With freshmen flooding into the university during these days, their cars are flooding towards the parking lot around the housing buildings at the same time, including this Charger SE ( with an SE emblem).
Newer license plate indicates a fairly recent transaction, and the owner majors in architecture rather than engineering.
Pictures were taken on Aug 25, 2015 in Southfield, Mi.
Is it odd that I prefer the Volare?
Not around here! I think I’d prefer the Volare myself, too.
Thank you for sharing!!!
It’s bordering on deviant automotive selection behavior.
I feel bad that the Volare owner will be coming out to a dead battery. Lights were left on. Unless this is the author’s sweet ride.
Perhaps the Volare owner should’ve turned the lights off before he locked the car. That’s why batteries go dead. However good they may be, they can’t hold power forever if it’s just sitting there, no engine running, with everything left on.
Thanks for explaining that.
Bingo! 🙂
I just got off from the car and took the pictures, leaving it running. I drove it during August mostly for Woodward Cruise and kept it few more days in early September when course work wasn’t so busy yet, because it is not easy to attend lessons on time always in that car.
It like it is 78 college is finished, your newly married with a new job and kids in the near future. So out with the Charger and in with the Volare. One could do worse.
Didn’t give up big car ride, didn’t give up room, didn’t give up comfort….
If these pictures were taken on this date, its amazing these are still in existance-especially the Volare.
Those cars aren’t as common as Valiant, but they aren’t too rare, yet. Many Volare sedan/wagons still exists have either factory undercoating or Ziebart, even though the trunk edge does rust faster than many cars from the same period. Coupe version is more common these days during the car show though. I spotted three or four of F-body with all body styles combined during woodward cruise.
So weird the Charger and Challenger couldn’t be had in R/T form from 72 on yet the Aspen could. Ahh the 70s.
Those F body coupes are really sharp, especially in pseudo-performance variants. Back in those days, the sticker stripe muscle cars were laughable due to smog choked engines. But now as used cars, the bones are there for a serious buildup into a real hotrod. A worked over 360 with a prepped TF, some work on the suspension and some tidying up to the paint and interior would make a low buck approach to Mopar muscle. The ‘cool stuff’ is just priced WAY out of range for regular enthusiasts.
I have to admit, the more I look at that one the more I like it, and I’m no fan of 2 door F bodies(it’s hard to top the looks of the preceding Dusters and swinger hardtops). That color combo just works, and it’s definitely on the less obnoxious end of 70s sticker jobs (like the Supercoupe versions).
The beauty of the lower-spec models is that you can do whatever you want to them without worrying about originality. As a result, you can put in a much hotter drivetrain than any original R/T ever had.
There are at least 3 Volare/Aspens running around Toledo currently. I see two of them a lot, both in a not horrible, but not so great bronzish color. A wagon and a two door, both are in great condtion, no visible rust at all, and the interiors are in good shape too. The other one, a 4 door is silver and is in much worse shape than the other two, with the bottom of all four doors rotted out, and the maroon vinyl top is getting to the point it flaps in the breeze. There might be a black one too, but I haven’t seen it in a while, and it was in very bad shape the last time I saw it, with a blue Maverick following right behind it. The Maverick looked good.
I like the 1978-specific taillights on the Volaré…that was the only year for amber turn signals, a safety feature that some cars 37 years newer don’t have. Maybe someday lighting standards will be internationally harmonized, but I’m not holding my breath…
Seems kind of pointless, half the population seemingly not using their blinkers period is a bigger problem than the lights not being amber(which IMO is neither necessary or attractive).
Same goes for headlights at dawn/dusk; very few drivers respond to my attempts (via flashing) to alert them. Don’t they understand that it’s so they can be seen by others, not merely see?
With newer vehicles, it would be harder to realize the headlights are not on, because dashboard lights up all the time having a feeling of lights are on, while for the older vehicles at dusk, it would be easier to realize lights are not on when having a hard time reading the gauges.
Ugh, this must be the biggest affront to automobile safety ever. Worst are the cars with Daytime running lights AND the “always on” dash lights. I see at least two cars a night with no lights but headlights – “hmm gauges on, lights are on, I didn’t know my car had autolamps, cool!”. Unbelievable!
I had to make this adjustment in the fall of 2013 when I went from driving a ’99 XJ Cherokee to a 2014 Ford Escape. In the Cherokee, it was very obvious from the dashboard lighting whether the headlights were on or off. In the Escape, everything looks pretty much the same aside from the headlight indicator. At first I kept forgetting to turn the headlights on. Even now I find myself constantly checking the headlight indicator to verify whether I turned them on.
I believe that most Escapes have automatic lights, but mine is a base model (officially called an Escape S, badging just says “Escape”, with a blank space where other models say SE, Titanium, etc.), which does not come with them.
I find the automatic lights on my truck don’t come on as early as I would like.
