Carroll Shelby's Unlikely Euro Fighter - The Dodge Shelby Charger

[@thomasjones4932]

I had an 86 and we installed the " Grainger Mod". Spliced into the waste gate bleed off and ran a rubber hose back into the cabin with a fish tank regulator. Ran a colder thermostat to make the car run in continuous start up mode. This kept it from burning a hole through the pistons. The factory boost settings were designed to make it cover the warranty. You set the new settings by hammering it until the car would start to buck off and on. You simply turned the fish tank regulator down until it wouldn't trigger the fuel cut off. You could hear that regulator hissing inside the car while the turbo whined. The fish tank regulator would allow it to flash boost to 14-15 pounds. I also made a K&N filter for it cutting down one front a Mustang GT and building the side with rubber gasket and super glue. I built a cold air kit from a shop vacuum that looked absolutely factory when put in the fog light area. I straight piped it and put an Anza split baffled tip. I would bark fire out of the tail pipe when shifting under boost. Finally bought a Direct Connection chip and got her to flash boost to 21 pounds but I blew a spark plug out of her one day and had to retap for a bigger plug. There were some other things I did to it back then but I've forgotten now. It was perhaps the most fun car to mod I've ever had. Back then you tricked the computer into giving you the performance you wanted. I busted many of the heavy F bodies and mustangs that thought they could beat me. I gutted it out one day and took it to the local 1/8 mile track. I borrowed a neighbor's "Captain America" helmet. When I got there no one raced a four cylinder front wheel drive. This was way before Fast and Furious. I couldn't even back into the bleach box. So first race I took out some pick up truck. I kept looping back and running her. I noticed when the serious primered down Chevelles and Novas were beside me the track attendants would wave them on and pick an opponent they thought would be good. I'd come out of the hole hopping the front with torque steer. After about the third race I'm hearing the crowd going wild so I rolled down the window and I hear the announcer saying "and Here's Captain America representing you Mopar fans!" The crowd was nuts for that little car. After about my fifth run I started to head out and a track guy stopped me and said "man don't leave, we won't let you get beat. You are a hit!" I said "man I gotta drive this to work and need to put all the seats and crap back in it". The most fun I've ever had at a race track.

[@tomdipasquale9633]

Cool story!! Thanks for sharing!

[@loboalamo]

I stopped the video just to read your comment. That would have been fun to be in your space watching all your creation coming to life. It should be in a MOPAR museum with the hood up and the doors open. I chuckled A LOT reading this and laughed out loud when you had to get home and put your car back together for work; even though the track wanted you to stay. That was a hard choice, No doubt😝

[@Bonzi_Buddy]

Heard stories of people doing these kind of mods with their turbo Dodge Caravan and getting laughs on the track before blowing the doors off Camaros and mustangs.

[@sawdustandcigarettes]

Fucking Awesome! Great story!🤘🤘

[@hilltopperblog]

That is a great story. Thanks for sharing. I only wish I could have done something similar with my 1988 Plymouth Horizon.

[@TheTussman]

You see kids, there was time when 175hp was nuts - and threatened the holy IROC lol. It's all relative - I drove my friend's brand new Omni GLHS and it felt explosive!

[@rarecars3336]

yeah we are certainly spoiled today with power - the first and likely only era of insane power and useability from internal combustion engines! But the old cars do "feel faster" going slow. That visceral nature is hard to beat even if they are slower

[@flipfloppingwithMike]

I bought the Shelby brand new in September of '83....The only one at Las Vegas Dodge at that time. I would drive by the dealership and gawk at it for weeks until I finally figured out how to buy it. To this day, it was my favorite car, and I miss it very much. It was MUCH quicker than reported, and by the time I had finished with it, it was turning low 13s without the nitrous. It was a blast dusting off unsuspecting V8s, including the Camaro and Mustang. I wish I still had it.

[@JCVACCARO]

Back in 88 I had an 87 Shelby Charger GLHS. I was 18 and had a blast in that car. Ran a 14.87 at Englishtown NJ and still have the time slip after all these years. Not fast by today's standards but had fun blowing off those pesky TPI F-bodys.

[@LeachimSagrav333]

I don't know man but that seems pretty damn quick.

[@JCVACCARO]

@@LeachimSagrav333 It's ok for the day but my buddies 87 Grand National at the time ran high 13's and high 12's with minimal mods on street tires. At the time no newer car could beat him on the street.

[@bvward]

And now Englishtown (and Atco) are no more...

[@JCVACCARO]

@@bvward Yeah that sucks.

[@LeachimSagrav333]

@JCVACCARO I mean I get it there's no comparison to the for mentioned vehicles but still faster even if just by a margin than a 5.0 from that same year. Man I bet that would still be a fun ride with some little mods

[@michaelcavalier8750]

I bought a 1983 Charger 2.2 with 5 Speed. Peppy for its time. Averaged 28MPG, with over 40MPG on highway at 60MPH. The ride was fine. The negatives that I remember was that the shifter was horribly notchy and the car had massive torque steer. After attempting to adjust it a few times, the dealer said that they could not fix it.

