1970 Dodge Charger 1963 Ford T-Bird ----------------------------------------------24

Wood steering wheel and Hurst Pistol-Grip shifter are desirable muscle car extras.

The feature car left the factory as a Charger SE with a 383-cid V8. It now has a 440.

Story and photos by John Gunnell

The Charger “Sports Sedan” was a mid-sized Dodge Coronet with a fastback roof and richer interior. It was designed so young dads could say they were buying a “station wagon.” The Charger looked long, low and wide with hidden headlights and wall-to-wall taillights. There was a small round emblem on the grille and a larger one on the deck.

A big-block Charger could do 0-to-60 mph in 7.8-sec. or a quarter-mile in 16.2 sec. at 88 mph. Hemi Chargers had dual carbs, fat dual exhausts, badges, heavy-duty suspensions, big brakes, 7.75x14 Blue Streak racing tires and a four-speed or TorqueFlite transmission. The 12-month/12,000-mile warranty didn’t cover racing.

The original 1966-1967 Charger had a boxy look with a radical, ramp-like slanted roof line. Beautifully smoother new styling with many improvements characterized 1968 Chargers and boosted sales to 96,100. The ’68 Charger introduced “airplane fuselage” styling with a sleek, more rounded, Coke-bottle-shaped fastback body and wheel bulges.

Hidden headlights were continued and a blacked-out grille was used to give a racing car taped-headlight look. A racing style gas filler was added. Scallops in the hood could be optioned with turn indicators. The doors were also scalloped. There was an integral rear spoiler, a blacked-out beauty panel and two round taillights on each side.

Motor Trend magazine summed up the look of the new R/T model-option as a Charger with a set of mags, Wide Oval tires and a bumblebee stripe. The Charger R/T also

had name badges, heavy-duty underpinnings and a base 440cid 375-hp Magnum V8. The 440 was good for 0-to-60 mph in 6.5 sec. and a 15-sec. quarter mile at 93 mph.

The 1969 Charger used the 1968 body. Changes included a new divided grille, new horizontal taillights and new side marker lights. The patterning on the bucket seats changed. The R/T was the high-performance model. The Charger SE (Special Edition) was the sports-type model and also came with additional luxury features.

The 1970 Charger used the ’69 body with minor trim changes. The high-performance-oriented R/T had a new grille, a new loop-style front bumper, two hood scoops, big bolt-on scoops

Brand new B.F. Goodrich tires on new Cragar wheels. with R/T badges on the rear quarter panels and a choice of longitudinal or bumble bee racing stripes. A new interior and wild exterior colours were offered. Charger, Charger 500 and Charger Special Edition models were also marketed.

In addition to 13 standard exterior colours, 1970 Charger buyers could order their cars in special Plum Crazy, Sublime, Go Mango, Hemi Orange and Banana Yellow paint colours.

The feature car left the factory as a Charger SE with a 383-cid V8. It now has a 440cid. The previous owner of the car had it in his possession for 30 years. This was originally a code B5 Medium Blue car. It is now finished in special House of Kolors Oriental Blue Candy colour with a slight metalflake. The paint and restoration work were completed in the early 2000s. Greg’s Speed Shop LLC recently added the R/Tstyle “bumble bee” stripe and did additional colour-matching paintwork.

This car had a base retail price of $3,860. It tipped the scales at 3,671 lbs. Production records show that 9,345 Charger SE series hardtops left the factory. Of those, 996 had a Code N 383-cid high-performance V8 like this car had when it was built. Of those, only 201 had a factory-installed four-speed manual transmission like this car has.

The Charger 440-cid V8 now in this car had overhead valves, a cast iron block and a 4.32 x 3.75-in. bore and stroke. With its

9.70:1 compression ratio it cranked out 375 hp at 4,600 rpm and 480 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 rpm. Other features included a five-main-bearings crank, hydraulic valve lifters and a Carter AVS-4737-S four-barrel carburetor. Crankcase capacity: 4 qt. (Add 1 qt. for new filter). Cooling system capacity: 15.5 qt. (with heater). In 2013, it was dyno-tested and made 370 hp and 474 lbs.-ft. of torque.

The car features factory-original C55 front Black and Charcoal vinyl and leather front bucket seats; and original rear bench seat; brand new B. F. Goodrich radial T/As; like-new Cragar 5spoke wheels; House of Kolors Oriental Blue Candy colour with slight metalflake; fairly low original miles; an original D21 (833) four-speed manual transmission (one of only 201); original power steering; original B51 power brakes; an original full gauges package; a new aftermarket aluminum radiator; original hidden headlights that function well, and an original V1X black vinyl roof with Special Edition badges.

The Charger also has factory seat belts; its original fresh air type heater and defroster; the factory SE simulated walnut sports-type steering wheel; a factory pedal dress-up kit, light group and vinyl map and utility pockets in door panels. The simulated walnut instrument panel is pre-1970s style, as is the Hurst shifter with simulated walnut “pistol grip” handle. Other factory-original features include a racing-style flip-up gas filler; the L31 hood-mounted turn signal indicators; the A47 Special Edition package; the C16 locking centre console with simulated wood trim; a G33 left-hand remote-controlled outside rear view mirror with painted finish; J25 three-speed windshield wipers; M21 drip rail mouldings; M35 body sill mouldings; M31 body belt mouldings; the very cool N35 Tic-Tock-Tach and a R22 AM 8-track radio.

The name of the car’s original owner is unknown, but we can tell you one thing. If he tried to pull a fast one on Mom and tell her this was a station wagon, she must have had a bunch of fun taking the kids to school in it!

Story and photos by John Gunnell

The 1963 Thunderbird retained the previous styling with a new sculptured body side feature line, a modestly revised “electric shaver” grille, new taillights, new side trim and new wheel covers.

