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Riot Victim: 1967 Dodge Charger

This 1967 Dodge Charger was a victim of rioting in 1974 (I couldn’t find a mention of it, so it must have been pretty small) and received a repaint from white to red as a result. Other than that, it appears quite original. It’s listed for sale here on eBay, with an opening bid of $7,000 and no reserve. The large fastback is located in Anna, Ohio if you are looking to make travel plans for picking it up!

Wow, that’s a big fastback! Not sure who or what RWJ was, either. However, you can see the rust around the edges. The seller tells us the floors are solid, though. In preparation for repairing the rust, the seller has purchased rocker panels, trunk floor extension panels and full length lower quarter panel sections.

You’ll have some other localized rust repair as well, like this spot on the top of the fender. Do you think Bigfoot has been playing on the hood?

I’m guessing this is one of the full length lower quarter panels. It will take a better welder than I am to make the seam invisible for the final product. I do appreciate the pictures and the fact that the trim seems to be complete on the entire car. The pictures of it after the riot in 1974 look very interesting as well!

Even though the seats don’t look very good, there are some encouraging things about the interior, such as an intact dashboard. Of interest also is the “necker knob” attached to the steering wheel that is also evident in the 1974 pictures. Any ideas on how to recover the arm rest on the door panel without replacing the whole door panel? Has anyone done that without it looking homemade?

Although the engine is free, no one has attempted to start it and it’s missing a valve cover; not a good sign in my book. I’m guessing from the tiny carburetor on top that this wasn’t a particularly high performance variant, either. Since the seller was kind enough to include the VIN, I checked it against this page and found that the engine is the base 318 (assuming it’s the original) with 230 horsepower. Nothing to sneeze at, but certainly not the equal of the larger engines that were available. I still think this is a desirable car, though–but what do you think about the price?

 

Comments

  1. Avatar Mitch

    As to the arm rest, although I didn’t need one, on my ’70 Coronet, the arm rests from a early 70’s to late 80’s Dodge van were a perfect match. So the buyer might want to check into other models that may share it. & there should be 2 screws holding the arm rest onto the door panel.

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    • Avatar gary

      I was working in Ga at the dodge dealer and they had a 1966 383 automatic on the show room floor. I thought that’s a cool car!

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  2. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    Like the historical photos – looks like an ole boys car who wouldn’t let go (until now) until it’s entirely rooted – usual crap, so familiar

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  3. Avatar Chris

    These Gen 1 chargers don’t get any respect price wise compared to the 68/69s but I think the massive fast back is cool. I’ve seen a few of these as good drivers go in the teens at auctions.

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    • Avatar Jacob

      Yes but Amc Marlins (which this charger is a rip off of) go for much less.

      I’m only slightly joking.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar milotus

    I think the ’66’s looked nicer,with the hidden headlights.
    There’s a ’66 near here,one owner,in great shape.

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    • Avatar Brad

      The 67 also had hidden headlights. The entire assembly rotated instead of just headlight doors. The difference between the two model years is the turn signal markers on the tops of the fenders, 67 only. I had a 67. Cool cars.

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  5. Avatar Loco Mikado

    Must be a ’67 model year built in ’66 to have a poly engine. Dodge pickup 318’s are the same way, both poly and wedge motors were used depending on when they were built in the model year.

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  6. Avatar Rustytech Member

    I love the 1st gen Chargers. Loved the 2+2 configuration with the full length console. For years these were the Rodney Dangerfields of Chargers. They have been coming on strong lately, a silver on sold at Mecum’s recently that I believe brought over $55k. Of course it was worlds away from this on as far as condition goes.

