After some 22 years without the Challenger
name plate, and 31 years without a high-performance
Dodge Challenger, rumors begin to travel about
the possible reincarnation of a Hemi-powered
rear wheel drive Pony car from Dodge, which
would carry the Challenger name. Magazines and
web pages alike discussed and speculated on
what could be the next legendary vehicle from
Dodge, shown in various artists renderings,
mostly lamenting what the recently released
Dodge Charger could have been, as so many people
were disappointed to see its new high performance
family sedan look. Late in 2005 photos surface
of what was believed to be the "Next Dodge Challenger".
Again, with these hazy, slightly blurry pictures
of what looked to be a vintage Challenger with
some body alterations to "modernize it", rumors
were flying, and the anticipation heightened
as several magazines released articles confirming
what the Dodge Faithful had hoped for some 31
years...this was the New Dodge Challenger. It
was real, with a real engine, the new 425 Hemi,
and it was to make its grand debut at the 2006
North American International Auto Show. Then
on January 8, 2006, the North American International
Auto Show opens, and pictures from every possible
news source debut the first moving pictures
of the Challenger, and on January 14, 2006,
the general public is introduced to the 'Dodge
Challenger Concept', as the public viewing days
begin at the North American International Auto
Show. Rave reviews come from both Dodge Forum
young and old, as well as those who were faithful
GM and Ford owners. While this awesome new car
is but a concept as of early 2006, Dodge sources
indicate a 2006 or 2007 beginning of production,
which could put the car on the road, and in
peoples driveways as early as 2007. The Challenger
is back, and with the new 6.1L Hemi, as well
as a plethora of model technologies, this new
Dodge Challenger may prove to be better than
ever.
The Challenger name popped back up in the
United States as Dodge embarked on a new partnership
with Mitsubishi Motors. The car was not actually
built by Dodge, but instead, it was simply a
rebadged version of the 1977 Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. It was a rear wheel drive, 2 door hardtop,
packed with a 1.6L or 2.6L inline four cylinder
engines, so it was economical, and while it
was fast for what it was, it was nothing like
the Challenger of the Muscle Car Era. There
were various options such as different wheels,
and leather interior offered to try to bolster
the sales of the new "import look" Challenger,
but it simply was not what original Challenger
owners expected from a car badged thusly. While
the car was obviously a Mitsubishi, it carried
a similar look to the "K Car" series that was
being released by Chrysler Corporation, in which
many of their newer cars closely resembled each
other. This car lasted as long as the original
run of the Challenger, but made virtually no
mark on the automotive industry, and in 1983,
it was again discontinued, but its very unlikely
that anyone noticed, or made any fuss about
it going away.
When the 1972 model came out, the brochure
was a disappointing one at best. The grille
had been redesigned with a new egg crate filling,
with a chrome piece along the top which sloped
downward at the corners where it met the headlights,
giving the car a frowning look. Many speculated
that the Challenger was sad due to the fact
that the R/T option was gone, and with it, all
big block and high performance engine options,
giving the car, and the owners, little reason
to smile. 1972 did feature a new look with the
gills now moved up the car, to just behind the
front wheels, with gradually broken stripes
seemingly pouring out of the gills, and down
the body. The base model Challenger came equipped
with a 318 cubic inch engine building only 150
horsepower, and the new performance model, labeled
the "Challenger Rallye Edition", came with the
318 cubic inch engine, with an optional 340
cubic inch engine making 240 horsepower, only
10 more horsepower over the base model V8 one
year earlier. Sales slumped again, this time
down to 26,658 , and as new government regulations
on emissions were coming out all the time, there
was no end in sight for the steady decline in
performance car output.
Read more about the 1972 Dodge Challenger
1973 brought about almost no cosmetic change
from the 1972 model year Challengers. One slight
alteration was the addition of bumperettes on
the front bumpers. The grille section, and fender
gills remained the same. The Rallye option was
offered, but only as an option package on the
base model, and Dodge offered a sort of "build
your own car" program, where you could piece
together the various offered options in order
to make the car exactly as the buyer wanted
it, and evidently, even with the same balmy
engine options as in 1972, sales increased to
32,596. Midway through the 1973 model year there
were rumors that Dodge would drop the 340 cubic
inch engine to make way for the new 360 cubic
inch engine, which boasted a whopping 5 horsepower
increase over the 340, but this engine would
not debut until 1974. Despite the 240 horsepower
engine, the 318 cubic inch engine was by far
the most popularly chosen engine in 1973.
Read more about the 1973 Dodge Challenger
1974 brought about no changes on the Challenger
over the 1973 model, and the only real news
in 1974 was that the car would be discontinued
after the 1974 model year. There were no trim
lines offered other than the base model and
the Rallye option, and the only engines offered
were still the 150 horsepower 318 and the 245
horsepower 360. While the Challenger surely
made its mark in its short 5 year existence,
the last few years were sad ones, marked by
low performance 'economy' engines. Sales in
1974 were at a disappointing all time low, at
only 16,437. No car really took the place of
the Challenger, as the market was shifting away
from the high performance gas guzzlers to small
engine powered, economy driven family cars.
