Let’s see a show of hands for those of you who would rather have a four-cylinder Charger over a four-door Charger? I’m taking a wild guess that since a person can get almost 800 horsepower in a new Charger, that may slightly edge out a 1983 Dodge Charger 2.2 with 100 horsepower. This one is posted here on craigslist in Norwell, Massachusetts and the seller is asking $6,500 or best offer. Here is the original listing and thanks to Pat L. for sending in this tip!
For the record, the MSRP of a 2022 Dodge Charger SRT “Hellcat Redeye” model with 797 horsepower is $86,695 so there’s that. This great-looking rust-free Arizona Charger 2.2 is $6,500 and you could buy a handful of other vehicles with the difference, or build that garage that you’ve always wanted or put a new roof and siding on your house, remodel the basement, etc. The options are endless.
Chrysler made the fifth-generation Dodge Charger based on their small L-body platform from the fall of 1980 for the 1981 model year up until 1987. Coming right before the small Charger was the “Cordoba” Charger and coming after – albeit almost two decades after – would be the first generation of the four-door Charger that is still being offered today. This example appears to be in outstanding condition and anything rust-free is outstanding to me. I’ve always wondered what a four-door version might look like… Or better yet, a new two-door Charger, hmm…
The only drawback to this car that I can see, and it’s a personal preference, is that it has a three-speed Chrysler TorqueFlite automatic rather than a manual transmission. The seats look almost new both front and rear and I don’t see any issues inside. Correction: there are tears in the seats when viewed from the passenger side.
I love this body style, especially with the hatchback louvers. Sadly, the seller doesn’t show an engine photo in the listing but this one has Chrysler’s 2.2L inline-four with 100 horsepower and 122 lb-ft of torque. It has had a lot of suspension, brake, and other maintenance work done and it sounds like it’s ready to go. Have any of you owned a fifth-generation Charger?
I was working at a Dodge dealership when these debuted and they sure were a hot seller at the time. They were really peppy too. If memory serves me correctly soon afterwards they were plagued with customer warranty work regarding broken pot metal door handles and shifter bushing issues.
Indeed, these were red hot at the time. I believe they came out for 1982. I remember they used to brag about the 0 to 50 time In the ads. You kind of knew this was just a precursor to better things to come. It was just a very optimistic time. We were coming out of the dismal years and performance was on the upswing. This one has an autotragic but it is otherwise a nice relic of this time in history.
I hope we soon see history repeat itself like it did after the peanut farmer was put out to pasture.
“Autotragic?” Grow up.
Yeah that’s what I really want. Some dimwit in dc deciding what kind of cars can be made that I get to pick from. If electric was superior the market would have already determined that all by itself
@Brad – Actually, the dimwits in DC have very heavily influenced what you drive today. Do you have an SUV, pickup, or CUV in your garage as your daily? That’s definitely them. CAFE standards that made vehicle fleet go from 14 MPG in ’74 to 25 MPG in ’85? That’s them. Airbag mandates, passenger side impact standards, pedestrian safety standards? All of it them. They very much influence what you drive now!
Know I’m odd , but I’d take this over a new one any day.
Sorry, Scotty, but the front seats are sporting some wear and fabric tears when viewed from the passenger side. I always liked these, but I felt that the changes made to the rear side panels over the windows to be awkward; and even more so when the entire window was blanked out later. This one looks sharp! GLWTS! :-)
You’re right! Thanks for catching that.
With fuel prices being what they are, my decision between the two Chargers will take a bit more time.
When I was 4 or 5 there was a family in my neighborhood who had 3 of these.
Considering the way gas prices are going, I predict that cars like this, chevy monza 2+2s ,chevettes, sunbirds and any other 4 cyl sporty cars will gain more popularity.
This brings back a lot of memories. My mother had this exact car except it was the Plymouth version called the Turismo 2.2. Same color and interior. It was a big change from the 1975 Mercury Montego wagon she traded it in for in 1983. She kept it until 1989. It was a reliable little 5 speed and I especially remember going on a camping trip and us kids sleeping in the back area looking up at the stars from that huge rear hatch glass.
My wife and I had a 1984 Plymouth Turismo with the same set up. 2.2 with 5 speed. Fun little car. Ours was Spice Brown with tan interior.
I don’t know if this had anything to do w/ the shifter bushing problems mentioned above but when I was a kid, I knew a gal who had one of these (or the Plymouth Turismo) and my buddy and I could get in and put her (automatic) car into neutral w/ no ignition key and shove it across the parking lot, as a joke, so it was in a different spot when she came outside.
I thought I was looking at a Rampage until I put my glasses on.
They’re pretty much identical from the B-pillars forward.
I respectfully understand that the name Charger was not a good idea but it was a different time.
