What do you think has better handling 68R/T Charger of 70R/T Challenger?

[440charger68]

just need to know, my brother has a 70 challenger and i have a 68 charger neither of them are R/T but i just wanted to know. I know the charger is longer, but the challenger is wider by a few inches. What do you guys think which would have better handling? i mean we have all seen the movie bullitt hahah and maybe a few of us have seen Vanishing point, well more then a few lol. I heard the VX Charger out handled the VX Challenger, but i just want to know about the standard R/T

[69bronzeT5]

Did they ever use a '68 Charger in the SCCA Trans Am series?

[Hemidoug]

B bodies always handled better then the E bodies....E bodies are nose heavy, B bodies have more even weight distribution....

[Charger-Bodie]

B bodies always handled better then the E bodies....E bodies are nose heavy, B bodies have more even weight distribution....

Agreed! Stock versus stock a B-Body will handle far better. Especially with a Big-Block Ebody.

[69bronzeT5]

Really? Why did they pick Cudas and Challengers for the T/A Series then? Probally because of the regulations maybe? It's a good thing I picked a '69 Charger for autocross.

[Silver R/T]

I always thought Chally is lighter

[Mean 318]

challys and cudas are also wider!

[y3chargerrt]

The AARs and T/as were in the trans ams series because it was a pony car thang.

[Sublime/Sixpack]

Hemidoug and 1hot68 are correct!

[Troy]

The Challenger is lighter but shorter so I think it's probably more nose heavy. I would think that a small block Challenger should handle better than a big block Charger. Although, when XV tested "stock" cars prior to modifications the GTX handled noticeably better than the Cuda (which I believe was a big block but don't quote me). I'll watch the video again. The key is what the configuration is/was. A big block car obviously got the heavier torsion bars and Charger had a front sway bar in any configuration. A small block Challenger has wimpy torsion bars, no sway bars, and small brakes... unless you got a 340 car which had all HD stuff. T/As had a rear sway bar as well I believe.

Cody, I believe the Trans Am cars had pretty strict requirements (particularly engine size). The 69/70 Mustang is pretty large/long though so I guess it came down to what the manufacturer wanted to run. I know the Challenger was used overseas because the Cuda was too short.

Troy

[440charger68]

huh thats vary interesting about the challenger and no sway bars

[Troy]

huh thats vary interesting about the challenger and no sway bars

I could be off on my years but my 318 Barracuda had none and the 340 Challenger does.

Troy

[694spdRT]

huh thats vary interesting about the challenger and no sway bars

I could be off on my years but my 318 Barracuda had none and the 340 Challenger does.

Troy

My 318 Challenger does not have swaybars either.

[440charger68]

  my younger brother has had that challenger for years and i did not realize till now, he will be dissapointed when i tell him

[maxwellwedge]

Same driver, same sized engine and tires - too close to call.

[dads_69]

I've owned a few rides, '68 R/T , '70 R/T charger and a '70 R/T Challenger plus many others. The Challenger handled okay, trust me, I put it to the test many times road racing, drag/street racing, back roads etc... The Chargers as well, ask around, some people will tell you, I scared the crap outta them in more ways than one driving.
Hands down, the Chargers handled best in a straight line, cornering and all out get up and go. All cars were big blocks with automatics and 3.55 gears.

Mark

[440charger68]

I've owned a few rides, '68 R/T , '70 R/T charger and a '70 R/T Challenger plus many others. The Challenger handled okay, trust me, I put it to the test many times road racing, drag/street racing, back roads etc... The Chargers as well, ask around, some people will tell you, I scared the crap outta them in more ways than one driving.
Hands down, the Chargers handled best in a straight line, cornering and all out get up and go. All cars were big blocks with automatics and 3.55 gears.

