Fast and Knackered Charger

Photo of Aaron Lofts
Aaron Lofts

Contributor

1 min read

Back in the good old days, I was lucky enough to own an R/T E49 Charger for about two years. I was told it was the 14th E49 made and that I was its third owner.

The R/T E49 Charger sailing down the Great Ocean Road in 1977. (image credit: Survivor Car Australia)
The R/T E49 Charger sailing down the Great Ocean Road in 1977. (image credit: Survivor Car Australia)

Very late one wintry night on The Great Ocean Road, I hit top gear at 6,300rpm. There were no tourists back then and the road was quiet. I could do Belmont (Geelong) to Apollo Bay in under an hour, with total brake fade around Mount Defiance which slowed me down. 

I sold it for two reasons; first and foremost, it was knackered mechanically and I didn’t have the funds for a rebuild. And secondly, I was having too many dreams of rolling the car. 

A memory snapped at Kennett River foreshore on the Great Ocean Road in 1976. (image credit: Survivor Car Australia)
A memory snapped at Kennett River foreshore on the Great Ocean Road in 1976. (image credit: Survivor Car Australia)

I ended up trading it on a new 1977 Escort panel van with a 2.0 litre engine, which I ended up rolling two years later! 

Memories from Ross Berry. Source: Survivor Car Australia

Photo of Aaron Lofts
Aaron Lofts

Contributor

From a very young age, Aaron was drawn to cars. Spotting chrome bumpered classics from the back seat of a 1978 Toyota Corolla as a child, his knowledge grew from basic brands and models to more details and specifications as a teen. He began buying and collecting magazines, reading them cover to cover absorbing as much information as possible. Primarily following local motor racing – and the cars they were built from, Aaron would watch the Bathurst 1000 coverage each year from start to finish. With a broad passion for all classic cars, his specialty is locally built and assembled muscle cars, whilst keeping an eye on the oddballs. Hunting for old cars and the stories surrounding them is a lifelong obsession, often finding them in the most unusual places or via the most unusual people. Fast talking and quick thinking, he’s always on the go. If you want to chat - you're going to have to try and keep up with him!
About Author

Comments