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  7. Avatar George

    I bought a 1966 Dark Red Metallic colored Charger in September of 1966. It was equipped with a 383 V-8 rated at 325 horsepower, a 4speed stick floor shift, with very tall 2.90 rear end. Comparatively equipped Impala which were usually running 3.23 or 3.56 rear ends would jump ahead of the Charger at dead start accelerations for maybe an 1/8 of a mile, at which point the Chargers 2.90 came into play and roared past the Impala’s and Fords before the quarter mile had ended. The 2.90 rear end was a bit to tall for heavy in town congested stop and go traffic probably due to the strong clutch which would make my leg ache when I drove across the San Francisco Golden Bridge at rush hour, but once it hit 50 in first (if you wanted to–otherwise hitting 50 in either 2nd, 3rd was fine) and punched it, the car would really go fast. I remember shifting in to 4th at 133 tacking 4000 when racing a 427 Vette with 411’s who was all done at that speed in 4th. It took about 1/2 mile to do that. The fastest I ever drove it was 146 out running an Oregon State Police Man on what used to be near empty I-5.The nice thing about the 2.90’s was that mine would deliver 21 on the freeway so long as I held it at 70 the whole distance and could resist washing my shoes and socks in the 4 barrel carb, which was not my long-suit.

    Driving it through the mountains and passing log trucks in a space that often made any passenger squeeze their eyes shut, or scream or both would result in 15.5 mpg and sometimes 16.
    The body style lasted 2 years, the 1966 and the 1967. The cars were virtually identical in outside appearance, but the blinker light which is seen on the 1967 at the end of the chrome piece which trails down the top of the fenders where it curves 90 degrees and continues to the bottom of the fender was new for1967. The only other visible difference was the direction in which the seat vinyl upholstery ran. As seen in the picture the 1967 the upholstery runs from the top of the seat downward meeting with the seat fabric which ran from the back to the front. The 1966 ran from side to side.

    In response to milotus, both years had the hidden headlight which would default into the closed position when either turned off or the ignition key turned off. The driver had the option of locking them in the open position as shown in the listing here.The dash lights glowed in a beautiful turquoise, which I remember every time I hear Meatloaf singing Heaven in the dash Board Lights. Listen to it if you haven’t as I am sure that most us have experienced the theme depicted in the song.

    I loved that car more than I loved my dog.I even dreamed of it last night! Pathetic, right?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Chris

      Great story. Sounds like you need to go buy one.

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    • Avatar Eric

      George I loved reading this. Great memories and thank you for sharing. You sound just like me but one big difference where your talking about a Charger I speak about Mustangs the same way. Also I’m a Regional Show Judge. Thank you.

      Like 0
    • Avatar G 1

      66’s had spinner hub caps. 67’s had the same hub cap but without the spinner (government thing). Mine had 383 4bbl, auto, 3.23 posi, factory air. Nice car.

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    • Avatar Marty Parker

      The older I get, the faster I used to be.

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    • Avatar Mark-A

      Seems like I’m missing the Thumbs Up as I’d definitely have given you one for this comment but…….

      Like 0
      • Avatar Jacob

        Yeah, about that thumbs up button… it was here when this article was posted. They seem to have taken it away across the whole website earlier this week.

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      • Avatar PRA4SNW

        It’s been mentioned in several other posts that they have updated their servers and the thumbs feature is not playing well with it.

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  8. Avatar Jay M

    Love this body style. A farm close by has 3 stashed away in their yard…slowly sinking into the ground yet not for sale at any price. I stop there a couple times a year.
    The owner is approximately a thousand- and in a wheel chair, but he is “going to restore them all one day”
    I’ll definitely be at that estate sale…

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jason

      Dunno about that estate sale. His family will probably give them away for charity to help offset taxes.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar Kevin Wernick

    Another Chrysler move done in haste. The original Barracuda was nothing more than a fastback Valient, same with the first Chargers, fastback Coronets. The stylist must have owned a Rambler Marlin

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    • Avatar Jacob

      I agree that the similarities between this and the marlin are a whole lot more than a coincidence. I’m not sure why people are so opposed to that

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      • Avatar Rocco in Florida

        Probably because Rambler or AMC didn’t get the respect the car owners thought they should. So they think everyone should know AMC had one good idea during their existence. I had a Rambler once. We used it for a winter car, and to go to the drive-in movies. Put those front seat backs down all the way, park on the hump, sit in the back seats, bucket of pop corn, speaker turn up, all while watching Steve McQueen run down that ’68 Charger with his ’68 Mustang passing that VW (that’s parked in the street) about 4 times, and the Charger losing about 6 wheel covers.

