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Dodge O24-Charger and Plymouth TC3-Turismo-Duster
13K views
Feb 4, 2025
Almost forgotten now! Lightweight cars with European underpinnings that fought for attention and credibility - Lee Iacocca's try at recreating his Mustang magic.
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welcome car enthusiasts today we're
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exploring the story of the Dodge 024 and
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Plymouth
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TC3 let's delve into this chapter in
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Automotive
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History Lee aoka was the decisive leader
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of Chrysler in the
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1980s he came from Ford where he was
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really known for the 1964 Ford Mustang
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Lee was king of Chrysler in his prime he
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fired off new car ideas one after the
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other and some took off convertibles
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while some failed luxury cars based on
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the economy
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Reliant after he took over at Chrysler
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he returned to the same basic idea with
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new coups based on the European
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engineered Dodge Omni and Plymouth
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Horizon small hatchbacks that earned the
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title of car of the year on both sides
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of the Atlantic these coups had sporty
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looks but they were initially hampered
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by underpowered engines sourced from
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Volkswagen and PUO as Chrysler worked on
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their own four cylinder
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when Chrysler's own 2.2 L 4 cylinder
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engine finally arrived in 1981 it
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provided 84 horsepower and performance
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started to match the looks of these very
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light cars 2.2 power grew later and
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these cars were much more attractive the
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sporty coups really needed turbocharged
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four cylinders that would not be
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available for years to come and that was
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likely their
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downfall the one thing that bugged Lee
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was the C pillar and backlight stylists
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tried numerous appliques and even an
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opera window but Lee was never happy
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with it finally he chose a quarter
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window
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applique the original cars were the
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Dodge 024 and Plymouth TC3 presumably
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the 24 came from twodo 4cylinder while
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TC3 was based on being a coupe three
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door they handled quite well though they
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were not especially refined by American
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Standards they were meant for
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inexpensive fun fuel economy was good
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given the lightweight buyers could
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expect 25 30 OA m g in mostly City
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driving from the smaller four cylinders
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the Pepe 2.2 dropped around 1 mile per
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gallon the high performance 2.2 with 110
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horsepower took away a bit more mileage
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consumer guide said that 110 hor engine
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had eye-opening pickup the cars were
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quite small they were just 50 6 in wide
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and around 173 in Long starting in late
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1981 they brought out the Dodge Charger
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and Plymouth Turismo names for sporty
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versions with 2.2 L engines Car and
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Driver laed the charger 2.2 calling it
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one of this year's most pleasant
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surprises and claiming that it easily
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beat the Volkswagen shocco in
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acceleration and was more aligned with
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Audi in speed the 1983 Shelby charger
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was mainly done at Chrysler engineering
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and had a 107 horsepower version of the
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2.2 engine sales were still low so
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Chrysler spruced the cars up for 1984
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adding full instrumentation to the
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gauges the 1985 addition of the 2.2 L
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turbo engine producing 146 horsepower
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finally gave these cars the power they
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needed for 1986 the Turismo had a new
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option the duster package the first time
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that name was used on a front drive Car
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Duster had special seats wheels and
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trim despite these improvements sales
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remained disappointing the cars never
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quite captured the Market's attention as
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aoka had hoped on the lighter side over
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half of the buyers were under 35 and
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their median age was 29 the youngest
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buyers of any Plymouth but it was really
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an entrylevel car
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the charger and Turismo born the 024 and
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TC3 were dropped at the end of 1987 many
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had loved them and many had laughed at
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them but with the 2.2 L engines they
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provided quite good performance for the
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price they were fun
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cars find more at mot tales.com the site
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for Mopar methods people cars and
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history
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