The Dodge Charger was all-new in 1975, but a closer look reveals that it was a Chrysler Cordoba in Dodge apparel. And the Charger Daytona was a limited production option on the Special Edition that caught the attention of only 238 buyers that year. The seller’s car is one of those rarities, having been treated to some mechanical work while retaining its faded, worn multi-color paint scheme. Located in Center City, Minnesota, this running project is available here on eBay, where the current ante is $3,450.
One of the few successful new cars for Chrysler Corp. in the 1970s was the Cordoba. It was the brand’s first “smaller car” (aka mid-size), a personal luxury machine. Thanks to smart advertising, including actor Ricardo Montalban and the car’s “rich Corinthian leather” upholstery, sales were a ‘70s bright spot for the company. Dodge was due to update the aging Charger, so they took the new Cordoba body and added Dodge identification instead. However, the performance edge of the earlier Charger R/Ts and Charger Daytona’s was no longer there, thanks to the environmentalists and a recent surge in fuel prices.
Engine choices were limited to three: a 318, 360, or 400 cubic inch V8 with differing levels of carburetion. The seller doesn’t mention which combination is at play here, but the VIN decodes it as having a 360 with a 4-barrel. And the car sports the only transmission Chrysler would give it in 1975, the TorqueFlite automatic. The seller apparently found this Mopar in a North Dakota barn a couple of years ago and had it shipped to Minnesota, where it is now with 111,200 stated miles.
When the seller acquired this Charger, it had been owned by the same party since 1978. Once rehomed, some mechanical work was started, which included new brakes, fuel pump, and system flushing, rebuilt carburetor, electronic ignition, newer tires, and more. As a result, the car runs and drives as it should. And the fancy Turbine wheels you see in the photos are included. Some interior work is needed, and the paint is probably well past producing a shine. This seems like one of those “fix it while you drive it” kind of automobiles.
I like it Dixon, thanks for the article. Looks to be a sporty console shift for the Torq-flite. 360-4, put on a nice quiet dual exhaust and cruise.
The seller would be wise to remove all the brown primer in the trunk and simply expose the demons. I avoid coverups. The 360 may get 7-12 mpg lol!
That’s red rust from the mat I’m surley…..
I owned a 1976 Dodge Charger Daytona for several years. It was the maroon/red 2-tone version, maroon vinyl bucket seats with console and had the 360-2 bbl. Though it was just a tape & stripe package and no where near what the original 1969 Daytona was, it was a beautiful car and I loved it. I consistently got between 17-19 mpg on the highway with it, back when the speed limit was just 55 mph. This particular one is pretty rough and will need a lot of work, more than it will ever be worth probably, but I always look at them when one pops up for sale.
Loved the Daytona paint/striping on these Chargers, if I’m not mistaken the “Turbine” wheels shown here are aluminum and came on Mercury Cougars/Ford Elites 75-76…they are definately not the urethane wheels that were an option on 75-77 Chargers and Cordobas. They don’t look bad here…cool car!
Dodge’s Monte Carlo. Bet this was a looker when new.
Had a two tone silver 76 Daytona. Was still going strong when the marriage collapsed in 1980. It was a nice ride.
Liked the Cordoba itself, but as the former owner of a beautiful 69′ Dodge Charger R/T, this was certainly the low point for the great Charger name.