Comments by "Helmuth Schultes" (@helmuthschultes9243) on "American Reacts to Australia "Hey Charger!" TV Ads" video.

  1. In mid 1970s the NSW police used Chargers as highway patrol vehicles. Possibly other states too. The NSW ones and I presume others were booosted performance engines and 300kg lead plates in the boot (truck). The normal road common sales models were too light and prone to loosing driving traction on hard accel pedal to the floor. My boss had one , second hand ex highway patrol, bright orange replacing the police patrol colour, used normally by his wife. I then had a Suzuki LJ50 540 cc two stroke 4WD, that had to be repaired by dealer as they damaged my transfercase oil plug hole by stripping the thread. Unfortunately as they needed to get a spare part from Japan I was left minus my Suzuki for 2 weeks. My boss let me use this high power Charger for that time. No problem I handled it without issue. But when receving my Suzuki, on first drive away, I first thought I hsd missed engaging a gear, as the engine reved screaming and no go power. Not so, the low power and extremly low 1 st gear ratior, reaching a bit over 5kph at 7000rpm, gave the no go impression, compared with the powerful engine of that Charger, and fast speed accelerating in its 1st gear. A number of months later the boss sold it to one of his plumbing apprentices, who was arrested one afternoon, as the orange charger had hit an elderley man late one night, and a hit and run was reported. Soon the apprentice was however released as evidence was raised that a mate at a pub had borrowed the Charger to gp home for his wallet that had been left home. That mate had done the deed and said nothing. Got a stiff fine and 2 months jail, disqualified licence for 2 years. But also the apprentice got regular speeding fines. Certainly the Charger was very successful, and competed very well in market to V8 Holden and Ford, the real success for Chrysler Australia, that went downhill in later years into 1980s, when Mitsubishi took over the Adelaide factory.
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