Dodge · 1962–1965

Dodge Custom 880

The Dodge Custom 880 is an automobile that was marketed by Dodge from 1962 through the end of the 1965 model year. It was positioned as Dodge's product offer in the mid-price full-size market segment and to help fill the void in Chrysler's lineup left by the discontinuation of DeSoto in 1961. A cheaper version, the Dodge 880, was also offered for 1963 and 1964.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Dodge Monaco

All Dodge Custom 880 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Origins

The Custom 880 was developed as a new full-size Dodge for the 1962 model year. An often repeated story recounts that after Virgil Exner suffered a heart attack, William C. Newberg, Chrysler's president, overheard and misunderstood what Chevrolet chief Ed Cole said about Chevrolet's standard cars being downsized for 1962. As a result, Chrysler designers were forced to take the planned 1962 Dodge full-size line and shorten the design to fit a more compact wheelbase in a last-minute effort to compete with what was supposed to be a smaller new Chevrolet. However, there is debate if the smaller car GM was developing was going to be the conventional Chevy II to offset the Corvair or a new mid-sized automobile that would become the 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle. The new A-body was intended to battle Ford's mid-size Fairlane. Nevertheless, Chevrolet's 1962 full-size lineup was slightly larger than the 1961 models. The mid-trim Chevrolet Bel Air (on a 119 in (3,023 mm) wheelbase) was .5 in (13 mm) longer, although the car weighed 45 lb (20 kg) less than its 1961 predecessor. The Dodge Polara and Dart introduced for 1962 were built on a 3 in (76 mm) shorter (116 in (2,946 mm)) wheelbase and were 7 in (178 mm) shorter overall than the comparable Chevrolet. This meant Dodge did not have a full-sized model according to the classifications at that time. Ford also brought their new intermediate- or mid-size Ford Fairlane and Mercury Meteor to market for 1962 with a 115 in (2,921 mm) wheelbase (116.1 in (2,949 mm) on all Meteors but wagons). They were roughly the same size as the new standard-size Dodges, which made the latest Chrysler models as intermediates by default. Furthermore, the Rambler Classic was also similarly sized and was introduced to North America in 1961. Compounding the si

Model years

=== 1962 === For the 1962 model year, the Dodge shared the full-size body used by the Chrysler Newport and the non-letter 300 series. The models were differentiated by mating a modified 1961 Dodge Polara front clip to the Newport's de-finned rear quarter panels and passenger compartment. Since the 1962 Newport sedans had been created by combining a modified 1961 Newport front clip to the de-finned bodies of 1961 Dodge Polaras, this meant that the 1962 Custom 880 was essentially the reunion of the front and rear ends of the 1961 Dodge Polara, updated for 1962 by way of the 1962 Newport. A similar process was used to produce the 1962 Custom 880 wagon, except the wagon was created by mating the updated front end of a 1961 Polara to the body of a 1961 full-sized Plymouth wagon. This body-sharing allowed Dodge to launch the car in January 1962. It was fitted with a 361 cu in (5.9 L) 265 hp (198 kW) V8 engine from the B family; there were no optional engines. The only visible cue at the front of the car that was different from the 1961 Dodge was the addition of a horizontal bar across the grille, bisected by Dodge’s new three-pointed "Fratzog" emblem in place of the stylized star bar from the 1961 Polara. The 1962 Custom 880 was identical to the Chrysler Newport from the rear, except for Dodge badging. The model name Custom 880 was derived from Dodge’s numerical sub-model naming structure that was also used on the Dart and sportier models of the Polara. However, the model designation was not physically present on the car. Only "Dodge" badges on the car's rear quarter panels and decklid were applied. A six-way power seat was optional. For the short 1962 run, the Custom 880 was available as a four-door sedan, two- or four-door hardtop, a two-door convertible, as well as in six

Discontinuation

Dodge discontinued the Custom 880 nameplate at the end of the 1965 model year in the United States. To move its top full-size series upscale for 1966, the division adopted the Monaco name for all of the former Custom 880 models, except for the six-window sedan, which was discontinued. The original Monaco hardtop added the 500 label for 1966 and marketed as a competitor to the Pontiac Grand Prix.

Production figures

Combined Dodge 880 and Custom 880 annual production figures rounded to the nearest 100: 1962, 17,500 1963, 28,200 1964, 31,800 1965, 23,700 Total: 101,200

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Dodge Custom 880
Manufacturer: Dodge (Chrysler)
Assembly: United States: Hamtramck, Michigan (Dodge Main Factory)
Model years: 1962–1965
Class: Full-size
Related: Chrysler Newport, DeSoto Firedome, Plymouth Suburban (1961)
Engine: 361 CID B V8 (1962–1964), 383 CID B V8 (1963–1965), 413 CID RB V8 (1965), 426 CID RB V8 (1965)
Transmission: 3-speed manual, 3-speed Torqueflite automatic
Wheelbase: 122 in
Length: 213.5 in
Width: 79 in
Predecessor: Dodge Coronet (full-size 1959)
Successor: Dodge Polara (full-size 1965)