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Twice Stalled Project: 1966 Dodge Charger

This 1966 Dodge Charger is a stalled project that has been off the road for many years. Some effort has been made in the recent past to recommence the restoration, but this has once again stalled. The owner has decided to cut his losses and move the car onto someone who might finish it. The Charger is located in Michigan City, Indiana, and is listed for sale here on Craigslist. This is a project car that can be yours if you are willing to hand over $5,995.

Introduced in 1966, the Charger was never intended to be an out-and-out muscle car, but with the optional Hemi engine, there was no doubting its performance credentials. Where it differed from conventional muscle cars was in the fact that it tended to be luxuriously equipped than its rivals. This one is a solid car, and the only rust of any note is this spot on the driver’s side lower quarter. The rest of the Charger (well, what we can see), looks to be encouragingly solid. The Light Blue paint has certainly seen better days, so a repaint for the Charger is definitely on the cards.

The interior of the Charger must have been pretty slick back in its heyday, and there’s no reason why it can’t be again. The shopping list for this one will include carpet, a dash pad, a replacement radio, and probably a replacement center console. The dark blue trim on the seats and door trims looks to be reasonably good and should respond well to a good clean. One of the coolest features to ever appear in a muscle car was the electroluminescent gauges of the 1966 Charger, and this is a feature that makes the gauges stand out at night like no other car. So far then, this Charger project doesn’t look like it is going to cost mega-bucks, which is never a bad thing.

The Charger isn’t numbers-matching, but it does feature a healthy 318ci V8 that has only covered 45,000 miles. This is backed by a Torqueflite transmission, while power steering is also fitted. It isn’t clear how standard the engine is, but it has been fitted with headers, while the original radiator has made way for an aluminum one. It also isn’t clear whether the engine currently runs, but the owner does say that the transmission linkages will need to be connected and that the car will require some front end work. He floats a figure of around 230hp from that engine, so if this is true, then the Charger should be a spritely performer when it returns to the road.

With decent 1966 Dodge Chargers now selling for prices upwards of $22,000, and figures around $46,000 being achieved on occasions, this solid project car would seem to be a pretty canny buy. It gets even better because a bit of searching has allowed me to locate this same car advertised elsewhere at nearly $9,000. If you are interested in this particular car, I would definitely be contacting the owner via Craigslist. I can’t give you any better advice than that.

Comments

  1. Avatar local_sheriff

    Best Charger generation, period. As the original engine is gone I’d love to see this with a small block with high-winding capabilities

    Like 4
  2. Avatar 36 Packard

    Ahh guys, that is 230 gross HP, not net. Figure about 150 HP net. Those were standard numbers,t the headers and a dual exhaust will help some, but in reality, all the HP you will really ever need for a nice cruiser.

    Like 3
  3. Avatar Joe Machado

    As a 66 and the original 318, it would be a Polly 318. The 67 got the wedge 318. Understood this is a motor home engine.
    I bought a new, a 66 Charger, 361, air, red interior. Power windows, et all. Put 55,000 miles in 18 months. Loved it. Traded it in on a new 68 Charger RT. Sold the 68 in 1980. Loved it also. Had a couple 67 Chargers also, both 383, air cars.
    Also bought 3 more 69 Charger RT’s. Also 3 1969 Charger 500’s. Oh, bought a 69 Daytona in 1971 also. Need to get a life

    Like 11
    • Avatar Chris M.

      Oh Joe, we’ve missed hearing about all of your fantastic muscle car experiences! Never one to leave out every savory detail! Gosh it must be great to be “Cool Joe Machado.” Please, tell us more.

      Like 3
  4. Avatar CapNemo

    A Repainting would be beneficial to this car. It should be Repainted. If it was mine, I’d want to Repaint it.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar dave brennan

    Do you think you’d paint it???

    Like 7
    • Avatar Joe Mac

      I think what CapNemo is saying is that he would repaint the car. But I could be wrong.

      Like 4
    • Avatar On and On Member

      I don’t think he’d paint it dave, I think he’d repaint it.