        Oh, those were the days.

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    • Avatar Loco Mikado

      The Rambler Marlin was originally designed to be on the Rambler American, a Valiant sized car and was originally named Tarpon. Because the 1st gen AMC V8 wouldn’t fit in an American the higher ups decreed it to be built on the intermediate size Classic which was similar in size to a Coronet\Charger. The proposed Tarpon was a much nicer looking car than the Marlin ended up being in my opinion.

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      • Avatar Mike H

        I totally agree with that. I’ve always thought that the Tarpon would be a better seller for Rambler/AMC, but I also believed that the Corvette based Nomad would also have been a good item to produce.

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    • Avatar Rocco in Florida

      Maybe some of you can help with a timeline. ’65 Mustang 2+2 Fastback with fold down back seat. I don’t know when Dodge or AMC came out with their versions of the Fastback. Usually designers are working on new body styles 3-4 years in advance.

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      • Avatar RNR

        The 1964 Barracuda (I own one), with its fold down back seat, was introduced 1 April, 1964, or about two weeks prior to the Mustang coupe; the Mustang 2+2 came a bit later, I recall.

        It could be argued that the Chrysler Traveller is an ever earlier version (’48?) of a ‘fastback’ with a fold down rear seat.

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  10. Avatar stillrunners

    This ad is a riot !

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Nick Cucco

    318 polyheads only came with a 2 bbl those years.It was the standard engine in ’66 and very early ’67 Chargers,they switched to wedge heads in’67.They ran better than you might think I had a ’65 Coronet with a poly 318 when I was 16 and it would melt the rear tire,Lol.They ran much better than the wedge version of the 318………..My uncle bought one of the very first ’66 Chargers new,383 4 bbl. automatic.

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  12. Avatar Tom Member

    Rotten Shame, literally.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar DaveT

    Love these, was at a car show last summer and a black one with period wheels and exhaust was sitting next to an orange Maclaren(sp?). The $750,000 super car didn’t hold a candle to the Charger. My son liked it too, now he has a (toy) green one, he parks it next to his red and white Challenger. I think he’s going to turn out to be pretty cool.

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  14. Avatar Woodie Man

    It was apparently an anti-Charger riot.

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    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      Maybe you’re right! I sure couldn’t find it in the news anywhere, at least not in 1974…

      Like 0
  15. Avatar George

    Kevin,

    I do not remember what the Marlin’s came out, but it is a stretch to say that the Dodge got his idea from looking at a Marlin, unless he too saw how damn ugly and bulbous they were and decided to use the Cornet platform and show how a good looking, eye catching flashy fast car could be made using a straight-edge ruler rather a mascara brush designing lines resembling eyebrows.

    As for claim that all the Charger really was a Cornet with a slant back added is silly. Most cars evolve and the Charger is an example of that. The 1966 and 1967 Chargers’ evolved into the 1968’s which do bring better dollars now, not because those years were “Another Chrysler move done in haste.” but, as I was told by a designer for Dodges who just happened to be in the seat next to me when I was flying to Detroit , was because the standard 2 door with a conventional back seat was less expensive by $2.50 to produce than was the fast back with its unique and attractive front and rear buckets with the option of turning the back seat into a double bed, it you wanted to eeer.uh, sleep in the car. A two door htp with the conventional back seat is as flashy, innovating and exciting as a peanut butter sandwich with the crusts cut off. Any comparison between the brave new attractive 1966-67 Chargers and the Marlin is like comparing chicken salad with chicken dropping–the only thing common between them is they both come from the chicken.

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    • Avatar Jacob

      That’s pretty strongly worded.

