Dodge Charger (B-body)
| Dodge Charger | |
|---|---|
1971 Dodge Charger
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Dodge (Chrysler) |
| Production | 1966–1978 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Mid-size |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Platform | B-body |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Dodge Magnum |
| First generation | |
|---|---|
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| Overview | |
| Model years | 1966–1967 |
| Assembly | United States: Detroit, Michigan (1966) Hamtramck, Michigan (1967) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door fastback |
| Related |
Dodge Coronet Plymouth Belvedere Plymouth Satellite Plymouth GTX |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 318 cu in (5.2 L) 2bbl A V8 (1966) 318 cu in (5.2 L) 2bbl LA V8 (1967) 361 cu in (5.9 L) 2bbl B V8 (1966) 383 cu in (6.3 L) 2bbl B V8 (1967) 383 cu in (6.3 L) 4bbl B V8 426 cu in (7.0 L) 2×4bbl Hemi RB V8 440 cu in (7.2 L) 4bbl RB V8 (1967) |
| Transmission | A230 3-speed manual A833 4-speed manual TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 117.0 in (2,970 mm) |
| Length | 203.6 in (5,170 mm) |
| Width | 75.8 in (1,930 mm) |
| Second generation | |
|---|---|
.JPG) |
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| Overview | |
| Model years | 1968–1970 |
| Assembly | United States: Detroit, Michigan Hamtramck, Michigan Los Angeles, California St. Louis, Missouri |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door hardtop |
| Related |
Dodge Coronet Plymouth Belvedere Plymouth Satellite Plymouth GTX Plymouth Road Runner |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 225 cu in (3.7 L) 1bbl I6 (1969-70) 318 cu in (5.2 L) 2bbl LA V8 383 cu in (6.3 L) 2bbl B V8 383 cu in (6.3 L) 4bbl B V8 426 cu in (7.0 L) Hemi 2×4bbl RB V8 440 cu in (7.2 L) 4bbl RB V8 440 cu in (7.2 L) 2×3 RB (1970) |
| Transmission | A904 3-speed automatic A727 3-speed automatic A230 3-speed manual A833 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 117 in (3,000 mm) |
| Length | 208 in (5,300 mm) (1968-69) 207.9 in (5,280 mm) (1970) |
| Width | 76.7 in (1,950 mm) (1968-69) 76.6 in (1,950 mm) (1970) |
| Height | 53.2 in (1,350 mm) (1968-69) 53.0 in (1,350 mm) (1970) |
| Third generation | |
|---|---|
.JPG)
1971 Dodge Charger
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| Overview | |
| Model years | 1971–1974 |
| Assembly |
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| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door hardtop/coupe |
| Related | |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 115.0 in (2,921 mm) |
| Length | 205.0 in (5,207 mm) |
| Height | 53.0 in (1,346 mm) |
| Fourth generation | |
|---|---|
.JPG) |
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| Overview | |
| Model years | 1975–1978 |
| Assembly | United States: Detroit, Michigan Hamtramck, Michigan St. Louis, Missouri |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door coupe 2-door hardtop/coupe (1976 Sport 2-door model only, also refer to the 1975 Dodge Coronet 2-door model) |
| Related |
Dodge Coronet Chrysler Cordoba Plymouth GTX Plymouth Fury |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 318 cu in (5.2 L) V8 360 cu in (5.9 L) V8 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8 |
| Transmission | 3-speed automatic 3-speed manual 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 115.0 in (2,921 mm) |
| Length | 216.0 in (5,486 mm) |
| Height | 52.0 in (1,321 mm) |
The Dodge Charger (B-body) is a mid-size automobile that was produced by Dodge from 1966 to 1978, and was based on the Chrysler B platform.
During the early-1960s, automakers were exploring new ideas in the personal luxury and specialty car segments. Chrysler, fast to enter the specialty car market, selected their Dodge Division to enter the marketplace with a bigger model to fit between the "pony car" Ford Mustang and the "personal luxury" Ford Thunderbird. The intention was to use the B-body for a sporty car with fastback look while sharing as much of their existing hardware as possible.
The fastback Charger was introduced in mid-season of the 1966 model year "in retaliation to the AMC Marlin, Ford Mustang, and Plymouth Barracuda", but even though based on the existing Coronet, "it was style-wise a complete departure from the Dodge's mainstream cars." The 1965 Rambler Marlin, along with the Dodge Charger that arrived during the 1966 model year, were "the two cars set the standard for radical fastback design in American mid-size automobiles." According to Richard M. Langworth, "because it was an intermediate like the Rambler Marlin, the Charger could have been an aesthetic disaster, but long side windows prevented its sweeping roof from looking too heavy."
Burt Bouwkamp, Chief Engineer for Dodge during the 1960s and one of the men behind the Dodge Charger, related his experience during a speech in July 2004.
A "mid-1966 surprise was Dodge's Coronet-based Charger fastback." Sharing its chassis and front-end sheet-metal with the mid-sized Dodge Coronet, the Charger "still looked a lot like a Coronet or AMC’s conceptually similar Rambler Marlin ... [and] substantially more expensive than either. The Charger with a $3,100 base price "was immediately paired up in the automotive press with American Motors' year-old Marlin, another fastback specialty machine that came in at around $2,850" and some called the Charger "a good-looking Marlin."
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Wikipedia