If you can identify the sensor used by the autolight system (typically located on top of the dash), you could darken the lens using colored tape or a light coat of paint.
This should activate the lights a bit sooner, but still turn them off in bright sunlight.
Everytime I see a silver car in thick fog with no lights on it it just amazes me how dumb so many people are.
As someone who always signals, I prefer my indications to be as unambiguous and in conformance with international standards as possible. The turn signals on my old car were combined with the brake lights, and anyone who followed had no idea what I was trying to do in the winter when I approached a turn and pumped the brakes at the same time.
I also think that front running and parking lights should be clear instead of amber, and I think that road signs and speedometers should be marked in kilometers.
Eh, the thing with “conforming to international standards” is it’s actually “conform to EU standards” if going by your parameters. I don’t disagree that some NA standards could be changed (I wholeheartedly agree about the front markers being clear instead of amber for example) but putting the entire globe on a standard that works on one continent seems like a bridge too far. I prefer regional practices, they’re rooted in the culture from which they’re implemented and keep the world interesting, whatever color is used the pro/con reasoning is specious at best, at least the US system allows for cars to have either rear signaling setup.
Also, I’ve never had any trouble discerning brakes and signal on cars with red, especially since everything has CHMSLs.
Specious, no, it is not. See this article and the links it contains; amber rear turn signals really do a significantly better job than red ones at preventing crashes. The crash-avoidance benefit of amber vs. red rear signals, in fact, is larger than that of having vs. not having a CHMSL (central 3rd brake light).
White front position lamps instead of amber: yes, technically that’s the correct way to do it, and in countries where white has long been required for those functions they’ve recently moved to allow motorcycles (only) to have amber front position lamps, giving some much-needed conspicuity to motorcycles. We can’t do that in the US/Canada because all vehicles have long been permitted to have white or amber front position lamps. But there’s no data suggesting this move, technically correct though it might be, actually prevents crashes.
And Andrew’s right; what you are calling “EU standards” are officially called UN Regulations, and they are effectively whole-world-except-US/Canada standards. Most countries either require or accept UN-spec vehicles and equipment; the US (and therefore Canada) are a regulatory island where UN Regs are not recognized. Japan used to have its own unique national lighting regs, but adopted the UN Regs a decade ago.
Another deficiency in US vehicle lighting specs: side-on visibility of the turn signal is not required. You can have a side turn signal repeater as required mostwhere else, and/or you can flash the front sidemarker light with the turn signal, but it’s not required. On the other hand, the US regs require front amber and rear red sidemarker lights and reflectors, which do a very good and cost-effective job of preventing crashes.
As for regional standards: the auto industry hates this except when they don’t. Regional standards mean a lot of expense to design, engineer, tool, manufacture or buy, install, stock, and manage numerous different headlamps, taillamps, side lights, etc. One worldwide standard cuts way down on these multiplicative costs. But herein lies a key reason why the US regulatory island is maintained as such: The unique American regs serve as a convenient place to hide non-tariff trade barriers. They permit the auto industry to keep control over what cars do and don’t enter this market, and at what price. If the US were to accept UN-spec vehicles, then people could circumvent the heavily padded prices of certain marques positioned as premium cars in this market. That is what led Mercedes-Benz North America to lobby for (and get) the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act of 1988 (or so), which slammed the door on the grey market in the United States.
Moreover, because of the way the American legal and regulatory system is structured, automakers could be held liable for vehicles they never intended to exist in the American market. They understandably don’t want that, and the different regs permit them to stave it off very effectively.
Can’t interfere with important texting with something so trivial as signaling your intent. But amber turn signals really are a lot easier to see, and one flashing red light can be confusing if the car has one brakelight out.
I remember in late ’70s a lot of American cars suddenly had the amber turn signals and switched back later. It’s like so suddenly international for a while.
Nowadays many traditional cars have red turn signals ( Charger, Challenger, MKZ for example ) while some models with export potentials could have amber turn signals ( Explorer, newer Navigator and Cruze ) while some import vehicles somehow suddenly get so American with red turn signals.
lol, my Vic had the four bulb taillights with amber signals…later ones have two bulb all red taillights..I got a pair of those and modified them to work so I have red signals. Murica! 🙂
Amber signals on Crown Vic don’t really make sense as those cars are hardly international. But on the other hand, they designed a Chinese version of Town Car with amber signals and possibly they took advantage of it by using the similar wiring anyway.
Put me down as preferring the Volare too.
Saying this, even though I’m really, really, really, not into late 60s muscle cars (which seem to consumer 95% of American classic car enthusiasm, 43% of which are metallic cherry), I do love the large, bloated, less-loved early 70s, and this charger fits the bill. I also really like the fact that it’s still in the original colour.