Read more about the 1974 Dodge Challenger
1971 brought about a few minor changes, but
these were changes that obviously had more impact
than intended as sales plummeted from 72,975
in 1970 to just over 30,000 in 1971. A newly
designed grille was present on all of the Challengers
for 1971, and the most obvious change of sorts,
was the aforementioned drop of the T/A, although
many of the T/A options could still be ordered
on R/T models. The R/T convertible was also
dropped, and the SE Luxury package and ragtop
options were only available on the base model
Challengers. The base model actually received
the most benefit for 1971, with the introduction
of the base model droptop, and with the addition
of an extra engine, the 318 cubic inch V8 which
offered 230 horsepower. The 225 cubic inch slant
six, and the 340 cubic inch engines were also
still offered, and of the roughly 30,000 1971
Challengers sold, over 25,000 of them were the
base model. The R/T model, while losing the
convertible option also lost some power. It
still came standard with the 383 cubic inch
engine, but due to new government standards,
it was 30 horsepower lower than the previous
year. The 440 6-pack was the only 440 cubic
inch engine offered, but it also received a
drop of 5 horsepower. The Hemi was still available,
and still offered 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft
of torque, and 1971 brought the introduction
of the small block to the R/T lineup with the
340.
The R/T did receive a few cosmetic changes, such
as the option of color-keyed bumpers, non-functional
brake cooling gills in front of the rear wheels,
and new striping down the side, which was punctuated
right over the rear wheels with the R/T logo.
There was one special edition trim line offered
in 1971, which were Indianapolis 500 Pace Car
clones, and these were only offered by a few dealerships
around the Speedway. There were 50 of these Pace
Car clones made, and all of them were Hemi Orange
convertibles with white interior, and just three
had high-performance options; two 340 cubic inch
engines, and the official Pace Car, with a 383
cubic inch engine. The actual Pace Car was driven
by Eldon Palmer, who owned one of the dealerships
selling the special edition cars. When practicing
getting the Challenger up to speed, and braking
it gradually coming down pit road, he had marked
the appropriate point at which to start braking
with an orange road cone. When the actual race
began, and Mr. Palmer dove into the pit area as
the cars roared past, he realized that his road
cone, which indicated where he should begin slowing
down, was gone. Unfortunately, there was no where
for him to go as the car simply would not stop,
and he slammed into a crowded section of bleachers
filled with members of the press, and the car
was substantially damaged. After this incident,
the Pace Car trim line did not sell very well,
nor did the available aftermarket striping packages.
Read more about the 1971 Dodge Challenger
On Friday, August 1, 1969, the first ever Dodge
Challenger rolled off of the assembly line for
sale as a 1970 model year. The production Challenger,
as mentioned, was based on the same platform
as the Plymouth Barracuda, but had a wheelbase
two inches longer to allow for more interior
room. It was offered in both a hardtop and a
convertible, with three trim lines available;
the base model, the R/T (Road and Track), and
the T/A (Trans America). The base model and
T/A were only available as hardtops, so the
only convertible that could be ordered carried
the R/T options. The base model and R/T model
hardtops could be upgraded with the SE luxury
package, which included leather seats and a
vinyl roof with a smaller "formal" rear window.
The base model Challenger's came equipped with
a 225 cubic inch inline 6 cylinder which produced
145 horsepower, but a 340 cubic inch V8 was
offered, and that engine was much more powerful,
offering 275 horsepower @ 5000 rpm and 340 lb-ft
of torque @ 3200 rpm. The R/Ts came standard
with a 383 cubic inch V8 which produced 330
horsepower, but for those who felt the need
for speed, three performance engines were offered.
The first two of the optional engines were both
440 cubic inch V8s, one being a topped with
a four barrel carburetor, which built 375 horsepower
@ 4600 rpm and 480 lb-ft of torque @ 3200 rpm;
the second of the 440 cubic inch engines was
packed with a trio of double barrel carburetors,
labeled the "440 6-pack", which built 390 horsepower
@ 4600 rpm and 480 lb-ft of torque @ 2300 rpm.
The big dog of the Challenger engine lineup
was the engine that American manufacturers would
try to copy for years, and it is still one of
the most desired engines of all time. That engine
is, of course, the Hemi. It was "only" 426 cubic
inches, but it made 425 horsepower @ 5000 rpm
and a whopping 490 lb-ft or torque @ 4000 rpm.
The Hemi option included several heavy duty
upgrades as well, and cost an additional $1,228
and due to the huge price hike, it was only
chosen by 356 buyers in 1970. Both the of 440
cubic inch options, and the Hemi came standard
with a 727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission,
but for those who demanded the most of out their
new Challenger, it could be ordered with a four
speed manual topped by a pistol-grip Hurst shifter
and a Dana 60 axle packed with limited slip
3.54:1 gears and an option of 4.10:1 gears,
instead of the standard 3.23:1. All of the R/Ts
included heavy duty suspension, and if the either
of the 440s or the Hemi were chosen, 15 inch
wheels wrapped in a 60 series tire were included.
