Better buy, 1st gen or 3rd gen??

[Death1970Proof]

Ok by the time the summer hits I wanna start saving and selling to buy another charger to drive frequently. A rolling project thats solid with decent running gear that wont need much that I could get for decent cash. Im assuming I can get a better deal on a 66/67 than a '71 up in the described condition. I love my project 2nd gen Im doing now but couldnt afford another one and the parts are krazy expensive. I love the way a 3rd gen charger rides and drives. A friend had a '74 charger SE broughm(sp?) and it was a smooth ridin machine. I dont have much experience with the first gen chargers of 66/7 but I love the look. Id say some parts could be tough to locate though. Upsides and downsides on these?? Please chime in 

[Charger1973]

Id say 3rd gen parts will be easier to come by.  Ive seen many of those in the wild and very few 1st gens.  Plus like you said, the ride quality is good. 

[Death1970Proof]

Id say 3rd gen parts will be easier to come by.  Ive seen many of those in the wild and very few 1st gens.  Plus like you said, the ride quality is good. 

You present a valid point there. I dont want something thats terribly hard to get parts for.  Seems the prices have went up on the 3rd gens in the last 2 years or so. A 318 car would be fine with me, I've always had good luck with them. 

[Charger1973]

I actually have a shell of another '73 I havent been able to bring myself to part with.  I dont really need another project, (cant afford one either) but I cant help but think it would be a nice driver if I could get a modern drivetrain into it.  I'm still debating on it, but I dont see a shell alone bringing much money if I tried to sell it, and I could have fun with it if I could get it driveable on the cheap. 

I agree you will want a 318 or possibly a newer drivetrain like I was thinking.  Gas prices are too high to drive around a gas guzzler every day.

[mikesbbody]

first of all, go with something you want and out of the 2 choices it sounds like you like the 3rd gen's more. As matt mentioned the parts for a 3rd gen would be easier to come by. 

[Death1970Proof]

Thanks guys, seems that 3rd gen is the way to go. Even a decent shell maybe alright to go with. I could swap in a fresh drivetrain and build it from there. Im kinda skeptical about buying a driver car that someone claims is ok and then turns out to be a piece of **** that I have to replace everything on. Im already going through that now. Id rather build a car than make car payments. IMO I cannot stand a newer model car, people say they bought a new car to save on gas- well that dont make sense. On average a new car is anywhere from 15k to 25k+. You can buy alot of gas for that!!!!

PS- do the heaters on these work well.....

[Nacho-RT74]

However ( and I'm 3rd gen owner ) I wouldn't say NO to a nice optioned and conditions 1st gen, after all is the only real fastback, and does have nice features unique to any kind of car around.

[pettyfan43]

Kinda right up my alley, I own a 66 and a 73 S/E. If you want a minimum hassles driver, to be honest I'd get the 3rd gen. I LOVE that 66, but finding parts takes DEDICATION. You have to be devoted to the project, and these cars have some issues that are peculiar to them, like the interior parts and the Electroluminescent gauges.  Lets not EVEN talk about taillight lenses and the headlight setup!

My 73 is somewhat easier to get stuff for and it is generally cheaper. More and more is showing up for the 71-4s by the day. You can even occasionally run across them in salvage yards and parts at swap meets are more readily available. Even most of the repop stuff that is available for both bodystyles is cheaper for the 71-4.


Just my  worth, maybe not worth that, your mileage may vary, use at your own risk, and that is PLUS Tax and Tags!   

[kylem4711]

i would go for a 1st gen for sure.
they are much nicer in my opinion

[Ghoste]

First gen parts are less often seen on e-bay or this site, but if you do like the style going to a place like the 66-67 forum will turn up all kinds of parts.
One thing I have found with my 67 is that fastback owners are very devoted to the cars and very devoted to seeing as many of them stay on the road as possible.  You don't typically meet a lot of "flippers" or people buying up cars strictly to cut up and part out.  It's changed a little bit since the B-J boom of the last couple of years but overall it still tends to be a hobby driven hobby and not a business or investment driven one.  There are some parts which are hard to get but the biggest hurdles really are getting all the electrics working good.
I would recommend getting the fastback over the 3rd gen. 

[Death1970Proof]

First gen parts are less often seen on e-bay or this site, but if you do like the style going to a place like the 66-67 forum will turn up all kinds of parts.
One thing I have found with my 67 is that fastback owners are very devoted to the cars and very devoted to seeing as many of them stay on the road as possible.  You don't typically meet a lot of "flippers" or people buying up cars strictly to cut up and part out.  It's changed a little bit since the B-J boom of the last couple of years but overall it still tends to be a hobby driven hobby and not a business or investment driven one.  There are some parts which are hard to get but the biggest hurdles really are getting all the electrics working good.
I would recommend getting the fastback over the 3rd gen. 

If I find the right deal Id love to have a 1966 or 67 charger....

[Charger1973]

If I find the right deal Id love to have a 1966 or 67 charger....

Me too but a triple black 68 would have to come first for me.  But yeah I like them all too. 

