Home Ā» The Dodge Charger Daytona Did Stuff With Paint I’ve Never Really Seen Before: Cold Start

The Dodge Charger Daytona Did Stuff With Paint I’ve Never Really Seen Before: Cold Start

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Back in the 1970s, paint worked forĀ us, not the other way around, like today. We were once chromatic masters, commanding a wide variety of hues to coat our cars with the ruthless abandon of kudzu. Sometimes, though, the power went to our heads, and unhinged experiments were undertaken. One of those experiments occurred deep within the bowels of Chrysler’s underground chromatic labs, and the result was the 1976-1977 Dodge Charger Daytona. The Charger Daytona did some things with paint that really hasn’t been attempted since. Is it good? Is it awful? Can our simple human methods of evaluating such things even apply here? I doubt it.

Look at that picture up there; note how the sides of the car have been divided into color panels at the front and rear, creating two oblongish panels that sort of follow the lines of the car. The oblongs are ringed in contrasting color pinstriping, which continues around the windshield and side windows, and then another U-shape of striping goes from the rear fenders, over the rear window, and down the other side.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

It’s odd. Breaking up the planes of the car like this usually just isn’t done, but, well, here we are.

The Charger Daytona had a striking look, and if you wanted to really check one out, it wasn’t that hard, because it only made about 145 horsepower from its big-ass V8, so it wouldn’t be too hard to catch.

You know what else is odd? It seems that there are multiple, very slightly different versions of this brochure picture of this Charger Daytona:

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See how those softball players and Danny Twocollars there are in slightly different positions? Let’s demonstrate, via the magic of CompuServe’s Graphics Interchange Format:

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Look at them go! Watch that bat, blondie! You could break someone’s nose!

I wonder why these two nearly identical pics taken clearly seconds apartĀ bothĀ made it into use? Was the tone wrong on one? In the era of film, this feels like a strange choice.

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Have a bitchin’ Friday, no matter what, though.

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Adrian Clarke
Adrian Clarke
1 year ago

Hmmm, I could definitely see a monochrome version of this working for me. Black with dark gray decals or dark gray with black panels?
You can get these with a manual and make them go properly, right? Right?

Dodsworth
Dodsworth
1 year ago

This throuple business isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Eric R
Eric R
1 year ago

Is it meant to evoke the split grille of the ’73 Charger? That’s all I can see.

DysLexus
DysLexus
1 year ago

My take on the paint scheme is to make it look as NASCAR as possible. Remember Dodge ran cars on the circuit then and they had some interesting paint schemes. This was meant to represent a street version. No numbers, decals or welded doors.

Stef Schrader
Stef Schrader
1 year ago

Man, “sporty brougham” was a LEWK.

Black Peter
Black Peter
1 year ago
Jack Trade
Jack Trade
1 year ago
Reply to  Black Peter

Chrysler sure had the wildest tape striping of the big 3 back then.

Ford largely stuck with its fairly tasteful rocker panel striping from the ’60s, Chevy did the wide hood/trunk twin stripes bit, but even Chrysler’s subdued option, the twin beltline stripes, seemed designed to scream at you “look it’s a supercar!” And it just crazier from there.

Justin Short
Justin Short
1 year ago

OMG, 10 yo me loved these color combos, many vette’esque pics were drawn with layers of color

Ronan McGrath
Ronan McGrath
1 year ago

Looks pretty good to me, and a swap for a modern Charger V8 would be nice. In fact, all of the running gear from a model Charger would be perfect. .

John Beef
John Beef
1 year ago

The ad is insinuating the car is so badass, if you’re like Danny Twocollars there you might just end up with “Two chicks at the same time.”

Brandon Forbes
Brandon Forbes
1 year ago
Reply to  John Beef

I definitely took it as parents and daughter…

Trust Doesn't Rust
Trust Doesn't Rust
1 year ago

I mean, if we really think about it, is it any weirder than putting fake wood panels on the body?

Ranwhenparked
Ranwhenparked
1 year ago

I think the color scheme might be related to that bit of 1930s nostalgia that was going on in the ’70s (with an older crowd than the ’50s nostalgia happening with younger folks) – probably supposed to resemble the contrasting scallops you’d see on Duesenbergs and Bugattis, or recall when cars used to have fenders painted different colors from the body.