Mark

my dad had a few 68R/T chargers and also a strange 426wedge 4 speed challenger r/t se, it was wrecked though. was in my dads driveway and some illegals without a license or insurance totaled it by driving onto the lawn and hittin the challenger with there truck. he doesnt remember what handled better though

[dads_69]

In high school, my dad had a '68 R/T Hemi Charger. I remember it not handling well anytime of the day. Hit the gas pedal and side ways, burnouts, you name it, it was nuts, when I was able to drive it. So I guess that a minus 1 for B bodys, ha-ha.
A friend of mine has a 426 Wedge in his '69 Road Runner here. Odd set up I always thought, but it does have massive trq. for sure. As fas as handling goes, not real sure, he barely takes it over the speed limit.

[Dans 68]

Although, when XV tested "stock" cars prior to modifications the GTX handled noticeably better than the Cuda (which I believe was a big block but don't quote me). I'll watch the video again.

O.K., I'll bite. What video? I'm thinking you have some XV "bootlegged" video of their testing.    How do I get a copy...? Hmmm? 

And I'll vote that a b-body handles better than an e-body.

Dan

[JMF]

Are you sure a Chally is wider? I thought the Chally and 68-70 Chargers were both 76 inches wide?

[Mike DC]

--  Aren't the 1970-up front sway bars the same diameter as the 1969-down ones?  That would functionally make the 1970-up ones a notch stiffer just by nature of the mounting setup.  It's not necessarily even an improvement to stiffen it, I'm just making an observation. 




--  Handling by feel is one thing, but by stopwatch numbers is something else.  The larger/heavier B-body probably feels more tossable because it's more predictable.  (Similiar weight but longer & more balanced per pound.)  But the E-body might still consistently kick its ass on the stopwatch in a pair of ideal zero-mistakes runs on the same track. 

The point is, sometimes a technically-slower-but-more-predictable car ends up being "faster" because the driver will consistently push it closer to its given edge every time.

 

[Troy]

Although, when XV tested "stock" cars prior to modifications the GTX handled noticeably better than the Cuda (which I believe was a big block but don't quote me). I'll watch the video again.

O.K., I'll bite. What video? I'm thinking you have some XV "bootlegged" video of their testing.    How do I get a copy...? Hmmm? 

And I'll vote that a b-body handles better than an e-body.

Dan

Dan, XV has a video that contains all the episodes of Dream Car Garage(?) where they sort of documented the process. You can buy your own copy for $5 or maybe I can talk them into giving us a few for giveaways/prizes.

Are you sure a Chally is wider? I thought the Chally and 68-70 Chargers were both 76 inches wide?

Are we talking car width or track width? I'd have to look up numbers for both.

Troy

[Hemidoug]

"Handling" is more then just feel....handling not only includes how the car behaves in a turn, but how it behaves under deceleration going into a corner (braking) and acceleration coming out (power). The BIGGEST factor in how a car handles is the balance of the car, more so then track or wheelbase. The B bodies are much better in balance and wheelbase (longer is better) and thereby make a much better "Handling" car then the E bodies. It doesn't matter which engine as long as you compare apples to apples. The E bodies leave a lot to be desired when it comes to the car behaving under both braking and acceleration. The short trunk/short wheelbase along with the weight bias being more forward gives the E bodies a disadvantage NO MATTER WHAT. Now that being said a lot of things can be done to compensate for those disadvantages, but if the same were done to a B body the B body would still be the better handling car hands down. E bodies are not as lite as most people think.....they weigh just about the same as an equally equipped B body, with maybe 100-200 lbs separating the two.

[69charger2002]

i also would think a charger handles better than a challenger, all things equal. but neither break the g force bank lol
trav

[Sublime/Sixpack]

In high school, my dad had a '68 R/T Hemi Charger. I remember it not handling well anytime of the day. Hit the gas pedal and side ways, burnouts, you name it, it was nuts, when I was able to drive it. So I guess that a minus 1 for B bodys, ha-ha.

But if you compare apples to apples, how well would a Challenger with 426 hemi have handled in comparison to your dad's hemi Charger?