[@sherwoodcrump3716]

I had an ‘84 that I bought used in ‘86. It was a quirky little car, but fun to drive. I didn’t realize it at the time but mine had been driven to shite and polished to look like glass. The shift linkage fell apart on me on the freeway, it had a broken motor mount that I didn’t find out about until after the catalytic converter clogged up and the car stopped running, and finally the clutch went-all in the first year that I had it. The guy that I bought it from had rolled back the odometer from 64,000 miles to 48,000 as well as never telling me that he raced the hell out of it. I learned a lot from that car. Eventually, I ended up rolling over in the car on a wet freeway trying to avoid a truck that had cut me off. I didn’t get hurt (thankfully) but my Shelby Charger was totaled.

[@Snake-ms7sj]

I had a 1986 Omni GLH with the 110 hp non-turbo 2.2L. The Omni was the same car really with a different body style. The Omni's were slightly quicker 0-60 mph because of lower weight but the Charger had a higher top speed because of better aerodynamics. All Omni GLH's were 5 speed manuals only. These manuals were notchy because they used rod linkage instead of cable. The torque steer was from the unequal length half shafts.

[@davidchristensen2970]

I drove a buddy’s first year Shelby Charger and learned about torque steer. I had a 1969 Charger R/T at the time and I was accustomed to the typical 60s power steering. It was quite a shock to be getting that much feedback through the steering.

[@jonmurraymurray5512]

I had an 85. Torque steer? Never noticed it, even when I had swapped a Super 60 package from a totaled Omni in a pull and part..... but then I had some spacers under the right front arm.

[@CaptainSeamus]

@@jonmurraymurray5512 the turbo cars had a center cardan shaft with equal length half-shafts out on the corners. Think of it as a transfer shaft across the back of the engine - they didn't suffer (as much) of the torque steer that the non-turbo cars with their unequal length shafts did.

[@aspman97]

My 2nd, a '86 Garnet/silver Sun/Sound/Shade package (sunroof, upgrade stereo, rear window louvers) car eventually ran a best of 13.92 at Mission Raceway Park in '95 with full interior, but jack and spare removed. Typically, 14.30s was a great pass, and even that would put it under the NHRA index for it's class. Had minimal mods, stock computer (there was no "chip" available, you had to replace the SMEC which was not cheap), fab'd adjustable wastegate, fab'd fuel pressure regulator, cat delete and straight pipe, Mopar Perf. turbo cam (rare), Accel coil and maximised ignition. Didn't go with colder thermostat as I found keeping it in "warm-up" mode only worked at idle, anyway, which just ends up fouling plugs. I had ordered the MP tubular exhaust manifold, which although it made it to the catalog never was released, as far as I know, if anyone actually got one let me know! Support for these cars was out there in the early 90s from places like Archer Racing and Forward Motion, those two were great! Head gasket was an issue, but there was an MLS type by Cometic that I used to success. The big-end pinion bearing in the 525 was an issue, yes, but there was a bolt on "girdle" on the cover end that stopped some deflection under load. MP spider gears and cross shaft kit, synthetic gear lube (instead of ATF) occasional fresh bearings, synchros, and shift fork sliders along with shimming of the shift rod pivots helped, but really not a great trans. The intermediate shaft and equal length half shafts helped with torque-steer, which I never found to be much of an issue if you kept it pointed straight. Never did find a 555 locally... On the street, it was a terror, breaking the tires loose from a roll-on in 2nd was pretty impressive for a four banger econo box and plenty of 5.0s and 5.7s met their fate and saw my tail lights.

[@larryfromwisconsin9970]

I had that early 1980s Dodge Omni O24 in 1985. With the 5 speed it was a peppy enough car for the era and handled well. I learned to drive in a Saab so I was accustomed to front wheel drive. The Dodge Shelby was in another price bracket unattainable with my Army Sergeant pay. My brother in law had one but he had the Dodge employee discount and was earning a lot more than me on an Illinois Chrysler assembly line. He was later tasked with test driving the new Neon prototype from coast to coast. I traded the Omni for an Oldsmobile Cutlass diesel so you know that story doesn't end well.

[@bongodave13]

I really love it when someone makes a performance version of a regular car. Shelby was a smart guy, and made a good car better. Few of them survive today, because they weren't all that reliable, but it's the thought that counts.

[@Slowgroovin]

I had the 86 model. Turbo 2.2 engine. Factory black with silver stripe, gray interior. Was surprisingly quick. Wish I'd never sold it.

[@MrTJones15]

My mom had a ‘84 Shelby Charger. I remember the day she bought it. Loved that car as a kid.

[@CaptainSeamus]

Back in 1986 I had a brand new Omni GLH Turbo - I drove both - I liked the feel of the 4 door better (weird, I know) but the Shelby tweaks on these L-bodies was amazing. I was .1 faster in the quarter but 2 mph slower on top end... Loved when I caused a guy to take his brand new Corvette back to the dealer because it "couldn't even outrun some econobox" - the service department guys at the Chevy dealer knew me and had a heck of a time explaining why his Vette was NOT broken...