It would be a great ride for some college kid c.1979…or 2015 really…
I’d have to go with the Charger. Sure, it’s not a more desirable 66-70 model, but I used to have a Volare, 76 Premier wagon, simulated woody, 318 with 4 on the floor. Terrible car, the Charger couldn’t be worse than the Volare.
A Volare/Aspen wagon with a 318 and 4 spd would be one VERY cool ride! Jaws would drop when you told gawkers that it was factory.
It did look pretty cool with that big shifter sticking out of the trans tunnel. (If it’s possible for a Volare to look cool) My in-laws factory ordered the wagon with the 4 speed. The problem was that the driveline did not seem to be well integrated, like maybe the wagon axle ratios didn’t quite work with the transmission ratios to allow for comfortable shift points. Plus, it had an appetite for transmissions, the trans was replaced three times under warranty. Kinda like ordering a burger from Mc Donald’s and specifying condiments being added or deleted. You never know what you will end up with. In retrospect, I probably should have hung onto that wagon just because it was unique. It would be fun at shows or cruise ins.
I like ’em both! I’d take either one, honestly!
It’s funny how the Large for intermediate Charger doesn’t look all that much bigger than the compact Volare, chock it up to forced perspective but they seem to take up the same amount of space between the lines.
Kind of conflicted on which I prefer, I never liked green interiors and the SE appears to be triple green. Plus the SE is such a sad looking package, all the broughamy touches, earth tones, and fixed headlights on this otherwise fun supercar shaped body just doesn’t work. The Volare on the other hand was a clean honest design, plus it’s one of those odd cars I prefer in sedan form. The color combo is period as well but one I like better in general(I would prefer the Charger if the color pallet was flipped). Either way the condition of both, especially the Volare, is remarkable.
YES both cars bumper to bumper would appeared have exactly almost the same length even though the Dodge Charger measured in at 205.0″ while the Plymouth Volare 4 Door Sedan at 201.2″. So the Charger only had a 3.8″ length advantage over the Volare’.
That’s what looks so odd about this Charger, it has a different grille without hidden headlights!
It’s very funny how I have to explain the Volare is a compact car to the owner of Chrysler 300, because the compact car is slightly longer than a full-size car, and it’s kind of funny to explain how Fifth Avenue is a full size car too.
I personally like the Charger SE too, and they usually come with the necessary options like AC, and mirror on the right. Less plastic on Charger is a plus too, especially the grill. Volare has very very fragile grill and the price is absolutely ridiculous, I used several rolls of iron wire and superglue on that to keep it in one piece.
Both cars have quite some rust, there are rust spots under the vinyl roof on both cars, but vinyl roof was removed on Charger already. They both have few rust spots on wheel well and quarter panels, and some rust on frame rails even though both were undercoated. Antenna is missing on Charger and most likely AC doesn’t work ( on vent for always ) , but none of the problems show in pictures somehow this time, and usually they hardly show in pictures generally.
“Both cars have quite some rust, there are rust spots under the vinyl roof on both cars, but vinyl roof was removed on Charger already. They both have few rust spots on wheel well and quarter panels, and some rust on frame rails even though both were undercoated. but none of the problems show in pictures somehow this time, and usually they hardly show in pictures generally.
Well then ignore my thoughts down below on how these cars were ‘pampered’. They sure look pristine in your pics. Maybe I should buy up a bunch of rustbuckets and have you snap pics for my CL ads! haha!
I just noticed that the Charger’s vinyl was stripped. Ive seen a few cars with vinyl roofs removed, any rough welds, rust, and other sins thoroughly attended to and a fake vinyl roof applied with rhino liner. Since you can get that deckover stuff (essentially the same thing, but repurposed for wooden decks) in different colors, could that be the new thing for an easy fix to vinyl roofs? On that Charger Im thinking if the owner didn’t want another shade of green, a medium grey might compliment the green pretty nicely. A matching highlight color on the wheels would tie it together.
When I was researching about the Dodge Dude pickups, I discovered that you could order them with an imitation painted-on vinyl roof, exactly as you’re describing, right from the factory.
It’s usually hard for pictures to tell everything. For the Volare the rust spots on the door bottom/wheel well, edge of trunk lid just don’t show in pictures at all ( let alone a crack on windshield too ) and only the owner knows how bad the grill is ( really falling apart, I held it up using some plastic boxes on the passenger side, and amazing amount of glues ) and other people usually won’t notice until told so. As a result, I exactly know what the pictures mean in CL ads especially for certain models.
A lot of people just repaired the sheet metal and used matte paint after removing the vinyl roof. Anyway vinyl roof is really tacky to deal with and I prefer those don’t come with it. ( however, vinyl roof was a no cost delete option for Volare in ’78, and usually those without vinyl roof were really stripper without AC or even radios. )
I’d name that Charger ‘Kermit’.
