In later 1958,Chryslerstyling chief Virgil Exner set out grope toward the next " Forward Look " : a new invention theme to leapfrog the competition and bring profits rolling in like his 1957s had done . Exner ’s designs inadvertently led to the intromission of the 1962 - 1964 Dodge Standard .
Classic Cars Image Gallery
This " S - series " program envisioned a totally new 1962 bodied fleet style like the forthcoming thickset Valiant and furious " XNR " show car , both 1960 developments . That have in mind farsighted hoods , bladelike front fenders , sharply slant windshields , far-out beltline and windowpane shapes , grave " Gallus gallus wing " rear flanks , and forgetful , slosh , finless tail assembly .
Exner also invoke in some of his beloved " Classic " elements : big square grilles , freestanding capitulum / taillamps , and trunklids bulged to imitate sparetires(the infamous " pot tail end " ) .
Final styling models were ready by February 1960 , and fresh elected Chrysler president Bill Newberg blessed them for 1962 . But he was soon forced to release in a scandal , and " Tex " Colbert give back to power . Tex looked at the S - series and had second thoughts .
By twelvemonth ’s end he ’d not only ditched DeSoto , but the S - series Chrysler and Imperial as well ( in favor of " definned " 1961s ) . But he could n’t break the Modern Plymouth and Dodge .
The result was a sales tragedy . Here were " standards " that not only looked like compact car but were almost as little : chopped six inch in wheelbase , up to seven inches in overall length , they lost hundreds of pounds of route - hugging weighting .
No matter that interior room was hardly affected , or that performance and mileage profit from the reduced poundage : Buyers wanted full - size motorcar to be full - size of it - and nothing less . Of of course , there was a food market for the " intermediate machine . " Indeed , Ford ’s freshly shrunken Fairlane sold quite well in 1962 .
Keep read to check about the styling and sales success of the 1962 - 1964 Dodge Standard .
For more information on cars, check out:
Continued
The 1962 , 1963 , 1964 Dodge Standard struggled for sales event numbers racket . Plymouth , though , cut down to one-eighth in 1962 exemplary - yr yield , its lowest rank and file ever . Dodge managed to remain 9th despite building 39,000 fewer cars than it had in 1961 , but would have fared bad had it not revived a true full - sizing role model at midyear . Despite a short selling season , this 122 - inch - wheelbase cross anticipate Custom 880 accounted for over 17,000 sales .
Most 1962 Dodge standards were called Darts , after the division ’s successful full - size 1960 - 1961 next-to-last line . These admit base two- and four - threshold saloon and a four - room access wagon , the same plus a hardtop coupe in midrange 330 trim , and a 440 four - room access sedan , wagon , hardtop coupe and sedan , andconvertible .
Topping the leaning were bucket - seat Polara 500 convertible , hardtop coupe and ( afterward in the class ) hardtop sedan chair . Darts could be ordered with a 225 - three-dimensional - inch Slant Six , or 318 and 361 V-8s ; Polaras came with the 361 . All models proffer prominent 413 wedgehead V-8s with up to 420 mightyhorsepower , good manners of Ram Induction manifolding .
Funny they may have look , but the light gamy - top executive Darts were soon taken very seriously on drag slip , where they trounce handsome , grueling rivals .
The 1963s put on some 45 pounds while growing three inches in wheelbase to 119 inches , thus match full - size of it Chevrolets and Fords . Exner , in one of his last jobs at Chrysler ( he left in 1962 ) , applied square , Thunderbird - style rooflines to hardtops and a slenderly less freakish " face " to all models .
Dart transferred to Dodge ’s 1963 compact line ( replace Lancer ) , so standards became 330 , 440 , Polara , and Polara 500 models without a sub - marque name .
The 361 and 413 engines depart . Polara ’s standard V-8 was a 318 ; five hundred came with a 305 - gymnastic horse 383 . But the large news – literally – was a squadron of 426 wedgeheads for the quarter - mile bunch , with up to 425 bhp in twinned - four - drum , radical - in high spirits - compression ( 13.5:1 ) " crash Charger " tune .
dodging leapt to seventh in industriousness production as exemplar - twelvemonth volume soared some 194,000 , though most of this come from the handsome young compact Dart .
With ex-husband - Lincoln graphic designer Elwood Engel firmly in accusation of 1964 styling , Dodge standards were to the full reskinned , becoming cleaner and more established . Styling cues included a slenderly lower cowl , the first of Dodge ’s distinctive " dumbbell " grilles , and a rakish new hardtop roofline with vee’d speed of light - pillars and " bubbled " backlight .
Models and locomotive stand basically pat . Chrysler as a whole now climbed out of its early-1960s financial mess , and Dodge claimed 6th in production with over half a million machine – almost twice its volume of just two manikin years to begin with .
In all , these dodging emerge as a classic case of sow ' ear being made into profitable silk purses . And with yet another restyle , they would sell even better for 1965 under the revived Coronet badge , which testifies to their inherent design qualities . Too bad they still get such a bad rap , but that ’s what poor timing and oddball looks will do .
Keep learn to learn about the specifications of the 1962 - 1964 Dodge " Standard " .
1962, 1963, 1964 Dodge Standard Specifications
The 1962 , 1963 , 1964 Dodge Standard help boost Dodge ’s sales and bring it to sixth in production with half a million car .
Specifications
Engines : ohv I-6 , 225 cid ( 3.40 x 4.13 ) , 145 bhp ; 318 cid ( 3.91 x 3.31 ) ; 230/260 bhp ; ohv V-8 , 361 Criminal Investigation Command ( 4.12 x 3.38 ) , 305/310 bhp(1962 only ) ; 383 Criminal Investigation Command ( 4.25 x 3.38 ) , 305/320/325/330 bhp ; 413 cid ( 4.19 x 3.75 ) , 410/420 bhp(1962 only ) ; 426 Criminal Investigation Command ( 4.25 x 3.75 ) , 365/370/375/415/425 bhp
Transmissions:3/4 - hurrying manual , 2 - speeding PowerFlite and 3 - speed TorqueFlite automatic
Suspension front : upper and low-toned A - arm , longitudinal torsion bars
hanging rear : live axle on semi - prolate leaf springs
Brakes : front / rearward drum
Wheelbase ( in.):116.0 ( 1962 ) , 119.0 ( 1963 - 64 except wagons )
weight unit ( lbs):2,965 - 3,640
Top swiftness ( mph):NA
0 - 60 mph ( sec):NA
yield : 1962 Dart Six43,927Dart V-817,981Dart 330 Six11,606Dart 330 V-826,544Dart 440 Six3,942Dart 440 V-842,360Polara 50012,2681963 330 Six51,761330 V-833,602440 Six13,146440 V-849,591Polara Six68,262Polara V-840,323Polara 500 ( V-8)7,2561964 300 Six57,957330 V-846,438440 Six15,147440 V-868,861Polara Six3,810Polara V-866,988Polara 500 ( V-8)17,787