Inside, buyers found metal-clad brake and accelerator pedals. New options included an AM/FM radio and a tachometer. This was the first T-Bird to use hydraulic windshield wipers powered by the power steering pump. The brakes were more fade-resistant and nearly 100 pounds of sound-deadening materials were added. Suspension and exhaust improvements, lifetime chassis lubrication and an alternator in place of a generator were other updates.

The grille incorporated a concealed hood latch, eliminating the old cable-operated release. The front fenders had a horizontal crease line that started just behind the grille, passed over the front wheel opening and continued past the middle of the door where it slanted downwards for a few inches and faded into the door. Just below the crease line, near the centre of the door, were three groupings of forward-slanting chrome hash marks with five strips in each group. Motor Trend (October 1962) said these were supposed to remind one of turbine waste gates. Chrome Thunderbird scripts were moved to the rear fenders. New deep-dish wheel covers followed the turbine motif.

There weren’t any big changes to the interior of the basic models, although the inner door panels had new white and red courtesy lights for added safety when passengers were entering or exiting the car. Models were the same as in 1962 until February 7, 1963, when a special Limited-Edition Landau made its debut.

A single exhaust system was now used with the base 390-cid V8. It was supposedly a quieter and longer lasting system featuring 2.0-in. diameter laminated tubing (double pipes, one inside the other) and an asbestos-wrapped, aluminized steel muffler. A 1.78-in. diameter tailpipe was employed. The 1963 T-Bird front suspension was lubricated for the “life of the car,” which Ford estimated as 100,000 miles or seven years.

Road noise and vibrations were reduced through use of a newly-developed rubber compression-type shock mount for the steering box, plus a flexible coupling between the gear assembly and the steering shaft.

Standard equipment included built-in dual exhausts; a fuel filter; an oil filter; a 390-cid four-barrel V8; a padded instrument panel; padded sun visors; an electric clock with sweep second hand; courtesy lights; turn signals; a deep-centre steering wheel; dual horns and horn rings; individually adjustable front seats; a day-night tilt type mirror; double-grip door locks; full wheel covers; built-in arm rests; floor carpets; full-width foam rubber seats; all-vinyl upholstery’ an ash tray; a cigar lighter; an air cleaner; automatic transmission; power brakes; power steering; electric windshield wipers; undercoating; a parking brake; a glove box; luggage, back-up, and compartment lights; a heater and defroster; a movable steering column; a front seat console; an AM radio and antenna; a remotecontrol left-hand outside rear view mirror and five black 8.00 x 14 tubeless tires.

The Convertible Sports Roadster, which came only in eight colours, also included special front fender insignias; a moulded tonneau cover with padded head restraints; bolton chrome wire wheels with simulated knock-off hubs; a Swing-Away steering wheel; a passenger-assist handle and no fender skirts.

The Thunderbird Vehicle Identification Number was diestamped on top of the front fender cross-bar to the right of

the hood lock striker plate. The first symbol denotes model-year: 3=1963. The second symbol denotes the assembly plant: Y=Wixom (Novi), Mich. The third symbol denotes the car-line: 8=Thunderbird. The fourth symbol denotes body type: 3=Thunderbird Tudor Hardtop, 5=Thunderbird two-door convertible, 7=Two-door Landau Hardtop, 9=Sports Roadster. The fifth symbol denotes the engine: 9=390-cid low-compression Thunderbird V8 (for export), Z=390 cid/300-hp Thunderbird V8, M=390 cid/340-hp Thunderbird Special Six-Barrel V8. The sixth thru 11th symbols denote the sequential production number of a specific vehicle and start at 100001.

A Body Number Plate is also located on the left front body pillar. The Serial number is the same as on the VIN tag. Symbols above “BDY” are body symbol code: 63A=Hardtop, 63B=Landau Hardtop, 76A=Convertible, 76B=Sport Roadster. Symbols above CLR are paint colour code. First symbol indicates lower body colour. Second symbol indicates upper body colour. See the table below. Symbols above TRM are trim combination code. See the table below. Symbols above “DT” are the production date code. The number indicates the date of the month the car was made. The letters indicate month of manufacture: A=January, B=February, C=March, D=April, E=May, F=June, G=July, H=August, J=September, K=October, L=November, M=December. Symbols above DSO indicate information including the Ford Motor Co. Sales District Code. Symbols above AX indicate rear axle. 1=3.00:1. Symbols above TR indicate type of transmission: All 1963 Thunderbirds came with SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic Drive Code 4.

The feature car is a “Princess Grace” Monaco Edition Landau Hardtop and included White leather upholstery; a white steering wheel; simulated rosewood interior trim; a Rose Beige vinyl top and special wheel covers with simulated knock-off hubcaps

Historical Footnote: On February 7, 1963, the special 1963-1/2 Limited-Edition Thunderbird Landau made its debut in the Principality of Monaco. Princess Grace of Monaco was given car number one. This model was then dubbed the “Princess Grace” model by Ford. The Monaco Edition hardtop featured here belongs to Tim Natarus of Weston, Wis. The car has not been restored. It is white with maroon top and white interior.

Tim’s car scored 265.5 out of 285 points when judged. It’s an original unrestored “Survivor” with its original engine, woodgrain Interior trim and Monaco-only white leather upholstery (Trim 83). The car has very good chrome, paint and good upholstery. It was a California car and still looks like one. There are no dents or dings in the stainless-steel door trim. It runs very well and has its factory full wheel “spinner” covers. The underhood area is fully detailed. It has dual exhausts and the cast numbers match. Tim has documents from previous owners, rare Monaco Edition sales literature, Monaco postmarked owner credentials and full club judging sheets. This car is a Royal Flash. It looks flashy and with the 390 V8, it will flash by many cars on the highway.