1963 Dodge Product lines
Lancer, Dart, Valiant, Signet, Dodge, Trucks and Tractor units

Continuing the fight for a more advantageous position on the sales charts, Dodge once again gave their range of cars a complete new look. except the 880, with a new front end only. The wheelbase on all of the standard size Dodge cars was now lengthened to 119 inches on sedans and regular models. Station wagons now used a wheelbase of 116 inches. The standard size Dodge was now offered in three series -- Dodge 330, 440 and Polara -- and available in ten body styles. This year the standard size Dodge ranged in price from $2,245 to $2,963. The Pentastar, new symbol of Chrysler Corp., began appearing on all Dodges about midway of the model year. It was located on the lower portion of the right front fender only.

The standard power plant for the 330, 440 and Polara 2-door hardtop and 4-door sedan was the 225 cubic inch Slant Six rated at 145 horsepower at 4000 RPM. The standard V-8 engine was the 230 horsepower 318 cubic inch engine that was becoming very popular. This engine was standard on the Polara convertible and the 4-door hardtop.

Optional engines this year included the 383 V-8 with 305 horsepower at 4600 RPM. This was also the standard engine when the Polara 500 optional trim group was specified on any Polara hardtop or convertible. A 383 Power Pack was available for this engine that boosted the horsepower to 330 at 4600 RPM. This optional version of the 383 had a compression ratio of 10.0 to 1 and a bore and stroke of 4.25 x 3.38 inches.

The Dart GT Series topped off the line with an attractive 2-door hardtop and a convertible while the medium price range was filled with the Dart 270 Series that offered three body styles -- convertible. 2-door sedan and a 4-door sedan. The lowest price Dart was the 170 Series models available as either a 4-door sedan or a 2-door sedan. 4-door wagons were offered -- one in the 270 Series and the other a 170. The attractive styling and comprehensive appointments quickly made the little Dart the fastest selling car in the Dodge range. This car was offered with a 170 cubic inch, 101 horse Slant Six engine as standard on all models.

An optional Slant Six, of 225 cubic inches and 145 horse-power was available at extra cost on all models. Manual transmission in three speed form was standard on all models while the Torqueflite automatic with pushbutton control was available at extra cost.

The Dodge 880 model line that had been introduced last year to fill the gap left by the demise of the DeSoto was enlarged for 1963. These cars were now offered in two series lines called the Dodge Custom 880 and the Dodge 880. They were available in a total of nine body styles including a very attractive hardtop station wagon in the Custom 880 Series. The 880's used a wheelbase of 112" inches with an over-all length of 214.8 inches for all body styles except wagons which had an over-all length of 216.3 inches.

Dodge had a new body style ready for their new size compact car, but had not decided what to call it. This body type was very slightly altered for production, but this mock-up model bears Lancer nameplates. This was to be the 1963 Lancer GT 2-door sedan.

Although the body styling was accepted for the new compact car, Dodge had not yet decided what this car was to be called when the mock-ups were made. These cars were dubbed Lancers when they began life, but never saw the public under that name and ended up as the new Dart. This was the prototype for the 1963 Lancer 170 2-Door sedan.
 

The most noticeable optional engne offered in 1963 by Dodge was the ultra-high performance Ramcharger 426 competition engine equipped with dual four barrel carburetors, pop-top aluminum pistons, and a high-overlap cam. Developing 425 horsepower in its twin four barrel carb version at 4400 RPM. and 415 at 5600 RPM in its single four barrel version, this engine lives walking off with more racing trophies' than any of the competition. The Ramcharger Dodge was the dragstrip king and set official records for the National Hot Rod Association in 1963.

While the compact Lancer had been dropped at the end of the 1962 model year. Dodge managed to introduce a new larger size compact car and dubbed it the Dart. The new size Dart now, rode on a wheelbase of 111 inches, except the 106-inch wheelbase for the wagons. This was 4 1/2 inches longer than the compact 1962 Lancer. The Dart was offered in four series lines and nine body styles.

The standard engine offering for the 880 models was the 361 V-8 that produced 265 horsepower at 4400 RPM and equipped with a two barrel carburetor. The 383 engine with a two barrel carb was offered as an optional engine for all 880 models and this power plant produced 305 horsepower at 4600 RPM. As with last year's 880 models, the 1963 versions once again used 1962 Chrysler body sheet metal from the cowl back with only minor trim changes. The front end, new this year, was all Dodge and very attractive.

The 880 line ranged in price from $2,813 to $3,407 and thereby competed directly with such opponents as the medium price range Oldsmobile, Pontiac,Buick and Mercury.

Sales in this model year were 67% higher than in the same period last year and this represented the greatest sales gain in the entire automobile industry. Dodge dealers set a new car sales record during this model year, delivering 354,576 units, or 4.5% more than in the 1960 model year when the previous record for deliveries had been set. This was enough to put Dodge back into a position as the 8th best selling car in the U.S.