Where The Legend Began: 1966 Dodge Charger

For a few B-Body fans, the magic didn’t really start until the introduction of the second-generation Dodge Charger in 1968, the year things took off exponentially in the direction that helped turn this moniker into an iconic muscle car.  However, the 1966 and 1967 examples are fine offerings as well, with that sleek fastback roofline and those cool concealed headlights up front.  If I were a mathematician, I’d say this 1966 Charger here on Facebook Marketplace is about 90 percent or more desirable, but it has one not-so-easily-visible blunder that needs to be taken into consideration before committing to a purchase.  Priced at $28,000, this one is located in Raymond, Maine, and our thanks go out to reader RichardinMaine for sending us this excellent Mopar tip!

Outside, this Charger looks splendid from every angle, with the sheet metal appearing straight and the gaps lining up beautifully.  The owner mentions there is no rust, and I’m certainly not spotting any exterior areas that seem to need any attention at all.  However, it’s noteworthy that the seller is transparent about a frame repair on the right side, which he says sustained damage from a collision a very long time ago.  While the bodywork in this area appears undetectable, just be aware that this structural weld lies beneath.  The images also show the car wearing different sets of wheels, so I’d inquire whether it will include what I believe are Keystone Classic aftermarket components and white-letter tires, the pictured whitewalls and hubcapped rims, or both.

Dodge wasted no time in offering its street Hemi as a possibility in the first-year Charger, as 1966 was also the first time it was officially available in a production car.  However, these are few and far between, and most came with one of the other engine options, including the 318, 361, or 383.  This one features a 361, but that’s also classified as a big block, so there are some bragging rights to be had here, even with the 2-barrel carburetor.  Things in the bay are clean and orderly, and this Charger is also equipped with an A727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission.

There are only a couple of photos showing the inside, but they’re enough to see that the interior appears to be in better-than-satisfactory condition for a nice driver.  The ’66 featured a stylish, very long console that ran almost all the way from front to back, and a great instrument panel layout that looked even better at night with the dash lights illuminated.  Other than the frame repair, I’m not finding much else to fault here, and feel this 1966 Dodge Charger has a plethora of positives to offer potential buyers.  What do you think?