In 1966, Dodge took the midsize market by storm with the Charger, a fancied-up fastback available with Chrysler’s most powerful engines, including the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI. Plymouth responded a few months later with the GTX.
While they had different sheet metal, the Charger and GTX shared quite a few things, including under the pinnings. The former was based on the Coronet, while the latter was an extension of the Belvedere lineage, both built on the B-body platform.
The Charger had the sportier fastback look, and a fancier interior, but the GTX was a bit more exclusive in the performance department. While the Dodge came with a small-block V8 engine in standard trim, the Plymouth was restricted to the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) and 426 HEMI powerplants.
The Charger eventually morphed into a no-nonsense muscle car in 1968. The GTX, on the other hand, remained true to its premium status until it was discontinued at the end of 1971. Come 2023, the Charger is arguably the most sought-after of the two Mopars, but the GTX is the rarest due to low production numbers. While Dodge sold hundreds of thousands of Chargers from 1966 through 1971, Plymouth moved only 55,516 GTXs.
The final-year iteration is arguably the rarest at only 2,942 cars delivered, followed by the 1970 GTX with 7,748 units made. The 1969 example you see here is not quite as scarce at almost 15,000 built, but it’s one of those finely restored units you don’t see every day. It’s also finished in Sunfire Yellow, a color that doesn’t get as much love as the hues from the High Impact color palette.
But is it one of those extremely rare and desirable HEMI cars, of which Plymouth sold only 197 in 1969? It’s not. But that’s not to say this GTX is a lemon. This hardtop draws juice from a 440 RB V8 that was rated a solid 375 horsepower when new.
More importantly, the muscle car appears to be in outstanding condition. The Sunfire Yellow paint looks flawless, as do the black graphics on the hood and the chrome trim front and rear. The interior isn’t very eye-catching due to its all-black upholstery, but it’s as clean as they get. And whoever restored this cabin did a fantastic job recreating the factory specs.
This GTX is also the proud owner of an amazingly clean engine bay. There’s not an inch of dirt on the Super Commando four-barrel 440, and the inner side of the hood is just as immaculate. Heck, you could have breakfast on that air cleaner.
So, exactly how rare is this GTX? It’s one of nearly 13,866 examples shipped with the four-barrel 440 and one of 9,862 Super Commando cars fitted with the automatic gearbox. The Sunfire Yellow paint likely decreases that number below the 1,000-unit mark, but I don’t have any specific figures to run by.
But even though it might not be extremely rare, this GTX has the complete package: cool color, clean as a whistle, numbers-matching V8. And that makes it a tremendous Mopar.