Everybody is entitled to an opinion.
It is a basic fundamental right in any country not run on the highly flawed North Korean model.
We’re all about cars at MSCC and we have strong- make that really strong- opinions about cars. And we think we are right all of the time.
It’s a dangerous combination.
Today we want to talk about the early generation Chargers that gave the Dodge Boys something very special in the mid-60s to mid-70s. The 1966 and ’67 models were basically tricked-out Coronets with an exotic rear roof line and hide-away highlights. They were a stylish model that was an acquired taste for some car guys.
We liked them-a lot.
The ’66 and ’67s looked good on the street and would roast the competition when Dodge stuck an elephant under the hood. The 1966 426 Hemi is reputed to be the baddest factory monster ever stuck under a hood, and who are we to argue with that notion?
The Charger became perfect in 1968.
The lines got that “looks-fast-standing-still” makeover that was never surpassed by any Charger before (or since) that iconic 1968 beauty.
The front grille was perfect and the rear deck was better than perfect.
In between was a body flow that hit the high water mark for the fastback look that was a major component of the late 60s Detroit philosophy.
It was true that the 1968 Charger was a handsome street machine, but nobody would have called it just another pretty face.
The 1968 Charger was a warrior and it had a macho appeal that oozed testosterone, especially when a Mopar big block was mated with a four speed in an unholy street alliance. Nobody really wanted to tangle with a car that looked so good being real bad on the street.
One of the best car chases in movie history starred a 1968 Charger in the classic Steve McQueen flick ‘Bullitt’. We have to be honest about the movie though: Nobody actually remembers the story-line; we only remember the chase scene. It’s all about priorities.
The black 1968 Charger driven by the bad guys should have won an Academy Award for best-looking actor in that movie. Then it should have won an acting award because it had to make people believe that an out-gunned Mustang could actually run with it on the street. That’s Hollywood for you.
We believe that the 1968 Charger was the model’s finest hour. We are not alone in this belief but, as stated earlier, everybody is entitled to an opinion. The post-68 Chargers were also good-looking cars, but they were also a little like Michael Jackson. They took the cosmetic surgery past the point of no return and never came back to the original look.
Neither the car nor the entertainer was ever the same, and the nose was never as good on either.
But at least the car’s nose stayed on longer.
Jim Sutherland
