Anybody know the curb weight of a '69 318 Charger?

[zerfetzen]

I'm looking for the curb weight of a '69 or 2nd generation 318 Charger without most options, no power steering, no power breaks, no AC, etc.  Anybody know that one?  Thanks.

[1969chargerrtse]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,43440.0.html   

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,35818.0.html    

[zerfetzen]

Thanks, I was searching for "curb weight" and 318, and got only one thread (one of my own) that matched that.  Thanks for the good links.

Someone said 3,256 lbs. for a 318 Charger, and somewhere online I found 3,100 lbs.  It looks like 3,100-3,300 lbs. is what can be expected for a 318 Charger, while 4,000-4,200 lbs. can be expected for 440 Charger.  Someone else on the second thread put a link to the 69 Charger Registry, but I don't see curb weights anywhere.  I would expect a good difference between a 318 and 440 Charger, but 900 lbs. seems a little steep to me.

[dkn1997]

my 68 reg. says 3330 lbs.  mine was a 318 car, buckets, console and no other options.

[Mike DC]

 
I agree, the 3200-3300 numbers sound low to me.  That's literally on the low end of the range for an early Mustang. 

You usually read about BB chargers weighing most of 4000 pounds.  Or sometimes even a little over the 2-ton mark when it's a modern restomod with lotsa power options and a few extra things added onto the car.


The difference in the SB and BB motors themselves is probably barely 150 pounds, tops.  Even with the larger BB tranny, a cast-iron AC compressor, and power steering . . . we're still nowhere near the spread here. 

[Todd Wilson]

3800lbs

[zerfetzen]

Here's what's posted on the 1970 Charger Registry:

http://1970chargerregistry.com/specpage.html

This lists the shipping weight of a base V8 Charger as 3,335 lbs., with a heavier R/T at 3,610 lbs.

How does shipping weight compare to curb weight, which is full of fluids, but without the driver, right?

Could it be that a 4,000+ lb. Charger R/T happens to have a Dana 60 and is fully loaded (AC, PS, PB, sway bars, negligibly bigger torsion bars, radiator, and who knows what else)?     I know a typical 318 bare block weighs 160 lbs., while a 440 bare block weighs around 235 lbs., so there's 90 lbs. of the 150 lb. difference in the engines, heads probably being most of the rest.

Something's out of whack somewhere.  If this 3,300-3,600 lb. Charger-Charger R/T is right (seems to make sense, being 300 lbs. apart to me), I don't see how some extra factory goodies could make it 4,000+ lbs.

[Mike DC]

 
There's just no way to get a stock 2nd-gen with a V8 motor that only weighs 3300 pounds.  I don't see how. 


One of the old road tests printed a curb weight on a 426 Hemi car, and I think it was like 3900 pounds. 

[G-man]

Seems the chargers weigh as much as 1970 Challengers though "Longer" by 1 foot. Challengers actually 2" wider than a charger, more glass as the challenger roof goes to the ends of the car unlike the charger, more metal, and the doors are much heavier in comparrison due to the heavy braces they use. Charger just has more "boxed air" due to that 1 foot length.

If you can find some weights on a challenger, the charger would be about the same.

This is what I got out of an old Mopar Book (and i mean the papers brown hold old it is)

Vehicle:

70 Charger R/T 440 - Curb Weight 4170lbs, Test weight 4545lbs

70 Challenger RT 440 - Curb Weight 3820lbs, Test weight 4080lbs

68 Charger RT Hemi - Curb Weight 3940lbs, Test weight 4310lbs

Notice the 68 Charger is a HEMI and doesnt way much more than a 440challenger. Stick a 440 in it would weigh in the same.

I just dont understand whats curb weight and whats test weight. 68 Chargers got 100lbs more in curb but 300 more in test than a challenger... if some1 can explain that would help.

Also - 1968-69 chargers weigh less than 70 Chargers.

XV did a full resto mod challenger, full steel body, no fibreglass and it weighed in just under 3000lbs. I believe you could get a charger down to 3100lbs going alumiium heads, water housing etc etc (on engine), radiator, coil overs (save 150lbs just there), no air con etc... rack and pionion power steer or manual steer (as rack is much lighter) and get titanium bolts to replace all the steel ones (bolts add up ALOT of weight), tubular upper and lower A arms so on and so forth. Dana 60 from DR diff weighs in 60lbs more than a 8-3/4 and can handle whatever you throw at it + that extra weight in back will give u better traction. OR you can go the 8-3/4 and replace the centre with an aluminium centre case, will be stronger and lighter than stock.

If you got money to go stupid, you can also get a tubular chasis made, stronger and lighter again. I assume with that ud get down to 3000lbs.

Id say safe guess for even a big block charger would be 3650lbs or so. I dont believe they are 3800+

My 1968 Charger 318/auto (now a 4-speed 383) is going to come soon. I will take it to a weighing station and weigh the thing without me in it and full tank of Gas (or whatever is left in it from the trip there).

Then I will let you know.

[Tilar]

The title on my 68 shows 3400.

[charger_fan_4ever]

I have to say for what they say weighs 3600+ pounds they sure roll easily. 2 of us rolled my 70 r/t back into the shop tonight of the sand blast pad. Its a uphill push at that. My foxbody mustang with aluminum heads and all sorts of weight reduction weighs 3000lbs with driver is harder to push in. Mind you the charger has no engine or tranny in it, but the mustang without the engine and tranny rolls harder. Once its done i'll take it to the truck scales for fun to see what it actually weighs with a 440/auto.