Car Model History

Fourth generation · Personal-luxury B-body · 1975–1978

1978Dodge Charger

Repositioned as a personal-luxury coupe — sharing its body with the Chrysler Cordoba — with formal styling, opera windows, and plush trim rather than performance. The B-body Charger ended after 1978.

Fourth generation · Personal-luxury B-body

1978 Dodge Charger R/T — final-year personal-luxury B-body coupe, front three-quarter view

Photo: “1978 Dodge Charger R/T” by Renzo Maia; cropped and adjusted by Commons uploader Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 3.0. Cropped to 16:9.

Start here

What do you need to know?

This page covers the whole 1978 Dodge Charger model year. Choose your task first; exact trims and engines are separated where the factory offered different versions.

Documented lineup

Find your exact 1978 Charger

Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.

6factory configurations
Exact factory pairings documentedHow this lineup was verified

These source-backed records identify published body, engine, and transmission combinations. Exact pairings do not by themselves assert that every factory option or special edition is represented.

6versions shown
Two-door specialty hardtop

Dodge Charger SE 318 2-barrel V8

Body
Two-door specialty hardtop
Engine
318 cu in LA V8, 2-barrel carburetor
Gearbox
TorqueFlite automatic with lockup torque converter
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door specialty hardtop

Dodge Charger SE 360 2-barrel V8

Body
Two-door specialty hardtop
Engine
360 cu in LA V8, 2-barrel carburetor
Gearbox
TorqueFlite automatic with lockup torque converter
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door specialty hardtop

Dodge Charger SE 400 4-barrel V8

Body
Two-door specialty hardtop
Engine
400 cu in B-series V8, 4-barrel carburetor
Gearbox
TorqueFlite automatic with lockup torque converter
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door specialty hardtop

Dodge Charger SE 400 4-barrel Heavy-Duty V8

Body
Two-door specialty hardtop
Engine
400 cu in B-series V8, 4-barrel carburetor, heavy-duty specification
Gearbox
TorqueFlite automatic with lockup torque converter
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door specialty hardtop

Dodge Charger SE 360 4-barrel V8 (California/high altitude)

Body
Two-door specialty hardtop
Engine
360 cu in LA V8, 4-barrel carburetor
Gearbox
TorqueFlite automatic with lockup torque converter
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door specialty hardtop

Dodge Charger SE 318 4-barrel V8 (California)

Body
Two-door specialty hardtop
Engine
318 cu in LA V8, 4-barrel carburetor
Gearbox
TorqueFlite automatic with lockup torque converter
Built
Regular production
Open exact version

The 1978 model year

Overview

The 1978 Charger catalog consisted solely of the Charger SE two-door specialty hardtop. A 318 two-barrel V8, Electronic Lean Burn, and a newly revised TorqueFlite automatic with lockup torque converter were standard outside California. Dodge's factory power-team chart also lists regular-market 360 two-barrel and 400 four-barrel options, a heavy-duty 400, a high-altitude 360 four-barrel, and California-specific 318 and 360 four-barrel combinations.

Specifications

Engines
  • 318 cu in LA V8, 2-barrel (regular markets)
  • 318 cu in LA V8, 4-barrel (California)
  • 360 cu in LA V8, 2-barrel (regular markets)
  • 360 cu in LA V8, 4-barrel (California/high altitude)
  • 400 cu in B V8, 4-barrel
  • 400 cu in B V8, 4-barrel heavy-duty
Transmissions
TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic with lockup torque converter
Body styles
2-door specialty hardtop (Charger SE)
Dimensions
Length 215.3 in · Wheelbase 114.9 in · Width 77.1 in · Height 52.9 in · Fuel tank 25.5 U.S. gallons

Year over year

What changed

  • The Daytona was no longer listed; Charger SE was the only Charger model.
  • TorqueFlite gained a lockup torque converter intended to reduce engine speed, transmission temperature, and fuel use during highway driving.
  • Electronic Lean Burn became standard on every engine except the California/high-altitude 360 four-barrel.
  • The factory power-team chart separated regular, high-altitude, and California engines and axle ratios.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • The 1978 Charger SE was the final personal-luxury B-body Charger before the name moved to the smaller L-body.
  • A T-bar roof, power sliding metal sunroof, landau roof, and halo-style vinyl roof remained available.
  • The standard specification included power front disc brakes, power steering, and a 25.5-gallon fuel tank.
  • Factory form 81-205-8004 was printed in August 1977.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

  • Match ignition and carburetor service parts to the emissions label: the brochure excludes the California/high-altitude 360 four-barrel from Electronic Lean Burn.
  • Confirm whether a 400 is the regular or heavy-duty power team; the heavy-duty engine was mandatory with the Trailer-Assist Package and carries different equipment requirements.
  • Inspect the TorqueFlite lockup system and verify the converter engages correctly at cruise, since 1978 introduced this feature to the Charger.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1978 Charger on the road

Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1978 Dodge Charger. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
4
Factory intervals
0
Fitment-scoped
4
Exact references
4

Before orderingIdentify your engine, options and build date.Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

Collect

Bring this model year home

Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.

Sources

  1. Dodge — 1978 Charger SE factory brochure (81-205-8004)
  2. Mopar Muscle — Dodge Charger model history and 1974 body/engine range

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