1976 Chrysler VK Charger 770 Coupe

The legendary Valiant Charger, which burst onto the scene in 1971 to cries of "Hey Charger" thanks to a memorable television advertising campaign, moved away from its muscle car origins as the supercar scare - and subsequent loss of factory support for racing - spelled the end for the racy 'Six Pack' option. Instead, Chrysler moved into the luxury GT market with the upmarket 770 model, combining V8 power with automatic transmission, radial ply tyres, heavier torsion bar suspension and standard anti-roll bar to deliver a more sophisticated, European driving experience. The interior benefited most from this new approach, with better seats, full carpeting, improved sound insulation and an alloy-spoked steering wheel lending a much needed touch of class. In an effort to keep up with rivals Ford and Holden, Chrysler facelifted the range every couple of years, with the VJ of 1973 and VK of 1975 offering little in the way of significant improvement but did make continual revisions to the trim and equipment levels. The 770 was available with a whole range of engines, from the 265-cid six to the 318 or 360-cid V8s and normally came with an automatic transmission, although a four-speed manual was offered. In VK form, the Charger is particularly rare, with comparatively few built and the V8-powered models are now becoming sought after by collectors.