American Icon: Muscle Car (Chrysler B-Bodies)

[bakerhillpins]

I am kinda surprised that I haven't seen a post on this yet. The latest installment was on Chrysler B-Bodies and gave a decent amount of air time to our Charger. For what ever reason I get wound up when I see shows with Chargers in them now. I guess it's all part of the owning experience. 

David Newhardt had the following things to say:  (These aren't exact quotes... but close.)

The Charger was never intended to be a beautiful automobile.

A well integrated design, A hansom car, not a pretty car.

Wonderful personification of muscle car, broad shouldered, big car, Uniquely American. You wouldn't find anything like this coming from Europe.

A brutal looking car with, depending upon what was under the hood, the performance to match the looks.

Being an owner of a Charger I don't agree with his first statement but I do think he hit the mark with the 3rd one. He also had some other comments about the body style that made it sound like the design was... how to put this. Ever here someone call a motorcycle a parts bin bike. Kinda like that. Like someone just took elements that make a car and put them together just because they were there. Probably not getting my point across.

They had a very nice looking 68 RT in Dupont Copper Sunset and 69 RT Hemi 4spd Green with White Interior. The 69 has the Stripe with the RT emblems in it though so not sure if it was originally optioned that way. Wonder if the owner of the 68 is a member? (Scott Cvijanovich)

Also discussed the 70 model and talked big about the introduction of the high impact colors. Chip Foose even went so far as to say this about the 70:

1970 was the last year of the 2nd generation Charger, and some consider it to be the best looking.

         

Watching all this driving around in Chargers is killing me though. Can't wait for winter to be over. For the first time in a LONG time the thought of moving to the left coast raced though my mind.

[71charger]

I wouldnt recommend living in Kommiefornia. Im born and raised (still there) Yeah the weather is nice but if you love the restrictions and anti gun laws welcome aboard!!!

[BigBlackDodge]

Chip was right!



BBD

[bill440rt]

I DVR'd it & watched it last night. I thought it was a pretty good program,better than some other shows I've seen lately that featured Mopars. I thought they kept coming back to Chargers as the main focal point of the show.

Another comment that I kinda disagreed with:
"The Charger was rather slab-sided, not very aerodynamic."

I guess by today's standards this is true, but in those days it was very aerodynamic for it's time. The 500 & Daytona took it that much further.

[bakerhillpins]

I have DVR'd the whole series so far. I believe this is season 2 and has been primarily about Mopars.  Previous stuff on the A bodies has been cool. Chip isn't the greatest host but does the job. He is much better when it's more of an interview or just cut together like Overhaulin rather than this scripted stuff.

Yea, I got tired of pausing the DVR and trying to get the comments down.  They did give the Charger a lot of air time though.

I don't think that the Charger was one of the aerodynamic cars of the time. Modifed as an AERO car maybe, but stock? I thought that the fastback cars were more so. Such as the Taladega.

[RIDELIKEHELL]

I just happened to dvr it and watched it yesterday....thx

[bakerhillpins]

Yea, I saw that they had a marathon of them on yesterday.  I still have it on the DVR so I can watch it every once in a while. 

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

That episode aired previously before.  Im pretty sure Scott is a member here.  I have emailed him back and forth about his car (he had a '69 previously) and told me about the taping of the show with his car.

I am curious though if the '69 that was in the museum with Chip is a 99 99 Rallye Green car

[moparstuart]

i have watched all the episodes  , love them all great show

[myk]

Not intended to be a beautiful automobile?  What the hell does that mean?  I'm sure back in '66 or whenever the design and engineering people sat down and said "OK, we've got to design a mid-size car with these options and powertrains, but whatever we do it can't be beautiful."  If anything that's what they did with the Aztek, not the goddamn Charger...

[cdr]

i dont know about the intended beauty of the 68 charger,but i do know that the 2nd gen charger is the best looking,sexy,bad a$$ car ever built 

[aussiemuscle]

i dont know about the intended beauty of the 68 charger,but i do know that the 2nd gen charger is the best looking,sexy,bad a$$ car ever built 

that's what i was thinking. i know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but factory stock or flying orange, it's one of the best designs to come out in that era (and it's one of the most saturated eras for good looking cars!!)

[1969chargerrtse]

i dont know about the intended beauty of the 69 charger,but i do know that the 2nd gen charger is the best looking,sexy,bad a$$ car ever built 

[cdr]

i dont know about the intended beauty of the 69 charger,but i do know that the 2nd gen charger is the best looking,sexy,bad a$$ car ever built 

pretty good 1968chargerrtse lol,your car is one fine lookin 2nd gen,OH 1969chargerrtse