hating myself!

But I surrrre would like to see those pic-a-tures!!

[aussiemuscle]

I seem to vaguely recall one of it's owners trying to customize it (imagine customizing a concept car?).

Barris did that to the 55 futura show car and ended up with the batmobile!! 

[Ghoste]

The difference here is that Barris had talent.

[Magnumcharger]

The difference here is that Barris had talent.

Barris was in many ways the Boyd Coddington of his time.