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1969 Dodge Charger Daytona

The 426 cubic-inch NASCAR Hemi reached its development zenith during the late 1960s, prompting Chrysler engineers to seek beyond raw horsepower for victory. Richard Petty had won 27 of 49 races during 1968 in his Plymouth Satellite, but the performance of the Ford Torino fastback enticed Petty to switch to Ford in 1969. Chrysler's hopes of beating Ford on the fast NASCAR superspeedways and winning over the lover and admiration of performance enthusiasts was to drastically improve aerodynamics.

The limited-production 1969 Dodge Charger 500 was Chrysler's first shot in the NASCAR 'Aero Wars,' and although fast, Ford's new Torino Talladega and Mercury Cyclone Spoiler were even faster. Chrysler engineers then added a wedge-shaped 18-inch nose cone and small lip spoiler onto the Charger, reducing lift and generating downforce in the front. The rear window was reconfigured with a flush-mounted glass while a 'window cap' was used to fill in the regular Charger's recessed backlight. A large aluminum rear wing was added, towering thirty-three inches above the trunk, producing enough downforce to plant the tail of the car and enhance stability. Additional tweaks applied to the Daytona included a special stainless windshield trim, a small mesh radiator grille, and pop-up headlights. As NASA's Apollo space program was winding down, the new aerodynamic experiment was brought to the Lockheed-Georgia wind tunnel for testing and perfecting. Additional testing was performed at Chrysler's Chelsea Proving Grounds where Charlie Glotzbach achieved 204 mph.

The Daytona was intended for the 1970 season but fast-tracked for the inaugural Talladega '500' race on September 14th of 1969. Production was scheduled to begin June 10, 1969, and delivery of 500 examples was required to qualify for NASCAR (officially mandated by the rules committee ACCUS, and not NASCAR personally). It has been reported that Dodge lost approximately $1,500 per unit.

The Daytona Chargers were based around the upscale R/T design instead of the base models, and engine options included the L-code 440 cubic inch 'Wedge' with 375 horsepower and Carter AFB 4130S four-barrel carburetor, and the 426 Hemi. The Hemi was the ultimate Chrysler engine option, with 426 cubic-inches of displacement, 425 horsepower, and dual AFB carburetors. Standard equipment with the Daytona was a heavy-duty suspension and brakes. Interior appointments were based on the Charger R/T trim specs.

1969 Dodge Charger Daytona photo
Coupe
The Dodge Daytona Charger won its Talladega debut and due to a bitter driver's strike, a virtually unknown driver named Richard Brickhouse was planted in the driver's seat.
Buddy Baker became the first NASCAR driver to exceed 200 mph on March 24th of 1970, and Bobby Isaacs won 11 races that year to win the NASCAR championship. Due to its supremacy on the tracks, it was banned from racing and only ran NASCAR for one year. In one last hurrah, the $71K and K Insurance Daytona went to Bonneville, with Crew Chief Harry Hyde and driver Bobby Isacc, and broke 28 land speed records, most of which still stand today.

Dodge built 503 Daytonas with approximately 70 examples equipped with the 426 Hemi V8, including 22 with four-speeds and 48 with automatics.

Plymouth made a similar car in 1970 called the Superbird. Both cars were built for NASCAR racing and both cars had a tall rear wing and a pointy nose. Despite the similar styling none of the unique body parts are interchangeable.


by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2011

Related Reading : Dodge Charger History

The Dodge Charger was produced from 1966 through 1978, 1983 through 1987, and again beginning in 2006. Since its inception, the impressive performance and stylish bodies made the Charger an instant success. During its introductory year, 37,344 examples were produced. The Dodge Charger was based on the Dodge Coronet platform, but with a fastback roofline. The headlights were retractable which resulted....
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1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

1969 Charger Daytona
$3,126-$25,580
1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Base Price : $3,126

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 1969 Dodge Models
$2,399 - $3,415
$3,440 - $3,660

Charger Second Generation

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
96,100
117.00 in.
6 cyl., 170.00 CID., 101.00hp
6 cyl., 225.00 CID., 145.00hp
8 cyl., 273.00 CID., 180.00hp
8 cyl., 318.00 CID., 230.00hp
8 cyl., 273.00 CID., 235.00hp
8 cyl., 383.00 CID., 290.00hp
8 cyl., 383.00 CID., 330.00hp
8 cyl., 440.00 CID., 375.00hp
8 cyl., 426.00 CID., 425.00hp
$3,015 - $3,475
117.00 in.
8 cyl., 440.00 CID., 375.00hp
8 cyl., 426.00 CID., 420.00hp
$3,126 - $3,126
117.00 in.
6 cyl., 170.00 CID., 115.00hp
6 cyl., 225.00 CID., 145.00hp
8 cyl., 273.00 CID., 180.00hp
8 cyl., 318.00 CID., 230.00hp
8 cyl., 273.00 CID., 235.00hp
8 cyl., 383.00 CID., 270.00hp
8 cyl., 383.00 CID., 325.00hp
8 cyl., 440.00 CID., 375.00hp
8 cyl., 426.00 CID., 425.00hp
$3,020 - $3,020
49,768
117.00 in.
6 cyl., 225.00 CID., 145.00hp
8 cyl., 318.00 CID., 230.00hp
8 cyl., 340.00 CID., 275.00hp
8 cyl., 383.00 CID., 290.00hp
8 cyl., 340.00 CID., 290.00hp
8 cyl., 383.00 CID., 330.00hp
8 cyl., 383.00 CID., 335.00hp
8 cyl., 440.00 CID., 350.00hp
8 cyl., 440.00 CID., 390.00hp
8 cyl., 426.00 CID., 425.00hp
$3,000 - $3,710

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