[Ghoste]

Some here.

http://66-67charger.com/forum/index.php?board=7.0

[Death1970Proof]

Some here.

http://66-67charger.com/forum/index.php?board=7.0

Thanks, I seen some fair prices but no screaming deals...I assume a 4 speed car would be more pricey...but oh how I love them....

[69chargerboy]

I'm not a HUGE fan of first gens, but I think there still cool. I personally would prefer a 3rd gen. I'd take a 71 - 72 Super Bee or R/T over any 1 gen any day! I've been noticing more and more reproduction parts for 3rd gens. Always a big plus! But, it all comes down to your personal preference. 

[Death1970Proof]

I'm not a HUGE fan of first gens, but I think there still cool. I personally would prefer a 3rd gen. I'd take a 71 - 72 Super Bee or R/T over any 1 gen any day! I've been noticing more and more reproduction parts for 3rd gens. Always a big plus! But, it all comes down to your personal preference. 

I been wanting a '71 super bee forever but there's no way I can swing those kinda $$$$'s

[ChgrSteve67]

I have never had a problem finding a drive train part for my Charger.

Moldings and clips can be hard to find and expensive.
Dash restoration and repair can be expensive.

You can get a really nice 1st Gen all done and ready to drive for under $15k.
If your looking for another project to work on and like to hunt for pieces and parts then the 3rd Gen will probably be easier.

I have had mine for 23 years, been rebuilding her for the last 6.  Got too much time and money invested to give up now.

If I was buying another Charger today I get one that someone else had already spent a lot of time on, was 95% complete and didn't have the energy to finish.

I still think the 1st Gens are one of the best bargains on the market today.

Steve (Just my 2 cents)

[BROCK]

Just a daily driver in decent condition?  Both 1st & 3rd gens should be around.  I went with the 3rd gen because I wanted a 72 SE
& lo 1 came available.  Perhaps going with what comes available to you should be the answer. 

[Judhudson]

Kinda right up my alley, I own a 66 and a 73 S/E. If you want a minimum hassles driver, to be honest I'd get the 3rd gen. I LOVE that 66, but finding parts takes DEDICATION. You have to be devoted to the project, and these cars have some issues that are peculiar to them, like the interior parts and the Electroluminescent gauges. Lets not EVEN talk about taillight lenses and the headlight setup!

My 73 is somewhat easier to get stuff for and it is generally cheaper. More and more is showing up for the 71-4s by the day. You can even occasionally run across them in salvage yards and parts at swap meets are more readily available. Even most of the repop stuff that is available for both bodystyles is cheaper for the 71-4.


Just my worth, maybe not worth that, your mileage may vary, use at your own risk, and that is PLUS Tax and Tags!

^ What he said.

Also I heard it is quite expensive if you ever need to replace taillights for a 1st gen.   

[Joshua]

I still think the 1st Gens are one of the best bargains on the market today.

Yeah...I see 'em quite often cheap, even 383, 4-speed cars.... a decent runner can be had for under $4000......
I prefer 'em over the bland 3rd gens.....don't like all the extra crap those cars have..IE: ugly side marker light, rubber bumper guards, extra BS under the hood, etc.....

[pettyfan43]

Kinda right up my alley, I own a 66 and a 73 S/E. If you want a minimum hassles driver, to be honest I'd get the 3rd gen. I LOVE that 66, but finding parts takes DEDICATION. You have to be devoted to the project, and these cars have some issues that are peculiar to them, like the interior parts and the Electroluminescent gauges. Lets not EVEN talk about taillight lenses and the headlight setup!

My 73 is somewhat easier to get stuff for and it is generally cheaper. More and more is showing up for the 71-4s by the day. You can even occasionally run across them in salvage yards and parts at swap meets are more readily available. Even most of the repop stuff that is available for both bodystyles is cheaper for the 71-4.


Just my worth, maybe not worth that, your mileage may vary, use at your own risk, and that is PLUS Tax and Tags!

^ What he said.

Also I heard it is quite expensive if you ever need to replace taillights for a 1st gen.   

Man I CAN'T BELIEVE you WENT there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Death1970Proof]

I still think the 1st Gens are one of the best bargains on the market today.

Yeah...I see 'em quite often cheap, even 383, 4-speed cars.... a decent runner can be had for under $4000......
I prefer 'em over the bland 3rd gens.....don't like all the extra crap those cars have..IE: ugly side marker light, rubber bumper guards, extra BS under the hood, etc.....

Yea you gotta take the good with the bad I suppose. Each of the years will have likes and dislikes. I just posted this to see what the 1st and 3rd owners had to say. I do like the fact that most of the 73/4 chargers have disc brakes which is a big plus and the electronic igntion is standard from '73 up. I love how the '66/7 chargers are unique but did notice that if you gotta buy taillights they are overpriced and I havent priced the headlight setup but I dont think I wanna know. I'll keep my eyes open and keep everyone informed of what happens and then snatch the best deal. Which ever came along Id change to suit my needs anyway. But the less it needs the better. Im already going through the replacing of everything on my '70 hybrid (so many different parts it aint even funny) and the deeper you dig into a car the quicker more money starts to dissapear and becomes expensive. And the expense Ive paid out for it is to make it good enough for me. Not show quality in anyway, shape, or form. Im basically saying Im enjoying this project ALOT but dont think I could do another one this major again. It came down to a choice. Buy it or the seller would have crushed it. We cant have that now can we??? I felt sorry for it....thanks guys 

[Musicman]

I think we all know what my favorite would be... There's nothing like a well done 1st Gen... I've still got a long way to go with mine, but I'm getting there one day at a time.

