There isn’t a lot of gray area when it comes to the ’66 and ’67 Chargers—it seems people either love them or don’t even slow down as they walk past one at a car show. To those who love them, the fastback car is in a class by itself. A direct descendant of the ’65 Charger II show car, it features design innovations such as fully hidden headlights, distinctive wall-to-wall taillights, four bucket seats with a full-length console running through the rear seats, and of course, the fastback body. Throw in engine options up to and including the 426 Hemi, and this is Mopar muscle at it’s finest.
To those who don’t care for it’s distinctive Coke-bottle body, it’s little more than a glorified Coronet that copied the AMC Marlin. That may be harsh, but we’ve heard Mopar guys say it!
Fortunately, there are more people than not with the good taste to like them. Among the true lovers of the two-year-only body style is Stuart Suede of Van Nuys, California. Stuart has always had an affinity for the first-generation Chargers, and lovingly saved this one from an uncertain fate. “I’ve loved the ’66 Chargers from the first time I saw one when I was eight years old,” says Stuart. “When I was in high school, my parents owned one and I took my driver’s license test in one. As time went by, I got to know just how unique these cars are.”
Stuart had been looking for nine months when he came across this then-sad specimen that had been sitting in a parking lot with a blown Poly 318 for six months. “About the only reason I bought this car is because the one-piece taillight was in excellent shape,” Stuart says. Purchased from the second owner, the car had relatively low miles, but they were hard miles. Originally bought by a college professor for his son, the car never saw the inside of a garage, instead being parked on the street. The combination of leaves plugging the drain holes and Santa Monica’s sea-salt air caused a lot of rust, particularly in the right quarter panel and under the rear window. By the time the title transferred to Stuart in 1986, a transient was calling it home while it sat stranded in the parking lot! “I had to get there a few hours before the tow truck so I could move all his stuff out of it,” says Stuart.
Stuart paid $325.00 for it and took it home. It had some good factory options, like the console-mounted clock, power windows, and bumper guards, and there was still a good supply of them in the junkyards. He found a ’67 parts car for an additional $375.00, and the project got underway.
While the Electroluminescent dash was salvageable, the transformer in it was dead. Fortunately, Stuart had another dash and took the parts to a local radio repair man, who made it work by simply replacing a transistor. Not as easily repaired were the power window mechanisms (three of the four didn’t work), and the hidden head lamp doors. With all the switches, solenoids, motors and relays involved, you’d think Stuart has degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering! “I had to take everything apart and figure out how it all worked, then fix what was broken and put it all back together,” he says. No small task, we’re sure.
During the interior’s restoration, Chrysler cruise control and courtesy door lamps were added, and the power windows accented with power door locks. For motivation, Stuart knew he wanted a big block, and started searching for a 383 when he lucked into a ’78 440 police motor and trans. “It’s out of an original Dukes of Hazzard cop car that they rolled during filming,” he says. He left the engine and trans stock internally, but replaced the intake, valve covers, water pump, and everything else necessary to give the engine the correct ’66 look.
Today, the car is used mainly to attend shows and drive around town when the weather’s nice. It’s come a long way since its days as a no-dough motel!