Dodge Memories: A Photo Journey Through The Brand’s 1960s & 1970s Classics

Text by Patrick Bell.

Dodge was founded in 1914, 10 years before the Chrysler Corporation, but it became part of Chrysler in 1928 and spent the next 73 years as Chrysler’s middle-tier brand, positioned between Plymouth and Chrysler. During this period, they built many fine cars, and many of them were quite popular.  Let’s take a look at a few and see what memories may be triggered.

We begin with something fast: Our leading image is a 1969 Coronet R/T hardtop with whitewall tires turned inside out on the front and wider tires and wheels on the rear. Standard power for the R/T model came from a 440 cubic inch Magnum V8, with the 426 Hemi optional.  The R/T was the top-of-the-line Coronet, available only as a hardtop and a convertible, but it was handily outsold by its less expensive brother, the Super Bee.  Parked in the background left was a white over tan 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88, and to the right a 1970 or 1971 Volkswagen Beetle.

Here is a 1960 Dart Seneca 4-door sedan. 1960 marked the first year of the Dart nameplate in the Dodge family; it took the place of the Plymouth, which was also sold by Dodge dealers through 1959.  The Dart’s three available engines ranged from a Slant Six to the D-500 Ram Injection 361 cubic inch V8.  Seneca was the entry-level Dart series. This one had full wheels covers, whitewall tire on the front, and snow treads on the rear.

A facelift for the 1961 Dart brought the headlamps down into the grille, as you can see here in the car shown above.  The series is difficult to determine from this view, but I do see a radio antenna and a large remote control outside mirror.  That’s an advertisement for a Catskills-related business where the front license plate belongs.

1964 marked Dodge’s Golden Anniversary. The car pictured here is a 1964 Polara 500 2-door hardtop. In 1964, the Polara was a full-size car, using a 119-inch wheelbase, but it was still not as big as the senior 880 and Custom 880 models. The Polara 500 Sports Model was an option package that included a buckets-and-console interior along with other bits.  (It would become a separate model for 1965.)  It was available only in V8-equipped 2-door hardtop and convertible models. Five V8s were available, including two 426 V8s that were recommended only for performance specialists. There is nothing to indicate which engine this red hardtop had, but the car appears to have been set up for the drag strip, with lots of negative rake for better weight transfer.

Dodge got a compact called Lancer in 1961, based on the Valiant. In 1963, the compact was restyled and inherited the Dart name from the full-size line. The compact Dart lived on for another 13 years and had a reputation as a solid, reliable car. This close-to-new white 4-door sedan was a 1964 Dart 270 with the Slant Six engine, full wheel covers, and whitewall tires.  To the right was a 1959 Oldsmobile. In the background parking area there was lots of eye candy, including a Jeep, an Edsel, and a Rambler.

One more from the 1964 model year: a Dodge 330 4-door sedan sporting full wheel covers. The 330 was the entry-level big Dodge, often purchased for fleet use.  This one was new. It still sports a buyer’s tag in the window and a dealer advertising plate on the front.

Dodge introduced the Monaco in 1965 as a full-size sports/luxury 2-door hardtop model, aimed at the popular Pontiac Grand Prix.  It featured a 383 cubic inch, 315 horsepower V8, with 413 or 426 V8s optional.  The Monaco came with front bucket seats and a full-length console that divided the back seat into two separate “buckets.”  Just 13,200 units were produced for the year.  This lady’s Monaco is Cordovan with a white roof and and deluxe wheel covers, and looked very nice in that color combination. The car had a 1966 issue Texas license plate.

The new-for-1966 Dodge Charger shown here was a sporty fastback based on the Coronet. It was a nice machine, but it really was an answer to a question no one asked.  It was unique to a fault, and that fault was poor sales:  It started well, with 37,200 units going out the door the first year, but the 1967 Charger fell flat, with fewer than 16,000 sold.  The one above had bumper guards, non-original wheel covers, and what appeared to be a Minnesota license plate.

In 1967, the compact Dart received a restyle, which carried over into 1968 with minor changes. The car shown above is a 1968 model, since it has side marker lamps, but the series is difficult to ID. The two-door hardtop body was available in the 270, GT, and GTS trim series, but GT and GTS hardtops came with front bucket seats, and this car has a front bench. Also, it is missing the full-length side molding, and has 1967 style wheel covers. Without being able to see the front or rear for more clues, I am guessing that it is a 1968 Dart 270 with the side molding removed.

The Dart was in an Air Force parking lot. Some other cars in the same lot included a 1967 Chevrolet Bel Air wagon, a 1959 or 1960 Ford F-350 stake body with power liftgate, and a Ford Econoline pickup further down.  In the background to the left were a second gen Chevrolet Corvair Coupe and a 1968 Chrysler 4-door sedan.

