Swinger 340
Well-Known Member
Agree, the pie pan could have been change or applied by someone not knowing the difference.
A true Charger HIPO 273 66 Dart?
- Thread starter Slantsix64
- Start date
-
Could be.
Nope. 235 horse 273 Dodge Darts were "Charger 273's" Commando's were Plymouth's. If a new Dodge had a Commando air cleaner decal it was a mistake on the factory.
The 65 passenger cover doesn't have the long wire/hose guide like the 66 does. 67 has a rubber grommet for the pcv instead of a stove pipe and a chrome PCV cap.
Firstblood
Well-Known Member
I traded a HiPo air cleaner on here that actually had a aluminum "tin" with a printed call-out.
Not a sticker.
It was attached by adhesive.
Not a sticker.
It was attached by adhesive.
They are made of aluminum but they are adhesive backed (sticker) where the "pie tins" are just a aluminum disc with print on it. (Probably screen print) It's all semantics. what they were called back when they were manufactured.
That would be correct. The guru if 65 Dartchargers had them reproduced from my original aluminum “pie tin” and ssnt me one. It’s absolutely gorgeous
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
Those are definitely the way to go- I cheaped out and used the EBay repro sticker on my Sham-mando 360 (chrome painted air cleaner, not a real plated one) and engine heat crinkled it in the first week. Oh well, gives it that "original beat-up look".
I'm sorry Mike I've seen a number of them thru the years and owned 2 commando 66 Darts. You know back in the day if the factory ran out of something they used what they had. I've seen Chevy rear axles in Pontiacs and vice versa. I seen all kinds of stuff back then on new cars that people say they never built. I even seen a 70 Cuda with the billboard decals with one side said 340 and the other side 383. lol These were all new back then. My uncle had a 69 R?T Charger and blew the Transmission but they already started on the 70 model year so they put his car back on the line and replaced the trans. and put a extra one in the trunk. Had one guy that used to come in with his trunk full of ring and pinions $20.00 a set right from Chrysler, me and my friends always had quite a few laying around. The orignal owner of Camcraft was one of our customers. He did all of Richard Petty's stuff back then and would just come in with a camshaft and say try this one out. I worked right in Hamtramck (well 6 houses away).
show me some factory literature of a "commando" dart and i'll believe it. otherwise, it was just an air cleaner in the wrong engine bay
which is the more plausible explanation. we're out of "charger" air cleaners! eh, just pop one of those "commando" ones on!
My point exactly. It was a factory mistake. Cool your car came with a Commando air cleaner but it wasn't supposed to. If it was a Dart it should be a Charger.
In response to the Op's title, Darts were Charger 273's period. If the air cleaner said Commando it was a screw up. The engines were the same. It just got the wrong air cleaner. And no, the car didn't come with a 4 barrel 273. It was a 273 2 barrel regardless of what was added later.
Here;s the story. In 1965 they were chargers and when dodge came out with the charger in 66 they changed them over to commandos. Thay used up what they had left of the charges lids till they ran out and switched over to the commandos. They had some misc. chargers ones laying around in stock so they used those up as needed.
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
Absolutely untrue. We parted out a '67 GT back in 1980-81 that was wrecked in 1974. "Charger" air cleaner. I've also seen other '67s back in the early 1980s with "Charger" air cleaners and plenty of '66s with them.
Well I kinda think I may have seen more than the average bear as I worked right where they were made. And I've really owned a lot of a-bodies. But I really don't want to argue as for damn sure I don't know everything. Good day to all.
so that's a no on a sales brochure, dealer book or something like that?
O yes I do have printed info. It buried. I do have it and I have complete information on 66 dealer info and Engerineering. Give me time as I'm trying to get some work done on my shop before the snow flies. And one of the things I'm making is more bookshelves to hold all my manuals and literature.
i look forward to it. all the weird and wild things that ma mopar did back in the day interest me.
good luck with the work on your shop and the bookshelves!
good luck with the work on your shop and the bookshelves!
Last edited:
I had the opposite. Car has been "in the family" since new and it is a 1966 Barracuda. The original air cleaner was a "Charger 273" decal, despite being a Commando 273. Factory error. Happens (Happened). Plymouths were Commando 273 and Dodges were charger 273.
-
Similar threads
