Dodge and Ford were at each other’s throats over NASCAR supremacy in the 1960s, and it was a consistently escalating war. Engines were getting bigger and more powerful, to the point that Ford’s SOHC 427 would up on the banned list. But there was a problem that both sides faced: they had hit a wall at 180 miles and hour and at those speeds, the cars were on the ragged edge of controllability with the drivers hanging on. The answer was aerodynamics…sloped noses, flush grilles, flat glass and that’s all before you get to the Winged Warriors that Chrysler unleashed as the gigantic final salvo before NASCAR dropped the banhammer on all of the fun. But the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird weren’t the only attempts made…in 1968, a much more subtle variation of the Dodge Charger was being developed for approval. The recessed grille was exchanged for a variation of the Dodge Coronet’s, mounted perfectly flush. The rear window and it’s flying buttress shape had to go, so a body plug was put in place and the glass was flush and smooth. A bit here and a bit there, a Hemi (or an optional 440ci mill for one of the maybe 392 street cars that escaped the factory) later, and you had the 1969 Dodge Charger 500. At first glance, you don’t notice much, but to the wind tunnel, those small tweaks promised a lot.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. But the Charger 500 is still a car that is worth noting because just like the Daytona, it is a homologation special, and it is a low-figure model. And in the case of this Bright White example, it’s proof that you could order up a racing machine you saw on Sunday and have it to drive to and from work Monday through Friday. Though, whoever ordered this specific car went nuts with the options list…this is the most optioned-out Charger 500 known to exist. The sticker back in 1969 was $5,821.91 and one particular option, the luggage rack, wasn’t fitted to the car because…well, with the reshaped trunk, the standard Charger rack wouldn’t fit. We don’t know who would put a luggage rack on this car either. But we do know that if we had the bank to take this one home, we would in half a second.
Mecum Auctions Indy 2018: Lot F148.1 – 1969 Dodge Charger 500 Hemi
Always really liked the Charger 500, think they looked just right.
Yes, it’s a limited production car. Yes, it ‘s a homologation special . . . of a race car that didn’t win anything! It was a failure!
It wasn’t until Chrysler brought some engineers over from their Aerospace division that things took off. After reviewing all the wind tunnel data from the Charger 500 they simple said . . .”put a nose cone on it.” Thus was born the Charger Daytona and that car DID win a hell of a lot of races. Once the nose cone was on the car they saw they needed to stabilize the rear which is when they added the Wing. It’s the side pieces that do all the work. The top piece just holds them apart. The final addition were the “fender scoops” which technically were illegal according to NASCAR rules. So Chrysler told NASCAR they weren’t scoops – just more clearance for the tires. They allowed air to escape the engine compartment which reduces drag.
Then why were the scoops open on the Superbird and not on the Daytona? I may have that backwards, so don’t shoot me, but why oneand not the other? Never did understand that…
It appears they were open on the STREET Daytonas, but not the Superbirds. On the race version of either, they were open. Just my theory, but they were in a rush to build the Superbirds, as they all had to be built before January 1, 1970 when new bumper standards went into effect. That’s why they all had vinyl roofs, to hide rushed bodywork around the rear glass. Maybe not cutting the fender holes saved a few precious minutes building them. Again, only my opinion.
I wish I’d been alive to see stock car racing in the mid-late 60’s. 427-powered ‘65 Galaxies, Smokey Yunick’s Chevelles and Richard Petty’s 426 Hemi-powered Plymouth. Wow.
I can tell you it was real. Real cars. Real drivers. Nascar of today is finished and they have nobody to blame but themselves.