[@tonypitsacota2513]

I remember a guy in KY high school in late 1980s who had a big-block Ford Fairlane in Acapulco Blue whose girlfriend had a Shelby Charger. Him and his friends used to laugh at her till after a few beers one weekend, she gave him front row seats of her tail lights. I dated her later on as I was a Corvette guy. :)

[@RentedMovies]

13:05 is my old ‘85 Shelby Charger. I took that photo around 2014/2015. Sold it after about 4 years of ownership. Still running and being enjoyed to this day on the east coast. It was an incredibly fun car to drive and got looks from everyone when you drove it around. Great content! - @speedenthusiasts

[@48Boxer]

A buddy in high school had an Omni GLH that he had turned up to be more like the GLHS. That thing was legitimately quick as long as he could get the power down

[@chuckrf1502]

Go Tigers! ❤

[@CaptainSeamus]

The first 50 feet or so off launch was feathering the clutch out and the gas in to get it to hook up... if you figured out the trick, you could get some seriously good ETs.

[@old_school_guy]

I bought a new 85 turbo Shelby. I found the only blue one they had in Columbus , Ohio. In 3 months the charging system failed. Dealer replaced under hood module that has regulator under warranty. At 6 months right rear parking brake cable stuck. Had to put Vise-Grips on cable and hammer it to spin wheel again. I replaced both cables myself. In winter if you opened the frozen doors the weather strip would pull away from clips, would have to buy a new one. Other than that I loved that car, I washed it whether it was dirty or not. I wrecked it 88 and bent right front frame. Had it fixed but it was never the same.

[@CaptainSeamus]

The charging system issue was a common thing with the Shelbys and GLHs - they used a Chrysler alternator instead of the Bosch that the G-bodies and other turbo cars used - but the alternator had issues with the high rpms that these cars got more than the regular Omnis and Chargers did - (heheh) - anyway, it would take out that module along the way (something about the diodes allowing too much voltage - I know mine used to do the 18+ volt thing, got it fixed 3 times in 2 years, kept asking if we should throw a bosch alt on it... kept being told by Chrysler no, this is under warranty)

[@chuckrf1502]

I really wanted a Charger 2.2 back in 1984, but bought a used silver and black 1982 Mustang GT with a four speed stick. That 5.0 was my favorite car ever. I miss her.😊

[@DucatiPaso750]

I too had a 1982 Mustang GT 5.0 4 Speed. I owned mine from 1986 to 1989. Mine was painted metallic blue by the previous owner. I changed the intake manifold to an Edlebrock and had a Holley 4 barrel carburetor installed. Then I put headers on it. I had a lot of fun with that car.

[@bobsears4762]

Stellantis needs another Lee Iacocca and Carol Shelby to save them again.

[@stephanelebalier9108]

dodge omni was rebrand french car ! talbot simca horizon

[@Nick-nm8om]

Better yet, Elon Musk should buy dodge chrysler and give Americans a car they want and not what companies cram down our throat.

[@JQLSpec]

My first car was an Omin. This video is giving me happy vibes.

[@stephenhood2948]

I worked at a shop in MD a few years after these cars came out. Guy brings one in and drops it off to replace the drivers wiper transmission and starts telling me about how he takes it to the track and wins a bunch of races. I tried not to laugh, it looked like an Omni with big tires and a spoiler. After I took it for a test drive i was no longer laughing at it. That thing was burning tires through second gear. It was quick. I was shocked at how quick that 2.2 was. Another neat one was a Shelby Dakota P/U that had a fold down convertible top. It had some sort of 318 in it and it pulled hard. I have saw a bunch of the GLHSs, but that Shelby Dakota Conv was the only one I've ever saw.

[@jimcrapo]

you should do a video about the Shelby csx.

[@csumme7]

I loved the look of these when they came out. At the time it really was a quick, fast little car.

[@afoolandhismoneychannel]

I had two of these! A blue/silver 1983 N/A and a garnet red/silver 1987 turbo. Such fun cars, especially under boost.

[@heyjoe9267]

I have a Charger GLHS, it’s the only 4cyl of the 10 cars I own. Sitting amongst a 69 A12 440 six barrel Road Runner and a 1970 Hemi Road Runner is my little 4 cylinder grocery getter. I applied many of the mods found in Mopars book on the 2.2 engine and on the dyno it put out 278 HP. My grandson uses it to run errands that don’t require my Power Wagon truck. It’s a fun little Mopar and as we all know…..it’s Mopar or no car.

[@amoparx]

I also have 10 cars. Unfortunately, I can't afford the V8 stuff I grew up on, so all of mine are FWD Mopars. 2-3.0's and 8 turbos. (two are '87 GLHS's)

[@DWRivers03]

❤❤❤ thank you thank you thank you for doing my car. I have an 87GLHS. This is my third one. I owned number 1000 returned it because the company at the time we were going on strike Came back bought 852 that was stolen from me and someone bought it crashed it and someone else just restored it and it looks beautiful I owned 819 sold it I currently own 816 and now I’m stuck with it. That’s a lifer. It’s not leaving me until I’m dead, but thank you for doing our cars. That’s awesome.😅😅😅😅😅😅🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@WhiteDwarfVR4]

Not directly related but I own 1992 Galant VR4 number 852/1000. Just a neat coincidence. Cars used to have soul back then, now they're almost indistinguishable from one another.

