Dodge Charger, the name conjures up many things. For most of us, a Dodge Charger is a muscle car from the late-1960s and early-70s, but they started out as a fastback body style, moved to a Cordoba look-a-like, and are now a four-door sedan. In-between that evolution, came this 1983 Dodge Charger 2.2. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in Charlotte, North Carolina, a city that knows a thing or two about speedy cars, and the seller is asking $5,600. Here is the original listing, and thanks to speedy Pat L. for sending in this tip!
Speaking of four-door Chargers, I always wondered what a fifth-generation Charger with four doors may have looked like… hmmm… Or, what about a new two-door Charger? Enough of that, I’ve shown those here before, sorry. Ok, here’s one that I haven’t shown before, a 1966 Dodge Charger four-door sedan!
The fifth-generation Dodge Charger was made from late 1981 for the 1982 model year through 1987, and the 2.2 version as seen here was a nice upgrade, even if it was mostly a graphics package. Of course, most buyers would have most likely wanted a Shelby version, but for the time, this wasn’t a horrible car. And for those of you who are in marketing, feel free to use that line on your next automobile manufacturer marketing campaign: “Hey, for the time, this isn’t a horrible car!”
The seller says that this Charger 2.2 has 85,000 miles, it’s all original, and it has no rust. It sure looks great in the many photos that they have provided, at least on top, we don’t see any underside photos. There are definitely some paint issues as you can see if you right-click on the photos and open them in a new window, which enlarges them. But, silver paint seems to fade faster than any other color or tone. The interior, though, looks like it’s almost brand new. The brake pedal pad appears to be missing, but otherwise, I don’t really see a flaw inside.
The engine is a Chrysler 2.2-liter inline-four, which had 94 horsepower and 111 lb-ft of torque when new. This car runs and drives “excellent”, according to the seller and they say that everything works. This looks like a good example for anyone who may be looking for a Charger from this era. Have any of you owned one?
It’s Chrysler product day on Barn Finds .
For this 1983 high school graduate, this car was on the very short list of cars I could afford. Wonderfully tacky side scoops Trans Am style, fake power bulge hood, plastic pieces to make those side rear windows smaller than the Omni 024, rear spoiler and LOUVERS!! Anemic wheezy engine, but everything was back then. Nice hot tub time machine car.
The girlfriend back in college had an ’81 Plymouth 024. The Charger’s cousin. The back seats were roomy, when you laid them down.
Yes on laying the seat down
If anybody is wanting one of these, this one seems nice assuming good condition. It’s got the coveted manual transmission and A/C AND it has less than 100K miles for less than $6K. Go for it.
PS- I’ve never owned one but I’m calling BS on the owner’s claimed 42 highway MPG. It should get about 30 on the highway, me thinks, as per the government.
I believe the 40ish on the highway only had 94HP!!
MPG was better back then on the 4 bangers.
I had a New 83 Escort with a manual used to get 39mpg all day long.
Motorcity I stand corrected… I was looking at 1984’s data:
1984 Dodge Charger 4 cyl, 2.2 L, Manual 5-spd
Combined MPG: 24
City MPG: 21
Highway MPG:29
My apologies to the seller of this fine Dodge automobile!
Is 1984 perhaps one of the years when the government changed their testing or reporting in regards to MPG? Why would the ratings be so different when the cars didn’t change much from one year to the next? I believe I’m now comparing 2.2 L, 5-speeds, ’83 to ’84.
Somebody educate me… it might take a while.
I took one of these out from a showroom when they were new. Pretty nice little car except for that awful shifter that even a mother couldn’t love.
Great seats ? 💺 👌 👍
My parents had one just like it except it was a Plymouth Turismo 2.2. Event he same color.
They also had a Dodge Rampage with was the same from the door forward, but a pick up bed for the back half.
My first new car in 1982 was a red Charger 2.2 much like this one. My local SCCA chapter held autocross events in a nearby mall parking lot, so I spent many weekends in that little red car trying to compete with other front drive cars of the time. GTI’s ruled the class, but my times were not embarrassingly bad. 94 horsepower was enough to create reckless amounts of torque steer, so it took determination and strong forearms to stay on course. These cars had a bad habit of swapping ends on slippery surfaces. The five speed shifter felt like a stick in a bucket of rocks. Nevertheless, it was not an awful car for 1982.
I had the 85 Charger 2.2 in a dark red. The 5 speed was truly horrible. Mine had a 110 hp 2.2L. It did fair in the local autocrosses.
One issue many of the 85 models had was “vapor lock”. The gas lines ran too close to the exhaust.
I loved mine had one just like that 5 speed with the luvers ,same color with the same stripes.
I had the 83 Shelby charger. The ads said it ain’t just paint. U got a chrome valve cover and lots of headaches.
That’s not a Charger…..Omni 024.
Sticking a nameplate on a car, does not make that car such. lol
Have you forgotten what the Dodge “Challenger” that was sold in that era looked like? When I was 20, I bought the Plymouth equivalent for my first new car. At least they had the decency to call it a “Turismo 2.2” and not a Cuda or worse.
That was merely a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant two door. My buddy’s brother had it’s twin, the Plymouth Sapporo.
gone.
JOHN H.
Not a rebedged Gallant.
The Gallants were larger cars.
I guess that makes Wikipedia wrong. Feel free to drop by and fix that for them.
I drove a ’79 Plymouth TC3 w/aftermarket rear window louvers, stick shift and Firestone 721 tires. Fun to drive. It cornered extremely well, but was a dog coming off the line. It needed a fuel pumps just as often as oil changes.
I owned a NEW 1981 for 2-years before earning a Tupperware Mercury Marquis Station Wagon
I had a 83 Shelby charger and a 80 TR-7. I’m not sure which one was worse but neither one was worth the room they took up
I had a 83 Shelby charger and a 80 TR-7. I’m not sure which one was worse but neither one was worth the room they took up