      Like 5
  6. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    The repaint bears repeating.

    Like 1
  7. Avatar Retired Stig

    You guys have to get the spelling correct. It’s Repaint, a proper noun apparently.😛

    Like 0
  8. Avatar scottymac

    I love these in red or dark colors, not sure about the baby blue. And with all that weight, has to have a 440.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Steven Ligac

      Minimally. And no shush-bucket tyranny 😉

      Like 0
    • Avatar robert semrad

      And, a new paint job.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar TimM

    It’s not as desirable as the movie version but that might mean a better price!!!

    Like 0
  10. Avatar DonC

    Oh wow! This is the car my Dad had when I was a little boy. We’d go visit his parents in Columbiana, Ohio and on the way back to Cleveland on the turnpike, I’d be in the back, with that huge rear window, just staring up at the stars. You could see forever! LOL. Dangit I’d love to buy this car. Oh and they’re right, the dashboard gauges had the coolest luminescence about them. And the rollover front headlights too! “Hey Honey? How much room do we have on the credit card, there’s this car and well……”

    Like 4
  11. Avatar Johnmloghry

    In the top ten of ugliest cars ever built.
    God bless America

    Like 0
    • Avatar TCOPPS Member

      I would beg to differ with you on that one John. I have the silver one here. I do believe the one listed has a ’67 dash (as I do with mine as well). Those electroluminescent lights I could never get to work just right. Instead of spending over $1000 to have mine completely rebuilt, I downloaded a free app to use as my speedometer conveniently mounted outside of my field of view, but the tach works just as well for judging speed too. I have the 383 and is probably the most comfortable ride of all muscle cars we’ve had come out of our shop. The new owner will definitely want to upgrade that master cylinder and put in disc brakes in the front if they want to drive it. I’ve also never seen one that had headrests like that. I wonder about that.

      Like 4
      • Avatar Richard Henry Joubert

        The 66 chargers did not have head rest,and was not a option,but the 67 charger was a option for the head rest

        Like 0
    • Avatar Richard Joubert

      The ugliest car ever built? I don’t think so,iam a proud owner of 66 charger,and I think they are the most beautiful cars ever built,mine has the 361engine,and is metallic red with metallic red interior,all matching numbers and all original,I also have the original owners manual and the original certification card that came with the car

      Like 1
      • Avatar Johnmloghry

        I apologize to you Richard. To you your classic is beautiful. We all have opinions, mine is not the same as yours, but that doesn’t matter that’s what makes us different and makes this hobby great. If you love your car then we all prosper.
        God bless you
        God bless America

        Like 0
      • Avatar Richard Joubert

        Only the 67 charger had head rest,not the 66

        Like 0
      • Avatar Richard Joubert

        You don’t need to apologize john,everyone has different tastes,I love all old cars,the two cars I love the most are my 66 charger of course,and the 63 Corvette with that gorgeous split window,if I had a lot of money,I would buy a restord 63 Corvette,

        Like 0
  12. Avatar RP

    Bought a ’66 on my eighteenth birthday after my hand-me-down ’69 Falcon bit the dust at 400,000 miles. Gold/copper exterior with a gold interior and a Hemi under the hood.

    I sure do miss that thing.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar karl

    6K sems high for a car in this shape ;this is a base Charger, and as a restoration its not worth the money . Without a big block its basically just a fastback Coronet .That , and it has the wrong motor in it, it isn’t a very popular color , and the 66-67s aren’t as desirable as the later years would make this a better candidate for a resto-mod

    Like 1
    • Avatar Richard Henry Joubert

      I agree,without the original motor,plus being a small block,brings the value down,iam a proud owner of a 66 charger,all original all matching numbers,and mine has tge 361 engine,which only 5000 66 chargers got this motor,it was not available in the 67 charger,but I do love the 318 motors,they are a very good motor,i have one in my 1991 dodge ram 150,4 wheel drive truck,and she runs beautiful.but not for my charger,I wanted a big block motor

      Like 0

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