[@burtonporter8437]

Umm I had 819 as well- where did you get it from

[@WhiteDwarfVR4]

@@burtonporter8437 I used to work at a beverage castle, drive-thru convenience store and this girl used to come through all the time in it. Told her that if she ever wanted to sell it, to let me know. She did and the rest is history. She didn't know hardly anything about the car except that it was limited edition.

[@amoparx]

I'm on my 2nd and 3rd '87 GLHS right now. Also have an '87 garnet red Shelby Charger. Fun cars.

[@carlmorgan2859]

I have a DOHC 4 Valve 2.2 in my 1991 Spirit RT at 224 BHP 😊😊😊

[@DucatiPaso750]

Did you get the DOHC Spirit RT from Mexico? I've never come across one of those in the U S., but I came across many in Mexico. That engine was also available in Mexican LeBarons, which are named Phantoms over there.

[@DanoFSmith-yc9tg]

If these were AWD, and not Front Wheel Drive, people would look at these like the late 80's and 90's Japanese Halo Cars. But instead, typical of Chrysler from 73-94, nobody remembers them except the weirdos like myself that loves this era of Mopar. I own a 1991 Dodge Spirit ES (canada spac) (looks like the R/T, just has the 3.0 v6, with a floor shift automatic) Still very quick for the time, still catches most people off guard when leaving the lights, she takes off really good, considering its a 33year old economy sedan today. A real sleeper.

[@amoparx]

I wouldn't mind a '91 Spirit ES with a 3.0. I actually like the 3.0's. They get up and go well. Seem to run out of steam at about 100 though. I have 2, 3.0's and 8-turbo Mopars. I used to own a '91 R/T and like the look.

[@DanoFSmith-yc9tg]

@amoparx my old man bought a 91 red ES when he started at Chrysler as a apprentice in 91, I was 3 y/o lol, he sold it in 95 when my little brother was 2 and getting bigger, we needed a bigger car, so he got a Grand Cherokee. He always wanted to get another ES for a second car and regretted selling it. I just happened to find a red ES earlier this year, old man owned, absolutely mint condition, probably the nicest one left in existence honestly, found it on marketplace, had to go buy it. I'm 36 now, it's kinda crazy that I'm driving around, (the odd time), in a car that I grew up in, 3 decades later. Its alot of fun, and totally get why he wanted another one. I'd love to get a white R/T, even if it's a bit rough, so I have a red ES and a white R/T, sitting in the Garage. Would be a cool, rare, set of cars to have.

[@adventurefuel5172]

My parents bought me an 024 in 81 when I graduated from high school. I tweaked everything I could to get performance but it never measured up and I always wanted a Shelby. They were beautiful then, and still are a slick retro ride.

[@AndrewJrplaysNES]

I own the 83’ Charger in this video from the Shooting Cars episode. Less than 52,000 original miles and in amazing shape. Love the cars from that era.

[@TheMailmanOfSteel]

The Shelby Charger never got the A-555 (not even the GLHS's), they all had the rod shifted A-525, which were notoriously weak. Using the much stronger A-555 from the production Turbo II cars is a popular upgrade, but you have to convert the car to cable shift, using the cables out of the Shadow/Duster, as they are about the right length.

[@MCTeck]

Thank You for a Great Video, And Accurate !

[@justinkoehler157]

My dad had one of the Omni GLHS's. That car was a special part of my childhood.

[@AlvinBrinson]

My first car was 1984 Dodge Charger 2.2, and second one was a 1985 Dodge charger. Both were fun and tossable as hell. Both had been abused with lack of maintenance by previous owners and cursed with overheating, likely due to use of tap water in the radiators which was common in the south back then. So I became very familiar with replacing head gaskets. I hunted for years for a car that was as fun and tossable and didn't find it until I bought a 2015 Fiat 500 Sport and then a 2925 Fiat 500 Abarth. I know they're a different lineage but it feels like a successor to me.

[@kennethrine8171]

I had a 1985 Shall we charjerk and then I bought the 4 door shall be GLH man I loved them. I would give a Mustang and Camaro a run for their money. I would win 4 out of 10 times. I wish I would have kept one of those. Thank you for Another great video

[@capoman1]

I had a Shelby Daytona. I seriously loathe the dodge framework of this time. But I did have fun in this car... I saw it sit not running for some time and stopped and asked if it could be sold... Since it didn't run I got it for a measly $400.... I knew it had a blown head gasket as I was experienced with the platform.... I took it home, removed the hood, zip tied the timing belt to the cam hear and pulled off the cam gear, and unbolted the head... I lifted the head a couple inches and slipped the head gasket out and you could see it had burnt through 2 cylinders.... For under $100 I slipped a new head gasket in and had it running same day... I drove the shit outta that car and always felt like I stole it.

