Pick of the Day: 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye

Federal Government In 1972, the U.S. government required all manufacturers to reduce engine compression ratios to run on unleaded fuel. Dodge also took the opportunity to rethink its sports car lineup. Our featured 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye today is a perfect example of how Dodge navigated the darkness. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Traverse City, Michigan. (Click on the link to view the listing.)

In 1967, Dodge built the Coronet R/T, the brand’s first muscle car in the mold of the Pontiac GTO. Standard was the 440 Magnum, rated at 375 horsepower. In 1968, it was joined by the 440-horsepower Charger R/T, which was based on the same platform but was more of a specialist car. That year, it, the Coronet R/T, the Dart GTS, and the Super Bee (introduced mid-year) formed the Scat Pack, a team of high-performance cars with bumblebee stripes. In 1970, another R/T, the Challenger R/T, joined the Scat Pack, bringing the total number of R/T models produced to three.

For 1971, only the Charger R/T and Challenger R/T remained, but Dodge adjusted its marketing plan and replaced the R/T with the Rallye for 1972. For the Charger, the A57 Rallye package (available for Charger Coupe or Hardtop) included front and rear anti-roll bars, F70 x 14-inch white trim, Rallye instrument panel, louvered taillights (similar to the 1971 Charger 500 and R/T, but in black), simulated door louvers (similar to the 1971 Charger R/T, but different), a power bulge hood, and a dark Astrotone grille.

Dodge claims that “the (Rallye) package makes any Charger more fun to drive, without the need for a bigger engine.” Perhaps that’s why Dodge switched from the R/T to the Rallye? While the Charger R/T was synonymous with the 440 Magnum, the Charger Rallye came standard with the 318 twin-cylinder engine, with the 340 four-cylinder, 400 two-cylinder and four-cylinder engines, 440 four-cylinder engine, and 440 Six Pack available for performance enthusiasts. The 440 Six Pack was canceled early in production (estimated to be less than 10 units built), so the 280-horsepower 440 became the number one choice.

Only 460 Charger Rallye Coupes and 3,431 Rallye Hardtops were built for the U.S. market in 1972. Another 2,025 Charger Hardtops were powered by the 400 four-cylinder engine (code P). While there’s no information on how many 400-powered rally cars like this 1972 Charger Rallye Hardtop were built, it’s a safe bet that there weren’t many. Painted in “GY9” Dark Gold, it comes with the optional “E6Y3” gold bucket seat interior with fixed center cushion and folding armrest, the most popular earth tone of the era. The seller says this is a numbers-matching car that was restored and maintained by the previous owner and his mechanic. “Press the throttle to set the choke, tap the pedal for a fast idle, always an easy start,” the seller adds. “The (automatic) transmission shifts very well.” Note the flat black decal on the rear of the decklid – that’s unique to the Rallye package.

Aside from the wraparound stripes that are derived from the 1971 Charger R/T, this Rallye is a great representation of Mopar performance before things really got tough. For just $43,000, you get true 1970s styling, and a high-performance car that can handle today’s gas.

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