Introduced in early 1966 as the new “Leader of the Dodge Rebellion,” the Charger was unlike any other vehicle the company had previously offered. While it was based on the Coronet, it looked nothing like Dodge’s bread-and-butter midsize. Reportedly designed in response to the Rambler Marlin, the Charger featured a full-width “razor” grille (with hidden headlamps) and a fastback-style roof.
The Charger also featured a premium interior with very little in common with the Coronet’s. It included individual bucket seats front and rear, a full-length center console, and unique door panels. Under the skin, however, the Charger had the proper oomph to compete in the muscle car segment.
Sure, customers who weren’t interested in taking the Charger to the drag strip on Sundays had the base 318-cubic-inch (5.2-liter) to rely on. Rated at 230 horsepower, it slotted right under the optional 361-cubic-inch (5.9-liter) V8. The latter came with 265 horses on tap. The options list also included the 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) big-block, which provided a healthy 325 horsepower.
The Charger was also among the first Mopar to get the newly introduced 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI. Based on the race-spec engine Chrysler debuted in 1964, the Street HEMI, fitted with two four-barrel carburetors, sent a whopping 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet (664 Nm) of torque to the rear wheels. And needless to say, it turned the 3,500-pound (1,588-kg) fastback into a true performance car.
The HEMI is also the rarest powerplant you can find in the 1966 Charger. Due to its higher sticker, the mighty 426 was selected by only 468 customers. That’s less than 2% of the total US production for the said model year, reported at 37,344. The 1966 HEMI Charger is a rare find nowadays.
If you’re in the market for such a rig, a while example is currently looking for a new owner via Bring a Trailer. It’s quite the unassuming sleeper in this color, and it’s a nicely restored model, too. And if you’re a fan of the fancier first-gen Charger, this one comes with an interior draped in tan vinyl (with a matching dashboard), which looks the part thanks to its golden-like hue.
The car looks spotless inside and out, and the engine bay is just as clean. The unit was rebuilt, and it runs accordingly. But is it a numbers-matching HEMI? Yes, it is! This Charger rocks the same 426 V8 it got from the factory, which is a rare feat. Speaking of which, the HEMI mates to a three-speed automatic, which makes this Charger one of only 218 units built with this drivetrain configuration.
As for the “one of one” sticker on the windshield, the ad doesn’t shed light on the vehicle’s unique status. However, the Charger comes with a report by Mopar expert Galen V. Govier, which includes more information.
Resting in Newcastle, Wyoming, the Charger has a high bid of $50,000 as of this writing. The auction runs for five more days but be prepared to pay more than $100,000 to take it home.