When I was in high school , our shop teacher had a civic mk I. We (6 of us) used to pick it up and move it sideways in his spot to mess with him
This brings back memories! My first brand-new car was an ’83 Turismo. Mine was the stripped down 1.7 litre version……the only option was the radio. Mine was a four speed and would get 35-38 MPG without breaking a sweat. Fast it was not……it couldn’t catch cold, but it was a great car for a kid paying her way through university. I think it was $6700 out the door. The seats were some of the most comfortable I’ve ever driven and the hatch is huge…..I used to stow my bike, my skis and tons of stuff in the back of that car. Come to think of it, some of my friends also loved riding in the hatch.
Probably a good thing this has a slushbox or I’d be on my way to Norwell to negotiate a sale!
Worst steering wheel ever.
I left an Old’s dealer in 1980 because they wouldn’t transfer me from the make-ready shop to the salesfloor, but by 1981, I got my first job selling Chryslers at the dealership across from Six Flags over Texas, I was 21. I went through sales school and for 4 weeks I didn’t sell anything and I was ready to give up. Then I ‘up-ed’ a couple and got them to buy a little jewel just like this one…but badged as a Plymouth TC3; my first delivery!! Super excited, and over the next 35 years, I sold thousands of vehicles of all makes, shapes and sizes; but you never forget your first. Thanks Tom Demerest.
I bought one of these 1983 Charger 2.2 new in December 1982 for about $8,500. In was black with red stripes and red interior.
Mine had the five speed and A/C. I remember picking up a car magazine that compared it to three other four cylinder cars and the magazine panned the Charger as the worst. I forgot the name of the magazine but they were known for being against American cars.
Anyway, I bought because I don’t buy foreign cars and it turned out to be a great car. I drove it until it had 240,000 miles and it would have lasted longer except we had an accident with it and the repair cost wasn’t worth it and the insurance company “totaled” it. I think it would have gone 300,000 miles. I did maintain it well.
I owned an 1983 blue and silver Shelby Charger. It was a non-turbo and I don’t remember the horsepower. It was a really good handling, fun to drive car that got great gas mileage. The only problem I had was that at anything lower than freezing point, it just would not start. Traded it about 6 months after I bought it. It was 1 year old when I bought it. All of the variations of these were built in Belvidere, Illinois, which wasn’t far from where I lived at the time.
Nice one, Scotty! Your home-brewed four-door and the two-door links are so good they could have been done by a PRO-fessional. Of course I know they were. I can’t even color in the lines, but you’re a bonafide art-eest. Both seem viable in my book. My Mom had one of these, this color with a blue? interior and stick shift. I only drove it once… about 10 blocks each way… in town, so nothing memorable to recall. Louvers and played-out struts on the hatch turned it into a stylish guillotine if you knocked the broom stick prop aside prematurely. Not quite as high on my list as the ’69 Charger, but you know, both have four wheels, two doors, and the same name, so they’re practically identical. Thanks for the memories!
I’m not sure if they’re an actual improvement over the production four-door Omnirizon and modern Challenger, respectively, but they are decently done ‘shops on a technical level, looked at strictly as the “what if” exercises they are.
Didn’t they make one of these with spoilers and big fat tires etc?
I went to high school with a girl, who became a nurse right after we graduated, well 2 years or so….she bought one that was black with the spoilers etc, big aluminum wheels and really fat tires, I drove it to Myrtle Beach one year
They all came with little spoilers on the hatchback. Don’t believe the wheel wells on these little Chargers could handle 60’s. Unless someone cut them out and pimped it out.
you may be thinking of the Conquest.
no, not a conquest, but someone mentioned the Shelby Charger, I think that was what hers was.
This body also looks like the Dodge Conquest /// Mitsubishi Starion.
I had what I believe was the Plymouth version called the arrow. Mine was jet black with a gold arrow on the hood and other gold trim. It was I believe a five speed and it would move. The only thing wrong was the color.I could never keep it clean and traded it in about six months later. Can’t remember what for.
Worst variation of the Charger ever ! Advertising a 2.2 engine. lol
I bought a new red and gold Charger in 1982. Got lucky at the Mecum Auction in Indianapolis last month a picked up a 1986 Shelby Charger with 68000 original miles.
@Bwana
I voted for that peanut farmer twice but I know today that he wasn’t that smart to push for electric cars.
Do you know that only 26% of the “fossil fuels” go toward transportation. That includes cars, buses, trucks and airplanes. I don’t think we are going to see battery powered planes anytime soon.
I can’t decide which is the worst – this, the “modern” 4 door charger, or the mid ’70s one with the hood ornament. I would not want any of them in Bullitt, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, or the Dukes tv show – instead of a ’68-69.