RC2 Authentics 1968-1970 Dodge Charger R/T

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By definition, an icon is an enduring symbol that is universally recognized to be representative of a specific thing or object. From the 1960’s through the early 70’s, Detroit’s “Big Three” produced several supercars that today are acclaimed as icons of the muscle car era. One such icon is the second generation Dodge Charger. Coming off a rather disappointing year in 1967, the Charger returned in 1968 with an all-new design that would help make it one of America’s favorite muscle cars over the next three years.

Produced from 1968 through 1970, the second-generation Charger was the ultimate combination of style and performance. Retaining the signature hideaway headlight grille from the previous two years, the second-gen Chargers introduced a distinctively fresh look featuring coke-bottle curves in its flanks, a built-in trunk lid spoiler, a race inspired quick-fill gas cap atop the rear quarter, and a tunneled rear window between flying buttress sail pails which gave the Charger a semi-fastback appearance. As popular as the new look was, it’s no surprise that Dodge made few changes from 1968 to 1970. The 68 Chargers undivided grille and stylish round taillights were replaced with a split grille and elongated taillights in 1969. In 1970, the Charger’s undivided grille returned with a chrome wraparound bumper. The all-new R/T models came with distinguishing rear bumblebee stripes, which could be deleted, and in 1970, simulated reverse scoops were added to the doors.

The second-generation Chargers also received a redesigned interior which included bucket seats and an optional center console along with a newly styled instrument panel which featured a 150-mph speedometer and a full array of gauges. Under the hood, the Charger’s engine lineup stayed mainly unchanged. The base Charger came standard with the 230-hp 318 V8 or could be ordered with the optional 383-ci V8 whereas the Charger R/T models came with the 375-hp 440 Magnum as standard equipment while the 425-hp 426 Hemi was available on the options list. In 1970, the Charger R/T received an additional engine option in the 390-horse 440 Six-Pack which swapped out the Magnum’s single 4-barrel carburetor for a trio of Holley 2-barrels. Available transmissions included a three-speed and 4-speed manual in addition to a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic. R/T models also received heavy duty brakes and an upgraded handling package.

With a wide-ranging spectrum of available exterior colors, the second-generation Chargers were among the 60’s most attractive muscle cars, and some of the best selling. After the 1967 Charger struggled to sell 16,000 units, Dodge realistically set a goal for the 1968 Charger at 35,000 units. However, by the end of the year, over 96,000 Chargers had been sold. The Charger had quickly become Chrysler’s most popular muscle car, and in 1969, nearly 70,000 additional Chargers hit the streets, of which 20,000 were Charger R/T’s. Thanks to skyrocketing insurance rates, stricter government regulations, and rising gas prices, sales of muscle cars began falling dramatically in 1970 and Charger production fell to nearly half of what it was in 1968. Even though its days were numbered, this didn’t stop the second-gen Charger from becoming an icon of the muscle car era.

Given its status in muscle car lore, it’s easy to understand why RC2 chose the second-generation Charger to be the latest subject in their lineup of 1/18-scale diecast replicas. If you’re thinking that RC2 (formerly known as Ertl) has already been down this road, then you’d be correct. But what if I told you that these Chargers have nothing in common with the models of 5-7 years ago? That’s right; these latest Dodge B-body replicas are an all new mold, part of RC2’s high-detail 1/18-scale Authentics series, including features like realistic hood and door hinges, an opening trunk, a fully functional suspension, a rotating driveshaft, and gobs of eye candy throughout. The first wave of releases, as seen here in pre-production form, are all Charger R/T’s, including a Bright Red 68, a Black 69, and a stunning 70 in FC7 Plum Crazy.

Even at this early stage, these Chargers look amazing. The body casting is remarkably accurate and the stance on all three looks to be postured just right. One item that immediately caught my eye were the impressively thin strands of chrome that highlight the front and rear glass, drip rails, and wheel well openings. Another attractive characteristic of these 1/18-scale Chargers are their accurately outlined grilles and taillight panels. I’m particularly fond of the round taillights on the 68 Charger which look incredibly realistic, trimmed in chrome with properly detailed backup lenses. Molded in plastic, the grilles also score high on believability, with a genuine egg crate pattern and working headlight doors. One issue that needs some attention on the 68 and 70 Chargers is the recessed area that wraps around the grille, which should be painted in flat silver rather than being finished in chrome. The 70 Charger is also missing the black molding that sits between the front fenders and chrome loop bumper. RC2 is aware of these issues and is working to correct them.

Each Charger is additionally detailed with the appropriate bumblebee stripes, authentic emblems (including the inconspicuously placed Pentastar symbol on the lower passenger-side fender), and painted on side marker lights. I would’ve preferred more realistic plastic lenses, but this would’ve required a separate mold for each model year to capture the different lens styles which would’ve been outrageously costly. The painted lenses are a tolerable compromise, although the shape of the 70’s needs a minor adjustment. The 69 and 70 Chargers are also missing their requisite Hemi badges and the 68 needs an R/T emblem between the taillights, but not to worry, the production run will have these details added. The same is true of the black insert and “FUEL” script that’s missing on the lid of the quarter-top gas cap on the 69 and 70 Chargers. The brushed metal cap on the 68 Charger is the correct look for this particular model year.