People took to quite a few ’30s inspired details on luxury cars and personal luxury coupes due to the perception that they made the cars look expensive

Maymar
Maymar
1 year ago
Reply to  Ranwhenparked

You might be on to something there, on the later Magnum, Dodge often referred to it as having a “Cord-type grille”.

https://www.dodgegarage.com/news-api/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/1978-Magnum-GT-ad-e1614950762968.jpg

Geoff Buchholz
Geoff Buchholz
1 year ago

I don’t know if they had many takers, but Chevrolet offered a somewhat similar paint treatment on Monte Carlos … note the pic marked “9” on the right: https://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/chevy/mo77/bilder/4.jpg

Canopysaurus
Canopysaurus
1 year ago

The paint scheme is a version of ā€œpay no attention to the man behind the curtainā€ from Oz (as in ā€˜Wizard of,ā€™ not Australia), or – in this case – the car beneath the paint. All flash, no dash.

Israel Moore
Israel Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Canopysaurus

We called them “decal cars”. All show, no go.

Gilbert Wham
Gilbert Wham
1 year ago

It would work better with just the front panels in black, sure. But I love it anyway. That blue is glorious. Though I’d say it’s more Canadian tux vibes than a leisure suit. Maybe if it were a tan colour with forest green panels? It would probably be best to buy two; one for denim days, one for safari days. Why limit your wardrobe choices?

My Goat Ate My Homework
My Goat Ate My Homework
1 year ago

I’m guessing that they were targeting different audiences with the two versions. The one with the darkened windows and the ladies gazing longingly at the cool dude is probably targeting a younger male crowd.

The other is a little less aggressive on the whole “this car will make you cool and get you laid” vibe. Probably targeting a more general audience.

Alan Christensen
Alan Christensen
1 year ago

Hey, not only do we give you two colors, we also give you two exposures. Thank you.

GreatFallsGreen
GreatFallsGreen
1 year ago

It was Chrysler in the late ’70s. They paid for the photos, they were damn well going to use them all!

Cerberus
Cerberus
1 year ago

Long exposure vs flash? Iā€™m not a photography buff, but maybe the photographer didnā€™t know which method would be better with the light conditions, so they tried it both ways, then the art department couldnā€™t decide which to use or their shoot resulted in too few other usable shots, so they stuck them both in.

Love the line about kudzu.

Mr. Asa
Mr. Asa
1 year ago

I don’t hate the paint job, but I don’t think I’m a fan. Its weird, but there’s potential?

CSRoad
CSRoad
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr. Asa

I’m thinking of printed vinyl wrap, easy to park, 2-D body kits.
Do you think there’s a market?

XLEJim700
XLEJim700
1 year ago

Me?

I would drive this anywhere (with or w/o harem): left arm out the window, chin high, and I’d even have the ba**s to slip an ABBA 8-track into the deck.

But I’m different.

KennyB
KennyB
1 year ago
Reply to  XLEJim700

Balls. Cojones is also acceptable.

Israel Moore
Israel Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  XLEJim700

No Eagles , Parliament/Funkadelic or Steely Dan? I am disappointed.

XLEJim700
XLEJim700
1 year ago
Reply to  Israel Moore

Oh no, def’nitly The Eagles speshully with Joe Walsh. Of course this goes against all my “Big Lebowski” sensibilities, but The Dude and never meshed on this.

And representing The Garden State, and who as a disheveled unknown (to me), spilled beer on my arm at The Stone Pony (1975), Bruce Springsteen.

And from the sweaty side of NYC’s downtown scene, Ms. Patti Smith and her band of dusty rockers. Not ‘zactly cruisin’ music, but I’d play it anyway. The aforementioned ABBA could always balance things out.

Justin Short
Justin Short
1 year ago
Reply to  Israel Moore

Traffic!

Double Wide Harvey Park
Double Wide Harvey Park
1 year ago
Reply to  Israel Moore

No Steely Dan in a Daytona.

The Steely Dan types drove Mercedes SLs.

Dudeoutwest
Dudeoutwest
1 year ago
Reply to  Israel Moore

That guy in the photo? Bread, America, Poco, Eagles, CSN&Y, Loggins & Messina, all day long. Still listens to them when mall walking.