[@christopherprince3250]

I owned a Black and Silver '85 Shelby 2.2 Turbo. Fun little car to drive.

[@mustangmanmustangman4596]

Thanks for the memories! My sister bought new a 1984 20th anniversary mustang because of my influence as a mustang fanatic! One day she told me a guy friend owned a Shelby. I was really excited to see and drive it! He showed up proudly in a new 1984 blue & silver, I believe, Dodge Shelby Charger 2.2. I was crushed & he probably was too, when I said " that's not a REAL Shelby!" LOL! I loved 1960s muscle cars but, I was beginning to like the new cars and would eventually get a slightly used 1982 5.0L Mercury Capri GS and terrorize the streets & drag strip! Looking back I wish I had driven the Dodge Charger modified by Shelby, even though I drove a Chrysler Laser turbo.

[@jonmurraymurray5512]

Owned an 85 Shelby charger. Funnest car ever!

[@1heavyelement]

i had an 86 shelby charger. like the other commenters proclaimed the the car was a blast to drive. i agree with them 100%. i just didn't like the weak drive axles i broke each of them twice over. thanks for the video. mine was black with silver stripes.

[@nashville9568]

I had one in college and absolutely loved it!

[@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman]

I got a new '83 when I was 17 & it was a blast to drive, it took me & my buddies all over Atlanta! I had a job delivering pizzas & cutting grass & saved most of my money plus I had just got my insurance claim from where a drunk driver Tboned my 1973 Plymouth Fury III 2dr Sport Coupe 360 4bbl that I had just spent $1000 fixing up! Put $3000 down on the Shelby & paid $119 a month for 3 yrs to pay it off ✌💖☮

[@andrescer]

Great video!!! I bought a 1984 charger at the start of my sophomore year in high school for $4,000 in 1989. I would like to apologize to all of the people in my town because I drove like a maniac and was a total a-hole. The local dodge dealer made a ton of money off me as I upgraded the suspension, exhaust, head and performance air intake. The great thing was besides being fast, they had great gas mileage! The car ended up in a metal scrap yard after my sister wrecked it the summer I finished HS.

[@JM-pg8qv]

I don't recall there ever being a 110hp turbo 2.2 and think that might be the 2.2 HO engine which was NA.

[@gordonholmes4986]

my first new car - 1985 Charger 2.2 HO, 110 hp - no turbo - loved it

[@MyerShift7]

Yes. The 110HP was a carby HO version

[@jeffpurtell5676]

I seem to have never heard of this motor. I had no idea the overhead cam tech was so advanced in 1965, and especially not from Ford. And I'm a ford fan. Love auto history. Great video.

[@AlvinBrinson]

1985 bro

[@jeffpurtell5676]

@AlvinBrinson ok lol, that makes more sense

[@moralobjection4836]

I remember the day my mom brought hers home. That car lived forever too. In 1993 Mom got a new Lebaron Convertible and gave it to my sister. She drove it through college, and then I bought it off of her for 150 bucks. Was the best car I've had until some guy ran a stop sign and hit me.

[@bcataiji]

I had the original 1982 Charger. When I test drove a 1987 GLHS, it blew my mind. It was just like my 82, but way faster and even tighter on the corners.

[@TimLeatham]

We had a 84 Plymouth turismo duster fun car had a 5 speed looked very similar to the Daytona 👍

[@CaptainSeamus]

Duster and the Shelby Charger were L-Bodies - same car underneath - the Daytona was a G body - it had K car rear axle where the L bodies were different.

[@paulplack490]

I got to drive a Shelby Daytona 2.2 Turbo a bit, and it was an impressive transformation of the otherwise tractor-like character of the 2.2. Later, my Dad had a mild-mannered Plymouth Horizon four-door in red with a 2.2. It wasn't quick, but it was still a very enjoyable car to drive with the 5-speed.

[@IMRROcom]

Worked for Chrysler Plymouth in PHX Arizona during the summer of 85. The GLHS was such a fun little car to drive as well as the Omni GLHS. At one point the dealership was dropping the engine combo in to the Dodge Caravans that are parts runners would use. I think the would drop that engine combo into customers mini vans too.

[@AlvinBrinson]

They actually sold factory 2.2 turbo 5 speed minivans. Rare but you could buy them. So those were likely factory installs. They may have told you they'd done the swap themselves just to sound badass.

[@IMRROcom]

@@AlvinBrinson We were doing conversions, we would get a large box with all the parts needed for the conversions. We had 2 kits, one was for turbo, the other was a supercharger. much like the B&M roots style blower.