In the shoe department, RC2 has tooled up a nice variety for these Chargers. The 68’s Magnums, while a little shallow, look pretty good overall and are accurately finished in chrome and wrapped in a set of period-correct redline tires, whereas the chrome Magnums on the 70 Charger need to be redecorated with a splash of flat silver paint and chrome trim rings. The white lettered script on the mounted Goodyear’s also needs to be resized with the applicable Polyglas GT lettering added to the opposite sidewall. The 69’s steel wheel and white line tire combo looks sharp and sets its bearer off nicely, but the 67-68 style chrome plated caps are being replaced with the appropriate style for 1969. RC2 has also tooled a mold for the popular W21 Rallye wheels which are waiting in store for a future release of the Authentics 1970 Charger.

Powering this trio of miniature muscle is a powerhouse pair of meticulously miniaturized motors. First up is the 68 R/T’s standard 440 Magnum V8. Fully wired and plumbed, the little 440 is all but a spitting image of the real deal, with the exception of the dual-snorkel air cleaner lid which is the 1970 design, therefore incorrect for this setup. Fortunately, RC2 has tooled the correct unsilenced air cleaner lid which will hopefully find its way onto the 440 before production begins. Beneath the hoods of the 69 and 70 Chargers is a remarkable rendition of the pavement pounding 426 Hemi. Properly painted with a host of wires and hoses, the Hemi features a pair of outstandingly realistic valve covers and a brilliant chrome dome-shaped air cleaner lid with authentically copied decals. Like the 440 in the 68 Charger, the 70’s Hemi is having a bit of an air cleaner lid identity crisis, but it’s nothing to fret over since RC2 is in the process of fixing the issue with the correct oval shaped open element air cleaner lid. I can’t help but wonder if a future 70 Charger will have this same lid mounted atop a triple 2-barrel layout with a “Six-Pack” decal across its shell. One can only hope.

Further complimenting the engines in the Authentics 1/18-scale second-generation Chargers are their surrounding bays, each accurately painted to match their exterior body colors and appointed with just the right amount of detail to enhance the overall effect. Those details include a traditional battery with painted caps, terminals, and positive and negative cables, a painted fluid reservoir, an appropriately molded radiator complete with all of the hoses and a painted radiator cap, and a fully detailed firewall with a brake master cylinder and painted wiper motor. The 68 R/T also has a replica of the vintage cruise control system under its hood, and all three have their hood latching hardware along with precisely engineered spring loaded scissor style hinges. There’s also a black panel properly seated between the grille and radiator support which is accurate on the 68 and 69 Chargers, but should be removed on the 70. With a little splash of black paint to the areas in front of the radiator support, the engine bays in these Chargers would be pretty close to perfect.

The interiors of these Chargers are a mere stones throw away from perfection themselves. Fully carpeted with rubber floor mats and chrome door sill plates in addition to a finished headliner with posable sun visors and a dome light, these cozy cabins have the look and feel of the handsomely dressed originals. The soft-to-touch bucket seats in the 68 and 69 Dodge’s are outfitted with their proper seat pattern (and headrests in the 69) along with fabric seat belts with chromed hardware and floor mounted retractors. The high-back seats in the 70 Charger have been reproduced with the same attention to detail. The interior framework also features a faithfully arranged instrument panel with remarkably detailed gauges set behind a wood-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel, as well as a genuinely finished center console (metallic on the 68 and wood-grain on the 69 and 70) with courtesy lights and an integrated shifter, the latter of which needs to be traded out for a Hurst Pistol Grip shifter in the 70 Charger. Altogether, these interiors convey such a lifelike look that it’s not hard to imagine yourself in 1:18-scale, climbing inside to check out the many details firsthand.

Before your return trip to reality, walk your eyes around to the back and lift the lid to the Chargers opening trunk and check out all the detail RC2 incorporated into this typically simple space, like an authentically patterned trunk mat, the fuel filler neck, a spare tire with jacking equipment, and a pair of instruction labels pasted on the underside of the trunk lid. I was especially impressed by the painted weather stripping around the trunk opening and the black taillight housing covers that are visible in the 69 and 70 Chargers. The natural metallic hues splashed on the exhaust system, driveshaft, gas tank, and tank straps are equally impressive, giving the chassis a healthy dose of realism. The torque boxes are also a nice touch, but regrettably, they’re molded into the chassis which presents a problem since they were only found on Hemi-equipped cars. RC2 won’t be able to do anything about it before this batch of Chargers is produced, but hopefully they’ll be able to work out a resolution before the next run. I’d also like to see brake and fuel lines and a primered chassis with the Mopar signature body color overspray, for even greater accuracy.

By 1969, the Charger R/T had become a prominent emblem of high-performance, as popular as any GT or SS muscle car, even outselling Pontiac’s “car of the year” GTO in 1968. And thanks to its numerous exploits over the span of nearly four decades in movies and television, from the cult-classic Bullitt, to the Dukes of Hazzard and the more recent Blade trilogy, the second-generation Charger has surpassed the test of time and has been marveled at by multiple generations of car enthusiasts from all around the world. If there was ever a car that deserved to be immortalized in authentic high-detail 1:18-scale diecast, the second-generation Dodge Charger would certainly be one of them. If you’re a fan of the Charger or muscle cars in general, then RC2’s Authentics 1:18-scale 1968-1970 Chargers come as a highly recommended addition to your muscle car collection. And if you’re a Dukes of Hazzard fan, like me, then fasten your seatbelts and hold on ‘cause RC2 is working on what might just be the finest scale replica of the General Lee ever made. To quote Hazzard County’s fun lovin’, fast drivin’, good ol’ boy cousins, Bo and Luke Duke - “Yee-Haw!”

Happy Collecting,

DetourDave