Dodge Charger R/T

Charger R/T at a glance

The R/T is the sporting branch of the Dodge Charger line; its NASCAR offshoots were the Charger 500 and the Charger Daytona.

The 1968 redesign

The first Charger of 1966–1967 was a fastback designed by Carl "Cam" Cameron, and it sold slowly: 15,788 cars in 1967, according to Silodrome. For 1968 Dodge replaced it with a completely new body. Richard Sias drew its curves around the front wings and rear quarter panels, the "Coke bottle" shape of the period, and Harvey J. Winn designed the front and rear sheet metal. The fastback gave way to a notchback with a flying-buttress roof, similar in idea to the 1966–1967 Pontiac GTO, and a recessed rear window.

The hidden headlights stayed, but the electric rotating units were replaced by vacuum-operated covers. At the direction of Elwood P. Engel, the car received twin round taillights on each side. The result was a sales turnaround: Dodge sold 96,100 Chargers in 1968, more than six times the 1967 figure by our calculation.

What made it an R/T

Wikipedia states that R/T meant "Road/Track" and had no link to Road & Track magazine. In 1968 the R/T was the only Charger with the 440 Magnum as standard. Silodrome lists a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic as standard and a four-speed manual with a Hurst shifter as the alternative, together with a performance handling package with stiffer front torsion bars and rear leaf springs and heavy-duty brakes.

The R/T was part of Dodge's 1968 "Scat Pack" campaign, and with it came the "bumblebee" stripes around the tail. They were standard on R/Ts in red, white or black and could be deleted at no cost. For 1969 the stripe became a wide band framed by two thin lines, with an "R/T" cut-out.

Production figures differ by source. Wikipedia says more than 17,000 R/Ts were built for 1968. Silodrome gives about 20,057 and notes that sources vary; its split is 18,344 cars with the 440 Magnum and 432 with the Hemi.

Engines: 440 Magnum, 426 Hemi and Six Pack

The 440 Magnum was the larger engine by displacement, but the Hemi carried the higher rating. The 440 Six Pack of 1970 sat between them. Sources used here give no torque figure for it. Rpm figures for the 440 Magnum are from Silodrome; Wikipedia lists the Hemi in the 1970 Challenger at 5,000 and 4,000 rpm for power and torque.

1969: split grille and taillights

The 1969 Charger received a grille with a centre divider and new long horizontal taillights, both credited to Harvey J. Winn. A new Special Edition (SE) trim could be ordered on its own or together with the R/T, which gave a luxury R/T. A sunroof joined the options list but was fitted to only 260 cars.

This is the year of the General Lee. In The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985) the stunt cars were orange 1969 Chargers with a Confederate battle flag on the roof, "GENERAL LEE" on the doors and a horn playing the opening notes of "Dixie". Total Charger production for 1969 was about 89,199, according to Wikipedia; the R/T share is not given.

1970: the loop bumper

For 1970 the Charger received a large wraparound chrome bumper around an undivided grille, and electric headlight doors replaced the vacuum units. R/Ts had new rear-facing scoops on the front doors. Inside there were high-back bucket seats, a pistol-grip shifter for the four-speed and, for the first time in a Charger, an optional front bench seat; the ignition moved to the steering column.

The 440 Six Pack joined the engine list. Sales fell to about 46,576 Chargers of all versions. In 1971 the third-generation Charger took over, and the Hemi made its last production appearance in it: 63 Hemi R/Ts were built that year.

The Charger R/T on screen

• Bullitt (1968): a black Charger R/T 440 is chased through San Francisco by Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang GT, a chase Wikipedia calls one of the most influential in film history.
• The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985): the General Lee, an orange 1969 Charger.
• The Fast and the Furious: a 1970 Charger, also used in several other films.

Charger R/T buying guide

• Engine code first: with the Hemi fitted to only a few hundred cars in 1968 (432 according to Silodrome), a Hemi R/T needs documents that confirm it.
• R/T or tribute: in 1968 the R/T came with the 440 Magnum as standard. A car with a smaller engine and R/T badges is not an original R/T.
• Year details: split grille and long taillights mean 1969; the loop bumper and door scoops mean 1970; round twin taillights mean 1968.
• SE trim: from 1969 a Special Edition R/T combines the performance package with the luxury interior.
• Stripes: a deleted bumblebee stripe is not a sign of a fake, because the stripe could be deleted at no cost.

Photo gallery