I’d call it “Babyshit”. It’s probably the color I most hate. It seemed like half my neighbors had one car pretty close to that color in the late 60’s to early ’70’s. We always called it “weak assed green” when I was a kid. A friend of mine’s mother had a Charger that color, with a bizarre black and white checkered interior.
When I ordered my ’74 Roadrunner, somehow the order got all screwed up and instead of a 360 4 Barrelled, auto, 3.55 gears, with black interior, “Silver Frost Metallic with red stripes RR, they built a Satellite Sebring, “weak assed green” with a white vinyl top, a 400 auto, 2.71 gears, and the WTF white and black checkered interior. Needless to say, I didn’t take the car. They put the order back in, and in November ’74, I got my car, as ordered, one of the very last ’74’s built. On the transporter with it was one of the hideously ugly ’75’s, in the same color, and with the same options my car had. That car sat on the lot a long long time.
Its not the most desirable year for a Charger but that makes it easier to buy if you are getting into old car ownership, plus its got a racing heritage–thats the body style that Richard Petty used to dominate NASCAR in the 70’s.
Nice find, and i hope these get locked away before snow. These beauties wouldve rotted to oblivion if they hadnt led sheltered lives.
Gimme the Charger. I still dig these 3rd gens, even if the ’68-’70 models seem to eclipse them in every way. I love that color, personally. And while i agree the SE’s pathetic attempt to brougham up a muscle car is laughable, the silver lining is that a little de-gingerbreading can easily reclaim the musclecar swagger. Lose the hood ornament, dechrome it and stripping the vinyl roof would work wonders. The biggest step in the right direction has already been taken by getting some proper shoes on this beast. O.C, do you have I think i know the style…kind of a mashup of period mag wheels and 5 stars. VERY attractive with the RWL’s. Theyd give that Volare the right attitude also.
But at this point in the game, one would be better off leaving it as is. There are only so many of them sitting around, it would be a pity to turn it into something it never was. Kind of like how its a pity that it seems like almost all older Camaros get turned into z28 wannabe “restomods” no matter how base they were out of the factory.
As with just about everything, this follows “the golden rule”: Whoever has the gold makes the rules. The people who want restomods and clone/tribute muscle cars have the gold.
That goes without saying, but its makes for some pretty boring and predictable car shows.
Larry Tech?
Yes, it’s Lawrence Tech
Cool shot, and a tough choice. That is a nice Volare, but I have a strange soft spot for the 73-74 Charger. This picture looks like something from a college parking lot around 1982 or so.
I would have to take the Charger, if only to get a chance to drive one of these that was NOT a slant six, manual steering and 3 on the tree.
Usually for the university with bigger space, second car isn’t a problem ( or third…. motorcycle ) and there is more chance for students to drive an older car either owned or from parents to the campus.
I wonder if someone could help me out.
When I was not quite old enough to drive, I was walking to highschool. There was a house with a church behind it that I would cut through their yard and through the church yard on my way to school.
In the driveway of the house who’s yard I trespassed, there was a car. I have never seen another one in my entire life and I cannot find evidence of its existence on the internet.
It was essentially a dodge charger like the one pictured in this thread. However, it had skinny whitewall tires, hubcaps, cloth bench seats, vinyl roof and old fashioned pinstriping on the paint. I think it was light purple or lavender. It was badged as a “Chrysler something”. I cannot remember what the model name was on it.
Does anyone have any knowledge at all of a Chrysler version of this generation Dodge Charger? Over the years I have been tempted to go back to my home town and find that house and knock on the door and ask them “what the &@$* was that car and where did you get it!!”
There weren’t any Chrysler branded B bodies until the 75 Cordoba. If I had to guess it was probably a Chrysler dealership badge added to it used, the “something” being the origin town, or another brand the dealer sold, or the name of the franchisee.
I think someone must have modified it themselves. Someone put a “Chrysler” badge on it and removed the “Dodge” badges.
I always thought the looks of the 1973-74 Dodge Charger’s front end has improved over the 1971-72’s and that is something I can’t speak for many cars transitioning from 1972 to 1973 due to the 5mph bumpers and the overstyled front end’s, I’ll definitely take the Charger, I’ve always liked the 1971-74 Charger’s a lot, is this particular Charger a 1973 or 1974 model?
73 or 74, a stumper. Even after a trip to Oldcarbrochures.org, I am down to calling it a 74 based on its color. This looks like 74s Frost Green, a different light green than was used in 73.
I can hear those Highland Park Hummingbird starters from here.
Compromised as they may be, and even with the highly unnecessary “SE” package, I still quite like these Chargers. A friend in middle school had one in the family, I think a ’71, that she kept telling me her Dad was going to get running again. I lost track of the car after they moved to the next town; wonder if it ever did get resurrected? That one was bright royal blue with a white vinyl top.
It does make a nice Mopar family picture with the Charger and Volare together!