A top-shelf US Mopar icon makes for a rare sight on Aussie roads
Second only perhaps to Ford’s ubiquitous Mustang, few muscle cars have basked in the public eye as much as the second-generation Dodge Charger of 1968-1970.
Immortalised by the baddies in the movie Bullitt in 1968, the Dukes of Hazzard in 1979, and more recently in many of the Fast and Furious Hollywood movies; the B-body Charger’s appeal spans generations and has become one of the more iconic American muscle cars of the period.
The outmoded 1966-1967 Charger was a far more sedate animal, offering a more relaxed GT appeal. The new-look Charger wasn’t mechanically much different, but outsold the ’67 model by six-to-one in the first year.
For 1970, the Charger 500 model was no longer a limited homologation special as it was in 1969, but instead became a trim level which added bucket seats, a clock, and wheel-arch mouldings to the base Charger.
This one on offer at Queensland’s John Conroy Classic Cars bears the popular 383ci big-block backed by a 727 three-speed auto; all in numbers-correct condition.
The car has been totally rebuilt with many new parts. Floor, boot, quarters and chassis are original however, and the Charger is said to be rust-free.
From Unique Cars #444, Sep 2020
Photography: John Conroy Classic Cars