Photo: Hagerty.com
The Dodge Charger is widely regarded as one of the most iconic muscle cars of the golden era, but we often forget that it debuted as a significantly different vehicle. Introduced for the 1966 model year, the original Charger was a two-door fastback with premium appointments.
Even though it was based on the mundane Coronet, the 1966 Charger shared only a tiny fraction of sheet metal with the company's bread-and-butter midsize. Positioned against the Rambler Marlin, it features a sleek fastback roof and many exclusive styling cues.
The interior was also a notable departure from early muscle cars. The Charger featured four individual bucket seats, a full-length console, and unique door panels and upholstery. The fastback was, however, offered with Chrysler's high-performance engines, including the mighty 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI.
The vehicle was moderately successful in its first year in showrooms, moving 37,344 units. However, sales dropped to only 15,788 examples the following year. That's when Dodge decided to keep the nameplate but turn it into a fully-fledged muscle car. The Charger got a massive redesign and a more mundane interior in 1968 and morphed into the performance rig we know today. And sales soared.
Come 2024, and the 1967 Charger is arguably the rarest iteration from the golden era. Not only because it sold in relatively small numbers but also because many of them were neglected or abandoned over the years. The silver example you see here is one of those rigs still waiting for a second chance at life.
Parked for years due to an incomplete restoration, this Mopar is still in good shape. However, it's not the most original example out there. Originally fitted with a 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8, the fastback now relies on a bigger 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter). There's no info on whether it's a date-correct unit, but the Charger was indeed available with a 440 in 1967.
But that's not the only significant change gracing this classic. This Charger features a right-hand-drive layout. Dodge did not offer RHD versions of the fastback, so this is an aftermarket conversion. According to the seller, it happened sometime in the late 1960s when the Charger was shipped to New Zealand, a country with right-hand traffic.
Since Chrysler was producing RHD cars in Australia at the time, the conversion was likely done with parts from a locally made Valiant. But regardless of what's under the skin, the interior looks clean. In short, you can't tell it's an aftermarket job.
The Charger was repainted, and its interior was redone in 2006. That's when the car changed hands, and the next owner began working on the restoration. Almost 20 years later, the car needs more work, and the engine doesn't run, but the body is advertised as "rust-free." The seller claims it's the only RHD Charger in existence, which could be true since these vehicles weren't exported to right-hand markets.
But it's not the kind of feature that turns it into an expensive collectible. Sure, it would attract some attention at local car shows, but it's still an average 1967 Charger missing its original drivetrain. Would you drive in the opposite seat just to stand out? If you'd fancy that, the Charger is available for $29,900 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
The interior was also a notable departure from early muscle cars. The Charger featured four individual bucket seats, a full-length console, and unique door panels and upholstery. The fastback was, however, offered with Chrysler's high-performance engines, including the mighty 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI.
The vehicle was moderately successful in its first year in showrooms, moving 37,344 units. However, sales dropped to only 15,788 examples the following year. That's when Dodge decided to keep the nameplate but turn it into a fully-fledged muscle car. The Charger got a massive redesign and a more mundane interior in 1968 and morphed into the performance rig we know today. And sales soared.
Come 2024, and the 1967 Charger is arguably the rarest iteration from the golden era. Not only because it sold in relatively small numbers but also because many of them were neglected or abandoned over the years. The silver example you see here is one of those rigs still waiting for a second chance at life.
Parked for years due to an incomplete restoration, this Mopar is still in good shape. However, it's not the most original example out there. Originally fitted with a 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8, the fastback now relies on a bigger 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter). There's no info on whether it's a date-correct unit, but the Charger was indeed available with a 440 in 1967.
But that's not the only significant change gracing this classic. This Charger features a right-hand-drive layout. Dodge did not offer RHD versions of the fastback, so this is an aftermarket conversion. According to the seller, it happened sometime in the late 1960s when the Charger was shipped to New Zealand, a country with right-hand traffic.
Since Chrysler was producing RHD cars in Australia at the time, the conversion was likely done with parts from a locally made Valiant. But regardless of what's under the skin, the interior looks clean. In short, you can't tell it's an aftermarket job.
The Charger was repainted, and its interior was redone in 2006. That's when the car changed hands, and the next owner began working on the restoration. Almost 20 years later, the car needs more work, and the engine doesn't run, but the body is advertised as "rust-free." The seller claims it's the only RHD Charger in existence, which could be true since these vehicles weren't exported to right-hand markets.
But it's not the kind of feature that turns it into an expensive collectible. Sure, it would attract some attention at local car shows, but it's still an average 1967 Charger missing its original drivetrain. Would you drive in the opposite seat just to stand out? If you'd fancy that, the Charger is available for $29,900 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
Google News