[Charger1973]

I do like the fact that most of the 73/4 chargers have disc brakes which is a big plus

Even better, they are standard on 73 and up

[Ghoste]

It isn't the price on the headlight setup, it's getting them working.  You could send them out and pay somebody to do all the work but a little time spent tracing the headaches will generally bring them aroud.  It's a complex setup though so the "headaches" can hide in a lot of places.
Did I mention the diecast metal grille doesn't need to have all the little broken bits of plastic glued back together?

[Goldfinger71]

.....Just for everyones information Johnny B over at 71superbee.com has had at least 2 71 Bee projects for sale for under $9000.00 for months now.They look like good deals.

Everyon's budgets varies but I thought I will let 3rd gen potential buyers know about them.

[73charger528cid]

About a yr a go I started looking for a good 68 coronet to do a super bee clone to kind of relive the car I had when I was 18.
what I ended up finding out was the prices for a decent car to start a project  anything from the 60s was realy high and most often the cars where in terrible shape and not complete.
while out doing a service call I found a 3 gen in a drive way by the time I was done haggleing and $4500 later I had it .

73 charger se 400 a/c auto mild mods complete and running.






So my thought is you may have a easyer time finding a third gen in decent shape running and complete on the cheap than a 1st gen.

[FastbackJon]

Skimmed through most of the posts above and it seems like everyone is pretty much on target.

Both generations can be had for fairly cheap, as projects and as completed cars. The first generation is much more rare and therefore parts are harder to come by and more expensive. They built around 50,000 first generation Chargers, and over 300,000 third generation Chargers (1/3 of those in 1973 alone).

Styling is subjective from person to person. The '73 and '74 Chargers have big 5mph bumpers that can really detract from their styling, but I believe they can be removed.

As for options and what not, I would personally chose the first generation for some of the cool (standard) things it has going for it, the bucket seats, hidden headlights, metal grille and around taillights (versus plastic), sweet looking dash gauges with electroluminescent lighting, and in '66 the full length console and woodgrain steering wheel.

Also with the first generation you don't have to mess with the shoulder belt that can be a pain sometimes. A hardtop just isn't as cool with all the windows down when you have that big bulky shoulder belt hanging over you.

And if you don't want a project and can afford a little bit more, you can get a finished one in good condition fairly inexpensive as well. Here's an example.

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=4262166&page=0&vc=1

[Musicman]

John's correct about the 1st Gen. production numbers verses 3rd Gen's... Less than 38,000 Chargers were built in 66, and during the 67/68 transition year less than 16,000 67 Chargers were produced, so yes, their pretty rare. You also have to remember that there were a lot fewer drivers on the road back then as well. As a student of that era, I can tell you that my High School Graduating class consisted of less than 50 individuals, but the next years class was almost 200, and every class after that grew exponentially larger... Vehicle production was bombing by the mid 70's compared to the 60's, or even the late 60's.
Bottom Line.... parts are available for both generations... your just going to look a little harder, and possibly wait a little longer for some of the 1st Gen stuff compared to the 3rd Gen items. As far as the 1st Gen quirks go... there's nothing unusual about having to clean some contacts in a 41 year old electrical system. The headlight motor functions and electroluminescent gage displays are all fixable with minimal effort assuming you have the proper guidance... and you can find more of that than you need over at the 66/67 Charger forum... as well as parts and other information. I have friends with 3rd Gen's but I do not own one myself, so I'll leave that stuff up to the good folks here.
As many others have already stated... always try to buy something that needs as little work as possible when money is going to be an issue. Take your time, and look for the Best Bang for your Buck!

Mike

[kylem4711]

nice 73 rr clone

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/car/618943592.html






i would still go with a nice 66 charger tho.









this is the nicest charger i have ever seen.

[mikesbbody]

I still think the 1st Gens are one of the best bargains on the market today.

Yeah...I see 'em quite often cheap, even 383, 4-speed cars.... a decent runner can be had for under $4000......
I prefer 'em over the bland 3rd gens.....don't like all the extra crap those cars have..IE: ugly side marker light, rubber bumper guards, extra BS under the hood, etc.....

and they have driver's side doors too! how lame! to me "bland" is 1st AND 2nd gens 

[BMOTOXSTAR]

nice 73 rr clone

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/car/618943592.html



I am posting a 74' Satellite that is ultra clean for sale tonight. It was going to be and could still be a great RR clone.


i would still go with a nice 66 charger tho.









this is the nicest charger i have ever seen.