[@DigbyOdel-et3xx]

I bought a 1984 Dodge Shelby Charger. One of something like only 594 sold in Canada that year. It was one year before turbocharging, so it had a 110 bhp 2.2 liter normally aspirated 4 cyl. with a 5 speed manual. It was the first cool new car I owned. I paid $10,800 Canadian for it. Mine was metallic blue wirh silver strip. Just like the one around 7:00 here. That Dodge Shelby Charger was the first car sold in the USA with 50 series tires. The 84 has P195/50-HR-15 inch. In 85 it went to P205/50-VR-15 inch tires. I put a sweet Alpine car audio system in mine. It was a fun car, quick enough for its day, the seats were cool high back buckets with the CS logo embroidered in the head rests. Well it was a cool, affordable, sporty car, I loved owning mine.😎

[@slicedbread9003]

I absolutely love the GLH and what Shelby and Iacocca created. The Omni/Charger was a simple and light enough car to start with. Then Shelby added some performance tuning including handling mods. These are great cars for their time. Then Mopar Performance had plenty of proven parts to go even further with the performance. One more trick was that the cable shifter from the Daytona was better than the rod shifter that originally came with the car. Back then 225/50-15 tires were impressive for a car of this size, but it helped with handling. I wish I could have kept my GLH but New England salt weather and salt ate the sheet metal. It was like a go-kart with a license plate. And I used it for track days.

[@n95265]

I bought my first new car in 1983. Two cars in the running, Shelby charger silver w/ blue, IIRC that was the harder color to get, the other a Mustang GT. The little dodge was nice, but the sound of the mustang was special. Thinking of the HP numbers back then is interesting

[@sadwingsraging3044]

In 1987 my dad had his 64 1/2 Mustang 200 6 cylinder automatic car rear-ended by a dumptruck. He asked me what car he should by. I told him to go to Buick and get the GNX that was sitting on the showroom floor. When he asked why I told him that with the way he took care of his vehicles he would be able to sell it for more than he bought it for. _"That will never happen"_ was his reply. Less than 10 years later I put a magazine in front of him with an add in the back for a GNX selling for 80k if I remember correctly.😂 Instead of the GNX he bought a Shelby Daytona Z turbo with an automatic. Pretty fun ride and a rolling 10mph punch it would flat press you to the seat. Kinda miss that ride!

[@paulsnell1274]

The Charger 2.2 actually was released at the end of the spring 1981. I had the very first one in my county. My inlaws had one of the oldest Dodge dealerships in the country. My 2.2 was silver with black stripes. The rear glass was so big that the car got really hot in the sun. Naturally as was a common practice of the time, I added louvers to the rear. Direct Connection parts made this a fun car to drive.

[@jhoncho4x4]

The Plymouth Laser and Dodge Daytona 2.2 Turbo Z were fun cars that didn't cost a lot to insure for a kid in his 20s. Mine had T tops too; it's a great car to blast around in and enjoy summer youth. Powerful and didn't use much fuel. The Shelby models were collectible when new; even the Omni version was too expensive for a kid. Insurance costs would have been a lot higher for not much more performance. Oversteer limited how much power wanted for daily driving. The turbo mini van with 5 speed was a hilarious factory option. The one my friend had was the shortest body version and dark brown. Fun with 2 people in it; miserable when loaded down and hot weather.

[@Rockstago]

Great video man!👍

[@vinniecorleone62]

My very first new car was this 1985 Dodge Shelby Charger Turbo, Black with Silver graphics. 146 HP, 5-speed manual & Goodyear Gatorback tires. All for only $12,500! It sadly wasn't built well or to last as I had numerous issues from the first week I bought it. I ended up getting a 1986 Dodge Daytona Turbo-Z instead, which I enjoyed but it had unfortunate problems as well.

[@matthewbarker1785]

Like a mix between a monza and a mustang in looks

[@shelbynamels973]

Another one of those cars that should be a classic, but is near impossible to find these days.

[@rarecars3336]

yeah REALLY hard to find clean ones

[@RecycledSoul]

I had a chance to putchase one of these oragami Cobras back in 1999 when I got my first car. It was IMMACULATE. It had a little over 50,000 miles on it but looked like it rolled off the showroom floor. I also looked at a Porsche 944 that was a beautiful metallic dark brown with gold accented 911 wheels. It looked BEAUTIFUL too. I ended up getting a 1993 Mercury Cougar XR7 with 40,000 miles. $4,000.00 and either choice would have made me some serious money. The Cougar ....not so much 😂. I really liked the Porshe but my father talked me into the Cougar because it would be easier and cheaper to maintain. I'll never make that kind of mistake again.

[@craigerickson6308]

Had an 87 glhs charger, best thing I did was keep it stock but change the tires to bfg euro t/a's. Good mpg,fun and won more races than I lost. Even at LACR's 2500 ft of elevation in Aug, hot like 105 air temp it ran 15.10. So the air was horrible.

[@patrickperez2476]

I like the styling. Wouldn’t mind having one now.

[@MyerShift7]

These are great and underappreciated

[@JackoProvenGuiltyDozensOfTimes]

Exact opposite. They were terrible cars and nobody was dumb enough to buy one. They sat unsold at the dealerships and had to practically be given away.

[@BradleyBellwether-oy2qi]

I had one of these. A 1984 that was black with silver graphics. I wish I still had it. I threw a rod in my 79 trans am and didn't have the money to fix it. So I sold it and bought the Shelby Charger.

[@blue_lancer_es]

6:27 innovation. Taillights at the front.

