By Robert Tate, Award-Winning Automotive Historian and Researcher
Images Courtesy of Stellantis North American Archives, The Robert Tate Collection
Published 10.2.2024
1963 Dodge Dart GT Series advertising (Robert Tate Collection)
The 1963 Dodge models were designed under the design direction and leadership of Elwood Paul Engel. He had replaced the legendary Virgil Exner at the Chrysler Corporation.
The 1963 Dodge line was changed from the previous year’s models. The wheelbase was lengthened to 119 inches on sedans and regular vehicles.
The Dodge Custom 880 (Stellantis North American Archives)
The compact Dodge Lancer models were dropped after the 1962 model year and replaced with the new Dodge Dart for 1963. The Dart offered a tastefully designed body style and immediately became one of the brand’s fastest selling models.
A 1963 Dodge model (Stellantis North American Archives)
One of the top performance engines for Dodge in 1963 was the Ram Charger, a 426-cid wedge-head V-8 with an automatic transmission. The popular Slant Six engines were also very popular as well.
Automotive historians have said that the Dodge Custom 880 models were introduced in 1962 to fill the gap left by the cancellation of the DeSoto nameplate. The Custom 880 hardtop was a great-looking luxury car and offered in five different body styles, including a hardtop station wagon which many customers thoroughly enjoyed.
A 1963 Dodge Police Pursuits ad (Robert Tate Collection)
Overall, in 1963, Chrysler under President Lynn A. Townsend made substantial progress in improving its competitive position in the world automotive market. I remember as a kid growing up in the 1960s watching “The Beverly Hillbillies” on television, and Ms. Jane was driving a new 1963 Dodge convertible.
1963 Dodge Ramcharger (Torqtalk.com)
Dodge also offered a great line of police pursuit models featuring a 225 cubic inch Slant Six engine, which became very popular among the law enforcement community.
The 1963 Dodge Polara was the brand’s most popular model. It was offered in four body styles, including a station wagon. The Polara 500 series with a 305-horsepower engine had a price tag of $2,965, which cost more than the station wagon models.
A 1963 Dodge factory assembly line (Stellantis North American Archives)
Dodge took first place in the low-priced V-8 class in the Mobil Gas Economy run at 21.2 miles per gallon. This advertising contributed to Dodge’s success in 1963.
A 1963 Dodge (Barrett Jackson Auction)
Dodge also became very popular among race car drivers and fans in 1963. For example, the 426 Hemi-powered Ram Charger Dodge 330 was a very popular model among racing fans. Dodge also offered great-looking station wagon models in the 330 and the 440 series with a price tag of $2,854.
A 1963 Dodge color chart (Robert Tate Collection)
In conclusion, Dodge had a record sales year in 1963, with 67 percent increase over the previous year. It was also a very good year for Dodge in Canada, where production increased dramatically. Chrysler’s Windsor plant turned out 17,287 Dodge units during the 1963 model year. The Dodge brand will always have a great place in our automotive history.
Bibliography
Chrysler Corporation Annual Report, 1963. 39th Annual Report, December 31,1963.
McPherson, Thomas A. “The Dodge Story.” Crestline Publishing, 1975.
Langworth, Richard M. & Norbye, Jan P. “The Complete History of Chrysler Corporation 1924-1985.” Beekman Publishing, 1985.