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Only available to those who purchased Danbury Mint’s 1969 Dodge Charger 500 - Numbered Limited Edition of 5000, this model will be numbered in accordance with actual sales. Few people were able to go out and buy the 1:1 Charger 500 or the wicked winged ’69 Daytona, also faithfully captured by Danbury. Some may have owned the actual car that DM miniaturized for us in the ’68 Plymouth Road Runner but this SE model replicates “every man’s” car. A true representation of what the every day buyer may have opted for in ’69, the DM Boys have produced another beautiful example of a treasured Mopar.
Instead of the ‘bad boy’ image portrayed by the other high intensity cars mentioned above, you won’t find dog dish hubcaps or redline tires here. No, mom’s grocery-getter or Uncle Stan’s daily transport, comes equipped with full wheel covers and thin line whitewall tires. And could the college student afford to feed that hungry hemi back then? Oh, please! No, this little mainstream heartthrob does well with Dodge’s 383 cubic inch mill. With 335 ponies, it provided plenty of power to light ‘em up from the stoplight. It may have taken half of Saturday to clean the white vinyl top but that was an option that paid for itself with the ‘Oo’s and ah’s’ it regularly garnered. I’ll say this, even though I never cared for vinyl roof options, it really sets off the Bright Turquoise paint in texture and contrast. DM mastered the ‘feel’ of the top in what must be some sort of secret coating. Like a secret chicken breading recipe, we may never know how they did this, but it is mighty tasty. They even included the SE stampings on the lower roofline. Look closely, it’s there. By the way, “SE” was an option package added to the Charger. The package included leather trimmed front bucket seats, (rears were still vinyl), light package, hood mounted turn signals, genuine simulated wood grain on the dash console and steering wheel and the badges on the C-pillars. Additionally this car represents the "White Hat Special" package. Remember that? It was a special option package that added the vinyl roof and some of the other goodies that the SE trim option provided as well.
Once again we have evidence of the DM Boys burning some midnight oil to get these models looking the way they should. The model features the proper chrome-trimmed, body color, rear taillight panel. There’s a miniature marvel in the middle of it; a perfectly chrome-foiled “Charger” emblem in between the taillights. For more miniaturization, pop that trunk lid. You will find a set of jacking instructions stickered to the inside of the lid. A jack and removable spare fill out the fabric-floored area. Inside you’ll find all the goodies we’ve come to expect. There are fabric belts, driver’s floor mat, folding seat backs and well crafted foot pedals, door panels and window cranks. Like the originally tooled ’69 Dodge Charger R/T, the gas filler cap opens and the antenna extends. Note the photo of the interior for a glimpse of what’s in store under the hood. See the hood spring? There is a lot more detail where that came from too. The use of a variety of materials lends a tremendous amount of realism to the engine bay. Aside from plug wiring and heater plumbing you will see a rubber fan belt, metal brake fluid lines and a return throttle spring. The radiator support sticker and “383 Four Barrel” sticker on the top of the air cleaner is sharp and crisp. Battery cables and metal hose supports round out the array of up-to-date motor tech. And I still marvel at the flip-up headlight covers. DM thoughtfully gives us a little screw driver-type tool to help out here. Of course the front suspension and torsion bars articulate and the rear leaf springs flex.
From the brilliantly crystal clear paint to the feature-rich detailing, this is a beautifully conceived outgrowth of another Mopar too powerful to pass up. I have to give it a 5 out of 5 on the drool meter index. The Dodge Boys would be proud.
The issue price is $135.
(07/01/2004)
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