Charger meets Marlin...

[bobs66440]

Last week we were at our Saturday night cruise when this Marlin pulled up. Just to instigate, my buddy guided him in next to me.
It was pretty funny though. The driver of the Marlin was a real nice guy and very knowledgable about the history and design of the car and was comparing it to the Charger...suggesting that the Charger design was copied from the Marlin. Well, the Marlin did come out first ('65) and there are some obvious similarities. I suggested to him that the design was due mostly to the fact that Chrysler was shooting for NASCAR domination and it was a natural aerodynamic design...I don't think he was buying it. Who knows what the real story is. In any case it was interesting to be able to compare them side by side.

[FlatbackFanatic]

Nice!

[Drache]

needed a '68 torino fastback for both of you to bug 

[68X426]

Great story. But your Mopar still wins.

I never noticed before that the Marlin has a "fin" by the rear bumper. Style? Aero?

[67440chrg]

Thanks for showing them side by side. I wouldn't mind having one parked next to my car some time to see them together. You have a nice 1st gen there.

[69rtse4spd]

Nice buddy,    & nice car. There is a guy here in town that has a 66.

[troutstreamnm]

Nice...don't see Marlins around very much, but the Charger is much more stylish 

[stripedelete]

The Marlin looks like the Griswald's "Family Truckster" next to the Charger.  I guess they more closely resemble each other  - when they're not so close.

[Kern Dog]

Thanks for the post.
I haven't paid too much attention to the marlin before. I never noticed the tiny trunk opening! The roofline is the only styling similarity though. Front ends and side window styling is vastly different.

[BigBlackDodge]

That Marlin looks really good in black!




BBD

[GPULLER]

It is cool to see them side by side, the Charger wins hands down.  Can't say too many bad things about the Marlin, it is part of the "family".

[bobs66440]

That Marlin looks really good in black!




BBD

I was wondering when that was coming! 

[Richard Cranium]

While they look similar from behind, the differences from the front is like night and day.

[GPULLER]

MY EYES!!!

[Piston_Freddy]

Nice one Richard!

[Kern Dog]

Those chicks are foul. PLEASE don't do that again. Its hard to UNring that bell.

[chargd72]

That was a good meeting.  I was thinking there was a collision involved from the title 

[Ghoste]

Yeah, that one most definitely does NOT qualify as one of those insightful posts you alledge to contribute.

[Nacho-RT74]

I think I'm a little bit toward to the Marlin in some details, more than the Charger. How is the interior ? I never havbe seen one of those before

[chargerjy9]

The Marlin in the photo is a 67 (stacked headlights) also a different body than 65 or 66. based off Ambassador.

[A383Wing]

yea...ain't the early Marlin headlights side by side like the Charger??

I wondered about the stacked headlights...something didn't look right

[bobs66440]

Yeah, he said that was the last model. I don't really like the stacked lights. The '65 & '66 have the horizontal lights.

[A383Wing]

The Marlin interior also has a full bench seat in the rear...unlike the Charger's 2 rear bucket seats with cargo storage behind them....

Some of the early designs had the 66 Charger with a full width rear seat....

[Richard Cranium]

yea...ain't the early Marlin headlights side by side like the Charger??

Don't say 'ain't'.
Your mother will faint.
Your father will fall In a bucket of paint.
Your sister will cry.
Your brother will die.
The cat and dog will say good-bye.

[A383Wing]

well, ain't that just special!

[morepower]

wow. that marlin looks pretty cool. I can say that i do not think I have ever seen one of those. they are pretty similar for sure. sweet.

[68RT4ME]

That Marlin........ really let's one appreciate the style and beauty of the 1st gen Chargers. While it's great that the guy keeps the Marlin nice, I've never been a fan of that car. I'll take a Rebel Machine anytime as my favorite AMC.

[Brock Samson]

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_6705_1967_marlin_charger/index.html

 

[A383Wing]

Interesting....I did not know the Marlin had reclining seats.... 

[Magnumcharger]

The Marlin was a great looking car. However, I wouldn't go so far as saying the Charger was a knock-off of it.
The fastback body style was on the road for almost twenty years before that, easily.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the designer of the Marlin (Richard Teague?) took a long hard look at the 1948 Tucker Torpedo, or maybe the 1949 Cadillac too.

[bobs66440]

Hmmm, interesting comparison. 

[67440chrg]

Thanks for starting this subject I have known about marlins all along but have never had a chance to compare them side by side and would still like to.

[Richard Cranium]

The Crossfire has a similar back end, but something went horribly wrong..............

[stripedelete]

Now that's funny (and accurate)

[67440chrg]

It would be hard to know where to go with this after that. Where did the real subject go.

[Brock Samson]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1960s-cadillac-concept-cars.htm

Interesting link to an Approx. 1961 Caddy with a very Charger like fastback.

the front is so exaggerated because of the proposed V-16 Engine.

   

[stripedelete]

Wow.  I wonder why they left the hatch covers and anchor off that hood?  Must have been for the sake of fuel efficiency.

I've never seen that pic. Thanks for posting.

[Brock Samson]

 While off on the tangent of the GM styling studio, and '60s personal Luxury fastbacks, here's a pic i found most interesting. The back-story is the Original Buick Rivera was supposed to be a new smaller Caddy called the Lasalle... later  Caddy got the '67 Eldo. instead. Remember the Toro. and the Eldo. were Front Wheel Drive. The Riv. not so much. 
 Elements of this Toro. and the Rivi. as well as the Eldo. can be seen on the link on my previous post.
 Anyhow, here's the Pic...

[bobs66440]

Very interesting. Cool stuff. Thanks!