The R/Ts came with a dual hood scoop setup,
but these scoops did not feed directly into
the engine. However, for only $97, the Shaker
hood scoop option could be ordered. The Shaker
scoop was actually mounted to the engine itself,
and poked through a large hole in the hood,
providing direct air to the engine. Power Steering
and front disc brakes were available, but were
only offered as options on the R/T and base
model.
The other trim line was the T/A package, which
was offered just to comply with the rules of the
Sports Car Club of America's Trans American Sedan
Championship, as the SCCA requires a certain number
of cars to be sold to be considered a "production
car" for their series. The Challenger T/A street
car came packed with a 340 cubic inch motor with
a "6-pack" of its own, and Dodge advertised the
engine as building 290 horsepower @ 5000 rpm and
345 lb-ft of torque@ 3400 rpm, although it was
dyno proven that the 340 6-pack actually made
around 350 horsepower. The T/A featured a matte
black fiberglass hood with a massive oval air
filter smothering the 3 two barrel carbs. The
T/A also had a special high-flow dual exhaust
system which traveled to the rear axle, but then
doubled back and exited in front of the rear wheels
by means of two huge chrome exhaust tips. The
T/A came equipped with either the 727 TorqueFlite
automatic or Hurst-shifted four-speed transmission,
with either 3.55:1 or 3.90:1 gears, and the option
of either manual of power steering. Front disc
brakes were standard, and a heavy duty "Rallye
Suspension" was standard, including increased
camber of the rear springs, which elevated the
tail enough to clear the rear rubber. The T/A
featured a thick black trim stripe that ran the
length of the car, along with a subtle, molded
wing spoiler. One of the unusual notes about the
T/A, is that it was one of the first production
cars to offer different size tires in the front
and back, with E60x15 fronts, and G60x15 in back.
Unfortunately, the T/As were not very competitive
in the SCCA T/A series, and the street model under
steered badly at high speeds, so it did not make
for a very popular car from that aspect, although
it did turn out mid-14 second quarter mile time,
which was very good for that era, especially from
a small block car. But even with the fine quarter
mile time, and mean appearance, Dodge removed
itself from the SCCA series after 1970, and dropped
the T/A option.
Read more about the 1970 Dodge Challenger
When most of America hears "pony car" today, only one car really
comes to mind, the Ford Mustang, as it is the longest living of
the great Pony Cars. But what most people do not know is that Ford
was not the first company to release the pony car. It was actually
the Chrysler Corporation, with the release of their 1964 Plymouth
Barracuda, which was released a few months prior to the Mustang.
The 'Cuda, as it became known, was very popular, but in 1969 Chrysler
Corporation released to the public the redesigned 'Cuda, for the
1970 model year. It was also at this time when they introduced another
car that would become very popular to the American public, but it
was from Plymouth's sibling company, Dodge. That new car, the Dodge Challenger, was the first pony car from Dodge. While the Challenger
may have seemed like nothing more than a rebadged Plymouth Barracuda,
as the two cars shared Chrysler Corporations new "E-body" platform,
the Challenger was actually a car whose design process began some
5 years before production began.
1964-1969
Recognizing
the popularity of the 1964 Plymouth and 1964.5 Mustang, designers at Dodge began working on a
pony car of their own. The Barracuda received
gradual upgrades year to year, including the addition
of trim lines and performance enhancements, but
Dodge continued to work on their own model, rather
than rebadging one of the early Barracudas, which
were on Chrysler's "A-body" platform.
While exterior styling design was a key point
during the development of the Challenger, being
competitive was one of the bigger concerns, and
by the late 60s, Ford was putting huge displacement
motors in some of the Mustangs. While the 340
cubic inch packed Barracuda S was fast, and handled
well, it was no match for the 428 cubic inch Cobras.
Design team head, Carl Cameron, recognized the
need for a new look for this new car, and the
need for a big engine, and in late 1968 the first
of the Dodge e-body based prototypes were being
made.
The 1969 Dodge Yellow Jacket Concept was the first
look at what would become the Dodge Challenger,
but this car has several major variations from
what would actually be released to the public
as the Challenger. The Yellow Jacket was originally
painted Pearl White, but it was badly scratched
while being transported to a show, and was repainted
a honey-gold color. It featured a removable Targa
style top, with only two seats, and a rear deck
lid section that extended all the way to the back
of the front seats. The taillights were those
of a Dodge Challenger, but they differed from
what actually came on the 1970 Challenger, and
the taillights of the Yellow Jacket did not actually
make it to production until later years. When
the Challenger ended its run, it had the same
multi-piece taillights as the Yellow Jacket. this
Yellow Jacket later received a new front end,
which would never see production, and was renamed
the Dodge Diamante.
2008 Internet Brands.com - The Dodge Challenger Enthusiast site.
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