      Also, saying “As for claim that all the Charger really was a Cornet with a slant back added is silly” is not true as that’s exactly what the charger is from the belt line down. In the same way the marlin is a rambler classic from the belt line down.

      Anyone who says it’s a stretch to consider the charger borrowing ideas from the AMC’s failed product is either blind or has some strange predisposition. I’m guessing you have the latter?

      Like 0
      • Avatar Kyle Skiles

        Google 1956 chrysler norsman. Also note that amc’s VP of styling for the marlin was Richard A. Teague, chief stylist at chrysler 1957-1959.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Kyle Skiles

        1956 chrysler norsman show car.

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      • Avatar George

        Jacob, Thank you for your kind analysis of my vision and my temperament, both which woefully miss the mark. I guess I should have prefaced my remarks with the caveat that the following was my impression, and having cited no authority for what I said would also suggest that my feelings are based on my experiences only. I do not see where you objected to Kevin’s atatment that the 66-67 Chargers were “(A)nother Chrysler done in haste.” Your letting that by might be seen as some as evidence of a predisposition you harbor against MoPar.
        I went on to say why I thought it was “silly” because Kevin said the Charger was “nothing more than” a Cornet with a fastback on to. If you had critically read my text as it was intended-to be a cohesive whole, rather than a series of unrelated sentences–you would have seen that I said Chrysler used the “Cornet Platform,” so I did not state that the Charger was not a Cornet, inferring by the silly reference that it was much more than that. What “more that was” is set out in the paragraph paragraph above that in which I said it was a “good looking eye catching flashy fast car.” That was why I thought it was “more ” than a Cornet. I have no objection to the looks of a Cornet, in fact consider them attractive, but just seeing one shoot by on the street or highway, to me, they do not hit you in the face as either “flashy or fast” I felt the Charger did.

        I did not respond to your note “Yes but Amc Marlins (which this charger is a rip off of) go for much less. I’m only slightly joking” although I did not like your statement in the parenthesis, because I can’t conceive that a rational person would “rip off” an inferior product. I do not deny that the Marlins may have influenced the design of the Dodge Charger, because what a the designer of the Charger did produce is an amalgam of all of the things he has seen/witnessed in his trip through life’s bumpy road. And your statement that you were “only partly joking” could infer that the “joking” applied to your statement that the Charger was a rip off of the Marlin. Since that is a possibility, I found no purpose getting “hot” about my dream car being referred to as a “rip off” of a Marlin. Now when I wrote my ditty, I had not seen the red Marlin which appears on the page today, which is not so grotesque as the white one I had looked. Although I would never have walked into a show room and purchased a Marlin, unless the barrel of a shotgun had been jammed into my mouth, I ran, hopped, skipped and whistled a happy tune I bought my Charger new off the lot at Lithia Motors Dodge on the Plaza. Ashland OR. Had I somehow had bought the Marlin, it would have added nothing to my “mystic” (that really means how cute the girls thought I was) and I would have been embarrassed to take a girl on a date driving one.