The Charger was restyled in 1968, losing the fastback roof and gaining flying buttress rear pillars like the 1966–67 Pontiac GTO. It was still based on the intermediate Coronet, but with a high-performance look. It did very well this time around, and with the right options it would perform.  The car above was a 1970 Charger 500 in “Sublime,” one of the optional “High Impact” colors. It wore a New Jersey license plate.  The 1970 Charger was in the third and final year of the styling cycle, where the most noticeable change was the loop-style front bumper.

The Coronet went to a double loop bumper style in 1970, as you can see on this Coronet 500 convertible from California.  It was fitted with the standard bench seat and an aftermarket side stripe of some sort. This convertible was one of only 924 Coronet 500 convertibles built in this last year of Chrysler midsize convertibles. The brown Pontiac next to it was a 1971 LeMans Sport, and there was a white 1968-1970 Dodge A100 long-wheelbase van in the background.

Here we have a double Dart feature, both 2-door hardtops: a 1970 Dart Swinger 340 with Rallye Wheels in the foreground and a 1972 Swinger with a vinyl roof, bumper guards, and deluxe wheel covers parked in front of it.  Both cars were wearing Pennsylvania license plates.  The Swinger 340 was only available for two years (1969 and 1970), as the fastback Demon was introduced in 1971 and took over the 340 honors.  The base Swinger carried on through the end of the Dart line in 1976.

Dodge introduced the Challenger for model year 1970, which is considered the peak of the muscle car era.  The black Challenger above was a 1971 model. Although it had been modified with oversize tires on aftermarket wheels, the car was likely a Charger R/T, as it had the “Shaker” hood scoop along with a vinyl roof.  Parked behind it was a yellow 1978-1982 Chevrolet Corvette, and to the left was a 1974-1977 Camaro.  In the driveways in the background were two 1973-1980 Chevrolet or GMC C/K series pickups.

The Challenger received a minor refresh for 1972 Challenger, as seen here. Changes were mainly in the grille and rear lights. Challenger sales were a big disappointment for Chrysler. It sold more than 83,000 units in its first year, but sales dropped by over half for year two, and spit and sputtered for the final three years.  The big block engines were gone after 1971.  The car above was equipped with the 340 cubic inch V8, which was now the largest available.  Included with that engine choice were a different hood with scoops and dual exhausts.  This one also had a vinyl roof and deluxe wheel covers, and it wore a Minnesota license plate.

Dodge intermediates were redesigned for 1971. All two-door Dodge intermediates were now Chargers, with the Coronet name limited to the four-doors. The standard engine was the 318 cubic inch V8, with two 383s optional.  This yellow car was a Charger 500, which included a bucket seat interior and deluxe wheel covers among other bits.  It also has a vinyl roof. The car seems to be waiting for roadside service. Perhaps they ran out of gas.

Here is a 1972 Dart 4-door sedan. It was a base model with deluxe wheel covers and the optional body-side molding. It had a Virginia license plate. The 318 V8 was optional on the base Dart, but this one most likely had the 198 or 225 cubic inch Slant Six. Thousands and more thousands of these motored on through the years, providing good, reliable transportation.  The brown Datsun 280Z 2+2 parked next to it looks like a 1977 or 1978 model. The white Volkswagen Type 2 bus in the background was a 1973–1979.  The well-worn 1967 Cadillac Sedan de Ville on the right takes the prize as the oldest car in the picture.

Here is a 1973 or 1974 Charger SE from Florida, which was dressed up with fancy pinstriping, aftermarket wheels and exhaust tip, and some lift in the rear to clear the oversize rear tires.  The SE was the luxury version of the Charger, which was first available as an option in 1969 and later became its own model.  Your choice of four V8s could be selected, ranging from the standard 318 cubic inch up to a 440 cubic inch four-barrel engine.

Our final image today is a 1974 Monaco Brougham 4-door hardtop from Ohio. After its 1965 debut season, Dodge expanded the Monaco to a full line, a better-trimmed version of the Polara. When the full-size cars were restyled for 1974, leaving the Fuselage era behind, the Polara name was discontinued, leaving the Monaco in base, Custom, and Brougham trim (plus a Monaco Special for police and taxi duty). The top-of-the-line Monaco Brougham came with a stand-up hood ornament, hood molding, and paint stripes. This one also had the optional vinyl roof, premium wheel covers, and vent windows. Standard power plant on Monaco Brougham a 400 cubic inch V8, with the 440 optional.  This was the last new full-size Dodge before the line-wide downsizing for 1979.

Thanks for joining us and have a great day!

 

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