OK, all you Mopar fans, here’s your chance to get in on a 1966 Dodge Charger that’s been reduced by almost half its original asking price. Such a deal? Well, that’s debatable, as this is a sorta outdoor car. But a first-gen Charger is always worth a looksee, so let’s give this one its due. Soperton, Georgia, is where you’ll find this iconic, first-year Dodge intermediate, and it’s listed here on craigslist for $3,200, marked down from $6,300. Kudos to PRA4SNW for this tip!
The story around Dodge’s fabulous Charger is an oft-told tale. There was one two-door, fastback body style in ’66, and one trim level; sales amounted to 37K units. Oddly, the virtually identical ’67 edition mustered less than half of the ’66’s production total. The seller tells us, “For all you Mopar lovers, here is a great car to restore. I don’t have the time to restore it myself. My loss, your gain!!” And that’s it! So, it’s dented, rusty, and missing its rear wheels, window, and windshield. And that’s just what we can tell from the four included exterior pictures. What we don’t know is what the underside or this car’s structural integrity is like; experience, however, suggests that finding a car in a field, on blocks, usually isn’t a good start.
The interior was, at one-time, a real standout with its four white vinyl upholstered bucket seats, separated by a full-length center console. It’s now a repository for dreck and detritus, some of which is indescribable. I suppose there are some usable parts here, but what’s unseen is the cause for concern.
While still in possession of a 230-gross HP 318 CI V8 engine, it’s unlikely that it has been operational since the turn of the century. There’s some obvious missing stuff, like the radiator, but the engine image doesn’t reveal enough detail to make a functional assessment. It would be nice to know if the powerplant will at least turn over, but in the long-term scheme of things, it probably doesn’t matter. It’s not stated, but I imagine a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission is still on the job. This is an A/C equipped car, but its condition will be the least of the next owner’s worries.
So, “My loss, your gain!!” Well, that depends on how you view this non-rolling project. Yeah, it may well be the seller’s loss, but the potential buyer’s gain may occur by avoiding being that next owner. As you all know, there’s no free lunch, and “great” deals on a sixties vintage Mopar are more than likely just a pipe dream. But tell me what you really think: is this ’66 Dodge Charger a worthy effort and salvageable?
Leave A Comment