[@afoolandhismoneychannel]

Chrysler quality control. 😂

[@WiIdFx]

😂😂😂

[@paulkelly5035]

I had to replace one of those “taillights.” I had to buy a very long screwdriver because it was recessed so far.

[@FernandoChaves]

I got an 84 Shelby for my first year in college, it was less than a year old when I bought it. I had a Chevelle and my dad wanted to help me get something more economical for college. He said it had to be 4 cylinder, front wheel drive, manual shift. LOL! Well, I got a Shelby Charger. The insurance for a year was as much as the car because I was 18 years old. Oh, and I kept the Chevelle too. I wish I still had both those cars.

[@chadwickstephens4843]

I had an 84, it was silver with blue accents, it was a really fun car

[@greengabe5]

I want to SRT-4 swap one of these and convert it to RWD.

[@anthonyfrench3169]

While watching the video I had the same idea...minus the RWD...that car would definitely pull hard!!

[@grandfathergeek]

My first car first new car was a 86 Shelby charger. It was awesome and I loved it and I still wish I had it.

[@earlrichardson385]

If I remember correctly after that car there was a Shelby Dakota, the first Dodge Viper, and the Shelby Durango.

[@afoolandhismoneychannel]

Immediately after the Shelby Charger were the Daytona Shelby Z and Lancer Shelby... there was also a Shadow-based Shelby CSX around the time of the Shelby Dakota debut.

[@SeededGarden]

I got a new Plymouth Turismo (2.2L) new in 1985. I could get that thing to launch pretty good. The engine had this weird thing: when you stopped it and parked, its engine fan for about 10 minutes after being turned off. It wasn't terribly spacious, its gearbox was pretty clunky (no hydraulic assist) but it got pretty good mileage and it looked good.

[@darrenleaguecity]

I bought my 83 1/2 in 1985 for 5,000.00 at only 20 years old. Loved the look of the car, but it was a huge POS. Had to replace the head gasket twice, once under warranty, the tranny went out, the carb had to be rebuilt several times, and I sold it in 1990 for only 500.00 to a guy that scrapped it. Had a few good memories in it, but damn it was junk!

[@mjhprojects321]

could you do a video in the ford Thunderbird SC from 89-94 i feel like everone forgets how good they are. love your other videos

[@richki.24]

always wanted one of these

[@oldmanhare]

I learned to love torque steer and boost in a sweet blue and silver Shelby.

[@85Stang331]

I had my handful of Mopar turbo cars from G and L bodies outfitted with direct connection parts and these little cars would put a beating on most of the muscle of their time right out of the box. Though the best bang for your buck was a fox body which I’ve owned an 85 and in my opinion is the unicorn of the four eyed foxes.

[@DJJunkfoodJay]

In 1994 I drove an 86' 5.0 w/a Vortech supercharger, gears, exhaust and intake. I went to the locsl races and an 85' Omni GLH challenged me. I laughed and thought easy money. I was surprised when he was on my rear bumper the whole quarter mile.

[@roadgeek123]

I wish the manufacturers would build something like that today. Simple, easy to maintain, affordable, not necessary the fastest car on the road but fun to drive.

[@brucehearn2621]

My ‘86 Shelby Charger Turbo was my 1st new car and it looked exactly like the car seen at the end of the video. It was as fun to drive as my ‘67 Datsun Roadster though Shelby spec’ed to much rebound damping as the car would pack down on washboard surfaces. The Goodyear VR50 Gatorback tires were the cat’s pajamas. I was mildly annoyed to learn of the GLHS version the following year. I wasn’t in the position to trade up.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Great vid!!!

[@razmoe2000]

I had a 83 with suspension and engine tweaks giving it a top end of 134mph and a 1.11g on a skidpad. By buddies with modded 5.0 GTs , Z28's, scirrocos and BMWs never stood a chance. I previously owned a done 67Coronet R/T , 68Charger and 68 KR350Shelby and to this day ,to everyones surprise, my fav car is my 83 Shelby.

[@John_Mack]

My neighbour had one of the red Shelby's. At the time I had a Celica. Lets say, he could not keep up when we went out on spirited drives and it could not handle well.

[@CaptainSeamus]

Sounds like a HIM problem, not a car problem... those little L bodies could corner at .9+ gs. They dominated SSB to the point that SCCA outlawed them. It should have spanked your Celica (and understand, I owned a GLH Turbo, a Shelby Charger AND the last rear drive Celica, and a girlfriend owned a fwd Celica)

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

👌😂👍Back in 1989 I had bought a brand new Cavalier z24, and at the time I thought the little bugger was fast! Boy was I wrong! One day I pulled up to a red light and next to me comes a Dodge Omni glh Shelby, boy when the light turned green! That little Dodge took off like a rocket 🚀 it left me on the dust! Literally smoked me! I’ll never forget it!

[@carljohnson7517]

I had one and it was a great car. I got 37 mpg at 70 mph. It could beat car through second gear, including the 5 liter mustang. This car was a 2.2 liter car.

[@rarecars3336]

Wow 37mpg thats good for today let alone then!