        But I write here to have fun. I know people hate Dodges where others hate Fords, or Chevies, but that’s okay. I try to make my posts funny and entertaining so people with enjoy reading them. I have never set my self forward as an expert on my the wiseness of purchasing and liking the cars I have bought. I used to drive Chevies and I liked them. I hated Fords because when I was younger the Ford kids hated Chevies, and I was “Loyal to my brand.” I loved the 55′ and 56′ Ford 2dr hdtps but they were on the road before my I was 16, and my Dad never had good luck with Fords and he never bought any. I decided I liked the Turbo Coupes and bought a 76 and then a 79, and interrupted by some rice burners, a 4 speed Black 1990 Super Coupe, which recovered my youthful cute guy. I presently have 4 Fords: a 1936 5 window Street Rod. 1965 Falcon Convert with a 289 and Four Speed replacing the 260 automatic. and a 66 Falcon Ranchero with a balanced/blue printed $9000 1993 Camaro motor (I bought it that way and I don’t know why I bought it and did not want one, Sitting out in the rain for the last 4 years of the 10+ I have had it, has made the clear coat blister as though the car has a sunburn. You’ll see it on Barn Finds if I ever get it listed, I planned to sell it before it even arrived, but something always concentrated my mine elsewhere–and no it was not drinking beer as one reader suggested I must have been doing between my first and my second comment on 1966 Dodge Chargers, Drinking is something I rarely do–not because there is anything innately immoral or sinful downing the suds, it is just that alcohol is way at the bottom of Jeremy Bentham’s Hedonistic Calculus, far from the “high” end where I like to eat–Donuts&Cookies. And as Clint Eastwood might well say A Man Has to Be Strong and Chose Who He Is. Well, I am a “donut man, with; cookies as a chaser, but that and whatever else my fingers might put down here but I don’t see why we can’t still be friends does it Kevin and Jacob? And since I have not ruffled the feathers of the rest of you so I assume we still are. (but it’s early yet, and I am after all, one of those dang lawyers, and that group can irritate the heck out of almost anyone without drawing a breath)

        Like 0
      • Avatar Loco Mikado

        Good old Norseman, it suffered the same exact fate as the car on the Titanic.

        Like 0
  16. Avatar TBAU Member

    How many beers did George have between posts?

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  17. Avatar RNR

    That’s not Bigfoot damage on the front fender, that’s good old MoPar splash shield rust that starts at the top of the fender then works its way down the side – also happens about 8-10 inches from the leading edge of the fender (look at the brown spot near the hood opening in the photo with the patch panel laying across the hood).

    My first car was a Coronet 2 door hardtop that in ’75 I did (mucho) rust repair on. I called every junk yard in the Rochester and Buffalo yellow pages before I found a rust free pair of front fenders. Bought a right from a yard in Lackawanna (that’s all that they had of the car – one fender). To get the the right I had to buy the entire clip from a yard in Boston, NY. Still have the extra left front fender if anyone’s interested – dry storage the last 40 years!

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Graham

    Mebbe a dumb question, but I can’t figure how and where the new panel (Pic 4) fits on the car. I’ve looked hard at the side shots of the car to try and match panel profiles/contours but I can’t fugure it out and its doing my head in!

    Like 0
  19. Avatar George

    Gee, Kevin and Jacob

    Looks like Kyle saved my bacon with the picture of the 1956 Chrysler Norseman and note “amc’s VP of styling for the marlin was Richard A. Teague, chief stylist at chrysler 1957-1959.” So the jury has saved me again—It WAS NOT a stretch to say that the Dodge got his idea from looking at a Marlin, so is now clear that the Marlin was not the inspiration for the Charger, but rather the Charger was a a change in a design that Chrysler had come up with in 1956–before the Marlin was first made!

    It is the Order of the Court:

    1. That George’s text discussion of heritage is affirmed with the language
    corrected to reflect that Chrysler had designed the concept for the Dodge
    fast back Charger a decade before the Marlin was introduced;

    2. That there is a failure of evidence to support the assertions by Kevin and
    Jacob that the design of the Dodge Charger was based on the Marlin and
    therefore are not persuasive and hereby denied;

    3. Prevailing attorney fees are denied. There is no statutory entitlement to
    attorney fees in cases involving comparisons of cars.

    4. Costs to George, to wit: 1 maple bar; 1 apple fritter and 2 shortbread
    cookies (3 inches in diameter).

    IT IS SO ORDERED.

    February 22, 2017

    _______/S/__________, Judge

    Like 0
    • Avatar Kyle

      I’ll take that maple bar for my google fee’s! Lol

      Like 0
  20. Avatar James

    Back in high school days (early 70’s)my buddies dad had one. Yellow with black vinyl top and black int. 383 4bbl auto. His dad tipped a few and would nap in the afternoon which allowed us to “borrow” the car. The Charger was in near mint condition with low miles on it. It was real cool driving around in that car.

    Like 0

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