Interrobangā€½
Interrobangā€½
1 year ago

It appears that the first photo was dodged (because of course) and burnt in the darkroom during development while the second is unmanipulated. In the comparison Jraffic Interchange Format, you can see which areas were lightened (C-pillar area, wheels) and darkened (the windows). It looks like they tried to shoot at Magic Hourā„¢ with a couple spotlights but it came out much darker than they wanted. Maybe next time you need a photo for your Dodge Charger Daytona brochure, don’t choose dusk to shoot a black spotted blue vehicle, and put the blonde next to Jean Jacket there so she doesn’t use the bat.

Vicente Perez
Vicente Perez
1 year ago

Maybe they also used slightly different lenses for each shot? That is why the foreground seems to move a bit while the objects far away don’t?

Jonathan Hendry
Jonathan Hendry
1 year ago

That paintjob is the automotive equivalent of a leisure suit, the kind with the safari jacket with big pockets.

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
1 year ago

That a lower-tier bad guy would drive on Charlie’s Angels.

EXL500
EXL500
1 year ago

I rather like it for just that reason. Why not go full late ’70s?

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
1 year ago

I miss simple two-tone schemes. And I don’t mean just the famed cultural icons from the ’50s, I mean just everyday stuff – yesterday’s shitbox showdown discussion reminded me of how Mustangs were available in half and half color schemes in the late ’80s!

Mr. Asa
Mr. Asa
1 year ago
Reply to  Jack Trade

Have you seen any of these? There are a couple dealers making them. I f’ing love them.

https://www.kochfordlincoln.com/pages/ford-f150-retro-package-edmonton

XLEJim700
XLEJim700
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr. Asa

The Longmire Package?

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr. Asa

I’m not a truck guy in the least and I completely love it. Especially on a truck like this, it really breaks up the massive at this point expanses of metal. Makes the whole thing visually appear smaller/more reasonably sized even.

I hear Dale Earnhart Jr. was a passionate early adopter & owns one.

FuzzyPlushroom
FuzzyPlushroom
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr. Asa

I’ve seen a couple Silverados done that way, but not (yet) a Ford. Neither’s half bad, considering the complicated lines on modern trucks relative to the ’80s and ’90s models that inspired them.

Sklooner
Sklooner
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr. Asa

I drive by that dealer daily, thought those were factory paintjobs, I assume it’s vinyl

Angel "the Cobra" Martin
Angel "the Cobra" Martin
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr. Asa

I was at my son’s baseball game and there was a Silverado in the lot with the same retro graphics. It had the “BIG 10” decals and it looked AMAZING. All the dad’s were loving this thing. When the owner walked over to it, he was mobbed by people asking him where he got it. He told me that this always happens. He joked that it’s never women, only dorky guys.

Israel Moore
Israel Moore
1 year ago

I remember that truck growing up in the 70s. But we preferred GMC’s “Gentleman Jim” more. Dodge’s “Lil Red Truck) and Jeep’s Honcho were popular with the crowd, too. Ford had nothing.

XLEJim700
XLEJim700
1 year ago
Reply to  Israel Moore

She ain’t heavy, she’s my Heavy Chevy

Chevyhttps://images.app.goo.gl/cerSL6WCpxpvTw8H7

Chi_spotting
Chi_spotting
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr. Asa

This is how you can get me to strongly desire a modern F-150.

Mr Sarcastic
Mr Sarcastic
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr. Asa

Looks similar to the Silverado my dad had. But in light green / dark green 454 and of course the ling forgotten wagonwheels

Flyingstitch
Flyingstitch
1 year ago

In the top picture, the woman’s head in the middle is clearly responding to a sharp impact as the blonde grins in satisfaction. He will be hers, as soon as she steps over the vanquished rival.

Also, how many of these Daytonas were made? Do any still exist? It would be absolutely wild to find one in the…wild.

Double Wide Harvey Park
Double Wide Harvey Park
1 year ago
Reply to  Flyingstitch

I suspect Cash for Clunkers ate them all.

NewBalanceExtraWide
NewBalanceExtraWide
1 year ago

I’m a luddite film guy, but that gif really makes me want to do a composite of these. The exposure is so different on both… one shows the interior, the other has blacked out windows… the wheels are better exposed on the one with the blacked out windows… there’s just so much information to convey between the two different exposures.

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