[@RealWunderBanana]

I currently have an 85' Shelby Charger. Everyone loves it. It's just sad because I've only met a handful of people who actually know what she is. She is super fun to work on and relatively easy to work on. When I tell people "oh! She's a Shelby Charger" they always say "You mean mustang? There is no 'Shelby' Charger." Most fun I've ever had Canyon Carving is in this car and I ride motorcycles!

[@ztwntyn8]

“Rear axle ratio of 3.56:1” lol

[@TheRamz74]

Yeah, I caught that too!…WTH?

[@9ZERO6]

This channel is still in its infancy. Give em a break.

[@amoparx]

That one got by me! All I heard was 3.56 and thought, "hey, that's correct"!! lol

[@slicedbread9003]

The front brake calipers came from the minivan with the steel piston replaced with a fiberglass version to minimize brake fade. It seemed to work. Rear brakes were the original drums. They had excellent modulation. Disks weren't really needed.

[@conservativeontarian328]

I owned several of the 80's turbo dodge classics. 84, 87, 88, 89 chargers...all turbo's, 1985 GLH converted to turbo, a couple shadows, 92 spirit RT, turbo PT Cruiser. My brother and I bought them from 04-14 when they were readily available and cheap, and to be honest, they're all junk and nothing but headaches. I have great memories of working on them with my brother, but they're a cheap car which never handled well and were the least reliable vehicles I've ever owned. Some of the the guys I know who still own them treat the car as a bad marriage, you've invested so much time and money that it's hard to walk away from it all. While nostalgia is intoxicating, it is also blinding. I'm thankful for what Chrysler and Shelby accomplished, but also glad we've moved forward with engineering and styling.

[@James_Hough]

I had the base, non-turbo version of this car in high school in the '80s. It was fun, but if I had the turbo.....I wouldn't be alive now.

[@makkepuu]

a friend of mine had a Shelby GS Turbo2. 2.2l with 5 speed, black/silver. fun little oddball in Finland. we turned up the boost pressure up to the point where the ecm would cut fuel :D we didn't know jack s**t about turbos and didn't realize we needed to upgrade the map sensor

[@scottmiller3025]

I loved the turbo shadows and the 89 Shelby Daytona

[@michaelhasse2568]

I actually daily drive a 83 Shelby charger, incredibly reliable

[@rarecars3336]

Really? How many miles you got on it?

[@xopherzenitram]

I bought a brand new 1983 Plymouth Turismo off the showroom floor. It had the 2.2 engine with a Holley 2 barrel carb and what looked like a factory header. The thing was really zippy for a 4-banger, but torque steer was a real problem.

[@artlandmarknyc]

Shelby on a Dodge one hella twist in history...at least to me but imsure im not the only one 😉😉👍😁👋👋😱 like Earl Gray (Tea) on Papsi can hahaha

[@jeffreydunaway289]

I own a 86 Shelby Charger 2.2 Turbo street race all the time and could out run GT Mustangs and IROC Camaros the same model year. It was fast in the 1/8 mile and 1/4 mile but not top end. It was a great car of the time mine was blue with silver stripe.

[@shanehedrick7597]

Yeh my 86 was the black and silver stripe. I loved that little car. I had it till 2005 then wrecked it and totaled it . And yes I raced a many of V8s back in my time and beat them

[@SummitHill79]

Lol, My brother-in-law had one of these. He had it for about 3 years and junked it at 36K miles. What a piece of crap. I should add, he bought it new.

[@benjaminhoyt1421]

I saw a few of these with high mileage in my high school days, poorly maintained and beat to crap. Are you sure the car was the problem?

[@BradleyBellwether-oy2qi]

Your brother-in-law is a moron. Which by default makes your sister one too!

[@SummitHill79]

@@benjaminhoyt1421 Absolutely, He is like a little old woman. The car was constantly in the repair shop for a myriad of problems

[@kleimbach77]

My 87 standard charger was a big POS barely had enough power to get out of its own way a rebuilt carb for it was $1500 so I sold it and got a 91 fox body Gt Mustang to this very day I miss my fox body my charger not so much!

[@brucesamuelson7541]

I had a fully loaded 85 Charger 2.2 I really liked despite its issues 😅

[@2010HarleyDynaFXD]

I own a couple of turbo Mopar's T1 turbo my wife absolutely loves her turbo Dodge Shadow.

[@1chumley1]

I had a 84 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo. It had those pepperoni pizza wheels on it. It had 84k on the clock and I got it for 800 bucks, I think. Great times.

[@martybgood62]

I had a 1984 Turismo with the 2.2 and 5-speed. I think the Turismo had the better looking front-end with the quad headlights. I always loved the styling of those. The steering rack decided it did not want to steer anymore and just gave up.

[@DucatiPaso750]

I got a chance to test drive a 1986 Shelby Charger Turbo, brand new at a Dodge dealership. It surprised me. It took off the line like a NA 4 cylinder and then the turbo would spool up and it was solid acceleration. I was just messing around wasting the salesman's time, but I think he knew and wanted to time in the car too.