what makes a charger an R/T?

[moparcharger]

vs. a 500 or just a charger?

[charger_fan_4ever]

For starters what Year 500 ?


As in 69 a 500 started at one point as an R/T

in 70 and after 500 was just a trim package.

But basicaly 68-70 the r/t came standard with a 440 vs the base 318 in a standard charger with largest optional motor in the base bein a 383. The r/t you could opt for the hemi and in 70 a 6 pack was optional.

The Vin's are different
R/T  XS29
base XP29 or XH29

Thats it in a nutshell.

[JB400]

R/T    


• 440 or hemi
• beefier suspension


• bigger brakes
• bigger wheels


69 500


• flush grill
• flush rear window
Everything else was R/T

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Also, can't forget about the 2nd digit in VIN number too. "S"  for the 68-70 R/T & "X" for the 1969 500 (and Daytona).

[moparcharger]

great...got it...thanks!

[maxwellwedge]

Also......Some early 69 - 500's were "XS"

[Homerr]

Didn't the R/T have a larger fuel line (or is that a Hemi thing)?

Here's a great site to go through old sales brochures and dealer info:

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

[Mike DC]

On a Charger the R/T package meant a 440 or Hemi. 

(On Challengers in that era they included the 383 4bbl in the R/T group, but not on heavier Chargers.  So you sometimes hear conflicting reports about which Mopar engines were R/Ts and which were not.)




The Charger 500 was one thing in 1969, and something very different in 1970. 

In '69 it was a rare limited edition car they built a few hundred of just to make it legal in NASCAR.  They started with a standard '69 R/T and gave it a different fastback rear window and front grille.

In 1970 they took that name from the year before and used it for a minor trim option.  A 1970 C500 is interesting but nowhere near the collectible status of the '69 C500.

[maxwellwedge]

Didn't the R/T have a larger fuel line (or is that a Hemi thing)?

Here's a great site to go through old sales brochures and dealer info:

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

Up to 69 - Only the Hemi got the 3/8" fuel line. The 440 stuff got it as well starting in 70

[Dino]

Hemi cars had 15" steel wheels but didn't the 440 R/T's got the same 14" wheels as the base cars?

[maxwellwedge]

Up to 69, yes, the Hemi was 15" only. In 1970 - you could get a 14" styled wheel on a B-Body Hemi car. E-Body Hemi's were 15" only.

[Ghoste]

You can find a lot of the answers to the original question on the Hamtramck Registries library page.

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

[F8-4life]

The R/t emblems seem to be pretty important

[wingcar]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[bull]

What? I thought all you needed was a pair of R/T badges.

[Ghoste]

Thats all you need if you're flipping it Bull.

[Troy]

Stickers guys! Who can afford badges when flipping?

Actually, there are a lot of small differences. The engine choice is the biggest - neither of the R/T engines could be had in the lesser models. The R/T came with heavy duty suspension and brakes as well. It also had dual exhaust with chrome tips (but not always). The Dana rear became an option (standard on 4-speed cars). Hemi cars got a whole lot of unique parts - body stiffeners, special fuel lines, transmission parts, starter, radiator, etc. Lastly (importance varies) you got the badges and stripes.

The 1969 Charger 500 was NOT an R/T from the factory. In 1970 the Charger came in 3 versions ("XH", "XP", and "XS"). Why is it so hard to believe the same wasn't true in 1969? I guess there were technically 4 in 1969 counting the Daytona but the factory wouldn't have built them any differently than a 500 and the VIN code was the same (later on). The 500 had the same options/upgrades as an R/T (engine, suspension, etc.) but was its own model. Even though they were coded as "stripe delete" there would not (should not) have been holes in the quarters or tail panel for the R/T badges. Not to say some didn't slip out of the factory with the "XS" VIN or with various extra holes. The cars were modified after leaving the factory with a new flush grill, aerodynamic rear window, and special stripes and badges.

Troy

[UH60L]

When I first bought my car, I asked the same question.  For the most part, most of the people I talked to said:  Engine/drivetrain, suspension and brakes.  I have also heard that certain inside details were R/T options, such as a tach or the tic toc tach (and even the seat types (head rests?...)).

A lot of people will say the only thing that made a Charger an R/T...........was the factory, and they'll give you grief over the cloning process.       

With mine, I upgraded the suspension, it already had been converted to a 440 with 727B tranny, and I put disc breaks on the front.  (heck, I might even put a tach in the dash before I put it in...)  Thus, for me personally, parts and function wise, it's an R/T.

[Ghoste]

Tach and headrests were optional across the board and headrests were standard beginning in January 1969.

[472 R/T SE]

My blue '70 Charger R/T 4 speed car was tach delete.

Same with my '70 V code, A34 (4:10), Super Bee 4 speed.

But my current girlymatic car is a factory tach ride.  

[Ghoste]

About the only thing that was optional on an RT that was unavailable for the standard Charger would be one of the high performance axle packages woulld it not? (with the 440 and Hemi being obvious of course)

[moparfan53]

 Something I have not seen mentioned is u-joint size. The R/T models (and the 69 500) had the larger 7290 series joints. I assume that was due to the 440 and hemi engines. Other models, depending on engine/trans combo, had either the 7290 or the smaller 7260 series. So if you are building an R/T clone/tribute/replica (pick your preferred name ), and want it to be as close as possible to a factory built R/T, it should have the larger joints.

Yah, I know I'm getting picky!

[Ghoste]

Not being picky, thats a part of the package so it should be done. 

[Dino]

I have an R/T clone so I do have the 7290 but when I changed gears form 3.55 to 2.96 I had to get a combination u-joint as the piggie was a 7260.  Am I partially decloned now?   

[Ghoste]

A little.